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Michaela Berger Public Feed

Michaela Berger- Capstone

Posted by Michaela Berger in Capstone · Spry/Walker-Roberts · Wed on Sunday, May 9, 2021 at 3:47 pm

For my capstone, I decided to focus on food sustainability and how people in the SLA community can lessen their personal food waste. I did this by creating the “SLA Pledge to Food Sustainability.” I chose this topic because of my interest in food, its systems, and its environmental impact. My first step was to gather participants of students, teachers, and parents at SLA and ask them what they knew about food sustainability. Then, over the course of eight weeks, I prompted them to try out new sustainability techniques such as meal planning, using more leftovers and trying out low-waste recipes. I also gave them tips on how to live a more sustainable lifestyle each week. After sending out four of these surveys over the course of two months, I analyzed the results to see what a small sample of people thought of food sustainability. After this, I decided to put my findings, plus all of the resources I used, on a website so more people could utilize the information. Although completing my capstone during the pandemic presented its challenges, I am proud that I was able to do everything I could do, especially it all being online.

You can find my final website here: https://mberger21.wixsite.com/mysite

Here is my annotated bibliography: https://docs.google.com/document/d/16ydFI6gOmKzcCm6kdPn3UTLntUHKzPL_WOfCcORGAEo/edit?usp=sharing

Example of planned meal through my capstone surveys

Tags: west, Walker-Roberts
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Here Here Podcast #3

Posted by Michaela Berger in College English · Pahomov · B Band on Thursday, January 21, 2021 at 11:50 am

Authors: Lucas Capitolo, Fionn Hyland, Michaela Berger

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Summary: In the final episode of our podcast, we discuss author Tommy Orange’s intentions with writing “There There.” We look at the events at the end of the book and tie that into the real-world issues and why Orange may have written what he did. We hope you have enjoyed listening to our podcast the past few weeks!

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Here Here Podcast Episode #2

Posted by Michaela Berger in College English · Pahomov · B Band on Sunday, January 17, 2021 at 4:45 pm
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Authors: Fionn Hyland, Lucas Capitolo, Michaela Berger

Welcome to the second episode of “Here Here!” This week, we discuss the events of the book through the Marxist Lens, which examines the financial scenarios in the novel. Since we have been able to learn more about each character, we work to analyze each character, their relationships, and their financial situations. We hope you enjoy!

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Here Here Podcast- Lucas, Fionn, Michaela

Posted by Michaela Berger in College English · Pahomov · B Band on Sunday, January 10, 2021 at 3:49 pm
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Lucas Capitolo, Fionn Hyland, Michaela Berger

Book: There There by Tommy Orange

Summary: In this podcast, we discuss the literal and figurative meanings behind the characters and their actions. We also look into the many characters introduced by working to connect their stories using metaphors, symbols, and life events. Tune into “Here Here” to learn more about finding one’s identity and culture while also grasping darker issues like substance abuse and trauma. We hope you enjoy!

Trigger Warning: Mentions of Rape

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Effects of Mental Illness

Posted by Michaela Berger in English 2 · Pahomov/Rhymer · E Band on Monday, March 25, 2019 at 8:18 am

Michaela Berger

Ms. Pahomov

English 2

25 March 2019

Effects of Mental Illness

How does trauma affect everyone in different ways? In Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, a group of boys experience a series of events that lead to chaos among them. After a devastating plane crash, several boys aged 6 to about 12 must learn to survive on an island with no adults and thus no authority. From this crash, the boys’ emotions change and their behavior begins to reflect it. Their experiences on the island caused the boys to become vulnerable, crude, and even violent. A traumatic event can lead to mental and emotional illnesses, which may affect their relationships with other people.

To begin, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, is a mental illness where a person has behavioral or emotional issues recovering from a traumatic event. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in an article about PTSD in children, symptoms of children with PTSD include acting helpless, hopeless or withdrawn, and nightmares and sleep problems. If they have PTSD, performing tasks, like interacting with others or doing something independently can become difficult. This is especially if they do not have access to treatment. A world health report done in 2001 by the World Health Organization (WHO) states that only one-third of all of the people diagnosed with mental disorders seek treatment. The majority of the time, it is because of the stigma of having a mental illness. People affected with illnesses like PTSD do not want to be judged or have others know that they go to therapy because of a mental illness they have. Other times, it is due to limited access or not being able to afford treatment. If people are not treated or do not have access to treatment, their symptoms will only worsen. Their mental and emotional health could deteriorate. In children, their actions and relationships with both adults and other children can take a drastic, negative turn.

In Golding’s novel, the boys begin to experience symptoms of PTSD from their plane crash. Specifically, their behavior reflects several of the more common ones as told by the CDC such as sleepwalking, nightmares, and vulnerability. For example, the younger boys on the island who are around six years old, show signs of sleep issues. This is witnessed by Jack, Ralph, and Simon, “They dream. You can hear ‘em… They talk and scream. The littluns,” (Golding 52). When Ralph says this, he demonstrates how the “littluns” are showing a common symptom of PTSD. Since the littluns are very young, they have a limited understanding of the severity of the plane crash compared to what the older boys know. Another consequence of their young age is that they have a different perception of the intensity of events. The littluns’ upset behavior and vulnerable actions show they are experiencing anxiety because of what happened in the plane crash.

A person diagnosed with PTSD often experiences emotional management issues. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs notes that a common symptom of PTSD is stress and anger. Having this accumulated anger can affect other people. Anger is reported to be a very common response to trauma. Temperament helps release some of the negative feelings a person with PTSD may have and helps them cope with stress. However, using anger as a main coping strategy will rarely help in the long run. Someone who resorts to solving problems with anger will use this method more often, which can lead to longer and more intense rages. It will affect other’s opinions of that person because they use their temper as an outlet. For example, U.S. veterans often experience PTSD, especially symptoms of anger. A helpguide.org article notes how anger corresponds to the fight or flight response veterans get (Smith et al). The rush of adrenaline gives them energy, so they need to blow off steam or become rageful. They are on guard at all time, which especially causes this irritability. It can prevent veterans from getting jobs, which can later lead to homelessness. Not only does this anger affect other people, but it affects how they live.

Using anger as a coping mechanism is a common trait among the boys in Lord of The Flies. Jack, the self-designated head of the hunters, often uses the rageful coping method to deal with some of the stressors of being on the island. Golding describes Jack’s angry actions, “Then Jack leapt to his feet, slashed off a great hunk of meat, and flung it down at Simon's feet. ‘Eat! Damn you!’ He glared at Simon,” (74). This quote reveals some of the aggression portrayed by the character Jack. He was angered by the actions of the other characters, but also faced some internal struggle. Although he uses yelling at the boys to show them the kind of power he has, he is really doing it because of the trauma he experienced from the plane crash. Jack releases his frustration on the boys as a way to cope with this stress. His anger affects his fellow hunters in order to get them to work together, even if it is intimidating. Early in the book, he asserts his dominance with sternness, which leads to him having some power over the boys. Contrary to what the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs says, using this assertiveness causes people to want to follow him. Although it does intimidate the boys and come off as rude, Jack is able to form a cohesive group of boys with similar, angry motives.

To conclude, a traumatic event can really affect one’s actions and relationships. It can have a negative impact on their mental and emotional health. When a traumatic event happens, the ones who experience it can have impacted behavior and even sleep issues. It affects the people surrounding the victim and can eventually hurt the environment they are in. Mental illnesses like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder impact so many individuals, yet very little is done about it. Only a fraction of the people diagnosed yearly is treated. Mental health issues are so often overlooked when it really affects so many people today.


Works Cited

Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. Penguin Books, 2006

“Mental Disorders Affect One in Four People.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, 29 July 2013, www.who.int/whr/2001/media_centre/press_release/en/.

“National Center for PTSD.” PTSD, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 3 Aug. 2018, www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/related/anger.asp.

“Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.” National Institute of Mental Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Feb. 2016, www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/index.shtml.

“Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Children | CDC.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 12 Mar. 2019, www.cdc.gov/childrensmentalhealth/ptsd.html.

Smith, Melinda, et al. “PTSD in Military Veterans.” HelpGuide.org, Oct. 2018, www.helpguide.org/articles/ptsd-trauma/ptsd-in-military-veterans.htm/.



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Three Quarters

Posted by Michaela Berger in English 2 · Pahomov/Rhymer · E Band on Thursday, November 8, 2018 at 1:56 pm

This is not the life I imagined 7 years ago. I imagined that we would always live the way we did. But now I am 16. What did I get? A pat on the back, a job application form, and a deeper realization of life. Not to sound ungrateful, but I wish we had it better. Mom and dad are each working two jobs, and so are you, Eddie. You’re only 19. I remember when we used to sit in the front yard, naming all of the squirrels we would see. Even when we moved here, you named the cockroaches we occasionally saw. I wish I had your spirit.

But now I’m 16. It’s my turn to work. I have to help our family. It is hard living this way, but with one more paycheck brought home each week, it will get better. We could ask “What are we having for dinner?” instead of “Are we having dinner?” We could get more than a pair of socks for Christmas.

It’s my turn to give back to the family. After all, I am the reason we live the way we do. I want to be able to let mom and dad and you know that I care about giving the family what I took away.

Don’t “I don’t know Daphne,” me. With a job, I can help work for the life I wanted to have when I was a little girl. A little girl with 2 legs.

Why am I getting so excited? I will never be able to get a job. Who wants to hire an amputee? Why hire three quarters of a person, when there are full ones out there? Yes. I am, Eddie. I am incomplete. I need crutches to walk on my own. I get weird stares on the street. I can’t play sports, run with my friends, or dance at parties. I can hardly get up the stairs on my own. I should have appreciated what I could do before it was to late.

Of course I’m ready. I need to give back to this family! I am the reason we live like this! If it wasn’t for me, we could still live in the suburbs, and go to a nice private school. I know it isn’t my fault, but it's true. If I hadn’t gotten sick and needed my freaking leg cut off… *sighs*

I want to live an easy life. I really do! Is it too late for that? I am already 16, but I haven’t achieved anything. I haven’t traveled, I haven’t gotten exceptional grades, nothing special. All of my friends have great lives. They go to the shore during the summer and buy fancy clothing from fancy stores. They eat healthy vegan food, take photo shoots in the park, and have clear skin. Why must I be disabled and have acne? It’s unfair!

You know what, nevermind. It is not worth getting frustrated about. I… I just wish it hadn’t happened, you know? Life is hard with 4 limbs, let alone 3. But, I’ve made it this far. I can’t give up now. I have a whole life ahead of me, or something like that. I’ve already lived 7 years with 1 leg. I can go through another 7. And then 7 years after that.

And look at Marlee. She is an amputee and she is living a great life, job and everything! I suppose I can be successful. I just have to put my mind to it. Also, I am lucky enough to have two working arms. Now that I think about it, why wouldn’t someone hire me? Even if I only have 1 leg, I am a strong, persistent, awesome young woman.


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Emulate your Author Handbook

Posted by Michaela Berger in English 2 · Pahomov/Rhymer · E Band on Thursday, October 25, 2018 at 12:39 pm
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A New Experience in a New Place

Posted by Michaela Berger in English 2 · Pahomov/Rhymer · E Band on Friday, September 21, 2018 at 2:57 pm

I peer out of the cramped window as the skyline of Toronto comes into sight, my field of view increasing as the plane descends.

I hear the captain on the PA system, “Flight attendants prepare for landing.”

The first thing I see is the CN Tower, the tallest building in North America. I feel overwhelmed with excitement as the small wheels come out from beneath the plane. I get to experience the cultures of a new city!
As a present for my 15th birthday, my mom gave me the choice to visit either Chicago, Washington D.C, or Toronto, Canada. At the mention of going to Toronto, my heart fluttered. I had been to Canada once before and had desired to go back since then.

“I’ll let you think about it,” she said when I didn’t respond.

“Toronto!” I exclaimed.

“Well, you’re enthusiastic. I’ll look at plane ticket prices tonight.”

A few weeks later, I was setting foot on the train that would take us from the airport to the city. A video plays when the doors close and the train starts. “Whether you are visiting Toronto for the first time or are returning home, welcome!” The calming voice of the recorded message plays. I lean back in my seat and stare out of the window. We pass a friendly looking park as the video names famous attractions in the city. All I could think was that I could not wait to visit all of those cool places!

I sit at the table next to my mom, her computer set in front of us.

On the screen, it reads, “Top 20 things to do in Toronto, Summer 2017.”

We read the travel blog’s article together. It lists the typical things you find on a travel site, such as museums or landmarks. However, one thing catches our eye.

“The Canadian National Exhibition: Celebrating 150 years.”

“I forgot, Canada is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year! We have to go to this,” my mom tells me.

After they scan my ticket, I walk through the turnstile. I gasp at everything I see, trying to take it all in at once. A huge banner, with every color imaginable, announcing the 150th anniversary spans my vision. Many pavilions stretch across the 192 acres set aside for this festival. My mom and I are not sure where to go first! Perhaps the food pavilion? How about the petting zoo? I wish there was something like this back in Philadelphia; I could stay here all day.

“What else should we do in Toronto?” I asked my mom. “We are spending three days there, but there is only one thing we’ve planned.”

We were going to the Canadian National Exhibition, but so far that was it. While we both had ideas of what to do, nothing was permanent.

“We should visit my dad’s cousins,” my mom mentions. “I haven’t seen them in a long time. They do live in Toronto.”

“That sounds good. We should meet them for dinner one night,” I respond.

We climb out of our Uber and head towards the restaurant. I am excited to see my family for the first time since my Bat Mitzvah, two years ago. I wonder if they’ll even remember me, I think to myself. Of course they will silly, you only saw them a couple of years ago, I reassure myself

A hostess greets us and brings us to the table with my family. The butterflies in my stomach flutter, making my insides churn. Why am I so nervous?

“Hi! It’s so good to see you! You’ve grown so much!” My great-aunt Vera stands up and embraces me in a warm hug. The butterflies fly away, and I immediately feel more relaxed. We eat and talk for what seems like forever.

Finally, my mom looks at her phone and announces, “It’s Ten o’clock, we should be heading back to the hotel.”

I am so happy I got this time to catch up with my family. I am also glad to get back to our hotel and rest. This vacation has been so much fun. I really got to see cultural differences between Toronto and Philadelphia. Even though the city is just a short distance away, the culture is still different. Toronto is focused on the environment and urban improvement so much, I quality I would love to see everywhere. Everyone there is so kind to everyone they meet, from passers-by to new friends. I can’t wait to come back to Canada.


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Element Print: Antimony

Posted by Michaela Berger in Art - Freshman · Hull · e2 Band on Wednesday, May 30, 2018 at 9:45 am
​I have the element Antimony. The atomic number is 51 and the symbol is Sb, which comes from the Latin word "Stibium". Antimony has no known discovery date. Antimony was mentioned in the Old Testament, as well as in papyrus in the 16th century. There is an Antimony vase in the Louvre in Paris, estimated to be 5,000 years old. It was also used in kohl eyeliner in ancient Egypt. Today, Antimony is used in some batteries, bullets, cable sheathing, and flame retardant materials. 
In my print, I chose to have a kohl eye. This was a symbol used in ancient Egypt used to represent people wearing eyeliner, which contained large amounts of Antimony. The kohl eye symbol is so intricate, yet simple. I thought it would look great in a negative space print. For my print, I first sketched my kohl eye. I then copied the design onto tracing paper. Next, I flipped the tracing paper over, then copied my backwards design onto a foam plate. After that, I rolled paint onto my plate. Lastly, I flipped the plate onto fresh printer paper and applied light pressure to the back of the plate to transfer the paint.
If I were to do this project again, I would make my atomic symbol and number a little bit more distinguishable on the design. They were both a little bit small and hard to see. I would also press all of my negative space lines in further so they could be more prominent. I enjoyed printing the most. I really liked rolling the paint and printing it onto the paper. It was a very satisfying feeling. 

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What Can We Do To Spread Pit Bull Awareness?

Posted by Michaela Berger in English 1 · Giknis · Y Band on Friday, May 18, 2018 at 11:40 am

What Can We Do To Spread Pit Bull Awareness?


In my first post, I discussed the issue of the American Pit Bull Terrier, and spreading awareness in my community. I addressed how there are several negative media portrayals of Pit Bulls, as well as how the breed is heavily influenced by its treatment. For example, if a Pit Bull is treated abusively, it will act accordingly. For my second post, I did some original research about the issue by conducting a survey. In my survey, I received various answers. Many people did not know too much about Pit Bulls, while some had very positive experiences, and others had negative ones. From this survey, I was able to gain knowledge of people’s perceptions of Pit Bulls, and how I could positively impact this issue. After completing my original research, I wanted to do something more.

For additional research, I looked at Saved Me Animal Rescue’s website. Their mission is “to provide a safe, responsible, and loving home [to their] rescues.” They are a non-profit shelter, and  pull dogs from shelters that euthanize (“put down”) due to a lack of space. This means they are a no-kill shelter. This shows how Saved Me is dedicated to helping dogs in danger of euthanization, and making sure they have a chance at life. I personally think this is great because when dogs have to be euthanized, their innocent lives are taken away. While sometimes dogs must be put down because of extreme behavioral and health issues, it is often done because of overcrowding.

Saved Me’s entrance (left), and volunteering sign in Saved Me (right).

Euthanasia is especially common among Pit Bulls because they make up a lot of the shelter dog population. According to Save A Bull Rescue's Website, about 75% of municipal shelters euthanize pit bulls immediately upon arrival to the shelters. In addition to that, “Studies estimate that up to 1 million pits are euthanized per year, or 2,800 per day.” Almost 3,000 innocent dogs will be killed today. They also say 1 in 600 pit bulls born will ever be adopted into a good home. 1 in 600. These tear-jerking statistics make me glad that I support a shelter like Saved Me, which helps lower these statistics. Even the county shelter has already euthanized 371 dogs (including owner-intended), according to April statistics on their website.

The statistics are EXTREMELY low. Only .16% of pit bulls will be adopted into a good home.

For my agent of change, I volunteered at Saved Me’s shelter. There, they rely heavily on volunteers because they are non-profit.  At the shelter, I walked and played with the dogs, because they don’t have enough workers to be able to do that as much as it is needed. The first week I went, I walked two dogs named Bam Bam, a chihuahua mix, and Jasper, a pit bull. When I returned two weeks later, both dogs had been adopted! When I returned, I walked and played with a total of four  dogs. Working with the dogs made me feel happy. I was glad I was making a difference in their lives, as well as providing the shelter staff additional help. I do plan to return to volunteer several times within the next few months. Sadly, I will not be able to volunteer there for much longer because the shelter is in danger of closing at the end of June; their building’s lease is up.

Here I am walking Jasper, a Pit Bull mix.

Doing this project has been an emotional roller coaster for me. I chose to focus on Pit Bulls because I have seen negative stereotypes of the breed, but I know they are rarely true. I wanted others to see through the negative stereotypes too. As the project went on, I added information about the effect of the negative stereotypes: both its impact on people, and their lives. While I really enjoyed doing research about pit bulls, as well as being able to help them, learning some of the statistics is heartbreaking. However, now that I know these things, I am very glad I chose to focus on Pit Bull Awareness.

Throughout this project, I learned how some of the common misconceptions of Pit Bulls are made, what people think about them, and how to help. I even learned how I can benefit the lives of Pit Bulls in my community. One thing I could have done better could have been to focus more on the actual breed for my agent of change. For example, I could have volunteered with just Pit Bulls. If I had done this, I would not have had the opportunity to meet the lovely shelter dogs I worked with. While Pit Bulls are at higher risk than some breeds, others need loving too. It is important to keep working with the issue, instead of leaving it alone after this project That is why I will continue volunteering at the shelter as long as possible. While I might not be able to eradicate the issue completely, I am doing my part.

My Pit Bull and I.


Here is my finalized annotated bibliography if you want to check it out!
Tags: English 1, You & the World
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Negative Space Reflection

Posted by Michaela Berger in Art - Freshman · Hull · e2 Band on Friday, April 27, 2018 at 10:54 am
​ Negative space is the space around and between an image. It forms a silhouette around a shape. It focuses on contrast. 
I found the negative space in my image based on the details. On the paper, there were two different colors, each thing was either black or grey. I chose all of the things that were grey to be my negative space. So I cut those out and separated them from the black images. 
Seeing things in negative space helps artists by showing what contrasts what and how to focus on both detailed things and broad things. 
Negative space does enhance drawings. It helps differentiate one thing from another in the sense that you don't just have to draw lines that show where details are different. You can just cut that out. 
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The Opinion on Pit Bulls

Posted by Michaela Berger in English 1 · Giknis · Y Band on Sunday, March 18, 2018 at 5:35 pm

More Opinions About Pit Bulls

In my previous post, I wrote and researched on how there are many common misconceptions about American Pit Bull Terriers. What I found in my research is that the temperament of a pit bull is almost always reliant on its treatment from humans. If the dogs are handled with respect and their needs are met, there are fewer temperament issues. If any breed of dog, not just pit bulls, are abused or not given the care they need, problems start to occur. Sometimes pit bulls especially may have temperment issues because of post-traumatic stress disorder from previous abuse.

When I continued my research, I focused on statistics with pit bulls. One article by the Huffington Post gathers many statistics on causes of injury or death. For instance, common causes of death are compared to the likelihood of dying from a dog bite. An example from the article states, "Maybe more striking is the fact that you are FAR more likely to die from eating a hot dog (choking from inhalation of food) than from being attacked by an actual dog. Death by a real dog- 1 in 116,448. Death by a hot dog- 1 in 3,375." This reveals that there is always a possibility to die from a dog attack, yet there are many other things that are more likely to occur.

This shows how getting killed by a dog is a very small chance compared to many things

Sara L. Wilson, from the Canine Journal, has a blog post all about pit bull statistics. Similarly to the Huffington Post article, this post has a lot of information which puts pit bull casualties and behavior into perspective. One example is about how American Pit Bull Terriers are technically a “bully breed.” There are many other dogs on the list of over 40 breeds. Some of the other dogs on the list include Pugs and Boston terriers. One point this post makes is about canine behavior. Wilson writes, “What we do know from statistical analysis is that 86.8 percent of American Pit bull terriers have passed their temperament testing according to the American Temperament Test Society, Inc. This is a higher number of American pit bulls to pass their testing than collies, beagles, and even golden retrievers.” I think this quote proves that pit bulls do not have temperament as bad as we think.

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Some examples of a bully breed. The quotation marks around “bully” show how those breeds are not necessarily rough.

For my original research on this topic, I created a survey to gather people's opinions on pit bulls. I chose to do this because in order to change people's view on pit bulls, I should know their opinions first. The survey helped me learn the surveyee's experiences with dogs in general, more specifically pit bulls, as well as what they think of pit bulls. Some people have had positive experiences with pit bulls, and some have had less positive interactions. Many of the people who took my survey were very open-minded; some said they had heard bad things about pit bulls, but they were sure pit bulls were friendly and kind dogs. This information lets me know that some people have similar opinions on pit bulls as me, but some people also have more negative views. Generally, more people had a positive outlook on the breed. My goal is to make sure everyone has a positive outlook on pit bulls.

(Top) Some responses of what people thought about pit bulls

(Bottom) People describing a dog- seen below

The dog that I asked people to describe

My opinion on this matter has changed a little bit. Now that I know some of the behavioral statistics, I have an even greater opinion on the matter. I am interested to see what specific experiences, positive and/or negative, people have endured. I am especially curious to see what the negative experiences have been. There is nothing I have been left wondering.

The final step of the project is called an agent of change. This is where we use all of the research we have made and act upon our community problem. I am not very certain what I will do for my agent of change. I have had a few thoughts. One idea I have is that I will collect some supplies (dog toys, dog food, treats, etc.) and donate them to a dog shelter. A second idea that I have is to put up images in my school of pit bulls and caption it "Does this dog look mean to you?" When I do pursue with my agent of change, I am sure it will be great.


Check out my annotated bibliography too!
Tags: English 1, You & the World
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Are Pit Bulls Really That Dangerous?

Posted by Michaela Berger in English 1 · Giknis · Y Band on Friday, February 23, 2018 at 11:26 am

Many people say that a dog is a man’s best friend, but many people say that dogs are vicious wild animals. Pit bulls are great examples of these pets. While some of them can be tough animals, many of them are super sweet, caring, and compassionate dogs. This breed in particular matters to me because I have seen ugly, stereotypical “dangerous” pit bulls in the media, but I know they are not true. I have a pit bull of my own that counteracts these negative things. I have met so many pit bulls who are kind, loving, and loyal. My goal is to spread awareness so everyone can understand how lovely pit bulls really are. It is important for others to see this problem because of the high rates of pit bulls on the streets and in shelters. There are too many stray dogs, which can be dangerous to a normal passer-by. When there are too many dogs in an animal shelter, they are euthanized (or “put down”); then these dogs are killed for absolutely nothing.

Pit bulls, short for American Pit bull Terriers, were originally bred to be bait for bulls. They were later used to fight each other for entertainment. Because of this history, pit bulls can be a little more aggressive towards other dogs, but it does not mean they are vicious. The ASPCA says that “The reality is that dogs of many breeds can be selectively bred or trained to develop aggressive traits… Despite our best efforts, there will always be dogs of various breeds that are simply too dangerous to live safely in society.” This means that only so many efforts can be made to help these pets not be aggressive. While some pit bulls are still more combative, because of their nature, if they were not raised right, they are combative.

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Pit bulls are actually very nice dogs, and according to the American Temperament Test Society, they are the second nicest; just below Labrador Retrievers.


Luckily, many people love their pit bulls, myself included. They are so hard not to love. The ASPCA recognizes October 28th as “Pit Bull Awareness Day”. They understand how important it is to share the good things about pit bulls. They say, “Sharing these stories is important because when people look at a pit bull-type dog or imagine one, different images and ideas come to mind, and those images are often inaccurate and unfair.” Since so many people have a bad image of pit bulls, it is necessary to show them the good ones.

The National Pit bull Awareness Day website is another website that spreads awareness for the love of pit bulls. Their goal is to educate people on how some pit bulls can be tougher, there are so many that are not. Similarly to the ASPCA, they want to change the negative image associated with pit bulls. There are so many websites, like this one, devoted to spreading positive awareness for pit bulls. It shows that there are many people who want to help spread awareness. Sadly, there are also so many people who don’t.

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A pit bull puppy with text that expresses that people are the problem.

Even the head of the American Pit Bull Foundation, which provides information about pit bulls, thinks people are the problem, not pit bulls. Sara Enos writes how people do not recognize the huge responsibility of owning such an energetic dog, which results in these dogs being abused, or left in shelters or on the streets. As a pit bull owner, I can say that pit bulls are a big responsibility, but my family adopted him knowing how big of a responsibility he’d be. We manage and we helped my pit bull to become more responsible for himself. For example, if he needs to go to the bathroom, my family and I trained our pit bull to bark when he needs to go. Pit bulls, as well as every other dog breed, need their owners to have patience and be caring when it comes to training them. If their owners do not have those qualities, then their pit bull could have a fiercer personality. My family and I are doing our best to properly train our pit bull in order for him to be an ideal dog.

Image result for pit bulls aren't dangerousImage result for pit bulls aren't dangerous

Left: A pit bull and toddler snuggling; which shows how loving these dogs are

Right: Pit bull puppy with text saying how it will only be a monster if he is treated like a monster

In summation, the personality of a pit bull derives from their treatment. If they are not treated well, they will act accordingly. This research proves that the majority of American pit bull terriers are not the violent dogs seen on the news. When raised right, they can be lovable and affectionate. Dogs are a man’s best friend. They just have to be raised that way.

Image result for pit bulls aren't dangerous

The majority of pit bulls are not the dangerous dogs they are thought to be.

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Tags: English 9, You & the World
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Remix 1 Slide + Reflection

Posted by Michaela Berger in Technology - Freshman · Hull · e1 Band on Wednesday, December 6, 2017 at 5:38 pm
1 personality slide (2)
The main critique I got for my slide is that it's not very symmetrical, even though I made that claim in my presentation. I learned that spacing is also very important. Before, I had my words each at different distances from my name. I also had different word lengths matched up to one another in a "symmetric" way.

The first change I made was the font. I decided to use a font that had a cursive like print, which is how I write. I chose the font "Playball" because it had all of the qualities I was looking for, and it looks similar to my handwriting. I also changed the name of my camp to "summer" because it is my favorite season and it looked more symmetric that way. Lastly, I changed the spacing on my words because it was not balanced before.

The research I did made my slide better because I really looked into some more slides with symmetry and balance, so I knew how to change my spacing and word choice to make it look a lot better.

I used the same resources given, like Presentation Zen. I also used Garr Reynold's Top Ten Slide Tips and visage.co "11 Design Tips for Beautiful Presentations." Finally, I used google images to just look at other slides people have done to get inspired.

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1 Slide Presentation

Posted by Michaela Berger on Monday, November 20, 2017 at 8:27 am
1 personality slide

For my slide, I decided to incorporate all of the things that I like most. I chose to have purple as the color scheme because it is my favorite color. I have one main color as my background, plus lighter and darker versions of this color for the design and text. I have the text describing my interests surrounding my name in the center to give the slide symmetry. I chose to do the colorblocked corners to give contrast and in a simplistic form. I did try to keep it as simple as possible so it wasn’t too much for the eyes. I used shape while creating the pale purple bands of color around the edge and the darker purple corners that bleed off of the slide. I used balance in the sense of symmetry in my words and shapes. I used emphasis to make my name the focal point, then the words around it. I also used large text and bright colors to really pull it all together and make it visible, just as it would appear on a billboard. Similarly to the emphasis of the page, I used the rule of thirds to draw attention to my name.

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E1 U1 (Cindy, Nicco, Ami, Michaela): Nicco's SLA Interview

Posted by Michaela Berger in Spanish 1 · Hernandez · C Band on Sunday, October 29, 2017 at 5:44 pm
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My Home Network- Michaela Berger

Posted by Michaela Berger in Technology - Freshman · Hull · e1 Band on Tuesday, October 10, 2017 at 9:41 am
There are 7 devices connected to the internet in my home. There are 3 laptop computers; 2 macbooks and my chromebook. Every member of my family has an iPhone model 6 or higher. My brother also has an iPad mini connected to the internet. There are 4 wi-fi channels in my house. The "613G" and "613G Guest" are for cellular usage. The "613G_5Hz" and "613G_5Hz Guest" are for computers. When researching and learning about my home network, I found out how information travels over the internet. What you need to know about having an Internet Service Provider or home network is to do research to get the best plan for you. 
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My Home Network

Posted by Michaela Berger on Tuesday, October 10, 2017 at 8:52 am
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