Current Event

Based on this article, 18 year old Alexander David Curry was arrested in Santa Rosa for DUI after claiming to have gotten lost. I don't have a strong opinion about this article because it's pretty self explanatory and the teenagers actions speak for them self as well. I do feel that drunk driving is completely unacceptable and being under age makes it worse. Teenage drivers know the rules of driving and should be well aware of the consequences if the rules are broken. It's the law and it's not a hard law to follow. The fact that this teenager was not only drinking under age, driving without a license, but he basically went to the police and told them to arrest him. He deliberately went where they were putting out a fire and asked for directions, as if he did nothing wrong. He should have known better then to put himself in that predicament. Being that he was breaking a few of the codes and already had 2 prior convictions, this was one bullet he should have dodged from a distance. Because he didn't and made a numerous amount of dumb decisions that morning, I believe this kid got what he deserved, no questions asked.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45444857/ns/local_news-san_francisco_bay_area_ca/#.TtMvULKjSSo

Being apart of Year Up's community is a wonderful experience. It is a chance to be able to find your self worth. Many people may not feel apart of a lot of communities, but at Year Up we come together as a whole. We are all different people, different personalities and mind frames, but we all have common goals in life. One very important goal that I know we all wish to accomplish and will accomplish, is to be successful. Nobody is forced to be apart of this community. We were given this opportunity for different reasons but I believe the prime reason is because staff at Year Up know that we want to be successful and they want to make sure that we do succeed. I enjoy knowing that we are all here to accomplish something. That shows that we are serious about our future and which direction we want it to go. I can't say I dislike anything about the people in the community. We are all different and I'm still in the process of getting to know everybody. Being that we do come from different communities, this can be a disadvantage as well as beneficial. Working together and going into the professional world, we have to learn how to control our attitudes. For example if one doesn't agree with what someone else in the community is saying, there are other ways to address the issue rather than getting upset or snapping at that person. We are all working progress and as with everything, this may take some time getting use to. I understand that throughout this process will come challenges, but as a community we can overcome them and move forward.

What are some of the things you learned about yourself as a student or a professional in Module I? Did you surprise yourself in any way? Were you proud of yourself? Were you at all disappointed in yourself? Why?

In Module I, as a student and a professional in the making, I have learned that I can do anything that I put my mind to and that giving up is not the answer. This module wasn't easy but I didn't give up. Although I may have missed a few assignments, I still continued to do my work and even asked questions. This is something different for me because in high school if there was something I didn't get at all, sometimes I wouldn't even bother. Throughout the Module, there were times I felt like throwing in the towel but I didn't. I've come to recognition that I can do it and I will succeed. I've also learned that I don't have to necessarily change my entire being to maintain professionalism. I'm not surprised with myself because It's not hard code switching and focusing on something you really want. I knew what I was capable of and I know I am capable of accomplishing so much more. I am however, disappointed that I missed the very few assignments that I did but this was only a minor set back for a major come back.

I am who I am despite the neighborhood I live in

To what extinct does a person's neighborhood shape who she or he is?

I believe that a person’s neighborhood may have an effect on the lifestyle that he or she chooses to live because a lot of people today are easily influenced by their peers and what’s going on around them. However, if a person lives in a violent and unsanitary community, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they will turn out to be a bad person. It’s the same as growing up in a rough neighborhood. Just because one lives around all of that, drama, drugs, and gangs, does not make them tough. It may make them stronger in a sense, because they have to deal with what’s going on around them and find ways to be a bigger person about certain situations. Some people, like me for instance, like to be trendsetters and lead by example. I can say many of my peers don’t have that mind frame. Many let the streets get a hold on them so tight that the streets then become all that they have to turn to. I am who I am despite the neighborhood I live in. In my community there isn’t any violence at all that I know about. I’ve lived in different neighborhoods and have seen a lot growing up but at the end of the day, my mother has molded me into being a young lady with goals and dreams. I believe that there are a lot of young men and women with potential to be better than what they allow the streets to make them. For example, I know a few educated young adults that could be doing so much better in life but because of where they live and who or what they are surrounded by, they tend to not care and it’s sad.

Transitions

Hello my name is Kaylah Jones,

I am a young professional, transitioning into a tech career. I am very fast with my hands and I am also a quick learner. I am always willing to learn something new, even if it means taking on something challenging. During my free time I love to work out and braid hair. I've always dreamed of becoming a cosmetologist and someday having a business of my own. I have a very supportive mother and 2 brothers. Being that my mom has raised all 3 of us on her own, she is my motivation and my strength. She is my backbone and the reason I always strive to do my best. I graduated from Gateway High School, a college preparatory, in 2011. Throughout my high school years I was a member of BSA (Black Student Association). I participated in a few other clubs and groups. I volunteered at the Boys & Girls Club of San Francisco up until I was old enough to become employed. When I was about 14 I began working there. The Boys & Girls Club is where I picked up basic computer skills and learned how to manage my time effectively. After high school, I got accepted into Year Up Bay Area. This is where I am currently learning all that I need to know in order to survive in the Tech industry and the business society. Here, I am being taught how to be professional, proper business etiquette's, how to be tech savvy, etc. I am learning so much and I believe that by the end of this journey my knowledge of computers will very much so have expanded and I will be able to say I am prepared for all that my future has in store for me.

High School Years

I graduated from Gateway High School a few months ago. Gateway is a college preparatory school with very high expectations. They had a lot of rules when I was attending the school which didn't make my high school years as fun as I thought they would be. I know that school isn't about having fun but I also know that it comes along with it as long as your handling your business. Gateway wasn't all bad and others may even disagree with my opinion of the school. It's a small school and everybody knew everybody. That was both a good and a bad thing. The good came when we would all get together as a community. We often came together as a whole during meetings, events put together through the school, etc. The bad came along whenever there was drama or something in that nature. Being that it is a small school, things got around very quickly and friendships began to fall apart rapidly. On the other hand, teachers tended to be very supportive. Even in personal matters, some of the faculty would go out of their way to make sure everything was okay. Overall, I think that I could've been a better student and made the best out of my high school years. Stress from family troubles and my grades effected me throughout it all. I tried to keep my personal life separate but school was apart of my personal life. I learned to overcome challenges and to keep going. I Must say that Gateway has helped me maintain the mentality that I have today. No matter how hard the going gets, I have to keep pushing.

Blog Post #1

I believe the way a person talks describes the characteristics in which a person portraits themselves to a term of expression. The way I speak has a huge impact on what type of person I am and how I carry myself as a young lady overall. It also determines the way I was brought up. Although I may not spend a lot of time trying to speak to perfection, I know the difference between how I am supposed to speak to my friends, family, and other adults. There is a time and place for certain things to be said and it’s very fortunate that I have the correct mind frame to keep myself on track. Today, as an observer of the youth, I've come to recognition that everything has some type of effect on their future, whether it's good or bad. For example, a lot of what I would see on television or hear on the radio as a child impacted the way I wanted to live my life. Hearing some men degrade women the way that they did and women allowing it to happen, was sickening to me. It made me wonder if they (the women) had any respect for themselves. I refuse to be labeled as one who has no respect for myself. If I don’t show myself respect, how can I expect others to? My point being is that a person represents themselves when they open their mouths. Regardless of whom it’s being said to, you can't just go around saying or doing anything just because a relationship exists.