A College Student by Amarilys Reyes

2007 North Campus

College Prep Writing Contest SECOND PLACE WINNER

I never imagined myself taking the steps necessary to become a college student. Growing up in a house where I was always considered the lazy one, it did not offer much hope for me to pursue a college degree. Seven years after graduating high school, I have realized that I have learned a lot of things from finally becoming a college student. Once I became a college student, I learned how to be more responsible, open to criticism, and optimistic.

I learned how to be more responsible because I am the only one who can get things done for myself. If I want a good grade on a test, it’s up to me to study in order to get the good grade. It takes all my willpower to be responsible enough to stay in school and not drop out. In the past, I have attempted returning to school, but I never gave it the fair chance it deserved and I quit before I even started. That was a time in my life, in which, I was not ready to accept the responsibility that going to school would bring. Now that I am ready, I have accepted school and it has taught me to be responsible.

Criticism is an important lesson to learn from school. Every time you enter a classroom, you have to be open to the criticism of your teacher and peers, if you can’t accept criticism, then you might as well not attend school. By taking remedial classes, I have learned that I can be wrong, but don’t take it the wrong way; I listen to the comments that others make and learn how to correct the things that are wrong. Criticism is a step to learning, but before you can begin to learn, you have to learn how to accept criticism.

Last, but not least, optimism is the best lesson I have learned from being a college student. Optimism has taught me to see the light at the end of the tunnel. By continuing my role as a college student, I am optimist to the different job opportunities that I will have for my future. A good future is important to me and optimism will remind me each day of the different possibilities. Optimism is also what helps us follow our goals. Without optimism, our goals would seem impossible and our lack of hope will cause us to drop out. All in all, being a college student has taught me to be responsible, accept criticism, and be optimistic. If I would have not learned those three things, chances are that I would have not continued in school this time around either.

Hero in My Life by Yasmin Moses

Hero in my life
You taught me so much, but when I realized you stepped out of my life in the blink of an eye, the impact you’ve left on me; I could not thank you enough for all you’ve done.
Dad, now I know the true meaning of “you do not know what you have until it is gone”
Everyday I wake up and I utilize everything you taught me: mind your manners, treat
Everyone like family, and always remember school is your education of life. Those phrases echo in my ears everyday.
Hero in my life
I miss your advice
I live each day to its fullest just like you did.
I sometimes sit down and wonder why God took you!
I know the answer and as simple as it sounds it was just your time.
You missed out on a lot and although my tears cannot bring you back ….
My heart still aches, and as I ponder what tomorrow will bring ….
I’ll finish walking down this treacherous road called life….
I’ll reminisce on the good times we had as father and daughter….
I’ll tell my children of a wonderful grandfather they had.
“With your farewell you take with you my heart”
I love you…….. hero in my life.
Dedicated to: all the Dads we have lost
Happy Father’s Day

Have A Productive Summer by Professor Bert Lorenzo

I love summer. As a teacher I enjoy many weeks of leisure during the summer months. I try to stay productive and learn during this time but I also let go a bit. I swim, tan, grow my beard, talk a lot with my parents and watch a lot of T.V. I use this time to read too.

I love to read in the summer. I spend hours at the book store or at the library, at magazine racks. Nothing relaxes me more than to spend an entire day buried in a book. I already have my list of books to read for this summer plus some essays. On top of the pile I have Tom Friedman’s The World is Flat. Below that I’ve got Freud’s Vienna & Other Essays by Bruno Bettelheim and I want to finally read Hemingway’s The Garden of Eden.

Same as for teachers summer offers students time off. They usually take fewer courses and might even vacate work. If this describes you I suggest you read and work on your literacy skills. Focus, make intelligent choices and have a productive summer.

You don’t need to make it feel like work or a school project. With a simple approach you can dramatically improve your literacy skills this summer.

1. Take it little by little. You don’t need to work on this for hours. Read and/or write one hour a day. You don’t need more. It adds up. Read the paper one day. Read a magazine article or two the next. Write a letter to a friend. Keep a journal. Read a chapter in a book. Write a poem or song. Find and learn some new words in the dictionary and you’ve just worked on your literacy skills for seven hours in a week.

2. Don’t reinvent the wheel. You don’t need fancy technology or sophisticated techniques to increase your literacy. You just need practice and uninterrupted time. Actually too much technology could decrease your literacy skills. Turn off the computer, cell phone, T.V. and all those other plug-ins and just read and write. Don’t leave for the beach without a novel or your composition book in your bag.

3. Simple doesn’t mean easy. I don’t know of any pills you can take or audiotapes you can listen to that will make you a better reader or writer. No shortcuts exist. Yes you can take simple steps to increase your literacy but you have to do it. You need to practice and you need to practice regularly. Nothing valuable comes without intelligent, focused effort and I can’t think of many things more valuable than strong literacy skills.

4. Teach it. My students tell me they want to learn but words prove nothing. Only action proves intent. Students prove they want to learn when they come on time to every class, do extra work, rewrite all their compositions and do the other things I suggest they do to learn. I remind my students if they want to learn they need to teach. Nothing helps us clarify and understand a discipline better than when we teach it. We all have many opportunities to teach and learn. You can volunteer at an elementary school this summer and tutor children. Many students have parents and grandparents who can’t read or write English. Teach them. Write love and thank you letters to your parents and grandparents. Then teach them to read the letters. Start with the alphabet. Use the caption tool on your T.V. to read aloud with a family member. Teach a younger sibling how to write an academic composition. You have unlimited possibilities to teach.

A Miami Herald reporter recently quoted Shelton Berg the new dean of the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami. As a primary goal Berg wants to edit some of the required curriculum for students. He thinks they should play music more and sit less through theory courses. He believes in the power of practice.

Literacy like music takes time and intelligent practice to master. Don’t let your summer time slip away.

Copyright Bert Lorenzo, 2007