Hear

(running)(stops)(looks around)(sits)

So what? They can look for me all they want. I will just sit on this rock.

(looks around nervously)

It’s not like they really care. Plus, they would never suspect… I …

(yells)

that I always hated the feeling!

(quieter and sadder)

This feeling of loneliness, misunderstanding and fear.   

(Looks at a notebook and pen in her hands)

And these stupid things! They only made me feel worse!

(Throws the thing as far as she can)

I mean, whose idea was to make me put words on a piece of paper? And when my pen ran out of ink, I lost my voice.

(pauses)

What was all that for. If I didn’t waste my time, by writing every word I wanted to say on paper, then I would have found a way to make them hear every word that I say out of my mouth. But because I choose to write instead of speak, I feel too different. People think that I am weird, and they never seen what its like, they will never understand. That is why I ran. Out of the city. Out of their lives. And I choose to be an independent person. Find my own way.

(pauses)(lightly laughs)    

Look at me now. Trying to justify my decisions, to myself. I should just stay here. I mean-

(slowly looks around)

-it’s beautiful.

(pauses)

Yea. I wish, that I could stay here forever. Leaving the whole world behind. But that is what everyone wishes for. To have happiness with no great problems and consequences.  I can’t be granted this wish, because that is impossible, unless everyone gets it, and yet that is not possible either. Now I feel ashamed for wishing it.   

(sighs)

Only thing I know is, I can never go back. There was definitely something wrong with me. I spoke to them, but they never heard. Why I am getting obsessed now?!? I am not crazy.

(stands up and starts walking around, every second she walks faster and faster)

I know the difference between the voice in my head and out my mouth. But they… they … they think I’m crazy, they insult me, they make fun of me. They, my-

(makes quotation marks with her fingers)

-“friends” and  “family”.  Yesterday my “best friend” , Lizzy, had to comment (mocking voice) “Hope, don’t your hands get tired of using of that notebook. I mean once I sang in choir too much and lost my voice, but I could not stand writing all my thoughts down for more than 2 hours.”

(stops and sits again)(sighs)

It’s my fault, when I realized that they stopped hearing me, I could have did something to fix it. But what? I speak every day in front of the mirror. I see my lips moving. I feel my throat vibrating and moving. Then a tear drops, then another followed, and by the time I realize that it’s killing me not to be able to be heard, I’ve already decided not to pity myself.

(puts her face in her palms)  

If I can’t get used to myself. How are others supposed to? I have to accept it. I have to become braver. Wait...

(looks up)

And you know what? I am unique. If they have a problem with it, it’s their problem, not mine.  

(her bracelet falls off, she kneels down and picks it up)

What happened? Why did my bracelet fall of. This bracelet is bad news anyway. I mean the girl that gave it to me disappeared. And sometime after that people stopped hearing me. Oh well, It can’t be helped.

(throws the bracelet, looks to the side and sees a person)

“Hi. Uh, why am I even speaking to you. I mean you can’t hear me anyway.”

(pauses and listens)

“Wait”

(pauses and listens)

“Waht!?!? But how?!?”

(pauses and listens)

“You can actually hear me?!?”    

(stands up and starts running towards the way she entered)


The Final Countdown

The Final Countdown



Five...


Please don’t do this. I haven’t even taken my first breath in the real world and you’re not allowing that to happen? Don’t do this.. I’m begging you. I’ll do anything, I swear. I-(stutter) I’ll be a good child. Won’t cry, whine, holler, none of that! You don’t gotta breast feed me, just pop some formula in and I’ll be set. Get me a few outfits that’ll last me throughout the year and that’s all I ask for. Just please don’t end the life I haven’t even started.


Four...


I can feel how you think. I know I’m just an unborn fetus but hey, I have feelings too! That’s how I know what you’re about to do. And how I know how I got here. You think about it everyday, so I think about it too. And I HATE that because why would I want to think about my own death? About me never being able to play with my friends, or go to Chuck- E- Cheeses. I hate him, too, you know. Sometimes I wish he’d never did what he did, because if he didn’t I would be here counting down the minutes until my death.


Three...


You still have thoughts about your wrists, that were held down as you tried to fight that asshole off. It didn’t work. He was too strong and you were too weak. Him, slapping and slapping you, and covering your mouth with his sweaty, smelly palms. I can even hear your screams, that sounded like fire alarms. As he penetrated your small, fragile body, right then and there you put up a wall isolating yourself from the world. Your burning emotions flow through you at the thought of it happening to you, but it doesn’t melt your ice cold heart.





Two...


Know what else I can feel you feel? The way people judge you. That’s the main reason why you’re getting rid of me. Because you care so much about what people, who don’t give two shits about you, think. Forget them! They don’t put clothes on your back, or shoes on your feet, or put food on the table. Why do you care so much what they think? They won’t ever love you the way I will. Well, the way I would have if you’d let me live.


One...

But then again, maybe keeping me isn’t the best idea. You’re only 15. You can barely take care of yourself, let alone a newborn baby. I can feel your stomach growling for food at night, and your head pound with pain because you haven’t eaten for 4 days. I know for sure I don’t want to live that kind of life. So, maybe you should get rid of me. I mean, who would want to have the same dad as their mother.


Zero.


Your heart is pounding out of your chest, that must mean the doctor is coming. Goodbye world, which I never got to see. Goodbye to the “father” who put a child in his own daughter. Goodbye to those assholes who judged you but had no idea what happened. I wish we’d get this over with already…

(long pause)


Wait. What’s going on? Why do I feel you rethinking this? What are you doing! Dammit. I can’t yell because, well, I don’t even have a voice! Doctor come back! Cut her open and take me out. Please. Just let me go. (dramatic ending scene)




The Phone Call That Changed Everything

We just got off the Broad Street Line and now walking to his house. We were excited about to going to the pool hall later. We planned this for a few days now and the anticipation built. It was just a pool hall, but it was going to be fun.


We got to his steps and walked into his house. We got settled and put our stuff down and had a light snack before we were about to go out.  


“You ready to lose?” I asked him sounding confident with a smirk on my face.


He gave me a look knowing that he wasn’t going to lose. I was rushing him for us to leave soon because he was taking forever, I guess he wasn’t as excited I was to go. I just hung on and tried to wait as patient as can be.


I walked over to his bathroom and right after I closed the door shut I heard a vibration in my pocket. It was from my phone. I pulled it out of my pocket expecting just a casual notification like a measly snapchat or something, but it wasn’t, it was from my mom. Usually when I get a text message from it has to do with complaining or something about a holiday, thats not what this text was about this time.


I read off my lock screen and it said “I need you to come home right now, there is something I need to tell you.” That scared me, when someone says “we need to talk” it’s serious. I responded back right away.


“Sorry, I cant. Im about to go play pool.”


More texts went back and forth between us, she kept saying please come home, I don’t need you to but it would be very helpful and I said “I will be home soon.”


I put my phone back into my pocket and it vibrated in the vibration mode when you’re getting a phone call. I pulled it out of my pocket and I read what it said off the screen. MOM. I answered the phone right away, she was crying.


“De-De-Declan…”


I can tell she’s been crying for a while.


“Mom, whats wrong?!?!” I responded immediately because I knew something was wrong.


“Something happened” She cried some more and bursted into tears.


“Mom, please tell me. I’m worried.” I was starting to get really scared.


“Its Bebop” My heart sunk. This was the man that helped my parents raise me, the one that was best friends with my mom for 30 plus years now, always there for her and all of us. He moved out of Philadelphia which was devistating and he finally found a good job and I was so proud. She continued talking.


“Well, it started off as being sick and he passed out yesterday. The results came back, he has a brain tumour.” I lost all sense of everything. I only heard a buzz in my ear and I stared off into blank space.  I didn’t know what just happened, my phone fell through my hand and I hit the floor. I started crying as my friend had no idea what just happened. I told him right away and left his house. I ran right home.


Cycles



Here we go again.

Yet another day of scorching sun rays beaming down off my chipped paint.  Burning whoever gets stuck with me in the middle of the day. Glitter faded, spokes rolling along the beaten and bruised boardwalk. But I am beaten and bruised. No one cares, no one sees what I go through.

Do you know how many times I have had ice cream drip, drip, drip and DRIP onto me.  It is unimaginable the amount of times the shop owner, Greg, had to scrap off the funnel cake powder stuck to my handlebars.

An endless cycle of being dragged out of the shop day in and day out. Wiped clean of the dust and grime left over from yesterday’s customers. No amount of polish or wax can shine over my dents and scratches; battle scars still indented in my spokes and frame, seat torn from endless butts chafing against the pleather exterior of my seat.

They just ride, and ride, and ride, until there is nothing left. Only then do people care, when you are wearing down; when you can’t do what they expected of you or wanted you to do.

It was not always so bad. I was once shiny, new, inviting. I was always the first one picked, and I would have so many customers each day. Some would ask to buy me; some would keep me from sun up to sun down. I was the most rented in the county for two years running, even though that does not really matter anymore.  

I remember the day it all went wrong.

It was a perfect day on August 31, 2012. I had not been rented in awhile so Greg took me out of the shack extra early to give me a bright polish; I was feeling damn good. But I just sat out in the sun all day, waiting and waiting (beat) and waiting!

It was close to sunset when a seemingly nice teenage kid rented me. I was all ready to go. He was not peddling too hard, or screeching the breaks, or spilling drinks all over me. But, then he took a sharp left turn, and before I realized what was happening we were in a back alley with kids spraying graffiti and smoking pot. It’s not like I could scream out for help; I am a bike for God’s sake.

Next thing I know we are at a convenience store, and the kid basically throws me to the ground and jumps off in one quick motion, then him and his friends go in. There is shouting and cussing.

The kids all come running out, masks over their heads with money and food in their hands. The kid who rented me tripped over my front tire, his head hitting the pavement with a crack, and he just layed there. His friends kept running.

The police officers revved in a few moments later, with an ambulance right behind him. The store owner, despite getting robbed, helped my renter and tried to stop the blood. And since I was evidence, I got stuck sitting in an old musty police garage for two weeks, before Greg came and picked me up.

I got pretty bruised from those kids riding me, and the officers weren’t exactly gentle. Greg still got me none the less; took me back to the shack and tried to do his best to fix me up enough to be displayed. Everyone still knew that I was “that bike.” It was not my fault though; I got roughed up that day, too. But no cared. No one cried for me.

Now everyday it’s the same story. There is some overweight dad or super hyper-active soccer mom peddling me extremely hard up and down the boardwalk for hours. Screeching my brakes. . .repeatedly! So many years of these dreaded days filled salt water breezes and the endless splats of seagull shit.

That’s always people’s problems. They use each other without realizing the damage they do each and every time. Just chipping, chipping and chipping pieces of me until I am rubbed raw to the frame, to the core of the metal rods that hold me together somehow.

But I am just a boardwalk bike, what do I know?


Aaron's Monologue


Monologue


Dear Pennsylvania Governor or to whomever puts this is the paper shredder:


One, two, three, four? FOUR textbooks for a class of 32 students.

That’s what I’ve been handed to teach my students.


I’ve been working as a teacher since I got out of graduate school 6 years ago. It’s my passion.  I love learning from my students and challenging our thinking.   My  job  requires many hours of unpaid overtime but it is what is required to be an effective and caring teacher.   I’m not asking for a raise; rather I am  advocating for my students.   I teach five  classes of 33 students and am responsible for 33 additional students in my advisory.  My budget for my 198 students is as empty of nutrients as a Mcdonald’s ice cream machine.  I buy what I can - pencils to tissues to copy paper.  Most of my students’ families can not afford basic school supplies.  Other students work to support their families.  Each day is a balancing act; I question how much longer I can compromise.  We only have 20 mixed matched desks and six extra chairs; some of my kids have to stand up. Have you ever made a seating chart with no seats?


I continue teaching and learning with these wonderful kids who deserve much better because they remind me of the power of community.  They are generous and concerned young people full of potential.  While some people may believe investing in more affluent and powerful students is a better deal, investing in my students will have more impact.  Students from more affluent and well connected families are more likely to make it.  They have been given opportunities from birth.   Meanwhile, my students are treated as second class citizens in old, dilapidated facilities without the basics.  The 100 year old floor creaks;  the 1950s clock stopped ticking thirty years ago.   It is as if my students’ lunch line is serving leftovers and crumbs.  My student ask for more but  I can’t answer or provide everything for them. I’m one man.


Imagine going to a school where you are told to meet high stakes standards but have few tools to begin building.  I bring in paper and pencils but then am told to have everyone do a science fair project.  They  can’t all submit moldy bread science fair projects!  My fellow co-workers and I try to say something positive but the illusion has worn off.   We turn to parent volunteers parents who have time to come to school and can scrape together the bus fare.  We also volunteer by sponsoring clubs and tutoring for free.  It is not enough.  In a world demanding innovation and creativity, we are stifling the future leaders by underfunding their education and underappreciating their potential.


I know I live in a state where the elderly are better cared for than children.  It apparently is acceptable to have high rates of childhood poverty.  Yes, my students do not vote so you may not consider them your constituents.  They can not fund your campaigns nor make you more powerful.  When politician say “I will fix the system and bring equality and justice to the people,” we want to believe you.  But,  the justice and equality never happens.  Do you want to know why?  Because, the politician do not amend the system; the system amends the politicians. The politician must remember their power lies with all the people; otherwise, I no longer live in a democracy.  Too often, when someone is in a position to change the world, they stab the world in the back. Words mean nothing if they are not backed up by action;  I am waiting for the action.


The passion for education is dying because we have been set up to fail. While I tell myself, “we must do more,”  we can not do it alone.  Our students deserve more; they are counting on you.   We live in a country where we are told  we are equal under the law.  How is inequitable and unjust funding of public schools equality under the law?   If we  properly support our public schools,  the lives of our students will improve which will improve the quality of life for everyone in our country.  Mr. Governor, please open your heart and mind to my students.  Work to provide fair and equitable funding for public schools.  Let my students know they have a chance to reach their full potential.  


Sincerely, Mr. Queen









Media Fluency

Untitled presentation

Why did you make the slide look the way it does?


I made the slide look the way it does because when we were going over the “ Presentation Zen “ and a website I found called "Fast Code Design" link he said make the colors pop, make your words big and have your images bleed out. I was taking the advice from the articles and the video we had watched.



What influenced your decision making?

You had given instructions to take the advice that the guy had given us, so I took that advice and turned it into something I liked which is how I came up with this slide.


Sources : http://www.fastcodesign.com/1670019/10-steps-to-designing-an-amazing-infographic




Fatoumata Slide

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This slide represent the 2 main activities that express me. The title is called Step Up its a movie that has dance offs and dance battles. These pictures explain the moves I do when im dancing and it describes my passion of how I like cheerleading and dancing. I used the cheerleading pictures to explain the move I used when im up at cheer offs and ready to cheer. I used the dancing pictures to explain of the moves I used. My title is large bolded text so it can bring the slide out and catch the person eye. This slide express me as much as my personality.

¨DONT JUDGE¨ By: Jaszmine Randle

Jaszmine Randle

November 25,2014

Behind A Slide


The significance behind my slide is to prove against judgemental view points. Before children even can decide what they want to be in life they get categorized as the kid with the big head or the ugly child because of their appearances. You cant make a stereotype about a child that is unknown. You should not do that to a child since they are not known in the world yet. For example people judge ¨Blue Ivy¨ & ¨North West¨ because of their parents backgrounds & their appearances. No one even knows what they're going to be in life.

The way I designed my slide was using ¨MAKE TYPE BIG¨ I made sure that my text was big on my slide. I ¨MADE IT VISUAL¨ because I made sure that my quote was visual and I got my point across with a few words¨. Creating this slide helped me learn the different ways to create a billboard. A billboard can be as detailed as you want  or described in 3 words. Presentation is the key to a good billboard because however you look at the billboard unless its well designed you can't’ get your point across.


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Athalia's Slide

I chose to make my slide like that for many reasons. One reason is that I chose to use large text and I decided to manage my space so it wouldn't be too crowded. I also made some of my pictures bleed off the slide because not the full picture should be used. I wrote "Express Yourself" in red because I think that it would catch people's attention if it was on a billboard. It contrast with the light background which catches the eye. The pictures shows what I like which expresses me; myself. I like things simple but meaningful so I decided to make my slide not too flashy but resembles what I like. I sing and dance at church, so it became a hobby for me. I like working and helping out little kids, they're always make someone smile. I love chilling out with my friends and watch movies. Music and shopping is just my thing! I love music because everyone can relate to them and shopping is always fun.
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Destiny's Originality Slide

This slide is a representation of how it can be hard to be original and to be yourself but, you can do it. This relates to me because sometimes you feel pressured by your peers to like the things that they like and do the things that they do. I decided to make it stand out visually by using red. I also use bold text to grab the attention of the viewer and make sure the viewer will pay attention to the most important parts. Also, I made the background kind of a grey fade so the star can stand out a little bit more. I chose this design because I was inspired by quotes like ¨Be a fruit loop and a bowl full of cheerios.¨ but, this is my take on it. Basically, everyone is all different shapes, sizes, and backgrounds but, some groups of people all act the same to please each other. And even though you’re the same shape as them or come from the same background, you stand out. And that’s what I’m trying to portray visually and for you to think about mentally.
techslide

Deja's Slides

I choose this background because it represents everything I like and care about. My friends/family, food, being lazy, Disney, Netflix, music and dancing. This whole background represents me because its what I'm about and its who I am. I like to watch Disney movies and relive the days where all I had to worry about was if Nemo was going to be found and if Ariel was going to become a human. I love to listen to music all types, and I love to dance to the music whether its fast or slow. I like to hang out with my friends and have fun. At the same time I like to be a couch potato and eat junk food while watching Netflix. That's why I chose this background because it represents me.
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Jmack's Slide

I made my slide this way to show that right away you’ll see the three general things that are really important in my life. I didn't want my slide to have so many words or pictures because it’ll make the slide look too messy. My slide has a pretty colorful background with shoes bleeding off the screen so it looks bigger. I chose this background because it shows others how much I love shoes and gives a very strong image of colors to catch the reader’s eyes. I named my slide Justin’s World because there are the three main things that goes on in my life which is basketball, video games, and social media. I made the font big and the color bright so that it would catch the person’s eye. I put a picture of my basketball team and the organization I play for because it shows how dedicated I am to the organization. I made the social media and video game picture transparent because I am not getting as interested into those two things as much anymore. I think that my slide was a good start.


About Me - Tech

Game On, By: Charles Velazquez

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The reason why I created this slide is to show my love for video games but in a creative way. I wanted my slide to be simple but visually appealing as well. The black background has perfect contrast against the white wording and negative colored controllers.I wanted the viewer to see my interest with only a glance. I didn't want them to be bombarded with an overwhelming amount of pictures and wording, so I don't lose their interest. I also wanted to focus on, just one of my hobbies that define me. Not all of them, that would've taken forever to do. I used big font to really catch the viewers eye and so it can be seen from far away. I hope you enjoyed my slide and Game On.

Matthew Yemola Me slide

I made my slide the way it is to make certain things stand out over other things. I chose purple as my background to make it stand out and be appealing to the eyes. I chose the font and font size that I did so it would appear bolder and more approachable. I made the picture the size that they are on the slide because I wanted them to all fit together well and for people to be able to see them. I put the pictures in the order that I did so that they would look neat and not be all over the place.
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Tia's Slide

In this slide as you can see I have incorporated my passion of dance and basketball. I made all my text big so it would generally attract the eyes of people and allowing me to get my point across to the people of the community. I also incorporated the display of bleeding my pictures off the page, I put this because it makes my audience believe the picture is too big to fit on the slide but also gives enough room to add any particular element or wording to the extra space. I also added a large eye catching picture that grabs the reader's attention then soon leads them to the wording and gets the point of the slide across. I also made sure my slide was very catchy and could keep the readers eyes attracted. I was hoping that if a normal person was just driving down a road, would generally look at my slide and find interest, or at least generally question it. I add all these designs because I feel it will help catch the public’s eye very easily and will attract them no matter where they are. It will allow me to tell the people what I need without boring them and sending them back unto their steady focus beyond the ground. I want the public to know, I am passionate about basketball and dance and if either was ever to not be in our world we live in then there would be no reason for life, no reason for breathing, no reason for our world to rotate. Basketball is my passion, Dance is it’s sidekick, and put both together and that is life!
Slide about Me!

Madison Militello

tech slide
For my slide, I chose three subjects to describe myself. These three subjects are tumblr, cookies, and cardigans. Tumblr is a good source of self expression for me. On tumblr, you can find quotes, pictures, and videos that describe who you are. You can reblog these posts onto your blog and the blog is a reflection of you. If you know me well, you know I’m always eating cookies. I’m constantly wearing a cardigan so I felt the need to include that in my slide. I used the color blue for my subjects because blue my favorite color. I learned that you must use bold colors to attract your reader’s attention. I thought the font was eye catching.

Jamie's slide

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My slide is inspired by my life. I think it really represents who I am, encompassing all my hobbies and passions. I made my text big so that everyone could see it. It also depicts how I love to surround myself in my friends and love ones. I added four different pictures of me to give more perspective. In each picture I have a close friend with me. Weather its being at camp, preforming, snowboarding with my friends, or just hanging out, this slide represents who I am and my love of fun.

Emma Schwingel-Sauer

Me Slide
I wanted my slide to represent my passion for soccer. The first decision I made was to have my picture bleed. I found a soccer ball that had a trail to help it bleed off the screen. I also made sure that the picture would make the eye flow to the words as well (since the tail flows). Next, I added my words. I made sure they were big so people could read them and also bright so people’s eyes would be attracted to it. I chose to use three different shades of green because I wanted to add even more emphasis to the words and build them up by not only making them bigger, but also making the colors more vibrant. The green also worked because it was in the tail of the soccer ball flame as well. Then, I made sure to have a bit of empty space so it wouldn't be too crowded.

Kim: All About Me slide

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I chose to create  my slide like this because, it represents me through, my colors and pictures that I’ve used. All of the pictures I used are important to me and make up my life memories. My pictures and colors also represent and show my personality. I have also chosen to design my slide look like this because, all of the things I used in my slide are important to me and all have significance to my life and help add to my slide in their own way. It also reflects on what I learned from the  helpful websites on how to make your slide(s) look unique and eye-catching. I also made sure that my slide had visual effect. A lot of things have influenced the design of my slide. One of the things that have influenced my design of my slide is, my liking for all of the things that I have on my slide. For example, I love pink so pink is one of my main colors in my slide and helps  add to the design of it. I also made my slide like this because, I feel that all of the words I’ve added to my slide are things that make people happy and can make the world a better place. Memories, are what makes up life whether good or bad and I think we should all have the chance to make them everyday.


Victoria's Slide

I am a poet, using quotes from other people (sourced of course) to help me get my creative juices flowing. The background image can be attributed to my love of comics, especially webcomics. I make an effort to meet high standards set for myself in the intellectual department. I tried to make the image bleed, but it turned out to be ineffective. I used large texts and minimal words to make it work and look more appealing and easier to read. The image if from one of the webcomics I have a certain interest in. 
Me Magazine Slide (4)

Isaiah's Slide

I wanted my slide to tell a general idea or thought about my existence. I didn't want the slide to be too busy, so I left a lot of space open to catch people’s eye. The slide has a dark looking background, so I added more light to the picture and made the title a light color and a large text size for more contrast. The slide has more visual parts than text parts because when I brainstormed I decided I wanted to make the slide like a movie preview. Movie previews don’t spoil the whole movie,so they give as little information as possible to make people want more. The background took some time to make, but I decided to make the background a picture of me looking into a forest. The forest represents ominous and unpredictable events,while I just take it all in. The movie preview The Maze Runner inspired this background theme,so I just went with it. The title itself supports the background and the tension that’s emanates from the big picture. The background bleeds off of the slide,making the background look bigger than it actually is. The slide as a whole will need work, but this is a good start for me.
Tech-Media Fluency Slide