Poetry - In Reverse? Part 1

In 2007, Jonathon Reed created a poem called "Lost Generation" for the AARP @50 Video Contest. The poem, when first read, is very negative and violent. It talks about how one will behave in the next thirty years: celebrating divorces, work before family, and increasing the risk of global warming. But read to the end -- it will inspire.

Below is the poem, followed by another one, written in a similar fashion. I feel that this is a very unique way of poetry. It can be negative but still be positive when reversed.




Source: YouTube

Peeps The Treat

There is a contest to take pictures of peeps, and judges pick the best. (Peeps are my favorite candies in Easter time.) Anyone, anywhere can enter with their parents help at the Shot Page on the National Geographic website. This contest is called Peeps in Places.

If you want to see last years photos click here. (There is also a photo gallery on The Washington Post'sinclude website. Thes images, showing homemade scenes, with peeps, were probably made by artistic adults.)

My favorite photo is the one in Yosemite because it reminds you how pretty the world really is. Last year's winner was taken in Hollywood, which is cute because they hold it up so the bunny is the Y in Hollywood.

Sources: National Geographic Kids, The Washington Post

Get Ready to Doodle 4 Google

Google is making a contest, called Doodle 4 Google, for people who are in grades K-12. If you are in those grades, you could customize the Google logo. If you win you get $15,000 for collage, a trip to the Google New York Office, a laptop computer, a T-shirt with their design on it, and a $25,000 donation to your school's computer lab from Google. And the top 40 designs would be on display at the Smithsonian National Museum.

Last year, Hillwood Academic Day School entered in this contest, but we did not win. This year we are thinking of entering again, to see how far we can get. This year, the subject for Doodle 4 Google is, what I want for the world.

Registration for the contest closes at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time on March 17, 2010, and entries are due by March 31, 2010 no later than 11:59 P.M. Pacific Time. The winning picture will be featured on our Google.com homepage on May 27, 2010. For more information, read this page on Google. To look at some of last year's finalist, read and watch Camyrn's Herald post.

Doodle 4 Google

Doodle 4 Google is a contest that students in the U.S.A. can enter. The grades kindergarten through 12th grade can enter. All of Hillwood entered the contest at the end of the school year last year, but none of them won.

I have selected some of the finalist's drawings for you to view. The people who drew took their time and did as hard as they could. I think everybody did grea,t but there was a few that stood out from all of them.

I would encourage every kid [K-12] to enter, because it is a good way to fell good about your work and your self.

If you would like to know more about the contest and how to enter, read Julian F.'s article.

‘I Am What I Learn’ Final Contestants Announced

The "I am What I Learn" contest, by the US Education Department, has just named the final eleven contestants from hundreds of videos submitted. You can vote on the videos until December 4.

Hillwood submitted one, too (shown in this post below). We made a two minute video about how education is important to us.

Some of these contestants didn't make that good of videos, but some of them were good. The video that I recommend the most is the one that was made by Kevin Phu. He practically made a music video about how education is important to you. Kevin is from Massachusetts.

‘I Am What I Learn’ Video Highlight

This video is very good (you can watch them all here). It tells you that is is good to be diverse (for example, learning more then two languages). Without an education you can' t get a very good job. This girl teaches us that you have to get a good education and also help the environment.

This video is very moving. It must of taken plenty of work making a song and a great video. This video was made by Kevin Phu at Watertown High School in Massachusetts. He tells us the you have to work hard to get somewhere.

Troy Simon's story is very touching. It tells you that even if you hit rock bottom you can still come back to the top. When life gets hard to must try and keep trying till you reach the best that you can get. This story tells people that you should never give up.

I Am What I Learn Review

I thought that Kevin Phu has the best video because, he makes a point, and at the same time he makes it fun and cheerful.

I thought that Troy also made a good point and a touching story to go with it. nicgiomagic has a very good story with a good point, but he uses his hands too much. I thought that Lenderman100 was kind of childish and had no point, and I did not enjoy it. All of the other videos were all right, but I don't think that there the best.

I am What I learn Contest

Out of all the videos, I thought that Troy Simon's video was probably the best because he probably worked the hardest to get to where he is right now. I also feel very bad for him.

I think that Kevin Phu did very good with his video.

Final Cut for the ‘I am What I Learn’ Contest

Here is our final version of our video. Below is one of the earlier versions. All entries are due on November 2.

You may want to read Irene's post on the contest or watch the informational video from the White House below. Also, read the requirements (image on this page) and on this White House page.

I Am What I Learn Contest

In the first video, Brandon is asking Samantha about where she wants her career to go. In two other videos, I asked Jennifer and Oliver, "What bothers you about San Francisco?" Their remark was, "The weather." In another video, Samantha asked Mrs. Woods, our teacher, "What inspires you to learn?" Mrs. Woods said, "Meeting students everyday to come eager to learn is an inspiration today."

In another video, Samantha asks Rubina, "How has your learning and education the person who you are." Rubina is amazing on the piano she plays beautifully. Brandon asks Lance about what inspires him to learn, what he is your favorite subject and what do you want to be when you grow up. In the last video, Brandon says he just wants a good education.

By Anya J.


Video credits: Irene, Samantha, Anya, Rubina

Design for Giving Contest

A school in India has made a contest called the "Design for giving contest." They are trying to make India better and have been asking questions about how would they can help change India, the city they live in.

The Hillwood Herald is also asking these questions here -- in San Francisco and the United States. What bothers us and what can we do?

What bothers you? Put your suggestions in the box on the front counter.

Today, The Herald staff interviewed Zara, who is 18 and works on the contest. We used Skype to video chat with her. We also used iChat (AIM) to write her. We had some technical difficulties, but she was patient and it finally worked. We have also written to her using email. You can read her note to us at the end of this article.

Over the next few days, we will post some video and audio from our interview with Zara.

Zara was very nice to speak to us for so long. It was also very late for her at night because of the time difference.

Below are links to some of the questions we asked:

• Jacob
• Anya and Rubina
• Lance
• Julian F.
• Brigette

Below is one video from the "Design for giving contest":



The following is a note from Zara A., our contact in India for the Design for Giving Contest.

My name is Zara A., I just turned 18 and i am totally loving it! I am 100% indian though i have almost no command over any indian languages, i prefer to think of myself as linguistically challenged. I joined the "Design for Giving Contest" Team because my mom and Mrs Kiran Sethi, Principal of Riverside school, were college roommates and know each other well. I actually moved from Chennai, a city in the south of India, to Ahmedabad, which is in the west, to work on the competition. I just finished highschool and am currently doing a gap year to primarily introspect because I, like most teenagers, am not entirely sure what i want to do with my future.


The original team that worked on the contest was aged about 18 to 21 (me being the youngest technically) and we all served different purposes. I was in charge of letter writing, press releases, website content etc. so they nicknamed me 'Words'. It was an amazing experience to see how people who had just met each other formed a team that worked very well with one another and managed to actually produce something as large as the Design for Giving Contest. All together on of the most memorable things ii have ever done and i am so glad that you guys want to be apart of it =D


Looking forward to speaking to the kids! if you need any more answers please feel free to email me! oh and warn them that i do have an indian accent so they might have to speak slowly for me to understand and vice versa.

Words

Lance wrote part of this story and then other Herald writers contributed.

Photo credits: Images of Ahmedabad are from Wikipedia; the photo so Zara is from Zara.

I am What I Learn

I learn to try my best in school. It made me feel that I can do it. The contest made me touch. It can make other people have a good education. The video can help other students that they can do better at school. I can do it and you can do it too. I can do it and you can do it. When I saw the video it can make all of you do better at school. If you don't believe me go to YouTube then. We can make a better future for all of us.

By Brandon

In this photo, Samantha interviews Brandon about his story about the Design for Giving contest from last week.

Photo by Irene X.

Why I Learn — the Wordle and the Contest

This is a Wordle about the ''Why I Learn Contest." If you want to make one of your own go to wordle.com and press create. It's a very easy process you just go to Wordle .com and press create, then put a couple texts in it, and press go.

Read Irene's story about the contest. The Herald will be entering this contest. Please email us your story ideas.

You can also watch this video for more information.

Here are two videos about this story. Filmed by Zack O.

An Email Message from "Words," aka Zara A.

The following is a note from Zara A., our contact in India for the Design for Giving Contest.

My name is Zara A., I just turned 18 and i am totally loving it! I am 100% indian though i have almost no command over any indian languages, i prefer to think of myself as linguistically challenged. I joined the "Design for Giving Contest" Team because my mom and Mrs Kiran Sethi, Principal of Riverside school, were college roommates and know each other well. I actually moved from Chennai, a city in the south of India, to Ahmedabad, which is in the west, to work on the competition. I just finished highschool and am currently doing a gap year to primarily introspect because I, like most teenagers, am not entirely sure what i want to do with my future.


The original team that worked on the contest was aged about 18 to 21 (me being the youngest technically) and we all served different purposes. I was in charge of letter writing, press releases, website content etc. so they nicknamed me 'Words'. It was an amazing experience to see how people who had just met each other formed a team that worked very well with one another and managed to actually produce something as large as the Design for Giving Contest. All together on of the most memorable things ii have ever done and i am so glad that you guys want to be apart of it =D


Looking forward to speaking to the kids! if you need any more answers please feel free to email me! oh and warn them that i do have an indian accent so they might have to speak slowly for me to understand and vice versa.

Words

Photo credits: Images of Ahmedabad from Wikipedia

Design for Giving Contest: What Could The Herald Do?

Watch this video showing a school in the "Design for Giving" contest. Write one paragraph -- three to five sentences -- about video. Include the five W's and give your impression of it.

Next, come up with three ideas for "giving" that students from The Hillwood Herald could easily do.

Again, remember to answer the five W’s of any good news story:

• Who
• What
• When
• Where
• Why

News Event: Design for Giving Contest

Write a story about the "Design for Giving" contest and interview one of the contests organizers in India. You should research the contest by reading this story from an Indian newspaper and the information on the contest site. You will find several news stories on this page. Remember, as you write your story, to source any publication that you reference.

Remember to answer the five W’s of any good news story:

• Who
• What
• When
• Where
• Why

Design for Giving Contest

Student Assignment: Everyone
Turning garbage into art. Helping families understand the importance of keeping the environment clean. Raising money for an orphanage. Improving the living conditions of construction workers. Putting a smile on the faces of the elderly.

The Design for Giving Contest is motivating schools across India to reimagine the act of giving. Taking place from August 15th to Oct 15th, the contest involves more than 30,000 schools across India. School children will design and implement solutions to help people in need. The goal of this movement is to help children realize that they can "be the change" they want to see in the world.

Read this note from Zara, aka Words, our contact in India.

Watch the above video and then answer the following two sets of questions:

1. What bothers you in San Francisco?
2. What are you going to do about it?
   
   
3. What bothers you in the United States?
   
4. What are you going to do about it? (Watch this video for inspiration.)
   

Remember, give helpful and instructive ideas for solving the problem.

This is the first part of our package about the "Design for Giving Contest." Students will interview someone from the program (a recent high school graduate), and the organization would like to post our video on their website. So, let's do a great job!

We will also do several other "related stories," including a news story, a Wordle, a photo essay, a look into what could The Herald do? How can we make things better?

‘I am What I Learn’ Contest Finalists

Student Assignement: Zack, Julien, Julian, Lance

The finalists of the "I am What I Learn" contest are out. We didn't make the list, but let's look at the ones that made the final cut.

Watch the videos, and then cast your vote. Each of you should review at least three videos. Why do you think each video made the finalist list? Remember to be nice, appropriate, and interesting. Write at least five sentence about each video.

What Does ‘I am What I Learn’ Mean to You?

Student Assignment
As we've talked about in class, the US Department of Education has launched the "I Am What I Learn" 2-minute video contest for students on YouTube. Three winners will receive $1,000.

Watch the above video for inspiration, and then write at least a ten-sentence story about how "I am What I Learn." How has learning and your education made you the person who you are?

What are ten images of people, places or things that help explain your story? Include several of these images in your Herald post.

Remember to include your sources for any information you pull from the White House website or images that use.

How to Enter the ‘I am What I Learn’ Contest

Student Assignment:
Irene X.
The US Department of Education launched the "I Am What I Learn" 2-minute video contest for students 13 years and older on YouTube. Three winners will receive $1,000. (The above video does not work. After it went live, the government pulled it for further review. Apparently, there may be some issues about the amount of data that will need to be collected. Still, we proceed with assignment)

Click around on the government's "I Am What I Learn" website, if it is working. You may also access a governmental document to teachers on Google Docs. Do not take time to read the entire document. Rather, scroll down to "Video Project" and use that information in your story.

Tell Herald readers about the contest (remember the five W's). Also, write about how schools can enter and include how Hillwood might go about submitting entries. (Include information from the "How to Qualify" section of the website's frontdoor.)

Answer the five W’s of any good news story. Then include one or two good examples of how what Hillwood students could do. Then, make a call to action — ask that people leave video ideas for Hillwood in the comment section of your post.

• Who:
• What:
• When:
• Where:
• Why:

Irene, after you write your story, use the Flip video camera to film a brief interview about the contest. Work with Zack O. to create three to five questions about the contest. At the end, make a call for ideas to your audience — the Hillwood community — for ideas about how the school can participate in this contest. Should, perhaps, the entire school submit a video? Or should the upper-graders do something? Or should each upper-grader student make his or her own?

Until the contest's entry deadline, October 20, you will help lead Hillwood's effort in making and collecting these videos.