Wednesday, November 17, 2010

The Inner-City ORCHkids

Reciprocity
Valerie Koury
Word Count: 270

“Not good…We heard gun shots…we had to walk the other way to school…A man died that day,” a second grade response to what is good about Baltimore.
The first time I walked into Lockerman-Bundy Elementary, my schema for an inner-city school was lost. Colorful murals filled the walls. Looks can be deceiving; I did not get my hopes up about the types of students that filled the vibrant school I would be working with. I was nervous about being down town, with flashing blue lights and meandering people. Yet, everyone at the school smiled and greeted me as if they did not notice the setting, mitigating my apprehensions.
I worked with students to complete program evaluations for ORCHkids. ORCHkids is an after-school music program that works with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra to teach children to play and to care for instruments, while providing a snack and two extra hours of care beyond the normal school day. My first day was going well, and then I met Desha. Her spirit was remarkable and rejuvenating. She and the other staff and students truly enjoy being at the school and engaging with the music. The program consists of dedicated volunteers and teachers, and hardworking students who want to be successful in music. Though the program is contingent upon limited resources and thoughtful donations of supplies, the enthusiasm for music and education is the key to the program’s success.
I never knew working with a group of inner-city students could be so rewarding and refreshing. “Music is a gift…people can use it to express themselves,” a second grader’s answer to her thoughts on music.

Point: It is important to never judge based on stereotypes; there is good and bad everywhere. Never underestimate the power of a small group’s determinism and dedication, for you may miss out on a school of opportunities and enlightenment.

Monday, November 1, 2010

It was the Best of Learning, it was the Worst of Learning


My school’s math and economics requirements made me tremble, but I had teachers that taught me methods of learning and note taking that compensated for my lack of ability and allowed for my success.               
            Those teachers also could easily identify the area to the students, as well. This sets the class room experience apart from others because a student feels like the subject is worth studying and it is more memorable because they have a concrete example they can relate to. Skilled teachers make the lesson comprehendible, but truly knowledgeable teachers engage the student, making the lesson invaluable.

(Word Count: 98)
            Most teachers strive for the success of their students, but some teachers lack basic skills that allow students to attain such. When a class revolves around reading off of power point slides, talking at me, not to me, and not engaging me at all, the chance of truly learning is lost to boredom.
Curriculums are demanding, however, students will not be successful unless they comprehend the basics before advancing. Thus, teachers should not rush into complex materials before ensuring they have covered the basics. Not taking time to adequately teach material and answer questions puts a damper on the learning experience.

(Word Count: 101)


Saturday, October 16, 2010

Intolerance Will Not Be Accepted

Intolerance Will Not Be Accepted
Valerie Koury
Word Count: 298
I was drowning; he was unaware I was gone. I had no idea that the person who would become my best friend was letting me drown at the time. This created a strong friendship. He confided in me his secret sexuality; I confided that I had a homosexual sister. I never stopped accepting him for exactly who he was, but Sam neither accepted himself, nor did he allow others to accept him. He feared rejection and ostracism from his family and peers. It was not fair to me, nor was it fair to Sam that he felt it necessary to end his life because he could not bare the overburdening acts of bullying any longer. I panicked at the thought of Sam’s potential suicide. Would I lose my best friend to the discrimination that society imposes on those who love differently?
With Sam’s life in my hands as motivation, I took an enormous leap of courage and sought help. Without revealing his homosexuality, I informed his mother about the bullying Sam had undergone. Knowing he would be unbelievably upset with me for what seems an act of betrayal and risking our friendship, I attempted to save the world from a tremendous loss.
I lost Sam as a friend that day. But losing someone as a friend is better than losing them as a person. I accepted my moral obligation to help a friend in desperate need; I would not let my friend drown in the murky water he saw as life.  
Tolerance is an objective attitude; acceptance is a fully assenting attitude. “Each person deserves [my] respect. Everyone has the right to their own opinions, but not the right to hurt people and put them down because of who they are” (Nicole King). Intolerance will not be accepted.

Belief: Acceptance.

Monday, October 11, 2010

"Be the change you want to see in the world" (Gandhi): Generation Responsibility



Whether forced or longed for, today’s generation faces great responsibility. Teens are influenced and pressured in areas of responsibility from schooling to changing the world. Craving the freedom of adults, teens pressure their parents into giving them more freedom, in turn, responsibility. Caught up in the responsibilities of their own, it is easy for parents to distribute responsibilities to their still-maturing teenagers.
Our generation engages in the idea of molding an identity amongst our peers, exemplifying the title of responsible. We are maturing more rapidly than ever, showing we can handle the responsibility, whether it is forced or longed for.
"Be the change you want to see in the world" (Gandhi)  



Word Count: 100

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Two Birds With One Stadium, Blog 5 repost

Black and orange; the colors swam through my blood stream while my mother, an Orioles fanatic, prepared me for my first baseball game. We traveled from Arkansas to Maryland to watch. Fans flock from all over the country to see “The Birds” play at Camden Yards. Thus, the Orioles stadium provides a nostalgic, family-friendly event, and an All-American tradition of watching baseball, in a stadium that has been around for as long as families remember.
You can see the stadium from a mile away; you’ve almost reached “Bird Land.”  Though every person has a different experience, each person shares one thing: walking through the stadium gate that awaits the magic. My mother and I walked through hand-in-hand; the energy was electrifying. This memory, along with countless others created with family and friends, is one reason how the Orioles stadium creates nostalgia. Not only do you remember the game itself, but you recall the path that paved that memory: the journey through the gate.
Camden Yards gathers people from all backgrounds because of the love for an All-American sport. Everyone energetically fills the stadium, feeding off of each other's energy. Camden Yards gives fans of all kinds a place to congregate and enjoy the game together.  
My mother and I rooted the Orioles to victory and we have been cheering ever since. Moments like these shape our lives. With all of the changes that people are challenged with, Camden Yards has remained, creating a sense of stability in an all-changing world.

Word Count: 250

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Two Birds with one Stadium


Black and orange; the colors swam through my blood stream while my mother, an Orioles fanatic, prepared me for my first baseball game. We traveled from Arkansas to Maryland to watch. Fans flock from all over the country to see “The Birds” play at Ripken Stadium. Thus, the Orioles stadium provides a nostalgic, family-friendly event, and an All-American tradition of watching baseball, in a stadium that has been around for as long as families remember.
You can see the stadium from a mile away; you’ve almost reached “Bird Land.”  Though every person has a different experience, each person shares one thing: walking through the stadium gate that awaits the magic. This memory, along with countless others created with family and friends, is one reason how the Orioles stadium creates nostalgia. Your spirit heightens as you look for your seat; you look around to see fellow fans all ready to experience the Orioles.
Ripken Stadium gathers people from all backgrounds because of the love for an All-American sport. Toddlers who grow into the elderly that fill the stadium can enjoy a baseball game because the stadium welcomes everyone; giving fans a place to congregate and come together to feel part of the team that represents most fans’ hometown.                
These are important aspects to consider when thinking in terms of preservation because with all of the changes that people are challenged with; the Orioles stadium has always been there, creating a sense of stability in an all-changing world.

Word Count: 246

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Shhh! My Style is Talking!

Your style is talking about you. What’s it saying? The 1960’s earrings style screamed rebellion and trite, but today’s fashion steps away from that trend, lending itself to inimitability in an evolving, not rebellious, culture.
Teens experiment with new fashions and gain a sense of their identity; political turmoil was an impetus for fashion change in the sixties. Throughout this time, “changes associated with women empowerment, various issues relating to human rights and racial equality were reflected in the acceptance” of what was once deemed extraneous fashions (1960’s Hippie Fashions). Earrings not only provided a sense of style to a woman’s outfit, but part of her inner rebel and identity that she cautiously crafted. The fashion transformed from conservative, an added flair to accentuate a woman’s dress, to a freeing style, expressing the inner beauty of a woman on the outside.
The earring fashion is now more representative rather than rebellious. Earrings represent a person’s style, revealing an inkling of personality without ever saying a word. Men and women alike have adopted the earring fashion to spotlight their outfits and their personality. There are the small pearls, conveying the message of class and sophistication; the large hoops demonstrate the glamorous, trendy style; gauges give indications of delinquency and a “punk” type of style.  
Today’s society introduces an array of fashions that are acceptable because of the welcoming society and the cultural diversity that America offers, not because of political rebellion. Earrings are a form of creative expression and can be a fun craft project, truly revealing the creator. Because today’s fashion sense follows that of the sixties, evolving from the incautious, commonplace earrings to ultimate creativity and freedom to styles, it conveys the idea that society is open to ideas that sway from the “norm,” and tolerant of differences; earring styles merely one example.
Ranging from the primitive fashion trends of Lady Gaga to the quaint, professional style of Laura Bush, today’s culture accepts all styles. Will you follow the trend or will you craft your own style? Either way, your style speaks for you; the world is your audience.



Word Count: 349

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Eccentric, Expressing, Encompassing--Earring Fashions


A 1960's style, demonstrating the fashion
of over-sized earrings.
“The bigger, the better,” always said, but lacking clarity in its reference. The 1960’s earrings style followed “the bigger, the better” trend, but today’s fashion society steps away from that trend, conveying the message of inimitability in an evolving, not rebellious, culture.
The 1960’s holds a title for bearing rebellions, especially those of fashion. During the youth years, it is normal for teenagers to experiment with new fashions and gain a sense of their identity. This exact concept is viewed in the sixties, but because of political issues. During this time, “changes associated with women empowerment, various issues relating to human rights and racial equality were reflected in the acceptance” of what was once deemed extraneous fashion (1960’s Hippie Fashions). Earrings were bulky, providing not only a sense of style to a woman’s outfit, but part of her inner rebel and identity that she cautiously crafted. The earring fashion transformed from conservative, an added flair to accentuate a woman’s dress, to a freeing style, expressing the inner beauty of a woman on the outside through large, eye-catching earrings.
     Lady Gaga, an icon and inspiration
                 in today's fashion world, 
is prided on her unique sense of style.
                Sporting a classic earring style, Gaga shows that
                        it is okay to be different, giving women a chance to
                          express their inner diva and fashion artist.

Today’s society brings about an array of fashions that are acceptable because of the mainstream society and the cultural diversity that America offers, not because of political rebellion. The fashion sense of Britney Spears and JLO in the nineties sent the message to teenage girls that they could, too, be popular and beautiful by wearing earrings that screamed attention-grabbing. Trending from the earring fashions of the sixties, the women of today’s fashion-concerned society have adopted and added to the booming style of over-sized, wild earrings. Because today’s fashion sense follows that of the sixties, evolving from the incautious, commonplace earrings to vibrant earrings, it conveys the idea that society is open to ideas that sway from the “norm,” and tolerant of differences; earring styles merely one example.
Ranging from the primitive fashion trends of Lady Gaga to the professional style of Laura Bush, today’s culture accepts all styles. Especially in places such as New York and Los Angeles, fashion headquarters, anything goes, so break out the earrings, the bigger, the better!
Word count: 349

Monday, September 13, 2010

Twirls, Loops, and Other Forms of Communication

      Twirls, loops, with precise pencil strokes across the dotted line, I carefully crafted the letters into what seemed to be jumbled mess. I was copying my name, a miniscule task to a third grader. Yet, I was impeded by a challenge: Cursive handwriting. I was scolded for not holding my pencil correctly; for not remembering how many humps went for an “m” and an “n”; for failing to not make my letters with as much precision as my peers.
      I was determined to write something, despite how illegible my handwriting looked. Writing and reading always captured my attention; I attempted to fill my insatiable thirst for knowledge by practicing writing and reading. Despite all of the learning that took place to teach me those skills, nothing had ever rattled my brain like cursive.
    That Saturday, I asked my mother to buy me a writing tablet so I could practice what I was working on in school. Mother was pleased with my determination, thus we practiced all afternoon. With her help, I conquered what seemed mission impossible. Not only could I write legibly, but I crafted each letter with the exact precision I had once strived for. No longer was I burdened by the task of writing nor was I faced with embarrassment when Mrs. Fox would compare me to my classmates.
    Twirls, loops, with precise pencil strokes, I carefully crafted the letters onto the non-dotted line, reading proudly what was a legible piece of art: my name. 

Word count: 247

Saturday, September 4, 2010

What's Your Secret? AMST Blog 1

Downtown D.C. near the Capitol Building, Pennsylvania Ave.

  “…as far as I’m concerned, I’m not here to live a normal life. I’m sent here on a mission…” (Howard Finster). Mission impossible? No way. Mission accomplished? Not yet. My mission is to help others express and embrace themselves in all of their uniqueness. I enjoy delving into the inner workings of my peers to seek out their secrets. Postsecret motivated me to see what people keep hidden away and to assist them in freeing themselves from their secrets.  And who am I, you inquire? Just your average Arab girl from Osceola, Arkansas. Howdy! I am the daughter of my Palestinian parents, fourth of five children, and a first generation student of UMBC. I am majoring in Psychology with hopes of pursuing a career in Child Life SpecializationMy passion is learning about and helping others. This summer, I volunteered at the Maryland Special Olympics, an amazingly heart-warming experience.


Word Count: 149