Blog Feed

For this project, my partner and I researched the process required to obtain a U.S. green card, which allows an immigrant to permanently live in the country.  The actual steps and forms that are needed depend on a person's reason for coming.  We decided to apply as a family member of a U.S. citizen and filled out three forms: I-130, Petition for Alien Relative; DS-230, Application for Alien Registration; and I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status.  Regardless of a person's reason, numerous questions must be answered about the immigrant's history and future plans to ensure he or she is admissible.    

The forms were a nightmare to complete.  The same questions were repeated multiple times and clear instructions were never given on how to proceed after a form was filed.  The most upsetting realization I had was that immigrants were required to go through this same process.  If my partner and I, both English-speaking seniors, had this much confusion during the process, it must be nearly impossible for a person just learning English to do.

This bureaucratic function has become so complicated because over the years, the United States' immigration standards have become more exacting.  Many believe that if a person cannot complete the process, they do not deserve to be in the U.S. While unfair, this country is very elitist and that is shown in the processes of our bureaucracy.   

Throughout the process, I couldn't help but notice how expensive it was.  To obtain a green card through family, it cost $1,845 in filing fees.  This is a ridiculous amount, especially for an immigrant who is probably looking for a better life in the U.S.  On top of this large sum, lawyers are almost always needed, given the complicated language in the paperwork.  If I could change one part of this process, I would change this price.  Unfortunately, obtaining a green card has a prohibitive price tag for many immigrants. 

Link to flow chart: https://www.lucidchart.com/documents/view/4d08f603-13f8-4783-afaf-310b0af90ae1 

The bureaucratic ‘task’ that my partner and I selected was to outline the steps needed to apply for welfare benefits. The process included research, paperwork and a flowchart. Our flowchart consisted of the necessary steps needed to receive welfare benefits. The paperwork consisted of an application in the form of about 30 pages. This was a very tedious process. We made certain that the alias name and information we used to fill out the application was as eligible for welfare benefits as possible. We created alias children to make our applicant seem like a struggling mom in need of financial assistance as well as other assistance in order to raise her children effectively. The process as well as the application was monotonous. There are so many women who do not qualify for welfare benefits because their income is above the poverty line. There are also other women who need financial assistance immediately, but the process is so long they may not get the necessary financial aid they need in a timely manner. I would change these aspects of the bureaucratic process because it inconveniences the welfare applicants who need it most. The system has become so complicated because there were many welfare benefits applicants who may have lied and worked around the “system” receiving more money than needed. To cut down on wasteful distribution of financial assistance, the process has become more complicated to make certain the applicant’s who need welfare the most is able to receive it. 

The bureaucratic task that i selected was the Firearm Laws in Pennsylvania. I made a flowchart according to the laws stating that you need a license to carry a concealed weapon and to have it in the car. The first thing that I had to do was to brush up on the law and the process in which you have to go through to carry a concealed weapon

- 

• Briefly summarize the bureaucratic 'task' that you selected.

Well for ours, Rob and I, we had to research the process in order to get your car registered, we also found out about things like changing your plates in the process. There were steps that had to be taken in order to get you car registered. 

Process:

We first broke down the work according to what the other person was willing to do. 

Then we divided it evenly and gathering as much information as a team, we then picked out the most important things that we both had researched that were the same. 

We put the major steps that we found in order to get your registration and we put them in a bulleted list and arranged them in the best order in order to complete the price. 

I then sent the list to rob, and he has done more flow charts than I have, so he put the bulleted list in order, and after that was done. 

After that was done, i got any forms that were necessary for registering your car and i filled those out. 

The task that my partner and I chose was how to get a marriage license. To get a marriage license is not complicated at all. You just need to have your Social Security Number and pay the $80 fee. If you have been married before or had your name changed you need to have the proper documentation proving such things. Also if you are a minor you need parental consent and you pay a extra $10 per person. 

To collect our information we simply went on the Philadelphia Government website and collected the steps that people need to take to get their marriage license. Once we collected the steps we drew our flow chart on paper to see how all of the steps would connect together. Then we made our chart digital using lucid charts. 

There isn't really paper work that you need to fill out. As I stated before you need only your social security number and all the proper documentation then to sign your signature, so it is very simple to get your marriage license.

I would change the fact that you have to pay $80 to get married, either I would take away the fee or I would lessen it. Because everywhere else in Pennsylvania the fee is $25.

I think that these systems don't need to be so complicated, the government makes you go through so much just to get what you want. I don't think there is a real reason for it all. 

My partner, Sky, and I tackled the process of buying a HUD home. A HUD home is a house owned by the state because it had previously been repossessed from its previous owner. The process it self was not very difficult, if you have a good broker/Realtor. Once you have found a decent home you can enter different programs like Teachers Next Door to get a reduced mortgage, as Sky and I did. After having a very vigorous inspection of the house you want to buy, and after it passes you can place a bid and hope the seller excepts it. If they do you can move onto closing to officially own the home, but if not you must start from the beginning of the process. After you official receive the home you must get home owners insurance and then finally sign the closing papers.

Now, even though the process was not very hard the paperwork was extremely difficult. Plus, my partner and I entered the Teachers Next Door Program which just added more paperwork. Filling out the Tax form was the most difficult paper and the rest was just very tedious. There were about 20 pages worth addendums and disclosure we had sign. It seemed a little scary because of all the 'Lead Paint Disclosures' it made the house seem not safe at all to live in.

If I could change somethings about the process, I would make it accessible online. If I was able to fill out all the information once and have it carry over to all the other hundreds of forms like, it would make it so much easier. I think these processes are so difficult because the American government want to be too specific and just difficult. Some things are just not needed in order to do things like buy a house or start a restaurant.

Overall the project turned out good. I feel as though Sky and I were able to make the process easy with out flow chart. Also I don't think we could have done all these this without the assistance of my aunt who is a Realtor and helped us with the process. Thus, proving why you need a good Realtor to handle this process.

1) We selected food stamps. We talked out the process of how to get food stamps.

We went over filling out the paperwork, where to get it from and the interview process.

2) Our process was basically to fill out the application and to find out what it was like to go through filling out a lot of paperwork. We had to come up with different numbers such as social security and policy numbers for our insurance and things of that nature. We then had to get to work on starting our flow chart. We didn't really know how we wanted to do it at first but we tried some different things out and finally found something that worked.

3) The paperwork wasn't hard but it wasn't the easiest thing to fill out either. There were a lot of thing included in it that we didn't understand. We did the best we could with creating a fake identity and to come up with a social security number and with numbers for his insurance such as the policy number. Overall there were still some questions we had about the application itself because there were a lot of thing on there that didn't make sense, at least to us.

4) i would change the interview/paperwork process. I think that there should always be a worker or someone working with you throughout the process so there won't be the chance of getting turned down or anything. You can make sure you have all the paperwork and make sure that everything is filled out correctly the first time. Or at elate there should be someone that explains everything from the beginning of the process.

5) I think it's become so complicated for a variety of reasons. 1, in my opinion, is that they need to make sure there aren't any frauds going on and that there is accurate information being given and the right system for each person if given. Also  to make sure people are serious about what is going on I guess they need to make it long because people wouldn't waste their time on something that they weren't serious about.

6) I just want to say if someone was going to fill out the application to make sure they do it with some so they don't get confused and will have done everything correctly.

 I did my project on applying for welfare benefits. The benefits included food stamps, health care coverage, child care, etc. The process was sort of hard because to apply for benefits online you have to create an account and fill out a lot of personal information but I couldn't do that because that was not apart of the project. So I had to stop at a certain point. If  I could change this process I would make it so that people could find out more about the process online before actually applying and having to give out personal information. I think this process in particular is complicated because the government is giving you aid. If they are going to give it to you they want to know that you absolutely need it. The only way the can find that out is by getting all your personal information like income, bank reports, pay stubs, etc. 

My bureaucratic 'task' was the process of getting a restraining order.

Briefly summarize the bureaucratic 'task' that you selected.

Narcissa and I decided to open an Italian restaurant. We filled out papers necessary to have a business, selling, and having a license.

Give an overview of your process

First we filled out registration for our tax number to fill out the business license. Those are important to own a building and cash checks. Then we filled out the DBA, the Fictitious Name of our restaurant, then the EIN, Employer Identification Number is important if you want people working under your business. Afterwards we completed the Seller's Permit to sell things at our business.

Reflect upon the paperwork that you needed to fill out. Was it straightforward, easy, difficult, perplexing, etc.

Our paperwork wasn't hard, it was straightforward to complete.

If you could change one thing about the bureaucratic process that you flow charted, what would it be and why?

Something I would change is to lower the prices for all the documents needed for a selling business. I'm sure it's hard for small businesses to start because of money.

Why do you think the systems have become so complicated?

I think it became complicated so people who are dedicated to their business will work hard to start it. Owners who do things carelessly is wasting money.

Other thoughts, reflections, feedback.

It was hard to find the documents online to fill out.

Flow Chart: Applying for Welfare benefits

Welfare: How Do I Get On Welfare?

Eligibility: To be eligible for welfare, one must be a U.S. citizen or lawfully admitted to the country for permanent residence, have little to no income. When a person applies for welfare, his/her citizenship is reviewed as well as each household member before access can be granted. A social securities number is required for all applicants. Social securities numbers will be needed not only for the applicant, but the each member living in the household of the applicant.  Work requirement vary depending on the state an applicant. Some states provide work and/or training programs. Work is not always required for some applicants. For example, an individual in a single-parent household, with a child under 12 months old, may be temporarily excused from work requirements. Temporarily or permanently disabled recipients, and those involved in substance abuse programs are also excused from work. Applicants attending college may be exempt from work as long as their education meets welfare requirements.

Application Process: all applicants must complete the welfare application. You may download the application, then mail for processing. Or, you can find your nearest “human services” or welfare office and fill out an application in person. An online application is also available.  If you need help with the application, contact your caseworker for assistance. Your caseworker will tell you which programs you are eligible for. Some programs may require documentation to prove your income, bills, marital status, and other information. After you’ve submitted all necessary documentation along with your application to your caseworker, he/she will submit the paperwork and let you know if you are eligible.

http://www.lucidchart.com/documents/view/4d07be86-c19c-4c33-8639-52000af90ae1

Adoption Flow Chart

My partner and I decided to choose adoption for our bureaucratic task. We first researched Adoption. We looked for steps and qualifications. We tried to find paper work but to receive the paperwork you have to contact an agency. The way the paperwork was described seemed difficult but within reason. There is a lot to do. Regardless of how awesome you may think your family is or how perfect you filled out paperwork the agency and lawyers have almost all of the say if you’re a good fit for adopting a child. 

If I could change anything about my bureaucratic function and the process, I would want to contact a person who adopted a child.  This would give me a chance to get a more realistic point of view on adoption and get information about the process that wasn’t available from researching.

From Dianna:

"Every child in every school in the US will have the opportunity to become a new global citizen"- that is what we believe at NGC (www.newglobalcitizens.org) and that's what I'll be sharing about next Monday, Dec. 20th.  Leadership takes many forms and develops many skills; but  leadership at an international service level is in many ways one of the highest levels one can partake in.  We'll be facilitating a discussion on accomplished international leaders of all ages and across all borders.  We'll define what it means to be an international leader.  And we'll discuss what it takes to step up and become a leader- to create positive change- right here, right now.

Today's students aren't the leaders of the future....they are leaders TODAY."

X and Y bands, Scaer Library, Feel free to eat your lunch while you listen.

For my third recipe I made Arroz Con Leche. This was the hardest recipe I made. I think that I may have messed up on the directions when I made it because the consistency was very liquidly, like soup, when was supposed to be thick, like pudding. I think it was like this because it didnt cool before I served it, if I had let it cool it might have thickened up more. I hope you enjoy my post!

Recipe provided by: http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/02/arroz-con-leche-rice-pudding/

Ingredients:

- 1 cup long grain rice

- 2 cinnamon sticks

- 2 strips lemon zest

- 3 whole cloves

- 4 cups water

- 1 egg

- 3 cups whole milk

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

- 1 tablespoon vanilla

-1 can condensed milk

Step 1: Soak rice, cinnamon sticks, lemon zest, cloves, and water in a sauce pan for an hour

Step 2: After one hour, heat the rice on high until it boils, then turn it to a simmer and let it cook for 10-12 more minutes.

Step 3: While the rice is cooking beat the egg in a bowl and add the milk. Mix well. 

Step 4: Add the milk and egg mixture, condensed milk, salt, and vanilla extract to the rice for 25-35 minutes or until desired consistency. 

Step 5: Enjoy!

P.S. I suggest going to the link I posted to see what the arroz con leche was supposed to look like. 

The Entrepreneur’s Pyramid of Success: 

Building Blocks for Winning in Entrepreneurship

The Science Leadership Academy Boys Basketball team registered their first victory of the season on Tuesday with a win over the Arts Academy @ Benjamin Rush, 71-52. SLA was led by junior Sam Kabangai with 16 points and junior Tyler Hankinson with 13 points and 10 assists. SLA was leading at halftime 33-24, and then put the game away, out-scoring Rush 22-12 in the third quarter.

Come out and cheer on SLA on Friday, Dec. 17th as the Rockets take on Douglass. Go SLA!

Photo: Freshman Sterling Perry lays it up against Rush. (Photo credit: Ayanna Robinson)

Dear Senator Anthony Williams,     

          My name is Morgan Craig-Williams, and I am a senior at Science Leadership Academy. I live in Southwest Philadelphia and from what I believe you represent me.  This message is in regard to the trash that clutters the street within your jurisdiction. I am concerned about what our streets may look like in 3 years from now if we don’t take care of the problem. I feel like a lot of people have overviewed this situation before yet none have really addressed it, which is why I wanted to let you know there are teenagers who really want to help make a difference.     I would like a cleaner Philadelphia and want the trash clean up just as rigorous in the urban areas as they are in the city. We have the resources to make that happen even if there are a couple of community service projects put in place to clean up one street at a time.    I am willing to put together a group within my school’s community but I can’t do it all by myself. I believe with help from you and getting the right resources to advertise, this can become a wonderful thing. Lots of time you see kid sin jail suits cleaning up parks, community service for punishment. I want teenagers and adults even children to be able to walk along their streets a not have to be worried about stepping on a dirty needles or junk food trash.     Please consider what I am trying to start in my community; I would be very thankful if you took time out of your busy schedule to review all options.

            Sincerely,

                            Morgan Craig-Williams

              To further my lobbying for a cleaner Philadelphia, I was thinking about talking to someone from Build-On. Maybe teaming up with an already established community service project and making an event through them would be better than starting form scratch.

Parents, students and teachers are all invited to hear the ensemble play and to enjoy refreshments afterwards.

It’s almost time to begin to take action.  I’ve gather the information and the motivation, now all that is left is to put the plan into motion to make sure they do not lower the drinking age too 25.  After finding out a lot of information, I have come to the conclusion that the best way to reach the senate is through rallies and demonstrations.  I chose this because I’ve seen other forms of gaining attention in action, such as petitions, phone calls and emails, and I know from personal experience that using such methods in this situation would only delay the process.

The 1^st thing I plan to do is spread the word about my cause.  There can’t be a rally if people don’t know what they’re rallying for.  The second thing I need to do is draw the attention of the media.  Although some people may disagree with this at first, any publicity is good Publicity. The next thing I would do is search for a good time and date to have the rally and where.  There are many factors for this so I need to think carefully.  Because my father knows Mayor Nutter, I might be able to get him to support me or help me in some manner when doing this for real. As time marches on the  and the days for until this project insues, im growing more anxious for the day to arrive. 

Another approach worthy of consideration, nay, of being enacted is to create little, adorable, perhaps comical films to be put on youtube. This will spread awareness and hopefully interest in the matter. This will lead to a meeting with various relevant people solidifying the explanation of its importance, a meeting that will involve the lawmakers to whom I have been sending letters. (Most likely just one letter, perchance two if pushed to such limits.)

One other approach I am considering to spread the word is a Dear Stranger campaign. I place festively designed envelopes with letters inside telling of my cause throughout the city and allow curious individuals to peak inside. I am tossing the idea around.