Assignment 26 - Megan Meadors

This class has been different, I’ll give it that, but I can’t necessarily say I enjoyed it. I have learned a little about how to write, but I haven’t seen much of a difference between this class and AP Seminar, which we took last year. We are the first class to have gone through both, so I doubt it was easy to know what we had or hadn’t covered, but I would suggest talking to Mr. Behler about the class and what we learned last year. We had learned about how to write an argument with sources and how to do academic writing, but we hadn’t learned about the things necessary for the visual literacy projects. We haven’t covered much of the stuff for those since freshman year and let’s be honest, who actually remembers all that from freshman year?

I also wish there was a more direct correlation between the visual literacy projects and the rest of the class. Sure, it was a change of pace, but there was a lot of those that involved film, giving speeches and things like that. I didn’t know that the class would involve those things, and it’s an English class so I get it, but I wish it had been tied in better so I felt like there was more of a point in completing these assignments.

Anyway, even then I still enjoyed the class, and I appreciate having the opportunity to give feedback. I hope you have a good class next year and that you have a good summer!

Assignment 24 - Megan Meadors

This has been a long year. There has been many successes such as my working with the Henry Clay Theater Department where I got a more active role in stage managing. I got to work on the sets for the plays in Theater Stagecraft every day and I got to have a lot of hands on experience working with tools, even though I’ve used most of them before. I also got accepted to the Governors School for Entrepreneurs for the summer, which means I’ll be spending three weeks at Transy working with a team to create a mock business.

As far as failures go, there have been many and I’ve learned that I need to stop procrastinating and that will make my life a lot easier. I’ve most definitely made many mistakes in the past year and I’ve learned from those as well. I don’t want to get into those, but this year has been a year of learning new things.

This summer, I am going to be volunteering at Camp Judy Layne, a Girl Scout Camp, working with children. I will also be getting waterfront trained so I will be able to lifeguard both in pools and in natural bodies of water. I am also getting belay trained, so I can work at the rock climbing tower. As I have also already said, I am going to GSE this summer, so I will be learning a lot about how to create and run a business and work with other entrepreneurs from around Kentucky.

Finally, for my senior year, I am directing with the theater, so I hope that I will learn more about what it takes to direct a show and I will be more confident when working with the actors especially when giving notes and making decisions. I have done this a little when stage managing so I am looking forward to expanding the jobs I have done in the theater and I am excited to see where the theater program goes next year.

Assignment 23 - Megan Meadors

Since I am in musical theater I have to get ready before shows. So I’ve created a playlist that I listen to while doing my hair and makeup before every performance.

The first song on my list is “Nobody” from Bandstand. This song is a swing piece and it is happy and upbeat, which helps distract me before a show. This helps me start to settle down before a show, and gives me a song that I haven’t listened to a thousand time.

The second song on my playlist is “What Baking Can Do” from Waitress. This song has different rhythms and is very heartfelt, which is good to listen to before a show because it helps calm me down, and get into a good emotional place before a show, which is important to the success to the show.

The third song on my playlist is “In My House” from Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812, because this song is very emotional, and gives a different feel from most musical theater pieces. It shows a good range of emotion that you don’t normally hear and it gives me a chance to listen to a song that’s easy to act instead of just listening.

The last songs on my playlist are “Guns and Ships” and “History Has its Eyes on You” from Hamilton. These are the last two songs on my playlist because the first is high energy and the second is a little more somber. This is helpful right before a show because energy is always important to the success of a show, so I like to have a high energy song as one of the last songs I hear before a show. It also serves as a tongue twister right before I go on stage which helps me warm up just a little bit more before I go on stage. Then, having the second being slower helps set the mood and helps with my nerves about performing. These two songs work together perfectly because they are together in their original soundtrack, which means they are already meant to go together, and they both serve oppose purposes and give the perfect final moments before a show.

Assignment 26- Brennan Cegelka

       What a year. In the blink of an eye another school year has come and gone. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in this class. And I believe I came out of this class succeeding in the goal I had with the class: Become a better writer.
       Now that doesn’t doesn’t mean I thought this was a perfect class. No class is perfect. But with that said, I wish I saw a more direct correlation between our visual literacy assignments and the class. The change of pace from essays to a project was nice, but I often found myself wondering how this connects to AP language and composition as a whole.
       With that said, the one of the most effective parts of the class actually happened before I entered the classroom. Writing with Style by Trimble was one of the best tools I use for my writing in a long time. Throughout the year I found myself rereading the book to refresh myself on what superb writing looks like.
       Have a good summer!

Assignment 26- Doug Vaughan

Overall I've enjoyed this class. I looked forward to it every day as it was a easygoing class that challenged me. I went back and looked at a few of my blog posts at the beginning of the year and it is so crazy how much better I have become at writing. The big boost to my writing came from when we graded essays, as I learned from my classmates successes and mistakes of their essays as well as getting feedback on mine. I felt prepared for the essays but the multiple choice however I didn't. I was one of those kids whenever we did a multiple choice test stopping in the middle of it. Forgive me, I remember you gave us a reason why you didn't grade the practice test but I cant recall it. However, I think it could be beneficial to students to turn this into a grade giving them incentives to try on it. It shouldn't be too hard as students don't need any more stress than they already have. Maybe you could solve this problem by creating a big curve which would grant people full points if they get over 30% right so they wouldn't sleep the whole time and then fill in all the bubbles at the end. My logic might make no sense to you or contain many flaws but I'm just suggesting an idea that would've worked for me. I feel I have greatly progressed academically this year thanks to this class as it has improved my english and reading has always been my weaker subjects in school, this improvement can also be seen by 6 point jump in both of those ACT sub score areas from last year to this year.  Thanks for the help and the memories Logsdon, have a nice summer and I will see you next year (or around town).

Assignment 25- Sam Clark

My story is much like anyone else's: I was created in the suburbs, live in the suburbs, and will probably die in the suburbs. It's a grim, though comfortable, existence. I think the issue with modern existence remains its ability to standardize people, to take away the unique nature of their story. Maybe my assessment is naive, born from  a cloistered life in a big country. But the claim has maintained its relevance since the birth of the counterculture (if not before), and continues to impress itself onto impressionable youths like myself. The one thing I know for sure, however, is that as technology continues to advance, mankind will continue to place itself into little boxes. Every tree is different; every computer the same.

Assignment 26: Sam Clark

All things considered, I thought your class well designed to tackle the AP exam. Most others I talked to thought their writing improved over the year and believed strongly in the effectiveness of your method. I agree with this assessment, but am hesitant to label the class an unmitigated success. Though the course's title is "AP Language and Composition," I feel like we focused too closely on the test and not on broad-based English skills. To be blunt, most periods felt like a drawn out AP test. On the other hand, my writing, like that of so many of my peers, did improve. I learned that writing long, baroque, overly manicured sentences rife with commas, semicolons (which I now know how to employ with deft and ease), and dashes fail to encompass the majesty of the English language--a majesty shown best through unconscious (that is, free from perfectionism) writing.   

Assignment 26- Andrew Rogers

The overall effectiveness of your teaching style was good. The extensive knowledge I gained through the multiple practice essays really helped with time management and quality going into the test. The extensive time on the literary analysis essay helped a lot to understand how to effectively write an essay of that style. However, it would be more beneficial if we spent a little more time on multiple choice. The amount of practice exams is good, but analysis of how the questions are structured would be incredibly helpful. I'm not sure how the visual literacy fits into the AP test, I recommend less of those assignments. The speech and PSA are still effective finals, but the in-between assignments can be removed with little to no effect on our AP test scores.

Assignment 24: Sam Clark

I suppose I've had a pretty good year. Most of my pursuits yielded awards or successes on some level, and the work to receive them remained enjoyable. But when I look back on my efforts, I wonder whether or not it was worth it. I sacrificed commitments, time, and actual learning. I read fewer books this year than I'd done previously and missed too many church services. I did read the Bible cover to cover though, which was pretty cool. Are hundreds of KUNA votes worth my spiritual enlightenment? Probably not. I found myself sucked into the ruthless cycle of competing for accolades in a state where it's fairly easy to win accolades. So does that mean I should reach out onto a wider level, forcing my parents to spend more money? I don't know, these are serious questions I'm just now thinking of. I suppose it would've been more pertinent to ask them before I actually embarked on my quest of competition. It's too late now, anyways. 

Assignment 23: Sam Clark

As many may know, I lead an exciting life. So, when nighttime approaches and energy maintains life within my body, I plug in earbuds to emit their sonorous, calming tones. I present a playlist to calm down. 

Jesus, the Missing Years: Opens peacefully and closes peacefully. Pretty much all would want from a song. "I'm a human corkscrew and all my wine is blood."

All Kinds of Roses: Very pretty, good contrast between multiple roses and one God. 

Holocene: Continues the divine sound of the playlist but moves to a personal level. 

Me by the Sea: Moves the playlist fully from the divine to the human. Good song about being alone. 

Nothing Man: What would a playlist be without Bruce Springsteen? One of the best songs from his album about 9/11

The Light: After a bit a downer, this one moves the focus back to the divine. Spektor's voice is also very pretty.

Questions for the Angels: Perhaps the best song ever written.

https://open.spotify.com/user/36samlark/playlist/6ojSbj6aDvtNFsySzCycpE?si=H1VJyEoeTOKirOFBMKIxuA 

Assignment 26: Katie Chen

Overall, I do believe that the timed writings were beneficial. As much as I dreaded grading mine with the entire class, our class discussions did help me to become a better writer. I was scared that someone would absolutely roast my paper and tear it apart, but thankfully, that never happened. The timed writings and grading sessions helped me to be able to organize my thoughts quickly and prepare for the AP exam.

Although doing several multiple choice practice tests in class were helpful, I just wish that we spent more time going over them. I wish we were given some strategies to employ when taking the multiple choice part of the exam. 

As for things that could be improved about the class, I think the visual literacy assignments felt out of place. In class, we would go over the test and grade essays, but none of it actually pertained to what the visual literacy assignments were about. Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed making an advertisement about post-it notes, but I just didn't see how it related to what we were doing in class. If there was someway we could integrate the visual literacy assignments and content into class, that might be more beneficial.

Overall, I do feel prepared for the exam, so thank you. 

Assignment Twenty-six – Jessica Ewing

If I'm going to be completely honest, no matter how much I dreaded those timed writings (mostly over the paranoia that I'd have no idea what the prompt was trying to ask me), they were incredibly effective in training me to think quickly and comprehensively so that I could articulate my thoughts coherently into an essay.

Additionally, reading the other essays out loud and analyzing them together was really beneficial to me as well. Looking at the benchmarks alone wasn't always helpful, they just felt like flags that were stuck in the ground, saying "imitate this if you want an 8," while reading the essays showed me that there are a variety of ideas that can be expressed and different styles that can be written that all can point to that same score. And I'm not going to lie, when I first heard from a few of my senior friends that everyone reads aloud each other's essays, I panicked. I was afraid I was going to be humiliated in front of everyone else in the classroom through a grammatical error or a lack of expansion of an idea. Stupid, I know, but I held that fear nonetheless. Once we actually sat down and did our first writing and we all gathered around and began reading them, however, that nauseating fear set itself aside as I realized it wasn't as stressful as I thought it was going to be.

The one critique I think I'd have of this class would be the visual literacy assignments. They felt like they stuck out from the class, like they didn't really belong there, but we were still required to do them. If they held more of an integral part in the class, I think they would make more sense, but I ended up just feeling like they were a busy assignment to fill a space on a grade sheet. I enjoyed creating the advertisement, for sure, it made me expand my creativity to think how I could use different colors and placements to express an idea, but it just felt disconnected with the class itself.

Overall, though, I really enjoyed this class. It bettered me as both a writer and as a thinker. I believe I'm a more analytical person than I was before junior year, and I believe that's attributed to the kind of assignments and challenges put before me in this class. So thank you.

Assignment Twenty-four – Jessica Ewing

Successes:
1) I wrote and completed my first poetry book!
2) Participated in the school's fall and winter plays and the musical (all of which were so much fun)
3) Honestly my greatest success was surviving all 5 AP classes I had to take this year, part of me genuinely didn't think it was possible
4) Learned how to play the ukulele

Failures:
1) Unfortunately, I was unable to stay out of drama
2) The entirely of the year in AP Physics - dear God, how am I so bad at physics
3) I allowed myself to get overwhelmed, particularly over the last month or so - I was so close to getting through all of junior without a full-on breakdown...yeah that didn't happen

Lessons Learned:
1) Sometimes you have to take a step back and focus on yourself, even when you want to help everyone around you
2) Sometimes you can't help everyone (that's a really difficult concept for me to grasp as someone who loves to help others)
3) Even if you work tirelessly at something, sometimes you fail, and that's okay, you're not superhuman

Summer Plans:
Honestly, I have no idea. I need to get a new job, and I know I'm going to the beach for a week mid-June. Other than that, my summer's going to be pretty free.

Senior Year:
For the love of all things good in this world and for the sake of my own mental health, I hope and pray there is no drama next year. The issues I had to deal with this year, particularly over the last 4 months or so have destroyed my mental health and I just want to have a good, happy, and healthy senior year. Is that too much to ask?

Also, I want to write a full novel. Odds are, it'll be a contemporary novel, as I don't have the time or resources to craft an entire fantasy world (though I'd LOVE to do that someday), but my mentoring project next year will allow me some actual time for writing, and I'm incredibly excited for that.

Assignment Twenty-three – Jessica Ewing

The Perfect Playlist for the Five Stages of Grief

Now, I decided I would take my own little spin on this assignment. The five stages of grief, also known as the Kubler-Ross model, is a psychological progression of emotions experienced after experiencing a traumatic experience: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. This playlist of five songs (all classic rock songs, as that is my favorite genre of music) depicts each stage of the Kubler-Ross model through a different song. Enjoy!


1. Denial: "Welcome to the Jungle" - Guns N' Roses

On the surface, this song is about finding a place that isn't what it seems to be. On the outside this "jungle" seems to be all fun and games, but over the course of the song it's revealed that it's actually quite dangerous there, even saying "you learn to live like an animal" there. The idea is to deny the newcomers that anything is wrong until it's too late.


2. Anger: "The Chain" - Fleetwood Mac

An angry lover damning their ex's love and lies. This entire song speaks of anger, of frustration, of contempt, and even of spite. "I can still hear you saying 'you would never break the chain.'" It sounds as though they did in fact break the chain and are throwing it back into their face with those words.


3. Bargaining: "Bohemian Rhapsody" - Queen

There's been a lot of discussion about what this song truly means. Different interpretations come and go, and there are those who say the song means absolutely nothing at all. For the purposes of using this song to represent the bargaining stage of grief, I'm going to look specifically at the bridge, where there is quite literally a plea for the narrator to be let go, with some outside forces replaying that they "will not let you go." The idea of trying to bargain with external forces to go back and change things or set things right or see a lost loved one again is perfectly represented in those lines.


4. Depression: "Yesterday" - The Beatles

If McCartney's line "there's a shadow hanging over me" doesn't relate perfectly to the feeling of depression, I don't know what does. This song speaks of a better day in the past, of a wish to return to those betters, and the hopeless of their current situation.


5. Acceptance: "Carry on Wayward Son" - Kansas

This is such a wonderful song, both individually and as a part of this playlist. As acceptance, this song exemplifies understanding and letting go. The opening lines "Carry on my wayward son / There'll be peace when you are done / Lay your weary head to rest / Don't you cry no more" describe the feeling not of giving up, but of understanding and indeed accepting one's fate.

Assignment 24: Eli Wrinn

I feel I was well prepared for how difficult this year has been. After such a surprisingly difficult Sophmore year, I spent the last summer preparing mentally for this year. Last year, around early spring, while I was coming home late every night because of baseball or basketball, suffocating under a pile of homework, mainly chemistry and math, with the gargantuan IWA/IMP and qualitative analysis labs looming, I was hearing people repeatedly using the term "junior breakdown." Hearing this, I thought, "what I'm going through right now can't even be classified as a breakdown?" Additionally, I knew that, this year, I would take twice as many AP classes, be a part of the more time-consuming varsity team for both sports, and worry about college. It must be interesting to exclusively teach academy students going through their hardest year while Mr. Lentz gets new students who have no idea whats coming for them, Mr. Behler watches as kids get crushed for the first time, and whichever teacher is chosen next year sees experienced, veteran students, but I digress. I spent the previous summer spending as much time doing as little as possible to mentally prepare for what was coming. I contemplated my mindset as I progress through the same months of late winter and early spring with the even more difficult obstacles. It currently being early May, the end of the year has never seemed further away. I expect to try to do much of the same this summer, take a relaxing approach to senior year, and to finally be prepared for life on my own.

Assignment 24- Doug Vaughan

Every one told me junior year of high school would be the hardest year of my pre-college life, so far they wern't wrong. Middle School I never did homework outside of school and never struggled with anything. Freshman year came along where I started to have maybe one or two nights where I would work for less than an hour home work, still not struggling with school. Sophomore year I was doing home work for longer periods of time probably three times a week. I started struggling here as the content of study became more unfamiliar with chemistry, computer science, and the large amount of content involved in world history. Junior year hit me like a hurricane, homework every night with a project and two tests every week. The huge workload caused me to fall behind and struggle, this can be seen through my first semester grades. I have adjusted though as my grades are improving. I also didn't help my focus on school that I just recently moved and got a job. My summer will consist of unboxing from the move and grinding out some money at my lifeguard job at the YMCA. Other than that my summer will consist of video games, TV, and sleeping. After this crazy, hectic, and rigorous school year I'm looking forward to this summer of relaxing.

Assignment 23: Eli Wrinn

I have always been really interested in the making of playlists, in fact, for every year since fifth grade, I have made a playlist of songs I was into throughout the year in chronological order, in fact, writing this blog post is causing me to want to listen to them and bring forth the massive wave of nostalgia. However, the playlist I will be making for today is one most young baseball players think about a lot. I'm sure you are familiar with "walk-up songs," songs chosen by hitters played on the loudspeaker at ballparks as hitters walk from the on-deck circle to the batter's box, I have one of these myself. However, the playing of the song lasts a brief 5-10 seconds, not enough time to appreciate the full song. So, this is a playlist for pitcher's walk-out songs. Before the game starts, pitchers take anywhere from 5-10 warm-up pitches on the mound and, during this time, the home pitcher has a song of their choice played for them as well, however this song is played for a much longer period of time, so I will make a list of songs I would want played in this situation based on the type of game it is.
Big Games (District regular season/Postseason): Metropolis by Logic. This is my current pitching walk out song (and my batting walk-up song), it is my favorite song by Logic and the beat is slow and comfortable and familiar to me which would remind me not to try to do to much despite the pressure.
Night Games: The Star Room by Mac Miller. I am not a particular fan of Mac Miller, although he is from Pittsburgh. However, this is a "chill" song as well, yet the bass and filter to Mac's voice give the song a sci-fi vibe (hence the name). Additionally this song creates a feeling of pent up energy which is a feeling magnified by games played under the lights.
Day Games: XXX. by Kendrick Lamar. I am a very big fan of Kendrick Lamar. This song is just another great one in his Pulitzer Winning album DAMN. It does carry some political messages which I secretly hope would strike a note with the baseball demographic in the stands. However, the changes in energy in this song almost remind one of a baseball game itself.
Games against inferior opponents: BoomTrap Protocol by Logic. This is as energetic of a song that I am willing to use as I believe being too energetic on the mound is much worse than to relaxed, however, I need as much energy as possible to motivate myself in games we are supposed to win. Also, it's such a good song that possibly the other team will think, "Man, they're just better than us in every way, even their music is amazing."
Games against superior opponents: The Cut Off (feat. kiLL edward) by J. Cole. Not that any team is superior to us, yet if a team is predicted to beat us, I would want a song this relaxing to both get me in the right mindset on the mound and possibly lull the other team to sleep. Also, as J. Cole is my favorite artist of all time, it playing would make my pride a factor in my motivation because I wouldn't let them disrespect J. Cole like that and beat me.
(Yes, of course, the clean version of all these songs, my mother would be watching the game, come on now)
https://open.spotify.com/user/az0as58094r6086gh1egnoe37/playlist/4Y8RBtAdlKOYUxzMyyoNlj?si=LcghmllUTYSjL9-BpBw6-w

Assignment 23- Doug Vaughan

It is a strange coincidence this blog post question came up this weekend as it was just yesterday I put together a playlist to pump me up and get in the right mindset before some big soccer games and AP tests coming up. As I was making this playlist I thought which ones would get my blood pumping and fill me with the most confidence for the challenge I face ahead.

Doug's Confidence Pumper Playlist

1. Seven Nation Army- The White Stripes, this song gives me chills along with its strong rhythm and beat that sticks in your head long after you listen to the song. This song is classic as it is played at nearly every sporting event ever to pump up the crowd.

2. Welcome to the Jungle- Guns N' Roses, this song is fast paced with an electrifying guitar part that will force you to move some part of your body to dance along. This is also about how the jungle is going to kill you which you can use as a metaphor for that big test or game to fuel your confidence.

3. Thunderstruck- AC/DC,  this song is as close as you could get to being hit by a lightning bolt in a song form as the electrifying voice of AC/DC propels hart beat along with the fast as lightning guitar. Its fills you with confidence to strike down your opponent or electrify that test.

4. Loose Yourself- Eminem, from the lyrical genius of Eminem comes the ultimate song for facing adversity in the eye overcoming it to achieve your goal. This perfectly pace song is fast enough to get your blood pumping and slow enough to understand the lyrics of Eminem that just increases your confidence trough out the whole song.

5. Ni**as In Paris- Jay Z, one of the greatest songs from from one of the greatest artists of this generation this song has a rhythm that guarantees to have you head banging for the entire duration of the song. It ends on a chilling part where Jay-Z is getting in his zone that coupled with the strangely transfixing static background music gets you in your zone.

6. 300 Violin Orchestra- Jorge Quintero, this song has zero words only a fast paced, upbeat, chilling tone of music that would belong during a training montage in a Rocky movie. This is a masterpiece made up of orchestral music with out any modern signing or meaning to it will get you ready to take on anything.

7. The Final Countdown- Europe, I've saved this song for last as it signifies the end and that everything has led up to these next moments. This song not particularly fast still has a rhythm that will make your blood pump and get you in the right mindset to take on what ever is coming at the end of that countdown.

assignment 24- Luke Taylor

Junior year is almost over, now a year closer to college. I think overall I've had a pretty good Junior year in high school. I think if you had a conversation with me as a freshman vs. me now you'd see a huge difference in confidence and maturity, and that is what I was striving for. But there are some quirks about me that I want gone by my senior.  Sometimes I stutter when talking in front of a large group of people, sometimes I say 'um'  or 'like' so much to the point it gets on my own nerves. But I think those are things that will go away with time and practice.

By this time next year I would like to know where I'm going to college and either studying architecture or computer science. By this time senior year I want to be seated in the top 3 chairs in the trumpet section in wind Ensemble. Next year I would like to become a more organized person and a young adult ready for the real world. I know all these things are achievable ,I just have to put in the work, and that preparation starts now.

Assignment 25- Luke Taylor

Who am I? One thing about me that people should know is my love for superheroes. This is not a recent interest that has come from the influx of superhero movies that have taken over the box office, but something that has been a passion for as long as i can remember. My hobby of drawing only came from me wanting to make my own comic books when I was little. some of my fondest memories of my childhood was watching the Teen Titans, Spectacular Spiderman, X-men, and many others. I was ecstatic to go the library and check out the latest comic books that take the shelf. My favorite comic book of all time that I've read was the 1991 Infinity Gauntlet, the inspiration for the most recent Marvel film. I think the reason that I enjoy superheroes so much is the whole concept of heroes standing up for people who are unable to help themselves.

Assignment 26- Sam Underwood

I enjoyed the in-class discussion about each essay. It helped me identify what makes an essay "good" and how I can replicate that in my own writing.However, I feel that maybe if we had a little more practice with essays than our own (by established authors like in the satire unit) then we could all feel a little more prepared for the multiple choice section of the test. Maybe even giving quizzes or tests over some AP-styled questions (that actually counted for a grade so people feel more accountable about how they do on them) would also help us feel prepared for the multiple choice. Overall, I feel prepared for the test and I thank you for that.

Assignment 25- Brennan Cegelka

170 Lbs. 5’9, hispanic/caucasian male, 17 Years old. That’s me. A scramble of facts and figures is me. At least that’s what is initially seen. Of course we are more complex than that. I hope I am. I find myself listening to music and watching The Office in my pastime. Trained to be a baseball player. Desire to be a musician and a scholar. At 10 I moved across the country and have lived in Lexington ever since. At 12 I made my first mixtape. At 15 I was in a horrific boating accident. At 16 I quit the sport that took up my life. At 17 I find myself more free and hopeful for the future than ever before. I am polishing myself for the biggest self-promotion of my young adult life: College applications. So as I attempted to tell my life story with a scramble of words, facts, and figures. I hope you consider me and the short story of my life. Or at a bare minimum find me intriguing.

Assignment 24- Brennan Cegelka

           Junior Year is over already? It seemed like just yesterday I was taking my drivers test. So much has changed, so much has not. I joined the swim team on a whim and ended up going to the Regionals. That was probably one of my better decisions I’ve made this year. I hope to make it to State in the sport I started a few months ago next year. As my opportunities in swimming grew I found myself losing my love of baseball. After being threatened to be suspended from the baseball team, I knew there were things more important to my life than that. I quit the sport I had been playing since I could walk. That has probably been the greatest change in my adolescence. I suddenly didn’t wake up sore. I wasn’t rushed. I found that there was more to life than the baseball diamond that had consumed most of my childhood and adolescence. Although I am still adjusting to this change, I feel that my life has changed for the better.
           I plan to work as a lifeguard this summer just like last year. I enjoy making sure everyone is safe although saying “no running on the deck” a million times isn’t the best experience. This summer I also plan to retake the SAT to improve my score. Along with improving my test score I will start my college applications. It is nervous not knowing where I’m going to live for the next four years, but I am more excited about my next chapter in my life as cheesy as that sounds.

Assignment 25- Sam Underwood

I am incomplete without my work ethic. I would like to say that what make's me "me" is my drive to work hard. I love biology, always have. I've always loved learning about the way the world around me works. A goal of mine is to become an OB/GYN when I get older. When thinking about what to write for this post, my mind jumped to biology. However, I think that what defines me is why I love and want to pursue science. I want to help people. My mother had a very dangerous pregnancy when having me and my brother and I want to be able to prevent that for future mothers. The idea of being able to do that excites and motivates me.

Assignment 23- Luke Taylor

The perfect playlist for getting hyped while doing your blog posts
this is what popped up while I was doing my physics/blog posts

1. Look Alive-  Drake (just skip the blockboy part, it's not good)
I really like most of the music Drake has been putting out recently, and Look Alive might be my favorite this year. Every time this song starts to play I get really hyped and go into maximum over drive while I'm working. But all my excitement dies when blockboy starts rapping, I just skip right when I hear his voice.

2. Lemon-  N.E.R.D. and Rhianna
Despite having a lackluster performance during the NBA all-star halftime show, I really enjoy this song. I can really feel the beat driving the song forward. This song also has a beat switch that I really enjoy in the second half of the song.

3. Pavane for Dead Princess-  Maurice Ravel
This is one of the classical styled pieces I have in my playlist. My favorite song of my favorite composer, it's chorale that often get's stuck in my head when I listen to it

4. IV. Sweatpants- Childish Gambino
Donald Glover has been my favorite rapper ever since I heard this song. The cleverness of his lines are what I really enjoy about his music, and I think this song is one of his best

5. Kevin's Heart- J cole
I've really enjoyed J cole's most recent album, it's a breath of fresh air from all the mumble rap that focuses on a good beat rather saying something meaningful. This song is about Kevin Hart cheating on his pregnant wife, I highly recommend for you to go watch the music video on YouTube. Everyone makes mistakes, but it's important that we learn from them.

Assignment 23- Brennan Cegleka

           1831 minutes. That’s currently how many minutes of music is on my sketchy may or may not be legal music app. The music ranges from modern rap to The Temptations. Songs can fit any mood and that’s the beauty of it. The most valuable mixtape for me, is for waking up. Waking up is a daily struggle. So this mix is for the 30-45 hecktic minutes of getting out of bed, showering, eating breakfast, and the commute to school.

Brennan’s Morning Mix
1. Unexpected- Sprung Monkey. This song is a must for waking up. It wastes no time with an intro. The silly positive message for the start of the day is essential to a good start to the day.

2. Dance! Baby- Boy Pablo. Next on the list is another rock song. Slightly more tame than unexpected. This song seems like a shower song to me. So after waking up to Sprung Monkey, shower and change to Dance! Baby.

3. Just like Heaven- The Cure. This song flows perfectly after Boy Pablo. The similar styles are clear and this song is great while making a meal.

4. Caught in a Trap- Elvis. By this point hopefully I’ve showered, made breakfast and am ready to eat. The most relaxing of the songs on this list. This classic is perfect for a balanced breakfast.

5. Incredible- Future. At face value Future and Elvis have nothing in common. However, Future changes his pace with this slower song. This combined with Caught in a Trap allow a solid 8 minutes to eat, which for me is a perfect time.

6. Buzzin- Mann. The pace of the music grows after this song. After all, it’s time to get to school! This fun song gives hope for the day to come as I climb into the car.

7. Signs- Justin Timberlake and Snoop Dogg. This fast pop/ hip hop song is an easy transition between Buzzin. That’s the end of the playlist enjoy

Assignment 23- Sam Underwood

I have a playlist on my spotify account that's specifically for nights where you just have to "dance it out." Just you, your empty room, and the music. The songs maybe dweeby but they brighten the mood.

Track 1: I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor
It's a classic song that makes me feel empowered. This song can make anyone feel like they can accomplish anything. It's perfect for dancing and singing along.

Track 2: Drive It Like You Stole It by Sing Street
This song was recommended to me by my good friends Delaney and Erin. They both love the music from the movie Sing Street. Again, a great song to sing along to.

Track 3: Dancing Queen by Abba
It's iconic. No dance party playlist is complete without this song. This song truly captures the feeling of being young, dumb, and seventeen.

Track 4: Nobody's Perfect by Hannah Montana
This song is pretty nostalgic for me. Ask any of us born in the 2000's, this song was and still is a great one to jam to.

Track 5: This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race by Fall Out Boy
You can never go wrong with Fall Out Boy.

Assignment 24: Elizabeth Piper

I think my biggest disappointment was not making the first team of all-city for archery. The beginning of the year started out very rough and I wasn't able to meet the minimum score and I did not make the first team. However, throughout the year, I greatly improved and now I am one of the tope archers on the team. This turned out to be a positive, but I have other regrets from this year as well.
I procrastinated a lot. I procrastinated more than I have ever done before. It left me really stressed and I did have a hard time catching up at times. Overall, I believe in all of my procrastinating there was a lesson to be learned. I learned that it's not worth it to watch that next episode of Netflix or reorganize my desk to distract myself from homework. I need to just dig right in because in the end it is the best feeling to know that you have been productive and you have completed the tasks you need to do.
My procrastination didn't help when I joined many new clubs and took on more responsibilities. I started tutoring, I joined the Student Voice Team, DanceBlue Committee, EAP and the Bluegrass Youth Sustainability Council. I also took on more band activities, and archery. Not to mention the five AP classes I took this year. It is fair to say that I have been busy. Between studying and all my activities, I have barely found time to sleep. It has been very rough, but at the same time I learned every moment of it. I have gotten better at time management and I have found many new things that I  love.
All in all I think that junior year has been a success and I am thrilled and sad to be a senior next year, but I can't wait to see what adventures it holds.

Assignment 24- Sam Underwood

Junior Year has been tough. I'm not going to lie. As I type this I'm stressing about the incoming week of AP tests and web homework for physics due at midnight tonight. I've learned a lot this year, a surprising amount of this information not being academic. I've learned that I'm stronger and smarter than I ever thought I was. I've learned about how hard of a workload I can deal with and the (pardon my french) but bullshit I can put up with. I'm proud of how I've grown as a person and as a student this year. As of this year I've been in 7 shows with the Henry Clay theater department. I've learned how to effectively study and manage my time. Overall, I'm satisfied with my junior year experience and I'm excited for senior year.

Assignment 23- Elizabeth Piper

Playlist for Cooking:

1.Banana Pancakes by: Jack Johnson- This song is great for cooking because it literally talks about cooking and making banana pancakes. It is also a very chill song.

2. Quand on s'balade by: Yves Montand - This song is a very jazzy song, and it gives you the feel of being in a French bistro. Whenever, I think of France I think of food, so it is great for cooking.

3. Forget You by: CeeLo Green - I think that this song is a good song that you can bop to. It is a great song to keep you in the mood and get excited about cooking.

4. Beat it by: Michael Jackson - This is a great song for when you are aggressively baking and want something that is really upbeat.

5. Come with me now by: KONGOS - This song is great when you are talking to your food and trying to get it turn out properly and you want to add some edge to your cooking.

Assignment 25 - Ben Sanner

I guess something that makes me incomplete if you don’t know is my interest in music. I really got started in music because of my uncle. He is the professor of percussion at Michigan and teacher at Julliard part-time. When they asked us to pick an instrument in 5^th grade I went straight to percussion. I’ve been taking it every year since and grown into playing many different instruments. Mostly though I prefer to play drumset. I didn’t play drumset right away. I began playing just snare drum and bells with my standard percussion kit that I got from the music store. Since then I’ve gotten my own drumset and became a regular player with some decent skills. In the future I want to learn to play guitar and further delve into the world of music. I don’t know how long I will play I just know I’m incomplete without it.

Assignment 24 - Ben Sanner

Junior year has been very… interesting. It has been my most challenging year academically by far with 4 ap classes and advanced Spanish course. But due to this workload I have learned very efficient ways to study. I study much different than I did before more focusing on doing a little bit more outside learning to go along with what I do in school. My grades have responded with my gpa rising from last year and this semester looks good(pre-finals). Other than that I got my first sustainable job as I became I lifeguard with the Y. I have grown constantly. Seriously, I am almost 6’5 now. My braces are coming off in May and I will now know what high school is like with big pieces of metal on my teeth. I have now made over 200 dollars from fantasy sports since sophomore year so I guess I’ve grown at gambling.

Assignment 23 - Ben Sanner

1.       Born to Run

I am choosing to start with Mr. Springsteen here because for some he was the American spirit we all looked. Next to that the song is great and makes you want to go and get something done.

2.       Peace of Mind

Growing up my dad loved the band Boston, and he played their music for me constantly. I enjoyed most of their songs but the song I enjoyed the most would have to be their work in, “Peace of Mind” due to its catchy nature and the message it portrays.

3.       Hey Ya!

I’m sure a bunch of other kids in my grade do not know who OutKast are, but that is their loss because they are missing out on one of the best rap groups of all time. This song is catchy and a fun listen.

4.       All We Got

When Chance dropped his mixtape, “Coloring Book” I did not stop playing for weeks straight. This song, in my opinion, brings the greatest message and is very catchy.

5.       September

Earth, Wind, and Fire’s greatest hit. Nuff’ said.

6.       Hamilton

I know this isn’t a single song, but take your pick from Lin-Manuel Miranda’s masterpiece.

7.       Man in the Mirror

Michael Jackson again has so many songs to choose from. This one is one of my favorites.

I chose to focus more on non-rap songs for this playlist. I could make another one for strictly rap.

Assignment 24: Maggie Anderson

Successes: Maintained all As (As long as finals don't screw me up), joined theatre stage crew, finished the Lord of the Rings series (well, I'm on the last book and should have it finished by May 31), handled stress well (relative to last year).
Failures: I'm not taking the AP Latin exam (this is because of a restructuring of the class, not fault on my part, but I still would have liked to take it).
Lessons Learned: It's okay if you do poorly on one assignment, other good grades will balance it out. Don't stop breathing when you get stressed; it doesn't help anything.
Risks Taken: I'll be taking the AP Physics 1 exam. Not studying for the AP Physics exam right now.
Mistakes Made: Left something I needed at home for the first time since 5th grade (this year: APUSH cereal box project, 5th grade: my flute).
This summer: Start the college application process. Volunteer. Go out for lunch randomly (because I can drive now). Make ice cream, pies, and puddings/custards (about every 6 months I say "I'm going to make a lot of puddings this summer/winter." I've made one once.) Cook more meals.
Senior Year: Get into college. Breathe. Maintain good grades. Try not to freak out over some assignment that's fairly unimportant.

Assignment 23: Maggie Anderson

I have found that when you do something while reading, watching, or listening to something, those two experiences will be linked together in your mind forever. I once read a book while decorating a Christmas tree, and every year I remember that book when decorating the tree. This has happened with music and baking. I bake a great deal and I usually don't listen to music, as earbud cords would get in the way and my parents are probably listening to the radio. But there are certain songs that I thought about once while baking, played, and are now connected in my mind to baking. Since I think about baking whenever I hear them, they are the perfect thing to get me in the mood for baking. They aren't connected in any way outside of my own head, so they're not the perfect baking playlist for anyone else, but they work for me. They're also pretty random.
"Good Time" by Owl City and Carly Rae Jepson
"American Pie" by Don Mclean
"Do You Want to Build a Snowman" from Frozen
"Hotel California" by The Eagles
"Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" from Monty Python's Life of Brian

Assignment 26: Help! I need somebody. Help!

I wanna be better in all things.  It's easy for teachers to get stuck and comfortable in patterns and activities that are completely legitimate but perhaps have become stale and even ineffective.  Throughout the semester I've asked that you work hard to prepare for the AP Language and Composition test.  I taught to the test.  I'm sorta fine with that.  As I've said, I believe that the skills the test assesses are important and some of the most important skills you will develop in your lifetime - the ability to think, process, synthesize, and argue.

To that end I've tried to develop every assignment to focus on one element of the test and hone those skills required for success.  Now that you've taken the test - multiple tests (ACT, PSAT, AP) what suggestions do you have?

I'm not asking for what you "liked" or what was "fun" but rather what was effective.  I know not everything connected with everyone and with 100+ students I will get a plethora of responses.  Though I am asking for honesty I'm not asking for a tongue-lashing nor do I expect "all sunshines and rainbows." I know I'm flawed but I also know that I am effective.  I want to minimize my flaws and increase my effectiveness.  I need your help to do that.

Minimum of 150 words - due on Sunday, May 14th at 11:59 pm

May 26th is the last day to make up blog 26

Assignment 23- Andrew Rogers

https://open.spotify.com/user/xyloh9/playlist/0gvtlvDRmAXFfQV7DHiaMh?si=7PUEqjYYR3aD1wJZPeeOCA
This playlist is not limited to really any one moment of your life. It's just a conglomeration of my personal favorite songs and some other unique songs I have grown fond of.

1. September- Earth, Wind, and Fire

One of the most iconic songs since it was released. It's always a fun song to get you in a good mood. The brass all throughout compliment the extremely catchy chord progression and melody. Add incredible vocal range from the group's members and you have one fantastic song that stands the test of time. A classic 70's song that can contend with any song from any musical period.

2. Hold the Line- Toto

While everyone knows Toto from the iconic song Africa, this song is a bit lesser known but still a great track. Right from the opening rimshot, the piano background comes in and drives the piece. Coupled with some killer guitar solos and great vocals from Bobby Kimball, Hold the Line is a great rock song, one that has withstood the test of time. 

3. Say Say Say- Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson

What else do you want me to say? Look at the artists. It's two of the most iconic male performers of all time. The song is extremely catchy and the combination of both voices balance so well off of each other. Jackson's voice slides in like butter and you just fall into this trance of perfect human vocal interaction. I'm serious. What more could you want?

4. Alibi Afternoon- Grant Lazlo

Probably the most unknown song on this list. I don't really remember how I found this song. I had this jazz phase during my sophomore year where I listened to a ton of jazz. I found this track at the end of that phase. It begins with an old recording of a catching swing jazz tune that is meshed well with an electronic beat to create this extremely groovy and catchy beat that keeps you entertained through the whole track. 

5. 1812 Overture- Peter Tchaikovsky

One of the best classical music scores ever written, Tchaikovsky's genius is showcased from start to finish. Beginning slow and quiet it travels up in tension until it breaks into a happy peaceful section followed by a mysterious build to its iconic finale. Bells and cannons saturate the air as the orchestra delivers large powerful chords and driving rhythms ending a masterpiece of orchestral composition that always gives me chills.    

6. Never Gonna Give You Up- Rick Astley

Rick Astley is a legend. You can't change my mind. His vocal talent is up there with the greats. This song will always have a place in my heart. Rickrolling aside, the song is incredibly catchy, with its uptempo beat with Astley's vocals riding waves of synthesizer. He exudes this fun presence throughout the whole track, especially in the music video. Fantastic 80's pop song. 

7. Pillow Talking- David Burd

I could have picked a ton of rap songs on this playlist, from old Eminem to Drake, but I chose this song. I realize a lot of people will tell me this is far from the best rap track released. They're right. But this is one of the most unique songs I've ever listened to. Burd wraps you up into the story he's telling and it is only till you finish do you realize you just listened to him monologue for 11 minutes. It showcases his unique style and his undeniable talent. You come for the jokes and stay for Burd's infectious personality and rap skill. 

8. Rosanne- Toto

I realize that this is another Toto song, but it's just too good not to have on this list. It opens one of the best rock albums ever written, Toto IV. Pure gold from start to finish. I highly recommend listening to the whole thing. It showcases the vocal capabilities of the group throughout. Especially the 4 part harmony pre-chorus. One of my favorite parts of any song, regardless of genre. It sets up a catchy chorus that is followed by two of the best rock solos, with both a synth and a guitar solo. Great song to open one of the best rock albums, a must listen. 

Assignment 25- Andrew Rogers

My life, though short would not be complete without my experience in music. I've gone to and been in music classes for my whole life. I began learning piano in Kindergarten and switched from piano to percussion in 6th grade. I've gone to North Lexington Church of Christ my entire life, where we all regularly sing acapella. I see things differently in my life due to my closeness with music. I've been able to have life-changing experiences as a result of music. Being able to play at the Palace Theater in Louisville and the William Tell Overture this year. I've been able to experience things that I will cherish for the rest of my life, and quite possibly change the rest of my life.

Assignment 24- Andrew Rogers

Junior year has been one of the busiest years of my life. I've slogged my way through it, some moments were better than others, but will ultimately be worth it. It definitely doesn't feel that way right now, but I'll look back on this year with a sense of fondness and pride. I am proud of how I have managed to handle the workload of 4 AP classes and an entire band schedule throughout the year. This gives me a little more confidence going into next year. I'm looking forward to the mentoring project and the ability to explore something that I could do for the rest of my life. I'm still hesitant about my AP Research project but I'm hoping that I can use it expand my abilities. Senior year will bring with it its own set of problems and long sleepless nights but I will look forward to with at least a little bit of optimism, that is, until it starts.

Assignment 24: Anne Nombe

Successes: Uh, staying alive! Oh, and not signing up for the AP Physics Exam.
Failures: Getting a 49% on participation in Calculus (it's only, like, 2% of my overall grade and I get there too late in the mornings!)
Lessons learned: If someone doesn't respond to your email in a day, go talk to them
Risks taken: Applying for GSP despite knowing I had about 3 things I could put on the application
Mistakes made: Buying the AP Physics Barron's book...
Summer: I'm going to GSP this summer! I hope it'll be fun.
Senior year: I just want to keep a cool head and be more involved in my classes and with my teachers. I felt like a real slacker for most of this year, honestly. I'm hoping to reach my goals by not making excuses in my head and just going for things, even if I get shot down or say something stupid. A lot of the reasons why I don't take chances in talking in class discussion is because I'm insecure about my own train of thought/arguments.

Assignment 23: Anne Nombe

I didn't really know what to make a playlist for, so I just made a playlist of songs that I listen to when I'm in a quiet place (usually my room) working on something or other.

1. Sex by EDEN

Despite what the title suggests, this song isn't a raunchy ballad about sex, really. The real reason I turn to this song when it's quiet is because it fills the place with an atmosphere that's hard to explain, but best experienced with no outside distractions, and I absolutely adore the beat and EDEN's voice.

2. Fresh Eyes by Andy Grammer

This song is really, really chill and just has a calming aura. A bonus is that the lyrics are super sweet, and I'm a sucker for cute songs.

3. Lost in Japan by Shawn Mendes

This one is a another chill song, and the subtle Japanese musical influence makes it feel as if you can really see the cherry blossoms.

4. Lost in You by khai dreams

This is a small gem I found on Spotify that's only about 1 minute and some, but again, I adore sweet lyrics, and the acoustics are super chill. The nature of the song is why it's one of those songs better listened to in a quiet place.

5. Cranes in the Sky by Solange

Okay, this song is kind of depressing, honestly. Still, it fits the bill because with only a few instrumentals in the background and the soft voice Solange has, it has a really chill aura that is better when there's no one screaming in your ear, like on the bus back home.

(I'm not sure if Mr. Logsdon would like any of these though! Sorry!)

Assignment 24: Katie Chen

I came into junior year filled with fear and stress. I wasn't sure if I could handle 5 AP classes and the immense workload that came with it. But overall, junior year wasn't bad as everyone made it out to be. Sure, a substantial amount of tears were shed, but I think I turned out pretty okay. I'm proud of myself for maintaining a job throughout the majority of the year, while also keeping my GPA and test scores decently high.
As for failures, where do I start. I noticed I started becoming more and more introverted as the year went on, opting to stay at home and study rather than go out with friends. About halfway through the year, my social life tanked. My life started revolving around grades and test scores and impressing my parents that I slowly started to drift away from everyone. This wasn't good for my mental health, as my daily routine consisted of school, work, home. So I guess the lesson I learned here was that balance matters. Of course, grades and school are still important, but so is hanging out with friends and relaxing every once in a while.
Stanford's the dream, so I guess my goals for senior year are to work harder and continue pushing myself (while also maintaining a healthy social life) to make that dream a reality.

Assignment 24: Olivia Klee

         This year I came full circle in so many ways. I started babysitting for some ladies who babysat me as a kid, I got a job teaching the same swim lessons I took when I was little, and I aced all the courses I thought I was too dumb to take. For the first time I realized that I had become the girl I envied as a kid. I had become the babysitter, the swim instructor, and the student I saw working on her computer at Panera. Two things finally dawned on me: the first, that I need not worry so much about my life, because things are turning out fine, and two, that I am the example I followed as a kid, and I have a responsibility to positively influence those around me.
        This may seem overly sentimental, even sappy for a seventeen-year-old to be writing, but I beleive it's never too early to start trying to make a difference in the world. This coming year, I have several goals I will atempt to acheive to further make my mark:

1.) Prepare to take the Certified Healthcare Interpreter (Spanish)  test so that I can work as an interpreter in the healthcare setting. 

 2.) Pass the AP Bio and AP Chem exams.

3.) Make swimming fun for all my kids at the Y

Assignment 22 - Ben Sanner

I learnt valuing others, the hard way. You know how sometimes in life, one doesn’t realize the value of a person until he / she goes away. And it’s a painful process.

I have changed this thing about me and I ensure that I don’t take things for granted. I make sure that I am able to value people and their time, right away rather than holding on to making them feel special until they get sick of waiting and go away from you forever.

I have learned that if you want something so much that you end up changing who you are and ruining relationships in place then the end game will not be as sweet as you think.

I have learned to value relationships, knowing these interactions we make every day will become stories my kids hear one day. That is something I have been thinking about just a little.

Assignment 21 - Ben Sanner

I enjoy playing chess. It is something I have played with my dad and grandfather for many years. While I can not play with them I need to find other ways to hone my skills. I have recently began attempting to solve chess puzzles. I started out doing about one per day as they were pretty easy to start out. But more recently I have reached a tougher level of puzzles that require time to think and multiple days to solve. I am currently on a puzzle that will take me many years to complete and I'm not sure where it will lead me but In the end I hope the journey will bring me something. I'm on my own for this puzzle and while others may help me, in the end I must do the final steps. And if you think i'm talking about chess you may be mistaken.

Assignment 20- Ben Sanner

This is my family recipe for making chocolate chip cookies:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour and baking soda in a medium bowl.
Melt 10 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat (I used a stainless steel skillet to easily see when the butter had begun to brown). Continue cooking and swirl pan until butter is dark golden brown and has a nutty aroma (about 1 to 3 minutes). Transfer to a large bowl and add remaining 4 tablespoons butter and stir until completely melted. Browning the butter is a key element of this recipe! It gives the cookies a great depth of flavor.
Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and vanilla to melted butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add egg and yolk, and whisk for about another 30 seconds until no sugar lumps remain. Here comes another key step! Let the mixture rest for 3 minutes, then whisk again for 30 seconds. Repeat the rest/whisk cycle two more times (totaling 10.5 minutes from the beginning of the first rest period). Doing this helps the sugar to better dissolve in the butter, helping the cookies to retain moisture during baking yielding soft, chewy cookies. The mixture should be thick, smooth, and shiny at this point.
Stir in flour with rubber spatula, mix until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
Using 3 tablespoons of dough at a time, roll into balls and place 2 inches apart. I know the dough balls seem huge, but the bigger cookies also help to keep the cookies soft and chewy rather than crispy and dry. Bake one cookie sheet at a time, for 10 to 14 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through baking. My cookies averaged a baking time of about 12 minutes.

This is word for word what we have in our kitchen.

Assignment 25: Uniquely You – Mulligan (College)

This is a Makeup Blog Post.  If you have a score that is less than a 30/30, this will replace that grade

When I tell my wife I’ve met someone new (a friend – don’t go there) she always asks, “what’s their story?”  She is keenly interested in the who, the capital WHO, a person in that she wants to know their story.  You have a story.  You have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful you believe you are incomplete without telling it

Inspired by Keanu Gomez
Minimum of 150 words.  Due on May 6th @ 11:59 pm

May 6th is the last day to make up blogs 23-25

Assignment 24: The Future

You're done!  - well almost

Your Junior year (nearly) OVER.

Tell us about it.

Successes? Failures? Lessons Learned? Risks taken? Mistakes made? What will you do in the Summer?  What do you want for your Senior year? How do you plan to reach your goals?

Minimum of 150 words - due on Sunday, April 24th at 11:59 pm

May 6th is the last day to make up blogs 23-25

Assignment 22- Sam Clark

Excellent Sheep by William Deresiewicz details the rise of our current, activity/award/experience-collecting college admissions process. An advocate for deep thought, this pièce de résistance ties in nicely with most critiques of modern learning. Excellent Sheep spells out the complaints I’ve had for a long time, but does so with an academic rigor and precision of language unforthcoming. Though not Shakespeare, it exists unpretentiously and honestly.

To relate back to the prompt (as I’ve obviously had trouble doing), my defining experience is less of an experience and more of a continuous internal struggle: whether to live in our out of the System. I want a college which dodges the troubles of Deresiewicz but manages to still impress, being both in and out of the system.  

Suggestions?

Assignment 21- Sam Clark

Perhaps the most important question facing the youth today is whether to live in or out of the System.

But first, definitions.

For our purposes, “the System” refers to the globalized world structure upon which we all rely. Everyone who buys from chain stores, pays taxes, and depends upon corporate agriculture for sustenance exists within this consuming community. In short, all who are not Amish. Existing as part of the System entails a plethora of moral quandaries: funding environment-destroying oil companies, neglecting to cast aside material possessions, prioritizing creature comforts over relieving the suffering of others. An individual (if you can call them that) inside the System lives a normal, if not moral, life.

On the other hand, one who lives outside the system exists morally free, both burdened and unburdened by a lack of possessions. They grow their own food and live peacefully, shunning overt and covert violence.

The only justification for remaining a Systemite is to amass enough power and wealth to change the system itself. Though incredibly difficult to succeed at, such a joust for control is nevertheless the path of least resistance, as greed is the quality most innate. My question, therefore, is whether or not I should feed the beast to change it or sever my ties to starve it.     

Assignment Twenty- Sam Clark

How to have an Existential Crisis

1. Wonder how God could let bad things happen to good people.
2. Remember that God is good, making all His (his?) actions good.
3. Rebut that we are made in the image of God, meaning our morals should roughly correspond to his.
4. Think about this for a little while, then ponder the moral double standard in the Bible.
5. Recall that God is by nature incomprehensible, ergo our confusion over his acts is understandable but unprofitable. We, in short, can’t understand something beyond logic.
6. Dejectedly find that if we cast aside logic we’ll be Scientologists.
7. Try to remember the unfinished calculus homework.
8. Reason that we have proof of illogic (or paradoxes or whatever we’ll call it) because of the what-if machine’s impossibility.
9. Become confused over proof of that which goes against logic.
10. Go down this rabbit hole concerning the boundaries between logic and illogic, ever wondering if a unifying theory exists.
11. Actually remember the unfinished calculus homework.
12. Think that human intelligence is too limited to understand matters of logic and illogic, which by their very definition go against deductive reasoning.
13. Attempt to do calculus homework.
14. Think that human intelligence is too limited to understand illogic of calculus, which by its very definition goes against deductive reasoning.
15. Wonder if Ms. Dewees and God are the same person.
16. Put calculus away.
17. Remember why humanity needs religion.
18. Think that personal encounters with the divine are as good a proof as logic.
19. Check my privilege.
20. Know that the only thing in this world that won’t eat me alive is God.
21. Watch the “This is Water” speech again.
22. Throw away basic debates over universal morality. Turns out you didn’t need them!
23. Read some of the Bible.
24. Believe in God (or is it Ms. Dewees?)

Assignment 23: Katie Chen

Perfect Playlist for Dancing Alone in Your Room

1)Stole the Show- Kygo

2)No Good- Kaleo

3)Parachute- Otto Knows

4)Nemesis- Benjamin Clementine

5)That's Life- Frank Sinatra

6)Cleopatra- The Lumineers

7)Bye Bye Bye- NSYNC

1) it's easy to get lost in the words with this one, and it's just really fun to dance and sing along to dramatically

2) THIS IS SUCH A GOOD SONG, I find myself humming the guitar part at least once a day

3) this song just really gets you pumped up and on your feet, has a huge 80's vibe to it

4) fantastic melody and rhythm, and I could listen Benjamin Clementine's voice all day

5) who doesn't love some classic Frank Sinatra? 

6) the story told by the lyrics is beautiful and it instantly puts me in a better mood when it comes on

7) this song is so full of energy and fun that it's almost impossible to not dance to it

PSA: don't dance too violently or else you might hit your knee on a table and have a very large and very painful bruise

Assignment Twenty-two – Jessica Ewing

There's been a stigma around mental illness for about as long as humans have existed. Records go as far back as ancient Egypt depicting mental illness as some sort of disease that had to be treated and cured through medicinal procedures. That same sort of stigma has carried itself throughout history, and only just over the last 20 years or so have we even started to see this stigma finally wither and die. In many households, mental illness is still an ill-spoken subject. Even though over 350 million people worldwide suffer from depression alone, it's a taboo subject that tends to make many people uncomfortable when it's brought up in conversation.

So when I mention to anyone that I have clinical depression and have had it for my entire life, the general reaction is one of awkward silence, followed by a quick, unnecessary apology about how I "shouldn't have to deal with that."

In reality, it doesn't matter if I should or should not have to deal with my depression, as it's never been something I could control. Depression is primarily caused by an imbalance of neurotransmitters (such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine) in your brain, which is something I have absolutely no control over. I have very little control over when my depressive episodes occur, which can prove particularly annoying if I have a test that same day or if I'm in the middle of a homework assignment. One second I'm doing alright; the next, nothing else seems to matter.

I never started receiving treatment for my depression until fall of my sophomore year, when my mother couldn't stop ignoring the clear signs I continued to show. I began therapy mid-September of 2016 and have been going ever since. I'm doing a lot better today than I had been a year and a half ago, and there are still days and weeks where I particularly struggle, but it's nowhere near as bad as it once was.

My experience with depression taught me to always look at the people around me differently. Everyone could be dealing with something that you are unable to see on the surface. It taught me compassion and it taught me mercy, because those were shown to me on days where I wasn't doing well and I ended up snapping at people when I shouldn't have. I can now display those traits more effectively, knowing where compassion and mercy come from and why it's important to value those in my relationships with others.

I also became fascinated with the inner workings of mental illness. Psychology is now a love of mine, and my experiences have opened a doorway into becoming a therapist myself so that I may help other adolescents who are dealing with mental illness. I always strive to help others in any way that I can, and my own experiences with mental illness gives me a further understanding into that world for others.