COLUMBIA COLLEGE CHICAGO
TRIO UPWARD BOUND PROGRAM
SUMMER 2015 MAGAZINE
AUTOGRAPHS
COLUMBIA COLLEGE CHICAGO UPWARD BOUND PROGRAM SUMMER 2015 COLUMBIA COLLEGE CHICAGO UPWARD BOUND PROGRAM 2015 SUMMER SESSION (June 22 – July 31) Class Teacher Room Tutoring Staff S1409, S1408, S1406, S1302 Period /Time (0) 8:10 -­‐ 9:00 (1) 9:05 -­‐ 10:00 Speech & Debate (Jr) Hochman S1409 Modern Literature (Soph) Joshi S1301 Intro to Algebra (Fr) Munive S1406 Essay Writing (Sr) Kirsch S608 (2) 10:05 -­‐ 11:00 Intermediate Comp (Jr) Hochman S608 Intro. to Literature (Fr) Joshi S1301 College Math Seminar (Sr) Wilkerson S1408 Intro to Chemistry (Soph) Robinson S705 (3) 11:05 -­‐ 12:00 Global Issues (Sr) Hochman S608 Intro to Geometry (Soph) Munive S1406 Introduction to Genetics (Fr) Robinson S705 Intro to Physics (Jr) Wilkerson S1408 (4) 12:05 -­‐ 12:45 Lunch – University Center 525 S. State (5) 1:05 -­‐ 3:00 Photography Giraldo ACC1107 Studio Art Scott-­‐Rudnick W805 Guitar Ensemble Anderson MC211 Video Production Campa EC719 (6) 3:10 -­‐ 4:00 Tutoring Staff S608 Field Trips: FRI. June 26: Visit to Lake Forest College & Lincoln Park Zoo THURS. July 2: AM: Planned Parenthood; PM: Afternoon Classes as usual. FRI. July 3: Independence Day Holiday (College is Closed) FRI. JULY 10: Visit to UW-­‐Milwaukee THURS. JULY 16: Visit to Triton College & Lookingglass Theater’s production of Moby Dick FRI. JULY 24: Visit to Millikin University FRI. JULY 31: Arts Festival. The Residential Week is week five (July 19 – JULY 24) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-­‐
Champaign. Students live in a dorm, attend their classes & participate in other organized activities. The 23RD Annual UB Summer Awards Banquet is Saturday, August 1st (11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.) at a Maggiano’s Restaurant (516 N. Clark). The banquet features lunch and an awards ceremony. Stipends: $15/week. CTA Student Ventra Cards are also provided. UB Office: 624 S. Michigan Avenue, Suite 1401 UB Office Phone: (312) 369-­‐8830. Photo by Sandra Cajamarca (Photography Class)
Columbia College Upward Bound Summer 2015 Staff Profiles
Mark Anderson, Guitar Instructor. B.A. in Music & Theology from Elmhurst College. Master of Music, San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Rogelio Becerra-­‐Ramirez, Recruitment & Administrative Assistant. B.A., French, Univ. of Wisconsin-­‐Madison. Candidate for M.A., Educational Leadership, DePaul U. Kristopher Campa, Film & Video Instructor. B.S., Media Technologies, Austin Peay State University. Candidate for M.F.A., Cinema Art + Science, Columbia College Chicago. Anthony Carmona, Tutor. Candidate for B.S. in Biology, Northeastern Illinois Univ. Philip Courington, Tutor. Bachelor of Music Education, Illinois Wesleyan University. Juan Giraldo, Photography Instructor. B.F.A., Photography, William Paterson University. M.F.A., Photography, Columbia College Chicago Emily Hochman, English & Social Studies Instructor. B.A., English & Afro-­‐American Studies, U. of Wisconsin, Madison. M.Ed. Secondary English, Loyola University Chicago. Parth Joshi, English Instructor. B.A. in Classical Civilization, Loyola University. M.A. in Classics, University of Chicago. Craig Kirsch, Director. B.A., English, Grinnell College. M.A., Education, University of Chicago. M.F.A., Film & Video, Columbia College Chicago. Maura Levine, Tutor. B.A. in Political Science & History, University of Michigan. Adrian Munive, Math Instructor. B.A., Instrumental Performance, University of South Florida, Tampa. Master of Music in Instrumental Performance, Roosevelt University. Jaimin Patel, Tutor. Candidate for B.S. in Biology, Northeastern Illinois University. Ricardo Ramos, Tutor. Candidate for B.S. in Mathematics, Dominican University. Emma Richardson, Tutor. Candidate for B.A., English & Public Policy at Smith College. DeElegant Robinson, Science Instructor. B.S. in Molecular & Cellular Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-­‐Champaign. M.S. in Biology, Northeastern Illinois Univ. Chase Sanders, Tutor. B.A. in English, University of Illinois. Michael Scott-­‐Rudnick, Art Instructor. B.A., Studio Art, Grinnell College. M. Ed, Teaching and Learning, DePaul University. Carolle Voltaire, Counselor. B.A., Foreign Languages, St. Xavier College. M.S. Ed., Education, Northern Illinois University. Ph.D. in Higher Education & Organizational Change from Benedictine University. Theresa Wilkerson, Math & Physics Instructor. Bachelor of Science Degree in Physics, University of Illinois at Chicago. M.S. in Physics, University of Kansas. Lincoln Park Zoo Field Trip (Photo by Eugenio Fernandez) FROM THE LITERATURE & COMPOSITION CLASSES Speech & Debate
“Immigration” by Sandra Cajamarca
I chose the issue of immigration because I want other people to know what it feels like to be an immigrant in a different country. I am an immigrant and I know how it feels to be in a country where everything is different, including language and customs. The problem of immigration is that American people think that the immigrants come to steal jobs, do crime, and sell drugs. BUT THAT IS NOT TRUE. The evidence to prove that this problem exists is Donald Trump because he thinks that immigrants are people with problems. He thinks that because he has money and he can say anything he wants. Examples that are sad are people who are illegal cannot find jobs or get an apartment easily. People that do not have a social security card cannot enter programs to learn English. The best solution is that the government helps us with the law to become legal and free in the country. If the government improved the law, more immigrants would work freely and the economy would improve. In order to fix this problem we need the president, congress, and the American people to cooperate. They need understand that we have feelings and we are only looking for a better future. The obstacles to the solution are Donald Trump, racist people, and the people who do not understand that the immigrants suffer in our country with poverty and bad education. But I think and I have faith that someday the government and the American people will realize that this country needs immigrants to progress. Therefore, I ask the government to act quickly so that less people die during the travel and the children do not lose their dreams of education. Thank you. Excerpt from “Understanding Depression” by Naomi Cox
I am here to tell you that you are worthless, hopeless, and helpless. You are
nobody, and your existence means nothing. I will be taking so much energy and
motivation from you. I will take it all out of you. You will not want to get out of bed in
the morning. I will be so affective toward your normally affectionate demeanor and it
will affect every single person in your family, loved ones, friends, and partners. Many of
you will have or will experience me soon or as your life goes on. I have killed many
innocent lives through out the years. I do not discriminate based on age, gender, race,
skin color, gender, or religion. Who am I? I am depression …
“First Shoes” by Leslie Flores-Cruz
When I arrived in the United States, I came with little clothes and with only a pair
of sandals. To me, all was different in the new language, the weather, and the people. I
felt alone. I missed my family, my friends. I felt so sad. In high school I saw how the
girls had a lot of shoes that were very pretty, I wished for new shoes, but my mom didn’t
have money. I felt sad, but one day my mom bought me a pair of shoes that was my first
gift here. I saw how my mom had to sacrifice herself for those shoes. I felt happy and sad
at the same time because for a pair of shoes my mom had to work hard, but the shoes
represent the sacrifice of a mom to see her children happy. That’s why I love my shoes.
Jorge Carrasco, Class of 2016 (Photo by Ms. Emily Hochman) ESSAY WRITING CLASS: JOURNAL RESPONSES By Jesenia Sosa
Sometimes people live with memories. They remember things that don’t
exist anymore. Those things might not exist physically, but they exist
mentally. Sometimes we miss those things and we go back to the place where
they used to be, and its incredible how can we still have the same feeling with
those things, even if they don’t exist anymore. They are there, with us, in our
minds, making us feel nostalgic. I can’t really connect myself with Loren Eiseley’s
Essay, The Brown Wasps, but I know a person that might - my dad.
In Mexico, a river was near our house. The river is still there, but it is not
the same anymore. My dad used to tell my brother and I how he and his brothers
used to swim in that river. He told us that the most beautiful thing that river had
was the waterfall. He said that it was amazing to see the clear water from the
waterfall. Every time I passed by that river I tried to imagine the things my dad
said, and it was beautiful. I still remember when my dad used to go to the river,
but I didn’t really know the memories and feelings that river brings to my dad. I
sometimes ask my dad that if he returns to Mexico, where would he go first, what
place, and he always tells me that he will go back to the river.
By Chavell Gonzalez
Response to Jose Perez’s Personal Statement
What I recall from Jose’s personal statement the most is basically that his
grandmother passed away, and that she is one of the reasons he had a desire to go to
college. I can relate to Jose’s experience because my grandmother passed on May 13,
2015. My grandmother died from lung cancer that they found late inside her lungs after
she went through pneumonia. Honestly, she was very sick already, as she stayed in a
nursing home from diabetes having all kinds of foot and heart surgeries.
We all called her Mami. They weren’t able to treat the cancer when she went to
the hospital, so they put her on pain medication. I barely got the chance to see her
because of school and other activities. I knew she was very sick, and I saw her once she
was put on the medication to ease the pain of the cancer. After a while, she was put on a
stronger medication called morphine causing her to go into a deep sleep to where she
could only hear a voice up close to her ear. Before the morphine was prescribed to her, I
saw her on Mother’s Day; not knowing it would be the last. I already regretted not being
able to see her enough, and the very next week I took off school to see her on the 13th.
My mom and I rushed to the nursing home to be with my grandmother that
morning. We knew after being put on the morphine she wouldn’t hold on much longer.
So my mom had also put her on Hospice where if she stopped breathing because of the
medication they wouldn’t take her to the hospital. So, I knew I had to see her. As we
rushed to the nursing home my mom had bunches of calls coming in from family right
when we were downstairs. I answered a call from my cousin Jasmine. I softly put the
phone to my ear. Once I answered and all I heard was ‘MOM!! She’s gone, Mami!” then
the call trailed as the line cut off. My mom turned to me saying, “How much you want to
bet it’s something bad. I know, I can feel it,” she trailed off as she cried. I was really
scared trying to put things together. I never experienced a funeral or death of anyone
before. I mean from what I heard on the phone with my cousin, I just thought maybe my
grandma was put in a different room like she had been before. But once we got to the
floor on the elevator, my mom rushed into my grandma’s room. Once I walked in, my
mom screamed in tears, “Mami!” over and over. I saw my grandmother lying in the bed,
lifeless. I dropped everything and cried. My sister saw me and hugged me, as I stood stiff
hearing her tell my mom, “She stopped breathing.” My life at that point was dead. My
grandmother who adopted me, raised me, defended me, and was always there for me
drying my tears when I cried, is gone. I cried calling her name softly as I sat alone on the
hallway floor crying my eyes out. I pictured the day this would happen, but I never
thought it would come, out of fear. Family came in and out, hugging me and crying, as
that very weekend was her funeral.
The rest of that week I missed school to grieve, not wanting to cry in front of
others. I cried at every thought and didn't sleep or eat. Till this day, it kills me. The
funeral was even worse. I read aloud to the guests a poem, or story more or less, for my
grandma about her life as a whole, and I cried reading it. Towards the end of the funeral,
I was told to say goodbye to my grandmother’s body; it was the hardest. I said a long
prayer to myself, and kissed her cold, hard skinned skull and walked away in tears
knowing she was going to be cremated after. I was destroyed knowing she wasn’t there
anymore. Till this day, I ask god for forgiveness of any wrongs in light of my grandma
because she always wanted to be, to do good, and always pressured me to finish school,
to not struggle like she did coming from Puerto Rico. She’s my motivation. I can’t thank
her enough for everything she did for me. So all I can say now is cherish your loved ones.
Like the pastor said to me at the funeral, “Tell someone you're sorry for your wrongs, and
tell them you love them because at the end of the day, you never know if you'll see them
again.” I know I will have good memories of my grandma, but one thing that will never
leave me is that Mother's day. I told her I loved her right before I left. They were our last
words together, I just didn't know that the last bye I said meant forever.
Playbill from the Lookingglass Theater’s Production of Moby Dick (July 16, 2015)
Osain Sanchez Self Portrait (Studio Art Class)
Jesenia Sosa & Jessica Ocampo, Class of 2016 (Photo by Jesenia Sosa)
By Jesenia Sosa
Richard Rodriguez, the narrator in Hunger of Memory, and I are really different,
but at the same time we are really similar. I am not a person with dark skin. I’m not going
to say that I’m lucky in having light skin because like other people with dark skin, people
have called me names based on my skin color for fun. I don’t know if this happens in
every family, but it seems that our own family has fun calling us names like “mi negra”
(my dark skinned), “mi changa”(my chimp), “mi requemada”(my burnt) or to people with
light skin, “palida”(pale), “vampiro”(vampire), zombie; they even call us “muerta”
(death). The narrator mentions that he and his older sister are sometimes called names
based on the color of their skin. People have never called me names (that I know of)
based on my skin-only my family, but I guess it hurts the same as if a stranger does it.
Sometimes Mexican people ask me if I speak Spanish; I guess I don’t seem like a
Mexican just because I’m light skinned, but people will notice that I’m Mexican because
of the accent I have when I speak English. Like the narrator’s problems with his dark
skin, I have problems with my “Mexican accent”. I don’t know why people have to judge
the accent people have- I mean, you are speaking the language, so it is all the same. I
understand that sometimes it is difficult for some people to understand what others are
saying, but I don’t see a point for other people to make fun of us. Also, the narrator
mentioned that one uncle had been told by some man to go back to Africa. The same case
happened to me. Some kid told me to go back to Mexico because of my accent. I like to
speak Spanish a lot. Later in the future when I learn English well, I will continue to speak
Spanish with my friends (if they know the language) because I feel protected and safe
when I speak Spanish. I have always represented my country, my home, when I speak
that language. Also, that is the way I can tell people that I don’t feel ashamed of my race
and that I feel proud to be Mexican, even if I was born in another country.
By Arthuro Garcia
When Richard Rodriguez describes the different complexions of his family members in
his memoir Hunger of Memory, it reminded me about my family’s complexion and how
there are similarities. My mother and father are both from Mexico but from different
parts in Mexico. My father’s complexion is a bit dark, and my mother’s complexion is
light and like the author’s siblings, 2 of my siblings share a similar skin color while me
and another sibling share a different skin color. The difference is that my older and
youngest sisters have dark skin like my father, while my brother and I have light skin like
my mother. The author talks about how he envies the white skin color of his older
brother, and my older sister also wants lighter skin color like my brother’s and mine. But
I want a darker skin color. There are other reasons why I want a darker complexion, but
the main reason is that my face gets very red when I am nervous or on the spot. I thought
it was interesting when the author talks about how his aunts would put a mixture of egg
white and lemon juice concentrate on their children who are born dark just so they could
have light skin. I found that interesting because I did not know people did that. Another
remedy I found interesting but was also shocked at was the remedy where pregnant
women would use castor oil during the last weeks of pregnancy. I found that shocking
because using castor oil risked an abortion so being light skin must have been very
important. Because I was light skinned, people didn’t think I was Mexican so they would
say things about me. I remember that near the first days of school in 7th grade, someone
didn’t think I was Mexican so they so they talked in Spanish to another person and said
that I looked like a 1st grader.
Pablo Santamaria (Class of 2016)
PERSONAL STATEMENTS
By Ronnie Flores-Cruz
I was born in Guayas, Guayaquil, Ecuador. I come from a humble family. All my
life I grew up in the north of my city in a small neighborhood called Sauces V. I lived
with my parents and my sisters in a small house without a lot of money but we lived
happy. Then there was a time when my family had to separate for the first time. My older
sister came to the United States. That day I cried, and my sister had to go away. Then
when I went to get into High School I was put in a private school. The six years of high
school were best years of my life. My school was called S.D.J. High School. It was a
school not too big, nor too small. When I was in my second year of high school my
parents went to the United States to be able to give us a better life.
I graduated on March 14, 2014. It was one of the happiest days of my life, yet one
of the saddest because I knew that I was about to leave my homeland. Four days after my
graduation on March 18 at two in the morning we, my mother and I, traveled to the
airport for the typical review that you do before you go abroad. Even though my mother
and father separated when I was 12, they went to the U. S. together to help support the
family in Ecuador. But my father did not like the U. S. so after two years he had returned
to Ecuador. Now my mother had come back to get me. All my family was at the airport.
I was happy and sad at the same time happy because I knew that I was going to live with
my mother again after several years living without her, and sad because I was leaving my
family and my friends. Then at 4:30 a.m. I heard from the speakers my flight was ready. I
said goodbye to friends and family, cried a lot and I began to start my new life.
I arrived to Chicago in the afternoon, knowing that I was going to begin a new life
in a new country and start from zero. When I arrived at my sister’s house, it was huge;
everything was new for me. When I turned 18, my mom told me to get a job. I went to an
Agency called Rom staffing and three days later they finally decided to give me a job.
From Rom Staffing they send me to a small company. I had to work really hard because I
had to carry heavy things, but it was worth it because I helped my mom and my sisters to
have a better life. I worked around 3 months. Thereafter I got a new job in a bakery
factory, and my mom used to work with me. I made new friends. They weren’t my age.
They were older and everyone used to call me ¨The baby of the factory¨. That was my
nickname. After 3 months of working, my mom told me to go to high school to learn
English and I agreed.
I began to go to school a month later. I was really nervous because I didn’t know
anyone and everything was different: the bathrooms, classrooms, teachers, lunch room,
the environment and my classmates. I felt strange because it was my first time that I
spoke to people that were from other parts of the world. I met some people that with
time, they’ve become my best friends.
I am interested in becoming a professor of Math because I like Math. When I was
twelve I had a good Math teacher. It is because of him that I like Math. He taught me
Algebra. I like numbers, formulas and problem solving. I want to go to college to earn
my degree, and I thank my mother for bringing me to the U.S.
JUNE 26 VISIT TO LAKE FOREST COLLEGE
By Jason Aguila I was born in Chicago to immigrant parents. My mother is from Jalisco, Mexico, and my father is from Arecibo, Puerto Rico. My mother came here when she was twelve with her five siblings. My father came to Chicago in his early 20’s. He did not come by choice. In fact, he did not want to come at all. It was not until his father was killed in a car accident that he was forced to come to the United States and start a new life. A few years after my father’s arrival, he and my mother met in Chicago. My parents are very important to me, but the biggest influence that has shaped and changed my life in a positive way was my grandmother. She was the biggest role model in my life. When I was in the third grade, my parents had to work long hours to support our family, so my grandmother had to take on the role of my parents; I cherished every moment that I had with her. For example, my grandmother was always the one who came to my baseball games. When my parents were not there I knew I could always save a seat for the lady that mattered the most to me, my grandmother. As the years passed, she was getting older and so was I. It was becoming difficult for her to be at the games. My grandmother was diagnosed with bone cancer when I was thirteen. When I was nine I was unaware of what was happening inside of her body; I thought that death was the result of being ill and going to sleep until a person felt better. But when I was older I began to realize how life actually worked; the reality and seriousness of cancer and death. The lady I had spent my entire childhood with was slowly dying on the inside. When I received the news that she had cancer I felt as if a part of me died. I could not sleep for days, and when I did, I had nightmares of the heart monitor flat lining in the hospital. My grandmother was my hero; she was the biggest influence in my life. She stressed to me that there are more things to life than just money. She talked to me about the benefits that come from finishing my education; her favorite quote was “Si no se despierta con un objetivo cada día, entonces por qué despertar?” (If you do not wake up with a goal every day then why wake up?) And she was absolutely right! This is my favorite quote by her, and I use it and read it every day; it is on her gravestone, and like her gravestone it will always be with me. My grandmother passed away four months and eleven days after she was diagnosed with cancer. We buried her in her hometown of El Carmen, Jalisco. At the time things were financially difficult so only my mother and I were able to make that trip. My grandmother wanted two things for me: to graduate from high school and to graduate college. I am about to finish high school, after which I plan on pursuing a bachelor’s degree in cinematography. During my freshman year, my biology teacher recommended me to a program called Upward Bound (UB), a college prep program that provides tutoring, Saturday classes and an annual six week summer program that includes a residential week where everyone in the program goes to live on and study on a college campus to fully embrace the college experience. I have developed an interest in film and video and see this as part of my future. During my rising junior year in UB I took a film and video class. As I became comfortable being behind the camera I began to see the importance the cinemtgropher has in the process of making a film or video. The idea of being behind the camera and getting the shot just right was more than just a grade to me. It went beyond something that I enjoyed; I saw my future and I am going to work harder than I ever have to pursue this. UB to me is like my grandmother; they (she) want(ed) me to accomplish my goals. I am currently receiving letters from colleges about their baseball programs, and as I read them I reminisce about my grandmother being in the bleachers cheering me on like the old days. I begin to think about the goals I have set for myself with the lessons that she taught me all those years ago. The UB program has helped me where my grandmother left off with the lessons that she taught me as a child and I look forward to my future and pursuing a career in film and video. By Leslie Martinez
Somewhere between the fifth grade and 16 years old I lost sight of who I was and
where I was going. I didn’t know it and not many people noticed or cared. But during my
junior year, at the age of 17, I embarked on a journey and found that same passionate,
optimistic fifth grader that believed she could change the world.
Growing up I was always determined to make my parents’ proud. However, that
is very difficult with 4 other siblings, 3 sisters and one brother. My parents always
seemed to have us in competition, pressuring each to be better than the one before. In my
parents eyes my three older sisters set pretty high standards and I was supposed to follow
in their steps and exceed their accomplishments.
When I was in 5th grade and my parents discovered that my brother, Jonathan, had
a learning disability they seemed to give up on us. I felt like I, unlike my older sisters,
held no extraordinary talent and was rendered useless. For many years, I felt ridiculed
and made less of by my own family. Often during dinner my sister, Berenis, would say, “
Pa, por qué tuviste a Jony y Leli deberias haber parado con nosotras, son inútiles”,
questioning my father as to why he had my brother and I and how he should of just
stopped with them, my three older sisters. I tried so hard to get back on their good side,
but nothing was ever good enough. I would bring my report cards home with A’s and
B’s, but my mother would ignore me and show me how my sister, Janet, got straight A’s.
The one time I thought I had a real shot at getting them to have hope in me was in 8th
grade when I was applying to high schools. I was so sure this would work because the
one thing that made my parents most proud of my sisters was that they got accepted into
Lane Technical College Prep High School, one of the three best schools in Chicago. I
took an entry exam and waited for the results. The rejection letter caused so much
hostility at home; it was almost ridiculous. My sisters’ laughed and made comments
questioning how could I possibly think of getting in, but the worst part was seeing the
resentment in my parents’ eyes every time I looked at them.
After trying so hard to make my parents’ proud of me, and failing so miserably, I
found myself becoming this bitter person who just wanted to be alone all the time. I
began to isolate myself from everybody at school and at home. I closed the door to the
world and locked myself in my room and hid myself in countless books to get away from
the depression I was going through.
I felt that way until this year when the thought of opening a new chapter in my
life gave me the chance to reflect upon the past. I opened myself up to the social world
and found amazing people that made me realize that my parents just wanted me to
succeed in life. I did not notice the pressure they were putting on me was to prepare me
for the real world. Now that our relationship has changed we have better communication
and I now know that they are greatly supportive of what I do.
Through this experience I also found my love for the political world. When I
spent my long hours alone I loved to read about the way our government works. I spent
countless hours reading articles about immigration. It was just a subject I found of such
interest. It wasn’t something my parent said I had to do or something my sisters did, it
was something I loved and made me feel that becoming a lawyer was why I was brought
to this world. Not only did I realize that I am my own person, but also that I am someone
who did not and does not have to accomplish what my sisters did. I have set my own
goals that I am certainly expecting to reach, graduation from your institution with a
bachelor’s degree in Political Science.
JULY 10 VISIT TO UW-MILWAUKEE
By Jesenia Sosa
When I was 13 years old, my mom made the most difficult decision ever. She
decided to send me to the United States to live with my dad and my brother. When she
told me that I was going to see them again, I was really happy. My dad immigrated to
Chicago when I was 6 years old, only one year after we returned to Mexico from
California. It had been 7 years since I saw my dad. My mom never told me, but I heard
her telling my brother that my dad returned to the United States because of the poor
economy in Mexico. I knew what was going on; I was young but not stupid. Four years
later, we receive a call from one of my dad’s friends saying that my dad had suffered an
assault. Someone stabbed him with a knife, almost ending his life. My mom worked all
the time, so my brother took care of me. However, my brother went to the United States
when I was 11 years old and my world fell apart. His departure had a big impact on my
life. It caused me to have phobias, and I was depressed most of the time. My mom
noticed my changes, and by the summer of 2011 I was flying to Chicago to live with my
dad and my brother.
When I came here, I could not speak the language. It took me time to feel part of
my class at school, to feel part of a group of friends. My brother, Mario, came here two
years before I did, and his English was really good. He helped me with everything that I
needed. My brother is my dad and my mom; he has always been there for me even if we
are in a different country. My dad works all the time, so most of the time I am with my
brother or alone because he has to work too. Mario is my role model. He is a person that
inspire me to be somebody in life, to work to have a good life in the future. I want to
make him proud of me.
In eighth grade, my English teacher, Mrs. Kevorkian, encouraged me to read more. I read
as many books as I could during the school year. That was the time that I found what I
wanted to study in the future: literature. Literature has been something really important in
my life. By reading books, my two languages greatly improved, although I am still
learning English. I have always preferred to read books more than interact with people. I
want to be an English and Spanish teacher because I want to show the students how
important literature is and how it can changes our lives for good. Two books that changed
my life are Walden by Henry David Thoreau and Into the Wild, the story of Christopher
McCandless. These books changed my life, making me a person who is not a conformist,
who is not materialistic, who is independent and lives with truth. They taught me the real
things that matter in life. I know that books can change the lives of others like they did
for me. Being able to read books is a gift that we have and we should not waste it.
My love for literature has made me want to become a writer. I believe that books
play an important role on everyone’s life. Literature is like water; it is essential in our
lives, which is why I want to contribute to the world of literature. Gabriel Garcia
Marquez, Mario Vargas Llosa and Jorge Luis Borges are the writers that made me want
to become a writer. Books have magic in them and it is incredible how they can expand
your imagination to the point where you start imagining your own fiction story. When I
was 14 years old, I started to write my first novel. I like to write short stories and poems
written in prose too. I have always written in Spanish, and I will continue to write my
novels in Spanish because it is my first language and I have the belief that you will
always express yourself better with the language that you are born with. I like to write
short stories and poems written in prose too.
By studying English and Spanish I can become a bilingual teacher and teach
English to people that don’t speak the language; I want to help them like my teachers did
with me. Many people think that reading is boring but they do not really get the point of
what literature is. Literature is like water, it is essential in our lives. School has played an
important role in my life; school has been my second home. I get involved in sports and
clubs after school. They make me feel that I am part of something. This country has
opened doors for me to have opportunities in the future that I could not have in another
country. I have been lucky in being able to come here and do something productive for
my future, and I will not waste that opportunity.
Photography Class Photo by Monica Torres
Photography Class Photo by Ignacio Saucedo
Noel Guzman & Julio Ortiz (Class of 2017)
INTERMEDIATE COMPOSITION Black Boy ends with Richard and his family moving from the South to Chicago in hopes of better opportunities. Students in Intermediate Composition imagined what would happen to Richard in his new life, some saw a positive future, while others were not so hopeful. “I stepped from the elevator into the street, half expecting someone to call me back and tell me that it was all a dream, that I was not leaving. This was the culture from which I sprang. This was the terror from which I fled.” Black Boy Chapter 15 by Jennifer Olivera I took a step forward. Finally, I was in Chicago; finally I was in the North. I stood there for a minute, thanking every god that existed for bringing me here. I was relieved; I could start a new life. I won’t have to live in fear anymore. Weeks passed since I arrived, me and my aunt Maggie struggled financially to bring my mother and brother with us. Although we had a difficult time, today was the day of their arrival. They will like the North the way I do. Black people here have a tough life. The white people here challenge us too, but the difference is that we don’t have to constantly live in fear. We don’t have to worry about death. White people treat us with respect even though they don’t want to get near us. We aren’t afraid to talk, move, or breathe. White people here are friendlier. I started school once again. I also got a job as a writer at a newspaper company. They don’t pay me as much as they pay a white man, but a black boy working for a white newspaper company wasn’t something you saw in the South. I have a lot to improve on in my writing, but I would do the impossible to be someone in life, to be someone successful. Chicago isn’t what I expected, but I know that if I try hard I will get what I want. I like to thank everyone who stepped in my life. Without the pins and needles I wouldn’t be where I am now. Everything in my life has made me a stronger person. Every night I have nightmares. Nightmares that make me relive the past, relive the beatings, and hear the hurtful words I was told. Even if this is true I don’t have any anger inside of me. The only thing I want is to move on. Move on with my life in the North. Black Boy Chapter 15 by Edison Angamarca We arrived in Chicago; it was very crowded. I didn’t see many other black people, just a bunch of white folks. I went to look for a place to stay the night while my brother stayed with my mother. I went to a building and asked if there was a room for three. “Did you not read the sign, n*****?” the woman said. “No, why?” I replied. “We don’t serve n*****,” she said. Wow, there’s even racism up here, I thought. It was just the same as the South, just different people and a different city. I left the building and went to search for another place. I saw a building and a black person was behind the counter, so I went in knowing this is the place. “Son, you might wanna leave before they see you here,” the man said. “Why? What’s going to happen?” I questioned. It was too late, a group of white men came in and noticed me. “Hey, n*****, why you let another one of your kind in here?” the white man said. “I’m sorry, but I told him to leave and he didn’t,” the black man said. “Sorry ain’t gonna cut it. Take him to the other room,” he demanded. One of the group took the old, black man to the room, and I was left with the three in front of me. “You must got guts to walk in here,” one of the white men said. “Please excuse me, sir. I don’t want trouble. Don’t hurt me. “Walking in here was the death of you.” The three of them came up to me, and began beating me. I was being dragged somewhere. That was all I remembered of my first day arriving in Chicago. In Richard Wright’s autobiography, Black Boy, the author reflects on the time in his life when his childhood ended. “At the age of twelve I had an attitude toward life that was to endure…to make me skeptical of everything while seeking everything, tolerant of all and yet critical. The spirit I had caught gave me insight into the suffering of others” (Wright, p100). Students in Intermediate Composition reflected on their own lives and those formative moments that change their view of the world and people around them. The Day My Childhood Ended by Elizabeth Perez Ever since my mom stopped working and decided to dedicate all of her time to my brother and me, she has been sick. First, it started with half of her face being paralyzed; meaning that half of her face is not able to move. Although that happened years ago, she is not fully recovered. I have noticed that when she goes into deep thought or is worried about something her eye twitches. Do you know how it feels to see her like that? It hurts to know you can’t do anything about it. Three years ago she was diagnosed with a sickness called arthritis: a sickness where all her bones hurt from head to toe. She gets balls on her arms, back, and her feet that cause her pain. Recently she was found with a fatty liver that I think they’re going to operate on. That is when my brother and I stepped up and realized that our mom couldn’t and can’t do the things she used to do with us. We have to start learning to be on our own. My brother decided to start working while going to school to help my dad, but he fell behind due to the late hours he worked at McDonald’s downtown. My dad made him quit because, to my parents, school will always come first. My dad had to go back to take full responsibility to work in a factory from five in the morning until seven at night every single day, even Saturdays. I, on the other hand, had to put my all into school because I wasn’t allowed to work. Even though my mom doesn’t say she’s in pain, I know when she is and sometimes I have to massage her in order for her to sleep well. My mom still tries to do everything she can. She wakes up every school morning, wakes me up (even though I have an alarm), gives me a snack or a juice, and always insists on walking me to the train station. I always say no because sometimes she wakes up really sick and in pain, so the mornings are tough for her. Yet, she still makes me text her once I’m on the train. My brother Jorge, now 18, is going to Malcolm X College and currently is working at HomeGoods. I am committed to this program because I know that both of my parents feel so proud of me for doing this. Even though my dad can’t be there for the banquet we have in August, it makes me so happy to bring him the awards and see the happiness in my mom’s face when I get an award. My childhood stopped when I was ten. I try to help out my mom in every way I can. All I’m focused on is making both of my parents proud. My dad for working long hours just to give my mom, brother, and I everything we want, as well as my mom for being a strong, a fighter, and for being brave. Painful Day by Ignacio Saucedo It happened when I was five years old. My second oldest sister was taking my brother and me to the market to get chicken meat and some vegetables. It was a hot summer day. At the time I liked the new Hot Wheels cars I would always play with, especially the futuristic ones. I was playing with one of them in my sister’s car, as she was finding a parking space at the market. Once my sister found a spot she parked the car and told my brother and I to get out. My brother went out the door first, and then I followed. My brother was about to close the door of the car when I remembered that I had my car in my right hand. So I stretched my hand and tossed it inside the car. My brother slammed the door. All I saw was my finger stuck inside the car. It hurt so bad that I thought I lost a finger. My sister just closed her door and walked around the car and wondered why I was crying. My brother explained to her what happened. And then she went around the car again. It took seconds for her to go around the car, but it felt like hours to me. So she got to the door and unlocked the door and my brother opened the door where my finger was. I didn't want to look, I was afraid it was gone. So once I saw my finger it looked horrible. It was bent and it was purple and puss was coming out. I was crying and my sister said “SHUT UP AND MAN UP!” I felt sad and she made me feel like I was a baby. So I did as I was told. I closed my mouth with my left hand. My sister got what she needed and bought some bandage wraps for my finger. Once we arrived at the house, my mom saw my finger and said, “what happened to you son?” and my sister explained and my mother was mad and told her “I said watch him, and look what happened!” My sister replied and said, “It's not my fault his dumbass got his finger stuck!” I felt ashamed for what I caused. That day was saddest day for me. Noel Rodriguez (Studio Art Class) Isaiah Flores “My tea’s gone cold I’m wondering why I got out of bed at all. The mornin’ rain clouds up my window and I can’t see at all.” -­‐Dido (Stan) I’d always listen to this song when it would rain or if I just felt real sad. This was back in 2008. Everything was planned for the day; I would enjoy the challenge of revisiting all of my PlayStation 2 games before putting them all away. Since today was report card pickup day I would have the morning all to myself. After spending my day productively playing videogames I had noticed it was almost time for my mother to arrive home from work. As a little kid I was called “smart,” but that’s because I did all of my homework and got above the average scores on the school wide tests. My parents were proud of that smart, and so one day they had suggested some type of reward. Being the fat kid I was, (still am), I asked for an Xbox 360. They said they would think about it. My thoughts went back to hazy once I heard the faint footsteps on the front stairs of the house; being the energetic fat kid (not anymore), I ran back and forth across the house. “Hey I’m h….”, my mom called, but before she could finish, I yelled, “LET’S GO!” with extreme hype. After adventuring to the nearest GameStop and spending her $300, we proceeded back to the car at a slow pace since I was stumbling to walk with the big box and my mom was looking at her now empty wallet. On the way home she said with an exhausted voice, “We’re gonna pick up your grades” she said. “But that can wait until after I play with this, right?” I said as I was putting the seatbelt on the Xbox’s box. Her response was a silent one. When we arrived at the school we were directed to the room where my teacher was moved for the day. When the doors opened to the scorching hot room there was a demon behind the desk wearing a deceiving smile to lure the parents of its prey. “Good afternoon,” it said, “here are Mr. Isaiah’s grades for the first quarter,” slapping down the paper with seven F’s and one A, might as well have slapped me too along in the process. I didn't enjoy her classes, her assignments, her face; the only A was in PE of course. “I’m afraid he’ll have to have to go to summer school already.” It taunted me with its face. “I guess that ‘Nintendo’ of yours can wait ‘til you’re done with school?” she said with eyes of rage and regret. Not a word was said on the way home. As if the gods were angered with me just like my mom was with me, they released the most furious rain ever seen by my eyes. I laid my head against the door once I was seated to “reflect” on the letters on my report card, but all I could think about was the days left between my Xbox and me. WATCHING SOCCER GAME IN THE DORM DURING RESIDENTIAL WEEK Global Issues
Fahrenheit 451 takes place in a dystopia where firemen burn books because reading is
illegal. The protagonist, Guy Montag, wants to protect books, so he and others each
memorize and “become” a book that they will be responsible for sharing with the world.
Students in Global Issues chose one book that they thought was important enough to save
and share with the rest of humanity.
Jesenia Sosa – Walden
I think becoming a book is the most amazing thing we could do. I have read a lot
of books and it is difficult to choose just one, one that you can become. Every book that
we read, we learn something of it, and if we compare it with humans we can say that with
every person we interact with, we learn something new from them. If I were to become a
book, I would like to be one that will show you something important, something about
humility and nature. And for nature I don’t mean being a science book, for nature I mean
I would like to show you its importance not by studying it, but by appreciating it. If I
become a book, I would like to be Walden. It would be a pleasure to be a creation of
Henry David Thoreau.
I would like to become Walden because I would like to teach people to not be
materialistic and conformist people, but to become independent. It is most important to
teach them the real things that matter in life, and they will learn it by living with
simplicity. Maybe I will be judged and be cataloged as a boring book, but only few
people will be blessed and they will become the light of society. Thoreau says, “Perhaps
these pages are more particularly addressed to poor students. As for the rest of my
readers, they will accept such portions as apply to them. I trust that none will stretch the
seams in putting on the coat, for it may do good service to him whom it fits.” By being
Walden I will be able to change peoples lives for good like that book did with me. A
lesson of life is better when it’s told by an adult, but a lesson of humility is better when
it’s told by a youth.
Walden shows how miserable people become for being materialistic. Thoreau
says, “It would be easier for them to hobble to town with a broken leg than with a broken
pantaloons.” Living with simplicity is the only way we can have happiness. I will also
show you that nature could be the best place where you can become a better person. I will
show you to think different from others and maybe it will be difficult to fit in the society
later, but that will be a good sign of hope. Thoreau says, “If the day and the night are
such that you greet them with joy, and life emits a fragrance like flowers and sweetscented herbs, is more elastic, more starry, more immortal, -that is your success… All
nature is your congratulation, and you have cause momentarily to bless yourself…we
soon forget them. They are the highest reality.” Sometimes we give importance to things
that don’t matter so much and we give less importance to the things that are vanishing
because of our actions. By being Walden, I will teach you to love every day of your life
and be happy by being simple. Lets not wait to be changed by bad experiences, for bad
events that happen around us. Let the good books we are reading change the way we are
thinking.
Andrew Soto – “Strange Fruit”
If I were in Montag’s position I’d represent the poem/song “Strange Fruit” by
Billie Holiday. This is my favorite poem. I think this poem is very clever in a very dark
way. The poem is a metaphor of a fruit tree and a lynched person.
The poem talks about how evil people were and still might be. The lynching is
explained after the death of the person. The person’s death is explained in detail and as if
the person was fruit. The start of the poem shows this “Southern trees bear strange fruit,
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root.”
This poem should be remembered because it shows one of the most violent times
in history. It shows hatred that existed for no good reason. People getting killed for a
reason as dumb as a fictional book killing people for reading. If I were in Montag’s
position I’d represent this to avoid problems from the past.
Photo by José Lira (Photography Class)
From the Introduction to Literature & Modern Literature Classes
A German Shepherd’s Tale
Juan Quevedo
I’ve seen darkness with my eyes for sixty-three days. I never moved in that
duration. Before I knew it, I was being pressured out of what I thought was my dark
home. It was the first time I saw the light. I was being pushed towards it, then I was
closer and closer to the light. I finally came out and then my eyes closed. Yet, I was
crying because my body was receiving something I never felt before.
Two weeks have passed since I’ve seen the light. Luckily I’ve woken to see it
again. I felt alive, I could move, and I could finally see the light for a long time. My hair
was little and my four paws were tinier than hair. My mother whose name was Mary gave
me the name Jeff. Both my parents were German Shepherds so I guess was one too. A
few months have passed since I first saw the light. I haven’t seen my father for weeks.
My mother says he’s gone on a trip. I never saw him ever again.
I lived with other dogs, as they called us. We shared the same life. We got up, ate, went
out, returned to our “home,” and slept. We did that everyday. I’ve seen dogs come and
go. One day it was my turn. I didn’t want to leave my home and mother, but I didn’t have
a choice. My owner, as they called him, let me keep my name. My life will continue with
him but that’s another story.
Francisco Salinas, Class of 2018 (Studio Art Class)
A Day in the Life of a Pup
Osain Sanchez
I was just born and I could barely walk. I was crawling on my belly and my eyes were
shut. All I could see is black, but I could hear voices saying “aww” a lot. It was
frustrating trying to stay on my skinny, fluffy legs- especially annoying high-pitched
voices in the background. The following 5 days were black, but then I saw a shining
light. “I can see,” I thought. As my eyes opened, I saw a small animal with red hair, blue
eyes, white braces and freckles all over her face. I was lifted into the air and as the cold
air hit me, something happened. I felt funny and tingly 5 seconds later I was set on the
floor. I then heard a high scream yelling. Drops of liquid were on the floor, and a small
puddle slowly starting spreading on the floor. Not knowing what to do, I walked away. I
was hungry so I had to make the perilous journey from one room to another. ”The
struggle is real,” I thought. As I kept trying to crawl there, I noticed that I started getting
better at walking. When I arrived at the living room I saw that my mom was laying down
on her side. I walked over and began eating. About 3 minutes passed and I was falling
and I tried walking to my bed, but my body gave up on me. I stumbled onto the cold
wooden floor. I began closing my eyes. I realized I was about to go to sleep. Slowly
falling towards the milky silky impact, I was out.
A Day in the Life of a Puppy
Briana Quezada
“Come here boy… come here!” says Jasmine as she walks towards me. It’s barely 6:30
A.M. and Jasmine is getting ready for school. From what I can tell, she can be pretty
annoying, even though she’s almost 17. I like watching her get ready. Usually I see her
putting different colors on her face. Sometimes I wonder what they are. “Cooper,” she
says,” go play downstairs.” I usually go, but this time I just tilted my head and wagged
my tail. I stayed for only ten seconds or so, but then I left downstairs. “Good boy.”
Jasmine smiles as she looks at me leaving her bedroom. When I’m downstairs I get
bored. So, I chase my tail for at least five minutes. As I hear Jasmine coming down the
stairs, I run for my life. Why would I run for my life? I run for my life because before
Jasmine leaves, she often cuddles with me so much that I can barely breathe. I love
hiding between the couch’s pillows. Since I’m not that fast, my tail always sticks out.
“Ugh,” I would think to myself, “Gotta move faster next time, Cooper!” Jasmine grabs
me from behind and cuddles and kisses me. I don’t bark. I just sit and wait until Jasmine
is gone. “Okay Cooper, I’m finally leaving. I’ll see you later,” she says. Only then would
I bark until Jasmine leaves and then I would eat the treats Jasmine leaves for me.
Irvin Ibarra, Class of 2019
Studio Art Class (Summer 2015)
A Day in the Life of Paper
Noel Rodriguez
It was just yesterday that I was relaxing with my friends in the forest. Jimmy had finished
his story about his journey out of our home. We listened even though we all knew that he
was planted and could never move. All of the sudden a loud roaring noise came about. It
started to cut my friends down one by one, and it soon got me as well. All I heard was
panicking. When I finally woke up there were white strips next to me. I was confused at
first, but then I realized that I was being taken away from my home! I grew angry and
when one of the creatures that looked like the ones that cut me down, but only smaller,
came and picked me up, I tried to strike back. Only a little piercing was made, but it was
enough for the monster to let me go and I slowly slid back onto some type of surface. I
was happy with my revenge, but it didn’t seem like we were even. I talked to the others
and they told me stories about their past friends who were taken and used as some type of
communication and had been attacked by this weapon called a “crayon.” As it turns out,
Jimmy was one of the other strips too. There was an escape behind the surface on a crack
that none of the creatures knew about. We planned our escape but it happened so
fast…the creatures came in in groups with one giant monster. I saw these “crayons” and
what they did- I was terrified. Luckily, Jimmy and I escaped and were safe behind the
surface and here we wait...for help. May the forest be with us.
Smartphone
Samantha Colon
I am a small computer.
I make your calls.
I send your texts.
I save your data.
I have variety of apps.
I save your music.
I save your selfies.
I play an important role in your breakups.
I am your GPS.
I get lost and broken many times in the year.
I’m always replaced with an upgrade.
You turn me on monthly.
You plug me into my bed.
You try not to drop me, but you always do.
You always lock my heart.
People store my information in little chips.
The Government is always looking for me.
I will always be yours; you will never forget me.
I am your smartphone!
Caterpillar Into Butterfly
Benito Martinez
The first things I see as a caterpillar just after hatching are leaves. I start eating and eating
for a certain amount of time until I’m big enough to go to the next stage of my life cycle.
After I’m done eating, I’m about three hundred times my size when I was a newborn. I
have to be careful when looking for food because there are many hungry animals that are
looking for a meal. As soon as I’m ready for my next stage, I turn into a pupa or a little
ball that protects me while I go to the final stage of my life cycle. After about ten days
I’m ready to come out of the pupa and am fully developed. I hatch and instead of being a
caterpillar, I have transformed into a monarch butterfly. I learn how to fly the moment I
hatch. I start heading to the flowers in search for food. I continue my journey and when
the climate changes I migrate to Mexico. I lay eggs there and unfortunately need to die.
My offspring go through the same life cycle and migrate back.
T-Shirt Days
Eugenio Fernandez
Hi guys! I am a shirt. First, I sit in the cabinet waiting for Bob to pick me up and put me
on himself. When he puts me on him I just stay there. Then he falls into a puddle of mud
and I get all dirty. Eww…it is so nasty to be covered with mud. When he gets home, he
changes and he puts me in the dirty clothes bin until I get washed. There, I meet all my
other dirty clothes friends. When I fall into the washer, it feels like taking a shower!
When I get out of the washing machine, I am so cold and wet. So they put me in the
dryer. It is so hot that it dries me and warms me up. When I get out of it, I go back into
the cabinet and wait until Bob puts me on again. Then, I go through the same cycle, just
with different ways to get dirty.
Nerds Rule
Kevin Lopez
From the longest of time people been discriminated for their race, color, culture, and sex,
but there's a topic that people do not talk about and that's discrimination against nerds.
I hate the fact that people don't like nerds because “they don't have lives” or they're not
popular or they're not cool like other people. People think that because we read comic
books, play trading card games, or like superheroes that we’re antisocial, or that we want
to stay young forever, or that we have nothing else to do with our lives and have
problems. Well, it’s not like that. We do all that because we like to. I'm speaking from
experience. I like to play trading card games and I like to read comic books. One of my
goals is to watch every superhero movie for the next 4 years. I’ve been always told that I
don't have a life or friends because I do all that stuff. Well to start with, I have more
friends than people think. A few months ago, I went to a Yu-Gi-Oh tournament and met
a lot of people there from different cities around the world- even some from Japan. We
all keep in touch and have agreed to meet every year in the tournament. Even though I’ve
known them for a short time, I feel like I’ve known them for life.
Finally, a lot of successful people are nerds. For example, the people who make all those
superhero movies have to know about superheroes and computers. I, for example, plan to
be a musician after I finish college. Nerds are all around us.
Studio Art Claymation Projects
What are your views on LGBTQ movements?
Yolatli Esparza
I support LGBTQ movements, I was honestly so happy when I found out that gay
marriage is now allowed. Although some people saw it as a disgrace, gay people have
come a long way to get where they are today. I have many friends that are lesbian or gay.
They’re no different than us. Not many people know that many gays face bullying
because of the people they like, but what's so wrong about love? Due to LGBTQ
movements, people that want to marry their same sex may now get married. This is one
of many things that LGBTQ communities can do to fight for their rights to finally be
happy with whomever they want.
Ariana Esparza
I thought it was great that the U.S. had finally legalized gay marriage in all 50
states. I think people should be able to be with someone regardless of sex. If they truly
love that person, they should be allowed to be together because after all, who are we to
criticize the love they share for each other? I don’t think it matters whether they love the
same gender or not, love is love and love has no gender. I think it’s great that they stand
up for the people they love and I respect that completely, but what I don’t respect is that
they “shame” what the Bible says about same-sex marriage because they disrespect what
many religious people believe in. I really don’t think it was necessary to put up pictures
on social media “shaming” God and what the Bible says because many religious people
can get offended when you try to “shame” what they believe in. Other than that, I think
many people should love, date, and marry whoever they want because, after all, I don’t
think love should have rules on what gender you should marry. Love is not meant to be
criticized because of the gender people choose to be with/date. Love has no gender.
Photo by Isain Holguin
Video Production: Naomi Cox (Class of 2017) interviews Ms. Richardson (Tutor)
An Important Woman in my Life
Sandra Sandoval
The important woman in my life is my grandmother because she has always been there
for me, even though she lived all the way in Mexico and I in Chicago. We would always
call each other everyday and she always knew how to make me laugh. My grandmother
had a great personality. I went to visit her when I was 6 years old and my grandmother
would always treat me like her own daughter. I had a lot of adventures and fun with my
grandmother. My grandmother was a caring and good woman. She was like a mother to
me. She was always there for me in good and bad times. I will never forget that she
taught me so many things while I was visiting her. I learned a lot from her. She was
funny and knew me so well, knowing when I was sad and happy. She would always
congratulate me when I got good grades and she would always give me good advice and
help me with everything. My grandmother would always sing to my brother, my sister,
and me. In turn, I would always send my grandmother money for her medicine. My
grandmother was just so special to me that I can't explain how much it hurt after she died.
So many things changed and it hurts me knowing I have lost a person that meant so much
to me.
Elizabeth Barrera (Class of 2016) behind the camera in Video Class
Carmen Mora
An important woman in my life is my mom because when I need to speak to someone,
she is there to listen. My mom is a hardworking woman. My mom and I always have our
arguments, but at the end of the day she is still there to support me. She always tells me
to follow my dreams and not to give up, and to move forward until I reach my goals. My
mom has always been by my side when I’ve needed her. She always tells me to get my
education and not to drop out of school because it would be the biggest mistake of my
life and I would regret it. She wants me to succeed in life because she didn’t have the
chance to finish school or to get her education. I’m always doing my best to get good
grades and not to give up on what I have. I want to make my mom proud and show her
that I can do it and put a smile on her face. I just want to give thanks to my mom for
showing me what is right and wrong, teaching me never to give up and to do my best
even if it’s hard. I will show people that it's not hard to get what you want. All you have
to do is work really hard and to believe in yourself.
An Important Man in my Life
Tanya Iman
The most important man in my life would be my father because he helps me out a lot. He
buys my siblings and me what we need. He may not be the richest man in the world, but
to me he is. I don’t really ask for anything, just for his love and support. I thank my
father for everything that he has done for my siblings and me. He shows me how to cook,
how to take the bus or the train, and even how to drive. He makes great lasagna. My dad
also teaches me how to do mechanical procedures in the car. I know that I can count on
him when I need him. My father is my hero, my idol, my best friend, and the best father
ever. Yes, we have arguments, but then I realize that arguing is not the best option. I love
my dad with all my heart. I thank him for being there for me and for helping me with my
problems. I thank him for being a great father and for never giving up and pushing us to
do well and to be somebody in life. These are the reasons why my father is the most
important man in my life.
Ariana Esparza
An important man in my life would be my father because he is always there for my
family and me. He is important to me because he cares about what is best for my sisters
and me. He always makes sure that we have what we need to stay healthy and to succeed
in school. He is an important man to me because he is always making sure we get good
grades so we can all have a bright future and a great career. What makes him great is that
he is always there to support us and teach us right from wrong. My dad is always there to
help if we are struggling with homework. He helps us in school so that we can be the best
we can be when we grow up. My dad also supports us with our future careers and always
encourages us to do our very best in school in order to have the career we would like. My
dad is my everything. Without him I wouldn’t be as successful as I am now. I am forever
grateful that I have a father as great as he.
Reynaldo, Julio, Carmen & Sandra (Video Production Class, Summer 2015)
On Facebook
Raul Diaz
I love the fact that pretty much everyone I know sends pictures of their food to any type
of social media such as Facebook or Snapchat. It always goes like this:
Friend: I’m hungry
(2 minutes later)
(handed some food) Looks good, I’m going to post this to show that I’m eating.
(takes picture of food)
Me: ...What? Why would anyone care about what someone is going to eat? WHY
WOULD I CARE?!
Then, I would start laughing until I come close to death because it happens every day. I
know about 20 people who do that, including family. I just want to smack my 16-year old
nephew in the face because he sends pictures of food on Facebook. And by the time he
finishes finding the perfect angle and sends it, his hot plate is cold and we are already
about to leave the place while stuffing our napkins with pastries. I’m tempted to spam
pictures of my food with a hashtag: #FOOD or whatever and start aggravating others. Oh
yes, my goal in life is to post everything I eat before I actually eat it. I will find the
perfect angle for my food and it'll probably be cold by then and taste horrible. If I’m
lucky, I’ll post that this restaurant is just a complete rip-off of another place and then it'll
most likely go out of business causing jobs to go down and making the economy worse.
Now tell me, who is the evil person here: the guy who posts things or the guy who brings
your food? (Don’t answer, its supposed to be a rhetorical question.)
You know what? I give up on social media. I will not stand for this idiocy! I don’t care
about what anyone eats at all. That’s it. I’m leaving!
Irvin Ibarra (Class of 2019) planning for Video Production Class
Noel Rodriguez Self Portrait (Studio Art Class)
UB Guitar Ensemble Class (Photo by Mr. Juan Giraldo, Photography Instructor)
Heidi Cerda -- Heart of Darkness
One of the books I have chosen to be is Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
because this book gives me a feeling of accomplishment. This novel is one of the hardest
novels I have ever read because it has a lot of ambiguity, meaning that there are different
parts of the book that don’t have a very clear meaning. Many students hate the book
because it would make the reader feel as if they were skipping parts while reading and it
would also make them doze off.
The book itself is very interesting because it brings different thematic topics such as
colonialism, racism, and savagery versus civilization. The theme of colonialism comes
into this novel a lot because of how the Europeans treated the people in Africa in a
European colony located there. The Europeans were very cruel to the African natives and
that is something I think is important to know because we should be able to know what
people are capable of doing.
If I was part of a civilization that reads and appreciates knowledge in Fahrenheit 451, I
would decide to memorize this book because it is an example that would allow the people
to know how people act towards things or people that are different. The people in the
novel acted very inhumane towards the African natives and in Fahrenheit 451 how the
government acted towards those who read. There is one quote in particular in Heart of
Darkness that says, “The mind of man is capable of anything because everything is in it,
all the past as well as the future” (Conrad). This quote also shows what Joseph Conrad
was trying to say throughout the novel, that men are capable of anything. This can be
seen in Fahrenheit 451 since the government decided to kill an innocent man just to look
good for the public.
Leslie Martinez - Copper Sun
The book I would be is Copper Sun by Sharon Draper. This book is about a
fifteen-year-old girl, Amari, who is taken from her village in Africa because she is one of
the strongest, healthiest villagers. The people who take her are slave traders; they beat,
brand, and drag her into a slave ship. Throughout the book all she can think about is
surviving and escaping, and when an opportunity comes up to escape, Amari decides to
search for the thing she wants most, freedom.
This book is one I would become because it is historical fiction and it opens the
doorway to the past. I learned about events from long ago. I think it is important to
remember the past and never forget those who came before us. It is our job to tell their
story, for the book tells us itself, “You know certain people are chosen to survive. I don’t
know why, but you are one of those who must remember the past and tell those yet
unborn. You must live” (Draper, p.37). This book is both meaningful and significant to
our society, and by listening to it, people can apply some of the messages to their lives.
Slavery is not a topic that should be ignored, but discussed and remembered. Those who
do not remember the tragedies of the past are forced to repeat them. Knowledge is power
and truth is what we have to keep us free.
Juan Quevedo (Class of 2019)
Osain Sánchez & Jesse Atilano (Class of 2019)
Pablo Santamaria - Poets of the Harlem Renaissance
If I have to pick a book or an author I wouldn’t be able to choose. I would pick a
part in history instead. I would choose the Harlem Renaissance with all the poets and all
the poems it had. Why poetry, you are probably asking. Well, poetry is similar to a book,
but the words are more powerful and in a way you can put your own meaning to what
they are saying. Sometimes the poems have a huge impact in our lives because it could be
something we went through, or it can be a life lesson to us. Poems can make you feel
alive at times, or it can bring you the pain of memories.
The two poets I’ll pick from the Harlem Renaissance would be Langston Hughes
and Claude McKay, although the Harlem Renaissance has a lot of great poets. The most
significant poet of them all is Langston Hughes during the Harlem Renaissance. He is
well known to people in this century because we still use the poems he wrote in the 1920s
and 1930s. One of the poems that are well known from him is “I, Too Sing America.” “I,
Too Sing America” talks about how African-Americans were treated at the time and how
one day they would all be equal and have the same rights as white people, but they have
to give it time. I personally had read some poems from Langston Hughes. They have
fascinated me and encouraged me to look at more poems from him. The poems from the
Harlem Renaissance have a meaningful story behind them, each word shows pain and
suffering from what the poets were going through at the time. The poems they wrote
were things they witnessed or things they hoped would happened, which was change and
equally.
These poets have powerful meaning because the authors lived through that.
Although they already passed away, their poems are still read today. I personally don’t
have anything against books, but I really don’t enjoy them as much as poetry. I feel more
connection to the poems and I enjoy every type of poem. I used to write my own poems,
then I stopped because I didn’t know if I was just writing or actually writing poetry. The
quotes I saw from Langston Hughes have changed my idea on writing:
“An artist must be free to choose what he does.
Certainly, but he must also never be afraid to do
What he must choose”
and
“Life is for the living
Death is for the dead
Let life be like music
And death a note
Unsaid”
These two quotes mean write what you can and say it while you are living
because once you’re dead there is nothing you can do. Never be scared of being the
person you want to be for yourself. Don’t let yourself hold you back from doing what you
want to do.
Leslie Martinez’s Artist Trading Card (Front & Back)
Video Class Photo During Residential (Photo by Andrew Soto)
Alex Moreno -- To Kill a Mockingbird
The book that I would want to be is To Kill a Mockingbird. I feel that To Kill a
Mockingbird should be preserved and not taken off the bookshelves. It is a novel that
took place during the Jim Crow Era, which occurred after slavery was abolished. So, this
book contains racism. The story of the novel is that a white man, named Atticus Finch,
who is a lawyer, defends a black man, named Tom Robinson, who is accused of beating
up the daughter of a racist white man. And the jury is all white men, so all the people
within the jury believe that he is guilty, but only because he is black. And Atticus is not
racist, so he is very willing to help Tom Robinson. Throughout the story Atticus helps to
defend Tom in court because Atticus knows that he is innocent.
In the novel, there is a very interesting quote that says, “You never really
understand a person until you see things from his point of view… until you climb into his
skin and walk around in it” (Lee, Chapter 3). In the novel, it is Atticus Finch that says
this, and what Atticus is saying is that you don’t know another person’s situation unless
you can put yourself in their shoes. But it is really directed toward talking about how
white people can’t understand how black people feel unless they can swap skins, but in
this case white people and black people can’t swap skins, so there is no way that white
people can really know how a black person feels unless they themselves are black.
Although black people were the ones that were oppressed, so you didn’t need to jump
their skin to realize that, but back then pretty much no one realized it if they were white.
Nowadays, Jim Crow Laws are abolished and those types of problems don’t happen as
much, but we have books like this novel to help us remember those times. This novel is
really good for preserving the time of Jim Crow laws so that we don’t forget how bad
those times were. But I fear that if this book were to be taken off the shelves then we will
start to forget those times, and they might be repeated. This is why I would be To Kill a
Mockingbird, to prevent the past from being repeated.
In Fahrenheit 451, Guy Montag begins to question his life goals after meeting a freespirited teenager named Clarisse. Montag realizes that he has always done what his
father, wife, boss, or society have expected him to do, without thinking about what would
really make himself happy. Students reflected on their own expectations for themselves
and from their society.
Arthuro Garcia
Society expects my trajectory to not be very achieving because they have an
image put in their head of what Mexican people do with their lives. Recently, Donald
Trump said a lot of insulting things about Mexican immigrants in his presidential
campaign. Some things that Donald Trump said are that Mexican immigrants only come
to America to sell drugs, create a lot of crimes, or do other illegal things. Those things
that he said are just adding to the bad image that some people have in their mind about
Mexicans. Because of the bad things said about Mexicans, society is being influenced on
how Mexicans are looked upon and that is why I think some of society does not expect
my trajectory to be very high. Despite what some of society may think, there are many
other people who think otherwise and expect my trajectory to be successful. My family
expects me to have good grades, go to college, and be successful. In my group of friends,
I am seen as the smart one, so when thinking about the future they expect me to be a big
shot and they expect that I do many good things with my life. My teachers expect me to
follow my dreams, go to college, and be successful. Right now all my teachers expect me
to go to college and find who I want to be in the future. My family, friends, and teachers
have similar expectations for me because they expect my trajectory to be prosperous and
they support my decisions of what I want to do in the future.
Jessica Ocampo
I understand that my family and friends expect me to do great in my future,
especially my mom and a few teachers. My mom needs me to become someone in life.
Because my mom struggled to have a decent job that only pays minimum wage, she
expects me to have a career where I earn more money than she does. She needs me
become someone that can change the way people think and give the world a different
perspective on any kind of job. My sister is also another person that expects a lot from
me. Knowing that I have gotten straight A's and I have a great connection with my
teachers, she “knows” I have to become someone great in life. Many family members/
friends/teachers expect me to become someone great such as; an engineer, psychologist, a
teacher, a nurse, a doctor, a lawyer etc., someone that has made an impact in society. But
not many know what I WANT to do. I want to either teach photography or become a
photographer or a journalist. I understand that being any of these is not such a great
paying job, but its something I will love to do. Our society puts so much emphasis on
money, but that doesn’t matter if you aren’t happy or don’t love what you do! One day, I
want to wake up and not have to say, “Ugh. I have to work today.” But more like, “Yes,
work today!” I want to live my future by wanting to go to work, not having to go. My
trajectory is so important to me, which is why I have to follow what my skills are based
on and not do what others want me to do/become.
Tutor Ricardo Ramos works with rising Sophomore Ariel Peña (Residential Week) Ximena Arroyo (Class of 2019) in Studio Art Class FROM THE PHOTOGRAPHY CLASS Photo by Jose Lira Photo by Rodolfo Rosas Photo by Andrew Soto Photo by Helen Hernandez Photo by Briana Quezada Photo by Isain Holguin Lessons Learned from the Class of 2016 In Upward Bound I learned the importance of communicating with each other. In my Global Issues class it was important to listen to other people. Even if you didn't agree with what they were saying, you still had the chance to speak up and say how you felt about certain things. -­‐Yajaira Moreno Something I learned in Upward Bound was not to give up because there are people that are going to care about you in the bad times and the good times. -­‐ Rolando Trujillo What I learned in Upward Bound is keeping track of time management. Time
management is very important and that is something I have improved in. Before working
on my study habits, I would do my homework at night while throughout the day I would
be hanging out with my friends. Ever since I came close to having an all nighter due to
homework, I realized that was the wrong way to do it. I began to do my homework/study
when I got home. I hung out with my friends after I felt satisfied with my priorities. Hard
work pays off at the end, which is why my priorities in school come first.
-Jessica Ocampo
The learning experience I had from Upward Bound is that I learned what a liberal arts
college is. When I first came into Upward Bound I had no idea what a liberal arts college
was, and I thought that all colleges were liberal arts colleges. I thought that a liberal arts
college was a college that mostly had art classes like dance or studio art. Then Upward
Bound took us on field trips to liberal arts colleges like Lake Forest College and Illinois
Wesleyan University, and I started to learn what a liberal arts college was. After many
explanations by people in Upward Bound and college tour guides, I learned that a liberal
arts college is a college that puts more focus on liberal arts classes like mathematics,
literature, and science. I learned many things from being in Upward Bound and it has
been a great learning experience for me.
-Arthuro Garcia
What I learned from Upward Bound from these past four years is that anyone can go to college if they set their mind to it. Throughout the program we’ve seen people leave the program because of their grades and attendance, and this is something that upsets me because this program is really good and it opens our eyes to many options. Like maybe considering a 2-­‐year college instead of a 4-­‐year because it could help you economically or maybe that the career you wanted to pursue isn’t really for you. Throughout it all I am very grateful to have been part of a program that helped me with my life during high school and my life after high school graduation. -­‐Heidi Cerda Summer 2015 Residential Week Talent Show (Class of 2016) AUTOGRAPHS
COLUMBIA COLLEGE CHICAGO UPWARD BOUND PROGRAM SUMMER 2015