It's been great working with the Urban Alliance staff. I have gained so much valuable knowledge. As we conclud our internships, we countinue to use the skills that we have learned in the future. Thankyou to all the interns who contributed there wonderful thoughts on the blog. I shantel Pimble am pleased to present my final post. Another intern will takeover the blog in October and countinue to keep the blog up and running.
Thanks so Much!! :)
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
"Getting Interviewed"
Last Friday myself and some of my fellow UA students had the opportunity to get interviewed by a reporter. She was interested in how students felt about Mayor Fenty and the recent school takeover. I was happy to be in the presence of a reporter because finally we could get our voices heard. All this time we have been going to school and enduring this nonsense of not having enough books, or the unkempt atmosphere of our school. This was an opportunity to tell those who are in charge what we really face behind closed school doors.
At first I thought it was going to be intimidating but it went smoother than I predicted. I felt like a famous person getting interviewed. There was a camera lady who would take our pictures as we talked to the reporter. The reporter took notes on what we said to include in her article that will appear in the Washington Post.
Everyone sat around the table giving their insight or describing how they feel about things. We all approved of Mayor Fenty and we hope that he made the right choice when he chose Ms. Rhee as chancellor. A lot of people doubt her ability to produce real change because she has no superintendent experience. I believe as long as she can stop everyone from saying what they are going to do and start actually putting it into play, then I am happy that she is apart of the team. So, hopefully we will see results soon, and DCPS can be what a school system should be like.
If you where in my situation how would you react?
What’s one thing you would have said about our school?
Do you think what we participated in will bring change? If so how?
At first I thought it was going to be intimidating but it went smoother than I predicted. I felt like a famous person getting interviewed. There was a camera lady who would take our pictures as we talked to the reporter. The reporter took notes on what we said to include in her article that will appear in the Washington Post.
Everyone sat around the table giving their insight or describing how they feel about things. We all approved of Mayor Fenty and we hope that he made the right choice when he chose Ms. Rhee as chancellor. A lot of people doubt her ability to produce real change because she has no superintendent experience. I believe as long as she can stop everyone from saying what they are going to do and start actually putting it into play, then I am happy that she is apart of the team. So, hopefully we will see results soon, and DCPS can be what a school system should be like.
If you where in my situation how would you react?
What’s one thing you would have said about our school?
Do you think what we participated in will bring change? If so how?
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
"College Panel of Alumni students"
What do you think about the college panel that came out to talk to us on Friday?
The alumni students gave out some good information that we could benefit from when we go off to college. Some tips that the college students gave out was to take courses that are transferable. You don’t want to transfer into a school and all your credits don’t go along with you, let alone pay for the courses that would be irrelevant to your major or irrelevant to your transfer. The other tips were to get to know your professors. There are some professors that care about your education and there are some ones that are there just to make that money. For we all heard that college is a business and whether you play with it or be serious, your money is still getting taken away. Some professors don’t care whether you come to class or not. It’s hard to believe but some professors would have the audacity to threaten you into not taking their course or making you think that you are not going to pass. Have you ever felt like a teacher didn’t care about your education?
We hear people talk about college a lot but you don’t here or see certain things until you actually experience it for yourself. It can be hard or it can be easy, it all depends on how adaptive you are. No more having people tell you what to do; you now make the rules for yourself. Some get home sick but others can wait to get away. This panel helped us get more knowledge of what to expect and learn throughout our college experience.
-What are some things that you were shock to hear that happen in college?
- Was the college panel useful?
The alumni students gave out some good information that we could benefit from when we go off to college. Some tips that the college students gave out was to take courses that are transferable. You don’t want to transfer into a school and all your credits don’t go along with you, let alone pay for the courses that would be irrelevant to your major or irrelevant to your transfer. The other tips were to get to know your professors. There are some professors that care about your education and there are some ones that are there just to make that money. For we all heard that college is a business and whether you play with it or be serious, your money is still getting taken away. Some professors don’t care whether you come to class or not. It’s hard to believe but some professors would have the audacity to threaten you into not taking their course or making you think that you are not going to pass. Have you ever felt like a teacher didn’t care about your education?
We hear people talk about college a lot but you don’t here or see certain things until you actually experience it for yourself. It can be hard or it can be easy, it all depends on how adaptive you are. No more having people tell you what to do; you now make the rules for yourself. Some get home sick but others can wait to get away. This panel helped us get more knowledge of what to expect and learn throughout our college experience.
-What are some things that you were shock to hear that happen in college?
- Was the college panel useful?
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
"Public speaking challlenge"
As you all know the Public Speaking Challenge is just weeks away. Are you ready to engage yourself in this end of the year event? I hope that you all are. Now you can finally brag about the things that you did at your worksite and the cool and exciting people that you were able to meet. You will be surrounded by a various group of community members including your friends, mentor(s), program coordinators, and judges. All theses people will be there to support you and hear how you progressed throughout the year.
Don’t be nervous, just practice, practice, practice! The more you practice the better presenter you become. The PowerPoint presentation will consist of many different prizes including a $100 bonus for a highly scored presentation. Even though the program is about to end for us, you can still use what you have learned and apply it to your everyday world. Beginning this program, most of us only expected a job and a paycheck. But after experiencing what we’ve experienced in the world of work, we can better understand and expect what we want out of life.
UA has helped taught us about networking, with these presentations we can pass it on to someone else. Practice makes perfect!!
What rating would you expect to get on your presentation?
How prepared do you think you are?
What are some things that would make your presentation more appealing?
Don’t be nervous, just practice, practice, practice! The more you practice the better presenter you become. The PowerPoint presentation will consist of many different prizes including a $100 bonus for a highly scored presentation. Even though the program is about to end for us, you can still use what you have learned and apply it to your everyday world. Beginning this program, most of us only expected a job and a paycheck. But after experiencing what we’ve experienced in the world of work, we can better understand and expect what we want out of life.
UA has helped taught us about networking, with these presentations we can pass it on to someone else. Practice makes perfect!!
What rating would you expect to get on your presentation?
How prepared do you think you are?
What are some things that would make your presentation more appealing?
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
"Weather vs. Professionalism"
It’s hot and you want to stay professional and be cool at the same time. How do you do that? I know that this is a challenge for many but it can be done. Don’t think about the heat, concentrate on making a good impression by the way you dress and carry yourself. Here are some heat friendly ways in which we can apply this to our everyday work wear.
For the ladies you could put on a nice knee length skirt and a tank top. Some of us are not fortunate to get rides so we have to catch the Metro. You could where your tank tops walking to work and have a little sweater in your bag or purse to put on when you’re working in the office. For the shoes you could where nice flat shoes or nice pair of sandals that you can be comfortable in and look professional at the same time.
For the Fella’s it’s all about less dress. If it’s a hundred degrees outside, you don’t want to come to work with a full suit on. You could simply where a button up shirt, short sleeves and some nice cool slacks. Light colors matter. Try to wear light colored slacks and not black because black carries heat. The office is always cold so you don’t have to worry about being hot in the workplace only going to and from work.
- How do you survive with heat?
- Do you think there should be less pressure for interns to dress up?
- Do you feel that the same rule applies to everyone?
For the ladies you could put on a nice knee length skirt and a tank top. Some of us are not fortunate to get rides so we have to catch the Metro. You could where your tank tops walking to work and have a little sweater in your bag or purse to put on when you’re working in the office. For the shoes you could where nice flat shoes or nice pair of sandals that you can be comfortable in and look professional at the same time.
For the Fella’s it’s all about less dress. If it’s a hundred degrees outside, you don’t want to come to work with a full suit on. You could simply where a button up shirt, short sleeves and some nice cool slacks. Light colors matter. Try to wear light colored slacks and not black because black carries heat. The office is always cold so you don’t have to worry about being hot in the workplace only going to and from work.
- How do you survive with heat?
- Do you think there should be less pressure for interns to dress up?
- Do you feel that the same rule applies to everyone?
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
"School Takeover"
I think Mayor Fenty taking over the DC public schools is a great idea. Maybe we could actually get better teachers, newer books, safer and cleaner environments. This would also eliminate the teachers who are not actually doing their jobs. We need teachers who would come to work to teach and not come to make friends with the students. Having Mayor Fenty in the office to make sure students receive good teachers would not only help the school system but it would also help change the learning environment. Here are some links to different articles where Mayor Fenty talks about the new DCPS chancellor and more in depth information on the takeover.
Links:
1. 20 Questions to Ask the New School Chief
2. An Even Bigger School Bureaucracy
3. D.C. Schools Investigation
4. Longtime D.C. School Woes Eclipsed Board's Triumphs
Questions:
1. What do you think of Mayor Fenty’s choice for the new chancellor, Michelle Rhee?
2. What type of impact do you think this will make on students?
3. Do you think teachers should start getting full background checks before they are allowed to teach?
4. Do you think Rhee will last?
5. Do you think Mayor Fenty should have told Superintendent Clifford B. Janey in person first and before announcing the takeover to the public?
Links:
1. 20 Questions to Ask the New School Chief
2. An Even Bigger School Bureaucracy
3. D.C. Schools Investigation
4. Longtime D.C. School Woes Eclipsed Board's Triumphs
Questions:
1. What do you think of Mayor Fenty’s choice for the new chancellor, Michelle Rhee?
2. What type of impact do you think this will make on students?
3. Do you think teachers should start getting full background checks before they are allowed to teach?
4. Do you think Rhee will last?
5. Do you think Mayor Fenty should have told Superintendent Clifford B. Janey in person first and before announcing the takeover to the public?
Thursday, June 14, 2007
"Is Technology really the Future"
The way technology affects metro can totally put a turn on the future. For an example with metro you find more inconvience while riding a bus or a train today than ever. No one ever knows what the cause of breakdowns is and delays; all they do is keep apologizing to customers who ride them. We hear them apologizing but we never see anything being done about the situation. The ones who operate these machines know that it has also caused problems in their work performance.
They claim that they are using the money to enhance new technologies to make it better but it seem as if it’s only getting worse. I think they are just using that money and putting it into the pockets of the workers that operate the machines. What they need to be doing is using that money to get new machinery instead of holding on to the old ones. The buses and trains can only hold up for so long. It seem like there are more problems happening more so now than it did ten years ago. The more you use them the less accurate it becomes over time.
We are always paying for more smart trips but trains are steadily coming to the station late. Metro is something that we need in order to travel from place to place but how can we depend on the metro when it’s always breaking down. Riders are not being able to rely on the train and the bus to get to their destination on time. This issue just by pass because their always money involved in the situation and they say getting the necessary money takes time.
Do you as a customer riding metro trust that technology is really the future?
Would you be more cautious when you use or ride these new technologies that they are making so rapidly today?
They claim that they are using the money to enhance new technologies to make it better but it seem as if it’s only getting worse. I think they are just using that money and putting it into the pockets of the workers that operate the machines. What they need to be doing is using that money to get new machinery instead of holding on to the old ones. The buses and trains can only hold up for so long. It seem like there are more problems happening more so now than it did ten years ago. The more you use them the less accurate it becomes over time.
We are always paying for more smart trips but trains are steadily coming to the station late. Metro is something that we need in order to travel from place to place but how can we depend on the metro when it’s always breaking down. Riders are not being able to rely on the train and the bus to get to their destination on time. This issue just by pass because their always money involved in the situation and they say getting the necessary money takes time.
Do you as a customer riding metro trust that technology is really the future?
Would you be more cautious when you use or ride these new technologies that they are making so rapidly today?
Thursday, May 31, 2007
"Prom is Over time for Graduation"
High School Graduation could be a scary feeling and it also could be a good feeling. It all depends on the plan that you have after graduation once all the celebration is over. What fits you - college, trade school, join the army, or work? No matter what you decide to do, you have to have a strategy. No one can plan your goals for you; other people can encourage you to do a certain thing after high school but it’s up to you if you go through to choose your own desire. I challenge all of the seniors and upcoming seniors for the year 2008, how would you make sure after graduation you pursue positive changes for the rest of your life.
Some think that since they’ve graduated from high school everything is all said and done with. The road only gets tougher and tougher and it’s up to you to stay on the right path. Many people probably doubted your ability to graduate but you successfully succeeded in that area. Now its time to prove the doubters wrong again, but this time for the rest of your life. This phase is just the beginning of your life and your future.
If school was challenging for you, maybe college is not for you. But if you are a dedicated person when it comes down to fulfilling different tasks then maybe working would be good for you. No matter what you decide to do, you can still change the world for the better. Graduation is a celebration of you completing high school and moving on into the real world.
What are you going to do next?
What does graduation mean to you and what do you plan to do for the rest of your life?
Some think that since they’ve graduated from high school everything is all said and done with. The road only gets tougher and tougher and it’s up to you to stay on the right path. Many people probably doubted your ability to graduate but you successfully succeeded in that area. Now its time to prove the doubters wrong again, but this time for the rest of your life. This phase is just the beginning of your life and your future.
If school was challenging for you, maybe college is not for you. But if you are a dedicated person when it comes down to fulfilling different tasks then maybe working would be good for you. No matter what you decide to do, you can still change the world for the better. Graduation is a celebration of you completing high school and moving on into the real world.
What are you going to do next?
What does graduation mean to you and what do you plan to do for the rest of your life?
Monday, May 21, 2007
"Making History"
We all know the honorable Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who participated in the Civil Rights movement when segregation was present. His oldest child Yolanda King died on Tuesday. She was only 51 years old; she died in Santa Monica, California. She was one who used public speaking, plays, and movies to get people to understand that its time to make a change in the world. Just like her father she stood up for the rights of others, and the injustices that are still occruing this day. Yolanda King was a motivational speaker and every where she went she tried to get the message of what her father had been fighting for all his life. Yolanda felt it was her calling to further the goals her father carried during his life. She continued to do so all throughout Mississippi where she grew up at.
How many people would be willing to do something that Dr. King and his daughter Yolanda King has done for the people. The legacy does not have to stop right here. They called for the future to be different and to make the world a better place in every aspect. People that we read about in history books are leaders, but we too can be leaders. What we do for the good could change the world forever and make it more meaningful to live in. This just goes to show that life is precious and we should do something meaningful for the world before it gets too late.
Yolanda King died at an early age but the with time she spent on this earth she made a powerful impact. In conclusion, how many people think that they could walk in her shoes and lead a group of people in a positive way?
How would you inspire change?
How many people would be willing to do something that Dr. King and his daughter Yolanda King has done for the people. The legacy does not have to stop right here. They called for the future to be different and to make the world a better place in every aspect. People that we read about in history books are leaders, but we too can be leaders. What we do for the good could change the world forever and make it more meaningful to live in. This just goes to show that life is precious and we should do something meaningful for the world before it gets too late.
Yolanda King died at an early age but the with time she spent on this earth she made a powerful impact. In conclusion, how many people think that they could walk in her shoes and lead a group of people in a positive way?
How would you inspire change?
Monday, April 30, 2007
" Mario's Story"
Some of the students went to a screening on Friday for workshop. There was a boy by the name of Mario Rocha who was convicted of a murder at the age of 16, but he was innocent bystander who just got caught up in the mix by association. He let the streets and the gangs that he hung around define who he was. Mario never pictured something happening to him like this but it did and although he was innocent he was still held responsible for his actions. It took a lot of time, effort and consistence from the fellow people around him to get his voice heard.
Mario started to get the best attorneys and all the right people that he could possibly get to help him be free. His family always stood by him and they supported him because they knew that he was innocent they just had to make the judge and the victims family realize that he was indeed innocent. Mario has been on trial for over the past ten years and he is currently getting retrial early in the early part of May.
What do you think the outcome of the retrial would lead up to in court?
If you were in Mario’s shoes how you do think that you would have handled this even though you knew you was innocent?
Mario started to get the best attorneys and all the right people that he could possibly get to help him be free. His family always stood by him and they supported him because they knew that he was innocent they just had to make the judge and the victims family realize that he was indeed innocent. Mario has been on trial for over the past ten years and he is currently getting retrial early in the early part of May.
What do you think the outcome of the retrial would lead up to in court?
If you were in Mario’s shoes how you do think that you would have handled this even though you knew you was innocent?
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