S2: Memorable Moments

I think that it is safe to say that our Online Publishing class has made many memorable moments throughout the school year. One memorable moment that I’m sure we will always remember is casual Fridays. On these days, if we chose to or not, we could bring in different foods for an office party. Luckily, we had Amber who would remember to bring food in for us. And then there was Emily. Let’s just say that she was a bit more forgetful than Amber. Another memorable moment was when Mike was on editor probation. No matter what he did, he was on that list, until April 1. Everyone knows that April 1 is April Fool’s day, jokes are a big thing on this day. Well Mike getting taken off of editor probation was Mr. Currin’s joke to him. Funny, huh? Another memorable moment was from the beginning of the year, between Mr. Currin and Tara. The phone rang, and apparently Mr. MacCowan needed to talk to Tara. When she went to the office, she claims that Mrs. Lorenzi looked at her like she was crazy because Mr. MacCowan wasn’t even in his office. The joke was shared with the class as soon as Tara walked out of the room, so we were all laughing while waiting her to come back, embarrassed. I’ll always remember our April Fool’s article too. I think that our topics were all really fun and interesting. We all made sure we had fun with it. There is one last thing that I am sure every student who has ever taken this class will remember whenever this class is thought of. Whenever Mr. Currin walks into the room and when he gives us the que to start working, what are his two famous lines? BEST CLASS EVER! and I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I’M RUNNING A NEWSPAPER HERE!

S1: To Make Online Publishing A Better Class

In all honesty, I don’t know if there is much to do as to making Online Publishing a better course. I think it is an easy course for any student. You don’t have to be the best writer for this course, which I really like. The deadlines are always really easy to meet. You are given two weeks to write three to five and an article which are all three hundred words. Three hundred words may seem like a lot to write about, especially if it is a blog topic that you aren’t so passionate about. It is so much easier than it may seem. It is extremely easy to go over the word minimum, whether is be by fifty words or a couple extra hundred words. Even with up to 1800 words to be typed every two weeks along with a fifty word item of interest, you are never crunched for time. Personally, I find it easier to do my work for this class on google docs, so I am able to access it wherever I may be. I think that’d be cool to make google docs a requirement so that if a student is absent, they won’t have a problem working on this class from home, especially if a blog or article is already started. I like that this class used Wikispaces to communicate with each other and you as our teacher. It means a lot more to our age group to digitally talk to a teacher rather than talk to them face to face since that is the generation we were raised in. I truly don’t think there is anything to do that would make this class better. I found it a fun class to take while still having a decent amount of work. The only changes that I would make to this class are miniscule changes such as using google docs.

R1: The End Of The Year

I think that the best part about school coming to an end is the nice weather. The weather is also a negative because I know that I would much rather be spending the time outside than inside a scorching hot school. My attention is usually drawn to the windows instead of the paper that is placed in front of me. I like being able to wear shorts and flip flops during this time too. I also love how lenient teachers are towards the end of the school year. Classes become more laid back, especially in the classes that do not have a state regents exam. They are able to talk more freely and bring in outside stories to the topic they are teaching about. When teachers relate current events, I find it more interesting and easier to learn. The best part about this specific school year coming to an end is the fact that I will be graduating. It’s a rather scary thought, but it is also very exciting. These halls have been all I have known for the past four years, but now we are moving on to bigger things. We also With school coming to an end, we no longer have to wake up at crazy hours in the morning to come into school and sit in a class. We can stay up late, until all hours of the night, and then wake up in the afternoon if we prefer. And even better, we get to spend almost every weekend of the summer at a grad party for one of our friends. I think the best part about the school year coming to an end is the anticipation of summer, even though we anticipate a break since the second week of the school year. While it may be the best feeling to anticipate the arrival of summer, it is also the worst part about the end of the school year because we know we are in school when we would rather be outdoors.

R3: Get Real Mr. Currin

Well, it’s safe to say that Mr. Currin really is a big deal. Anyone should be honored to be in his presence, let alone a class of his. Okay, now let’s be serious. I wouldn’t say he is a big deal, but I do know that many students enjoy being around him. Personally, I enjoy having him as a teacher. He is always so lively and greets the class when he walks in. As long as you are getting your work done, he will make the class fun. If all yourk gets done by the given deadline, then he won’t be too strict on you. Around the school, his face appears anywhere you look. His most famous pictures appear in a calendar that is located in the bulletin board near the main office. But don’t get me wrong, the pictures aren’t hanging because he is a big deal. They are only hanging around the school because Mrs. Gramza enjoys making fun of him. The calendar was created by Mr. Currin himself, as a gift to Mrs. Gramza but now it is being used against him. Having her as a teacher makes you realize more and more how little of a deal Mr. Currin is. He likes to think he is such a big deal in the English department but part of Mrs. Gramza’s curriculum is teaching you how he is the exact opposite. He thinks so highly of himself, that’s why the real big deal in this school is Mrs. Gramza, or as she likes to refer to herself as, Queen Gramza. I mean, how can someone who is so afraid of clowns be such a big deal? Clowns are there to make you happy, but Mr. Currin would rather be in the corner doing the exact opposite, crying. Get real, there is no way Mr. Currin is a big deal!

R2: What I Love Writing About

There isn’t really anything that I particularly love writing about. I really enjoyed this class because I was able to write about nearly anything. Some topics are more difficult to write about than others, it all just depends on how passionate you are about a topic. One thing that I find rather easy to write about is sports. I know a lot about different sports like football and baseball but the number one sport that I know I am capable of writing the most about is hockey, especially the Sabres. For a girl, I know the sport as much as I know the back of my own hand. I am well aware of the terms that come along with it also. It’s easy for me to write about things that I know a lot about. I am very into current events so it is easy for me to talk or write about it. I also enjoy being creative and writing fiction pieces. I think it is difficult to start writing one but once you get going, so many ideas start to flow and it is hard to keep up with the ideas your brain is giving you and the movement of your pen on the paper. When it came to writing for the Bulldog, I tried to pick topics for myself that were easy to write about, like prom and graduation. But with it being easy to write about, I had to be sure to draw the interest of the reader into my article and keep their attention so they wouldn’t get bored. It was easy for me to write about these topics because I can easily relate to them or get information about them for the readers. For prom, I was there, along with other members of the class, so I was able to get different viewpoints on what they thought of prom.

S3: I Am Very...

I am very happy that I chose to take online publishing this year. It wasn’t put into my schedule into school actually started and I took the last spot in the class. To anyone who is sceptical about taking this class, I definitely tell them to take it even if you aren’t the best writer. I really like that every two weeks, we were able to express ourselves through blogs and be able to reach out the district as a whole with the articles we write. The blogs have a wide range of topics, so there is a blog that will strike everyone’s interest. And then when it comes to the articles, you are able to write about nearly anything, as long as it relates to Alden in some way, shape or form. I wasn’t in this class until the first day of school when I dropped pre-calc to be in it. I’m very thankful for the switch because even though you are given a decent amount of work in this class, you can get it done anywhere. Even if you are sick, you are able to access all the class work through WikiSpaces. And I like the amount of work that we are given. It is easy to get in all done within the time limit we are given. The amount of work that we have every two weeks is very doable. In all honestly, I think everyone should have a class with Mr. Currin as the teacher. He is very fun and enjoyable. He is a laid back teacher but only when you get your work done by the given deadline. I’m going to miss this class once college starts because I know that no matter what classes I’m in, they will not be as relaxed and fun as this one has been.

Q5: High School's End

I’m starting to fear the end of my senior year. The end is closing in faster than I imagined it would. It’s scary to think that in just a few short days, I will be taking my last seat in the classrooms and my last walk through the hallways of Alden High School. As stressful as it may be in the school, especially with all the drama that occurs, it’s easy to see the school as a safety zone because we are with the same people we have been going to school with since primary school. Once we all walk on to our college campus for the first day, we will be seeing nearly a hundred new faces that day. It’s also scary to think that in high school, we have the teachers here to “hold our hands” and make sure we get in our work on time. They guide us down the path that is best for us. Once we walk out the doors for the last time with a diploma in our hands, we are students of the college or university that we will be attending in the fall. The professors that honestly don’t care if we miss class or any work because it means nothing to them. We can choose to be lazy if we want, which I know is going to be tempting, but we are more independent at this time. Our future career will now be in our hands and it is up to us if we make it a reality or not. But as my time as another student comes to an end, I am realizing I just need to take deep breath and prepare myself for the real world outside of high school. I know that my talents will go far beyond the walls of this school, which is what everyone needs to realize as they leave this school for the last time.

Q4: MY Pop Culture Icon

When I think of the term “pop culture icon,” I think of someone who had a major entrance to Hollywood along with a huge exit from it. Between their entrance and exit, they need to do something drastic that always puts them in the spotlight. Someone that I look up to and is a pop culture icon is none other than Marilyn Monroe. The appeared in Hollywood when she was young. She was always seen modeling and appearing in films. She was married several times. In her later career, she starred in two amazing films, “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” and “Some Like it Hot.” Even at the time of “Some Like it Hot,” her career was starting to fall apart. She became hard to work with and wasn’t able to remember her lines; she became a real diva. Her slip out of Hollywood? Death. She was found dead in her home at the young age of 36 from a drug overdose. It may seem like she wasn’t much to look up to, especially at the end of her career. One reason that I see her as an icon is because of her true beauty. She was a pretty face and more. If you were to look at any pictures of her, you can clearly see that she is not stick thin like most other models or actresses during this time period. She had curves and wasn’t afraid of working with them. Not being the skinny little figure really makes me look up to her because she was able to make in the show business despite being difference. She shows young girls, even now, that you don’t need to be stick thin.

Q1: Beach Days

Now that warm weather is upon us and summer is near, the beaches are finally going to be opening up! Most beaches open for the season over Memorial Day weekend. I really enjoy spending a lot of my time at the local beaches over the summer, me and my sister make a whole day trip out of it. We will always leave early in the morning, making a stop for breakfast. It is a long drive to get there, about an hour, which is why we leave so early. The car is packed with everything we could possibly need, drinks and food for lunch, beach towels, tanning lotion and sunglasses. Once we arrive, we instantly find the perfect spot before everyone else starts piling in. With our towels laid out and our tanning lotion applied, we just lay there for hours, rarely stepping foot in the water. I love spending time at the beach and out in the sun. The worst part about the beach is how crowded it gets. Obviously, you don’t want to go on a day that is cloudy and raining. It’s impossible to not be on top of everyone on a nice day because of how crowded it gets, especially with Sunset being a well known beach in the area. Even worse, screaming children. I see the beach as a place to just sit back and relaxingly enjoy myself. It’s hard to do that when there are kids running around screaming with no parental supervision. Even though I spend the entire day just sitting around, being in the sun is rather tiring. By the end of the day I am completely drained from soaking up the sun. But I know I can always look back on the days that I spend on the beach and know it is all worth it. 

Q3: Life Lessons In Novels

It is hard to choose the best book that I have ever read in an English class, I think it’s tied between two. Sophmore year in Mr. Edward’s english class we read To Kill A Mockingbird. I don’t really know what I liked about this book so much. I think that it taught the readers so much without them even realizing it. The main thing I was able to take from the story was acceptance of others, and not to judge people. During the trial, Atticus was looked down upon for defending a black man during a trial. Even though they lost the trial in the end, it taught Jem and Scout that Tom Robinson wasn’t much different than they were. The only major difference was his skin color, which is something that people should not be treated differently because of. Jem and Scout also learned to accept Boo Radley. The learned not to listen to the rumors that people were saying about him and instead, learn for themselves who he really is. The other book that I read in an English class was Tuesdays With Morrie. I read it in my senior English class and she made it the last novel we read in hopes that it would touch our hearts and leave us more open minded as we graduate high school soon. It teaches you the importance of really living your life. Even when Morrie was on his deathbed, he tried making the best of life and passed his messages, or aphorisms, to his former student Mitch. What touched me even more about this novel is that it is a true story. The aphorisms that Morrie mentioned along with all the interviews with Nightline host Ted Koppel were real, not just something made up to patch up any open areas in Mitch Albom’s novel.

Q2: Summer Plans

It feels as if I had so many plans for this summer, but the closer we come to summer, it feels as if not many of them will follow through. My sister is constantly reminding me that this is the shortest summer of my life since I end school in June then start right back up in August, so I intend on making the most of this summer. My best friend will be attending college in Chicago, so we have so many plans for the summer. We are kicking off the summer by going to the Kiss the Summer Hello concert on June 2. We are both really looking forward to seeing artists Carly Rae Jepsen and Sammy Adams. Later on in the summer, we are also going to the Hot Chelle Rae concert that is at the Erie County Fair. I will be attending a ton of country concerts over the summer with my sister. At Darien Lake, we’ll be seeing Toby Keith, Brantley Gilbert, Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan. Concerts are not my only plans for this summer. Before going back to school, my sisters and I plan on taking a couple day trip to Virginia to go to Busch Gardens since we never get to do anything as sisters. I will try to spend as much time as possible at the beach too. I love spending time laying around in the sun and in the water. Even though I plan on keeping myself busy with concerts, vacations and day trips to the beach, I know that my summer will consist of a lot of working. Without my job, I would never be able to afford any plans I make for the summer. I will most likely be spending more of my time working than I will enjoying myself.

P5: 90s Music Recap

Lately, I’ve been reliving a bit of my childhood that I am extremely excited about. While scrolling through the Pandora stations on my phone, I came across a 90s pop station. I decided to take a listen, since that’s when I was really little, a child. As I listened, different artists such as Britney Spears, Spice Girls, Backstreet Boys and N*Sync started playing. I made me reminisce the times that my biggest worry was if I would be able to tie my shoes or not today. Since then, I’ve been drawn to the music on this station. It’s also making me realize how much music has changed since then when in reality, it’s only been just over ten years. Back then, the music seemed so light and carefree. Rarely would you hear an artist say any type of swear word or sing about the things that are sung about now. Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys were only seeing about the problems with love. Now everyone is using every swear word you could possibly think about. Being in love turned into making love. I always remember telling my mom that I’d be listening to these artists for awhile, as if they’d never leave the music scene. I can look back on that and laugh too. Artists are ‘hot’ for a short time. Britney Spears keeps popping up every so often, but whenever she’s in the tabloids, it’s about her latest slip up. She has changed so much, from being so innocent to someone that our generation can look down upon and laugh. I continue listening to her for who she was then, an amazing artist that many little kids looked up to.

P4: Prom Follow Up

As a follow up to last week’s prom blog, I’m excited to say that the day is finally here! With less than twenty four hours until the final preparations begin, prom is starting to become an extremely stressful and expensive event! Anyone who goes in a limo knows that everything with the limo is NOT a piece of cake. There is always drama between those in the limo or what the limo is doing after prom. The limo that I’m in had these exact problems. Being our catty selves, all girls from the limo bickered about every minor and major detail about the limo. We eventually all realized that this is our senior prom, the last big thing other than graduation in which we will all be together. We are all seated at a table together at Salvatore’s so despite the differences we had about the limo, we needed to all compromise on something because our whole night will be spent together. After the limo comes the tux, which I was not happy with either. My dress is a bright yellow, I’m not exactly sure what Tuxedo Junction was thinking when they ordered my date the WRONG color vest. They must’ve thought I was wearing green that night. Along with this problem came waiting in line behind at least ten other students who also had problems. Several trips to Tuxedo Junction later, the problem was fixed. Then finally, there is hair and nails. Every girl gets them done for the big night. Except the prices that I’ll be paying are a bit higher than expected. After thinking about it, I realized that this is the last time that I have to purchase a prom dress or go get my nails or hair done for a high school event. So I realized that you can’t put much of a price tag on any of it!

P3: Teacher Evaluations

I understand that teachers need to be evaluated, but in my opinion, the tests are being taken a little too far. I don’t think that teachers should be evaluated on the tests that their students take. Some students are better learners than others, so how should that affect how good or bad a teacher is? A teacher should be evaluated on the improvement of his or her students. I also disagree with the rankings being released to the public. I understand that parents would like to know how the teachers that are in control of their children during the day are ranking, but they can know by their children’s grades by looking at the report cards. By seeing these rankings, they are practically asking to see how the other students are doing. Teachers are under enough stress being watched by administrators to begin with. Why add the stress to present their findings to the entire public? I think that the each teacher should be presented with the findings of administrators, and be told what they need to improve on or what they did improve on. Teachers also shouldn’t be losing their job over what the student’s capabilities. The students can also choose not to perform well, so why should their teachers job or ranking in a school be based upon those who would rather slack off? If I were a teacher, I wouldn’t want my evaluations being shared with the public. I don’t think it is fair to them at all.

P2: Blog Accomplishment Comparison

It’s crazy to look back on older blogs and see how much I have approved on my writing skills. Back in the first group of blogs, we wrote about what we planned on accomplishing this school year. One thing I wanted to accomplish this year was graduating. I’m not quite there yet, there are still a couple months of school left. Without a doubt, I will be walking across the stage at the end of June. I also wanted to stay on track with my school work. Being a senior, the last thing you want to be doing is homework. I am constantly getting into moods where I slack off on my work a little, then make sure I am able to pull myself together and work as hard as possible to make sure my grades do not slip. In all my classes, I am doing more than just “getting by” with a 65, which is something I hoped to accomplish. I also wished to accomplish high grades in the classes that I am taking for college credits. This year I will be receiving 13 college credits, which is practically a whole college semester. In those classes, I’ve been able to keep my grades up, even receiving a 100 in one of them on a report card. It’s important for these grades to be exceptionally high because if they grades are not good, the money that I invested in them will go to waste and they will either start my college transcript off with bad grades or not even count at all. Lastly, I was planning on doing track this spring, which I wanted to achieve my fastest time in the mile. I made the choice to not do track because I have a job and that was a bigger priority to me.

P1: Too Much Television

Compared to a few years ago, I do not watch television all that often. There are certain shows that I watch regularly, like The Secret Life of the American Teenager, Teen Mom and Ridiculousness, but other than that, I am not glued to my tv. It also depends on the season for how much television I watch. During hockey season, I watch all the Sabres games. Even if they don’t make the playoffs, I follow as many games as I possibly can. On the weekends, I rarely spend any time watch tv unless it is at night before I go to bed. I have for the most part lost interest in watching tv because a huge majority of the shows that are now being put out have extremely stupid concepts. Throughout our house, there are two tvs. One is located in the living room for the entire family. This one is used more often. The other is located in the basement but is mostly used to watch hockey games or to play games on the Wii. I most certainly believe that there are much more negatives associated with the television, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t any positives. Like most technology now a days, it can be very educational. There are various news channels. There are also channels that are made specifically to educate young kids. These positives are definitely overpowered by negatives though. Technology, such as the television, is why the obesity rate is so high in our country. People have become extremely reliant. Teenagers would rather sit on their behind playing a video game than spend it outside communicating with their friends face to face. I don’t think that tvs should be removed from houses, but they shouldn’t be placed in every single room. They are being extremely overused, and kids need to understand that a box projecting color is not the only form of entertainment.

O4: My Mother Is...

At one point, my mom was what seemed to be my worst enemy. Being a new teenager, it’s as if your life is full of struggles and the one who was always there for you, your mother, has now switched sides. With my mom, I felt like it was easy to lie to her so I could get away with everything I could possibly want. At the time, lying didn’t seem too bad; the consequences would come later so I should just live for the moment. Once you get passed those early teenage years, your views change. Now, my mother is no longer my worst enemy. She is turned into more of a best friend. I’m glad that I’ve grown up and realized that all that she is trying to do is help me succeed later on in life. I have learned that my lies are no longer necessary. If I tell her the truth, I know that I have her trust and respect. I know it probably isn’t easy for her to be raising three girls. And with me being the last of us all, I’m sure she’s exhausted with the hard work we have all brought upon her. Now that I have my mom’s trust and respect, it’s easier for me to go out and do things. I know that she won’t be worrying about what I’m doing or who I’m with. I can assume that my lies brought a lot of stress upon her. It’s now easy for me to be open with her and tell her things that are going on in my life. Also, I can now understand that she was my age at one point too. She isn’t all that much older than me, so she has gone through everything I’m going to so she understands what it is all like. Despite any differences I’ve had with her in the past, I love my mother more than any person in the world.♥

O3: Prom Purchasing

My choice for this week is about prom. It is just right around the corner and has become a very stressful event. Being a senior, it has become a very expensive event for me. I purchased my dress four months ago already. I figured it would be better to buy it early because at this time, the dresses are cheaper since not many people are looking. I paid only a hundred for my dress from a store that only sells one of a kind dresses. Tickets are also an expensive item even though it should be expected. Not only am I paying for fancy evening, it involves a gorgeous dining, that provides you with an elegant dinner and a night of dancing. It may seem like a lot of money, but when you think about it, it’s worth the price. Being a girl, you feel the need to look your absolute best and outshine every other girl for just this one night. All that has been purchased so far was tickets and a dress. Now all that’s left is shoes, jewelry, hair, nails, and makeup. Sure, they all seem like small things but the price of it all will definitely add up. The prices of it all together could be well over a hundred dollars to say the least. With all the little pieces for the appearance put together and the tickets purchased, the last thing left is transportation. Most people like to arrive at prom in style, preferably a limo. From experience, I can tell you that the price for a limo isn’t gonna be cheap. When the night finally rolls around, most people are already exhausted will how much preparation was put towards it. But as the limo comes to a stop in the parking lot and you step out, I can promise you that all the money put towards it will definitely be worth it!

O2: College Plans

The statistics shared in this article are shocking, but I was always taught the importance of a college education. I understand that college is extremely expensive and students can be in debt from the loans they take out until they are married and with children. But after high school, I want to take a risk with the extraordinary amount of money to do something that I want to do in life. After high school, I plan on attending a community college because it is the same education at a cheaper price. By doing so, I’m starting out at a good pace by avoiding debt so soon. After my two years there, I plan on going to a private college, preferably Daemen. I’m going to a private school because the class sizes are smaller and it’s worth the price that I’ll be paying to get attention from the professor. I plan on majoring in human services and then minoring in political science. I chose human services as my main career path because I’d love to work with programs such as Kids Escaping Drugs to help those who are currently my age avoid all the pressures with drugs and alcohol that are being put on them. I would be able to do more than just work in a rehabilitation center since the term “human services” is very broad. As for political science, I was always told that if you don’t like something, you can’t just sit back and expect it to change; you need to take action. That’s why i would love to get involved in politics. I want to be able to voice my opinion and stand up for issues that I feel strongly about.

O1: Dick Clark

A recent news story that really caught my attention was the death of Dick Clark. He passed away at the age of 82 on the morning of April 18 from a heart attack. Clark was known as a an “ever-youthful” television host and producer. Clark was also called “the world’s oldest teenager.” Even after he suffered a stroke in 2004, he was still on the scene, ringing in the New Year in from Times Square. Due to this stroke, Clark was forced to sit back on the sidelines while Ryan Seacrest took over the main hosting position on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve. After a year off, Clark was honored for still being there, even while his speaked was impaired.  Clark also became the founder of his own production company, supplying movies, games, music videos, beauty contests and much more for television. Among these productions were the $25,000 Pyramid and the American Music Awards. Over the years, Clark was also accredited with bringing major stars into the music scene, like Madonna and Buddy Holly. Dick Clark didn’t limit his talents just to the screen. He also wrote several books, including his self help book entitled “Looking Great, Staying Young.” Clark leaves behind three kids and his wife, Kari Wigton. When I heard about the news of his passing, it was sad but I wasn’t too surprised. I knew of his amazing career and contributions to the music scene. Seeing him on television on his New Year’s party ever year, it was apparent that he was struggling with talking and it was extremely sad to see it. His contributions were extraordinary to say the least, and I know for a fact that he will not be forgotten anytime soon. It just won’t be the same watching the ball drop every year without seeing his smiling face.