WA7 final

“SPITTER, where’s my lucky pen?”

“I don’t know, I didn’t take it!”

“I saw you last night. You took my lucky pen Spitter!” replied Bedhead. 

“You were drunk Bedhead! How would you remember?”

“Well find it pledge, before I make you a part of the door!”

“Guys, Guys. Do we have a problem?” Cappie asked in a fatherly tone as he entered the kitchen. 

“Yes, Bedhead is wrongly accusing--” Spitter started to answer. 

“Okay, men, or shall I say children? Is it not meeting time? Living room…now!” Cappie continued with little regard to Spitter’s explanation. 

The KT men made their way into the living room as soon as they heard Cappie’s, the president of KT, call from the ’super special conch’ shell that signified that a mandatory meeting in the living room. The men all took a seat in the living room. Cappie soon started speaking, “I have called this meeting fellow brethren, to discuss, well brotherhood, a concept most of us seem to have a problem understanding?  You are part of this house because you were rightfully chosen to become part of a family, and may I add, not your normal everyday American family, a KT family! You all, at some point during your time as a pledge, proved you wanted and could be a part of this brotherhood but I am beginning to doubt that hell week was enough to reinforce your commitment to this house and all the brothers that reside in this glorious home. Take a look at the boys sitting around you. These are your brothers. You are lucky to have such people around you in this fun time we call college, something the math and science geeks in the dorms do not understand.”

“HEY!” yelled Spitter, quickly hushed by Cappie’s hard gaze. 

“As I was saying, before I was uninvitingly interrupted by pledge Spitter, we are all brothers and have an equal duty in this house to be there for each other, whether we get dumped by our girlfriends, have football practice after a long night of partying, or have a polymer science test.” Cappie glanced towards Spitter, the science geek in the house, with a joking smile. “We will always be there for each other, no excuses. I believe that the wise words of Malcolm X summarize our relationship with each other in this house. As he once said, ‘I believe in the brotherhood of all men, but I don't believe in wasting brotherhood on anyone who doesn't want to practice it with me.’ So listen to me when I say, unite as a family of close brothers or find a house that will put up with your ways. Spitter, who helped you when you almost missed the most important exam of last year?”

“My brothers,” Spitter replied timidly.  

Cappie nodded, turning to his next victim. “Cueball, who was there for you to destroy the Omega house when you lost your girl friend to that disgusting dweeb from Omega?”

“My brothers,” Cueball replied more confidently. 

Cappie continued, “Now if I were you, I would stop thinking about myself and start reminding myself of why I wanted to be a part of Kappa Tau when I first stepped through the back doors as a pledge during the annual Pledge Party. Now if you don’t think you can do this, you may walk away right now. No hard feelings, promise.” Cappie stood for a moment watching to see if anyone would lift his hand but no one moved an inch. “Okay then, I see that we all agree we want to be a part of the KT brotherhood.” Cappie smiled contently and then began to yell in a motivating coach like voice. “Who are we?”

“KT!” The brothers yelled encouragingly in unison. 

“Why are we here?” 

“Brotherhood!”

“What do we love to do?”

“Party!” The replies turned into enthusiastic shouts.

“NO! What is the other thing we love to do?” Cappie asked, a little frustrated.

“Help our brothers!”

“Thank you KT brothers. Now, I have arranged for brother bonding week to start Monday so please see your list of duties posted on the fridge next to the party schedule. We have arranged activities that will challenge you to become the best brother in the house. Now besides rewarding yourself with a week full of brotherhood bonding, there will be a grand prize. The one who proves to be the ULTIMATE brother will receive a night of free drinks at Dobbler’s.”

“YEAH!! Who are we? KT!” everyone yelled at once.

“Well that worked out quite nicely. It worked out way better than I thought. Don’t you agree brother Spitter?”

“Agreed brother Cappie.” 

WA~7

“SPITTER, where’s my lucky pen?”

“I don’t know, I didn’t take it!”

“I saw you last night. You took my lucky pen Spitter!” replied Bedhead. 

“You were drunk Bedhead! How would you remember?”

“Well find it pledge, before I make you a part of the door!”

“Guys, Guys. Do we have a problem?” Cappie asked in a fatherly tone as he entered the kitchen. 

“Yes, Bedhead is wrongly accusing…” Spitter started to answer. 

“Okay, men, or shall I say children? Is it not meeting time? Living room…now!” Cappie continued with little regard to Spitter’s explanation. 

"When all the members of the house took a seat in the living room, Cappie, the house president started speaking, “I have called this meeting fellow brethren, to discuss, well brotherhood, a concept we seem to have a problem understanding?  You are part of this house because you were rightfully chosen to become part of a family, and may I add, not your normal everyday American family, a KT family! You all, at some point, proved you wanted and could be a part of this brotherhood but I am beginning to doubt that hell week was enough to reinforce your commitment to this house and all the brother that reside in this glorious home. Take a look at the boys sitting around you. These are your brothers. You are lucky to have such people around you in this fun time we call college, something the math and science geeks in the dorms do not understand.”

“HEY!” yelled Spitter, quickly hushed by Cappie’s hard gaze. 

“As I was saying, before I was interrupted by pledge Spitter, we are all brothers and have an equal duty in this house to be there for each other, whether we get dumped by our special little friend, have a football practice after a long night of partying, or have a polymer science test. We are there for each other, no excuses. Malcolm X once said “I believe in the brotherhood of all men, but I don't believe in wasting brotherhood on anyone who doesn't want to practice it with me.” Spitter, who helped you when you almost missed the most important exam of last year?”

“My brothers,” Spitter replied timidly.  

Cappie nodded, turning to his next victim. “Cueball, who was there for you when you lost your girl friend to that disgusting dweeb from Omega?”

“My brothers,” Cueball replied more confidently. 

Cappie continued, “Now if I were you, I would stop thinking about myself and start reminding myself of why I wanted to be a part of Kappa Tau when I first pledged to this house. Now if you don’t think you can do this, you may walk away right now. No hard feelings, promise…Okay then, I see that we all agree we want to be here. Who are we?”

“KT!” The brothers replied in unison. 

“Why are we here?” 

“Brotherhood!”

“What do we love to do?”

“Party!” The replies turned into enthusiastic shouts.

“NO! What is the other thing we love to do?” Cappie asked, a little frustrated.

“Be there for each other!”

“Now I have arranged for brother bonding week to start Monday so please see your list of duties posted on the fridge next to the party schedule. We have arranged activities that will challenge you to become the best brother in the house. Now besides rewarding yourself with a week full of brother bonding, the grand prize for the ultimate brother will be a night of free drinks at Dobbler’s.”

“YEAH!! Who are we? KT!” everyone yelled at once.

“Well that worked out nicely, better than I thought. Don’t you agree brother Spitter?”

“Agreed brother Cappie.”

WA 6 Final

I was only seven when I figured out exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up. My family was visiting my cousins who were hosting our fourth annual family reunion in Pennsylvania. I was excited to see my cousin Jay who was the athlete in the family. In addition to being the MVP of his basketball team back home, he was a musician and today he was providing some entertainment for the special get-together. He played a couple of songs, of course I didn’t know what they were at the time. Afterwards, however I remember my mouth dropping to my feet when I saw his fingers doing the quick step up and down the finger board. When he finished playing, the whole family cheered. I remember wishing I was the one up there, everyone clapping for me. 
 
  When we were on our way home to upstate New York, the very next day, I mentioned that I had a new passion to my dad. I begged him for a guitar of my own. He kept saying no, that it was unnecessary and that I would get sick of it with in a month. He did not have me convinced so I kept begging until he finally agreed to get me a guitar for my birthday if I behaved until then. That was good enough for me, after the long hours of begging. So I would have to be a good boy for 10 only day. It wouldn’t be too bad, definitely worth it.

My birthday came around, and, soon enough, I had my very own guitar. My father helped me tune it and bought me a “Teach Yourself Guitar” book. I sat down that day for over six hours, running my fingers up and down the board, trying to figure out which position made what noise. I had already been able to read music notes since I had been playing the piano for three years so it came down to memorizing notes and chords.

There was never a single day after my eight birthday that I put the guitar down. I played all the time and I learned how to play almost all the classics on my dad's computer and using a site. When I got to high school, I had already decided I wanted to be a musician so what was the point? I dropped out as soon as I could to become a musician. I wanted, more than anything, to make it in the business though I knew it would be hard. I had another cousin in New York city so I decided to live with him until I could find a job and pay my own rent.

Little did I knew, the music business was about ten times harder to make than I had thought. I played show after show in little clubs, but every time I met a producer, he told me I wasn't strong enough to make it, that I was too young, too inexperienced and not what they were looking for. I changed my sound around and still, nothing. I was forced to leave my cousins apartment when her boyfriend moved in. I applied for any, and every job I could find but was denied every single one for my lack of a high school education. I guess I didn't think that one through when I decided high school was unnecessary since I was convinced people went to high school to decide what they would be. I still had no job so I ended up with out any place to live and only a couple friends. I stayed with my friends until they kicked me out after three month of my skipping out on paying my share of the rent. I was forced to live on the street.

I thought about moving back home, but a) I had no money to buy a train ticket back and b) I couldn't show my parents that I had dropped out of high school to become a failure. It was a hard life on the streets. I was cold at night and my clothes were deteriorating quickly. The rain left smelly, moldy spots on my back. I moved from shelter to shelter but they were very crowded, not any better than the extra long bench on 13^th street. I was forced to sell my guitar. This was probably the hardest day of my life. I couldn't help thinking that my whole past would be traded for a new outfit and a week's worth of food. That was the day I lost my identity. I had nothing to define me anymore. No friends, or family or anything to show for. I was a homeless man and I had to get used to it.

There is no happy ending to this story, in fact no ending. My life continued like this, in the dump. I say that in an almost literal tone. This is merely a warning to anyone who is reading. It can be harder than you think, to become a musician. In fact, I don't recommend it at all, not the way I reached for my dreams anyway. I recommend staying in school and keeping a well-rounded relationship with family. Think about your future before you live it.

WA-6

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"Get out!" she said, her tone angry and anxious. "I never want to see you again. You messed up. It's time for you to pay the price." I remember it clearly. She left me. It was not my fault for liking another woman but I was responsible for the affair but it was over, and no matter how many times I apologized, she never forgave me. I didn't blame her for not wanting to see me again, so I did as she pleased and left. This was a year ago, a year from the dirty streets and creaky cart. 

I didn't ask for money or a place to live. She had earned all the support for our family and I didn't deserve any of the life we made together. I was laid off at work when my company shut down and I didn't bother to get a job afterwards. I regret that too. Now I have nothing but a cart I roll along with me in the streets of the Bronx. I could not afford an apartment and it was hard to get a job so I traveled from shelter to shelter looking for nothing but warm soup, some rest and maybe a few friends here and there.

I had lots of time on my hands, to think, to read, to wander aimlessly through life, or what was left of it anyways. I went to the library almost every day and each time read a book from a different shelf. Today I was in the romance section. I found a book entitled Love Story, it was the same as the movie, my wife and my favorite movie of all time. It was about two young college students. They love each other a great deal but went through many highs and lows during their relationship. The girl was sick and died but he still loved her and they make it through till the end, together. One line, however stood out. “Love means never having to say you're sorry.” How can this be, I asked. Would anyone believe such a lie to be true? I love my wife. I never go a day with out thinking of her. I had some regrets but I decided to find out if she still loved me. No one could make a movie with false script.

I stepped back to take a cold hard look at the new life I had created. It was filled with cheap food and old clothes on my back. My wife, she was my everything. She completed me, made me who I was and now that I didn't have her, my life was a wreck. Half of me was gone, all because of a stupid mistake. As soon as I gathered enough money, after weeks of begging on the street, I bought a bus ticket up to northern New York where my life was living.

When I got back to my hometown, I walked to the house we had lived in together a year ago. I knocked and immediately took position 5 steps from the door. I was nervous about seeing her again. What would she think, do, say? She opened the door and took a look at me. She checked me up and down for signs, information as to why I was there. I smiled hesitantly and shrugged. All of a sudden, a tear fell to the ground from the tip of her nose. She had her eyes planted on the ground at her feet. I stood for a minute and started to turn towards the street. I knew she didn't want me here. I looked back as I was leaving and she was lifting her face. Her mouth dropped a little as if she was going to say something, but nothing came out. I stopped just to watch. She was beautiful, prettier than I remember and her eyes twinkled in the sunlight more than her now-damp cheeks. She closed her mouth and again opened it but this time the words came out. “Love means never having to say you're sorry.” At that moment, my mouth dropped lower than hers. I hesitated for a second but then we both started moving forward. I grabbed her shoulders and pressed her body into my chest. Now more than ever, I realized what exactly love meant and I couldn't possibly think why I could ever deny such a beauty between my wife and me. 

WA5

Part 1

It was the day I had dreamed about my whole life. I looked around the church, which would soon be filled with 200 guests,  making sure the decorations were perfect. The flowers were tinted colors which shone down from the stained glass windows. 

I glanced at my watch. Soon guests would be arriving. I quickly hurried to the ready room. My maid of honor sat in front of the mirror surrounded with make-up and my veil, shaking her leg impatiently. She quickly wished me luck and secured the veil carefully under my bun. She then left me alone in the room. I sat there soaking the last minutes of my unmarried moments. 

The door opened and I quickly turned to see my father standing paused in the door way. A tear formed in the corner of his eye but was soon hidden by a blink, as he reached his hand out to mine. We stood outside the front church doors until Mendelssohn’s Wedding March began to flow from the same organ I had played earlier. The doors then opened. I could hear the gush of air they created over the silence that fell upon the guests. 

I started down the isle, each step matching the beat of the music. I was watching the ground, making sure I wouldn’t trip. My eye caught a white rose that lay on the side of a bench. As I walked, I kept my eye on the beautiful rose. I couldn’t look away. I felt a tug on the front of my dress. Suddenly, I saw the ground fly towards my face. I was inches from the carpet. I quickly put on a straight face and kept moving as the guests tried to hide their gasps. In what seem like forever, my father and I reached the alter. He gave me a quick kiss, mumbling, “I love you.”

I looked into the eyes of my fiancée. He held his hands out to hold mine, trying not to giggle about the unexpected trip, but his eyes were gleaming with happiness. We said our vows and placed the wedding rings on one another’s fingers. He then took the lower of my back and pulled me in for a kiss. He took my hand and walked me to the doors as the guests followed. 

Part 2

I sat on the side of a bench in the church. The mumbling sound of over 200 people vibrates through the air. The voices of the guests sound excited, as people discussed their relation with the bride and groom. 

Suddenly, Mendelssohn's Wedding March rings from the organ. The mumbling fades and the front doors open.  

I feel the gentle gush of air that passes through the aisle and the sound of the guests turning in their seats to take a look at the bride, who I cannot see. However, I can see the groom standing under the alter. His eyes light up, a huge smile stretching across his face. He is the happiest man in the church, yet no one sees but my fellow flowers and me. The march continues until the bride reaches the alter. 

The music stops and the minister begins the vows. Looks of love pass from the bride to the groom until they are told to place the rings on one another. The minister gives the groom permission to kiss the bride. The groom wraps his hand around the lower back of his new wife and pulls her in for a kiss. He then puts his hand in hers and turns to walk her to the front doors, the bride’s maids and best man following, as the clapping grows and the guests stand to watch the couple leave. 

The church slowly empties. I am left alone with the other decorations after everyone clears to go celebrate the new couple. We sit quiet and alone until the next day when we are removed from the church.  

WA~5 Wedding: bride

It was the day I had dreamed about my whole life, since the day of Aunt Flora's wedding when I got to throw little pink petals down the isle before she entered through the chapel's doors. She looked beautiful, not the way I had remembered the year before when we visited her in Kansas. Then, she wore those hideous jean overalls, covered with spots of dirt. But today was my turn. 

I looked around the church, which would soon be filled with over 200 guests,  making sure the decorations were perfect. The white flowers were tinted brilliant colors which shone down from the bright sun beating on the marvelous stained glass windows. I hit a key on the organ, the sound ringing from on of the gold pipes. 

I glanced at my watch. Soon guests would be arriving. I quickly hurried to the ready room. My maid of honor sat in front of the mirror surrounded with make-up and my veil, shaking her leg impatiently. She quickly wished me luck and placed the veil carefully under my bun of curled hair. She then left, leaving me alone in the room. I sat there soaking the last minutes of my unmarried moments. 

The door open and I quickly turned to see my father standing paused in the door way. A tear formed in the corner of his eye but was soon hidden by a blink, as he reached his hand out to mine. We stood outside the front church doors until Mendelssohn’s Wedding March began to flow from the same organ I had played earlier. The doors then opened. I could hear the gush of air they created over the silence that fell upon the guests. 

I started down the isle. Walking slowly, each step matching the beat of the music. I was watching the ground, making sure I wouldn’t trip. My eye caught a white rose that lay on the side of a bench. As I advanced forward, I kept my eye on the flower. It was beautiful. I couldn’t look away. I was right beside the rose now. I felt a tug on the front of my dress. Suddenly, I saw the ground fly towards my face. Next thing I knew, I was inches from the red carpet. I was mortified but I put on a straight face and kept moving as the guests tried to hide their gasps. In what seem like forever, my father and I reached the alter, where he gave me a quick kiss while mumbling, “I love you.”

I looked into the eyes of my fiancée. He stood still as he held his hands out to hold mine. He was trying not to giggle about the unexpected trip, but his eyes were gleaming with happiness. We said our vows and placed the shiny rings on one another’s fingers. He then took the lower of my back and pulled me in to give me our most passionate kiss yet. He then placed his hand in mine and walked me to the doors as the guests followed. 

WA~5 Wedding

Here I am, a tiny little spec in the bigger picture that is called a wedding. I am just one of the flowers in the beautiful array of decorations that help make this the best day ever for the young bride. I am perched on the side of a bench in the stained glass church. The mumbling sound of over 200 people, I would guess from the volume, vibrates through the church air. The voices of the guests sound excited and happy, as people discuss how they know the couple and where they come from. Suddenly, Mendelssohn's Wedding March rings from the pipe's of the organ. The mumbling fades and the doors of the entrance open but I cannot see them.  I only feel the gentle gush of air that passes through the aisle and the sound of the guests turning in their seats to take a look at the bride. However, I can see the groom standing under the alter. His eyes light up, smiling almost as big as his lips which stretch slowly across his face, keeping his teeth hidden. He is the happiest man in the church, yet no one sees but my fellow flowers and me. The march continues until the bride reaches the end of the isle, giving a kiss to her father who now takes his seat in front right behind the maid of honor and bride’s maids. The music stops and the minister begins the vows. Looks of love pass from the bride to the groom and back until they break their contacts to place the rings on each other. The minister then announces the couples new relation and gives the groom permission to kiss the bride. The groom wraps his hand around the lower back or his new wife and pulls her in to give the most passionate kiss of their relationship. He then puts his hand in hers and turns to walk her to the doors she first entered from, the bride’s maids and best man following closely behind, as the clapping grows and the guests stand to watch the couple leave. Music begins again but this time provides background sound to the cheering family and friends. The church slowly empties, row by row. I am left alone with the other decorations after everyone clears to go celebrate the new couple. We sit quiet and alone until through the night until the next day when we are removed from the church. 

WA-4 Final Draft Obama letter

                                                                                                                                         January 30, 2009

Dear President Obama,

First of all, I would like to congratulate you on becoming the President of the United States of America. Change has already begun with your election.

I am writing to you concerning issues we, as a country, are facing today. We are in the middle of a war and now must also fix the economy which has gone downhill in the last decade. Millions have lost their jobs and will continue to do so if we do not start fixing this problem soon. I think this is one of the biggest issues today along with the war in Iraq, the war on terror, and education. 

The wars that are now going on are not doing anything to help us and we claim we are trying to help Iraq? Most don’t want us there. We are so worried about money, the government wants more in taxes, yet we have spent almost 600 billion dollars on Iraq! We need to focus on doing what is best for our country but also try to help other countries only if they want our help. That itself will help in the war against terror, providing other countries with more trust in the United States and peace between us. Every little effort we make can lead to solving bigger issues. You must do what you think is right and what you think will make the people happy at the same time though the majority opinions of people now may be the minority in the future. The majority of people wanted the US in Iraq when the war started, but that majority is now a minority. The majority of voting citizens wanted to elect George Bush the President of the United State eight years ago. That number is now a minority as well. Sometimes citizens don’t know what’s best and just because the majority of people have the same opinion, that does not mean that it’s the right decision for the United States. One way we can change this is to inform citizens of all sides of a problem and all the possible consequences. Planning is essential. If we think through all of our plans and all the possible consequences that come with them, then we will not even have to worry about problems that poor planning can create. Poor planning has been a major problem during the last presidency. 

Being a sophomore in high school, the biggest issue I have affecting me is education. I am in school now so I can grow up to be a great adult citizen so education is extremely important to me. What kids learn in school leads to the future of this country. The future president of the United States is now in school, learning about our country, learning from experiences that may affect the world 20 years from now. School is very important and needs to focused on with great care but No Child Left Behind is not the way to do it. We, students, are not learning to say the least. We are memorizing mere facts that may not even help us when we become adults. We need to learn how to apply what we learn to our lives. I, myself, can write a redox reaction equation and predict products given reactants in a chemical equation yet I have the slightest idea how to apply for insurance or pay taxes. I don’t even know how to write a  resume. No Child Left Behind has led to classes based on standardized tests and written facts. It limits the knowledge that each individual teacher can provide his or her students. It leads to students, those with great talents, to learn below their potential. If a student were asked why they are learning a about a subject, most likely their answer would be that they need to pass a test at the end of the year. If the student does not pass the test along with his class mates, then their school loses funds that lead to students learning even less in the years that follow. Students need to know why they are learning and how it will help them in the future. Maybe if students knew what they were learning and wanted to learn about interesting subjects, beyond basic facts and curriculum, then students would be excited to learn and go to school. If we enjoy school, then there is no reason we would not do well. We want to learn but we don’t want to memorize useless information. Schools are preparing their students for jobs that do not even exist yet. It’s very important for kids to learn as much as possible about all kinds of subjects, not just the facts. Nintendo, itself, spends more money on research and development than the U.S. Federal Government spends on research and innovation in education. 

Your presidency will be one of the most important in history. A lot is expected from you after the last presidency and simple steps can help you achieve what you’ve been promising in your speeches. What you accomplish will help make or break our country in the long run. We all know that it will not be easy to fix what has already been done to the economy and the people, but the next year is crucial in beginning the process of building the United States of America into the country that it is able to be. I am proud to live in such a wonderful place and unbelievably lucky to have the opportunities that I have. It would be a shame to see it go in the next few years. I am looking forward to a positive year and I hope to see some changes for the better.

Sincerely,

Dania Jazouli 

WA 4 Obama Letter Second Draft

Dear President Obama,

Congratulations on becoming the President of the United States of America. Change has already begun with your new position.

I am writing to you concerning issues we, as a country, are facing today. We are in the middle of a war and now must also fix the economy which has gone downhill in the last decade. Millions have lost their jobs and will continue to do so if we do not start fixing this problem soon. It's going to take a while but it's better to try now than to lift ourselves from a bigger hole in the future. I think this is the biggest issue today along with the war in Iraq and the war on terror. The wars that are now going on are not doing anything to help us. We are trying to help Iraq? Most don’t want us there. We are so worried about money yet are spending millions on Iraq. We need to focus on making ourselves happy just as much as we need to focus on making peace with other countries. That itself will help in the war against terror. Every little effort we make can lead to solving bigger issues. You must do what you think is right and what you think will make the people happy, though the majority thoughts of people now may be the minority in the future.

Another big issue is education. What kids learn in school leads to the future of this country. The future president of the United States is now in school, learning about our country, learning from experiences that may affect the world in 20 years. School is very important and needs to focused on with great care but No Child Left Behind is not the way to do it. This plan has led to simplified classes. It has caused teachers to teach below their potential and students to learn below their potential as well. Mere facts we memorize are not going to help in the future as well as application along with the facts we learn. If you went into a class today and asked the kids why they are learning what it is that they are learning, most likely they would not have a respectable answer besides that the material is on a test they must pass. Students need to know why they are learning and how it will help them in the future. WE are preparing students for jobs that do not even exist yet. It’s very important for kids to learn as much as possible about every possible subject. Nintendo spends more money on research and development than the U.S. Federal Government spends on research and innovation in education.

Your presidency will be one of the most important in history. A lot is expected from you after the last presidency and simple steps can help you achieve what you’ve been preaching. What you accomplish will help make or break this country in the long run. We all know that it will not be easy to fix what has already been done to the economy and the people, but the next year is crucial in beginning the process of rebuilding the United States of America. I am proud to live in such a wonderful place and unbelievably lucky to have the opportunities that I have. It would be a shame to see it go in the next few years. I am looking forward to a positive year and I hope to see some changes for the better.

Thank You,

Dania Jazouli

WA-4 Rough Draft Obama Letter

Dear President Mr. Barrack Hussain Obama Sir,

I am writing to you concerning ishoes we, as a country, are facing today. Today, we are in a tough position. We are in the middle of a war and now must also fix the economy which has gone downhill in the last decade. Millions have lost their jobs and will continue to do so if we do not start fixing this problem soon. It's going to take a while but it's better to try now than to lift ourselves from a bigger hole in the future. I think this is the biggest issue today along with the war in Iraq and the war on terror.

The wars that are now going on are not doing anything to help us. We are trying to help Iraq? Most don’t want us there. We are so worried about money yet are spending millions on Iraq. We need to focus on making ourselves happy just as much as we need to focus on making peace with other countries. That itself will help in the war against terror. Every little effort we make can lead to solving bigger issues. You must do what you think is right and what you think will make the people happy, though the majority thoughts of people now may be the minority in the future.

Another big ishoe is ejucation. What kids learn in school leads to the future of this country. The future president of the United States is now in school, learning about our country, learning from experiences that may affect the world in 20 years. School is very important and needs to focused on with great care but No Child Left Behind is not the way to do it. This plan has led to simplified classes. It has caused teachers to teach below their potential and students to learn below their potential as well. Mere facts we memorize are not going to help in the future. If you went into half of the classes today and asked the kids why they are learning what they are, they would not have a respectable answer besides that the material is on a test they must pass. Students need to know why they are learning and how it will help them in the future. There are other ways to put more stress on healthy education. Nintendo spends more money on research and development than the U.S. Federal Government spends on research and innovation in education.

Your presidency will be one of the most important in history. What you accomplish will help make or break this country in the long run. We all know that it will not be easy to fix what has already been done to the economy and the people, but the next year is crucial in beginning the process of rebuilding the United States of America. I am proud to live in such a wonderful place and I am terribly lucky. It would be a shame to see it go in the next few years.

I am looking forward to a positive year and I hope to see some changes for the better.

Thank you,

Dania J.

WA-3 Final: What About Peace?

My heart sped as I walked towards the front of the class. Today was the day I had been dreading for the past week. I hated speaking in front of my classmates and now I had to present my essay in front of everyone. Adding to the stress, I was very sensitive about what I was going to read to the class. My grandfather died in World War I. Seeing the grief-stricken look on my father’s face every anniversary of my grandfathers death broke my heart. I stared at my peers, their eager faces made mine go into shock. I decided to be safe and just read my essay instead of improvising a presentation.

"War is unavoidable and unpredictable. It is a devastatingly bitter event that occurs when any sort of uprising occurs from conflict," I read. I read the words, unaware of their actual meaning. I couldn't concentrate on anything more than the typed letters on my paper and the curious look on my teacher's face. As I read my essay, the tension in my muscles began to ease. I finally finished my paper and the class began to clap as I headed towards my seat.

"Hold on, Janie," my teacher said as the clapping seized. "I have a question for you before you take a seat. If war is unpredictable, then what about peace?"

I froze...What about peace? I repeated his words over and over in my head. There was nothing in my paper about peace. I gave no thought to peace when I was writing my essay. What was I supposed to say?

I finally opened my mouth, ready to say the first thing that popped to my mind. "Peace....Peace is well, Peace is glory. Peace is beauty. Peace is rare and must be treasured." I was unsure of my words as they came from my frightened mouth. I looked over at my teacher. He nodded and I took my seat.

I flowed through the rest of the school day, only thinking of my teacher’s question. "What about peace?" In history, we had been talking about the science of war. I came to a conclusion that it was part of the human race to disagree and to fight. I wrote this in my essay. I was right about one thing but my teacher’s question still made my mind spin with thoughts about peace. It had a different meaning, a different significance now, but what was it? Could something so terrible lead to something so wonderful? If war was avoidable and simply did not exist, then peace would not exist. If there was no war and there was always peace, then is it really peace? I thought about that for a little while before deciding what exactly I believed. Without war, we can never have peace.

WA-3 Second Draft: What About Peace?

My heart sped as I walked towards the front of the class. Today was the day I had been dreading for the past week. I hated speaking in front of my classmates and now I had to present my essay in front of everyone. Adding to the stress, I was very sensitive about what I was going to read to the class. My grandfather died in World War I. Seeing the grief-stricken look on my father’s face every anniversary of my grandfathers death broke my heart. I stared at my peers, their eager faces made mine go into shock. I decided to be safe and just read my essay instead of improvising a presentation.

"War is unavoidable and unpredictable. It is a devastatingly bitter event that occurs when any sort of uprising occurs from conflict," I read. I read the words, unaware of their actual meaning. I couldn't concentrate on anything more than the typed letters on my paper and the curious look on my teacher's face. As I read my essay, the tension in my muscles began to ease. I finally finished my paper and the class began to clap as I headed towards my seat.

"Hold on, Janie," my teacher said as the clapping seized. "I have a question for you before you take a seat. If war is unpredictable, then what about peace?"

I froze...What about peace? I repeated his words over and over in my head. There was nothing in my paper about peace. I gave no thought to peace when I was writing my essay. What was I supposed to say?

I finally opened my mouth, ready to say the first thing that popped to my mind. "Peace....Peace is well, Peace is glory. Peace is beauty. Peace is rare and must be treasured." I was unsure of my words as they came from my frightened mouth. I looked over at my teacher. He nodded and I took my seat.

I flowed through the rest of the school day, only thinking of my teacher’s question. "What about peace?" In history, we had been talking about the science of war. I came to a conclusion that it was part of the human race to disagree and to fight. I wrote this in my essay. I was right about one thing but my teacher’s question still made my mind spin with thoughts about peace. It had a different meaning, a different significance now, but what was it? Could something so terrible lead to something so wonderful? If war was avoidable and simply did not exist, then peace would not exist. How could there be peace with no war? If there was no war and there was always peace, then is it really peace? I thought about that for a little while before deciding what exactly I believed. War defines peace.

WA-3 What About Peace?

My heart sped as I walked towards the front of the class. Today was the day I had been dreading for the past week. I hated speaking in front of the class and now I had to present my essay in front of the whole class. Adding to the stress, I was very sensitive about what I was going to read to the class. My grandfather had died in World War I. Seeing the grief-stricken look on my fathers face every anniversary of my grandfathers death broke my heart. I stared at my peers, their eager faces made mine go into shock. I decided to be safe and just read my essay instead of improvising a presentation.

"War is unavoidable and unpredictable. It is a devastatingly bitter event that occurs when any sort of uprising occurs from conflict," I read. I read the words, unaware of their actual meaning. I couldn't concentrate on anything more than the typed letters on my paper and the curious look on my teacher's face. As I read my essay, the tension in my muscles began to ease. I finally finished my paper and the class began to clap as I headed towards my seat.

"Hold on, Janie," my teacher said as the clapping seized. "I have a question for you before you take a seat. If war is unpredictable, then what about peace?"

I froze...What about peace? I repeated his words over and over in my head. There was nothing in my paper about peace. I gave no thought to peace when I was writing my essay. What was I supposed to say?

I finally opened my mouth, ready to say the first thing that popped to my mind. "Peace....Peace is well, Peace is glory. Peace is beauty. Peace is rare and must be treasured." I was unsure of my words as they came from my frightened mouth. I looked over at my teacher. He nodded and I took my seat.

I flowed through the rest of the school day, only thinking of my teachers question. "What about peace?" In history, we had been talking about the science of war. I came to a conclusion that it was part of the human race to disagree and to fight. This made me rethink all my previous knowledge of peace. If war was avoidable and simply did not exist, then peace would not exist. I thought about that for a little while before deciding that that was what I thought about peace. Peace is wonderful and filled with hope, but peace is because war is.

WA-2 Final (Character and Setting)

The rough cement scratched his jeans as he sat playing his brand new Les Paul. The warm sunshine glistened on the smooth orange-yellow finish of Ace's guitar. A drop of sweat slowly fell along the side of his forehead passing his light hazel eyes and continuing down his face till it disappeared under the edge of his jaw bone. But still, he kept playing. Ace plucked the strings of his guitar with his bright blue pick. His fingers were arranged in complicated sequences along the neck. Each strum created a wave of the ocean swimming across the vast, open fields and sidewalks of the park. He strummed slowly, then quickly, playing an old rock tune. Down, down, up, down.

Passerby’s ears turned to search for the sweet sound of the tune bouncing around the trees and gardens filled with white daisies and colorful flowers. A couple cuddling in the bench across the wide sidewalk watched as a small crowd gathered around to listen. They whispered to one another, one talking and pointing, the other nodding.

Do they hate my music?...Ace thought as he watched a small boy place a bill in the case lying beside his right leg. Another lady walked up and he heard coins hitting the smooth black velvet in his case. Clink-a-clunk. He thought again, I hope not. He began to sing. A soft tune flowed from his mouth, like the sweet song of a hummingbird fluttering in the nearby trees. He continued playing. A larger crowd had gathered to watch. All eyes were on Ace but he didn't let that get to him. He kept strumming and singing. His heart raced as still more people gathered. He spoke, "Thank you", when a break in the verses came and as more people dropped money into the open mouth of his case.

Ace looked into the crowd again to see some one pushing his way to the front. It was a round man, with broad shoulders and a rough face. He wore gasses framed with thick black. He watched Ace with beaming eyes till he finished his song. "That was great. Good going, kid." Ace paused, surprised at the man's comment. Ace had never played in the park before. He didn't expect such a crowd. The man spoke again. "I'm from International Records on 6th and Main. I would love if you stopped by some time. Just ask for Johnny Rehnolds." The man handed over a small card. Ace rubbed his thumb over the man's name, number, and the outline of a black globe. It had a large ‘I’ in the center with ‘International Records’ written under it. Ace was still in shock as he packed the lucky guitar into his case.

He gathered the money, shoving it into his pocket. It would take too long to count all the coins in the park so he raced out of the gate, which made a break in the low stone walls that outlined the park's edge. He walked quickly into the racing traffic of rush hour. He dodged cars as he ignored the lights over the crosswalks that signaled pedestrians to cross by showing the white lit man in a half running position. Car honks flew at Ace like an eagle grabbing its prey. But still he continued. He hurried home. A smile was planted across his face from nearly ear to ear. It never left his face as he anxiously practiced a new song to play in the park tomorrow.

This was only the beginning.

WA-2 Second Draft (Character and Setting)

The rough cement scratched his jeans as he sat playing his brand new Les Paul. The warm sunshine glistened on the smooth orange-yellow finish of Ace's guitar. A drop of sweat slowly fell along the side of his forehead passing his light hazel eyes and continuing down his face till it disappeared under the edge of his jaw bone. But still, he kept playing. Ace plucked the strings of his guitar with his bright blue pick. His fingers were arranged in complicated sequences, unnatural to a foreigner of music. Each strum created a wave of the ocean swimming across the vast, open fields and sidewalks of the park. He strummed slowly, then quickly, playing an old rock tune. Down, down, up, down.

Passerby's ears turned to search for the sweet sound of the tune and bouncing around the trees and off the couples sitting on the benches. A small crowd gathered around to listen. They whispered to one another, one talking and pointing, the other nodding.

Do they hate my music?...Ace thought as he watched a small boy place a bill in the case lying beside his right leg. Another lady walked up and he heard coins hitting the smooth black velvet in his case. Clink-a-clunk. He thought again, I hope not. He began to sing. A soft tune flowed from his mouth, like music flowing off a page. He continued playing. A larger crowd had gathered to watch. All eyes were on Ace but he didn't let that get to him. He kept strumming and singing. His heart raced as still more people gathered. He spoke, "Thank you", when a break in the verses came and as more people dropped money into the open mouth of his case.

Ace looked into the crowd again to see some one pushing his way to the front. It was a round man, with broad shoulders and a rough face. He wore gasses framed with thick black. He watched Ace with beaming eyes till he finished his song. "That was great. Good going, kid." Ace paused, surprised at the man's comment. Ace had never played in the park before. He didn't expect such a crowd. The man spoke again. "I'm from International Records on 6th and Main. I would love if you passed by. Just ask for Johnny Rehnolds." The man handed over a small card. Ace rubbed his thumb over the man's name, number, and the outline of a black globe. It had a large ‘I’ in the center with ‘International Records’ written under it. Ace was still in shock as he packed the lucky guitar into his case.

He gathered the money, shoving it into his pocket. It would take to long to count all the coins in the park so he raced out of the gate, which made a break in the low stone walls that outlined the park's edge. He walked quickly into the racing traffic of rush hour. He dodged cars as he ignored the lights over the crosswalks that signaled pedestrians to cross by showing the white lit man in a half running position. Car honks flew at Ace like an eagle grabbing its prey. But still he continued. He hurried home. A smile was planted across his face from nearly ear to ear. It never left his face as he anxiously practiced a new song to play in the park tomorrow.

This was only the beginning.

WA-2 First Draft (Character in Setting)

The rough cement scratched his jeans as he sat playing his Les Paul. The warm sunshine glistened on the smooth orange-yellow finish of Ace's guitar. A drop of sweat slowly fell along the side of his forehead passing his light hazel eyes and continuing down his face till it disappeared under the edge of his jaw bone, but still, he kept playing. Ace plucked the strings of his guitar with his bright blue pick. His fingers were arranged in complicated sequences, unnatural to a foreigner of music, creating waves of the ocean swimming across the vast, open fields and sidewalks of the park. He strummed slowly, then quickly, playing an old rock tune. Down, down, up, down. Curious passerby's ears turned to search for the sound of the sweet tune playing and bouncing around the trees and off the couples sitting on the benches. A small crowd gathered around to listen. They whispered to one another, one talking and pointing, the other nodding. Ace watched...Do they hate my music? He watched a small boy place a bill in the case lying beside his right leg. Another lady walked up and he heard coins hitting the smooth black velvet in his case. Clink-a-clunk. He thought again, I hope not. He began to sing. A soft tune flowed from his mouth, like music flowing off a page. He continued playing. A larger crowd had gathered to watch. All eyes were on Ace but he didn't let that get to him. He kept strumming and singing. His heart raced as still more people gathered. He spoke the words, "Thank you", when a break in the verses and chorus came as more people dropped money into the open mouth of his case. Ace looked into the crowd again to see some one pushing his way to the front. It was a round man, with broad shoulders and a rough face. He wore gasses framed with thick black. He watched Ace with beaming eyes till he finished his song. "That was great. Good going, kid." Ace paused, surprised at the man's comment. Ace had never played in the park before. He didn't expect such a crowd. The man spoke again. "I'm from International Records on 6th and Main. I would love to hear from you." The man handed over a small card. On it, was his name a number and a black globe with a large I in the center, International Records written under it. Ace was still in shock as he packed the lucky guitar into his case. He gathered the money, shoving it into his pocket. It would take to long to count all the coins in the park so he raced out of the gate, adjacent to the low stone walls that surrounded the park. He walked quickly into the racing traffic of rush hour. Dodging cars, he could barely wait for the lights over the crosswalks to show the white lit man in a funny walking position. Car honks flew at Ace like an eagle grabbing its prey. But still he continued. He hurried home, anxious to practice a new song he could play in the park tomorrow, with a smile that never left his face. This was only the beginning.