My Final Essay

This summer has been a awesome experience for me. One reason is that I was able to get closer to one of my best friends Patricia. We have been friends for like six years, but we haven't really hung out that much and summer school gave us that opportunity. Another reason is that I have learned so much about a lot of things about me, the world around me, and much more than just becoming a better writer.

One of the most important things that I've learned about is my voice in this world. I have realized how important and useful it can be. Just by finding your voice and using it can make a difference... even the smallest difference can be the start of something or change something. By surfing the web about the oil spill in the Gulf has made a difference and has changed the way I think. I've learned that the oil spill isn't someones else's problem to fix, besides if everyone would think like that then we would never be able to accomplish anything.

Another thing that I'm glad that I've learned is about Change.org. I never thought that I would ever be able to get involved and sign up for things that I believe in... especially because I'm not at the age that I'm able to vote yet. I have signed some petitions that I truly believe in because I really want to see a change in certain issues. By doing that I'm to let the world hear my voice and opinions for things.

Also I have learned more about me each and every time I write. I am able to express myself more and my feelings. I feel that I'm a better writer now than two years ago. I really love to write poems and by learning how to write better it has made my poems better too. At first I thought that summer school was going to be a waste, but to my surprise it wasn't. In my opinion I think that it has made me a better person overall.

In conclusion, summer school was cool. I realized that I should and can apply myself more and there should be no excuse to why I failed in the first place. I guess that I just needed to find that out on my own.

Persuasive Essay: School Uniforms

I think that uniforms shouldn't be allowed in schools for a few reasons. One reason is that they can be very expensive and hard to come by. Also another reason is that they don't give us the chance to show our own personality and different tastes. I know and understand that some schools want to have uniforms for purposes such as to try to prevent teasing of other students who might not be able to afford certain clothing and also a lot of gang issues. Although it is for a good purpose I still do not agree with it.

My family don't have a lot of money right now, but it enough for us to get by. When I was in middle school I had to wear uniforms. It was very hard for me to find some and they were also expensive. My family had just started going into financial problems and there wasn't a whole lot of extra money to give me for uniforms when I needed them, so I had to make the best of what I had.

In schools I know that students can be rude and make other students feel like if they are not as good, but no matter what there is always going to be someone that isn't going to like you. I have been made fun of in the past, not really for the clothes that I wear, but for other reasons. It hurt a lot, but I have come to realize that you shouldn't let little things like that bother you and that no one should tell you how to dress, act, and most certainly who you should be.

I also don't like school uniforms because you can't express who you are and your own tastes in style. Everybody has there own style and I respect that. I don't judge people by what they wear or what brand they wear. It's about what's inside that counts and other students that tease and bully students should realize that what you wear doesn't matter and what they are doing is wrong.

The majority of the students that wear uniforms do not like them. Also if they would ask for a vote for wanting uniforms, most of them would vote for no uniforms. People should be themselves and wear what they want. Without uniforms shouldn't mean that there is no dress code though. The clothing that the students choose to wear should be appropriate and should also be followed by certain rules. Some rules no gang, drug, sexual, or any other related clothing that is also not appropriate. I think that the privileges
 for no uniforms can be taken away to the individuals who don't follow the dress code.


In conclusion, I think that there should be no uniforms in schools. Students should be able to express themselves as long as it's appropriate and they follow the rules. By that happening we won't look the same and we should look past our appearences and look within each other.

My Earth Letter to the President of the United States

Dear President Barack Obama,

My name is Kristie Herrera and I am a 16 year old who goes to school and lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I am sending you theses wisdom quotations because of my concerns about the oil spill in the Gulf. It has caused destruction and is harming our world in which we live in. It is also harming every living creature in its reach and it will soon start to harm us humans if we can't find a solution and fix the problem.

"Thank God men cannot fly, and lay waste the sky as well as the earth. ~Henry David Thoreau"

"Some day the earth will weep, she will beg for her life, she will cry with tears of blood. You will make a choice, if you will help her or let her die, and when she dies, you will die too.-John Hollow Horn, Oglala Lakota"

"One touch of nature makes the whole world kin. ~William Shakespeare"

"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. ~Albert Einstein" "I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority.-E. B. White"

"The nation that destroys its soil destroys itself.-Franklin D. Roosevelt "

" For in the true nature of things, if we rightly consider, every green tree is far more glorious than if it were made of gold and silver. ~ Martin Luther King "

"To waste, to destroy our natural resources, to skin and exhaust the land instead of using it so as to increase its usefulness, will result in undermining in the days of our children the very prosperity which we ought by right to hand down to them amplified and developed.

~Theodore Roosevelt"

"The earth we abuse and the living things we kill will, in the end, take their revenge; for in exploiting their presence we are diminishing our future. ~ Marya Mannes"

" “Selfishness is the greatest curse of the human race” -William E. Gladstone"

I think that a lot of humans are being really selfish and are taking this planet and what is has to offer for granted. One day it's going to be destroyed, but if we try to make it a better place than we can hopefully slow the process. It really bothers me how some people can be so greedy over certain things such as money and oil. All they care about is what they want and need and I just wish that there was a way that they could understand. When they die it's not like they're going to take it with them and when they are here on this earth they should just try to make things better for everyone... animals and the environment included.

In conclusion, I hope that we will be able to fix the problem in the Gulf. I also know that there are going to more disasters and problems... some not as bad and others worse, but it would really help if we could do things that would be for the better to help us all.

                                                                                                        Sincerely,

                                                                                                        Kristie Herrera

Unique Essay

I know that I am a unique individual person and that there are certain things that make me different from other people. I have many unique talents and gifts. I am not afraid to be myself and I do not like to be categorized into certain groups. Besides I think that it would be very boring if we were all the same and that we should like the fact that we are different from everyone else.

I love to draw and write poetry. I love variety because I can just like one certain things. For example, if there was only one flower with the same color, even it would be considered plain and boring. A garden wouldn't look right to me if there weren't different flowers in it. I'm also the type of person who gives chances and doesn't judge. I love to try new food from different cultures and other countries.

I like all types of music too... all the way from country to rock and everything in between. Some people don't like the music that I listen to and decide that they don't like me, but not even then I still won't change. I like being myself and I can care less of what others have to say and think of me.

My "How To" Manuel

Learning how to train and care for a puppy takes a lot of patience and a lot of hard work, but it can also be a lot of fun. You should start training your puppy at a young age because it's a lot easies and it will listen to you. There are a loo of responsibilities that come with caring for any pet and if you don't think that you are going to be able to handle them, you should reconsider getting a pet.

Before you get a puppy you should always prepare and make sure you have everything you need. For example, you need to make your house "puppy safe". Meaning make sure that things that can hurt your puppy are put away and that the puppy will feel safe in its new home.

The puppy will need a certain potty area that it will need to get used to.  A six- to eight-week-old puppy should be taken outdoors every one to three hours. Older puppies can wait longer between outings. Puppies should be taken out after waking in the morning, after naps, after eating, after playing or training, after being left alone, and immediately before being put to bed.

 Rubbing a puppy's nose in a mess is not a right way to house train.  Supervision and by being positive will make things better for both you and your puppy. By occasionally giving him a treat right after your dog finishes, you can encourage him to potty in the same area and when he needs to go he will continue to go and there will be less accidents on the carpet.

You also have to have a regular feeding schedule of about two to three meals a day. You also have to make sure not to feed your puppy so much and make sure that you are going to be there to take him out about an hour after he eats. Only have food out for 30-40 minutes and don't feed him table food. Dog food is especially designed for there body and table food can be very unhealthy to them. The last meal should be given several hours before his set bed time.

Another thing that you have to do is train them to be in a crate. It's important because the puppy will need a place that they will feel safe in when they are tired or just want to go relax in. You should keep a favorite chew toy that he likes to make him feel more comfortable. A good time to start crate training is at dinnertime. Feed your puppy his dinner, one piece at a time, by tossing pieces of his food into the crate for him to chase and eat. By doing this you can make a game out of it. Also have an area large enough so that if your puppy has to potty when you are gone, he can do it in a space that is separate from his sleeping area. A good tip is to not leave your puppy in a crate for so long.

Just because you will have all of the information to train your puppy doesn't mean that everything is going to be perfect and you or your puppy won't have mistakes. It just means that you have to learn how to fix them. It's important to have a good attitude, stay positive, and have patience. You shouldn't yell, all you have to do is say "no" loud enough for them to hear. In a few weeks your puppy can be trained and you will enjoy and feel good once he is trained.

My Alphabet Story

A long time ago there was a girl named Lily who came to live in America from Dublin, Ireland. Before she came her dad had just passed away and they were barely making it and it caused her mom to want to move. Coming to America was hard for Anna because other girls and boy had made her feel like she didn't belong. Depression  soon took over her and she felt so alone and couldn't see anything good in life to keep going on. Eventually she had started cutting herself and hid it from her two closest friends that she had made. For awhile she had been wanting to tell her mom about it, but she just couldn't because she didn't think that she would understand. Getting up on a Monday morning was the hardest thing for her to do, but she forced herself and got ready for school. Her friends were waiting for her at the front doors of the school building happy to see her. In class today there was a new student who had transferred from another school and as he walked by Lily had thought that he had the most beautiful green eyes and smile. Just as the bell had rang he got up and hurried to the door, but as he passed by Lily he gave her a smile and had winked at her. Kicking rocks on the way home Lily couldn't stop thinking of that new guy. Little did she know he was walking right behind her and caught up to her and told her hi. Michael was his name and he had asked her if she wanted to be his friend. Nervousness took over her so she said yes and told him that she had to hurry up and get home because she had to go somewhere after school. On the porch was her mom sitting there waiting for her with a smile. Patricia was her mom's name and she had found the blade that Lily had been using and had wanted to talk to her about it. "Quit cutting yourself, you're not solving anything by doing that and you just need to stop." Responding, Lily just burst out in tears crying. Suddenly at that moment Lily realized that she don't need to go back to her old habits and she promised her mother that she would stop. Then they went inside and she helped her mom make pizza for dinner and for once she actually enjoyed her afternoon and had talked so much with her mom than she had done in the past. Usually she couldn't wait to go to bed, but today she had found some confidence buried down under pain and she found it hard to go to sleep, but eventually she did. Vowing in the morning that she is going to live every day of her life to the fullest made her feel good. When she left for school that morning her mom saw her differently and happy and it also gave her a sense of hope.

My Romance Story

Once there was a girl named Anna. She lived in New York City with her mom and had gone back and forth to see her dad. So when she turned six-teen she had asked her mom if she could go live with her dad for the summer. It was hard for her mom to say yes because after their divorce her dad had moved back to England, but she said yes anyways. Anna couldn't wait to go. She left on a plane three days later.

She slept most of the time on the plane, but as they were getting into England she could see these beautiful green meadows and fields, some of them with herds of sheep. Then she saw the airport. Her dad had been waiting for her at the airport. She was so happy to see him and then they got into the car and drove home.

My New Idenity

My name is Alyssa Garcia and I'm from Las Angeles, California. I am 21 years old and am very out going. I am going to college at Stanford University department of music. I live by myself in a beautiful house with my two dogs and a cat, a light brown chihuahua named Honey, a black poodle named Hupies, and a light gray ocicat named D.C...(meaning Darn Cat). I love my pets so much that they are like my kids.

In my spare time I love to drive to the beach and walk on the sand at the shore. Sometimes I even find shells and I like to pick them up and take them home. My dogs also like when I take them with me because they like to run up to the water and play. I also like to work out and I spend a lot of time with my dogs while I'm exercising. Sometimes I play fetch or just go for a jog with them.

I am also a very talented person and I have many gifts that I am proud of. The gift that I have that I'm most proud of is the fact that I am able to sing. I love to sing and to learn new songs. By being able to sing it has also given me an interest to write poetry.

Bucket List

Things I want to accomplish in my life time

1. 
   
   Go and graduate from college
2. 
   
   Travel around the world
3. 
   
   Get married
4. 
   
   Have four kids before I'm 30
5. 
   
   Become a nurse
6. 
   
   Learn to drive a motorcycle
7. 
   
   Go horseback riding
8. 
   
   Get in shape
9. 
   
   Learn how to figure skate
10. 
    
    Learn to play the guitar
11. 
    
    Learn Spanish/Latin dances
12. 
    
    Go in a plane
13. 
    
    Go on a cruise in a boat
14. 
    
    Go to France and the U.K.
15. 
    
    Swim with dolphins
16. 
    
    Say "hi" to random people
17. 
    
    Fall in love
18. 
    
    Dye my hair red
19. 
    
    Be rich
20. 
    
    Stay BFF with all my BFF's
21. 
    
    Save a life
22. 
    
    Jump from a cliff into water
23. 
    
    Dance in the rain
24. 
    
    Go in a submarine
25. 
    
    Have a star named after me

The list above are the 25 most important things that I want to accomplish in my life time before I die. I had to think about all of them very carefully before I decided which ones I should put. I'm not sure in what order I want them to happen in, but I know for sure that I can accomplish #1-#5 very soon.

These things are important to me because they are my personal goals. Maybe to some people some of my goals probably sound funny, but to me they are special. One of my goals is to graduate and go to college. I feel that if I don't I won't get very far in life and I won't be successful. Also if I don't I won't be able to become a nurse. I also want to get married and have a family of my own and I hope to have at least two girls and two boys.

Another thing that I've always wanted to do is travel. I've never been out of New Mexico and I just want to get out and go new places. one place in particular is France and the U.K. I've read and have learned so much about these places and they seem like a very interesting place that I would like to travel to. I also want to travel to other places to see different animals, meet new people, and see different environments.

My other personal goals are to learn how to play the guitar. I might not be good at it, but I know I'll have fun trying. Ever since I was little I would watch the Winter Olympic games on TV. My favorite has always been figure skating and my two favorite figure skaters are Michelle Kwan and Kristi Yamaguchi. By watching them I have always dreamed about being able to ice skate. There are a few other things that I want to accomplish like learning how to dance to Spanish/Latin dances.

Some of the other things are just things that I want to do for fun. For example, jumping off a cliff and into the water. I'm the type of person who likes to take risks and just likes to have a lot of fun trying new things. Just like talking to random people, going in a submarine, and going to swim with dolphins. I also think that it would be great to learn to drive a motorcycle or a dirt bike. Another idea that I've had is to have a star named after me because I think that it would be really cool.

Dancing in the rain would be an awesome experience. I love to walk in the rain, but I've never danced. Even though I get told to stay inside it doesn't stop me from going. Falling in love is something that might take awhile, but I hope it happens. Also one thing that I hope will never end is my friendship with all of my three best friends. We have gone through so much for years and we've become unbreakable and inseparable and I hope it's like that for ever.

In conclusion, these are the 25 things that I would want to accomplish in my life time before I die. Sometimes you get an opportunity to do something, but sometimes you don't get a second chance. So when mine come I won't even think twice about doing it.

Avatar/Change.org Blog

Avatar is good movie that gives someone a good example of what we live with and things that are going on in the world around us. For example, cutting down the trees in the rain forest just to make factories for selfish human desires. Another reason is that a lot of people like to try to take over other peoples land and sometimes they kill or destroy special things that belong to the native people. In the movie they were not caring about the children or mothers who died, they also didn't care about destroying their sacred tree. These same issues have been happening through out history.

Another example is when the Spaniards and Europeans came to the new world which was already owned by the Native Americans who have lived here years just took it from them and called it their own.

My Scary Story

The bell rings and I gather up all my work and start heading towards the cafeteria. I get my tray and go sit at a table by myself. Then some of my friends come and sit by me. I'm not that hungry and I play around with my food. Patricia asks me if I'm ok, but i just say I'm fine... even though I know I'm not. The memory starts coming back to me... three months ago... Cassie and Andrew... the tears... the blood..., then suddenly I'm back to reality by Patricia's voice asking me what I'm doing after school. I say that I'm busy and I have to help my mom, but I told her we could hang out Friday.

Lunch is over and I start to head to my locker. I grab my notebook for Biology and English and head to class. I get to class, go to my seat, put my ipod on, and put my head down. When I get to English I find out that we're going to the library. I walk through the rows of books and just skim over the titles as I pass by. Then all of a sudden out of no where a book falls off the shelf and lands by my feet and I hear giggles of a girl, but no ones there. The cover of the book says"I Miss You" and it has a red rose and a blue butterfly on it... Cassie always liked those things. Well class goes by fast and I can't wait to get home so I hurry to get in my car.

As I walk through the door my mom starts asking me how my day was and I just say that it was ok and I just go to my room. I throw my back pack on my chair and collapse on my bed and crash out. I wake up startled by a quiet laugh. I rub my eyes and look around. I notice that my back pack is on the floor and I know that I put it on my chair. When I look at the chair I can't believe my eyes.. it's Cassie sitting on my chair. I close my eyes because I think I'm dreaming, but when I open them she's still there smiling at me. She starts talking to me and I think I'm going crazy.

Memories and flashbacks are going through my head now. Three months ago I drove to her brother's house over the summer to go visit her. She had been really depressed with her boyfriend and for about a year. He would leave her, cheat on her, and other things and she still stayed with him. Anyways when I got to the house the door was wide open. Right away I had a bad feeling and I knew something was wrong, so I went in side. When I walked into the living room I came upon the most horrible sight ever. Andrew was on the floor, his shirt was covered with blood and I saw a hole where a bullet had made a mark. Then I saw Cassie a few feet away and I rushed to her side. She had her hands rapped around a knife that stuck in her side. I asked her what happened and she said that her boyfriend and her brother had gotten into a fight and then her boyfriend shot Andrew. She told me that she stabbed herself because she couldn't live without Andrew and she told me that her boyfriend will pay for what he did. Then she died, right in my arms. Tears came pouring from my eyes and I ended up running out of the house and going back home. I didn't even remember getting into my car.

The was the last time I saw her and now I'm looking at her and she's in my room sitting on my chair. The only thing that isn't making any sense is why did she come back. By her being here it felt like nothing had ever changed and as if she never died. We started talking and then I asked her why she came back... it was for revenge to get back at her boyfriend for killing her brother. I never knew her for having feelings of hatred like this for anyone. I thought that she meant that she would torture or haunt him, but what shocked me the most is that she wanted him to die.

She let me go to sleep and when I woke scared. I know she was my best friend, but I'm scared of her. For some reason I felt sick to my stomach so didn't go to school. I went in the living room and turned on the TV and watched the news. My whole body froze with fear. They said that a 17 year old boy was killed early this morning and that police are trying to figure out what killed him. It scared me so much that I asked all the people that I've done wrong to forgive me, because I wouldn't want them to come back and kill me.

I'm Here For A Reason...But What?

I know that I am here for a certain reason, but I still haven’t figured out what my purpose is. For now I’m just doing the best I can through life, but I know that I can do more. Sometimes it gets thrown in their face, but others they have to figure it out on their own. Honestly I’ve got no idea what mine is though.

I think that in order for me to find out I going to have to take risks in life. One thing that I know is that I have a voice in this world and I need to use it more. For example, standing up for what I believe in and also trying to make this world a better place than what we’ve made it before it’s too late to do anything at all. I also think that everyone should be able to be noticed for something that they’re proud of because there will never be another. We are all unique and special individuals who can never be replaced, so we have to accomplish the reason why we’re here because no one else will ever be able to do it.

I Am Poem

I am a unique person who cares.
I wonder what tomorrow brings.
I hear my friend’s laughter.
I see the happiness on her face.
I want to be loved.
I am a unique person who cares.

I pretend to be a butterfly.
I feel like I can fly towards the stars away from all my problems.
I touch the cool breeze on a warm summer night.
I worry about my family.
I cry at night hoping things will get better.
I am a unique person who cares.

I understand that life is hard.
I say that you should never give up.
I dream for a better life in time.
I try to keep everything I can under control.
I hope I accomplish everything I want.
I am a unique person who cares.

Haiku

True love never dies,
but it's rough at times.
True love gets through it.

Ever since that first day I awoke to the most pitiful sight I could ever imagine that still hasn’t gone away. From a distance in the tree tops it don’t look as bad, but when I went down to get some water it was so horrible. This oil spill is getting out of control. There’s no clean water and food. It’s so deep that all of the animals, insects, and other creatures are dying every day because of the contaminated water. It’s so bad that it’s killed over 300 of my kind. It’s been going on for over a month just because of selfish humans. All they care about is money and they don’t stop to notice how there careless actions affect us, but they’ll realize soon enough because it’s going to affect them too. Soon all of them that are close will run out of clean water and will wish that they would have taken the time to help stop this oil spill. If humans weren’t such inconsiderate and irresponsible creatures maybe none of us would be in a mess like this. Well I’m going to get back to trying some food, but in the mean time try to convince humans to help.