GLO Portfolio Parent Post

Hi Mom and Dad, 

     

                You are now invited to take a look at my portfolio which contains some of the work I've completed throughout this school year. After you are done reviewing, please leave a comment below and answer  "What did you learn about your child's achievements and experiences in MeneMac this past year?" Thank you for your time in looking at what work I have done. 

Link: http://skylarmanuel.wix.com/gloportfolio2013

This I Believe- Final Draft

      "Men build too many walls and not enough bridges." I've shut out all the different types of opportunities in my life and now as I get older I look for others that will help lead me to places. Being that I have failed in so many areas, and let things get to the best of me, I've been putting up a blockage that has kept me from moving on. It gives a certain push that will allow me to break these walls down and cross over. Thinking so lowly of myself was part of the reason, I've learned to believe in capability or potential instead of self-doubt.
      Growing up I was never really the type of person who was the best at everything or let alone anything. I would learn to do new things, but there would always be someone else that would be better at it than me. That's where one wall went up. I did have the ability to try new things and maybe even be good at them, but I never let myself.  I was never the person who played a sport, or who even had a hobby. I always managed to find a way out of doing things, I was afraid of being a let down.
     Other notions also kept me from opening up to different opportunities, such as "what if I won't amount to anything?, what if I just fail again?" All these walls were being built that I couldn't get anywhere. I was reserved with insecurities. But, It was to my realization that if I don't expose myself now, where would I go in life? It was at that moment that I saw an array of possibilities that I didn't let myself try. So, little by little I tried a sport or two, I was put into dance classes and even began to play an instrument. I knocked down all the walls, that kept me from doing all of these great opportunities.
       I've kept myself from doing the things I enjoy now, just because I was diffident. "Men build too many walls and not enough bridges." Although I may be skeptical about doing some things, I am now able to go out and try new things. I have managed to break down those walls and cross over into something new. Doubting myself was never the solution. I believe that thinking of one's own capability instead of thinking so lowly of yourself will get you to places of where you want to go and give you new opportunities.

This I Believe- Rough Draft

     "Men build too many walls and not enough bridges." I've shut out all the different types of opportunities in my life and now as I get older I look for others that will help lead me to places. Being that I have failed in so many areas, and let things get to the best of me, I've been putting up a blockage that has kept me from moving on. It gives a certain push that will allow me to break these walls down and cross over.
      Growing up I was never really the type of person who was the best at everything or let alone anything. I would learn to do new things, but there would always be someone else that would be better at it than me. That's where one wall went up. I did have the ability to try new things and maybe even be good at them, but I never let myself.  I was never the person who played a sport, or who even had a hobby. I always managed to find a way out of doing things, I was afraid of being a let down.
     Other notions also kept me from opening up to different opportunities, such as "what if I won't amount to anything?, what if I just fail again?" All these walls were being built that I couldn't get anywhere. I was reserved with insecurities. But, It was to my realization that if I don't expose myself now, where would I go in life? It was at that moment that I saw an array of possibilities that I didn't let myself try. So, little by little I tried a sport or two, I was put into dance classes and even began to play an instrument. I knocked down all the walls, that kept me from doing all of these great opportunities.
       I've kept myself from doing the things I enjoy now, just because I was diffident. "Men build too many walls and not enough bridges." Although I may be skeptical about doing some things, I am now able to go out and try new things. I have managed to break down those walls ans cross over into something new.
      
      
     

Occupy Moanalua

Team Cooldown is for installing more air conditioners in classrooms. Being that cooler environments help with academic performance, we want to help lower the heat or warm temperatures in classes. Come and join us on April 25, 2013 at Mene Square during lunch, we want to let the administration know that we want to work and learn in better environments with the installment of more air conditioners.

Hunger Games- Tribute Graphic

White, Black and Shades of Gray

     While creating this moral scale, I realized that the bad things I have done in the past have evolved into bigger bad things. Although I was not able to put down everything I've done, I was able to consider what things I did were "white, gray and black." Even though I haven't done all of these things, I didn't stop myself from allowing it to worsen over the years. Creating this scale was hard, but it gave me a sense of what I can start changing about myself and it allowed me to see what type of morals and values I hold.

Allusion Graphic Draft

Aluusin Poem Draft (Redo)

I may be a little soft-spoken
and even a little skittish
But when you need a helping hand
I'll be there,
by your side
I may not be the bravest of all
and surely not the mightiest
But when you want to go on an adventure
my friends and I
will come along
I'll try my best to go through the day
even if it means facing my fears
At first I may be a little hesitant
but will eventually come through

Allusion Poem

It has been repetitive throughout her life
It's what made her to be
She hopes the next day will be different
and tries to put the pieces back together
Pulling her back and forth
Telling her different stories
there's discomfort, there's agitation
She thinks that things will never be the same
Will things go back to normal?
she tries to block it all off
but always manages to get the best of her
Because of this
she hides who she really is

Writing Standards S1 Portfolio

Hey Mom and/or Dad,

     You are now welcomed to see all of the work I've completed in English this past semester.
     Here are the questions you can answer after looking through the portfolio:

1. What piece of writing did you like best in my portfolio and why?
2. What did you like about my portfolio and sharing and what would you like to see me improve on?
3. Which of the writing traits (ideas, organization, voice, word choice) do you feel was most successful for me?
4. Which of the traits of writing would you like me to improve on in the coming semester?

Link: http://skylarmanuel.wix.com/writingstandards

Movie Review: Requiem for a Dream

     Winning numerous awards such as the Independent Spirit Award, an impacting film filled with drama, director Darren Aronofsky brings us to the streets of Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. Showing great strength in their performances, Ellen Burstyn along with her fellow cast members have sent an important message to audiences to think twice about trying something that can ruin you as an individual.
     Sara Goldfarb is an elderly widow who lives alone and goes through the same dreary lifestyle each day. When she is given the chance to appear on a popular television show, she eagerly tries to lose weight in order to fit into a petite red dress that she had once used years ago. Incapable of switching to a healthy diet, Sara turns to diet pills that help her to lose weight but in a way where it affects her life in great measures. Sara’s unsettled son Harry tries to find success with his best friend Tyrone by starting off a small drug operation. Although their operation is a hit, they both become addicted to the substances as they “test” their products. Along with them is Harry’s girlfriend Marion whose drug addiction allows her to do the lowest of things in order to get her remedy for happiness.
     The plot, scenes, the entire movie had its way of making drugs look unappealing. Scenes of the movies depicted what the actors were facing. Although there were parts of the movie where it made me nauseous, it did give me a sense that once you try drugs, you’re hooked onto it.  There were points of the movie where it was too agonizing to watch, but it was too captivating to look away. This film uses camera and editing tricks that expresses each characters emotions and its music had made it dramatic and persuading.
     Requiem for a Dream directed by Darren Aronofsky has a storyline that will convince you to keep away from drugs. Aside from all the weakest points, this movie had a great purpose and it will be hard for you to look away.

Angry Letter Rough Draft

1634 Wailele st.
Honolulu, Hi. 96819
November 15, 2012

Kailua Square
315 Uluniu Street
Kailua, Hawaii 96734

Dear Kailua Square and to whom it may concern,

My family and I have been coming down to Kailua to enjoy all of the amenities your building provides. One of those amenities being Cinnamon's restaurant, it's friendly workers, generous and reasonably priced portions keep us coming back for more.

However, an incident that we had encountered made my family's visit "unpleasant." Since your restaurant is both in and out, my family was able to be seated outside on a day where the weather was what you say just right. Using umbrellas is an ideal way of protecting customers from the sun and or even rain, but that gives the chance for birds to lounge around while people are eating. While having small talk with my family members and enjoying our meals, I could see that the birds were on the ground and above our heads. Not thinking that the birds would do anything, I look up towards the inside of the umbrella and see the tail or end part of the bird above my head. Before I knew it the bird had let go of all of its feces on top of my head. Disgusted and inconvenienced of what had happened, I began to feel agitated of all the birds in the surrounding area.

Since there is an open space in the middle of the building to allow light to shine through, there are areas where birds could disrupt customers. There are stores and offices that people come for aside from cinnamon's, where birds have easy access to land and get in and out to. Saying this, there should be a solution such as putting netting over the building which will still allow light through so that others won't have to go through the same experience as I did.

Aside from all of this, your workers were courteous and were always there when we needed them. Our waitress had apologized for the inconvenience and had said that I was not the only one that had experienced that. This occurrence has not stopped me or the locals and tourists who usually crowd up the place to come back for "the island's best pancakes," and all the shops in Kailua Square. 

I understand that you have no control over mother nature, but for those who are seated outside to have an enjoyable meal, you should have a solution to keep the birds from sticking around in the area.

Sincerely,


Skylar Manuel

Risky Business Draft

     Today, may be tempted to go out and drink alcohol or do drugs. This may concern any parent, but they do not realize what could be going on in their own home. Instead of having to go through a hard time of finding someone who holds the actual substances, teens have easy access to the items that are already in their own home to get high. People may not be aware of this, but it is a problem in our society.
   The abuse of household items is not a common issue that is talked about, and people do not think of it as a problem. Teens have easy access to the items that are around them in their daily lives, which does not lead to any suspicion of doing drugs or drinking alcohol. The National Inhalant Prevention Coalition says that they talk to about 100 to 125 parents whose teens have died from using inhalants without knowing of the situation. The symptoms that are shown from using household are about the same symptoms shown when doing drugs, this means teens can get away with taking in inhalants without being suspected of doing drugs.
   Teens may do whatever it takes to find someone who sells drugs, but when they can not wait any longer to feel the "buzz," they will look throughout their household for substances that can do so. The National Institute on drug abuse reports that teens of the ages twelve to seventeen are most susceptible in using inhalants. In the past couple of years 3.9% of adolescents have abused inhalants compared to a 1.6% of people of the ages eighteen to twenty-five. Surveys show that 14.9% of eighth graders, 12.3% of 10th graders, and 9.3% of 12th graders have experimented with household items. Studies show that future surveys will show an increase in abuse of household items.
   Household items are easy to get, cheaper, and can give you that feeling of being high, but there are consequences when taking in theses products. Inhalants such as paint thinners, glues, and cleaning fluids can cause irreversible health problems. Nitrites can affect the brain which include slurred speech, lack of coordination, and euphoria.  The chemicals found in different types of inhaled products can cause short-term effects such as nausea and vomiting, long-term effects include liver and kidney damage, hearing loss, as well as bone marrow damage. Inhalants that have high amounts of chemicals can cause heart failure within minutes when sniffing the products.
     It's simple as sniffing a product that has high amounts of chemicals that can damage your health or even kill you. Parents worry about what their teens do when they go out, but they should really worry about what goes in their own home. Adolescents of the ages twelve to seventeen look through their cabinets for items that allow them to get high. Although this is not a common topic to talk about, it is a problem that is going on in our world today.

Brainy pic

College/Personal Statement Essay Draft

     University of Arizona

Have you ever struggled mightily for something and failed? How did you respond?

          Even though people say the words "past is past," I can vividly remember all the negative things said to me growing up. Somehow those words stayed with me and has affected me in great measures. "Why can't you be smarter, how come you're not pretty or skinny like your cousins, why can't you do anything right," were constantly repeated to me whenever my relatives would see me. There was a point where I broke down and cried out all my anger and sadness that I was holding in. I told myself that I had to prove those who hurt me wrong, and fix all of the flaws that I had.

         Everyone wants to be accepted for who they are, but I felt that I needed to change for others to be satisfied.  I became what no other other person would want to feel, uncomfortable in my own skin. I've been told so many times to not let anything bother me, but I felt as if those things about me were true. I didn't feel like going out with family or friends, even though they invited me to do the things that I loved to do. Sure, I was able to do the weirdest things without caring what others thought, but that all stopped.

        I began to do what people who knew me never expected of me. Of course teachers expect you to do what is told of you, but I went ahead and did more. After doing my normal assignments, I did extra work just so that I would understand the material more clearly. Even though I would pass a test, I would study more and retake the same test to see if I could get a higher score. Every time I would get a good grade I went home to tell my parents, just so that they didn't feel I was a disappointment. Instead of watching cartoons or drama shows, I watched informational shows, or more of educational channels. I gained knowledge and was shock of how many things I didn't before.

       Not only did I try to become smarter, I also tried to change  everything on the outside. I bought clothes that I didn't feel comfortable in, but I just cared about what everyone else was wearing. I cut my hair, and even put weird things on my face. I did all sorts of things to make myself look different. Aside from trying to look different, I tried to not get anyone upset with me. I did what I was asked to do, answered politely instead the normal "What do you want?!" and tried to fix what I could not do right before.

      After trying my best to fix what others thought wrong of me, I went back out to see what they thought of the "new" me. I showed them my report card, wore a new outfit, and helped out with what they needed help with. Waiting for a response, someone finally says something. With a happy look on my face, it turned into the saddest. "So, you're still not like your cousins and how come you are not helping you are so lazy! Everyone else is doing something but you!" I looked at the people who they were comparing to and saw that they were doing absolutely nothing helpful but just sitting down watching television with their trash on the ground.

     I turned around and walked away, I felt a tear trickle down my face because I knew that I was a disappointment. For the next few days I locked myself in my room, knocked everything down in anger and could not even eat. After letting all my feelings out, I had a session with someone who accepted me for who I was. We talked about what had been going, and had given me advice that I will never forget. "Skylar, always know that people will judge you for the things you do, but it is your decision of whether to let it get to you or not care at all. But know that those who hurt you have been through the same situation as you."

     Hearing words like that helped me to realize, that it didn't matter what I wore, what things I know, how to do things right or be a perfectionist, all that matters is what I thought of myself. I went back to the person who everyone noticed flaws in, I went back to the real me. Today I may be shy, but there is an outgoing side of me. I can go out and do weird things again and also do the things that I love to do.
         

Word Choice graphic

Crowding around each other, the men soccer players look ecstatic of winning the U.S. open cup. Their eyes wide open, and their hands reaching for what they have achieved.

College choices

University of Arizona- http://www.arizona.edu/
Question- Have you ever struggled mightily for something and failed? How did you respond?


University of California- Berkeley- http://www.berkeley.edu/
Gonzaga University- http://www.gonzaga.edu /
University of California- San Fransisco- http://www.usfca.edu/

COA Poster Draft

Coming of Age Draft

     "Two more days Skylar, good luck and have fun!" repeated in my head over and over again. Thoughts kept running in and out of my mind, would I make new friends...get good grades? Going to a new different type of environment without knowing anyone to go through with, is not an ideal way of getting through your first day.
       I was constantly given advice of what and what not to do the week right before school started. I felt overwhelmed with all the things I needed to know and needed to do. I was so used to seeing the same people everyday that I didn't think of what was coming my way, until it hit me. New faces, new classes, new campus was all a blur until the first day of school was getting closer and closer.
      Waking up the morning where it was finally time to be in high school, my heart started to race and my level of nervousness increased. My parents tried to make me calm by telling me all the good things that could happen, but in the end that did not work. Arriving at school, I tried to stall my parents into forcing me to get out of the car by asking as many questions as I could, but coming to my senses I realized that I would never know if I didn't try.
      Getting out of the car, I immediately tried to find people I knew so that I wouldn't be alone. Looking at all the other freshmen with their group of friends made me insecure that I didn't have a chance of finding new friends. I realized that I still had to follow a schedule that they have given to us the first day of school, I began to look around  for my class asking for help from those who looked like they weren't new to the school. After all the school business that had to be taken care of, they sent us off to do the  other things that we had to do on our own.
     I thought to myself that if I did not try to be brave and step out of my comfort zone I would not get anywhere. So waiting in line to pay off school fees, I introduced myself to another person in line. I was scared at first, but when I gave it a try I felt as if it wasn't going to be that bad after all. I learned that if I didn't try new things and stopped being shy around others, I can do other things I've always wanted to do and achieve my goals. Even though I was scared, I have come to a conclusion that I can do new things and meet new people when I set aside the bad side of my personality and become a whole different person.

Blog revision

For my blog revision I have remade my head graphic which included pictures of me with friends and family. I did not decorate my graphic to make it look overwhelming, but in a way I have made it simple and creative. For my blog archive I have labeled all my work that I have done my freshmen year and made it easier to distinguish the work I will do this year.