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World War 1- Essay

How much change could one war possibly bring? Could it be enough to shape the future of a nation forever? This question defined the culture and societal values of the era. The war affected countless lives through numerous ways. From young to old, man to woman, one race to another, this war would prove to change people’s perspectives forever. Among others in the nation, the war affected the lives of women, German-American immigrants, and African Americans.

Women were affected through the changing times of the war. As their husbands, brothers, fathers, and sons left to fight for their country, the women decided to help in the factories to aid their loved ones as best as possible. The number of women working increased as the war went on. They helped make supplies for their loved ones through every opportunity presented to them. As their influence in the workplace increased, many women seeked an influence in politics and choosing their country’s leaders. Women like Carrie Catt started organizations to rally support for women’s suffrage. Later, the new generation of women, including Alice Paul and Lucy Burns, would push the limits of determination and achieve suffrage for the future daughters of the United States.

Along with women, German-American immigrants were affected as an outcome of the war. Nationalism surged in the veins of the people and soon took a much darker turn. What started as a love for one’s nation, soon turned into a hatred for anything foreign to it. Xenophobia was presented in every aspect of the German-Americans’ lives. They were tarred and feathered simply due to the name of their heritage. Musicians refused to perform with German composers, such as Beethoven and Bach. Even the names of German foods were changed simply due to the hatred of everything related to the “enemy”. This hatred overtook the nation and forced unforgivable treatment towards some very innocent people.

Another group that was deeply affected by the war were the African Americans. Living in an era of unfair racial discrimination, the war pushed African American rights even further from the minds of the people. With everyone so focused on the war, African Americans had to make their own path to respect during the war. Many of them signed up to serve their country in the war in hopes of only respect and fair treatment in return. This raised their status quite a bit during the era; however, it would take well into the century for them to get the fair treatment they rightfully deserved. It wouldn’t be until the Jazz Age that their values and culture would influence society.

Through every struggle they faced, these three groups aimed for change in the nation. Whether it be allowing their daughters to vote or having everyone’s children study in the same school regardless of race or ethnicity. Women, German-American immigrants, and African American influenced the nation for the better and this is evident in the culture of the country. From food to women voting, these groups changed the values placed upon certain things. So yes; one war can define the future of an entire nation, and these changes proved to be long-term impacts in the lives of those around them.   

The Pride of Both

I was born in Agra, India. 

I speak Hindi everyday. 

I know the Indian National Anthem by heart.  

I live in the Alabama, United States.

I speak English everyday.

I know the American National Anthem by heart. 

No matter how far I get in life, I will never leave behind where I can from. Because that’s what’s being a human being is all about. Growing everyday yet staying connected to our roots no matter how bad things get. But it’s hard to explain this to some people. 

I have friends whom are Indian and yet they know nothing about India. They don’t know a single language other than English. They don’t know a single word of the Indian National Anthem. That just bothers me for some reason.

They say they don’t have to know these these because they “weren’t born in India” so “Indian values don’t apply to them”. 

Umm ok. Well here’s my question: when you look in the mirror: do you see American or Indian. There’s your answer...

I hate how people are ashamed to be connected to their culture. My culture is who I am. Every decision I make reflects my Indian values. 

But whatever, it’s their life not mine. My only goal for this post was to convey my feeling about the matter. 

People should be connected to their roots because as science dictates; once a tree is disconnected from it’s roots, it dies. Breathing isn't the only thing that defines a person as living. 

I like to think that no matter how old I get or how far I get in life, I can always look back and have comfort in my culture. 

My culture is beautiful and I’m proud to have the honor of being included in it. Not everyone is. From the open arms for the whole world to the music inside my heart, everything I am comes from my nationality, my culture, my roots. 

My parents take me to the Hindu Temple every time there is a festival or a celebration because they want me to be a part of where I came from. The boundaries of a country or the flag that flies above it doesn’t define the nationality of a person. 

Now don’t get me wrong. I’m in love with the U.S. Every part of my current life is here. My friends, my parents, my future. I will always be proud to be a part of this beautiful nation. This will be a part of who I am always too. 

Some of the friends I’ve made here have become family and I don’t know where I’d be without them. 

I’m an Indian who’s future is in America. I’m very proud of that. Both India and America are my countries. 

Every time I hear the National Anthem of either, I will rise and salute to the brave front of both nations. I will commend soldiers from both countries. I will put my hand on my heart and stand still in the presence of each flag that waves. 

What’s wrong with that? Nothing from my view. Why have the pride of one nation when you can hold your head up high when 2 countries’ names are called?

But that’s just how I think.. 

The Misconception of Summer School

Whenever I heard the term "summer school" , it was used in a negative connotation 9 times out of 10. But this was when I didn't have my own experience to contribute to this statistic. This summer has been extremely busy for me. I had summer P.E all of June. Monday to Friday, 8 A.M to 2:30 P.M. Every single day. At first I was just trying to get through and get my credit, but as the class started, I realized there was much more to summer school that just getting my graduating credit.

We started off each day with an hour of fitness with accelerated heartrate. Here, I found that I actually love jogging and I got at least one mile in every morning. We were taught so many important life skills about keeping our body fit and healthy. Although I learned some of these things at martial arts, some of these things I didn't know at all.

With a class of only 12 people, we had time for a whole bunch of games throughout the day. We played dodgeball, tennis, badminton, ping-pong, just to name a few. On top of this, we went on multiple field trips.

We went cannoeing, paddleboarding, boating, bowling, and we even went to go play laser tag. You'd think working out for 8 hours would get annoying after a while, but everyday was something new. My friends Haley and I did everything together.

With there being a lot of underclassmen in our class, there were only about 4 upperclassmen. I made lots of new friends and I made stronger friendships with some on the old ones.

This just went to show that the misconception of summer school was- well, a misconception. Summer school all depends on the subject, the teacher, and the friends that are in that class. I actually loved summer school. I got my P.E credit in, learned new things, and had an awesome summer.

The Dangers of Disracted Driving - My Debate Speech in Honors English

    Why didn’t the chicken cross the road? Because it got run over by a distracted driver. This is more than a just a cheesy joke that everyone in this room has probably heard at some point, it’s a terrifying statistic. According to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), “3,477 people were killed and approximately 391,000 people were injured on American roads as a result of distracted driving” (“Distracted”). Distracted driving is the leading cause of all wrecks on the road. This is an issue that needs to be addressed. In this paper, I will address the different issues, possible solutions, and presented counter arguments for a better understanding of this common but life-threatening mistake.

    Texting and driving is the leading cause of wrecks on the road. It has proven worse than multiple other distractions on the street. According to a study by the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis, “Yet texting and driving is 17 times more dangerous than just talking on a phone...” (Fumento”). People fail to understand that although phone calls can prove to be a distraction, texting is a more attention seeking activity when it comes to driving. People consider only drunk drivers as a distraction but fail to see themselves as a hazard to others when making the mistake of texting and driving. People believe that distractions can be avoided by using their hands-free devices instead of texting, but they do not take the hands-free technology as a distraction. Hand-held devices not only prove to be a risk due to their distraction but also because of how little risk people believe them to be, which increases the use of such technology. According to Robert Rosenberger, an article writer in the Greenhaven Press, “Despite a driver’s intentions to drive safely, a dangerous level of distractions caused by the phone conversation itself-not by the manual or visual interface with the device.” Just as texting proves to be a danger to drivers, so does using hand-held devices. It is not about the type of distraction, but rather the distraction itself. Drivers fail to see that not only tangible distractions are dangerous. Along with texting and using hands-free devices, drunk driving causes many deaths on the road. Drunk drivers fail to see the dangers of driving under the influence for themselves and others on the road. They neglect to see the consequences of their decisions on the lives of others around them. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “...alcohol was a factor in 29 percent of all fatal motor vehicle accidents in the United States...” (“Drunk”). In our class of 20 people, that means if at some point we all got into a wreck, 5 of us would be involved in an accident due to a drunk driver. Isn’t this something to be taken into consideration? Now that we understand the different issues with distracted driving, let’s look at some of the solutions presented for this topic.

    People need to be informed of the different types of distracted driving in order for them to fully understand the dangers of their mistakes. According to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), There are “..three specific subtypes of distracted driving: visual, manual, and cognitive.” (“Distracted”). If people understand the different types of distracted driving, it could help them avoid these life-threatening mistakes. They would understand how our brain has trouble responding to these distractions while driving. Along with understanding these mistakes, new technology can help aid in the reduction of this problem. According to Carl Gipson, a director at the Washington Policy Center,  “New technology already on the market might resolve the divisive issue without enacting new policies and laws perceived as eroding personal liberty” (Carducci). New technology can aid in lessening the growing problem of wrecks due to distracted driving. Steps as little as not picking the phone up can decrease the risk altogether. With the new technology, stricter laws for cellphone use while driving need to be enforced. There should be stricter consequences for cellphone use on the road. According to the Washington Post, “Public education on the risks of cellphones use behind the wheel is valuable, but should be hammered home with legislation bearing stiff lines, possible loss of license and other sanctions” (“A baby”). Although it is theoretically impossible to ban cellphone use during driving altogether, stricter laws will prevent further danger from distracted driving. If nothing else, it will prevent an increase in wrecks caused by a driver texting his or her friends. After discussing some possible solutions, let’s address some counter arguments towards this topic.

Some can argue that people in fact are aware of the problem and some are    trying to fix it. According to the The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), “As of October 2017, fifteen states prohibit talking on handheld mobile devices while driving” (“Distracted”). Although some people are trying to fix this problem, not enough measures are being taken to destroy the problem altogether.

In this paper, we addressed the reasons that cause wrecks due to distracted driving. We discussed the counterarguments and we have covered how explaining the problem, having stricter laws, and adding new technology to the picture will avert these fatal mistakes. Hopefully now everyone has a better understanding of the dangers of this life-threatening statistic. If people understand this problem and work to avoid this issue, I believe the chicken can get to the other side safely and this joke will remain just a joke for years to come.

Panoramic Spheres (Courtesy Of PhotoShop)

Panoramic Photography

Reaction Essay On "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass"

The “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass” is structured in a way that has an effect not just on the people of the author’s time, but even people now. Douglass’ choice of diction is powerful, firm, and to the point. He finds unique ways to make the book relatable to a wide variety of audience. He writes, “Slaves sing most when they are most unhappy. The songs of the slave represent the sorrows of his heart; and he is relieved by them, only as an aching heart is relieved by its tears” (Chapter 2). This quote influenced me the most because of my love for music. I relate the word music with everything positive. I consider music my safe haven from stress. I don’t think I could ever relate music with sadness and sorrow. Reading that slaves related music with sadness just seemed so foreign to me. To someone who can’t imagine life without music, I think this reveals the true nature of the brutality and injustice of slavery. This quote hit me the hardest because before reading this book, I knew how horrible slavery was; however, I didn’t realize that everyday things that I associate with happiness were things that the slaves associated with sadness. This quote related to me on a more personal level and I think that this was the sole goal for Douglass. He wrote in a way that related this tragedy to everybody, no matter what their life story was. Because one way or another, we all share something.

Miniature Surrealist Photography

Using Adobe Photoshop to take seperate photos and combine them into a unique miniature person portrait. Here are the results!!

Aadi's Portrait Photography

This week we had to take some portrait photography of another person for my phto. Here are some pictures I took! Check em' out!!

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