Scholarships...Think outside the box!

Scholarships are a great way to get money off of your tuition, but they also can do much more. Firstly, scholarships can make a person stay debt free later on in life! Debt keeps a person's hands tied, and with no loans to pay off, students can graduate with actual money and start off well. Another thing that scholarships can do is make a resume look good. When a student gets leadership, academic, etc. scholarships, this can be seen on a resume for a later job. When a student gets scholarships, the effect is not just now. They can help the students life in the long run with financial and employment needs.

Reflection 101

To get a full experience of college in a positive look, I still have to do a few things. I have made a list to help out my efficiency:

• Turn in applications for early admission
• Finish my senior year out strong
• Get my recommendation letters
• Finish my college essays
• Make a college visit to the schools I am looking into

I will have to make a list of these tasks in order for me to accomplish them one at a time or simultaneously. Using this checklist I can make sure I have completed EVERYTHING I need to get into the college and get the maximum amount of scholarships I can.

I believe that in academics I can still raise my GPA and try to push for the top 5% in my class of 2016. If I can do this, I believe that I am almost as prepared as I can be for the college road ahead.

I believe that I can expand my search for colleges, but for now, as a Junior in high school I can try to specify on a few so I can visit them to see what I like and dislike about each.

Canada v. U.S.A. Schooling.

Out of 10, my rating of the U.S. school systems would be about an 8 compared to the school systems in Canada, which are a 9 or 10 out of 10. There are a few reasons for my opinion about this. Firstly, the U.S. has many school systems that do not require high level education for teachers just starting. Teachers in Canada have more training than American teachers do. Another thing that is better about Canadian schooling has to do with the teachers and their perks. In America, teachers get health insurance and life insurance provided by the government, but in Canada, they get much better insurance. This can help teachers keep most of their revenue instead of having to pay more for the bills of health that insurance does not cover all of. Finally, on top of all of these things, Canada gives their teachers more income for their economy than the average teacher in America gets. All of these things can make a teacher have more to work for, giving the students a better opportunity to learn.

Having a Degree

In my own opinion, getting a college degree is worth the time, even if it is not worth the money most of the time. Having a degree when you finish school allows you to have economic success in your future. You are able to get a job and provide for you and your family. Without a degree you could get a very low paying job and have very difficult times providing for your family. Having a degree is not only beneficial in today's economy, but it also can benefit you in the social aspect of society. When you get a degree from college, you are sometimes thought more highly of. If you do not finish out your schooling career and drop-out early, you can be thought of as a quitter. I, personally, think that the social aspect is more over the criticism of society on you. With a degree you seem to live up to society's standards.

Spring Break

Spring Break was a time that I spent with my family. I went to Orlando and stayed in a resort. It was a ton of fun, and I got very sunburned. I probably should have put on sunscreen since I was in the sun for 10 hours a day. I also went to a few NBA games over the break and that was cool too. It is always fun to spend time with the family and travel to other parts of the country. Spring Break was a lot of fun, and I hope I can go back to Florida and spend time with my family soon.

Thoroughly Responded to Questions Part 2!!

1. The most influential person in my life would have to be Jesus/God. They have influenced my life majorly, in how I treat others, and how I try to be in my personal life. God is who I live for, and I try to give all of the honor to him when he blesses me. He shows me how to live a good life by the laws he gives me, and these are a very big influence on my life.
2.I think that Keating is trying to get his boys to believe that poetry is a way of life, and involves true passion, whereas other jobs are simply "noble pursuits". I do agree that SOME poetry can be very meaningful and passionate, but that is not the case with all poetry. I believe that we read poetry as a way of interpretation. It is not as much passion as it is a type of hieroglyphics in my opinion now a days.
3.I do agree with this quote from Keating. He is trying to get the boys to see that there are all kinds of views on a work. Not everyone has the same opinion about the same piece. When the boys realize this, it will let them be able to be their own person. I most likely have a personal story about this topic, but I have been sitting here for 30 minutes and still cannot think of any.
4. I hope that my 'verse', even if not very big, will still contribute to making this school, or world better. I know that I may not be very likely to have a major impact on the world, but I can still have a lasting impression on it, making it a slightly better place. I hope that people can see why I am here, and what I have come here to do. I would like to be a light leading others to Jesus, and it would be nice to know that I have accomplished this on a large, or small scale in life.

Thorough Responses to Questions

1. I do not think that Neil would have committed suicide, but I do think that he would have been unhappy and uncomfortable for his entire life. He never liked what his father had planned for him to do in life. He wanted to take up acting and his father was not impressed, he only wanted his son to become a doctor and provide for a family. Mr. Keating only took part in Neil's life when he told Neil to be his own person and pursue his dreams. This may have caused his suicide, but overall, Neil was never happy.
2. I believe that Todd is the most brave of the Keating boys. He is very shy throughout the movie and barely ever talks, but in the end he stands up for what he believes. He believes that Keating is a good teacher and teaches the boys good ways to get through life. On the other hand, Cameron was the coward in the film. He never feels like it is safe to go with the boys to the cave for the Dead Poet's meetings. In the end of the movie, Cameron is the one that turns in all of the boys that attended the meetings and they were all told to sign for the resignation of Mr. Keating. If Cameron would not have been so scared of everything, Mr. Keating most likely would still have his group of boys that followed him.
3. I believe that Keating did place the poetry book in Neil's room. He knew that Neil was the one ready for the challenge, and he did not want to be the one to stop him from chasing after what he wanted. Even though Keating knew that it was not the best idea, due to the administrations issues with reckless behavior, Keating believed that the boys needed to find their true potential.