All Schools Should Be Free and Equal

             "Education doesn't just beat poverty,"Queen Rania of Jordan said, "it beats disease. It beats inequality. And for girls education is nothing less than a lifesaver, from insecurity and violence." Many families a year drop into poverty because one or both parents lose their jobs and can not get another due to lacking education. Also, many countries with low literacy rates tend to have turbulent governments with harsh dictators. Finally, undeveloped countries with little access to good education tend to have more criminals and insurgents. That is why I think that all schools should be free and have equal education.
             Many people can't get a job because of poor education."It is simple: The better-educated a person is — and the more education they get, the more likely they will avoid economic and social despair," said RiShawn Biddle, editor of online education magazine Dropout Nation.When less people get jobs those people continue the cycle to their children because they can't afford good education for them. This lowers countries' economies because less people are  working and more people are needing financial assistance. Also, children are more likely to dropout because they are not taught the value of education. If people were more educated we would be making more advancements in our society.
             Now that we've talked about individual effects lets move to the broader picture. Many countries suffer from harsh dictators, like in North Korea. With better education people could have more chances at democracy and other fair types of government. Right now poor countries with bad education programs have more turbulent environments. There could be less money lost fighting wars if we improved schooling in all countries.
            From the newspapers we hear of many crimes. Those rates would decrease exponentially if we just improved all public schools. People would learn more about discussion and diplomacy at school, which would decrease crime. Yet even more help would come to lowering crime rates if we just improved the schooling experience so it was valued and fun, and less people  would dropout. This way people would be too busy to partake in crime.
           Some might say that we would lose money  funding all these schools, yet money is just an object. If the whole world contributed,  we would finish in no time. Contributing more ways to keeping the world at peace. When you think of it that way there is nothing stopping us.
            For these reasons, I think that all schools should be free and have equal education. First it would help decrease poverty, Second it would stop harsh dictators' Finally crime rate would decrease greatly. Next time you complain about school, remember, as Doctor Suess said, "When you think things are bad, when you feel sour and blue, when you start to get mad... you should  think things are bad,what I do! just tell yourself Duckie, your really quite lucky! Some people are much more... oh ever so much more... oh muchly much-much more unlucky than you!"

― Dr. Seuss, Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are?

"Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are? Quotes." By Dr. Seuss. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 May 2015.

"Schools - Google Search." Schools - Google Search. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 May 2015.

Biddle, RiShawn. "Education Is the Long-term Solution for Fighting Poverty." N.p., n.d. Web. 07 May 2015.

All About Kayaks

           One spring day, to be exact March 1, 2015, my dad and I were walking along Sawmill Creek road. It was a beautiful day, one that felt like summer although it wasn't even close. The water was sparkling and the sun was beating down on my back making it pleasantly warm.

Video Link   Kayak link        You could see all the way to the sea floor near the shore when the sun hit it right, which prompted me to ask ,"Dad, will you teach me how to roll a kayak,this summer?"
             My dad has quite a bit of kayaking experience under his belt. When he was younger he kayaked to Russia from Alaska and everywhere in between. So of course he replied,"I would love to."
              I made him promise that when we practiced in the ocean we would do it on a warm day and he agreed.
             We walked on and he explained the principles of rolling a kayak to me . "Do you know," he asked,"that you aren't trying to get on top of the kayak, you are trying to get the kayak under you."
            "Like a unicycle?"I added. Thinking back to the time when my family and I had attempted to learn how to ride unicycles (my dad's crazy idea).
            "Yes," he replied. He then went on to explain how you use your body more than the paddle, and how the water is like the substance "ooblik" (a mixture of cornstarch and water) which feels hard when you move quickly and soft when you move slowly. After a little while we discussed different types of kayak rolling, and the best types of kayaks to use.
               " What do traditional Eskimo kayaks look like?" I said.
                My dad replied, " They sit really low in the water and are narrow and used to be made of animal skin."                                                    
              "So they would float?" I said.
              "Yes, so they would float," he answered.
               We talked some more about kayak physics.
              " What are the different types of kayak rolling?" I asked.
              "One handed, two handed, and no handed."he replied.
               "Can you do no handed?"I questioned.
               " No." he said, "but I can do one handed."
               I remembered back to a picture I had seen of him kayak rolling. It had looked tricky, but since many people can do it, it must not be that hard.
              " How long does it take to learn?" I asked.
              My dad answered," Not very long for two handed, but a bit longer for one handed, and a lot longer for no handed."
              " I think that I am gonna start with two handed." I added.
              " That is a good choice." He agreed
              " May I use the green and blue kayak." I said.
              " Of course." He said with a smile.
              " When did you learn?" I said.
              " A long time ago." He replied.
              As we lapsed into silence I pictured myself floating in a green blue sea, listening to the sounds of the waves crashing onto the rocks, and dreamed of the day when I too would be able to paddle to many new places.

What to Add to DYP

              Last week we had Discover Your Potential (DYP) week. I really enjoyed DYP, but if I could add a new class, I would add a class teaching you to become a food critic. I think it would be fun, demonstrate a job you could have in the real world, and it would be very different  from the other classes.

            During DYP, learning to be a food critic would be really fun. It would give you a chance to see restaurants in Sitka. Also, you would be able to see new things. And would be able to laugh, talk, and have fun with friends.
           Another reason why a food critic class would be fun, is because it would let you test a job you could actually have. Unlike many other classes, you could discover your dream job!
            Finally, the class would be different from all others. It would combine food, traveling around Sitka, and learning something new. Also, after taking that class you could confidently tell your friends where to eat.
           I think that a class on becoming a food critic would add a lot to DYP. If I were to take a class at DYP, that class would be at the top of my list.

Anne Frank

            Anne Frank was born June 12, 1929 and lived until Early March 1945. She lived during world war two and she is famous for her diary, about her life in hiding. Anne Frank went into hiding Monday July 6, 1942, along with her dad Otto Frank, her mom Edith Frank,and her sister Margot Frank. On July 13, 1942, the Van Pels:Herman Van Pel, Auguste Van Pel, and their 16 year old son, Peter Van Pel, joined them. Later, in November, a man named Fritz Pfeffer also moved in. On August 4, 1944 they were arrested, and brought to the RSHA headquarters. Two days later they were brought too the Westerbork Transit camp then too the Auschwitz concentration camp. Later Anne and Margot Frank and Auguste Van Pel were brought too Bergen-Belsen where Anne Frank,Auguste Van Pels, and Margot Frank died. Anne Frank's dad Otto Frank survived and helped publish Anne Frank's diary in 1950.

The Diary of Anne Frank (the critical edition) written by Anne Frank

            For my second book review I read The Diary of Anne Frank. Unlike my first review, this book was nonfiction and a classic.  I think this book has changed many things since it was published, and I am glad I read it.  The Diary of Anne Frank starts before she goes into hiding. She explains about her life, how she emigrated from Germany, and her family. She talks about how her family lives in Amsterdam, Netherlands. As the war gets more serious she talks about how she changed schools and is now going to a Jewish school. Although things are hard she concentrates on her family life and how she is close to her dad, but dislikes her mom. Going into hiding was quite abrupt for her family and she was not expecting it. But she obeys anyway and knows that if she didn't it would be dangerous. When she goes into hiding she does not think she will be there for more than a year, but she is wrong. During the first few months she talks about her dreams to become a writer and how she is looking forward to going back to her life. She isn't extremely worried about her accommodations, but is missing her house, cat, and friends. Also her and her mom are disliking each other even more. As time goes on there family is joined with another family called the Van Pels and even later a man named Pfeffer who Anne Frank dislikes and has to share a room with. As time goes on Anne Frank becomes good friends with Peter, the Van Pel's son, and better friends with her sister Margot. at the end of the Diary when the food supplies start to go away and the war comes closer, She starts understanding her mom more, and realizes many things about her self. Her last diary entry is from August 1, 1944 three days before they were captured.
             I think that one of the main theme for this book was a girl discovering herself. One example of the main theme is from a diary entry written Saturday afternoon, January 22 1944, "How is it that I am always quite different from what I am inside?"(page 460)  I think it shows how she realizes as time goes on how she really is inside.  Another time in her diary, she supports my idea for one of the main teems in a diary entry from Monday evening, November 8, 1943, "If you could read my piles of letters one after another, you would certainly be struck by the many different moods in which these were written." (page 415)  I thought that by writing that it showed that although she was stuck in hiding she still lived and acted to the fullest extent.  The final thing that I think supports my theory is the last diary entry she ever wrote.  In it, she says, "And finally I twist my heart around again, so that the bad is on the outside and the good is on the inside and keep trying to find a way of becoming what I would so like to be, if...there weren't any other people living in the world."  (page 699)  I think that all these entries support my idea that the main theme is a girl discovering herself.

            I would recommend this book to my classmates.  I think that this book is important to read and if you have not read it yet, you should read it.  This changed how I think about World War II, writing, and the way I read books.  I would definitely recommend this book to others.

Help Pets Stay Happy

           Would you get rid of your own kid? Of course not! So, why would you get rid of your pet? By buying a pet you're making a commitment. The pet expects your love and depends on you for food. Also, how would you feel to be abandoned? That is why I think it should be illegal to get rid of your pets.
            By buying a pet, you're basically taking their life into your hands. You are saying that you will take care of it and provide for its basic needs. Also, it is like getting a job. In return for your affection and attention, your pet provides you with love and companionship. When you buy a pet, you take it into your life, and it becomes part of your family. If you become to busy it is your fault and you should have planned better. When you take in a pet, there is no turning back.

             Another reason why it should be illegal to get rid of pets is that they depend on you. They need a friend and a caretaker as much as a kid. If you abandon it, it will probably be put in an animal shelter. If it is there too long, which sometimes happens to older pets, it will be put down. Also by getting rid of it, more and more animal shelters become full. It is the equivalent of being left at an orphanage.

             My final reason is that pets have feelings  too. Many people think that pets won't mind because they are not as smart. They are very wrong! Pets have feelings too, so think of how it would feel to be plunked down in a small, cramped,smelly, area away from the people you know and love. I personally would feel disappointed and wonder what I did wrong. They feel the same as we do.

              For these reasons, I that it should be illegal to get rid of pets. In buying them you make a commitment to take care of them. They also depend on you to feed and give them love. And remember they have feelings too.  By making this law, you will be saving many pets from becoming homeless or worse!   https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyUnNwlJQE1Qig1p_6AvI2r2mdPkhl_HmN6B1sfTIMVfqsx9SoJJBJrhcekkiAFiRHZG3QC2BBVElFHXyDkUWU10vxWRzG4c7FYyeNDlZ_YbJ-U85Rw7a13Wvg0HzV9kydwf_4D_nVQxE/s640/cute-puppy11.jpg  If you want to see a cute puppie video click on this link.

Floater fliers-2.mp4  This is a short advertisment I made.