♥Hey It’s Jenna!!♥

These past few years in middle school have been great! I have learned so much and look forward to what the future holds for me. The three years that led me to where I am now, have shaped who I am; my personality, my goals. This was just one more step in our lives, the building blocks to what is soon to come.

Each teacher has influenced me in some way. Their dedication and compassion have supported me and led me down the right path, and I thank them for that.

During this one step of my life, I was able to really be myself and let go. This has much to do with the drama productions. Performing is my passion, and I am so thankful that I was given the chance to express myself on the stage. I leave behind memories and amazing moments with my “drama family,” to all of those who follow in our footsteps. We know that you will enjoy it as much as we did; good luck to you all!

One thing I would recommend to any student moving up to middle school is to take risks. This is the time for you to try new things and to shape your personalities. If there is one thing I learned from middle school, it is to not be afraid to say what you feel. You don’t want to regret not doing something in the future. Go out and pursue what ever interests you, because you can do anything you set your mind to.
Lastly, I would like to wish all of my fellow 8th graders good luck in their future. We might not all be going to the same high school, but we are a family and always will be!! You guys are amazing!!

So, I leave behind a legacy of memories and moments that were shared. Today may be the end of middle school, but it is still just the beginning for all of us. ♥ pce

I believe that the US government should become more democratic. I think this, because in today’s world, not everyone gets to have a say in the way our country is run. This can be thought of as discrimination. People are discriminated against every day, where they are not allowed to voice their opinions, or come into political power.

One way of thinking about democracy is; a place where all people should get to have a say in everything that affects their lives. Although discrimination is not as common as it used to be, if you look closely, you will notice how certain social classes are being put down, and not let into certain political positions. The poor, for instance, have always been thought as “lower citizens,” and have not been “allowed” to be held in high political power. This is not democratic. If the United States gave different people chances to voice their opinions, it would make the US more democratic.

If the Electoral College was abolished, and people directly elected the President, what should the qualification be to vote in a Presidential Election?

I think that in order to vote in an election, you should have to be over 18, have graduated high school, and have participated in some sort of political event, whether it be going to a political “rally” or sharing your opinion on politics at a political “party.” This ensures that everyone has good background knowledge from education, and could make an educated decision on electing the president.

Blogging has done so many things for me, and I only started in September! It gives me the chance to express myself through writing to audiences around the world. I get the chance to learn from others in different countries, and see how they live. I really think I have grown in blogging, in a way that I am not afraid to write how I feel; I have really grown comfortable to it. I love the feeling of “being heard” by others around the world. It even inspires me to be a better writer, and to do whatever I want to in life. It gives me the inspiration to chase after whatever I want to be in the future.

challenge09

The following is a short story on the Trail of Tears. We wrote from the point of view of the Indians along the trail. My story is from two points of view-a brave young girl, and a girl who is scared. The way my story is written is very different. Going down is the point of view of the brave girl, and going up is the point of view of the scared girl. Enjoy!!

We still walk

I shed another tear, yet

Pretend I am strong

I can’t

Regain

What’s lost, we can’t

Go back home

I want to let go of the pain

Because they forced us out, I

Am told we could have left before

Instead

I hear they forced us out to take our land and resources

I just don’t understand why.

If my name was a verb, it would be:

Jenna: verb, 1) to perform as in theatre; 2) to sing, dance, act, speak, etc, in front of a large crowd.

I chose this, because I love to perform in front of large crowds, whether it be for singing, dancing, acting, or public speaking. And it would be great to have my name as a verb, meaning to do something I love!

What inspires me? There are so many things that inspire me in life. I am an artist, in a sense; I am very passionate about music, writing, singing, dancing, and theatre. All these aspects of my personality come from inspiration. Whether it be from learning a new dance, to writing a song, it all comes from a glimmer of inspiration that makes me want to try something new.

I would have to say a lot of my inspiration comes from people. Just people. It doesn’t matter who. But if someone does something that really hits me and makes me think, that gives me inspiration. I especially get my inspiration from people who make a difference. When I see someone giving back, it gives me the strength to try to be like them; to become a better person. Seeing how people live and act can inspire me to express my emotions too.

Music is also a big thing that inspires me. I listen to all different genres of music, and I can get something out of each and every type. When I hear someone expressing their emotions through music, it gives me the inspiration to express my own self the same way.

I also get inspired from nature. When I see the beauty of the world, it inspires me to write down what I see.

And lastly, I get inspiration from performing. When I am up on the stage performing, I get the inspiration to succeed and chase after my dreams. Even when I watch others perform, I get this feeling of hope and wisdom, that gives me the strength to do something in life.

My family tries their best to help the environment by being “green.” Some things we do are; recycle cans and bottles, reuse old materials for new purposes, never litter, and reduce the amount of electricity we use by turning off electronics when we are not using them. I believe that anyone can make a difference by being “green,” and you can never do too much to help the environment.

In order to be a “green” family, you need to decide what it is you will do to help the environment and actually do it. In order for your family to “go green,” each of you must find it within yourself to make that difference for the environment. You must also remember that it will take work, but it will pay off in the long run.

challenge09

This is a map I did on the struggles of the Oregon Trail. I used an authentic diary by Amelia Stewart Knight, using her journey. All info from the diary was taken from http://www.isu.edu/~trinmich/00.ar.knight.html 
 Check it out!!!

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• “The government by people”
• “All people should be able to have their say in everything that affects their lives”

President Abraham Lincoln once stated, democracy is government “of the people, by the people, and for the people.”

Both statements above explain “What is democracy.” A democracy is a government type where the people have a say. Just like Abraham Lincoln stated, a democracy is made up of people, made from the input of the people, and made for the benefit of the people. That is to say, all people in a democracy should be treated equally and live their lives how they would like to live their lives (within reasons). A democracy, in another sense, can be the people that create the democracy.

Thank you to these two sites that helped me understand democracy better.