Exceptional Senior Essay on Utopia

I discovered a writer among us today. Senior,  Larry Zumwalt. Silent,  just a slip of a fellow who is in PODS--he sits up straight and he seems to be smiling to himself, mildly amused by the rest of us, kindly, but not necessarily open to long conversations. With his permission I will print his essay here, for your enjoyment. 

Larry has given me permission to share

Larry Zumwalt

12/06/2015

Senior English Essay

Unfortunately, this world is a far cry from paradise. One man will lay into his bed for a warm night of rest, while another searches for a dry shelter from the rain. Another man will wipe the sweat from his brow, admiring his perfect yard, damning the weeds that sullied it. His neighbor wipes the blood from his lip, admiring the red portrait that he's coughed into the sink, damning the cancer that caused it. The flaws in our world lie behind a clouded window for most well-off people. And for those who can discern the silhouette behind the window, they are simply ignorant of it. If it's not my problem, then why worry about it, right? That's a question that most would ask themselves, and a question that reveals one of the many flaws in human nature. The main problems on this planet are due to people's interactions with each other, our interactions with nature (and it's interactions with us), and the imperfections in general human essence. A true Utopia would be void of such inadequacies.

It really is an anomaly how severely we humans contradict ourselves in our interactions with one-another. Some of us demonstrate altruism in ways such as founding or participating in non-profit organizations to help the needy. Others, possessed by hate, power, or some other folly, devote their lives to war and genocide. In my Utopia, such a deviation would be non-existent. Altruism would be an innate quality that all humans possess. Rather than kicking those who are down, they would help them up.

They say that we've been blessed with the "perfect planet". That means we should take care of it. Even worse than not taking care of it, we hinder it. The Mississippi river dumps 1.5 million metric tonnes of nitrogen pollution into the gulf of Mexico yearly.(www.conserve-energy-future.com) The garbage dumped into the ocean every year is roughly around 14 billion pounds.(www.conserve-energy-future.com) The "Great Smog" that happened in London, 1952 killed approximately four hundred thousand, people in just a few days.(www.conserve-energy-future.com) These facts here aren't much more than a cup scooped out of an ocean polluted with countlessly many more facts. This would not be a problem in my Utopia. It's people would realize that their houses are not their home. Their planet is their home. Would you dump your waste into your home? Similar to treating nature poorly, nature treats us poorly as well. Disease, plague, famine, and more debase the quality of life for extremely large amounts of people. This Utopia would be unburdened by these issues, because of their altruistic values, they'd have dedicated enough effort into curing most diseases, and evenly distributing wealth and food for all.

Greed, hate, lust, these and a myriad of other immoralities fill the essence of the humans on our planet today. From stingy crooks out to steal from the vulnerable, to perverts prowling the streets for hapless victims, the souls of our world are sadly filled with vice. Changing the being of so many people is a nearly inconceivable prospect, but the corruption that nearly all humans have in some form would need to be expunged in order to achieve Utopia.

Our world is not paradise, undoubtedly. A true Utopia, which is nearly impossible to imagine, would include better interactions in between its people, better interactions with nature, and a perfection in general human nature.

Who's the Boss of You?

After working with young people for 20 years, inside the classroom and out, I have learned a basic human truth.

We all have the innate drive to 'captain our ship' (I borrowed that from a poem and a recent interview I watched on bulletproof.com). Whether or not we confess to it, or even realize it ourselves, we humans have an internal mantra:

Who is the ONLY person that is going to tell me to JUMP? ME

And how high am I going to jump? EXACTLY AS HIGH AS I WANT!

And who is going to stop me? NOBODY!!

In my humble opinion, this is the crux of all conflict. Period. More on this later, as it unfolds in my brain.

Thanks for reading.  :)

Thoughts on your UTOPIA ESSAY

Utopia
By Cheryl Ray
First I need to say that it bothers me to call this life I envision for us all “Doesn’t Exist”, which is the original Latin meaning of Utopia.   I find that to be self-fullfilling and I am grateful that Sir Thomas More named his seminal work Utopia, because I would hope it doesn’t exist.  He wrote of slaves with gold chains as though it was a wonderful thing and it would make a perfect world.  He described a world where the poor received an equal share of money once a year.
What he wrote about sounds naïve to us now. We abhor the concept of slavery and we ask WHY do we have a poor population if you are looking for a perfect world? HOWEVER, he was a mirror of his time and place, and he was brave enough to write it down.  And the key message which was a plea to rethink the values of the time, is a sound one.
Most of my own writing from years past is slightly embarrassing.  Even if it is skillful writing, it shows an innocent  ignorance I can’t deny. And so, it is with this attitude, I am going to approach this writing assignment. Dear seniors, please try to make your Utopia a meaningful piece of work that expresses who you are and what you want in your community! Maybe this will be one of your FOUR evidences of learning in your portfolio! ;)

Questions?Please ask!

Teaching to Learn

As the 'teacher' of 11th and 12th grade English here at Edgenuity, it is quite advantageous for me to take the class I am facilitating. First, I am working my way through senior English--and have a few insights as a result.

#1.  It is REALLY hard for me to do more than an hour at a time.  I love the curriculum. I find the way they present it appealing, however,  I get tired and I'm sure our students do, too.  So pace yourself, daily rather expecting yourself to work for several hours a day on one class.

At first, I struggled with the writing because I, like many students, feel trapped at first when asked to answer a question about myself. To myself, I am quite dull.  Who would want to know who my hero is?? Why should I tell anyone such a personal thing?? I don't know.

I found my way through that problem of 'writer's block' by opening an empty WORD document on another computer while I worked through the lesson.  Then, when it was time to write, I shut down the class and got myself a cup of coffee, and puttered around the house cleaning, with the topic 'gelling' in my mind--and the blank WORD document open and ready for my input.

I couldn't think of a hero. I thought to myself:  "When was I really impressed and amazed by something someone did.  That's when I remembered my surprise birthday party, which made me think of my sister, and how often she does things that surprise me. (Like caring for a sick neighbor for years, for example--who would do that?)  So, thinking about my memories instead of thinking about a specific person helped me.

And now I will share my "Hero" essay with you!

Diane Rubie, my sister-- born just two years and three months before me is heroic on a daily basis.  She is just a person. A mom, a sister, a wife and a daughter. What makes her a hero?  There are so many stories I could relay—but I will tell you one from our childhood that encapsulates her heroism.  It starts with the words:

“Surprise! Happy Birthday Cheryl!”

It was my first birthday party in the 13 years of my life—I was surrounded by my best friends—it was a slumber party, and there was a cake and GIFTS for ME. A birthday party for ME! First. Ever.  She had treacherously plotted with my best friends, behind our mother’s back. We were raised with the rule that a birthday party is an unacceptable act of worshiping mankind over God. In retrospect I see that with five children in our tribe, it was a financially prudent belief.

In organizing that party for me, she made me feel like a SPARKLY person. Although I had never felt friendless, unloved or unlucky, I had accepted the family ‘no birthday’ policy.   When I bloated my mother’s uterus in 1963, it was her fifth and final pregnancy and the beginning of her dedication to Herbert W. Armstrong, or at least his  translation of The Bible.

But now I saw that we have choices. Diane had risked a ‘good paddling’ with the well worn piece of wood, nicknamed  “The Board of Education”.  She was always more courageous, independent, and sure of herself than I was. While I have no doubt she was doing what came naturally to her—( expressing her own unique version of life in a way that pleased her), she was a hero to me.  

Over the years, it has been  her refusal to blindly abide by society’s accepted rules, her commitment to doing  what feels RIGHT rather than what is easy, and her absolutely dogged devotion to making life more sparkly wherever she is, that I not only admire, but I advocate for, daily.

From writing this essay, assigned in my 12th grade Edgenuity course, I see that our heroes teach us who we are. They are heroic to us because they display traits we value—and that makes us who we are…and that’s why we need them!

The End

HOW I LEARN--Published in September

Hello students!  I am taking a 'leap of faith' here and showing you the first step in my learning.  I am your 12th grade English teacher, I have earned a Master's Degree in Education, a Bachelor's degree in Language Arts with a minor in Reading, and an Associates of Arts and Science. I have twenty years of experience reading with, to and for students like yourself, and guess what? THIS IS MY FIRST (first. yes, I said FIRST) introduction to Gilgamesh!

As always, in order to be able to teach it, I must learn it, and THIS is my first step--I do this before I read the actual text because for me, I will understand the text MUCH better with the background. If you would like it read aloud to you with perfect pronunciation, by a teacher who already understands the story, DON'T listen to this.

I am posting this so you can understand that no matter how much you learn, there is always more; and it is always a little awkward when you first interact with it. So, if you dare to hear me learning, and you need help with Gilgamesh, listen!

Today was our first day of orientation at Puyallup Digital Learning (PDL) and it went very well!  We were happy to see the returning students and meet the new ones!  My favorite thing about PDL is the diversity! We have students who are here to work ahead, some who are here so they can pursue their passions (Dancing, Bike racing, Horse Husbandry and more), and some who are here because they just want to try school a DIFFERENT WAY. I consider  every one of these students to be pioneers and heroes. They have taken a bold step away from tradition, and I am proud to be among them!

SO.  Welcome to all!  I found this edgenuity you tube. If you feel like a refresher, please watch.  There are a few tiny differences, one being that your log in page should look different- (it should be the white sis login) -but this gives you a quick review.

Also--she shows you how to go in to RESOURCES and find an orientation  video in case you miss our orientation.

Happy Learning!

How to get around in e2020

Ms. Ray

Remarkable Seniors at PDL

Meet Maddy Bates, on the left, she is yet another student who chooses PDL so she can be MORE active in her community! (posed here with one of her best friends)

Meet Maddy Bates.

School hasn’t been easy for her, and yet, she is ahead in all of her Edgenuity classes.  I asked her what her secret was.  She says she puts aside complete days and works on each class until she is ahead. This is one strategy.  She does it this way because she also has two classes at Emerald Ridge (Math and ceramics) and two classes through the YMCA (Digital photography and Editing). 

In addition to her more than full time school schedule, she is also completing her community experience with an Edgerton pre-school class once a week, which she enjoys “I absolutely LOVE those little kids!  It’s hard work but it is so much fun.”

As IF that wasn’t enough, Maddy also helps out with the Diving team at RHS, when I asked her proud mom if I left anything out, she said “

Maddy was in a bad car accident last year that could have easily taken her life. She had a concussion for several months that put her behind in several areas of her life. She had to fight her way back and she has done so with flying colors!

Maddy also has an extreme anxiety disorder which makes going to different classes very difficult. She is very right brained and very creative. She loves the online classes where no one asks her questions and puts her on the spot that she has to answer in front of her peers. Everyone does not learn the same.

Maddy feels like she made the right choice with Puyallup Online Academy because she is eager to learn and hopes to work ahead here, which will make time for the Photography Business that she and her mom are starting up.

Alli Parks----The 7th fittest teen in the WORLD attends Puyallup Digital Learning(PDL)! Why? So she can be the 7th fittest teen in the world! 

Meet Alli Parks, a senior who attends Emerald Ridge High School as well as Puyallup Digital Learning. Alli stays caught up in all her coursework at Emerald Ridge and  PDL, trains for competitions 3-4 hours per day and is glad she found Puyallup's online option(POA).  Students who are making the choice to take online classes to pursue a serious discipline outside of the school setting see POA as a necessary part of their life.  They may not  have the time between 8-4 for traditional school, but it doesn't mean that they don't work just as hard as they did in the regular classroom.

The expectation here at POA is that students will spend approximately one hour per class, per day.  The benefit is that the student can choose what time of day to do their work.

“With Online School, I am able to get to the gym when I need to and makes training for the CrossFit Games much easier! ”

— Alli Parks

Determination, Dedication, Self-Discipline- three traits that make online school a good choice.

An Observation on the Recurring Mass Shootings

I have a theory.  Humans feel isolated, as a rule. They feel that no one faces the problems that they do, and that they are alone in their special situation. And THAT is why we must read.  Literature is evidence that the human condition is universal.  There is NO NEW feeling. No new condition--we are more alike than we are different. And literature is our proof.

Every day I hear students say "I hate reading.  I hate poetry."

what I hear is "I hate discomfort".

A great writer once said that she knows she is reading  poetry when it feels like the top of her head has been ripped off.  

I don't always want to work out my body, but I am ALWAYS glad when I did. Similarly, students do not always want to read, but I am always glad when they did...

And therein lies the problem.  THEY are not glad, I am. And this, I believe, is at the heart of the school shootings.

 This English teacher has a theory:

Reading leads to the discovery that we are not alone. Which leads us to compassion for others. NOT reading, or reading reluctantly, works the "I AM COMPLETELY UNIQUE IN MY PAIN" muscle, which leads us to anger towards others.

The human condition, as shown in every book, is part love, part hate, part victim, part monster, but all, and I mean ALL, a shared experience.  We are not human in isolation, we are human together.

I believe that these campus shooters are among those who don't willingly, hungrily, openly read.

 And so my purpose is clearer than ever--

Read, read read.

Write write write

 Enchant the discouraged into seeing that they are the protagonist in stories like  "The Little Engine that Could".

And hope to  encourage those who feel alone to publish their manifestos instead of shooting.

This is how I learn

Hello students!  I am taking a 'leap of faith' here and showing you the first step in my learning.  I am your 12th grade English teacher, I have earned a Master's Degree in Education, a Bachelor's degree in Language Arts with a minor in Reading, and an Associates of Arts and Science. I have twenty years of experience reading with, to and for students like yourself, and guess what? THIS IS MY FIRST (first. yes, I said FIRST) introduction to Gilgamesh!

As always, in order to be able to teach it, I must learn it, and THIS is my first step--I do this before I read the actual text because for me, I will understand the text MUCH better with the background. If you would like it read aloud to you with perfect pronunciation, by a teacher who already understands the story, DON'T listen to this.

I am posting this so you can understand that no matter how much you learn, there is always more; and it is always a little awkward when you first interact with it. So, if you dare to hear me learning, and you need help with Gilgamesh, listen!

Why Learn Rhetorical Strategies?

  Rhetorical Strategies

September 25, 2015

Question for the day: under what conditions do Coke products aid the human body??  Diabetes, we know for sure.  Obesity, we understand is directly connected.  , so.....Seriously, if we understand that Coke is bad for our body in so many ways, why do we get a warm fuzzy feeling when we see those breathtaking, red, glossy semi-trucks that are full to the top with Coke products? Why?  I will tell you why!

 Language is power. Rhetorical language persuades without the slightest hint that it is manipulating us with our emotions. Part of us thinks it is good for us because it reminds us of summer at Grandma's or an especially sexy Christmas.   This is why we teach rhetorical devices or strategies  in high schools, so that our students can begin to identify when they are being persuaded by something other than the facts.   That is the power of rhetoric.  Use it. And stay away from Coke, unless you truly desire diabetes or obesity in your life. Then do it with awareness of rhetoric.

Coke. It does a body good. Wait. That's milk. Wait. That's not even true. What if you are lactose intolerant?

Observation on being a senior in high school

“Education: the path from cocky ignorance to miserable uncertainty.”

— Mark Twain

Hello class of 2016!

I think Mr. Twain was referring specifically to the education that occurs between being a  freshman  in high school to a senior. I  have worked with many seniors, in many situations, and when May comes around, I can tell you this:  

MOST seniors are beginning to experience the anxiety of the unknown. It affects  you in different ways.  Some get just cranky like my 100 year old grandaddy. (trust me, he has something to be cranky about) . Some disappear into themselves like a turtle. Some just feel the exhaustion of a racer at the end of a full marathon, and try to sleep through the rest of the year.  There are those who become nostalgic and secretly wish they could stay here forever. (It's a lot like the pregnant woman, in the transition phase who just screams"NO, NO, I AM NOT HAVING THIS BABY YET! TAKE ME HOME").  These are just a small sampling of the coping mechanisms that some seniors use.

Of course, there are those seniors who have done everything by the book and are completely prepared and excited to move on to the next challenge in their lives.  We wish that all students felt this way, but alas, they are in the minority. If this is you, please take a bow. Great Job!

Now. If you find yourself behind in credits or needing to pass a state test in June to graduate...if you haven't started your portfolio, or worse, don't recall ever hearing the word 'portfolio'...if you've skipped English class and fear you may not pass, if you don't think you have the strength or focus to read that one last novel that is due in a week....That's when your anxiety has a direct connection to your own decisions and actions, and quite honestly, you need to own that.  Own it and let it go. Focus on what IS going to get done NOW, not what didn't get done and whose fault it is, ok?  WE WILL HELP YOU!

I promise,  you will get through this.  I will help you, your counselors will help you, your teachers will help you and your parents will help you.  Please understand that you going through one of life's big transitions, and you are feeling pressure that sometimes feels unbearable.  There are a few keys to getting through this, and on this page, I hope to provide you with the resources you will need.

Onward! 

Love, C.Ray

Week One at PDL

The first week of school has passed.  This was 12 times as smooth as last year. Organized, clear, and ready. That's how we feel.

How about you, Mr. or Ms. Senior in high school?  Take a moment to check yourself.  Are you being diligent and unstoppable on your journey to graduation?  If so, that probably means:

1. You are working several hours every day to complete your coursework.

2. You have said "No" to at least one very alluring invitation from friends this week.

3. You have finished your community service and have written up your reflection.

4. You are getting interested in picking out your destination for next fall.

If these don't ring true for you, then you have something more important in your life than graduating from high school. What is it?

The Purpose of a bicycle is to transport a person from point a to point b.  Your first 12 years of education are similar. Let's make sure it gets you where you want to be!

My Bike Lance. He gets me where I'm going, but I have to pedal.

Anxiety is a Feeling.

Seniors (and others) often find themselves riddled with anxiety and I would like to address this. 

Everyone feels it from time to time. It is the 'whole body' response to something that doesn't seem right to us, that we perceive is threatening us.  The good news is, the moment we realize that we are feeling anxious, that is the moment we can do something about it. 

I know from experience that people sometimes mistake anxiety for ANGER, and look for the source of anger, often blaming others for being irritating or picking a fight with a loved one. Another name people often give anxiety is illness. In some people, it's a tummy ache, in others, it's a headache, in yet another, anxiety, misread, digs in and affects their immune system, making sure that they will be sick, for real, a LOT.

So this may be the hardest parts, folks, RECOGNIZING the anxiety you are feeling, and defusing it.  

If  you PRACTICE, you can get to the point where you can ask yourself:

 WHAT is causing this anxiety right now.?  Anxiety is nice like that.  It will tell you. So listen to the answer.  So let's get a strategy in place for our anxiety.

First off, a visit to the doctor is necessary when you feel completely overwhelmed by the pain of anxiety. And it is painful, isn't it? Searing, soul crushing--embarrassing us by shutting down our brains. We go into survival mode, which is no life at all. So we need to change our behavior, and in my humble opinion, a doctor should give you a complete check up to make sure you don't have something physically that needs attention first. Then...

Recognition is the first order of business.  Teach your self to identify the anxiety.  This is easier said than done because sometimes it hits you hard.  How many people are able to identify when they have been hit by a BUS? Not many, because they are occupied with surviving, and I am convinced that an anxiety attack is similar.

FIRST, PRACTICE RECOGNIZING WHAT YOU ARE FEELING ALL THE TIME.  Identify your feelings and name them and state what caused them.  For example: "I feel comfortable right  now. I believe I feel good and comfortable because I am expressing something I believe needs to be talked about, I am surrounded by my clean, attractive, quiet home, and I have my dogs nearby."  ( and I cleaned that house, I made the decision to write something I have wanted to write about for a long time, and I acquired my two dogs knowing that I would miss having my grown sons around) So the reason I feel comfortable right now is because of the actions I have taken to address sources of anxiety that  I KNOW are a 'thing' for me.  EVERYONE has their own list of "THINGS" they need in place to feel comfortable.

Another example of naming a feeling and the actions that can quell them if they are bad--

 You notice you are irritated and uncomfortable so you quickly ask yourself "OK what am I feeling right now?" sometimes, the answer is as simple as "I'M HUNGRY!" and all you need to do to get rid of that bad feeling is to find something healthy to eat. Try it.

It seems a little silly, but I believe it is essential that  you begin to recognize that your feelings are directly connected to your actions. And while you cannot control your feelings, you are 100% in charge of your actions.

 Sometimes we can lessen our anxiety by controlling our environment, and sometimes we can use our anxiety as fuel to create what we WANT to have rather than what IS. Which brings me to Puyallup Digital Learning as a solution in some cases.

Example:  Many students come to online learning because of anxiety.  The students who are successful here, recognize that online is not easier by any means, but it keeps them out of crowded classrooms, which were causing them a great deal of anxiety, or it allows them to pursue other passions that make traditional school difficult, schedule-wise.

Others come to us because of anxiety and then realize that online learning ADDS to their anxiety, rather than being the answer, and they make a change back to regular school at the semester, having realized that this was not what they wanted. Either way is OK. WE ARE HERE AS A COMMUNITY TO HELP YOU FIND YOUR WAY.

It is our hope that  Puyallup Digital Learning is a positive experience for you,. but if you are NOT liking it, try to identify WHY you are feeling anxious, (or angry, or lonely, or bored) and then take positive steps to eliminate that unpleasant feeling.  Sometimes, it just takes a talk with your teacher to straighten things out, sometimes it's something more. Life is about problem solving, and anxiety is definitely a problem for many of us.

Anxiety is, after all, JUST a feeling, and we must listen to it and learn about ourselves from it. If you still think of it as a monster, how about this:  It's a monster that will HELP you find your path in life if you listen to it,  not a monster that will eat you.

I HAVE A LOT more to say on this subject,and I would love to hear your thoughts on it,  so expect more as the year goes on, and in the meantime, let's help each other every day! :)

LET'S HELP! EACH OTHER UNDERSTAND AND COPE WITH ANXIETY