My poem...

So I had this awful teacher in fourth grade whom told me that I could never get my poem that I created then published, and it stopped me from writing another poem until NOW! I wrote this poem for my creative arts class about art and diversity.

Colorful thoughts

By Jenna Santelli

When children wonder and think,

Thunder of thoughts light up their minds

They can find different signs

And work with different minds

Where blunders do not exist.

They turn to a place where diversity rests

As it tests the normal boundaries

It does not need to be done in a formal setting

Art just needs to be fun!

Their imaginations can run wild

And they can develop their own styles

Art even allows them to create smiles

They can learn and grow

So their imagination flows

And they can show their true expressions.

With a dash of imagination

Where clashes do not exist

And diversity persists

A drop of paint

Ain’t the only form

There are drawings of kings

Sculptures of things

Bundles of songs

And images of cultures that certainly belong

Arts brings us together

Through different forms

And helps us reform our current world

Art knows no races

But rather colorful faces

And without it— our world would be a useless case

Thank goodness

10 Things I am thankful for during the holidays:
10. Mornings where I do not have to set an alarm clock
 9. Wool socks to help keep my feet warm
 8. Getting recommendations from all my hard work in the classroom
 7. Home cooked meals during the holidays
 6. Long walks in the snow
 5. College football rivalries
 4. Blue bird, powder snowboarding days
 3. Snowboarding with good friends
 2. Getting help and wisdom from my father
 1. Spending Thanksgiving with my friends and family

the single sister has a crush!

So most of you know that I have been single for a long time now and it has been a great thing for myself. I have learned so much about myself, what I want, what I need and what is important to me and really all of this could not happened as much if I was in a relationship all this time. While I continue to feel the pressure of finding someone from many people in my life, I feel that it cannot be this thing that I go looking for. I can't search around for the perfect guy that I want to date...as one of my closest friends has always said "it must come naturally."

I totally believe that is the case. For a few months I completely stopped thinking that when I went out with friends or really involved myself in any social situation, I needed to meet guys. I also quit going on dates for a bit until recently. Well I recently went on a mellow coffee date with this guy that I actually met last May, but have been too shy to ever pursue anything with. I finally decided that I wanted to contact him, say hello and see what would happen next. When we first met, there was this mutual attraction to each other and I never forgot this. So I decided to finally pursue and see if the attraction was still there after running into him last week. I had him number so gave him a friendly text. Texting felt a lot more safe to me than calling him, although I do prefer to call. Well to make a long story short, we went out for coffee/tea last Saturday night and it went so well! Seriously I was shocked how well the date went. I am glad that I asked him to coffee because it mellow and a great way to just get to know each other. Date number 2 is happening tonight, where he invited me to dinner at his place tonight!

I am excited, I haven't had a serious crush in so long. I'll keep you all posted on how it goes tonight. I was nervous before our first date, and even when I stopped by to say hi to him when he was working at his campus job at the the Health and Wellness center, but I do not feel nervous for tonight! I feel a bit impulsive, and quite excited about it. Gosh I love having a new crush. It is helping me stay less stressed right now.

YIPEE :)

Have a good day everyone!

Birthday Horoscopes

Every year around my birthday (Oct. 15th) I always check my horoscope because I have found them to make me smile and make me feel good about turning older. Anyways...the horoscope that I read during my birthday was totally fabulous, and really made me smile. While I do not read my horoscope daily, weekly or even monthly to be honest, I do find them really interesting and fun when I do spend the time reading them. Anyways my birthday horoscope for this year read:

"Everything is dreamed first," wrote French poet Gilbert Trolliet. French philospher Gaston Bachelard agreed, adding "Creative reverie animates the nerves of the future. Your task in the coming weeks, Libra, is to act on those clue: Conjure up pictures in your mind that foreshadow the life you want to be living next year. Proceed on the assumption that you now have extraordinary power to generate self-fulfilling prophecies.

This horoscope really impacted me because I have been trying to start to decide what I want my life to look like next year. I graduate with my Masters in Art of Teaching in May and this question of where do I want to teach? Where do I want to live? has really been lingering with me. I know I want to be an elementary special education teacher, but other than that I don't really know what my future holds. As I always say "I am going to go where the wind takes me." One thing that I can picture and foreshadow in my life is first getting a teaching job in Salt Lake because that is where I currently live and do have the most connections. I also want to picture myself getting this internship that I want working with the education department of the Baseball Hall of Fame. So I guess since I cannot answer where I will living next year, or even where I want to be living...I can answer that I want to make sure my future year involves being a special education teacher and working and living in Cooperstown, N.Y. next summer.

Cheers to great horoscopes and positive vibes!

CONQUER THAT FRUSTRATION

So I noticed that frustration and stress have taken over my life and have really affected me and my performance in my masters program the last month or so. I am finally going to stop the frustration from continuing to run my life, my emotions and my health. This program has showed me how tough and stressful "real life" may be and therefore I need to be ready to handle it in a professional, calm and problem-solving manner. It is time that I start making some changes and stop the frustration from continuing to run deeper and deeper into me.

The first way I look to conquer the frustration is through telling what I am most grateful for right now. While my list is rather long, I decided to focus on five things that I am grateful for!

1. My brother, his partner, my sister and her boyfriend helping to make my 25th birthday really special, and really fun!

2. Levels of concern people have for me, and the areas they feel that I continue to grow and develop.

3. This lovely fall weather, breezy and chilly in the morning and at night, and sunny and moderately warm temperatures in the afternoon!

4. Nice service people who are willing to communicate with me in a respectful manner.

5. Going on a field trip to Red Butte Gardens with my mentor teacher's 3rd grade class.

Secondly, my goal is not have ANY WASTED ENERGY! Wasted energy is a sure way of frustration occurring in my life. If I do have some wasted energy, then I need to re-focus and figure out what I am trying to accomplish? I need to set goals during those times and make sure I accomplish them.

Thirdly, I am reducing and trying to eliminate all together all my CLUTTER and CRAP that is constantly consuming and taking up breathing room in my life. I am throwing out, donating or recycling items and things that I feel are inhibiting my ability to breath and function as a normal, non-frustrated person.

Lastly...I am going to continue to be positive through motivation and positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement helps me to feel like I accomplished what I was needed!

Frustration you will not CONTROL ME AND MY LIFE!

Children get A for their optimistic attitudes

I love working with children, I really do. For one they are usually very honest. They are not afraid to hold anything back--they are willing to tell things like they are. I also love how children are such optimists when it comes to the future. They are optimists about love, fortune, and success. They do things that truly make them happy and they have no guilt about what they do.

Children look at the world so differently than most adults. Take love for example, so many kids believe in true love! A lot of kids believe that "we" all have true sole mates that we will find and then be totally in love with.

Working with children really helps to instill and optimistic personality and belief about our world, and our future. I have learned so much from watching, talking, learning and teaching children. In the past I gave up on finding true love, I figured it did exist, well at least not for me. But that view has changed as I have worked with children who have enlightened my mind and energized my spirit. I believe that we all do have sole mates, or at least people we are meant to be with. I believe that we could've already met our sole mates, but the timing was off or the calendar was not set on the appropriate date in which true love could actually happen. For others maybe they haven't met there sole mate, but will in the near future. Either way...we all will find that person that creates lighting bolts every time he or she will work by.

Like children I have begun to find myself one OPTIMISTICALLY hopeful person who just tries to continue to put on a smile everyday!

CHEERS TO LOVE, OPTIMISM AND CHILDREN!

To live extreme or not, that is the question?

For the majority, the people that live in Utah, live extreme lives whether it be from an action standpoint, or to a religious standpoint, living extreme is part of the Utah culture. Utah sees the extreme rock climbers, skiers, and mountain bikers. While living extreme is living a life of love, is it necessary? Do we need to be extreme in order to fully satisfy our inner and external selves?

Or can we live a life where we are "less" extreme, meaning we are willing to be lesser quality at certain things in our lives because perhaps we want to have more experiences in other areas of our lives? Do we also want to be "less" extreme to try and avoid dangerous accidents from occurring? The more extreme we take our sports, the more chances of bad accidents to occur.

My personal opinion is I think I would rather take my sports a little less extreme and know that I am safe and feeling confident with my abilities at a lower level. After seeing my sister take a very scary and almost life-ending rock climbing fall, I have really come to question the thought of going all out all the time, where I am constantly pushing my abilities. I think it is good to be pushed...but to what level and when are the questions that I am trying to figure out.

The World Cup!

While I may still be a bit disappointed, and sadden by the fact that I could not afford to go to the World Cup I am totally embracing the WC culture right here in Salt Lake! For yesterday's match between England and the US, I along with my friend Michelle watched the match with three fellow Brits. It was so much fun to watch the game with them because they were able to bring a small dosage of English soccer culture with them. Since I have never been able to fully capture the English soccer culture in person, it was fun to capture a bit of it yesterday. I was able to see bits and pieces of their rowdy vocals, their over the top intelligent-conscious remarks, and a bit of the "typical" apparel one Englishman or woman might wear. I really enjoyed every moment of it especially more so because of the tie and the goal blunder by the England goalie Green.

Days leading up to the WC thought that I would not be able to capture the emotions, the excitement, the disappointments, and the anticaption that other US cities would have as well as all around the world, but I was wrong! Little Salt Lake just like NY, Seattle, Philadelphia, Portland and LA is just as vibrant and embracing the WC culture as those other US cities! It has been absolutely lovely watching Salt Lake emerge as a city that is excited. Now living on the west side of SLC, I see the WC culture even more vibrant! Local businesses all around my neighborhood have soccer ball cut outs decorating the store's windows. I have seen different families put up American flags on their property with signs next to the flag saying "GO USA!" It truly has been a joy seeing SLC find it's soccer excitement, especially because of the Real Salt Lake's own and former Oregon Stater, Robbie Findley is on the US team. It's been wonderful seeing normal people walk around Salt Lake wearing a Real Salt Lake Findley jersey.

I am so happy to be engaging, and embracing the WC culture myself! I bought a USA World Cup t-shirt to show my support as well. I am trying to watch and or listen to as many games as possible, and I am trying to meet as many excited about the WC Utahans as I possibly can meet. So I end this blog post with this insight...you don't have to be in South Africa, or New York, or Mexico, or even Europe for that matter, to have a large group of people really EMBRACE, show excitement and follow USA soccer, or England like my fellow British friends intensely do right here in Salt Lake City. GO USA!

Knowmore.org

By just looking at the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico we can clearly see how big corporations like BP control America. While selling America to corporations has not been a new thing, it was forever changed after George W. Bush was president. Thanks to W and good old Dick (Cheney) corporate America now has all the control and all the power. It is obvious to see that this corporate America DOES NOT have THE AMERICAN PEOPLE'S best interest in mind. What can we do to start to take back the power and end corporate abuse?

Knowmore.org is a grass-roots website dedicated to resisting corporate attacks on democracy, worker's and human rights, fair trade, and environment. This website provides a database of easily searchable corporate and political information to help inform consumers to make good decisions about what we buy. This website is to aid all of us progressive thinkers to make responsible choices. I can type in a business that I am interested in like for example Whole Foods, and get a brief business history, as well as any environmental concerns, corporate governance, animal welfare issues, worker's rights complaints, and praises.

Know more is geared to give us consumers "purchasing power" by providing rated details about different products, companies and businesses that we buy from. The website gives "responsible" ratings to many well-known companies.

The website was founded by musicians Sage Francis and B Dolan in 2004 and has since really expanded. Together the two rappers went on tour to raise awareness for their work towards creating this website.

We all have values, morals and beliefs, so why not practice what we preach and really know the corporations that we support based off our values, morals and beliefs so that next time we shop we are supporting the good corporations that are actually here for us the PEOPLE, THE CONSUMERS!

Yay for summer!

My summer has officially begun today! I cannot believe I made it through =), at times it was tough but I did it. Now I will only have two more terms left, including my student teaching, which is something I am so excited for.

While my summer includes me making money as a swim coach at a country club (so I can travel like mad next summer) and two summer school classes, it also involves a lot of other fun! I have some big plans, big ideas and big goals to accomplish this summer. I am excited that I will have August off from work, and school.

Here are ten summer goals:

1. Travel to three new places: I already booked a flight to one new place, Philadelphia, PA!

2. Participate in the Bear Lake Triathlon (Bear Lake, UT.)

3. Go on a climbing weekend trip to any of the following places (Moab, UT., Red Rocks, NV., Smith Rock, OR. or Joshua Tree, CA.)

4. I want to learn how to lead rock climb as well!

5. Ride my bike to work twice a week

6. Read at least five books

7. See some new areas of Utah that I have never seen like Bryce Canyon!

8. Raise chickens so I can have my own eggs!

9. Learn to play the guitar finally

10. Make more friends, and enjoy all the social events this summer has to offer.

What are you doing with your precious life?

This is a poem by Mary Oliver called Summer Day, which was recommended to me by this guy Alex, who has helped remind me what is important in life. Graduate school has been my life this year, but especially this term, and sometimes I forget that I need to have a bit fun and time for myself. I've embraced the words, and the wisdom this poem has portrayed and hopefully you'll embrace it too! Thanks Alex and Mary for reminding me of what is important!

The Summer Day

Mary Oliver

Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean-
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down-
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don't know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?

check this out!

http://storyofstuff.org/bottledwater/

Check out this video about the plastic water bottle industry and all of the impacts these plastic bottles have on our environment, and our wallets.

It is time that we together, make a push to STOP buying plastic water bottles because of the harmful, negative and useless impacts these bottles have on our environments and lives. Did you know that even when we recycle plastic water bottles, often they get shipped to INDIA...freaking INDIA. Talk about having a negative impact! Plus so much of the pollution of our tap water, comes from industries like these.

As Earth Day approaches, let's all make a conscience effort to reduce our plastic water bottle intake- actually let's BOYCOTT it all together!

Drinking tap water is SEXY!

Conclusions on concerts

The more concerts that I attend, the more I want to share. I went to the Tegan and Sara concert on Tuesday night in SLC at the place called In the Venue. I learned a few things while attending this concert.

1. I am not a huge fan of all ages shows. It is not the no-alcohol that bothers me, it is the annoying 16 year old girls who need to take a photo every five seconds.

2. I throughly enjoy small concert venues- they provide this intimacy factor that feels very personal.

3. I enjoyed the fact that I was able to take TRAX (the train) to and from the concert venue.

4. I enjoy concerts that do not go on for the entire night!

5. I love getting exposed to new talents and bands. My newest turn on is Holly Miranda. She not only has one breath-taking voice, and is absolutely a goddess on the guitar, but she also has such great stage presence. Check her out because she'll blow your mind!

6. I love acts like Tegan and Sara because they are big enough to put on a great concert, but not sell-outs either.

Images from my night at the Diamond Fork Hot Springs

Jacque, Jayme and I at the Diamond Fork Hot Springs, in Utah drinking some delicious home brews while relaxing in the natural sulfate pools! Just one way I am making some changes in my life.

My small, life changes!

So graduate school has been kicking butt all year and frankly I am so tired of it. Luckily this term is over on April 29th and I couldn't be more excited that it is only one month away! While I am loving graduate school, school was starting to make me unhappy. I felt like I was pushing myself further, and further underwater until I could not breath anymore. It wasn't until I was able to make up to the surface to take a breath, that I realized I needed a change.

While my changes are very small, they have helped me so much. I recommend doing any of the following if you too need a change and need a way to boost your happiness. I started a wall "Today I am grateful for" in my room and I post something new everyday. Today I am grateful for rock climbing outside, enjoying nature and the beautiful mountains around me. While most posts are not that lavish, each post brings a smile to my face every time I look at it. It's hard to believe a little sticky note goes that far. I also decided that one week night, I am not doing any homework or school related activity and taking that night to really do something fun. Last Wednesday I went to a concert at one of my favorite concert venues in Salt Lake where I saw two excellent bands. For sure this Friday I am going to the hot springs, but hopefully i'll get to do something else with some friends prior to that. To follow that rule, I also am spending half a day on the weekends doing something fun, and non-school related as well. Today was that day! I completed my first multi-pitch climb outside and it was awesome. It was a beautiful, clear, and fun day!

Those three little changes in my life has kept me motivated, happy and excited to work and engage in school the rest of the week! So if you were like me, a bit unhappy and feeling like your life was so mundane, then make a few small changes in your life. Try something new! Play in a rec league, or even take a 10 minute walk everyday! Life is too short to be unhappy and to feel burnt out!

Concerts and a new band!

Tired of listening to the same old bands, and artists? Well if you (like I was) then you should check out the following band: The MoonDoggies.

The MoonDoogies which is a mixture of rock, folk, and blues. They are from Seattle (of course they are) and really are very talented. I recently saw them in Salt Lake, and impressed me beyond belief. The band consists of a drummer, bassist, lead guitarist, singer and piano/keyboardist. The lead guitarist also plays a mean harmonica as well. They know how to bring it down a few keys and play a bit more of the mellow folk tunes, but then they also know how and when to turn it up and play more rock. All members of the band are extremely talented musicians. They will keep you rocking, dancing and feeling funky all night long.

Check out their myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/themoondoggies

or

Website: www.moondoggiesmusic.com

This post has also reminded me how much I love going to concerts, especially very intimate shows. I am doing my best trying to explore more of the venues, and music scene that SLC has to offer. The venue that The Moondoggies played at is awesome. For those of us that are a bit poor at the moment, this venue is great. Most day of show tickets are $10.00 and usually no ticketing fee! If you want to have a frosty beverage while listening to some rad music, well a beer (delicious and on tap) at The State Room only costs $4.00 max. Oh I love concerts!

From one NCLB advocate to a critic all within 4 years

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124209100

Finally one of the former advocates, supporters and backers of NCLB (No Child Left Behind) has come to her senses and realized how awful of a program we have in place in our public school system. Diane Ravitch once a conservative advocate has changed her opinion about NCLB.

In a recent interview on NPR she stated, " I was known as a conservative advocate of many of these policies," Ravitch says. "But I've looked at the evidence and I've concluded they're wrong. They've put us on the wrong track. I feel passionately about the improvement of public education and I don't think any of this is going to improve public education."

She finally has seen the "real" results of NCLB, which have turned our education system into another capitalist enterprise where our schools compete against each other vs. work together to help our students. Instead of our schools acting like one big family, they act like different sporting teams, whom are all trying to win the championship- and will do anything to win it. Instead of sharing resources, having engaging conversations about what type of assessments work or ways to help promote good behavior, schools hide that information so they can "win" over the other local neighborhood school.

Her change of heart emerged in Nov. 2006 when she went to a conference in DC where she heard a doxen or so scholars present their analyses of NCLB's remedies. It was at this conference where she realized that NCLB was actually a FAILURE. The conference examined whether the major remedies that were presented in NCLB were effective. Was the NCLB "workbook" working? The presentations that day demonstrated that the state education departments were submerged deeply into new bureaucratic requirements, procedures and routines and the NCLB remedies were not making a difference otherwise.

It was the collection of data from this conference that was so convincing. Initially NCLB wanted to give each student, or family a choice. Give them the opportunity to switch schools if a student was at a failing school. While this all sounded excellent and very helpful- it did not happen in most states, or it happened at alarming rates. In California for example, less than 1 percent of eligible students in "failing" schools asked to transfer to another school. Most districts had only one school at each grade level, and the state's urban districts did not have enough seats available. Many scholars questioned whether choice was even a successful strategy, because many found that choice had little or no effect on student achievement.

Even if choice was a good strategy most students were not transferring schools because no letter informing parents of their rights was ever delivered. Something else that the conference brought up was the most parents did not want their children to leave the neighborhood school, even if the Federal Government offered and promised a better school.

Another aspect to this choice was Free after-school tutoring, and again did not provide any sufficient evidence that NCLB was helping struggling students. The problem with this choice was how few students actually qualified for this service. Only 7% of all students in CA. were eligible and received tutoring. 7% that is it.

I could go on and on about all the failings of NCLB that were brought up from this conference, but that would just continue to bore everyone. The point is that one of the biggest proponents of NCLB has finally admitted how bad of a program it is. With her book out and continual discussions of why it is a bad program maybe change can finally come our way. Maybe a totally new program that really helps to close the gap of achievement can actually be created and implemented into our system. Maybe I am just being a bit too optimistic, but I am really hoping and advocating for change! For my sake as a future Special Education teacher, and for our future students as well!

A poem for thought

Untitled

I used to have you more than friends.

I used to have, hold and love you but that all came to an end.

It seems like I am not everything you need.

Do I want what we used to have, now that depends.

All I must do now is let my heart mend.

From an aspiring writer, to a published author!

I can officially add the title of "published author" and "published photographer" onto the list of accomplishments that I have already had in my 24 years of life. Wow, how freaking cool is that? Honestly it has been a dream of mine to "make it big" with my writing. While I was so excited when The Oregon Coast Magazine featured a writing piece of mine in their magazine, I am even more excited with the fact that I co-wrote a book. A BOOK! I am so grateful, and so zealous to have had the opportunity to engage in the process of writing a book, never mind the chance to get it published.

Today was such a surreal experience for myself seeing my name on a book, as well as my picture. I kind of felt like Sandra Bullock after she won an Oscar for Best Actress from her beautiful performance in the Blindside. She was so humble, so gracious and so surprised--that is excatly how I felt today! Okay so maybe I did not have a lavish and absolutely stunning gown on, but I did have my awesome blue rain boots on after a field trip with fourth graders to The Great Salt Lake. A girl in my MAT program bought the book and then asked me to sign it. She actually wanted my AUTOGRAPH....mine! That was the first time anyone has ever asked me for my autograph and let me just say how cool of an experience that was. It's not everyday that someone wants your autograph.

Another surreal moment was when I read the first review on Amazon about the baseball book that I co-wrote. I could not believe that this stranger gave us five stars to start out his review. He was so complimentary, so honest and so nice. While I know all book reviews will not be that complimentary, it was a great way to start the process off.

I am so humbled, so happy and feel so incredibly blessed right now to have been given this great opportunity. Getting published is one of the hardest things, and here I am at 24 published. I feel like I am living a dream. Hopefully there will be other publications to come in the future, including at least one children's book.

I officially can cross getting published off my entire life bucket list. Yes, I feel so empowered when I can cross off something on my personal life list.

relationships

Throughout our whole lives we enter into new relationships, some of them last and some of them do not. We begin dating a new guy, or a new girl. We make a new friend, have a new roommate or start a new relationship with a new pet. When a new relationship starts, we (mostly meaning I) get caught up in it. What can I say I am a passionate person! Once I am passionate about someone, it's hard for me not to fully emerge myself in that relationship. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with this, it can bring up some issues. Issues that I have recently realized and am now trying to mend.

I was recently in a relationship with a boy, which abruptly ended last night to be exact. But during my time in this relationship I really put so many other things in my life on hold for him and for us. Things like: my friends, my family, my "Jenna" time and even lessened by quality of some work for graduate school. I did not go snowboarding as much as I wanted to, nor did I go out dancing and such like I used to. Basically I was still this insanely busy person, but insanely busy with school and my boyfriend. I gave up so much for us and now that us is no more.

With my newly found single status again, (which is what I know best) I realized and decided what relationships are really worth being passionate over. When I was in a relationship with Zac I neglected my relationships with my friends. While I might not have very many friends in Utah, the one's I do have I cherish. Yet here I was neglecting all that I cherished. So I have reset my pritorities, and my passions towards working to develop and improve all of my friendships and family communication. While boys will come in and out my life- good friendships last forever. Good friendships show me love everyday! I live a crazy life right now so I already have limited free time, but that limited time will now be for my friends because at the end of the day they are the one's that WOULD BAIL ME OUT OF JAIL if I needed it.

So here is to all my wonderful friends may our relationships just continue to grow with happiness and love. While I may be a bit sad about my ending boyfriend relationship with Zac, I hope that we can begin a new friendship relationship when the time is right of course.

To fire an entire school administration is that the answer?

POLL Question of the day: What is the best way to remove incompetent teachers?

The reason I am posing this question to you all is because of the events that took place in Central Falls Rhode Island where the entire school administration was dismissed after years of school failure. Seventy-four teachers and 19 staff members will lose their jobs in a former-mill town with an unemployment rate of 13. 8 percent. While change is definitely needed towards improving the all the schools, but especially the high school, firing every teacher may not be the right approach. Central Falls H.S. graduate rate is less than 50% and only 7 percent are efficient in mathematics according to an article in the Central Falls Journal, which appeared in the NY Times.

While this approach of firing entire school administrations is not a new one, rather low-performing districts in New York and Chicago did the same, is it the best answer? It's hard for me to think that all 74 teachers were bad teachers, that just cannot be the truth. I think school district board members are always looking to blame teachers first for a school's failure, when that might not always be the case. I think we need to blame the system of how we run our schools, how we value teachers, and the passage of NCLB (No Child Left Behind) as big pieces to this failure pie.

For most of these kids, these teachers were family to them. This town is stricken by high unemployment, poverty, and broken families. By firing the entire staff, the state, the board is hurting the kids. That is what makes articles like this so upsetting because you are affecting the students in so many ways. Just because you change teachers, it does not necessarily mean that the problem will be solved.

Bringing in Teach for America teachers, as the article suggested does not mean good changes will necessarily occur. I really hope that good change is on the way, but who really knows. In my opinion, most Teach for America teachers are inexperienced and under qualified. What this district needs are talented, highly qualified, experienced, well-balanced and emotionally strong teachers and administration. If the district does not hire these type of teachers, then the district should at least pay and help those "bad" teachers improve.

Even with a strong facility, a school district like Central Falls still needs adequate funding to even have a chance for succeeding. In most districts throughout the country they rely on property taxes as the main source of revenue to run the public school districts. Well if you live in a town with an unemployment rate of 13.8% and a high poverty rate, how is a district supposed to have an adequate amount of money to run its schools? You cannot simply blame the administration for underachieving school, rather you must look at the entire picture. By having 74 more unemployed people in the town just adds to this budget deficit that the district is seeing.

Why not work with the teachers and administration that is already there to help them improve their teaching abilities. Why not figure out why these kids are not graduating from high school versus just firing an entire staff. I think the school board looked for a "quick fix" to the problem that has multiple layers. Why not ask the kids why they are not graduating? After reading this article so many kids talked about how these teachers were such inspirations or family to them. These kids want to succeed, but they are in a hard environment. The high school is carrying such an intense burden and I do not think that the board really sees that.

In order to fix our public school's we need to see the entire picture of why schools fail versus just saying that a new administration will have success. We need to stop putting band-aids on a broken system, and start fixing the broken system from the ground up.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/25/education/25central.html

WH PHOTO and history lesson

Okay for all of you that have never been to the White House, let me show you a bit more of it!

Each president has his portrait painted after the conclusion of each man's presidency. Obviously, this portrait is of 40th President Ronald Reagan.

This was the ninth, and final attempt to capture Reagan's true personality. Nancy was the one who insisted that Reagan's "sparkling smile" be captured in the portrait. Finally on the ninth attempt, it was captured to her liking.

This by far is the best portrait of all! Mrs. Reagan had fabulous taste and she seems like quite the persistent woman.

2/09/10 a day to remember!

Here is a picture of myself posing next to a painted-portrait of "LadyBird" Johnson in the White House. Yes I was an invited guest into the White House yesterday, and it was a day that I will never forget! I am 24 years old and I have not just seen the the White House, but I was an invited guest as well, wow I could a die a happy woman with that experience alone.

I was a volunteer/chaperon for this event hosted by the Obama's called A Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement: In Performance at the White House. This event featured a live concert with performances by Smokey Robinson, The Freedom Fighters, Jennifer Hudson, Bob Dylan, and John Mellencamp just to name a few of the artists. If you don't know who Yolanda Adams is, then look her up because she was the highlight of the entire show! She is a Gospel Singer that can sing anyone's heart out. This concert may seen on PBS Thursday night.

The day also included educational experience for 112 high schoolers from selected high schools across the nation. These lucky kids were chosen to take part in a journey learning about how music empowered, strengthened and inspired different Civil Rights Movements all across the country in the 1960s. The journey included a new documentary created by Danny Glover, a press conference with Smokey Robinson and other musical guests as well as the First Lady.

But the beauty of life is that always takes interesting twists and turns on you, even when you are organized to a tee. Well life might not have taken a different turn, but the weather in Washington DC sure did! DC is experiencing it's worst snow storm since 1899. While the city was closed even before our arrival on Monday due to blizzard like conditions, with storm conditions worsening on Wednesday. Wednesday (today) was supposed to be the day that the education program and concert were supposed to be happening. While we all were expecting snow, we were not expecting a BLIZZARD. But as they say in Hollywood...the show must go on!

The show did go on, a day earlier a few musicians and high schools short! We moved all of the program to yesterday and ran it to the best of our ability. I was in charge of conducting a press conference, which actually in turn ended up being a lecture-story time about music and the civil rights told through the voices of some of the artists performing. It was so amazing to hear countless stories from these musicians that not just lived through this period, but were actively engaged in the whole process.

I think the best part of the day was seeing the kids so inspired, so fascinated and so thankful to be part of this experience, and of course shaking hands and waving to the President and the First Lady too! For one girl it was her first time outside of California and here she was in the White House. For another girl it was the chance to meet Smokey Robinson, an idle of hers because he was like a brother to the late and great Michael Jackson. Talking with one boy yesterday changed his life! But for an entire group of mostly boys and mostly African-American yesterday was the chance to show off their brand-new, savvy, outfits, scarfs, and hats all donated by the LA Kings because these students did not own nice outfits and could not afford them! It was a chance for those boys to truly witness a dream. For a group of students from Lakewood, Ohio they were invited to sit close to the President and First Lady during the concert. I remember seeing one boy so happy, he had tears in his eyes. It was moments like that, that made yesterday special and continue to inspire and motivate myself to become a teacher.

Overall this was one amazing, heartwarming, rejunviating, special and beautiful days of my life! I was so blessed to not only have the opportunity to go to the White House, but I met the President, the First Lady and saw 112 high-schoolers lives change as well. Wow what a day!

Information about purchasing my book!

Hey everyone:

So I wrote a baseball book with my father (if you didn't know) and it comes out in about a month a half now. The release date of the book is March 9, 2010 just in time for the start of the 2010 Major League Baseball season. I know you all want to support me but times are hard right now and money is tight, which is why I am sharing this great news. If you pre-order my book through Amazon right now you can save $5.10 off the cover price, which reduces the price of book to $10.85! This is a great deal at the moment. If you were to buy two books at $10.85 you might even qualify for free shipping. Amazon gives free shipping for a purchase of $25.oo or over, and with tax you are probably looking at a final cost of around $25.00.

I know many of you are not baseball fans and that is okay. I am sure however, you have a friend, or maybe a father, mother, brother, boyfriend or girlfriend that is a baseball fan and would love a copy. Father's day is in June and this book might be a perfect gift for that holiday.

I know that the few of you that read this blog are great friends and I would really appreciate the support. I worked draft, after draft on helping my dad write this book and I am proud to present the final draft to all of you. I spent the entire 2009 summer and a few extra months, and winter break making sure this book turned out the best it could possibly be and I hope you not only support me, but love it as much I loved writing it!

Here is the link: http://www.amazon.com/Baseball-Fans-Bucket-List-Experience/dp/076243855X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1264359953&sr=8-1

Thank you for the support! I love all of you so much.

For the love of idioms

The English language is really complex as we all know and studied. I cannot believe how many words are borrowed from other languages. But one area of the English language that I am really fond of are idioms. Guess you can say they are the apple in my eye, or even a doozy. Seriously though, how great are they?

While my love for idioms has always been in my heart, I am finally releasing and sharing that love. I LOVE IDIOMS!

If you love idioms like I do, then you should check out this website because it shares some of American English's best idioms. http://www.idiomsite.com/

So my goal is to use an idiom a day. Today I used two, the first idiom I used was "Wow I have completely run out of steam..." and that was in preface to ending my day at elementary school in a 4th grade classroom and having to be so energized and excited when I was exhausted. I also talked to my mom about how I felt under the weather as well.

Hopefully tomorrow's idiom will have a bit more positivity attached to it. However, I am going to an education workshop over going skiing in fresh powder. I sound like I am no fun after admitting that. Oh well, what can you do? I guess I have my pritorities all in order. Wow I am growing up!

SO cheers to one of English languages best parts of speech.

Hold your glasses high for IDIOMS!

Seize that dream!

I was so depressed after reading in the local paper that Utah has the worst air quality in the U.S. Seriously you should see it outside for the last few weeks, UGLY! My precious lungs are inhaling so many gross pollutants and molecules. Not only that, but the snow fall this year has been minimal, which is even more depressing for all of us skiers and boarders. I feel bad for those people that moved out here solely to ski this year. I would recommend going to the Northwest where it has been dumping the whole year. Hopefully we'll check up eventually especially because some of us need to make use of our season pass! This is a random paragraph yes I know, but two topics that have been on my mind as of late.

On a happier note, my MAT classes this term are awesome. Since I am focusing on special education rather than elementary education (grant it I am getting endorsements in both) I am only in three method classes; science, math and language arts versus all six of them at the same time. I am also taking two special education classes as well. I just got a school placement to one of my favorite elementary schools in Salt Lake City! I cannot wait to get started in that school. I will be working with the special education teacher and I hope it will be a positive learning experience. I have heard excellent things about her so I am keeping my fingers crossed. What I am really looking forward to is working in two different after school programs this term. I think after school programs are a vital aspect towards helping our future children stay in school, build confidence, and keep them from engaging in RISKY behavior like drugs and gangs. I have a dream of starting my own after school program once I become a teacher, so having the opportunity to work in some will so helpful.

Since money is tight, I had to get a job on top of all the other requirements I have in my life. But I didn't want to settle on any job, I wanted one that could help build my resume and give me experience. So I created a profile on www.care.com which is a free sight to post a profile, resume, background check, and references for pet sitting, day care, special needs care, tutoring, housecleaning, and helping senior citizens. I applied for tutoring and special needs jobs constantly but no messages were sent back to me until last week. I was messaged by this mother who has a three and a half year old son with autism. She has these therapy sessions five days a week, for two hours each day working to improve the four cognitive areas that he is developmentally slower in. She wants me to be one of two tutors for her son Bryceson! I went to her house and observed one of the therapy sessions and was completely blown away. Before winter break I was starting to doubt if I wanted to become a special education teacher, and just observing him for two hours and seeing what the program was liked reaffirmed by desire and my dream to teach special education. Seriously I am born to teach kids like Bryceson and help turn them into the best students, and persons they can be. Working in this program allows me to work one-on-one through using positive, verbal reinforcement, help to develop and better different cognitive areas that he struggles with as well as get first hand experience working with a child that has autism. I will be collecting data on the interventions I try with him like a real special educator in a classroom! The coolest part to all of this is that I get to watch him grow up and see all the improvements he has made as well over the course of my time with him. I am so blessed to have been given such a wonderful opportunity. He is the cutest kid too and he loves to climb and I like to climb so we'll be a perfect match!

So while this term will kick my butt, it will also be so much fun. My friend Sean (whom just moved to Thailand to seize an opportunity and pursue his dream of becoming a professional blogger) basically wrote that we all need to be doing things that make us happy, and we need to take advantage of opportunities that come our way and I am doing that! He also went on to say that we should go after all of our dreams in life and not settle on something that does not make us happy and I totally agree. I am going after the career aspiration of my dream and I am having so much fun learning how to become a teacher that I could scream. Here I thought school could never be fun, but man was I wrong about that! So I am going to spread his message: GO AFTER YOUR DREAMS, GET THAT JOB THAT YOU HAVE ALWAYS WANTED! If I can do it, anyone can do it!

Cheers to you all and good luck my friends. Let me know the steps you are taking towards seizing your opportunities and following your dreams and I'll keep you posted on my progress as well

Marriage, what a joke! (Well at least for right now)

Since I live in Utah talking about marriage isn't really that big of an issue- actually it's the norm for us who are still in our early 20s. Everyone is obsessed with getting engaged, or becoming married and frankly it's starting to make me feel sick to my stomach. Westminster College (my graduate school) prides itself on being this great liberal arts school that is progressive, independent and a school to really help us for our futures even supports this notion that getting married when we are young in our 20s in totally cool and progressive. Heck I have seen two different bridal magazines in the bookstore. COME ON, are you serious?

Only in Utah I would say, but the truth is this type of attitude is everywhere. So many of my friends from high school, from college and now from Utah have either recently gotten in engaged or have recently gotten married. WE are only 23, 24 and 25. While I support all of them and am so happy for them, it's a bit ridiculous. People have told me recently that I am just bitter because I am not one of those 24 year olds that is engaged or married, well I AM NOT BITTER and I AM NOT JEALOUS. Honestly I have my whole life to get married. I am only 24 once and I have bigger plans, dreams and aspirations to experience then getting married. We are in our ideal time in our lives to travel, to move, and to continue our path towards our career aspirations. THIS IS IT! This is the time we have to be "selfish" for ourselves. If I want to go to Peru for language school this summer for a few months, I can without having to consult anyone else. That might sound really selfish of me, but that what this time is for.

I am attending graduate school right now for Teaching and I couldn't be more happy. I am following my dreams! When I told my dad that I wanted to get my Masters in Teaching he wasn't too happy because he wanted me to work in sports. He said "Jenna you should work in sports, you are so talented and you would be really good at working in Sports Information." Well I tried that and hated it, so instead of staying in a career I hated I moved on. Now if I was married or engaged I might have stayed put working in the sports world. I am currently living my life the way I want to live it, and I couldn't be happier.

When you live your life the way you want to live it, good things happen. I do have an amazing boyfriend who maybe in the future I could see marrying, but definitely not right now! My goals involve becoming a special education teacher, traveling to South America to go to language school to better my spanish, become a better rock climber, visit old friends whom I rarely see anymore like Sarah Lake and continue to have random adventures. Heck I want to be FINANICAL stable before I even consider marriage. So while there are tons of us 24 year olds that feel a lot of pressure to get married, resist it and continue to do the things that you want to do in your life to MAKE YOU HAPPY! If marriage would make you find bliss, then get married. Get married for you versus society, religion, friends, or even your significant other because at the end of the day its YOU that needs to be happy, feel accomplished and feel good.

So for all those single gals you don't need to put a ring on it. Travel, visit friends, laugh, go for your dreams prior to putting a ring on it!

2010 looking better than 2009

As 2009 faded away in the clear, blue, full moon sky 2010 entered with new hopes, dreams, and a chance to continue to work on the things in our lives we value and care about. 

In 2010, I hope to finally after many years stop biting my nails for good. 

I hope to continue to spend time with those people in my life that make me smile and constantly bring joy into my life, and lose those people that make me feel sad. 

I want to read one non-related school book every month of this year. 

I also want to travel to three new places that I have never been too this year. 

  (Hopefully one of the places will be out of the country!)

I want to work and improve my Spanish speaking skills. 

I want to run a marathon or complete another triathlon. 

Lastly...I want to have fun everyday of this year and continue to try new things!