Reflection

I really thought that this portfolio was a great way to look back on the last two years of being in Menemac and really admiring what I had achieved. I liked this last one especially because it was my offcially last one, and I liked looking at how much I've grown since freshman year. The skills I've learned in Menemac will help me all throughout the next half of my highschool years and beyond.
-Mom and Dad feel free to look at and comment on my GLO portfolio. :)
~Angela

Journal #31- My Passion

1. My passion is dancing. After 9 years of dancing I have discovered that it is something that I have grown to love. Through the hardships and pain comes through the passion that lies underneath. Every week I cannot wait to get into the studio and feel that adrenalin rush I get from getting my leap higher, or my turns faster. This is my passion.

2. My epxperiences with this passion have been, to be honest pretty minimal. I would, do mall performances and little community event performances. But I really haven't taken to the next level. But I have experienced pain, frustation, and satisfaction after dancing for all these years. I also, experienced dissapointment and a difficult transition form one studio to the next. But this summer I plan to take dancing to the next step and compete with my dance team in the Spot Light Reigonals.

3. In the future I want to take this passion and use it to get into college. I want to possibly get a dancing scholorship to USC, or Berkley. I want to take this passion and challenge myself with it. Pushing myself to take new classes and learn harder tricks. Also I want to learn different styles of dance from around the world and expand my knowledge of the history of dance. I hope to someday travel the world through dance. Even if I don't dance for a living I want to always keep on dancing and have it be a part of my life for many more years to come.

The Brown Couch- This I believe FINAL

I've always been the quiet girl. The shy one. The type of girl who "won't talk to someone unless they started to talk to me first" . I guess I've always been content with that. Going with the flow of life, taking opportunities as they come to me, never really seeking them out for myself. I've always thought that if it didn't come to me than it wasn't meant to be.
So, most people don't really know this but I'm a dancer. I have been since I was 5 years old, doing passes' at the barre in that one small studio by the air port. But nowadays I'm in a much bigger studio, and it's practically been my second home. It wasn't always like that though. I was the new girl for some time. It was all so intimidating to me. I remember seeing girls running back and forth from studio A to studio B rushing to change into other shoes or to grab a quick bite, and some would chill outside on the big brown comfy couches in the lounge. And there was me. The awkward girl who'd stare at her phone to make like I had was to busy to talk to the other dancers. Yet secretly hoping someone would come and talk to me. Though of course this would only happen in a perfect world. No one really did ever come up to me. I guess at the time it was expected that this would happen. Again I became content with the silence. It was life, if it's meant to be it's meant to be. This I believed.
But then came the night when the brown couches weren't being bombarded with tons of other dancers. Only with Stefanie quietly reading her book. She looked serene and calm, probably totally into that book of her's. I just remember thinking "talk to her, whats the worst that could ever happen?". After I had put my stuff down I took a seat next her on that brown couch. Something about that couch seemed snuggly and almost inviting, just so comfy. At first she seemed surprised that I sat next to her, but after a while she seemed happy that I started to talk to her about school and choreography and what not. In some ways I felt that she was just like me, quiet, shy, and some what content with being this way. Once I got her talking she was one of the sweetest funniest girls I've ever met. I guess I have to thank that brown couch for calling me to come and sit down and talk to a fellow dancer.
After that night, I became more comfortable in the studio. Being able to talk to more people, and just open up and let me shine through my shy facade. Nowadays I get remarks like "Angie, I didn't know you were so cool." And I'm happy, and I'm content with that. After that night I realized that sometimes you have to make things happen for yourself if you want to live a full life. Because if you wait around for things to come, you'll just be mediocre. I never want to be left waiting in the wings, but instead out the the stage soaking in all the excitement. This I believe.

LC 3 - Angela, Kiara, Ciara

Reader Response: Tim O'brien

Tim O'brien carried with him guilt. He carried with him the guilt of killing a man, who probably had hopes and dreams like the any other soldier in the war. A man who wanted the war to end just as quickly as anyone else. Tim carried the guilt of taking away everything this soldier had. 

The event that focuses on Tim O'brien focuses on the one night watch where he kills the soldier. He kills him, without even thinking about it. It seemed almost automatic to him, to throw the grenade. But the years and the morning that followed were filled with guilt and remorse. On pg. 124 he describes the sight of the dead man; the soldier he had killed. He describes how one eye was shut, and another a star shaped circle. The way he looked clean and how dainty he seemed to look. He describes this sight all throughout the chapter "The Man I Killed." He then starts to think about the man and what kind of life he might of had. On pg. 125 he explains how maybe he'd lye on his back and hope that someday he may be brave enough to fight in the war like his uncle's and his father. And about how maybe he had the hopes of being a math teacher, and having the hope of someday making it all come true. 

Lastly, I gained insight that the Tim O'brien, had come out of the war as one of the lucky ones. He had made the transistion from war to peace smoothly. But still, after all those years he can carry the guilt of the war and the burden of always knowing that he killed a man, and took away everything from him. The insight that was gained about the war was that it almost becomes an automatic thing. A duty that a soldier has to fulfill, not something that gives you a sense of valor or strength. Just something they had to do. Finally, the insight that was gained about life is that, even though life still goes on. The scars and the stories from the past always stick with you no matter what.   

The Brown Couch- This I believe draft

I've always been the quiet girl. The shy one. The type of girl who "won't talk to someone unless they started to talk to me first" . I guess I've always been content with that. Going with the flow of life, taking opportunities as they come to me, never really seeking them out for myself. I've always thought that if it didn't come to me than it wasn't meant to be.
So, most people don't really know this but I'm a dancer. I have been since I was 5 years old, doing passes' at the barre in that one small studio by the air port. But nowadays I'm in a much bigger studio, and it's practically been my second home. It wasn't always like that though. I was the new girl for some time. It was all so intimidating to me. I remember seeing girls running back and forth from studio A to studio B, and some would chill outside on the big brown comfy couches in the lounge. And there was me. The awkward girl who'd stare at her phone to make like I had was to busy to talk to the other dancers. Yet secretly hoping someone would come and talk to me. Though of course this would only happen in a perfect world. No one really did ever come up to me. I guess at the time it was expected that this would happen. Again I became content with the silence. It was life, if it's meant to be it's meant to be. This I believed.
But then came the night when the brown couches weren't being bombarded with tons of other dancers. Only with Stefanie quietly reading her book. I just remember thinking "talk to her, whats the worst that could ever happen?". After I had put my stuff down I took a seat next her on that brown couch. Something about that couch seemed snuggly and almost inviting, just so comfy. At first she seemed surprised that I sat next to her, but after a while she seemed happy that I started to talk to her about school and choreography and what not. In some ways I felt that she was just like me, quiet, shy, and some what content with being this way. Once I got her talking she was one of the sweetest funniest girls I've ever met. I guess I have to thank that brown couch for calling me to come and sit down and talk to a fellow dancer.
After that night, I became more comfortable in the studio. Being able to talk to more people, and just open up and let me shine through my shy facade. Nowadays I get remarks like "Angie, I didn't know you were so cool." And I'm happy, and I'm content with that. After that night I realized that sometimes you have to make things happen for yourself if you want to live a full life. Because if you wait around for things to come, you'll just be mediocre. I never want to let life pass me by, because taking "the bull by the horns" is way cooler, and much more exciting, then letting the bull come to you on it's own time. So this I believe.

Persephone- final

Being down here
Engulfed by all this doubt
pain, and defeat.
Isn't so lovely.

Drowning in the dark
I'm trying to find myself
Through all the hardships
and tiring struggles
It's a constant battle.

But still I push on.
I say to myself
Don't ever give up hope.
But at times that seem hopeless.
I'm beaten and aching
I'm dying inside.

Searching for the light at the
end of this long tunnel.
Searching for freedom.
No matter what.
I push on.

And so here I am.
It is quite bright.
And it's beckoning me.
To come up and rise
from the darkness of
defeat once again.

This I Believe- Brainstorming....Journal #30

Beliefs:
You can't live a full life if you wait around for great things to happen to you. You have to make them happen for yourself.
Story: dance class; being the first to talk to some one, and make friends
Work hard for the things you want in life
Story: ballet, dance class, making it on dance team
Life is unexpected, you have to roll with it.

PERSEPHONE GRAPHIC

Persephone

Being down here
Engulfed by all this doubt
pain, and defeat
Isn't so lovely.

Drowning in the dark
I have been taken.
I run but can't seem to
find a way out.

I push on.
But can't seem to stay
on my feet long enough.
But still I go on.

Searching for the light at the
end of this long tunnel.
Searching for freedom.

And so here I am.
It is quite bright.
And it's beckoning me.
To come up and rise
from the darkness of
defeat once again.

Allusive poem brain stroming

I think that for my allusive poem I would like to reference the goddess Persephon, I'd like to Persephon, because she was the goddess of spring. And even though she was abducted by Hades of the Under world she still kept her head high and never gave up hope.
I think my allusive poem would be about how I am like her, in the way that I never give up. I will probably show that no matter how tough and hopeless things seem I will stick it out and always look on the bright side.

Journal 20-A Dead End

The government has been constantly "bullying" the education fund, and public school children. With the constant budget cuts, furlough fridays, and now our school lunch being upped to $2.20. Yes, we are in a recession and money is low, but there are other ways to make up for the low budget. For example, instead of just making schools pay for the budget short falls, why not just up the taxes. Our governor had refused to do so, so now it left teachers with no other choice than to take furlough fridays over lay offs. With all of these budget cuts, all of us students are suffering, and not getting the best education we can get. When there are less days in the week teachers cram lessons and it becomes harder for us to really understand the concepts. It has become harder to keep track of our work and get help when we need it. The constant bullying on the education has to stop. It is just hurting the schools and has given us a dead end.

Reflection of my portfolio

I think that my portfolio was well written and put together nicely. Over all, my graphics matched each trait, and the metaphor I used in my portfolio well represented the traits. I explained how each part of an outfit or step to making an outfit is like a trait. I provided 2 examples of work from this semester for each trait that I feel best represented my best work in that trait.
This semester has gone by so fast and I've learned so much. I've learned how to mature as a writer, and as you can see from this portfolio compared to last year's I've really matured. Not only in my writing but in my website making skills as well. I feel that I've done the best I could to sum up my writing progress into one portfolio.
....Please answer the following questions pertaining my portfolio.

1. What did you like best about my portfolio and portfolio conference? What would you like to see me improve on in my portfolio?
   
2. From your point of view, which of my attainments of the 4 traits of writing is of most value? Please explain why you feel it is important and what about my documentation of it impresses you.
   
3. Which of the traits of writing would you like me to focus on in the coming semester?
   

What's the purpose?

1. It is an opportunity for them to comment on your learning and
   
2. It is part of my assessment of your attainment of General Learning Outcome #5, "Effective Communicator." Your sharing of the portfolio should enable your parents to reflect and respond to the three questions above.

Angry Letter Draft

Topic: Putting Recycling Bins in the Waipahu

Dear, City and County of Honolulu

I've been living here my whole life and I must say it's the most beautiful place to live. The great beaches, the perfect weather, and just that welcome feeling I get every where I go. I've grown to love this island and this island loves me. This island is constantly advancing and making changes that help to benefit the environment and the community. I mostly love the fact that this island is helping our environment by distributing blue and green bins around to people all over the island to help with collecting recyclables.
But during one of my family's drives around the island last summer sometime in July I noticed that Hawaii Kai was one of the only neighborhoods that have these bins. Why is it that one side of the island gets bins before the other? It just upsets me that it is taking so long for blue bins to come to this side of the island. It's been a year since I've heard about the project, but still I have not seen a blue bin at all here in Waipahu. I understand that there are phases in distributing the bins and Kahuku and Kahaluu are getting their bins, and that all bins will be distributed by May of 2010. If the city and county really wants to have a big impact on the environment I advise that you get some bins to the rest of the island. My family and I always find it hard to "be green" because it's a pain to go out to the Reynolds recycling trucks with all of our cans in order to recycle or cans and bottles. They normally end up sitting outside or being thrown. Not having these bins is really an inconvienece for myself and my family, and we feel we should be able to have the same benefits from these bins as some of the other select few here on Oahu.
I think in order to solve this problem, the city and county should allow our individual neighborhoods to be in charge of counting how many bins are needed, and distribute them. If the bins are the communities responsibility I feel that they will get to the homes in that neighborhood faster. Also, I think as something temporary while we wait for our bins, the city and county should provide recycling curbside pick up. If it's possible, trucks can come over to houses that don't have bins and pick up our recyclables anyways.
All in all, I feel that what the city and county is doing to help it's people be more environmentally friendly is great step forward in helping to modernize and improve our island as a whole. But again, I just wish that the distribution of the bins could be faster because it is really an inconvience to myself and my family. My family and I try to be as green as we can for Oahu but I feel that our city and county should help me achieve that.

pro con essay rough draft

Media has become a way of life for many teens. Whether it be watching t.v, texting, or surfing the web. Teens are constantly finding an outlet to the media. Many teens have in fact, become under the influence of the media.
Some may think that teens are old enough and should be independent enough to make the right decisions, and to be smart enough not to be under the influence of whats in the media. In a study by Cornell teens were also found to take longer when making decisions. They ponder over the pros and cons and often take longer, because they know which is right and wrong. This can lead to people assuming that they'll make the right decisions most of the time. But in fact this is not true. Just because teens take longer to make decisions does not mean they'll always make the right ones. In this study it was also found that most teens choose to make risky decisions because they feel that the benefits out weigh the risks. And with the influences of the media showing unprotected sex, and other risky behaviors teens feel that it is okay to make hurtful decisions. Teens are in the stage in their lives where they feel that they want to and need to be accepted by their peers and society. The media paints the image of the "perfect" or "ideal" man or women, and teens feel that they need to live up to that.
Also, teens base their behaviors on influences in the media. For example, teens who carry guns and other weapons were found to have played violent video games or watch violent movies. The fiction of such things like war and shoot outs has blinded teens to the reality if these situations. The media makes teens believe that these fictional situations are what it is like in reality. Another example of this is in t.v shows like Gossip Girl, which portrays high school students as individuals that have unprotected sex, and party all of the time. Shows like this can spark a teens desire to have sex or party, without them thinking about the consequences of these actions. Also, most of the girls in this show are stick thin. Teenage girls who watch this show can feel that they are too fat, and feel that they need to do what ever it takes to change their whole self image.
All in all, the media has been a way of life for many teens. It has and will always influence their lives. Whether it be a video game, a song, a movie or a t.v show. The Hollywood version of the real world will often overshadow the reality of the world. Teens use the media as a way to mold themselves into who the media says they should be, because it seems like the only way to feel good about themselves, or be accepted by the rest of society.

Risky Business Thesis, 2 pros, con

Thesis: Various influences in the media pressure teen into changing who they are.

Con: Teens should be old enough and know better not to decide to be sucked in by the media. Teenagers know that they are they're own person and have the maturity to make decisions that are right for them. In fact, in a recent study by Cornell (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/12/061211124302.htm) it was found that teens ponder more on the pros and cons of the situation and actually understand and overestimate the risks. There fore, teens have the ability to make smarter and wiser decisions.

Pro 1: Yes, but the study also shows that teens choose to do the wrong thing because they feel that the benefits outweigh the risks. There fore, proving that even though teens take longer to make decisions does not mean they'll make the right one. Also, teens practically use the media like a bible. Consulting with it when they want to know the latest trend, or freshest gossip. Teens are in a stage in their lives where they want to be accepted by their peers, and the media creates the image that is acceptable among society.

Pro 2: Also, teens base their behaviors on what they see in the media. For example, some teens who carry around guns and act violently were linked to violent video games and movies. Teens also think that this type of behavior is okay because this fiction has become their reality. When teens see something in the media they feel that they need to act that way and look a certain way in order to be acceptable. For example, shows like Gossip Girl portray having sex as something that is normal without any consequences. It also portrays the majority of these girls as stick thin. With shows like Gossip Girl, teens feel pressured into feeling like they can have unprotected sex and not suffer the consequences. Or, feel like they have to be stick thin in order to be beautiful and accepted.

College essay draft-Living "Unplugged"- UW essay topic

I feel like I'm in a bad reality show. You know, one of those ones where you have to play a game to get money, or do something totally stupid to get half a million dollars. The living room seems as if a big hole has been punched through it, now that the TV is gone. Dust bunnies, and cob webs finally see daylight after years of collecting behind a flat screen tv. In the family room, two walls once flanked by our mac and PC, are gone it's nothing but a empty space now. I feel like I'm living in a cave, cut off from the rest of society, unplugged from my outlet to a modern day life.
Living unplugged has been a challenge, especially in this technologically advanced world we live in. We've been so consumed by texting, myspace, youtube, and facebook. It is nearly impossible for me to go a day without watching TV or going on the computer. It's become a way of life. Giving up my lifestyle for a year has not been easy. The initial reaction from people was "Are you serious?!?", and you can tell I haven't been taken seriously on my commitment to being "unplugged" for a year. I don't blame them for thinking that about my situation, most teenagers can't do it for a year let a alone one week. Even I thought there was no hope for me in this situation. But life has become much simpler, I don't have to worry about missing Project Runway or Glee, or I don't have to think about getting back to people's texts and comments on facebook and youtube. I have been able to talk to my family without an interrupting phone call or text message. I've grown closer to them, now that we've had no other choice than to find entertainment in each other. There has been a lot of quiet time where I could just sit down and reflect on myself and figure out who I really am now that all of the distractions entering my life through my outlet to the modern day world have been cut off. I feel like the little kid I was in those old home movies again. Playing board games, and riding my bike with my little sister as if we were both 5 years old again.
I guess living a year unplugged has exposed me to myself. I've been able to complete my journey to self discovery after this one year of being unplugged. No distractions or anything to influence my train of thought, I was forced to listen to my own thoughts and no one else. It was scary but it was worth it. Worth it to become closer with my family, and worth it to bring out the true Angela Valdez. Sometimes simplicity is all it takes bring complexity to your life.
** Note: This was written in the perspective that I actually did live "unplugged" for a year. I wrote on how I'd assume thinks would be like.

Journal #9

What I liked about the novel "Ophelia Speaks" was that it was a very relatable and unsensored novel. What I mean by unsensored was that the stories were told directly from the view of different girls, showing their stories and struggles. Some stories made me cry while other stories made me open my eyes, and others made me feel squeemish. For example, one story talked about how a girl took for granted her mother and when she finally lost her battle with breast cancer, she realized how much her mother really meant to her. This story made me cry because she was losing her mother and she didn't really care. Also, all of the stories about eating disorders and self abuse made me feel really squeemish. They went into such detail on how they would starve themselves, or hurt themselves and I found myself thinking how could they do that to themselves. Then there were the stories of how some girls were sexually assaulted or molested. When I read these stories it was sort of eye opening to hear that girl's my age across this country are going through more pain in their teenage years than I would probably never go through in my life time. One, story in particular about how a girl described how her brother raped her made me feel disgusted. I thought to myself, how can a sibling do that to his own sister?
All in all, Ophelia speaks was a very raw unsensored book of the struggles of teenage girls. It brought a sense of awareness to my life and the way I think about how tough being a teenager really is.

Journal #8

I have not exactly picked a specific college that I have a burning desire to attend. But I do know that I want to stay on the West Coast, in states like California and Washington, and possibly up north in Canada. Some colleges I've been looking at are UW (university of Washington) and Art Institute. I really enjoy both of these areas of the US and I love both of these campuses. At, UW I've been thinking about going into bussiness and getting a marketing degree, then going to arts school to study graphic design. Preparing for college means writing the infamous college essay. Looking at the college essays in class helped think about the college essay in a different way. Yes, in these essays you are suppose to state your achievements but also you have to stand out from the rest of the pack. For the Arts Institute I couldn't really find a specific essay topic for application. Just to state your achievements and to provide a portfolio of your work. As for UW the essay topics change every year. But one essay topic I've found is this: If you were required to "unplug" for one year, describe the influence this would have in your life, your anticipated reaction, reactions of others in your life, and how you might change after your "unplugged" experience. "Unplugged" means no computers or other technology such as cell phones. Making my college essay great makes all the difference for my college application. Also I have found another interesting topic for USC; Newton’s First Law of Motion states that an object in motion tends to stay in motion in the same direction unless acted upon by an external force. Tell us about an external influence (a person, an event, etc.) that affected you and how it caused you to change direction.

Coming of Age Poster Draft

Coming of Age.......Camp Mokul'ea (draft)

I resorted to my normal "lonely girl" tactic, twisting my slim pink phone in my hand, opening and snapping it shut as if I were checking new texts. Then came the occasional pretending to text some one when I really wasn't to make it seem to people that I did have friends, and that I wasn't a complete loser. But I wasn't fooling myself, I was a loner and I knew it. I set my phone down on the bench and looked around at everybody around me. I've been in this situation before, I was the lonely girl and everbody else had a group of friends to hang out with and have a good time with at this SPAM retreat. My stomach churned in disgust. UHH!! What was I thinking, intentionally putting myself in this situation?!?! Well it was too late now. The busses were pulling into the St. Jude parking lot, those stupid yellow over sized vehicles were going to take me to 3 days of missery at Camp Mokule'a.
It was a small little camp with an ocean view and the faint sound of waves breaking at the rocks and soft rustle of the trees to add to it's peaceful ambiance. It almost made me forget how miserable I felt. I soon snapped out of it when Steve, the retreat leader said that girl's may go into the lodge and go to our assigned rooms and get ready for dinner. Great. I reluctantly walked into room number 5.
It was around 7:00 p.m by the time we sat down for dinner. I was across the table from one of my room mates Faye. We had both opted for the fish and we both agreed that it had to be the best camp food we've ever eaten. I glanced up from my food and looked at a couple of juniors from my curch that also came to the retreat. I guess Faye noticed because she asked me if I wanted to sit with my friends. I thought how ironic, I thought I'd be in the guilty position of asking some one if I was keeping them from being with their friends.
"No, I didn't come with friends. Those are just older people from my church, my umm. mom forced me to come." I said trying to explain my situation
"Oh, me too. To tell you the truth I didn't want to come."
I should have known by the look on her face when I first met her. She was smiling yet I could see that she was miserable behind her facade. But over the next couple days the fake smiles were replaced with genuine ones. As I spent more time with Faye and some other new people I met, I realized I wasn't alone. As time passed and activities went on I realized that a lot of people were feeling alone and needed a friend, other people like me that often felt rejected by some other so called "popular groups". The retreat was starting to come full circle from that dreadful first day outside of St. Jude's church. Soon I was smiling and laughing with new friends like Faye, Dani my other roommate, and Trey who must be one of the funniest guys I've met.
Not only had I made friends but I became much more reassured in my faith with God. As I learned that first night in the chapel, God always forgives and had a purpose for us. I was also privlidged enough hear inspiring true stories from the people who had lived through them. I had become aware of other people around me with sadder stories than just being the "loner" all the time. And I became greatful and much more humbled by what I've been blessed to have, as some other's aren't so lucky. By the end of the retreat I had a new outlook on life and what it really means to step out of your comfort zone. When things started to come to a close I felt liberated and strong, like I could take on anything. In a way I grew up, I became more aware of the world around me and that I am not the only one who feels alone and uncomftarble when stepping out of the realm of ones own comfort. I had created a whole new part of myself, one that was open and willing to go beyond myself in the hope of discovering who I am. Though I'm not fully aware of who I am, this retreat had given me the tools to finding out just exactly who that is.