COLUMBIA COLLEGE CHICAGO UPWARD BOUND PROGRAM SUMMER MAGAZINE 2012 AUTOGRAPHS
1 Columbia College Chicago Upward Bound Program 2012 SUMMER SESSION (June 18th -­‐ July 27th) Class Teacher Room Tutoring Staff C501/C421/C302 Period /Time (0) 8:10 -­‐ 9:00 (1) 9:05 -­‐ 10:00 French Speaking Countries (Jr) Voltaire C421 Modern Literature (Soph) Weaver C302 Intro to Algebra (Fr) Mynaugh C501 Essay Writing (Sr) Kirsch C316 (2) 10:05 -­‐ 11:00 Intermediate Comp (Jr) Hochman C316 Intro. to Literature (Fr) Weaver C302 College Math Seminar (Sr) Mynaugh C501 Intro to Chemistry (Soph) Dean C421 (3) 11:05 -­‐ 12:00 Global Issues (Sr) Hochman C316 Intro to Geometry (Soph) Mynaugh C501 Introduction to Genetics (Fr) Dean C421 Human Relationships (Jr) Strong-­‐Dowd C302 (4) 12:05 -­‐ 12:45 Lunch – University Center 525 S. State (5) 1:05 -­‐ 3:00 Photography Hasson AA1107 Studio Art Scott-­‐Rudnick W1021 Community Art Martinez W1005 Video Production Sandherr EC407 (6) 3:10 -­‐ 4:00 Tutoring Staff C501/C314 Field Trips: FRI. June 22: Art Institute & Movie, FRI. June 29: Univ. of Chicago & Brookfield Zoo, FRI. July 6: Shedd Aquarium & Riverboat Architecture Tour, WED. July 11: Visit to Loyola University & Beach Picnic, FRI. July 20: Valparaiso University Visit, FRI. July 27: Afternoon Arts Festival. The Residential Week is week five (July 15 -­‐ July 20) at Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois. Students live in a dormitory, attend classes and participate in other activities. The 20th Annual UB Summer Awards Banquet is Saturday July 28th from 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 Riding Cards are also provided. UB Office: 218 S. Wabash, Room 718 Phone: (312) 369-­‐8830. 2 Columbia College Upward Bound 2012 Summer Staff Profiles Lee Baumgarten, Tutor. Bachelor of Science Degree in Biochemistry, Loyola University. Kellie Dean, Science Instructor. Bachelor of Science Degree, Michigan State University. MA in Education, DePaul University. Carol Gomez, Tutor. BA, Psychology, Earlham College. Candidate for MSW at University of Illinois at Chicago – Expected May 2013. Allison Hasson, Photography Instructor. BA, Photography, Mary Baldwin College in VA. Emily Hochman, English & Social Studies Instructor. BA, English & Afro-­‐American Studies, University of Wisconsin, Madison. M.Ed. Secondary English, Loyola University Chicago. Craig Kirsch, Director (Also English Instructor). B.A., English, Grinnell College. M.A., English Education, The University of Chicago. M.F.A., Film & Video, Columbia College Chicago. Victoria Martinez, Art Instructor. BFA in Fine Arts Studio, Minneapolis College of Art & Design. Dijonee McGhee, Tutor. Candidate for BA in English (Creative Writing) at University of Denver – Expected June 2014. Lindsay Mynaugh, Math Instructor. BA, Secondary Education in Mathematics, DePaul University. M.Ed., University of Illinois in Measurement, Evaluation, Statistics and Assessment. Anson Pontynen, Tutor. Candidate for BA, Interdisciplinary Studies in the Humanities, University of Chicago (Degree Expected June 2013). Mirella Rodriguez, Administrative Assistant. BA, Community Health & Wellness, Northeastern Illinois University. James Sandherr, Film/Video Instructor. BA, Communication, DePaul University. MA in Communication (Media & Cinema Studies), DePaul University. Michael Scott-­‐Rudnick, Art Instructor. BA, Studio Art, Grinnell College. M. Ed, Teaching and Learning, DePaul University. Susan Strong-­‐Dowd, Recruitment Coordinator (Also Human Relationships Instructor). B.A., Theater, Columbia College Chicago. M.F.A., Fiction Writing, Columbia College Chicago. Carolle Voltaire, Counselor (Also French Instructor). B.A., Foreign Languages, St. Xavier College. M.S.Ed., Education, Northern Illinois University. PhD in Higher Education & Organizational Change from Benedictine University. Jamie Weaver, English Instructor. BA, English, Glenville State College, MA, English Composition & Rhetoric, Marshall University in WV. Candidate for MFA, Book & Paper Arts, Columbia College Chicago. Theresa Wilkerson, Tutor. Bachelor of Science Degree in Physics, University of Illinois at Chicago. MS in Physics, University of Kansas. David Yontz, Tutor. BA, English from The College of Wooster. 3 FACT SHEET
WHAT IS IT?
Upward Bound is a federally funded program designed to help
students with limited financial resources prepare for college.
WHO CAN APPLY?
Any student (Grades 8-11) who
1. Attends or will attend Benito Juarez or Foreman.
2. Has the Desire & Commitment to pursue a college degree.
3. Meets the Department of Education’s requirements.
WHAT SERVICES DOES UPWARD BOUND OFFER?
Tutoring
Saturday Classes
A Summer Program
Counseling Field Trips & College Visits
Career Exploration
ACT Test
Preparation
College & Financial
Aid Application
A Monthly Stipend
Summer
Internships
Assistance
HOW CAN I APPLY?
Obtain application materials from program staff, target school
representatives, or community agencies. Return the completed
materials in person to a target school representative, Upward
Bound staff or mail them to the address listed below.
Mailing Address
Columbia College Upward Bound
600 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60605
Office Location
624 S. Michigan Ave.
Suite 1401
Phone number:
312-369-8830
http://www.colum.edu/Academics/Upward_Bound
4 FROM THE FRENCH SPEAKING COUNTRIES CLASS Dialogue By Ricardo Rangel & Cristian Martinez Richard: Salut, Christian! Christian: Salut, Richard! Richard: Ça va? Christian: Ça va mal. Et toi? Richard: Ça va bien. Pourquoi? Christian: J’ai sommeil et je suis fatigué. Richard: Pourquoi as-­‐tu sommeil? Christian: J’ai dormi à trois heures du matin. Richard: Oh là là! Christian: Pourquoi es-­‐tu si heureux? Richard: J’ai rendez-­‐vous avec Michelle. Christian: À quelle heure ? Richard: À onze heures et demie. Quelle heure est-­‐il? Christian: Il est onze heures vingt maintenant. Richard: Oh là là! Je dois m’en aller. À demain! Dors un peu! Christian: À plus tard! Bonne chance! Lettre à Cécile (Nancy Galan) Par Jean (Juan Vargas) Salut! Mon nom est Jean. Merci pour la communication. Je vis trop dans l'Illinois. Je parle espagnol et anglais et j’ apprends maintenant le français. J'aime le français, mais je ne le parle pas bien. C’ est une langue magnifique. J'aime pratiquer le kickboxing, le football, et la lutte quand j'ai le temps. J'aime l'exercice physique; ça me fait sentir bien. Je n'aime pas rester beaucoup à l'intérieur. Je vis à Cicéron dans l'Illinois. C’est une ville calme. Nul ne vient de l'extérieur. J’attends encore pour aller à Pilsen, un quartier latin. Le meilleur, c'est qu'il n'y a pas de crime violent à Ciceron. Le quartier est très beau et je vis aussi près d’un theâtre. J’attends encore pour revenir à Pilsen. Ce quartier, je le manque beaucoup. Merci pour l'écoute! Ton copain, Jean 5 Letter to Nancy Galan By Juan Vargas Hi! My name is Jean. Thanks for the communication. I live in Illinois. I speak Spanish and English and now I am learning French. I like French, but I do not speak it well. It’s a great language. I like to practice kickboxing, football, and boxing when I have time. I like physical fitness; it makes me feel good. I do not like to say inside. I live in Cicero, Illinois. It is a quiet town. No one comes from outside of town. I am still waiting to go to Pilsen, a Latino neighborhood. The best thing about Cicero is that there are no violent crimes. The neighborhood is very nice and I live near a theatre. I can’t wait to go back to Pilsen. This neighborhood, I miss it a lot. Thanks for listening! Your friend, Juan Eduardo Ocampo (Photography Class) 6 COMMUNITY ART CLASS 2012
7 FROM THE ESSAY WRITING CLASS
PERSONAL STATEMENTS (COLLEGE APPLICATION ESSAYS)
By Piotr Sasara (Class of 2013, Foreman High School)
Two major events in my life shaped me into the person I am today. First, I
emigrated from Poland to the United States in 2007. As a child I watched documentaries
about different people and places. I dreamed that someday I would travel to those places
and meet intriguing people, but I never knew that this “someday” would come suddenly,
and that I would be forced to leave everything I loved behind. When I was thirteen I
moved to Chicago. I was travelling to the U.S with my brother, Michal. My father and
my two sisters, Joanna and Malwina, were already in the U.S., and for the time being I
was leaving my mother and three other brothers.
Chicago became my second home from the first day. I loved the architecture,
lake, beaches, the diverse cultures, the museums, and the opportunities. At first, since I
did not speak English, I struggled. But I never gave up, and I challenged myself to perfect
my new language. A program named Upward Bound significantly improved my English.
Upward Bound is a college-preparatory program, and with their support I was able to
improve myself in many areas, especially English. I was obliged to read out loud and
write journal responses. I thus enhanced my English, and was able to take higher level
classes such as AP Literature and Honors courses.
Then, in the midst of my growth, my father became ill and suddenly died. He was
diagnosed with second stage Mesothelioma, a type of lung cancer. The doctors told him
that he would die within three months to “at most a year”. When I found out my father
would die in a few months, I did not cry. At first I thought the doctors were wrong. I
believed that by some miracle my father would survive because he often said, “Nothing is
impossible.” Then, as I watched him become weaker, I realized he would die, and there
was nothing anyone could do to save him. Thus I slowly began to accept his death.
As my father’s health worsened, I did not tell anyone about his condition. I kept
everything inside because I was scared that if I would reveal my feelings my life would
collapse. I pretended that everything was fine while in reality I was screaming for help.
Thus, to somehow find peace with myself, I began to read. Reading became a passion of
mine, a hobby, during which I could forget about the world around me and move
somewhere else and relax. Those flights of fancy did not last long and I always came
back to earth with a big thud.
In between school and studying I watched my father die a slow, agonizing death.
Each day I rushed home from school to feed him. While feeding him I thought of how
strong he used to be, and what was left of that man. But the worst part for me was to see
my father’s light blue eyes. Throughout his illness, only my father’s eyes remained
unchanged. I could see all his life in his eyes. I could see how he raised his eight children,
and how much joy we gave him. Above all, I could still see hope in his eyes. Though I
knew he was dying, and perhaps he could read it in my face, he still hoped he would
survive, that “nothing was impossible.”
Since I started to prepare myself for my father’s death weeks before it actually
occurred, I did not cry when he finally passed away. I was grieving while he was still
8 alive, and when my father died I became free of all that misery I lived in during those
weeks. Now I am slowly starting to live again, to express my true feelings.
Those two major events from my life led me to become a hardworking person
who does not give up easily. Through my father’s death and my struggle to learn a new
language I realized that in the future I would like to help other people. I thought of being
a therapist or a teacher. Now I am considering engineering and architecture because I
would like to make people’s dreams come true and make a world a better and more
efficient place to live in.
This photo hung on the wall of the guys dorm lounge during residential week. The
caption below the title “Perseverance” reads: “In the confrontation between the stream
and the rock, the stream always wins…not through strength, but through persistence.”
By Denise Arevalo (Class of 2013, Foreman High School)
I want to tell you that my grandma has been a big part of my life even though I
haven’t seen her since I was thirteen because of a family conflict. I have not seen my
grandma because of the difference my dad has with her. When I was a child my grandma
was the one that I could go to for anything. I remember that one summer she taught me
how to multiply, and I was ahead of the rest of my classmates in school. I used to like
having long conversations with her especially in the summer time; she used to sit at the
dining room table with her sewing machine in front of her and I sat across from her. She
would wear her navy blue skirt and a flowery shirt that she would make on her own. She
is light skinned with a lot of wrinkles, but her glasses stand out the most because they are
big and wide. Her hands are so soft even though she doesn’t use lotion at all. I miss
9 asking her questions that she didn’t want to answer but she found a way to. Not being
able to see her for the past three years has affected me because I couldn’t talk to her when
I most needed her. The problem that my dad has with her is that my grandma made her
will and left everything to one son out of nine of her children. That makes my dad mad
because my dad was the one who worked for everything and the brother who my
grandma is leaving everything to has never worked in all his life. I haven’t seen my
grandma, but she has encouraged me to keep going to school and be someone in life.
Even though my dad and my grandma have these problems I hope I will see her again in
the future.
My dad is my role model. He has encouraged me to finish school because I have
the opportunity that he didn’t have. When he was fifteen he took the role of being the
father of his younger siblings after they lost their father. At the age of seventeen he left
his hometown, Portezuelo, Mexico, to come to the United States looking for a better
future for himself and the rest of his family. He worked from dishwasher to factory
worker, and he worked different places from Los Angeles to Oregon and from Peoria to
Chicago. He continued to help his family, to get them to the place where they are at
today. All but one of his younger siblings are living in the United States, and they all
have a family and a job. I know he had to sacrifice a lot of things to be where he is right
now. All of those sacrifices inspire me to continue to study and do something he didn’t
have the opportunity to do.
One way that I have challenged myself in my studies is by participating in
Upward Bound. Upward Bound is a federally funded program to prepare you for college.
This program helps you think about college from the first day of your freshman year and
takes you to college tours and other educational field trips. Going to so many college
visits I have gotten the opportunity to look at colleges and universities that are far away,
something that without the program I wouldn’t have been able to do. I got accepted to
Upward Bound right out of 8th grade and I still continue to be part of it. They have helped
me through my high school courses when I have trouble and encouraged me to take more
honors courses so I can be more prepared for college. Now I am ranked number 7 in my
class. I know life is hard when you don’t have an education. That is why I want to
accomplish my lifetime goal of becoming a nurse. I became interested in becoming a
nurse because I want to help out people in need. I want to be a nurse because I want to
care for people who are sick like my grandpa that died because he didn’t have the care he
needed. I know going to college might be hard but it is worth the time and I feel prepared
to take the challenge. As a first generation student I know going to college is a big step,
but I know that I can accomplish anything that I want to do. I want to make my dad
proud that what he couldn’t do I can. I want to be an example and show that going to
college and earning a bachelor’s degree is possible for any Hispanic if they set their mind
to it.
10 Victoria Torres – (self portrait in progress) – Studio Art Class By Jeremiah Natano (Class of 2013 Foreman High School) I emigrated to the U.S. in 2001 from Mindanao, the southernmost island of the Philippines, where my brother and I lived with my grandparents while my mother worked in the capital city. In the Philippines, a third world country, I lived where there was minimal clean water, a toxic canal across the street, garbage everywhere and dirt roads. In contrast, in the U.S. there are tall buildings, fast food restaurants, clean water is common and people dress in expensive clothes. It was a huge change for my brother, my mother and me. On top of all this we barely had any money and were forced to live in a homeless shelter for a year on the south side of Chicago. Being so young (7 years old), I was oblivious to the hardships and struggles we went through because my mom took care of everything. Without the help of the Filipino community we would’ve never overcome such an obstacle. They gave my mom a job, offered her a place to stay and much more. Over time, when my mom had enough money to support us, we moved into a small apartment. During this time I became more independent because my mom was always busy at work, so I had to do all the chores around the house and take care of my brother. When I was 12 years old, I started forming a lump on top of my neck, just under my jaw. I didn’t really know what it was, nor did I care. My doctor sent me to an E.N.T. (ear, nose, and throat) specialist. He was suspicious of the lump and suspected it was cancer, so 11 Jeremiah Natano -­‐ (self portrait in progress) – Studio Art Class he sent me to Dr. Yang. She collected tissue samples from the back of my nose and told us to come back in 3 days for the result. My mom, my brother, my step-­‐dad and I patiently waited for the news in one of the hospital rooms. As usual I was absent minded and daydreaming, having not a care in the world, when suddenly Dr. Brookestein came in through the door with a serious look on his face. He shook each of our hands and sat down; all eyes were on him. The doctor broke the silence by talking about the results. He explained that I had stage 2 nasopharyngeal carcinoma cancer. The doctor then began to talk to us about the plan to reduce and then terminate the cancer: chemotherapy for 9 months, then radiation and chemo for the 10th month and finally radiation for 1 month. At the start of the treatment in January 2008 I was 145 pounds. Going through chemotherapy, you constantly have diarrhea, extreme nausea, vomiting, headaches, and restless sleep because of the pain. After a hellish 9 months of chemotherapy, it was time for radiation. The first 2 weeks of radiation were a breeze until I started noticing changes in my throat, neck and mouth. By the middle of the 3rd week I had a severe 24/7 sore throat, my neck turned into a blackish-­‐red, my mouth was sore and the gums of my teeth began to have blisters. By the 2nd day of the 4th week I was depressed. At the end of the treatment I was 95 pounds. A few days later my weight dropped to 91 pounds and the doctors were worried that if I lost more weight it would be extremely dangerous, so I stayed in the hospital. I was bedridden for a week to monitor my weight and energy. When I was better, the doctors gave me 300-­‐calorie cartons of milk to gain weight. When I began to feel better I went to a cancer camp for teens, and the life stories I heard blew me away. There were 12 teens who had been dealing with cancer for 5, 6, 7+ years, going through the same things I was. It was at that time I began to realize the importance of life, to appreciate the littlest things and the people around you. I would’ve never been victorious over cancer if it wasn’t for the loving care and support of my doctors and nurses, and especially my mom and my brother who helped me to never give up and never lose sight of my dreams. My thoughts about who I want to be are constantly changing. Ever since I was a child I wanted to be either a pilot or a teacher. When I overcame cancer I wanted to become a doctor who helps other patients with cancer and illness in general. My goal is to go to college and graduate, to strive for the profession that will benefit my family, the people around me and the world. We can only live our lives once, and I plan to get the most out of mine. Cristina Lopez (Class of 2013 – Juarez Community Academy) When I was in 8th grade, all I could think about was high school and what it was
going to be like. I hadn’t really thought about college until my brother Alejandro started
to apply. I was so proud of him and wanted to be just like him. My family was so proud
of him and he was my role model. Then it hit me like a bullet; am I going to college and
if I go what will I study? In 8th grade a tall woman, with short hair came in my classroom.
Her name was Ms. Strong-Dowd and she talked about going to college and getting the
career you wanted and how your good grades would help you find scholarships to pay for
it. That was great news for me because my family doesn’t have money to pay tuition for
my brothers Alejandro, Gerardo, my sister Sandra or me. As young adults my parents
came to the United States from Mexico for a better life for their children. They did not
have the opportunity to earn a college degree. Ms. Strong-Dowd talked about a program
called Upward Bound and how it prepares you for college. I was excited to participate
because the program included a week away from home on a college campus and I had
never stayed away from home. I applied right away and was accepted. Now I was on my
way to prepare myself for college.
One of the most important people in my life is my sister Sandra who is disabled;
she cannot talk properly and has trouble learning. She is 15 years old but her mind is like
a first grader. Even if sometimes we cannot understand each other, we find ways to
communicate such as using pictures, objects or tools. She is the person who has
influenced me to think about becoming a doctor or a special education teacher. I want to
help children like my sister improve their lives. I volunteer at Rush Hospital; I help
children pick out books or movies. It made me feel like I am making a difference in a
child’s life. I want the children to forget their problems and know that someone is there
for them, like I am there for my sister; they can count on me and I will do everything I
can to help them. There might be some challenges on the way but I want to be that guide
that helps children so they can have the best life possible.
In my second year of high school, I noticed some problems at home. My parents
and Alejandro started having fights with each other, not big fights, but I knew they were
fighting. I was in my room and I heard them in the kitchen.“Que vas hacer con tu vida si
no vas a la universidad? Que vamos hacer con tigo?”(What are you going to do with your
life if you don’t go to college? What are we going to do with you?) They changed the
subject when I was around. I felt left out, not knowing what was going on. I was the last
13 person to know that Alejandro was dropping out of college. This was a big surprise to
me. Now who was going to guide me through college?
Even though my brother dropped out I want to succeed in college and I am doing
everything I can right now to make that happen. I am taking AP and honors classes to
challenge myself and I have a 4.4 GPA. I advanced to the finals in the Illinois State
History Fair. My project was about the first gay rights organization in Chicago, “The
Society for Human Rights”. I was accepted to study for two weeks in Costa Rica last
summer. There I helped plant trees, learned to be more eco-friendly, and learned about so
many different animals and plants. We even went to a small community called Cristo Rey
and painted their houses, built beds and planted flowers. The last part of my Costa Rica
experience will be to do a follow up project in my community. Through my participation
in Upward Bound, I go to tutoring two times a week and I have visited many colleges,
something that I would not have known to do by myself. I joined the National Honor
Society as a sophomore. With the support of my friends, family, teachers at Benito Juarez
and the staff of the Upward Bound Program I am confident I will go to college, earn my
bachelor’s degree and have a successful career.
Leslie Peralta, Denise Arevalo, Yesenia Villanueva & Maria Cortez Community Art Class – Flag Project 14 THE COLUMBIA COLLEGE APPLICATION ESSAY Mariana Chavez (Juarez Class of 2013) I never thought I would find an interest in any area that was involved with art until the beginning of my junior year when I began to take a drama class. I was so nervous to have to perform in front of people I didn’t know. As the days went on I got more comfortable and I thought my teacher was really nice so I figured I could relax and not be as scared anymore. He was accepting of my first couple of scenes that only really required reading a script with a bit of emotion. In October my teacher assigned something I had never done before. I was chosen to make up and direct my group to a ten-­‐minute scene with a scary or Halloween theme. I was clueless what to write on the script until I remembered something scary that happened to me last year and decided I would reenact it. It was a rainy night when I was out with my friends and we didn’t want to get wet. We were near an abandoned house we would always hang out by but had never gone inside. This time we decided to go inside to stay dry; there was a broken window we saw we could climb in through. They decided to make me go first and open the door for them from the inside. I used my phone as a light even though I could barely see anything but my feet. I saw I was about to trip over a leg and heard a scream at the same time I screamed. I ran as fast as I could to the window and jumped out. It was a homeless person who was staying in the abandoned house. Although nothing happened I remembered how terrified I was and thought about this being the base of my story line and just exaggerating it. Since I knew how it actually felt to be in that situation I thought I would be good at acting it out. I worked extremely hard on my script and my acting. I also stayed on the actors I was working with, making sure they memorized all of their lines and were staying after school to work on making it better. When I finally presented my teacher looked bored and unsatisfied. Afterwards he told me we would get a chance to re-­‐do them. He told me the conversation looked loose and that we looked too tense and nervous. He gave me suggestions and I felt terrible. I really thought I did a good job and felt confident and was angry that he didn’t like it as much as I did. It stayed on my mind for days until I started to make some changes. I liked it, but I wanted my audience to love it. I took his suggestions and made our performance better and improved the script. Our group ended up performing it 2 more times. The last time my teacher finally had a smile on his face and looked proud. He came up and told me I had improved so much and that he was proud to see my determination to make it better. I realized that I was able to take criticism as a positive thing instead of a negative. As a result, I built up the courage to sign myself up for a second year of drama class and will continue to receive criticism in order to better my work and myself. 15 Cynthia Moreno – Photography Class 2012
16 Erica Roman (Juarez Class of 2013)
In the winter of my junior year I decided to join the cheerleading squad at my
school. I worked really hard to make the team. I practiced the cheers for try outs in my
head during the school day and then actually practiced them some more at night. I
specifically had difficulty with a cheer called “Dynamite” because it had to be at a slow
pace and I moved too fast. During this cheer we all had to jump and stretch our arms in
the air at three different angles. First, our arms had to be stretched up next to our ears;
then we had to open them up in a high-V position. Next we had to spread our arms in a
straight horizontal line by our shoulders. Finally, we had to stretch our arms lower in a
low-V position repeatedly three times. During tryouts, we had to go in the auditorium in a
group of three girls so we had to be precise with each and every move. I tried really hard
to be exactly at the same time as the other girls to make the team at tryouts and I
succeeded. Only two new members were added that season, me and another girl. Since I
was a new member I was not as precise in my movements as the other girls or as loud as
them because I am a shy person.
At the third game of the season I invited a few of my friends to the basketball
game afterschool in the gym at my school. All of my friends attentively watched my
performance at the game. I was really nervous and excited at the same time to have my
friends come and support me and the team. After the game, my friends told me that I had
done a great job, but one of my friend’s boyfriend made a snotty comment about my
performance. He said that I was not loud enough and that I was not smiling as much as
the other girls.
The next day at school my friend told me what her boyfriend had said which
made me feel down, disappointed and frustrated. I felt down because I was worried if
everyone felt the same way as he did but didn’t want to tell me so I wouldn’t feel bad. I
felt disappointed in myself because I thought I had done a good job. I also felt frustrated
because I worried too much about what everyone else thought about me.
For the rest of the week I was feeling sad and angry at the same time because
every time I went to practice I couldn’t focus. I was too focused on what my friend’s
boyfriend had said and felt like everyone felt the same way. After many nights of
thinking about this, I decided to start going to practice with a positive attitude. I had
practiced the cheers all weekend. Throughout school and my own time at home
practicing, I progressively became louder and tighter with my cheer moves.
Everyone on the cheerleading squad noticed the change I made; I was really
proud of myself that I had improved. One thing that I am proud of is that I always like to
succeed. I like to be the best I can be. If I set my mind on a certain goal, I will always
fulfill it. At the end of my junior year, one of my biggest goals was to get straight A’s on
my report card. And that’s what I did. Although my parents don’t push me as much to get
good grades because they already expect that of me, I always push myself because I like
to prove to myself that I can work to the best of my ability.
17 FROM THE MODERN LITERATURE CLASS How Does My Community Function? By Melissa Ortiz There are many types of communities that I am in. My favorite community is family. One celebration we share every year is New Year’s Day. On New Year’s Eve, we all get together and ask each other what our resolutions for the year will be. Some might say that they want a better job; some might say that they will finish college so that they can move out, and some might even want to lose weight. The purpose of this event is so that we can spend the first moments of the New Year with each other. It gives us the opportunity to get to know each other more and connect with the people we don’t get to visit because of work and kids. My family members greet us with love and compassion. It really makes me feel like I am a part of this community because everyone there misses each other and we really want to know about how we have been. Only family is allowed to participate at the party. As always my aunt is the one who insists on throwing the party. She loves to show off her big home and share her love. My cousins and I admire her and want to be like her. My Tia Celia doesn’t like it when some of my family members bring their friends into her home, so she made a strict rule: no friends allowed. We all learn where people belong when it comes to socializing: the adults stay in the dining room to drink and gossip about who is doing what. They aren’t violent when they drink but they tend to argue about things that are very personal. Of course, they eventually start crying and hugging each other. I like how they can feel closer to one another. Every time my aunts, uncles, grown cousins, mom, and sisters see each other, they hug with love and understanding since they had confessed everything that bothered them before. My cousins and I light up fireworks around the time when it’s about to get dark. We each talk about how we missed each other. If the ice cream truck passes by, we all buy some and talk until it gets dark. We don’t like to be outside when it’s pitch black because that’s when other families like to shoot their guns in the air. Our mothers scare us with the fact that we could be shot. We make it to the basement instead and play with the rabbits, dog, and baby chicks. We all learn how to care for very fragile things. In the present, we all realize that it taught us how to be gentle with things even though sometimes we might get frustrated. It taught us to be calm and civilized about things even though we were just little. It is very important to respect things and people that are and are not yours. The elders in or family like to gossip and talk about whose child is behaving and who is obviously going to turn out homeless. It kind of forms a competition between my cousins and me because we all want to be the child that is the most successful. I guess my family really formed me. I learn how to respect people, think of consequences, and I appreciate things I receive even though at times it may be unpleasant. Every year, the family gets together and talks about how our lives are. We like to gossip, so we make sure that we have a good chunk of gossip. Sometimes the funny people in our family comment on their talk and make everyone burst with laughter. I love how I know more about my family after every little bit of gossip shared, but then again it makes me feel like I’m not there enough for my loved ones. 18 When I get that feeling of guilt, I ask my loved ones for their phone numbers and ask them if they ever need anything to call me. I want to be there for my loved ones because some aren’t geniuses at solving problems. Of course, as soon as they have a problem, they ask for advice. I like how we all feel closer after New Year’s Eve. Christina Villalobos – Photography Class 2012 FROM THE INTERMEDIATE COMPOSITION CLASS HATE By Juan Vargas HATE It’s an ugly word isn’t it? No one likes to be a victim to it. It makes you think. You know you and I know me But words still hurt… You can ignore it, deny it, Or even make fun of it yourself. But the pain… the pain is always real. And what hurts most Is when the word comes from the ones you love…. HATE 19 You become both: Subjective and objective By Cristina Villalobos Come and get me Descend down a problem that you see in me And disturb this line in place I connect this conversation Because tonight I speculate The corrupt place you left behind To complicate things I had come to comprehend You messed me up And too soon to realize How in the world Did this atmosphere come to be? And as I recall You started it Couldn't tolerate such attitudes So I ignored And by not responding It was the only way To not put in jeopardy this situation. “Power” By Ephraim Natano I see power as something people have but never use fully. Power what does that mean? Power is someone that takes it for them selves Power is what people want because they think they deserve it. Power can be anything Transfers of energy. Power is how human beings control one another. However, what does power mean to me? Power is connected to me by power I always see everywhere, but never have it. What do I do to take it? Do I deserve this power? If I do have power the leader I would be is a kind a leader that would want some power to work as a team. Power to me is a decision that can’t be decided. 20 Erica Roman, Elize Dominguez & Mariana Chavez -­‐ Community Art Class – Flag project Childhood Memory by Carmen Rodriguez I have never felt so angry before until the day I found out my mother was pregnant. This takes us back, almost 15 months back, when we came back from Colombia. We were enjoying our visit over there and loving the food so much that we felt stuffed every meal. As days gone by, we got closer to saying good-­‐bye to the country where we felt welcomed and returning home. During the middle of our visit there, my mom began to get grossed out easily. For example, one day driving in a taxi, cruising Colombia but also doing some errands, we ended up in traffic in the trashy part of downtown. As we were stuck in traffic, we witnessed an accident. However, it wasn’t big; it was just a minor one. Anyways, a man on a bike drives into a lady selling oatmeal in the streets. As he bumps into her little cart, the oatmeal spills everywhere. I can remember people rushing to fight for the oatmeal like they had never eaten in such a longtime. People grabbing cups and scooping it up. That day, she gagged so much that I think she vomited at one point. Months passed by and when my mom found out about this she had to tell us. The way she broke the news to us was by a meeting. I was speechless, thinking it’s not reality. I was divested that my mom even allowed the guy to live with us. It was awkward, a bit uncomfortable and how was she so sure. For 5 months I was like that, angry. I didn’t even want to talk to her. So I didn’t speak a mumble to her for 5. I wasn’t mad at the baby; I was angry at the parents. The only person I spoke my feelings to was my best friend. She stood there continually helping me by saying, “Don’t hate your mother. 21 She is a grown women of her own.” Or she would just listen to me. After a while, once the baby was brought into this world, I completely started to change slowly the way I reacted towards this pregnancy. On the day my mom had her sea section to bring home a new member; I was at a big water polo game. I wasn’t going to play; I was just planning on ditching my game so that I can go support my mother. I wanted to be there for her, since it was a high risky pregnancy. I spoke this over with my mom, and she insisted I go play my game, and everything will be okay. She said, “Besides you won’t be able to see me for quite a while so there won’t be a point to be there.” Although I didn’t feel right about it, I had to admit she had a point. So on the day of my game, the girls were the first to play a game. I was put to stay throughout the whole game playing. That day we won! We won one of the hardest school, but not anymore to us. After our big victory, I stepped out into the hallways to call my aunt to follow up with my mom and the baby. I was given the news the baby was alright and that my mom’s blood pressure rose very high during the sea section, and that they lost her for a split three minutes. I couldn’t believe I heard this. It felt that almost my whole world crumbled up into pieces and that I was worried. At some point I started to feel guilty because I wasn’t there with her. What if she didn’t actually come back, and I couldn’t tell her how sorry I was. She would have left knowing her daughter was disappointed at her. However that wasn’t the case, she was alive and resting. So I went to the hospital to visit her as soon as I was able to go, and I let go whatever hate I had built up towards her, and loved her, and stood by her side. I hugged her, and helped my aunt support her with getting up and so on. For my brother, well he wasn’t there. He had mentioned to me that he just couldn’t see mom in bad conditions, and I understood him. I could tell he was very worried. After all of this, I didn’t hold the grudge. Instead I love my baby brother. Now that he is here, I can’t imagine what I’d do without him. I adore him, and from the bottom of my heart I am sorry. It wasn’t my intention to do that, but I am human, and I do react and make mistakes. This alternating life experience had a happy ending! Childhood Memory by Catalina Campoverde A childhood memory is when my parents got divorced. It was hard knowing that they were going to separate. It started with them having problems all the time. They had already talked about it but they didn’t want to because my dad had promised that he was going to change. My mom at last was tired of all those promises he had made that never came true. Well they had decided to get a divorce but my dad did not want to because he said he did not want to lose us but my mom said you’re not, you are going to be able to see them. I had got home from school and my mom said, “Come I need to talk to you.” I’m like what happen. She said, “Me and your dad are going to get divorced.” I was sad and shocked. I had to ask why and she said because they had problems and he didn’t even work or help pay the rent. I was crying because she started crying. She said we were keep on going forward and I am going to be a mom and dad for you. I left to my room crying. I didn’t want him to go. He came back and he was sad because he was going to leave and he was getting his stuff ready and then I went out to see him and my other two little brothers and he had told me, “My kids I love you guys a lot,” and we said us too. I was sad because of my baby brother because he didn’t get what was happening. He was ready to leave. 22 I was crying because when I saw him walk out the door I was not sure when I was going to see him. I miss him a lot because he had left to New York. I miss all the times we had together. Even my mom was sad. She didn’t know what to do now that she was alone. I told my mom don’t worry I am here I will help you. Heidi Cerda – (self portrait in progress) – Studio Art Class Childhood Memory by Cristian Martinez When I went to Spain I was excited to see the Pope. The day I saw the Pope I couldn’t sleep. It was really hot and I was sleeping outside on the floor. My friend and I woke up at the same time and went to take a shower. When we were ready, our chaperones were making plans on how to get to the place were the Pope was going to pass, but first we had to eat. We left our place and got on the road. The subway was packed -­‐-­‐ walking was a big problem for me because I don’t like to walk. After a while I got used to it. We walked and walked until we got to the street and asked the security if the Pope will go through there and they said yes. So by that time it was eleven o’clock. We stood there and then sat down. We needed to do something to pass time, and the sun was burning us, but we knew we had to stay there. Half of our people went to get food for all of us. An hour passed and they were not back, and it was getting very crowded. Chaperones said make as much space as you can so the other people could fit. Finally they came and I just went to 23 get the McDonalds food and eat slowly to taste the beautiful flavor of it. For a while we were all quiet and staring around. At that time it was around two, and they had announced that the Pope had arrived in Spain. Cheers went up. People were screaming. I could see the happiness in their faces. Every single minute seemed like an hour, time was dragging. I was getting mad, the sun burned, I was sweating. A few minutes later all the boys and two girls wanted to use the bathrooms. They were not far away, but there was a huge line. After we did our thing, we rested in the shade. While resting I was wondering what my parents and mija were doing, but I never got homesick. On the way back to the place, there were a bunch of people; we had to find our way. We followed a leader and we got separated, but everyone knew where we were going because there was a building with a sign. I looked at the big TV screen and saw the Pope getting in his special car. It took like 20 minutes to get to the street. I could hear the people cheer as he was coming. The Pope was not far away from me. He was like 30 feet away. The car was going kind of fast. The bodyguards were close to the car looking around for trouble. People were pushing and yelling. I just took my camera and recorded it and was really happy. One adult from my group was crying. I asked him why he was crying, while also telling him the Pope had left. He didn’t respond to my question. I think I understand now. Role Model by Eduardo Ocampo My role model is my sister. Her name is Alicia. She is my big sister. The reason why she is my role model is because she is the very first one in our family to succeed in college. She is a very good person because she always has positive comments toward me and my studies. I learned from her that the only thing you need to do in school is just to do your homework. Personally, I think she doesn’t know that I look up to her because I don’t talk to her as much. She’s either with her boyfriend or in school. If it weren’t for my sister I wouldn’t be in Upward Bound because she was the first one in our family to be in this program. I think it really is important to have a role model because without one you’ll be lost and confused. It is nice to have a role model to follow in their footsteps. Role Model by Ephraim Natano I look up to my brother. I see my brother as a role model because he helped me become more responsible and mature. I think he’s a good person because he perseveres in his life. When he got ill, he fought through it and helped me also because by taking care of him, he showed me that I had to be the caretaker of the family. He is my one and only brother. I could talk to him about everything and he will listen and try to help me. I think I would never be what I am today without him. Without him, my mom and I would not have the relationship we have now. However, there is the argument about who did what style first. He always says that he did it first, but it was really I because a style usually depends on the hair. And I had the hair first! Sometimes my brother doesn’t know that I look up to him because we mostly fight and I always think I’m better than him, but truthfully he is better than me. 24 FROM THE INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE CLASS Hope by Arthuro Garcia Hope is the American flag standing on the ground The bright shining light that keeps darkness in a corner The positive in you when work gets hard A feather that once lifted will only get higher A bonus on the floor Hope is a dream that never ends A sweet and fragile baby The drum beat that guides your heart A friend that never leaves you and is always there The voice in your head that says everything will be all right Hope is the poisoned drink you give to your enemy The Band-­‐Aid on your cut The cool gentle breeze on a warm summer day The taste of food to a starving child The self confidence in you when you think you’re about to give up Love by Chavell Gonzalez Love is the feeling of butterflies in your stomach Receiving flowers from an admirer Finding notes in your locker Spending Valentine’s Day with family and having fun The feeling on your lips when he kisses you Love is listening to love songs The sweet taste of chocolate candy Drawing hearts and writing someone’s name all over your notebook Writing poems all about someone special Thinking of someone twenty-­‐four/seven Love is when you need to be with each other The sweet smell of roses Smiling at the little things someone says Holding hands and saying I love you Staying together forever 25 Andres Villanueva – Photography Class 2012 Power of Language by Nancy Galan Have you ever used certain words that affected you or others? Everyone has used words that hurt people's feelings. A personal experience I have is that people say I am short. They would say I was fun size and that bothered me a lot. I would get mad and tell them they were too tall and I was a normal size. Over the years people still call me short, but I guess I got used to it already. I know how those words affect me and that is why I try to not say something like that to other people. In the book Black Boy, Richard learns how his words affect his world when he tells his grandma to "kiss back there," and also when he literally killed the cat. (Continued…) 26 Jocelyn Vasquez – Mixmaster Collage Project (Studio Art Class) 27 Most of the time Richard did not mean the words he said, but since he had little education it was hard for him to know what was right and wrong. When Richard killed the cat he was doing it because it was his way of telling his dad he did not like him. "I had made him know that I felt he was cruel and I had done it without his punishing me." (Wright, p.12). Richard clearly wanted his dad to understand that he was a bad father. Even if his dad did not literally mean it, Richard used language as an advantage to obey his dad without receiving any punishment. At the time Richard did not understand that his actions affected everyone around him, especially his dad, because for the first time he was obeying. Richard explains his feeling on the effect of his actions, "I had made him believe that I had taken his words literally. He could not punish me without risking his authority," (Wright, p.12). Richard took advantage of the opportunity to get back at his dad. The dad could not do anything because he would be risking his authority, and his kids would not obey him and respect him. Another way Richard used words in Black Boy is when he told his grandma to "kiss back there." Richard's grandma was mad because Richard and his brother were not taking a bath, but instead they were playing. When the grandma tried to bath Richard, he thought of the words and not the consequences. He did not know what the words meant, but he still said them, "Then, before I knew it, words-­‐words whose meaning I did not fully know-­‐had slipped out of my mouth," (Wright, p.41). Richard was kind of naive at the time, and he knew the words but not their meaning. He knew something was wrong because Richard said, "My first indication that something was wrong was that Granny became terribly still, and then she pushed me violently from her," (Wright, p.41). Richard did not mean to offend his Granny, but the moment he said it, he knew the effect of this would be a beating since Granny became very silent. Richard's Granny made the interpretation of the words to be offensive, and that is why she whipped Richard. If Richard had used the words with his friends, maybe they would have all laughed and continued fooling around. These words are very offensive to any adult, especially if they are family because you have to respect them. What’s important is the way we interpret the words, and in Richard's case this interpretation was wrong because he received a whipping. In my own personal experience I have used words that affected other people. Words like dumb, affect people differently because with my friends we use it to play around, and we do not get offended. We all make different interpretations of words and actions because we all think of them differently, and we react differently to them. For example, I would not use certain words with my parents or any adult because that is offensive and because I have to show respect. There are also words that I do not like people saying to me because I like to respect people and I like people respecting me. Mostly people who are racist offend me with their words because we are all alike and no race is better than the other. Just like Richard, when I was little I did not understand what words like "black" or "white" meant until I grew up. I now understand what they mean. I also have different interpretations of words and actions, and sometimes I find some words offensive, and sometimes they are words we use around friends. 28 In Black Boy when Richard learned and used words in the saloon it was okay because all the drunkards would laugh and think of it as a joke. When Richard used those words with his Granny, his Granny took that as offensive and whipped him. Richard did not expect that, but again, it depends on how people interpret things. Also, Richard did some actions to get back at his dad because he wanted to show how he felt about him. In this case, Richard's dad saw that Richard wanted to do that on purpose, and he could not do anything because then he would be risking his authority. There are many words and actions in the book that show the Power of Language, but these two scenarios seemed the most important. Ricardo Rangel & Raul Oliva – Community Art Class – Print Making 29 COMMUNITY ART CLASS 30 Geometry In Architecture 31 A PICTURE FROM THE INTRODUCTION TO CHEMISTRY CLASS The Power of Language by Diana Lopez The events in the book Black Boy have an affect on Richard’s life. In the book there are a lot of negative words that may hurt others or get them really upset and they may react in a different way. There are lots of words that have so much power over some people. A lot of people react different. Some just keep their comments to themselves. In this story Richard’s grandma shows her anger with violence. In this kind of year there are teenagers who start developing their friendship with bad language. Some parents feel it’s rude, disrespectful and very inappropriate. Language can affect people by making them upset. Some people don’t mean what they say. Some people say mean things because they think it’s funny. People should be careful what they say because they don’t know how the person might react. “A man called him and whispered some words into my ear and told me he would give me a nickel if I went to a woman and repeat them to her,” (Wright, Pg.21). This quote is from when Richard was taken to a bar when he was little and the guy’s bough him drinks and made him drink all of them till he was drunk. They gave Richard a nickel if he said all the inappropriate words they told him to the woman. I think it’s wrong for this man to get a little boy like Richard drunk and pay him to say inappropriate words to ladies. Richard doesn’t even know what the words mean. He is just saying them because the guys are giving him money to say them. The guys are just using Richard to entertain them. Richard thinks he’s cool because the guys are laughing at what he is telling the ladies. Richard just said the words for a nickel. He didn’t know how powerful they were. “My first indication that something was wrong was that Granny became terribly still, then she pushed me violently from her,” (Wright, Pg.41). In this quote Richard said “kiss back there were when you’re done” to his grandma. He didn’t know what 32 the words meant. These were words he learned in the bar. Richard was probably expecting a different reaction from his grandma, but then she stood still and she pushed him very violently. He knew he might have had said something wrong. I think Richard’s grandma shouldn’t have hit him like that even if she was that upset, but she showed how she felt. So those words got her mad. Richard shouldn’t have said those words with his grandma. It wasn’t like she was going to pay him for saying it like those guys in the bar. I remember this one time when I used bad language with my sister not because I wanted to. It just came out. She was getting me really mad. I didn’t even think twice about it. I just said it. We were both outside in front of our house and well it was really hot and we were playing with some little girls next door. My sister wanted to play some game and I wanted to play something else. She was smaller than me so we were arguing until I called her the B word I didn’t mean to it just came out of my mouth. I don’t know I was heated up with the argument and it was really hot. She just looked down and looked like she was going to cry so I apologized. She understood the word because my older brothers used it a lot. Overall small or big words are going to have a big or small effect on the person you are telling. You have to think how they will react to it. There are some people that don’t take jokes. In this book there are lots of examples of it. Richard was a little kid. He wouldn’t know what these words meant. We are older and we know what all these words mean and what effect they have on some people. I think Richard had it hard back then. Now, in this year, some teenagers don’t let their parents hit them or the kids hit them back. Richard couldn’t. He had to take the beating from his elders. A Picture from the Community Art Class -­‐ 2012 33 Jonathan Morales, Raul Oliva, Rolando Trujillo & Ricardo Rangel Community Art Class – Flag Project Black Boy Language by Ricardo Rangel “What the f*ck!?” “Hey man! Watch your language!” Language is powerful, and depending how you use it, it can lead to negative or positive outcomes. When your parents or teachers teach you a language, they put great responsibility in your hands. How you use the language is important, why you use it is also important, but what you say in that language, that is the most important. In Black Boy, Richard uses a variety of language, but most of the time it has a negative effect on him and it ends with him being beaten up. The power of language can be seen in the book Black Boy starting when Richard takes his dad’s words literally. “Kill that damn thing!” my father exploded. “Do anything, but get it away from here!” he went inside, grumbling. I resented his shouting and it irked me that I could never make him feel my resentment. How could I hit back at him? Oh yes… he had said to kill the kitten and I would kill it,” (Wright, p.11). Richard realizes that words come with great power. Since his dad shouted to kill the kitten, Richard killed it and showed his dad the power of words. Since Richard took them literally, he showed his dad that he respected his words, but at the same time he mocked him by actually killing the kitten. His mom told him to bury the kitten, but Richard did not want to because he was scared. It was then 34 that he realized that words came with great power, but great power comes with great responsibility. Another example of the power of language can be seen when Richard’s grandma is bathing the boys. “’He… I was trying to wash him,’ Granny whimpered, ‘here,’ she continued, pointing, ‘and… that black little Devil…’ Her body was shaking with insult and rage. ‘He told me to kiss him there when I was through,’” (Wright, p.42). Here, Richard realizes that all words hold power, but some are worth more than others. He also realizes that some words cannot be said to certain people, such as his grandma. His grandma was on the verge of beating him to near death. Different words, different people, different reactions. Richard learns that many words are horrible to one person, but funny to another (such as earlier in the story, Richard went into the bar and the drunkards told him to say many foul words, but the people just laughed when he repeated them) and that exotic words that he does not understand should not be said because they might hurt someone and they will hold it against him for a long time. In this quote, Granny also used the power of language because she calls Richard a Devil. Calling him a Devil was her way of using language to explain to Richard’s mother that he was a very rude and insensitive boy. Granny also uses the word “black”, she could have said “little Devil” instead of “black little Devil”, this means that she might see herself as superior because she is more “white” than him. Similarly, I learned the power of words in a very unpleasant situation. Walking into class, I see a group of boys huddled in the back of the room. My small seven year old body ran towards them. They were all looking at a picture of a dog. What was so fascinating about a picture of a dog? I asked one of the boys and he said, “Hehe…Do you want to know what a she-­‐dog is called?” I merely nodded my head out of pure curiosity and he screamed, “B*TCH!!!” Everyone ran to their seats as he screamed and I went along with the crowd. Thankfully the teacher walked in as the last boy sat down and all was quiet. Later during the day, the same boy told me to tell a girl that she was a b*tch. I did not know that many people thought it was a bad word and I did not completely understand it. I told the girl and as I finished saying the word she slapped me across the face and ran off. I asked the boy why she slapped me and he chuckled, “It’s a bad word dude HAHA!” After that, I apologized to the girl, never talked to that boy again, and I did not use that word again until high school. Well, most of the time I do not feel comfortable saying the word, but now it is just a bad habit I created. I still feel terrible to the little girl even though I use it often. The first time I used a bad word, it resulted in being slapped and idiotically manipulated, which I did not like. In short, Richard and I have an experience with bad words that is very similar. We were both hit when we said a foul word and we did not know the meaning of the word yet we still used it. Richard learned the power of words through difficult experiences and beatings while I learned it the first time because I did not want to be slapped again (not that it helped). Both of us had other boys teach us a word full of power and we both idiotically followed their example and repeated the exotic words. The book Black Boy shows many experiences that Richard had with powerful language such as taking it literally and using bad words and phrases, 35 and I had an experience using a bad word; we both had beatings, but in the end we both figured out the power of language. Yahaira Moreno (Juarez -­‐ Class of 2016) 1. 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“What I like most about my science class at UB is that we do hands on labs to help us understand about what we are learning about. I also like that it is not boring like other science classes that just take notes.” – Jorge Moreno “Something I liked about chemistry in UB was the quiz about the periodic table. I totally aced it!” – Victoria Torres “What I like about my class in Upward Bound is what I’m learning, like elements, etc. Also, that the teacher dedicates so much time to help us and for us to understand.” – Jenny Gelacio “The part I like about our science in our Upward Bound Program is that we could work together. We do lots of fun things like the Brain Pops, labs and experiments.” -­‐ Raphael Mendiola “What I liked most was how our teacher encouraged us in everything. I also liked the projects or experiments.” – Heidi Cerda 36 Jorge Moreno (Juarez Class of 2015) Raphael Mendiola (Juarez Class of 2016) 2. Why is it important to have general scientific knowledge? •
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“It is important to be a well-­‐rounded person and it will help you out in your life.” – Raul Oliva “It’s important because you need it in college and even in some jobs.” – Andres Villanueva “It is important to have a general scientific knowledge because a lot of things you do can involve science and many people love to use science to prove a theory.” -­‐ Roxanna Torres “Because we need to know science to learn more and how to take care of the Earth and our lives.” – Enrique Ubau “It is important to have scientific knowledge because you need to learn how the world is working.” – Rolando Trujillo “When you’re older you can teach other people what they never got to learn and the amazing things about bio!” – Abby Moreno “Because you never know if you want to be a scientist in the future.” – Jessica Ocampo 37 Jessica Ocampo (Juarez Class of 2016) 3. How will this class help you in the future? •
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“This class helps me be prepared when I do actually start taking this class at my high school” – Cristian Suarez “This will help me because in the school year I will be more advanced in what we study.” – Yami Toledano “This class will help me in the future because if I take a science class in college, I will already know the basics.” – Chavel Gonzalez “It’ll help me when I go to Juarez. When they talk about this, I will already know it.” Denny Martinez “This class will help me a lot in the future because I’m considering being a doctor. This will help me teaching me how to find out if a person has a disease, or any other things we did in class, like Punnett squares.” Jocelyn Vazquez 4. Do you think all high school students should be required to take science classes? Why or why not? •
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“Yes, because some people are going to be doctors, nurses or some other job that includes science, and they’ll need to take this class. Even if you think you don’t need it, at least you’ll know a little bit of science.” – Mireya Rosas “All students should be, because it is important in your whole education.” – Grabiela Martinez “All high school students should be required to take science because science is important and can give you a lot of information about yourself.” Arthuro Garcia “Yes, because if you want to become a scientist, than this would be very important.” -­‐ Alexis Cantu 38 •
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“Yes, I think that all students should be required to take science classes because this modern era is all about science and technology, so it will help to have good scientific knowledge.” – Jorge Moreno “Yes, some people say that they shouldn’t have to learn it because they won’t use it during their life, but it is good to be well rounded and just to know these things.” – Raul Oliva “I do think all high school students should take a science class because it helps them to have some background in the science world. You become owners of the world, and need to know what’s going on.” -­‐ Roxanna Torres “Yes, because no matter what career you want to have, it might involve a little science.” – Heidi Cerda Arthuro Garcia – (self portrait in progress) – Studio Art Class 39 COMMUNITY ART CLASS 2012 40 COMMUNITY ART CLASS 2012 41 COMMUNITY ART CLASS 2012 42 COMMUNITY ART CLASS 2012 43 Cristian Suarez – Photography Class 44 FROM THE HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS CLASS Class Response, Ricardo Rangel, 6/20/12 I believe that in today’s class we could have put more initiative in by saying why we shouldn’t minimize other people. We started to learn how words affect other people and how they can make them feel inhuman. It is our responsibility to choose our own words carefully because you don’t know what kind of injury words can have. I also believe that we should start to learn more about how our words affect each other and how people can take it in a negative way. We said that if a man cries it makes them look weak and their friends might consider them gay, and call them gay, which minimizes gay people by saying that boys crying makes them look weak. That’s a stereotype and it’s very rude to consider them like that without actually knowing EACH person and their feelings. After all, our emotions are what really make us human. Without emotions we would be just like robots, cold, dead and inhuman. What a party, Ephraim Natano, Human Relationships Class One time we were in the house having a party. Aunts, Grandma and Grandpa, cousins and friends were all there. Mom was busy cooking. I was about 6-­‐7 years old and I wanted Mom’s attention, but she was busy cooking and talking with her dad. “Mom! Mom! Mom!” I pulled her apron “Not now” she said trying to push me away. I was persistent and when she pushed me away I went back. I pulled on her legs and she tried to kick me away. Grandpa was laughing. I began to cry and she ignored me. I cried louder. Mom’s face started to turn red. She wanted me to stop crying because the whole family was looking. She brought her face down to my ear and began counting “one, two…” When my mom reaches three, it’s usually punishment time. I did not stop crying, but I toned it down. I toned it down to a whimper and sniffles because I did not want to get a punishment. She picked me up and took me to my room to have a “talk.” She pinched me on the arm and asked me “Are you going to do that again?” I flinched from the pinch and stayed quiet. “Stay here until you behave.” She turned and I saw her being stiff and stern like she was still angry. She was like a tall building in my eyes. I stayed in my room, in my bed under sheets; in a couple of hours I felt tired and fell asleep. Ricky Rangel, Relationships, Parent Interview It was a hot day when I asked my mom about my birth. There was no wind in the air and I could hear the cars passing by the front of the apartment. My dog was sitting by the window growling at a squirrel and my dad was flipping through the news channel and the Food Network. I asked my mom, “Could you tell me what happened when I was born?” She responded very carefully, trying not to weird me out, “Pues, yo me acuerdo que fue un dia muy vientoso y estaba muy caliente, no fue normal para ser 45 en Otoño (Well, I remember that it was a very hot and windy day in autumn, which was very abnormal for that season).” She looked at the T.V. as “Noticias de Univision” (Univision News) started to play. She was transfixed with the T.V., but we both knew that she was just staring at it and not watching it. She thought about it for a minute and continued, “You were born in Tijuana, Baja California in El Hospital de Materno Infantil de Tijuana on a Friday. I was never in labor; the doctors had to do a C-­‐section because they gave me a C-­‐section when your brother was born.” “Te dolio? (Did it hurt?)” “Al principio si me dolió porque la anestesia no sirvió y me tenían que hacer una anestesia general. (At first it did because the anesthesia didn’t work in the beginning so they had to do a general anesthesia and I was knocked out in a few seconds).” I flinched as a thought of a sharp knife cutting into my belly cut into my mind and ironically my dad changed the channel to the Food Network and Bobby Flay started chopping meat into little red chunks. She said that the only thing that was going on in her life was to take care of my older brother whom was at home with my Aunt Flor. My dad was waiting outside because they didn’t let him go in. At that moment the A/C turned on and the soothing hum relaxed both of us. “You were named after your Uncle Ricky, but you never met him because he died when he was 18”, she said sadly. She had told me about my Uncle Ricky before the interview. He was born with Down syndrome and he had paralysis. My uncle was my dad’s only baby brother and my dad had seven older sisters. My dad and his brother remind me of my brother and me because we have the same names, with the exception that my dad’s middle name is Alberto, which is my brother’s first name. Both my uncle and I have the same first name, but my dad is named Martin Alberto and my brother is just named Alberto. I felt that I was living for both of us and I had a name to uphold. It’s my pride and my joy to know that I represent my uncle. Since he and I share the same blood I feel connected to my dad as a brother and a son. Turning the mood around she joked, “Ay! Tú estabas bien feo, hahaha, nadamas estoy jugando, fuiste muy bonito, no sé qué te paso y también estabas muy llenito hahaha! (You were an ugly baby, hahaha, I’m kidding, you were such a beautiful baby, but you were a little bloated so you looked chunky, hahaha!)” She told me that after having my brother she felt more responsible because she had a life in her hands and with me it added more pressure and joy. My birth didn’t change her life much because my parents already had a baby. As she finished a car honked their horn outside of our apartment on Kedzie and drove off in a flash. I felt secure knowing that I was born without many complications, but then my mom said, “Nadamas que yo por poquito me mori, pero trate de no hirme porque yo supe que no me podria morir; yo tuve que cuidar a mis hijos. (Only that I almost died, but I tried not to go because I knew that I shouldn’t die; I had my children to take care of.)” The only sounds now are my fingers typing on the keyboard and the A/C’s hum; we find the sound soothing. 46 Juan Vargas -­‐ (self portrait in progress) – Studio Art Class Nancy Galan 6/28/12. My Best Human Relationship My best human relationship is with my mom. She is a very understanding person, and I can talk about anything with her. My mom has showed me that she will always be there for me, no matter what. When it comes to school, my mom wants me to go to college and get a good education because she wants me to have a better future than the one she had. One time she sat with me to see what homework I had, and I started complaining that it was too much and that I didn't want to do it. She just laughed and told me that I couldn't quit, that I had to keep going to achieve what I want. She got serious then, and she started telling me that once she had plans to go to college, get a career and become an interior designer, but she didn't have enough money to pursue that. She said that since she couldn't become a designer, she focuses on the house and every time we go to the store, she looks for something that would look nice. She always encourages me to keep going when I get tired of homework. She says that I have to work hard to get what I want, and in the end everything will turn out just the way I wanted. When I get mad I know I can talk to her about my problems because she will always have advice, and when I'm wrong she tells me 47 because she wants me to learn from my mistakes. My mom is a true friend because she always tells me the truth, and she doesn't agree with me when she knows I'm wrong. I can also ask her questions about anything because she is open minded, and she prefers for me to learn from her and not from other people. My mom and I have a lot in common; we like the same food, some music and movies, and we both love having some time for ourselves and catching up with our lives. Sometimes she's washing the dishes, and I just come and start talking to her about school or something like that. Next thing we know two hours pass and we are still talking; it's just so easy to talk to her because she listens and she actually cares about what I have to say. When it comes to shopping, she knows what fits me and I know what fits her. We love shopping because we share some time together. Sometimes I feel like my mom is actually my best friend instead of my mom because we have a great chemistry. When she has problems, I help her and I try to give her some advice on what to do. She is on the local school council in my sister's school, and sometimes she has situations she can't fix. She disagrees with the other people because my mom gives them ideas on how to improve the school, and the other ladies say its either too expensive or that its not good for the kids. When she comes home from those meetings, she tells me what happens and how tired she is of people not wanting to improve education. I just listen to her, and when she finishes, I tell her that she shouldn't try to change other people's thoughts because it won't happen, and instead she should continue with her ideas and prove to them that it is possible to do it. She thanks me and says that I should be a psychologist because I always know what to say in certain situations. One of the "bad" things about my mom is that she gets mad easily, and she is very strict when it comes to school and being responsible. She is also a perfectionist, and when she does something she wants it to be perfect. My mom is my biggest role model, and one day I want to be just like her. I don't think I would ever wish for another mom because I was very lucky to have my mom, for her and for me I will go to college and get a better future, so she can be very proud of me. Ephraim Natano, Blamed, 7/22/2012 I remember one time when someone blamed me for something I did not do. It happened when my brother and I were young; we kept fighting all the time. When my brother and I fight we fight about anything and everything. One time my brother and I fought because he kept bothering me while I was playing with my toys. He saw me having fun laughing and crashing things into the wall. He started to walk towards me. “Give me I want to play too.” He grabbed the toy in my hand. “No I am playing with it.” I tugged back. As my brother and I kept tugging back and forth, the toy car flew out of our hands and into the mirror. The mirror started to crack little by little and kept cracking until the crack was all over the mirror. Suddenly Mom rushed in with her wooden spoon like a madwoman prepared to hit somebody. Then her face turned into rage like the color of a tomato when she saw the mirror crack all over. Then she turned to both of us and I just felt the heat coming out of her. 48 “Who did this?” She stared at my brother. My brother looked like he wanted to run away to his room and lock the door. However, that did not happen; he started to cry and ran to my mom. “John-­‐John did it” He held my mom’s legs “He threw his toy at the mirror.” “No I did not he was bothering me,” I laid on the floor looking innocent. My mom looked at the mirror and she saw it was my toy car. I started to backup when she looked at me, I started to run towards my room, but she caught me with her giant hands and forced me to my room for a time out. I just saw my brother in the nursery playing with my toys while I was carried to my room. After that incident I felt more careful about picking fights with my brother because next time it won’t happen. As we grew older the fighting lessened but when we do fight it’s louder which means mom gets madder. So when my brother and I fight, I play the blaming game; I think in my mind, yes, I will never get blamed, but he always has his way. I am still being blamed because there's so much evidence against me, and I can’t really say anything about it. Now I learned you can’t really trust brothers, but he is just acting like a brother. Raphael Mendiola – Photography Class – Pinhole Camera Project University of Chicago and Brookfield Zoo Field trip response, Juan Vargas The field trip felt sort of mixed up to me. I felt happy because of the fact we were on a field trip, but we were late so I didn’t get to enjoy it as much as I wanted. We got to 49 go to a campus that was pretty nice, but it didn’t interest me much because there was nothing I wanted to study; I’m interested in things like criminal justice. The field trip to the zoo was something else though. It was a lot of fun mainly because we got to be independent. No one was pushing you around to where they wanted to go, and you got to learn what you wanted. I think we learn more like that because we were dependent on ourselves to get stuff done. I actually quite enjoyed it in the end. Born, Human Relationships Class, Christina Villalobos, 7/23/12 I was to discover a portion of my life that remained alien to me. I had not felt it nor was I conscious of experiencing it, but my mom would further clarify the day I was born. I walked in the kitchen scarcely adorned with food and plates. The radiance of the sun pierced through the window with full force. For a moment, as I walked into the sun’s gaze, I forgot my sense of sight, and as I gained it back I saw my mom’s distinct figure standing by the sink. My eyes lingered on her hair, her straight, raven, jet black hair with a hint of white as it melted into silver. I observed the manner in which her eyes were sunken and underlined with curves. I thought it wise to hesitate. She had been doing chores around the house and I did not want to be a burden for her to bear. I decided to let her catch her breath. Once she looked at eased I warned her about the interview in the most delicate of fashions. “I have to do an interview,” I paused for dramatic effect and then I said in an even softer voice, “about my birth.” I wanted her to feel comfortable and yet as I encouraged her, I felt awkward about the topic. I was thrilled to understand my birth; I ached to know the good and the bad I had caused another human being, my mother. I was prepared to face it at all costs. I asked her to sacrifice her time with the TV and sit with me in the kitchen. We were alone and solitary. I hoped that the conversation would remain undisturbed. It worked, for no complications arose; there was only the distant hum of the TV and the AC. My muscles ached and my belly rooted for justice; I got a mango to satisfy my hunger. Famished as well, my mother ate fried chicken and coleslaw. In between bites of the mango I tried to sound proper. I had nothing to spark the interrogation, so I took advantage of the questions our teacher gave us to guide me through. I looked at her and she wasn’t making contact; her mind seemed to drift away. I cleared my throat to bring her back. I began, and step-­‐by-­‐step it began to progress. “How long were you in labor?’ “Two days.” I did not know what labor was, but it seemed dreadful the way she described it. I now know that it means when someone has contractions before giving birth. Once I figured it out, I felt sorry for her that it took so long. “Were there any difficulties?” “No” I was happy; I wasn’t a problem. “Did the medical staff administer any drugs or special procedures?” “No.” “What kind of day was it?” “The day you were born it was snowing and freezing.” 50 Hurray, the gods had blessed me with the snow I had always cherished. “What day of the week was it?” “I don’t know.” “How did you decide my name?” “Your dad decided your name. It came from his sister, but I wanted to name you Zochil. In Mexico everybody’s name is repeated, and I wanted to change that.” Once I heard that, I felt special. I longed for that name. My own name frightens me. It makes my heart somersault every time I hear it. Zochil is weird, like me, unusual, like me. “Was anyone else at my birth?” “Yea, there was your godmother and your dad.” “Do you remember when you first saw me or when you first held me?” “Yes, you looked like a rat until they cleaned you up and placed you in my arms.” She must have been exaggerating because I tried to envision it in my head to have a big nose, whiskers, and sharp, long teeth as a baby. It gave me shivers down my spine. If this was true, I was thankful that those physical features changed over time. “What did you think or feel when you saw the rat in me?” “I felt a lot of emotions and happiness.” I paused to pluck out a fragment of mango that had found its way between my teeth. I excused myself for interrupting but she barely noticed for she was feasting on her coleslaw. I began were I left off. “What is it like to have a child?” “It feels like dying” You never died, I thought. She must have felt a uniform feeling of dying that tore her open .Was it so bad to have me? “How does having a baby change your life?” “You have more responsibility, you don’t get enough sleep, and you have to be aware.” “Do you think, feel, or act differently after you have a child?” “No.” I took a breath that had escaped me. I gazed at her and nothing was altered in her. She had never mentioned any of this before and yet she seemed casual about it. I had not known what to expect, but I anticipated other reactions than these. It was nothing deep; if I held it in I would explode. I completed this interview. I now know how my birth affected my mom, even if I could never recall even those moments when I had no control over, when I was enclosed in mom’s belly or in the exterior, in the world. After the interview we went back to our constant lives. And in the end even when there was no perfect relationship between the two of us, I felt an inch closer to my mom. 51 Carmen Rodriguez – Photography Class Residential Week Responses What a residential week it’s been this year. There has been many emotions like sadness, laughter, and just plain fun. Ephraim Natano Residential week was the best week of Upward Bound because it’s a college experience. This experience so far is the best! Eduardo Ocampo This residential week was my most favorite one. Everything about it was amazing. The rooms were huge and the food was pretty good too. Most days the guys stayed up late and I called it our bonding time. We learned many things about each other, especially in our Relationships Class. We grew into our own family. Everyone in UB is our brothers, sisters and even parents because they care about each other. The first thing a family does is love each other. I think that the Junior class is very well connected now because we learned many things about each other. Many of the girls finally realized that Juan is one of the funniest peole in the world. We had our scrapes an bruises in the past, literally and metaphorically, but somehow we overcame that and now we’re stronger than ever. The thing I loved most about residential week was mainly the lunchroom, apart from the food, that was the place where we laughed the most and bonded the best. I did miss being in Chicago, but I hoped that residential week would never end. Ricardo Rangel During our week at residential week it seemed like a new chapter in my life. I really liked going to residential week because it kept me focused in school. The 52 classes were fun because we did different things than a normal day at Columbia. I respected Relationships class when we read our letters. I really got the idea of where it was helping. It helped us on the inside and helped us grow a bond between our classmates. What was very fun was going out in the forest for photography to take pictures. It was very fun as we got better. Through the failures we learned and in the end we got a work of art. We used cellphones and flashlights to write and I got the chance to use a big camera to capture it all. The last day, oh the talent show, I was amazed by the talent some newcomers had inside and some of those who tried. Christina Villalobos All of us went to the fourth floor; we had gone to the wrong side of the building, but when we got to the door (of the quad), I opened the door slowly and we saw it. The three of us (Ricky, Ocampo and me) were screaming like dumbasses and running around like little puppies. We knew this was a dream. Ephraim came all late and just smiled about it when he saw it; he didn’t over react like us. Cristian Martinez This year I fell in love with residential week. This year was perfect. All the buildings were next to each other, and so were the classes. First year I came to the program I didn’t like the campus as much. The second year got a lot better, but we had to walk really far to get to the buildings for classes. This year was perfect. All the buildings were next to each other and so were the classes. Juan Vargas Victoria Torres (self portrait in progress) – Studio Art Class 53 Arthuro Garcia (Foreman Class of 2016) Jocelyn Vazquez (Juarez Class of 201 54 FROM THE GLOBAL ISSUES CLASS Poem Analysis by Maria Cortez Love after Love By Dereck Walcott The time will come, when with elation, you will greet yourself arriving at your own door, in your own mirror, and each will smile at the other’s welcome and say, sit here. Eat. You will love again the stranger who was yourself. Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart to itself, to the stranger who has loved you all your life, whom you have ignored for another, who knows you by heart. Take down the love letters from bookshelf, the photographs, the desperate notes, peel your own image from the mirror. Sit. Feast on your life. I chose this poem because I think it is powerful and I can relate to it. What this poem is basically saying is that a person must love their own self, that one should acknowledge ones qualities for what they are. I can relate to this because I have not appreciated myself many times. I did not acknowledge my qualities, only my flaws. I was worried about how I looked, how I was, and my other flaws. I did not accept myself for those reasons. I was trying to fit in with the other teens. I was trying to be someone who I did not want to be. I have learned throughout years that it is not about my flaws that I should concentrate but recognize my abilities and accomplishments. To love the person I am and the person I want to be. At the end, only you know yourself more than anyone else does. I’m Alive! By Cristina Lopez
When I feel most alive is when I travel. I feel like I’m seeing so many different
ideas and cultures. I love to see how people live and how the environment is different
from home. I love to see beautiful landscapes like the rain forests in Costa Rica and the
building like the Eiffel tower in Paris. I have just traveled a little bit around the world but
there is so much to see. I know when I get older I will go all around the world. It is scary
but I know I can do it. I feel like I am making a difference in the world. When I went to
Costa Rica I helped some villages and played with children. When I travel more, I know I
will help other people and learn about cultures. So I can bring back the things I learn to
my community…
55 Alive by Jeremiah Natano
The time when I feel most alive is when I read a book that really triggers the
buttons in my mind where I’m able to imagine and make the book come alive in my mind
with ease. The time when I feel one with the scenarios, situations and characters, like just
being there with them. Whether it’s fighting a hydra or going through a labyrinth filled
with monsters and deadly traps. The time when you read a book for hours and hours but
in reality you’ve only read for 30 minutes.
Another moment where I feel most alive is when I’m drawing, not just doodling
or scribbling, but drawing that is challenging and fun. For me, in my Studio Art class
we’re doing mega-sized portraits of ourselves. I’ve never actually tried drawing a human
face before, so this was very challenging for me. Initially I thought it was going to be
boring, but when I started to draw I was happy about how it turned out and how fun it
was to draw every stroke of line, being extremely precise. I was so engaged into drawing
that before I knew it class was over. I was drawing for 2 hours but it felt like I was
drawing for 30 minutes. For the entire 2 hours, I felt like I was in a trance, like the only
person in the world was just me drawing on the paper, oblivious to the distractions
around me. I’m alive when I’m reading a book, but not just any book, a book that
invigorates you, a book that fills you with so much excitement that you would pay a lot of
money just to get the sequel to that book…
Denny Martinez (Juarez Class of 2016)
56 “ALIVE” by Yesenia Villanueva
Most of the things I do I feel obligated to do them. I think the thing that would
make me feel most alive is traveling around the world, learning new things, and trying
out many different things. Like when I went to Costa Rica, I felt alive. It was the first
time I traveled on a plane and out of the country on my own. I enjoyed every second of it,
especially all the hiking, the zip-lining, and rafting. I had always wanted to go camping,
but my parents would have never let me. In Costa Rica I was able to stay in cabins, a
farm, and in many different places. I got to spend time with the locals and learn about
their daily lives. I helped the people in poverty and that made me feel as if life was
actually worth it. I didn’t think I could make such a huge impact in someone’s life just by
planting a flower for them, and doing so made me feel needed and alive. I know we all
have a purpose in life, but when do we really feel we are really living that purpose to its
fullest. In Costa Rica I was in front of the Pacific Ocean, which was beautiful; it calmed
me down when I closed my eyes. I listened to all the waves and felt the cool wind touch
my face. That was the time when I was feeling alive, relieved from all the stress of school
or home, and able to just breathe in the wonderful smell of the ocean water. Just like I did
in Costa Rica, I want to do in many other places, I want to take in the views of those
places, and the smells; all the feelings of places like Ireland, Germany, London, France,
Canada, Hawaii, Egypt, and many other places around the world. I want to live; I want to
feel ALIVE!!!
Roxanna & Victoria Torres (Foreman Class of 2015)
57 Melissa Ortiz – Photography Class
When do you feel most alive? By Leslie Peralta
A moment when I feel alive is when I am playing soccer. When I play soccer I
feel invincible. It’s just your adrenaline pumping and trying to keep up with everything
that is going on on the field. When I am on the field I don’t have to worry about other
problems. It doesn’t matter who hangs out with me at school or what type of status I am. I
am always concentrating on what is going on in the field rather than what is outside. I
feel no stress whatsoever when I am able to express myself without having someone to
tell you you’re doing it wrong. It’s just a really comfortable place because when you have
been playing for a long time with the same people and you understand each other in the
field it’s like communicating without saying anything. The field is the only place that I
actually feel confident. I found my first true love the first time I stepped onto the field.
The Simple Moments by Elize Dominguez
I feel most alive in the simplest moments. A huge moment is when I’m with my
friends and family just listening to amazing music and enjoying ourselves. The lyrics
really seem to brighten the mood, especially when everyone seems to know the words to
all the songs and sing along. Just the presence of my friends makes me happy. They are
the only people I can be myself with and I am able to let go. The weather doesn’t have to
be perfect, just not below zero or over 100 degrees. We always find ways to entertain
ourselves in any circumstances. Everything seems so effortless and there is never a wrong
58 moment. If I could, I would to just stay with them all day long. Even though we are doing
nothing it feels like I am the most alive.
What Makes Me Feel Most Alive…by Mariana Chavez
I think what makes me feel the most alive is being afraid. Regardless of what it is
I find the feeling great. At the moment facing your fears feels beyond terrible but the
after feel is what makes me feel alive. Roller coasters are an example of something that
definitely gets my adrenaline going. I’m never comfortable being scared, I hate putting
myself in situations where I’m not in control but the accomplished feeling after doing a
presentation or something like that usually feels rewarding enough to fight the fear and
get through something I’m scared of. I like trying new things and being completely
surprised by the reaction things get out of me. Not knowing if I will like, hate, be
embarrassed, or get hurt by it. It could be something as simple as being in front of the
class reading something or as nerve wrecking as being in a school play trying to
remember all my lines. Another thing I would be scared of is finally going away for
college, officially. Not with my friends and staff that I’m comfortable with but with
complete strangers and being alone. I think I would be comfortable because I’ve never
been away from home so long but I think I would enjoy the experience I gained from
living somewhere else and getting an early shot at being independent. Feeling alive is a
feeling I get from doing things out of my comfort zone and being excited or scared
regardless of the uncomfortable feeling I get from doing it.
Dystopian Creative Writing Assignment By Cristina Lopez
Bing! Bing!! Bing!!!
Sam turns off the alarm. It’s 5:30 am, time for work. He gets up from bed and
walks to the kitchen. He goes straight to the cabinets and picks a card. It has a picture of
toast and eggs. He puts it in the oven and waits 10 seconds. He opens the oven and a plate
with toast and eggs comes out. He sits down and eats.
“I need the new oven version. It takes up two second, now I might be late for
work.” Sam says.
He eats in a hurry and goes to his room to change. The closet door opens and he
says, “work clothes.”
His one-piece suit has a nametag that says Sam. He puts it on and grabs his cars
keys and goes down stairs. He closes the door and walks to the elevator. He presses floor
1.
Sam says, “250 floors to go.”
After 10 seconds the door opens and out he goes. The front door opens and it is
dark outside, like always, since the clouds turned gray with all the poison in the air. He
gets a taxi and types in the address of his work. The taxi drops him off at a truck station.
He goes to the office building and scans his finger, just in time 5:45 am. He goes to his
truck and turns on the computer. The screen shows an address 600 S. Sun St. He starts to
drive and goes to the building.
59 When he gets there it is a government building. He parks in front of the building
and walks inside. He goes to the front desk, there is a man standing there.
Sam says “Hi! Where’s the garbage?”
The man points at the end of the hallway. Sam says, “I don’t see many desk men
anymore; you are the first one I see. I usually talk to computers, it’s nice to talk human
now and then.”
The deskman says, “I don’t see much garbage man anymore. We will be getting a
machine next week to pick up the garbage so this is your last job in this building.”
Sam in a worried face says, “Go down the hall.”
Deskman says, “Down the hall.”
“Another job gone soon there won’t be any jobs left.” Sam had to start saving
money and find some other job, but that is hard since all the machines are doing human
jobs. He sees the door and opens it. He sees a cart of old version computers with some
small scratches on them. So he decides to take one home to see or just to keep since he
didn’t have that version. He takes the cart outside and puts all the computers in the truck.
When he gets back to the truck station, he drops off the truck to a machine that
will take all the computers out and crush them. He has no other job left so he went home.
He drops his keys on the table and takes out the computer he took from this job. He turns
it on and opens up all the files to erase them. When he opens a file called “Gone” it has a
list of names with their jobs. There was desk/door person, janitor, cooks and so many
more. The last job on the list was garbage man. He found his name on it.
Sam said “it’s probably nothing, just the government wanting to know people’s
jobs”.
Since it was lunchtime he went to the kitchen to cook something. Then the
doorbell rings. Sam goes up to the door to open it. There were two men standing in front
of the door.
One says, “Sam we need you to come with us, it is about your work”.
Sam says, “Did I lose it?”
“Yes” says the man.
“Why do I have to go?” says Sam
“Well since you are no longer needed, we need to take you away and let other
family live in this place,” says the man.
“Well I can get another job next week for sure, so if I don’t have a job then you
can pick me up” says Sam.
The man says, “No, you are no longer needed on earth; your job here is done.
Let’s go.”
“Ok let me go get my stuff,” says Sam.
“No you don’t need it,” says the man.
“Where are you going to take me if I don’t need anything?” says Sam.
“Just come with us, I don’t want this to be hard for you,” says the man.
60 “No, but I ….” Sam says when the man sticks a needle in his arm and made him
knock out.
“Don’t you hate when people ask so many questions?” says the man.
“I know right, well hopefully he will be worthy enough for important people who
need organs to be young and live forever” says the other man.
“Yeah hopefully, well we will come tomorrow to clean his apartment” said the
man.
“Ok let’s take him,” says the other man
So they drag Sam to a car and off they went to the hospital.
Ms. Gomez, Ms. Mynaugh & Ms. Dean at Brookfield Zoo Field Trip
The List by Martika Tapia
“You better watch out
You better not cry
Better not pout
I'm telling you why…
Santa Claus is coming to town.
He's making a list and checking it twice;
Gonna find out Who's naughty and nice.”
“Everybody talks about this person. I don’t know what’s so special about him. I
mean, he’s just this guy who wears a red suit and yells “ho ho.” I think he’s just some
urban legend, who comes out on one holiday, and eats cookies! He is a fat guy! He makes
61 a list, checks it twice, and sees if you’re naughty or nice. Who gets to decide if you are
naughty or nice?! Then he checks you when you’re sleeping and when you’re awake, he
comes to your house, that’s just a creep!”
Derek is walking home from a long day of school, he is just glad it was the last
day of school and vacation starts. He was tired of kids talking about Santa and Christmas.
“Derek, Derek!” From afar one of Derek’s friends starts running up to him,
looking as if he were going to burst with a song, he busted out with jolly yelling at Derek,
“Derek, are you ready for Christmas? It’s almost here---,” Tyler said bursting out with
jolly yelling at Derek.
“Yeah, we get the holiday vacation. No school!” Tyler just looked at Derek still
smiling; it almost looked like it would stretch all the way around his face,
“NOoooo!! It’s the time to celebrate Santa! Rejoice that another year, no one has
been naughty!” Tyler was telling Derek, while still smiling at him.
“Dude, Tyler, Santa is not real! And STOP SMILING like that, you are just
freaking me out!” Looking at Tyler with a frustrated face and freaked out.
“What did YOU SAY!!??!! SANTA IS REAL! HE IS HE IS! You are not a
believer. You should really be careful with what you say, he watches what you are doing,
and he checks a list. Don’t do something or say something I wouldn’t do.” His smile just
went from all long happy to serious face.
“Really, Tyler you believe? You must be f----,” Tyler interrupted Derek’s
sentence,
“Don’t you dare say that word! Santa won’t be happy with you. Derek, just be
careful. I gotta go home now.” Tyler started walking away from Derek saying, “Bye. And
have a merry Christmas Derek!” smiling again.
Derek was freaked out by what Tyler has just told him, it almost seemed like as if
he were scared of “SANTA.” Everybody seemed that way. They always keep saying to be
nice, be nice be nice. Ugh. I know. But I just wonder, what would happen if I weren’t
nice. If I did all the bad things, like go past my bed time, say mean inappropriate words,
yell back at my parents. Should I? Derek has this plan to be naughty, break the rules. See
what would happen if he were naughty for these two days before Christmas eve is here,
the day supposedly Santa comes to town and visits. Derek went along with the plan. On
his first day of trying to be naughty he ate his dessert before dinner; he always went past
his bedtime. His parents didn’t pay much attention to what he did; they were like it is just
some little phase. Nothing much, the next day he started yelling out bad words. He started
yelling at his parents, responding back to them with a “NO!”, and he wouldn’t do his
chores.
His parents then got more worried. His mom came up to him and told him,
“Derek, are you okay Hun? You are acting not nice, you are acting naughty. I am worried
for you.”
Derek just looked at his parents, “MOM, I’m a teenager, wouldn’t teenagers do all
this?” his parents looked at each other.
“No, teenagers don’t do naughty things, or else they end up in the naughty list.
You don’t want to end up there. It’s not nice, son. You will end up in Santa’s naughty
list. HE will be mad at you.” Derek looked at his parents. Really they believe in Santa?
Really?
“Mom, okay.” Derek decided to go to sleep.
62 T'was the night before Christmas
and all through the house
not a creature was stirring
not even a mouse…
Outside was a cool breeze, then you hear the bells. Bells? Cling, cling, cling.
Then a real loud noise on top of the roof, Boom! What’s this? What is happening? Is this
what it seems to be? It can’t be. Boom! A loud noise coming from the living room, could
it be. Santa? All along he was real and what Derek has been saying is--- Footsteps.
Footsteps walking into Derek’s room. A dark shadow enters the room, looking. Looking
down at the bed, where Derek is laying there asleep.
“Ho Ho Ho.”
Derek wakes up scared. “What? Who are you?!?” Derek yelling. Yet his parents
are not even awake to Derek’s loud voice.
“Merry Christmas, Derek. Have you been a nice boy or a naughty boy lately?
Let’s check my list. Shall we.” Santa checking his list, while Derek still in shock.
“Ahhhh…. I see…” Derek can’t speak at all. He actually sees this Santa guy. Tall and
big, wearing a red suit and black boots, white bearded, white almost pale skin with red
blush cheeks and nose, red lips, blue eyes, and white hair with a red hat. He actually sees
Santa. “Derek, Tsk tsk tsk. I am mad at you. You have been quite the NAUGHTY BOY,”
his voice changed from a nice angelic, jolly voice to a demon like voice. He grabbed
Derek from his shirt, looking at him with his eyes, which changed to red. “DEREK,
DEREK! I KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE SAID ABOUT ME, I KNOW WHAT YOU
HAVE DONE. YOU HAVE NOT BEEN A NICE BOY” his voice was to terrifying.
“Dude, Tyler, Santa is not real!” mimicking Derek’s voice. “HO HO HO!” Derek was too
scared he didn’t what to do, and then he thought it is just a dream. He closed his eyes,
closed them real tight. Once he opened them, and he saw he was laying there on his bed
with no Santa to be nearby. He closed his eyes and laughed.
“It was just a----,”
“DREAM. THINK AGAIN. HO HO HO!”
Santa grabbed Derek and carried him, down the stairs. Derek yelled and yelled.
“YOUR PARENTS, DON’T HEAR YOU AT ALL. YELL, YELL all YOU WANT!
Ahhhhh! MOM, DAD. YOU WONT BE MISSED Trust me.” Santa and Derek went up
the chimney. Shoved Derek in his big red bag where he puts all the naughty kids. He
opened his bag and all that could be heard was loud screams and crying and moans.
“Let me out please, I will be nice” Derek cried and pleaded to Santa, “Please, I’m
sorry.” Santa just looked at Derek with a big smile.
“Too late for that Derek. In the morning you won’t be missed. No one would miss
you. You’re a non believer Derek. I am giving your parents the great Christmas gift of
exchanging their non-believer son with a believer. A great son. Who does everything he
is being told to do, a nice boy. NOT A NAUGHTY BOY like YOU!” Santa then closed
his bag with all the kids that were crying. He then left up into the air. “Merry Christmas
to all and all a goodnight. HO HO HO!”
THE END…
63 Chavelle Gonzalez (Foreman Class of 2016)
Trapped by Daniel Diaz
The lights came to life, burning the skins of my eyes. It was for this reason that I
always had blood-shot eyes. I tried to get up, but was disoriented because of the alarm
64 turning on as the lights still blazed. The screeching noise made its way down your ear
canal, like a worm burrowing through the ground, burrowing until it hit the eardrum and
caught you off guard.
Considering that I’ve lived in this room for about a decade, one would expect to
somehow be used to the brightness of the light and the burrowing worm. I’m not. It still
hits me like an enormous wave, the kind of wave that used to be enjoyed at the beach,
knocking one out of balance as it hit you with a different force every time. That wave was
pleasant, unlike this horrible screech.
The room wasn’t big, just enough room to be able to stand, pace around while
pondering what it was that happed to the world, and hold a twin size bed. On the base of
the bed, there was room for a desk made of concrete just like the bed, nothing exotic as I
see it, and a drawer next to the wall parallel to the bed.
Somehow, I managed to gain my balance and my way down to the door. There
was a big red button, which I had designed and installed, in accordance with the warden,
so as to kill the damned worm and stop it from burrowing any deeper. The noise stopped
and my eyes adjusted o the blazing lights. If only there was a way to extinguish these
flames! To pour water on them and hear the liberating sizzle of their unending light; to
hear the praise my eyes would give.
I looked around and saw the same view I had seen for the past decade; the desk,
drawer, the window. It was the window, the one thing that connected my life with the
outside world. As I saw it, I realized just how much that window really means, not just to
me, but also to the rest of the inhabitants. Their rooms are the same, identical save for the
minor change of spacing between the bed, desk, and drawer. That was it, what our lives
had become, a space and a window. It was a miracle no one ever committed suicide, not
here, not like on the outside. That window showed us all; life on the outside, the
happenings of the world, and for those who were lucky enough to gain enlightenment
from meditation, the fate that was to fall upon the world. It mustn’t be horrible, for if it
had, or rather will be, they would’ve just died on the spot. No hope in their eyes. It would
either be that or the height at which their though process worked.
I’d love to be one of the enlightened, but I just stood, constantly, at the window,
pondering why the world had been swallowed up by its malice. I stood and watched. The
fires blazed almost as intensely as the lights of the room. Far away, beyond the wall that
separated the reason and the irrational, the humans from the savages, the sane from the
insane. How ironic I found it, for instead of the watching the beauty of the sunrise, I
always saw the beauty of the fires. Like the sun, they never stopped burning.
There were shots suddenly, and then a thud. BAM! There goes another crazy, as I
liked to call them. These rooms are a sanctuary; the insane were those who left them.
There was a reason for the wall, and those who were foolish enough to fly so close to the
sun, would end up falling to their deaths. There were more shots, unusual for this time of
the day. It was still the morn; say 7 A.M. maybe 6 A.M. It was still hard to tell since the
sun rose in the East and I was in the West wing. I kept looking out; the guards were on
the edges this time, and odd yet hilarious sight. They did not keep us in; rather, they kept
the crazies out.
The crazies are an insane group of people that saw no end to destruction or death.
I watched enviously, as they lit another fire. They were so free, in a world filled with
chaos, while I was stuck inside for eternity, restricted so as to keep the rest of the
65 inhabitants; happy and at peace, away from the outside world. Sure, in exchange for that,
we were the ones truly at peace because we had reason and that kept us in a mood which
was never compromised by a man filled with a heart of malice, looking for anarchy
which dwelled freely outside, beyond the window, beyond the wall, and beyond the fires.
The rooms weren’t bad, free meals, plenty of books, healthy society as
described by many; by the ones who were there to watch the anarchy rise and destroy
with its grip of evil. They saw the storm approach, casting the shroud of darkness and
fled, made this place, which is “home” to those with a good heart could seek refuge and
survive. It no longer takes refugees in. The wall separated that and the world did as it
pleased; placing us inside, away from them forever. We are outcasts now, and we carry
out a finely tuned machine that can achieve anything it wants. I am free to leave this
room, but once out, there is no coming back.
We work for our needs, no one else’s, and the society thrives. Outside, one
competes, one gets framed, and one breaks laws easily. The anarchy eliminated that.
Laws no longer have power beyond the window, wall, and fires. It is but a faint myth.
Not to us, though. We continue to read, to learned, to grow.
We might be isolated, but we hold the reason, thus hold a higher influence on our
will, considering all of that which is bad and good. The bad rules the realm beyond the
wall, while the good only rules the realm of these small rooms.
The bell rang, the announcer called all the inhabitants to gather, it was time for
the show of the dastardly idiot. A show where an idiot fights another, no reason, just part
of the fun of anarchy. No charge, just instinct to survive, and all to live “free” as the
average idiot sees it. The show consisted of a white man fighting a Mexican or Arab. It
was hard to tell, for their faces were covered in dirt and dried blood. Some freedom that
was, to be able to kill a person, at no expense whatsoever.
Current Event by Piotr Sasara
The article I have read was entitled “Chinese delegation pull out of Sheffield
Documentary Festival after organizers refuse to censor program.” This article was about
the Chinese delegation of commissioning editors, which have pulled out of a
Documentary Fest due to the screening of a film about artist Ai Weiwei called Ai
Weiwei: Never Sorry. The film examines Ai as he tries to balance his art in Beijing with
the politics that inform it. Ai is one of the Chinese most outspoken critics and the film
demonstrates his working process, his family life and his clashes with police authorities.
The film came to prominence when the artist was arrested over alleged tax-fraud in 2011.
His family members have insisted that he is innocent and human rights groups
maintained the incarceration was an attempt to silence a prominent critic. Ai Weiwei was
released after nearly three months in police custody. Though there is still no indication of
whether he was formally charged or tried, Ai's release comes with a caveat: a year-long
probation that prohibits him from leaving Beijing without special permission from the
Chinese government. On Sina Weibo - a Chinese microblog with strict censorship
guidelines - words with the slightest linkage to Ai are currently banned, including
"release," or "AWW". The phrase "love the future," which looks and sounds like his
name in Mandarin, has also been blocked. Sophie Richardson, the Asia advocacy director
at Human Rights Watch, said she felt Ai was released for reasons other than admitting to
tax evasion. "The Chinese government's decision to arrest Ai Weiwei was political, and
66 so is his release," Richardson said in a Human Rights Watch release. Despite Ai's muchanticipated release, four of his associates are still missing, and are presumed to be "in
secret detention," according to Amnesty International. I believe that for Chinese people
the Internet is a weapon they can use to challenge authority. For many of us we can use it
to talk crap on websites or buy things. We are the lucky ones and sometimes I think that
free people do not appreciate what they have got. For some Chinese depending on what
they write it could be a matter of life or death. But they keep writing anyway.
1) To what extent is censorship legitimately needed to keep the country from flying
apart?
2) At what point does censorship increase the chances of the country coming apart?
Andres Villanueva & Raul Oliva (Juarez Class of 2015)
67 On Tour @ Loyola University: Jorge, Ephraim, Arturo, Cristian, Chavelle, Arthuro & Ms. Hochman. Yesenia, Martika & Jeremiah – Essay Writing Class 68 THE RESIDENTIAL WEEK @ MILLIKIN UNIVERSITY SIGNING IN FOR RESIDENTIAL WEEK 69 Early Morning Runners During Residential Week: Left to Right: Tutor Lee Baumgarten, Ms. Hochman, Raphael Mendiola, Ms. Weaver, Ms. Dean, Arturo Villalobos, Roxanna Torres, Daniel Diaz, Victoria Torres. ESSAY WRITING NOTES 70 EDUARDO OCAMPO (JUAREZ CLASS OF 2014) “ON THE WAY TO CLASS” 71 TAKING A BREAK IN THE GAME ROOM Eduardo, Jonathan, Arturo, Cristian and Ricardo 72 UPWARD BOUND’S GOT TALENT! (FROM THE 20TH ANNUAL RESIDENTIAL WEEK TALENT SHOW: JULY 19, 2012) “Call Me Maybe” Lyrics modified by Ms. Dean, Ms. Hasson, and Ms. Hochman (Performed by Ms. Dean, Ms. Hasson & Ms. Hochman at the Talent Show) I signed up and I applied The interview was hard but I tried Kirsch almost made me cry But now I’m in UB! College visits galore Field trips, tutoring, and more I’m going to college for sure ‘Cause I’m in UB! DePaul or Chicago? Columbia or Valparaiso? Millikin or Loyola? Where you think you’re going baby? Hey I just met you And this is crazy But I’m going to college So join me maybe It’s hard to write this College essay! But here’s my paper So call me maybe Hey I just met you And this is crazy But I’m going to college So join me maybe And all the other students, Try to chase me But I’m going to college So join me maybe Ms. Mynaugh’s class was real rough But we learned lots of good stuff Now high school won’t be too tough 73 ‘Cause I’m in UB! I beg and borrow and steal Community Art kept it real I drink my milk at each meal Because I’m in UB! Studio Art and Photography, we’re making a documentary, Reading an autobiography What do you think you’re learnin’ baby? Hey I just met you And this is crazy But I’m going to college So join me maybe It’s hard to say these French words bebe But Voltaire taught us Appelles-­‐moi peut-­‐être Hey I just met you And this is crazy But I’m going to college So join me maybe And all the other students, Try to chase me But I’m going to college So join me maybe Before you came to Upward Bound I missed you so bad I missed you so bad I missed you so, so bad Before you came to Upward Bound I missed you so bad And you should know that THE FUTURE IS NOW! Hey I just met you And this is crazy But I’m going to college 74 So join me maybe It’s hard to pick between John and Pedro But Weaver helped us So llamame maybe. Hey I just met you And this is crazy But I’m going to college So join me maybe When Ms. Strong-­‐Dowd leaves Upward Bound We’ll miss her so bad We’ll miss her so bad We’ll miss her so so bad Before you came to Upward Bound I missed you so bad And you should know that THE FUTURE IS NOW! A FRIENDLY GAME OF SCRABBLE IN THE DORM Tutors Dave & Theresa, Daniel Diaz, Jeremiah Natano & Mr. Scott-­‐Rudnick 75 Dreams By Dijonee McGhee (Performed at the Talent Show July 19, 2012) Chorus Keep dreaming, You’ll make it through. Through the good and the bad, It can come true Verse 1 Shy kid growing up in a harsh world Smart kid with some promise in this mean world Had a hard time growing up in the hood But adversity made her stronger So it’s all good Now this is the story I’m about to tell you Not rags to riches the story not quite through Story bout constantly grinding and what it do for you And juggling it all With following your dreams too. See this girl had big things inside her head, Was the same every day, Not just when she went to bed. See these dreams, Was all she could think about. Cuz she knew without a doubt, Some way she’d make it out. Of this hood, No good, did she see around her. Every where she look, People taking a handout. Knew she wanted more, Knew there was a way, But until that day. All she could do is… Verse 2 See this girl Had dreams of making a change, But at the time had no way of making a way. 76 See this girl had so many things inside, From a rough school, To a tough home, Made her wanna cry. Just one girl, Looking at a lot of doubt. Had no outlet for her feelings, Made her wanna shout. All the things trapped in her head she wanted to say, Then all that changed It happened one day. See this girl just like you was sitting in class, Looking at the clock, Hoping for time to pass. Had another thing she didn’t really wanna do, Poetry nonetheless, Man it wasn’t even cool. Sat down starting writing, Inspiration hit like lightning. Then it all cleared up, Man the feeling was exciting. All these jumbles in her mind, Was a sign, And it made sense. Her pen skills, Kills, Man it was no contest. She had a dream. Verse 3 See this girl, Said forget the diamonds and pearls, Or anything world, That sent her world in swirl. Cuz those dreams, Held her sole ambition, Clearly on a mission, To see what she was missing. Set get goals of getting Her dreams off the ground, Wanted the world to hear her words And hear em loud. To give the world motivation, To those waitin and wanting more, While staying focus, And seeing its got in store. 77 Yea this girl, Had hard times along the way. Lot people put her down, Said it wasn’t the way. But this girl was persistent, Kept her mind on the goal, Keep her feet on the ground, Gaining control. Worked hard at her craft, As time flew past, Soon she could write anything, And spit fast. Got better at her message, And writing them rhymes, And I’m here to say Yea I’m doing just fine. Cuz I’m still dreaming. Martika, Cristina, Jeremiah & Piotr working it out together. 78 A FOND FAREWELL TO MS. STRONG-­‐DOWD AS SHE RETIRES Ms. Strong-­‐Dowd shared some beautiful quotes with everyone at the Talent Show with regard to her retirement. Here are a few of them: “A goodbye isn't painful unless you're never going to say hello again. A part of you has grown in me, together forever we shall be, never apart, maybe in distance, but not in the heart. A sunbeam to warm you, A moon beam to charm you, A sheltering angel, so nothing can harm you.” -­‐-­‐Irish Blessing "You never leave someone behind, you take a part of them with you and leave a part of yourself behind." "Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened." -­‐-­‐Dr. Seuss THANK YOU MS. STRONG-­‐DOWD! WE WISH YOU A LONG & HAPPY RETIREMENT! 79 A Letter to Ms. Strong-­‐Dowd By Mariana Chavez (Read by Mariana at the Talent Show on July 19, 2012) Dear Mrs. Strong-­‐Dowd, I remember the first time I saw you, strangely enthusiastic with the greatest motivation. I didn’t understand it. I was a little scared to be quite honest. Your eyes looking at me made me feel pressured to go along with what you were trying to explain. Young, shy and insecure, but now I’m just young. I’ve blossomed with the other flowers in the garden you cared for. I had never met someone quite like you. It is because of you that we, the class of 2013 have become so strong. You made us realize that everyone has baggage in our own way. We shared something so damaged yet so beautiful. Growing and developing throughout the years, we gained you as a part of who we are now. We, and all the classes before us, have been fortunate to have someone there telling us we are good enough to be someone in life. Your support has pushed us to strive to be better people. You have done so much for each and every one of us. It means more than you could ever imagine. Without you we wouldn’t be the people we are today. You have shown us so many new concepts that are necessary for our future and made us realize there actually are people out there who genuinely care. You have always been a shoulder to lean on and know we will be here for you if you were ever to need to lean on us. We personally appreciate you for the effort, time, and dedication you have given us regardless of our negative attitudes. We love you and never forget the lives you have impacted. Sincerely, and from the bottom of our hearts, Class of 2013 80 SUMMER 2012
To See More of the Art from the Studio Art Class Go To: http://upwardboundartists.wordpress.com/ Cover photo: Carmen Rodriguez, Christina Villalobos & Ricardo Rangel (produced during the Light Writing trip during residential week) 81 AUTOGRAPHS
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