Science Leadership Academy @ Center City

William Derry: You and the world Blog post #1

Posted by William Derry in English 1 - Dunn on Tuesday, November 27, 2012 at 10:17 pm

My name is William Derry. In english class we were told to pick an issue that we cared a lot about. The issue that I chose was about the financial aid system in the world and we do not contribute to the the financial aid system it will run out. The reason I chose this issue was because I wanted to know more about the financial aid system and how I could help change the financial aid system for the better.

My main reason for researching about the financial aid system is to find out more about it and find a way to help the system improve. Many people do not not know but there are 2.6 billion people in the world who live on less than two dollars a day and nearly eighty percent of those people do not have access to a bank account. The people who are affected by this use jewelry and sometimes use livestock instead of using cash.

Many people believe that foreign aid will end global poverty. This may be true. Many people die from not having enough money for medicine, food and other supplies that people need to survive. Foreign aid could help and it could not help. We need to find a way to help people who do not have money to afford food, medicine and other supplies. There has to be a way.

<http://www.welfareinfo.org>.

News Program from ABC.

The United States welfare system started in the 1930s during the great depression. The United States Government created the welfare system because of people or families who do not have any or a little bit of income. The United States welfare system has been lead by the United States government ever since. A big problem with the United States welfare system is that people would not apply for jobs because they just wanted the aid from the government to live off of. Also people would have more children and stay unmarried to get aid from the government. A reform law was signed by President Bill Clinton that gave control of the welfare system back to the states.

<http://www.dpw.state.pa.us/index.htm>

A book about the United States social welfare system.

There are many factors that decide whether you are eligible for the State welfare system. One of the factors is the person’s gross and net income. Another factor being the size of the family and any serious problems such as medical emergencies, pregnancy, homelessness or unemployment. For each person who is applying for financial aid a case worker is assigned to find out if the person is eligible for the welfare program. They will also find out which benefits you will given.

The department of public welfare in Pennsylvania.
<http://pa.welfareinfo.org>

The caseworker will find out which benefits you will given. There are many types of welfare available for the people. Since the US government gave back the control of the welfare system back to the states each state has their own requirements. Most states offer the basic aid such as health care, food stamps, child care assistance, unemployment, cash aid, and housing assistance.

The way to apply for a welfare program one must contact the local Human Services Department. An appointment is made with a caseworker. The caseworker will give a list of required documents needed at the appointment. Documents that are usually asked for are proof of income, ID, and utility bills or other proof of residency. Once an appointment is completed a case worker will review all required documents, applications, and information provided at the meeting. They will use this information to determine eligibility and how much aid you should receive.

Click Here for Bibliography

Domestic Animal Abuse

Posted by Jiwon Choi in English 1 - Dunn on Tuesday, November 27, 2012 at 9:40 pm

Jiwon Choi
Domestic Animal Abuse

   My name is Jiwon Choi and I will introduce you to The You and the World Project and to my issue. The You and the World Project is a project that lets individuals focus on real world projects that they are interested in. The individuals research information about their subject to learn more about it and they would tell the information to other people. It is a project that lets researchers express their feelings and talk about their issue on blogs and help make a change for this issue by joining services, giving speeches about it, or interviewing people about the problem. It lets people to learn more about these problems/ issues and it gives a chance for individuals to give more information about it.

   My issue is international domestic animal abuse. I am focusing on international instead of national domestic animal abuse because there are animals all over the world that are being abused by their owners. Focusing on international domestic animal abuse can allow me to help put a stop to animal cruelty more than just nationally. I am interested in this issue because I love animals and I believe that no animals should be rejected and abused. By 2022, 22% of all species might become extinct if no action is taken to help solve this issue. In America, about 62 percent of all households own a pet but most of the animals become homeless and may end up in a shelter waiting to be adopted again.

   Domestic animals are various animals that have been tamed and fit for the human environment. The rate of domestic animal abuse involves 64.5% of dogs, 18% cats, and 25% of other animals. This is only the rate nationally, imagine what the rate is internationally.13% of intentional animal abuse cases involve domestic violence. Most battered women have abused animals because animal abuse is a way to revenge, torture, and control the victims. Pets may suffer unexplained injuries, health problems, and permanent disabilities because of animal abuse and most of the time, their owner do not take their pets to the veterinarian. So, why should we take action? We should take action because we get basic human rights so therefore we have no rights to torture weaker creatures. If someone rejects you and hits you, you would get depressed and be in pain. It is the same with animals, they have feelings and feel pain.

  At this point of my process I really believe that people should help out to prevent animal cruelty. They have feelings like we do and can feel pain. I believe that if an owner gets a pet, the owner should treat one’s pet with love and kindness. I hope to learn more about how I can help end domestic animal cruelty and reasons more in depth of why people abuse their pets. As I am working on the You and the World Project, I hope to make a difference about animal cruelty and I hope to let people know about why this is bad and should be stopped. Please help put a stop to domestic animal cruelty.
This kitten was left untreated and was neglected.

This image shows a x-ray of a cat that was shot.

Click here for the biliographies.

CUTTING IS EASING THE PAIN </3

Posted by Angelica Owens in English 1 - Dunn on Tuesday, November 27, 2012 at 7:02 pm

WARNING: THERE WILL BE GRAFIC IMAGES!!

In line with text | Fixed position

These pictures are of another set of quotes stating they have scars to prove they have the hurt and pain built inside of them.

MY ISSUE AND A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF IT:

For my you and the world project my issue is cutting. I am interested in it because i have been down that path before and it is not a pretty sight. i would never cut to leave a scar but just have myself relief pain and i actually was in a mental hospital for hours until i got tired of waiting, talked to someone quickly and then left. Not a pretty sight. Even though i have been down that path I am also interested in it because this topic is very interesting and a lot of my friends started it in middle school as well.

Cutting is a kind of self harm. A lot of teenagers start it because they have been bullied, harassed or have a deep and hurtful time going on right now. Once they start cutting as a teenager most of the time it leads into adult hood and people use it a lot to cope with pain. It is an compulsive behavior which means once you start cutting is going to always be there.

WHY AM I INTERESTED IN IT AND MY EXPERIENCE:

I am interested in it because i have been down that path before and it is not a pretty sight. i would never cut to leave a scar but just have myself relief pain and i actually was in a mental hospital for hours until i got tired of waiting, talked to someone quickly and then left. Not a pretty sight. Even though i have been down that path I am also interested in it because this topic is very interesting and a lot of my friends started it in middle school as well. I feel very passionate about this issue since i used to cut myself and even tried to commit suicide. My friends helped me through my problems though. Honestly, without my friends i could be dead right now.

The most common stereotype of people who cut themselves is EMO. Emo means emotionally unstable so yes they may tend to cut themselves but not all emo people do. These pictures are of Emo/Goth people who are the main sterotype of people who cut themselves. The girl on the left has snakebites.
WARNING SIGNS:
scars from burns or cuts
fresh cuts, scratches bruises or other wounds

The pictures above show what people are feeling and that they need help.

broken bones
keeping sharp objects on hand
spending a great deal of time alone
relationship troubles
wearing long sleeves or long pants even in hot weather
claiming to have frequent accidents or mishaps
LOW-SELF ESTEEM
problems handling emotions
problems with relations

Details that i found about the topic:
_ teens learn to cope in many ways. some of them being tears, anger, depression are some of the ways of ringing relief from overwhelming feelings.
some teens release this pain by cutting, burning but more importantly SELF HARM.

These pictures show people cutting themselves.

the rate of self harm is growing. To gain a deeper understanding of self harm is the first step to helping yourself or another
There is treatment but as with all mental and physical conditions early diagnosis is key to a successful outcome.
cutting is the most common form of self injury among today's youth
behaviors like smoking, alcohol and drug addiction, and staying in an abusive relationship can be considered forms of self harming.
people who self harm are seeking relief from psychological pain, unbearable tension, loneliness, depression, anger or an absence of feeling of numbness

These pictures are of quotes that people feel which is the reason why they are cutting

WHAT CAN YOU DO??

if u are self injuring yourself talk to someone you trust. may be able to recommend a therapist who MAY be able to help you
if concerned about a friend/family member just ask if they are cutting themselves.
offer support without judging or criticizing. try not to blame or react as though their behavior is impossible to understand

TREATMENT FOR SELF-HARM:

treatment by a mental health professional
specialist
behavior therapist

WHAT ARE YOU WONDERING ABOUT??

I wonder what are common reactions of people normally and why they automatically send you to a therapist if you are cutting. Also want to know why they think if you cut you are an emo.

WHAT DO YOU QUESTION?

Why do teenager not talk bout their problems with someone?

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO LEARN AS THE TOPIC GOES ON?

I hope to learn a better understanding as to why do not talk to people if they are self-harming themselves.

EXTRA INFO:

from experience the music people that cut themselves listen to are traditionally sad, depressing songs that tells their life, songs that they can relate to and songs that are hardcore and metal such as my chemical romance.

quotes. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://members.tripod.com/mi_ruka0/id18.html:

I know what its like to want to die; how it hurts to smile; how you try to fit in but you can't; how you hurt yourself on the outside; to try to kill the thing that's in the inside.

You look at me and think, 'she's so happy' but there's so much behind this little smile that you will never know.

People are always telling me to smile, like smiling is going to just take away all the hurt and pain. Well I've tried that I've tried hiding my sorrows and covering the sadness in smiles and what I've learned is that when it hurts this much inside your heart always has a way of showing it no matter how many masks you wear.

This picture shows that you must stay strong through this.

This picture is showing that you should love yourself

To see my bib click here

Nunca contaría las millas :)

Posted by Jennifer Wright in Spanish 4 - Manuel on Tuesday, November 27, 2012 at 6:32 pm

Si pudiera vivir nuevamente mi vida,

preguntaría más preguntas y escucharía a las respuestas.

Correría todo el tiempo pero nunca contaría las millas.

A veces, traería a un amigo.

Me gusta la conversación.

Haría una llamada a mi abuela más seguido.

Cocinaría a mi casa más seguido y

cenaría afuera menos seguido.

Haría más los chistes malos

y reiría a cada uno.

http://www.fitsugar.com/Trail-Running-Tips-Beginners-19086869

Zack Hersh You and the World Blog Post 1

Posted by Zack Hersh in English 1 - Dunn on Tuesday, November 27, 2012 at 6:21 pm

Litter Problems in Philadelphia and America
11.27.12

My name is Zack Hersh, and I am a freshman at Science Leadership Academy. This year in our English class, a large assignment we were given was to research a problem that interests us and become an agent for change related to that problem by taking action against that problem. The issue I will be discussing is litter.

I took an interest in this issue because it is very significant where I live and it has drastic effects on the environment. It is also an issue that has always been important to me and I wanted to help with this problem.

Philadelphia is one of the dirtiest cities in the country. There is trash and cigarette butts almost everywhere you look. Not only is it unsightly and insanitary, it is terrible for the environment and the economy.

The number one driver of litter is flat out laziness. People are too lazy to hold on to their trash until they can dispose of it in a trash can. The number of trash cans is not the problem, however. There is at least 1 trash can on almost every city block. Instead of walking the extra 25 feet to dispose of their waste, they simply drop it on the ground.

However, it is not always out of laziness that people litter. Some people think that by littering, they are helping the economy. They say: “I’m creating a job for somebody. It can be somebody’s job to pick up the trash”.

In fact, they are doing the opposite. The national government spends more than 10 billion dollars each year on cleaning up litter. That for sure is not helping the economy. Imagine if the 50 billion pieces of litter that land on the streets and sidewalks every year weren’t there. Think of all the things the country so desperately needs money for that the annual litter- pick up budget could be spent on instead.

This all too commonplace debacle can have even more negative effects on the economy. Properties in a littered area lose some of their value and become worth less. People don’t want to buy properties as much in areas that are covered with litter. How do you think that affects the already struggling economy?

But that is far from the only problem with litter. The most common forms of litter are cigarette butts and fast food packaging. These items take an enormous amount of time just to decompose. And what do you think will happen when a cigarette butt decomposes? Imagine of all of the bad substances in them that would be released into the environment.

Litter has many more terrible effects on the environment and wildlife. Animals can die from the trash they eat that they may mistake for food. Debris can get trapped in the stomachs of small animals, blocking more food from getting in, and they can starve in result. 6 pack plastic rings can easily get tangled around bird’s and other small animals necks, choking them.

Not only that, but when litter that lies on the ground doesn’t get picked up, it can wash into sewers when storms come and pollute our waterways. Our water systems eventually lead back into rivers, which lead into the ocean. This can have devastating effects on river and oceanic wildlife and plants. Plus, it can take away from the natural beauty of the rivers and the ocean themselves. But we’re not through yet. Just one piece of litter can lead to hundreds more. Litter invites more litter. If somebody sees a spot with some litter, they may see it as okay to drop some trash there too. So even if the entire city works their butts off to clean up litter, just one soda can, one fast food bag, can bring it all back. The more litter there is somewhere, the more inviting it is for more people to litter there.

You are probably reading this and thinking: “Why would somebody even do that” or “Well I’m not like that”. The truth is, whether we realize it or not, we probably have all littered at some point- but even accidental litter is unacceptable. Trash in a car can easily fly out open car windows or doors. Or off the open backs of pickup trucks. Even something small and/ or accidental, even just dropping a piece of gum on the ground, is litter. Have you ever walked down the sidewalk and seen lots of black and gray, penny sized spots? That is all dropped pieces of chewing gum, and it may never decompose. What about throwing “biodegradable” things, such as apple cores, out the window? That helps the environment, that’s not litter, right? WRONG! While they will eventually turn into soil, in the meantime they are still litter; they are still an eyesore and can still invite more litter.

Even something simple such as leaving a house window open can lead to litter. In our society today, littering is much easier than people may think. And this is just the streets and sidewalks. Need I mention the sides of train tracks? How about the food court at the mall? Everywhere we look in our city is littered with garbage and debris.

What can we do about this very serious issue? We can pick up litter and instigate pick ups, but people are just going to keep littering. Raising awareness about the problem could be much more effective. We can be mindful of our accidental litter. If we see somebody littering, we can encourage them to take it to a trash can. If we know someone who litters, we could talk to them about the issues behind it.

Several organizations also exist to help prevent litter. Joining them or supporting them could help with the city’s and the country’s serious litter issue. For now, you, me, everyone, needs to raise awareness and help create a litter free future.

For more general information click here to visit the Keep Philadelphia Beautiful's site. .
For more information on actions you can take, click here visit the Philly Streets Department website.
To watch a video on litter's effects on the environment, click here. The video is towards the bottom of the page.
To see my bibliography, click here.