It's a Hard Job, But I've Got to Do It: Students have mixed feelings about school competitions

Fingers aching, vision blurring, sweat pouring down your face, you look at the finished project. Weeks have been spent collecting the necessary information and then arranging it just the way you want and they specified. You feel proud as you look upon the finished work and think, “It’s over”. But is it really?

With the economy the way it is, money is hard to find. Adults are puling extra hours and cutting back on extravagances. Government officials are scrambling to find relief and students are doing whatever it takes to get college money. The most obvious option is getting a job or applying for scholarships. When that doesn’t work, there’s always the option of competing in competitions.

In our school, that last option isn’t optional. For NHD (National History Day), every student has mandatory participation, and teachers usually find several others as well. With all the rewards they offer (money, fame, valuable skills, etc.), one would think students would be jumping at the chance to compete. But that’s not always the case.
Students such as Ian McShea, sophomore, and David Tillman, junior, feel the competitions are a good thing. They teach students valuable skills through fun and interesting projects. David was introduced to the world of filmmaking and has become a mini-celebrity in Constitution high School for his talent.

However, there’s another side to this coin. A vast majority of students feel these mandatory competitions are too hard and boring. Most feel that though so much time is put into creating these projects, it’s never enough to finish anything. Alexandria Haynes, sophomore, said “We work on them too long. I can see if we devoted some time, but not all our time”. It has also been noticed that some categories get more attention than others, such as documentary over paper.

Teachers and students agree that these competitions take away from the rest of the school experience. Days are divided between class and project workshops. Often, these crazy schedules cause students so much stress the rest of their work suffers due to the focus on their projects. “In ‘American History’ we don’t even learn ‘history’. We learn ‘NHD’. What?!” said Ian. With the growth of the school, the amount of available supplies and teacher attention has drastically fallen. Complaints have been heard about the students who are selected to compete at the city level. Samantha Silberstein, sophomore and two year city participant, commented, “Masterman [High School] doesn’t limit their number of entrants. Why should we?”

Quite a few ideas have been floating around about how to improve this obviously flawed system. Students say they should have the right to compete in the competitions of their choice. Mrs. Deborah Klose, Art teacher, suggested, “Have an elective class devoted to NHD for students to get credit. They can devote a whole marking period to their project. If willing, students do a far better job.” More supplies, research and preparation time, as well as more advisors, would give students the aid they need to create superior, award-winning projects.

Well, it certainly seems Constitution High School has its work cut out for it.

The Journey to Me

Clothes shrink, voices change, and one can finally reach the elusive cookie jar on the top shelf. Hundreds of changes happen between growing from a kid to a teen. Right now, I feel like I’m falling into the best part of my life. Greater responsibilities that leave me drained pile up on me without end. Personal strength has been discovered and helped me face some of the hardest times in my life. Willingly setting oneself in a leader’s position terrifies most people, but I look forward to the challenges it presents.

Responsibility provides the earliest sign of maturity. Dedicating oneself to something whole-heartedly, such as with Miss Lottie and her garden from the story "Marigolds" by Eugenia Collier, demonstrates a hard work ethic and reliability. The more one demonstrate one’s level of responsibility, the more jobs one will be entrusted with. My first job at fourteen, I became a summer camp counselor. Caring for about thirty kids from nine in the morning until two in the afternoon takes loads of energy and focus. Working my way from breakfast to swimming, through playtime and lunch, until the end of second playtime, I ad to watch them every minute. Everyday, my daily duties included stopping fights, serving prepackaged food, passing out art supplies, and taking care of any and all injuries. Parents left their kids in my hands, believing I would keep them safe. A stone parrot seemed to be permanently on my shoulders as I watched over all the children like a stressed out fairy godmother.

Inner strength came as the next epiphany of my development. Just as Lizabeth from “Marigolds” changed when she heard her father cry, I faced a similar situation. One day, my mother came home upset, blared some music, and broke down sobbing. Truth struck me like a slap in the face at the idea that anything could break her down. From that moment, I realized moms are human too and need people to support them just as much as their kids. Mom wasn’t the only one to need a shoulder to lean on. I fell into a deep depression. No matter how hard I tried, only a fake smile could grace my face, never a true one. Beaten and broken, I was an empty shell. Getting up and shedding my mask was the hardest thing I ever had to do, but now I can finally show my true self.

Leading is the highest point one can reach in maturity. People who lead have a level of confidence and security that others envy. ‘Leader’ has always been the title of choice when others described me. My sister was born when I was just over a year old. Setting the right example for her to follow became priority numero uno. Visualizing her achieving her dreams and living happily became the greatest hope in my heart. Wanting to help my friends and classmates reach their potential captured another part of my heart. Establishing the tutoring committee in my school forced me to change. Never before have I created something from the ground up that could greatly affect others. Reaching a position of power holds a huge chance for failure, but it also gives one the tools needed to make an impact for the better.

To sum it up, I’ve grown up, maybe a bit more than others. I can handle almost anything that comes my way with grace and skill. Fear doesn’t stop me from doing what I want and what I must. Getting to this point has cost me dearly, but I would do it all again in a heart beat. Someday, I know I’ll be able to look back and feel proud of myself. Can you say the same?

The Good, The Bad, and The Kris

You ask me “what can you do?”
I reply “I make people cry
I make friends laugh, neighbors smile, and my mom pull her hair out
I’ll walk up to you, to answer a question
And leave you more confused than you were before
You never know what I will say
But you know you won’t wan to hear it
I can lift you up, tear you down, spin you around,
And flip you upside down with just a word or two
Smiles cover my face
And sarcasm fills my space
I’m at the bottom of the pit
On the top of the world
First to finish last and last to be the first
Following me will get you nowhere
But I’ll be happy to travel with you
I’ve got a sharp tongue and a rough hand
But I’ll help you, no matter the issue”
When you ask me “what can you do?”
I reply “I make it count”

"Beware: Do Not Read This Poem" By: Ishmael Reed

Walking down a dark, empty hallway in the middle of the night, a noise sounds and you jump. You spin around, looking for the sound, all the while backing down the hall toward your destination. Out of nowhere, your feet fall from under you and you plung into a dark, bottomless pit. Passages such as this mirror the suspense felt while reading the poem “Beware: Do Not Read This Poem”. Vivid imagery fills every line, causing the reader to feel as though they are watching a movie. It’s full of open-ended ideas thst will keep you guessing its true meaning for weeks.

First of all, suspense plays a huge part in this poem. From the title onward, a creeping sense of dread begins to grow. Readers are sucked into the drama by such lines as “the hunger of this poem is legendary; it has taken my victims”. “Beware” tells a sad story about families who lose loved ones to this power. Mysterious disappearances, which have occurred since the publishing of this poem, appear in the final line. So far, over 100,000 people have disappeared in the past ten years.

Also, astonishing imagery capture us from the first line. One line reads “an ol woman…surrounded herself w/ many mirrors”. Lines such as this allow readers to easily visualize what’s happening. Line after line, the we can see ourselves becoming a part of the tale as we read “this poem has your eyes…your fingertips…this poem has you up to here”. Piece by piece, one can see oneself being dragged in until the reader is the poem. Ultimately, “Beware” does say “the poem is the reader and the reader this poem”.

Various meanings, based on the perspective of the one reading it, constitute as the greatest aspect of Ishmael Reed’s work. Symbolism of the mirrors and the disappearances capture the mind and force one to think. When reading the line “she disappeared into a mirror”, it makes the reader stop to read between the lines. What does Reed mean she disappeared? Another line reading “ each tenant who bought the house after that, lost a loved on to…the mirror” give the same sort of questions. Does the writer mean it literally of figuratively? Physically or mentally? Have they died or lost themselves? Too many questions are asked with no definite answer in sight.

In conclusion, superior poetry such as this comes along only once in a while. Building a sense of fear, combined with crystal clear pictures and multiple meanings, leave this poem high above the rest. Never could there have been a more perfect read for any horror/sci-fi lover. Dare to take a look?

My NHD Reflection

We have just finished another hard, grueling year for NHD. Though we are all alive and most of us have done well, many things could have been made much simpler. Plenty of people had problems and were extremely confused. There was tons of disorganization and wasted time.

My project was, again, a paper. I wrote about Mrs. Anne Marbury Hutchinson. I spent hours working to perfect it, not because I have any REAL desire to continue in the NHD competition, but because I was angry when no one from our school went to States in the paper category. If I don't get there again, I hope someone else does. Masterman needs an attitude adjustment. 

However, many of our students faced huge problems. Time was the biggest issue. We need to start our projects almost as soon as the year begins in order to make the best possible projects. Also, we need some way to better research topics. Students continually get complaints because they don't have enough book sources. Finally, it would be a good idea to announce next years' Topic at the end of the year and during summer orientations to incoming and returning students in order to get them prepared.

Sixth Annotation for NHD 2008

Rogers, Jay. "Models for Reformation: John Winthrop, Massachusetts (1588-1649)." The Forerunner. Mar. 2008. 14 Dec. 2008 http://www.forerunner.com/forerunner/x0526_bios-_john_winthrop.html.

This site explained to me the mindset and personality of John Winthrop, the governor who banished Anne Hutchinson. He was a man who was willing to allow personal freedom, but also advocated the strict following of the laws of society. I can use this to better understand the opposition to her.

William Elson, Henry. History of the United States of America. New York: The MacMillan Company, 1904.

This gave me an overview of the events leading up to the incident with Mrs. Hutchinson in Salem colony. It discussed the reasons behind the Puritan settlement in Massachusetts and their fierce belief in the power of God.

Fifth Annotation for NHD 2009

"Anne Marbury Hutchinson Courageous Exponent of Civil Liberty and Religious Toleration." Women of Influence. Nov 2006. U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Information Programs. 5 Nov 2008 http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pubs/womeninfln/hutchinson.htm.

This site gave me an example of how Mrs. Hutchinson's efforts shapes America. Also, a way to tie in the theme for NHD 'Individuals Throughout History'.

I will use this information to depict howb her views and struggles helped to design the America we live in today. I can identify how her work influenced our founders to create the First Amendment, specifically freedom of speech and religion.