Call-to-Action

Text-In-Context Preface

            For my text-in-context, I decided to argue for year-round schooling, and urge my readers to attend school board meetings to voice their opinions.  I have been in many school systems as my family moved a lot, but I never attended a year-round school.  At traditional school systems, I spent the first month (at least) of every year reviewing what I had learned the year before, as a lot of this had been lost over the summer.  I hope by reading my paper, you will at least gain an appreciation, or respect, for year-round school systems and become active in your local school board meetings.

Continuous Education

            Since kindergarten, I have attended three elementary schools, one middle school, and four high schools across six different school districts.  At each school, I experienced different curriculums, teaching methods, and grading scales.  However, none of these districts used the year-round school system.  In fact, the majority of schools in the United States are based on a traditional system; less than four percent of schools are on a year-round system (Lehrer 2001).  Schools that use a year-round system “rearrange the school schedule into several instructional time blocks separated by shorter and more frequent vacation breaks.” (Worsnop 1996).  In other words, students essentially attend the same number of school days, but they do not have a three month summer break.  Instead, students are given three one-month breaks throughout the year.  In many instances these breaks are given in October, April, and during one of the summer months (June-August). Not only is it proven the year-round system shows improved test scores, but it also provides more realistic and spread out vacations, and increases knowledge and skill retention among students.

            As it becomes more prominent that year-round school systems provide better for students, it is up to us – parents, teachers, administrators, students, and all others invested in this cause – to bring about this change.  Many have already formed or joined grassroot groups, groups which provide service or a voice for a cause, in support of year-round school.  By creating such a group within communities, people have the ability to voice their concerns, opinions, and suggestions to the school board, other local administration, and the community as a whole.  However, one is also able to voice his or her support for a cause, in this case the implementation of a year-round school system, to the school board simply at a school board meeting.  These meetings are open to the public, and during the meeting, there is opportunity for community members to have a voice. It is by joining or forming a grassroot group, or by simply attending school board meetings and suggesting your ideas, that year-round schooling will be implemented.  Without community support, most school systems will simply stay with the traditional system.     

            On October 16, 2005 my sister was in the hospital giving birth to my first nephew, Richard Mendez Ybarra Jr.  At the time I was 13 and despite our 8 year age difference, my sister, Nicki, and I have always been extremely close.  Nicki was enlisted in the United States Navy at the time and was stationed in Norfolk, Virginia, which was an eight hour drive from my home in Troy, West Virginia.  For the past two weeks, I had talked to my sister on the phone every night.  She filled me in on all the silly details of her day and how she and my future nephew were doing, and told me how much she wished I, and the rest of my family, could be there for everything.  However, we were all still in school at the time so it was impossible for us to visit.

 So, on October 16, 2005, I sat anxiously in algebra staring at the hands on the clock moving more slowly than ever before.  I heard each tick of the second hand and the sound seemed to reverberate throughout the entire classroom.  Finally at 11:27 am, the bell rang through the hallways.  Second period had just ended which signaled the beginning of lunch hour. I met my older sisters in the stairwell and we raced to our school’s office and begged the secretaries to let us use the phone.  We all huddled around the phone as our parents told us our nephew had been born.  Despite a few complications, our sister and baby Ricky were now doing well and we could call Nicki later when we got home.  We left for class elated, but wishing we could be with our older sister and holding our baby nephew.

            Fast forward five years, and Nicki was seven and a half months pregnant with her second child.  Ricky Jr., now in kindergarten, was elated to have a little brother on the way; every time I talked to him on the phone he would tell me how he was going to teach Logan (his future little brother) how to read, and play games, and how they were going to share all their toys.  As Ricky’s elementary school is on a year-round school system, he had all of October off to spend with his parents and help pick out toys for his little brother and help paint the baby’s room.  A month and a half later, he had another three weeks off for Christmas break, so he was out of school for the birth of Logan, his baby brother.  Looking back, I am envious of Ricky and wish I had attended a school that used the year-round system, as I would then have been able to be with my sister for the birth of my first nephew.

            Due to breaks from school being more spread out in a year-round school system, students will no longer be losing as much information over the course of the year.  Jennifer Fisher, a first grade teach at for a year-round elementary school, agrees wholeheartedly with this concept.  In reference to what Ms. Fisher deemed the “summer hangover” in traditional systems, “You really have to spend so much time getting them back into the frame of mind of school. They're not even thinking about school. ... It was very frustrating.” (Bruce 2009).  Students will no longer have to spend the first month or so of school reviewing what they learned the previous year; this knowledge will not have had a chance to be forgotten. 

            Because there is the possibility of a much higher retention rate of the information learned in class, students will also have to opportunity to score much higher on standardized tests.  Regardless of whether or not one agrees with the concept of standardized tests, it is quite evident the United States is performing poorly on an international scale.  On an internationally administered test, known as the OECD, administered in 2006, the U.S. was ranked 25^th out of 30 countries on the math portion of the test.  In 2009 on the overall test, 24 of 34 countries scored better than the United States (Hechinger 2010).  Surely, our nation’s school systems are lacking and not preparing its students for the world ahead of them; this is quite possibly due to the three month break from June to August.  

            Memories of childhood summers often bring about feelings of freedom and excitement.  It was a time when one was free to play outside all day, live in swimming pools, and camp out in the backyard.  Many feel that by installing a year-round school system, children will lose the opportunity to make such memories and truly enjoy the excitement of summer.  However, this is by no means an accurate assumption.  In a year round system, it is true summer break is considerably shorter, but students still have a one month break during this time.  In one month, many wondrous adventures can be had and memories made without losing the vast amount a student would lose over a traditional summer.  The other two months children typically have off are given as a one month break in the fall (typically October), and another month break in the spring.  Not only can families spend time together in the summer, but they can perhaps go camping in the spring or on another trip in the fall.  So although students may not have a three month summer break, they still have the same amount of time off throughout the year.

            Another difficulty with year round school systems is the multi-track system.  In this system, there are multiple “tracks” or schedules that groups of students rotate through.  Due to this, groups are on breaks at different times throughout the school year (Newland 2000).  In this system, if there are multiple children in a family, each child could potentially be assigned to a different track.  This would make it extremely difficult when taking family vacations.  However, to solve this problem, there is the one-track system.  Due to the structure of this system, all students are on the same schedule and have the same breaks.  By only employing the one-track, year-round school system, there would be no conflicts with households that contain multiple students. 

            The traditional school system, including a three month summer break, was once extremely necessary in United States history.  Students were given summers off from school as this was the time of year when they would be needed to help on their family’s farm.  However, this is no longer the case as in today’s society the majority of students do not live on farms.  Therefore, it is much more important to focus on the education of United States students, an area which is very weak on an international scale.  It is imperative school systems begin to implement a year round schedule in order to improve knowledge retention, test scores, and overall academic success.  This will only happen if we fight for it as parents, students, teachers, and community members.  Going to one’s local school board is the best way to voice your opinions and fight for this cause.  The school board is the direct connection to school systems, and it is they who make decisions concerning the school.  However, there are also grassroot groups one can join, or start, to help support this cause as well.  A grassroot group is any group that addresses the needs of members, or a community, or that supports any local cause, and is strictly run by volunteers. (Scheier 1992).  Our children’s education is relying on us to stand up and fight for them. 

          

Works Cited

Bruce, Mary and De Nies, Yunji. “Back to School Already? Year-Round Programs in Full Swing”.  ABC World News.  ABC News Internet Ventures. 9 August 2009. Web. 4 April 2011

Hechinger, John. “U.S. Teens Lag as China Soars on International Test”.  Bloomberg. Bloomberg L.P.  7 December 2010. Web. 5 April 2011

Lehrer, Jim. “Going to School Year-Round”. News hour Extra. Macneil-Lehrer Productions. 8 August 2001. Web. 29 March 2011

Newland, Christopher. “Academics, the Year-Round Calendar, and the Color of the School Buses”.  Offspring. June 2000. Web. 5 April 2011

Scheir, Ivan. “Working With Grassroot Groups”.  The New Volunteerism Project. 1992. Web. 29 March 2011

Worsnop, R. L. “Year-round schools.” CQ Researcher, Vol. 6, pg. 433-456. 17 May 1996. Web. 29 March 2011

Stakeholders Section

1.      Sophie Andrews:

a.       For year-round school systems

b.      Current elementary school teacher

c.        Has taught at all levels, and at both traditional and year-round schools

d.      Currently teaches at a year-round school

2.      Luke Carter:

a.       In the middle, but more for year-round schooling

b.       Has 3 children in year round schools

c.       Loves being outdoors and taking family trips

d.      Enjoys the spread out breaks in a year-round system

3.      Jake Easton:

a.       In the middle, but more against year-round schooling

b.      High school student

c.       Athlete, on honor roll, and class president

d.      Works during the summer break to earn money for college

4.      Ami Watson:

a.       Very against year-round school systems

b.       Owner of local pool/water park

c.       Large part of income relies on children having summers off

d.      Very nostalgic about summers

Collage

Text-In-Context

Text-In-Context Preface

            As I child, Dr. Seuss’s silly rhymes, fantastical characters, and vibrant colors enthralled me; as a college student, his stories and poems often provide inspiration.  His poem, “Oh, the Places You’ll Go” is one of these stories.  This piece encourages readers to reach for their dreams, but to also expect things will not always go your way.  This piece also was greatly influenced by the historical events happening while it was written as well as by Dr. Seuss’s childhood.  I hope you enjoy this analysis and perhaps find a little inspiration in this poem as well.          

Reaching for the Stars

(workshopped)

Introduction

            “Today is your day!  Your mountain is waiting.  So… get on your way!”  These are the closing lines to Dr. Seuss’s “Oh, the Places You’ll Go”.  From a child’s perspective, these lines contain simply nonsensical words and the pages are full of bright colors and silly looking animals that you can’t help but enjoy.  From a high-school senior, and college freshman’s, point of view however, this poem holds a whole new meaning. It tells how in life you may not always be on top, but it also provides encouragement when tasks seem daunting and tells the reader’s they can achieve their dreams and the world is at their fingertips.

            Dr. Seuss was one of the greatest children’s authors and poets of all time; his stories brought joy to many, regardless of age, gender, or nationality.  His stories contained fantastical words, brightly colored characters, encouragement, and lessons from which all could learn. “Oh, the Places You’ll Go” is only one of these such masterpieces.  However, this poem was not simply a story created from the midst of Dr. Seuss’s brilliant imagination.  Throughout the years surrounding 1990 –the year this poem was published– many dreams and accomplishments were being realized worldwide, perhaps influencing the theme of chasing one’s dream found within the lines of this piece.  The inspiration for this poem seems to have started much earlier than this however, in Dr. Seuss’s childhood. The environment he grew up in closely mirrors the bubbling streams, tall trees, and bright blue sky often found within his works.  Built upon the influences of both historical and personal events, Dr. Seuss’s, “Oh, The Places You’ll Go” encourages its readers to make this world his/her own, despite the discouragements it sometimes contains.  This piece was indeed one of Seuss’s finest and only through taking a deeper look at its context does one truly appreciated its wonders.

Author Section

            Dr. Seuss, born Theodor Seuss Geisel, was one of the most famous authors and poets of all time.  His stories brought laughter and joy to many children and provided fascinating books for those just learning to read.  These stories were also enjoyed by adults however; their brightly colored characters and fantastical words were thrilling and the plot within the books often held moral or political points understood by an older audience.  One of his pieces, “Oh, the Places You’ll Go” tells of how one should start living his or her life, work towards their dreams, yet not be too discouraged if he or she does not always finish on top.

            Dr. Seuss’s childhood greatly influenced his writing.  He gives much of the credit for his work to his mother, who chanted silly rhymes to him as a child.  Perhaps it was due to this he developed a natural ability to write peculiar poems and children’s books.  The atmosphere he lived in as a child inspired many of the settings for his stories.  From the flowing streams, to the wildflowers, to the whispering breezes, these aspects of nature became staples in many of his stories.  Seuss lived a comfortable, but not luxurious, life as a child, and grew up in an average family.  He worked hard for his goals and eventually accomplished them; in doing so, he practiced the advice he gives to his readers in “Oh, the Places You’ll Go.”

            As a college student, Theodor Seuss Geisel worked on his university’s magazine, creating cartoons and comics.  It was during this time he began using the name Dr. Seuss; Seuss being his middle name and mother’s maiden name.  (Dr. Seuss, National Memorial, 2002-2004) Throughout college, his doodles started to become a much larger aspect of his life, until he eventually decided to become an artist.  He worked mostly with advertising and magazines until his first children’s book, And to Think I Saw it on Mulberry Street, was finally published.  From there, his career took off with other books and poems such as The Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, and “Oh, the Place You’ll Go”.  (2002-2004) Dr. Seuss quickly became a beloved children’s author and his stories and characters brought delight to many.

Historical Context    

From the mid-1980’s thru 1990, great accomplishments were occurring throughout the world.  Over this time span, the scientific community was quite literally “reaching for the stars” in its endeavors.  In 1988 the Discovery was launched, being the first space shuttle to be launched after the 1986 Challenger catastrophe; in 1990, the space telescope Hubble was launched (Villard 2010).   Space exploration was an extremely prevalent aspect of the scientific community’s undertakings and discoveries during this time period.  Sending individuals and telescopes into the unknown environment of outer space truly is an incredible accomplishment and a prime example of achieving dreams and goals. 

            Throughout these years, many important events were occurring that affected individuals on a more personal level as well.  One of the greatest events to take place during this time period was the fall of the Berlin Wall.  One of U.S. President Ronald Reagan’s most famous quotes, “Tear down this wall!” was stated during a speech in which he pleaded for the wall to be destroyed.  (Ratnesar 2007)  On November 9, 1989, his desire became fulfilled.  The wall that had for years separated families, friends, and neighbors was finally demolished and freedom surrounding this structure was finally found. Not only did this affect most Germans, but also individuals across the world. 

            On an even more individual level, public icons were also achieving incredible goals.  Hulk Hogan, a well-known wrestler, rose to fame during this time period, becoming almost a celebrity.  Not only did he accomplish several goals despite whatever trials he encountered, but he also became a role model for many.  Also during this period, the first Nintendo was created.  Although it seems slightly trivial, this achievement greatly changed the advancement of technology, specifically in gaming systems.  This creation was felt throughout many households and individuals of all ages were affected by this invention.  From a worldwide scale, to individual athletes/cultural icons, to everyday households, this period of time contained many examples of dreams being realized and mountains being conquered.  

            These accomplishments are only a few of the incredible tasks and goals being attained during this time period. These moments in history truly provide inspiration for the theme of reaching one’s dreams and making the world your own.  However, great trials and difficulties also came with the realization of these dreams.  Each person involved in these endeavors surely sacrificed copious amounts of time and effort.  This is part of the message Dr. Seuss tried to convey in his poem “Oh, the Places You’ll Go”; great accomplishments cannot be obtained without difficulties.  In his poem he writes, “I’m sorry to say so but, sadly, it’s true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you.”  Whether it was overcoming the crash of the Challenger, the literal obstacle of the Berlin Wall, or losing a wrestling match, each of these events contained trials and difficulties.  However, it is through these trials that individuals become strengthened and make the realizations of one’s dreams that much more satisfying.  

Analysis of Text

Dr. Seuss’s “Oh, the Places You’ll Go”, holds many messages for its readers.  Throughout the poem, one will find words of encouragement and inspiration for reaching one’s goals.  Even within the opening stanza, this can be found when Dr. Seuss states, “Congratulations! Today is your day. You’re off to Great Places! You’re off and away!”  However, this poem does not give the reader a sense of infallibility.  It also explains that one might not always finish first, or on top, but it is okay.  In the lines, “I’m sorry to say so but, sadly, it’s true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you” the realities of life can be found.  Across the stanzas of this poem, the reader gains confidence to be himself or herself, and to reach for the dreams they dream.  One also learns to anticipate trials and fumbles as plans do not also work out as expected.

The placement of the stanzas plays a major role in this text.  Dr. Seuss writes a few stanzas of encouragement and optimism, and then a few containing a more realist tone.  This prevents the reader from obtaining an unrealistic view of life, while still showing them they can achieve their goals and conquer trials.  However, Dr. Seuss both opens and closes the poem with encouraging stanzas.  This is to introduce the idea that dreams can come true, and to end the poem on an optimistic tone, leaving the reader with a feeling of determination and excitement for the possibilities of the future.

“Oh, the Places You’ll Go” is a poem individuals of all age have enjoyed and found inspiration from.  Many times, life’s events and trials can weigh one down; Dr. Seuss provides an answer for times such as these within this poem.  The lines “And when things start to happen, don’t worry. Don’t stew. Just go right along. You’ll start happening too” provide encouragement to simply “go with the flow”.  These lines also suggest that it is these trials and events shape individuals and help them to grow and develop.  Whereas these lines are most likely to be better understood by an older audience, there are many lines and aspects of this poem that can be focused on a younger reader as well.  Dr. Seuss, with lines such as “You’ll find the bright places where Boom Bands are playing. With banner flip-flapping, once more you’ll ride high!” excites his younger readers for the future by using nonsensical words and sensory words. As a whole, this poem can be enjoyed by individuals of all ages, from kindergarteners, to their grandparents.

The style of writing applied within “Oh, the Places You’ll Go” adds greatly to its content, overall meaning, and how it reaches its audience.  The use of extremely vivid words, such as “prickle-ly” and “flip-flapping”, draws the reader in and makes him or her feel as if they are actually in one of Seuss’s extraordinary cities.  The fantastical words within the lines of this poem also provide a fantasy or fairytale-like feeling and make the reader feel as if anything is possible.  For among the land of Dr. Seuss, one can accomplish anything he or she sets her mind on.  Although there is not set rhyming pattern used in the poem, many of the words rhyme which makes the poem almost into a playful song.  Overall, the writing style used by Dr. Seuss here adds greatly to the meaning of “Oh, the Places You’ll Go; the versatility of the words, interpretations, and “pictures” within this poem draw in many readers.

Conclusion

“Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!”  The closing words to “Oh, the Places You’ll Go” summarize the main theme of this poem quite well.  Today can become whatever one wants it to be, and life is waiting so it should be lived to the fullest every second.  The idea that one should seize the day and reach for his or her dreams is the main idea Dr. Seuss conveys in this poem.  Through the use of rhymes and eccentric words, he draws his readers in and excites them for the possibilities of the future.  This excitement is extremely contagious regardless of the age of the reader, as one is never too old to starting living his or her dreams. 

The analysis of this text through a study of the historical events surrounding the publication of this poem as well as Dr. Seuss’s childhood has truly provided valuable insight into this poem.  It can truly be seen that both of these aspects influenced the content and message within this great piece.  However, there is still much more that can be learned from further study of “Oh, the Places You’ll Go”.  Future studies of this poem should be sure to take into account how Dr. Seuss’s education and any writing classes/experiences he had influenced the style in which this poem, as well as the rest of his pieces, were written.  Through this, it would become more evident as to why he chose to write with such vibrant and fantastical words; this would only further its reader’s understanding of this piece.

Dr. Seuss’s childhood influenced this piece remarkably, from the settings and vibrant images, to the rhymes that mirror the chants his mother recited to him as a child.  This only adds to the story as it adds a personal level to the words and the reader almost has a connection to Dr. Seuss.  However, his childhood was not the only influence for this piece; many of the world events during the time of its publication were real-life examples of the theme of this story.  From the fall of the Berlin Wall, to the launching of space shuttles and telescopes, to even Hulk Hogan’s rise to fame, dreams were being achieved worldwide.  This is proof that Dr. Seuss’s words and advice rings true and should be taken. So, in the words of the great Dr. Seuss, “Your Mountain is waiting. So get on your way!” (Seuss 1990)

Works Cited

Dr. Seuss, National Memorial. Dr. Seuss Enterprises. 2002-2004. Web. 5 March 2011

Ratnesar, Romesh. “20 Years After ‘Tear Down This Wall’”. TIME. Time Inc. 11 June 2007. Web. 4 March 2011

Villar, Ray. “Hubble’s 20 Year Odyssey”. Discovery News. 23 April 2010. Web. 4 March 2011

Letter From a Reader

Dear Jessica,

            My name is Sophie Andrews.  I am 53 years old and I currently live in a small town in Oklahoma.  I am the mother of four beautiful, strong children, and a grandmother to two feisty little boys and a darling little girl.  I attend my curves class three times a week, clean my house daily, run to Walmart more often than I would like, pay bills WAY more often than I would like, go to doctor’s appointments, talk to my children and grandchildren on the phone, play with my dogs, watch the news, and read when I get the chance.  I’m not telling you this to bore you with the details of my life however; I tell you this so you know I am an average person.

            Now, I would like to tell you how your Zine has affected me personally.  Ever since I was a little girl, I have always dreamed of visiting Greece.  The excitement of Greek mythology, the fantastic architecture, and the breathtaking beaches have always enthralled me.  However, I had all but given up hope of ever travelling there due to life’s trials and daily hassles.  An even bigger concern was the outrageous prices of travelling, especially internationally.  Needless to say, it seemed pretty much impossible for me to visit Greece and I had accepted that fact.

            However, one day I was on my computer and searched for the quote about not waiting for the storm to pass, when a link to your Zine popped up within the search results.  As I surprisingly had free time, I clicked on the link and was soon engrossed.  Your realistic stories, entertaining pictures, inspirational quotes and poems, and information on how to achieve your dreams, were extremely touching and motivating.  I began to follow your Zine, and the more I read, the more my dreams of visiting Greece resurfaced.  Then, in your November 2009 issue, you wrote an article containing tips and information for travelling internationally on a budget.  You had given me the information I needed to finally fulfill my dream.

            I followed every one of your tips to the “T” and soon I was planning my trip to Greece.  I spoke with travel agents, budgeted, and packed my clothes.  Finally, in June of 2010, I boarded a plane and was actually on my way to Greece.  It was the most amazing experience of my life.  It was so much more than I had ever dreamed of and wouldn’t have traded that trip for anything.  I truly had the time of my life, and I never would have had the knowledge of how to actually make my dream reality without your advice.  So, thank you.  I don’t know if others have enjoyed your zine, or found use of its articles, but I truly have.  Because of your Zine, I was able to achieve my lifelong dream.  Thank you and I look forward to your future articles.

Sincerely,

      Sophie Andrews

Feature Article

Feature Article Preface

            For my feature article, I interviewed Dr. Karen Anderson, a psychology professor here at West Virginia University.  Through interviewing her, I learned what her career consists of on a daily level, her favorite/least favorite parts of her career, and what she enjoys outside of the lab/office.  Dr. Anderson also gave me advice on being successful during undergraduate, and how to pursue a career in the psychology field.

In Another’s Mind

            As I walk into the office of Dr. Karen Anderson, a behavioral psychologist for West Virginia University, the aroma of the freshly baked blueberry muffin on her desk wafts towards me.  My empty stomach growls in response, furious for having to skip breakfast.  There was simply no time for a bowl of cereal as I had been running late for the interview I set of with Dr. Anderson.  As I glance at the large calendar on her desk, I am amazed thinking it is already February. My freshman year is flying by!

 Due to my nerves, every little sound is intensified in this office.  The ticking of the clock sounds like a nail being hammered into the wall, the graduate student walking down the hall sounds more like the giant from Jack and the Beanstalk, and the soft whirring of the heater has become more similar to an Oklahoma windstorm.  As I sit waiting for Dr. Anderson to finish the e-mail she was sending, I force myself to take a deep breath and stop my leg from twitching.  As she types the last few words, I focus on my breathing, in-out, in-out, in-out.  I feel myself slowing calm down as she turns towards me with a smile on her face.  “Maybe this interview won’t be so bad after all” I think to myself. 

            As we sat and talked, Dr. Anderson proved to be a very friendly and fascinating person, easing all my nerves.  Her response to what her favorite quote was became my favorite answer from the entire interview. Dr. Anderson replied with, “Helen Keller said ‘Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.’  It reminds me that each day should be lived to its fullest and that it’s okay to take chances.”  She truly does seem to live life to the fullest.  Throughout the interview I learned she ran the Pittsburgh Marathon last year, has been skydiving, and has travelled around the world, with her favorite destination being Sydney, Australia.  In her time off she also revealed she loves to read, do yoga and spend time with her friends and family, and go to concerts.  She truly leads the life of a person who doesn’t let opportunities or time pass her by.

            As I began to ask Dr. Anderson questions more centered on her career, it was easy to see this attitude has pervaded her work life as well.  As an undergraduate student at the University of Florida, she began to work on undergraduate research projects with the faculty which led her to her interest and current profession in Behavioral Pharmacology.  While talking about these research projects, she laughed while saying, “After that, I was hooked and knew I wanted to be a Behavioral Pharmacologist...”  From that point, she built relationships with the faculty in this, and related, areas of study that helped her on her path to this career.

When asked what specifically she does within her career, she explained her research is based upon the relationship, or lack thereof, between drug use and impulsive behavior.  She continued by explaining how she had always been fascinated by the inner workings of the mind and stated that after learning of the circular relationship between our experiences and our actions, she was intrigued.  The majority of Dr. Anderson’s lab work deals with the study of how drugs affect impulses in rats.  Much of the knowledge obtained from these studies can be applied to human behavior as rats and humans have surprisingly similar, nervous systems (specifically as far as drug use/impulses are concerned).  Another aspect of Dr. Anderson’s career is to write scientific reports on the information observed from her studies.  Through these reports, Dr. Anderson has the ability to share her findings with the rest of the scientific community, as well as college students who are pursuing a psychology based career.

As our conversation continued, she told of how the most interesting experience she has had within her career is the opportunity she has to teach both undergraduate and graduate students about behavioral pharmacology in a lab setting.  “I get to work in the lab and teach students how to do science.  That is always interesting!” Dr. Anderson said.  In relation, she said it was overwhelming when she first started working in, and was in charge of, her own lab.  She went saying, “For the first time in my career, I was on my own.”  Dr. Anderson truly is a remarkable person both within her career, and in her time off. 

            Living your life to the fullest and loving the life you live still has its difficulties and challenges.  For Dr. Anderson, one of the more demanding aspects of her career is applying for grants so she can continue her research.  She explained that most scientists are competing for grants to fund their research and with today’s economy it can be very difficult to receive one.  Being a psychologist, or working within the field of psychology, isn’t as glamorous as television shows make it out to be.  As Dr. Anderson said, “They make it sound so much more exciting than it is.  That gives them good ratings though.”  Although Anderson absolutely loves her career, it still has its challenges, as does any career.

            As I walk down the hall of the Life Science Building towards the elevator, Dr. Anderson’s words of advice replay themselves in my head.  In preparation for a career in the field of psychology or any of its subfields, the biggest thing to do is become involved.  Ask professors within the field you are interested in if there are any undergraduate research projects with which you can participate.  Join the psychology club and check the websites for information on internships. Dr. Anderson stressed the importance of getting to know the faculty in the department stating, “Getting to know your professors early in your undergraduate career will give you a huge advantage later.”  I barely notice the growling of my stomach and the elevator music as, in my mind, I pore over all the information I received today.  I laugh to myself as I realize how ridiculous it was to have been so nervous, and I am so thankful I had the opportunity to interview Dr. Karen Anderson.

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Multi-Genre Personal Narrative

MGPN Preface

            My MGPN tells the story of when my family moved from Cañon City, Colorado to Troy, West Virginia.  As my parents had recently been married, we were a newly blended family and we were still trying to get to know each other.  This move provided an opportunity for us to grow together as one family as well as to grow individually.  That moment in time helped shape who I am today, and is the reason my family is as close as we are; I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything.

Country Roads (MGPN)

September 23, 2002

Dear Diary,

            In just a few weeks my family is moving to Troy, West Virginia. Daddy and mom checked out a book on facts of West Virginia for us to learn.  So far I know the state tree is the sugar maple and the state animal is the black bear.  I also learned the state motto is Montani Semper Liberi which is Latin for mountaineers are always free.  Today in class my teacher made each table pick a city in the United States to be and I convinced my group to choose Troy.  My teacher thought I was talking about the Troy in Greece but then I told her that’s where I was moving. 

            I can’t believe my family is moving in like 2 weeks!  I remember when Daddy told me we were moving to West Virginia.  I never even heard of West Virginia so Mom showed me on a map where it is.  My best friend’s (Sammy) dad played me a song called country roads by John Denver (I remember his name cause I live in Colorado and Denver is the capital) when I told him I was moving to WV.  I never heard the song before but it was pretty good. I’m going to miss Sammy.

            A couple days ago the pictures of the house-hunting trip finished getting developed so I got to see pictures of our new house.  Its a log house and it is really really pretty.  We are going to have 5 ½ acres (daddy says an acre is the size of a football field) with a creek!  I can’t wait to go swimming in the creek and have that big of a yard!  Our horses are going to take up a lot of it though.  Daddy and mom told us this is going to be a house we can be proud of and that we won’t have the feel ashamed if people come in.  That will be nice. I just can’t wait to be there already!  I have to go practice my spelling words though.  Ttyl! (Kassie taught me that means talk to ya later) Country roads, here I come! 

Love,

            Jessie

Troy, West Virginia (Red Star)
Current Population: 208
Land Area: 21.652 square miles

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To: Verna Kittell

From: Rick McCollum

Subject: Moving

Dear Verna,

I am moving to West Virginia with Leslie and the kids.  My career is transferring me, but it was a conscious decision on my part to put my paperwork in so it was possible. You have made it impossible for our family to live here any longer.  Your wild accusations and rumors have ruined any and all relationships we had within the community. They have also made it impossible for us to grow together as a new family.  You will still have visitation rights with the children, such as summers and a few holidays/breaks.  I ask you to not interfere as this move will be taking place despite your protests, and your opposition will only make it worse on the kids.

Rick

To: Rick McCollum

From: Verna Kittell

Subject: RE: Moving

Rick, How dare you take the kids away from me! Being their mother, they belong with me. I will not cause a large uproar before you leave, or in front of the children.  You better believe I will be going to court to get custody though.  You are nothing without me and you and Leslie will never make anything out of yourselves.  If the kids stay with you, they will have no future. Divorcing me is the worst mistake you have ever made. 

-Verna-

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           Walking through the house for the last time felt surreal.  The rooms that were usually filled with laughter, music, and arguing were now empty and silent.  The old floors creaked eerily as I passed through silently saying bye and remembering all the memories made in each room.  As I moved from my bedroom to the sitting room the visions I saw changed from laying on my bed reading and staring at the two huge pine trees outside my window to having my older sister curl my hair for me.  In the living room downstairs I see my little brothers and me spinning in circles as fast as we could and jumping off the fireplace onto a pile of pillows and blankets.  Walking out the front door and across the front porch for the last time brought back the smell of rain and pine needles that was always present as I sat on the old wooden stairs watching the rain bounce off the streets.  I am brought out of my reverie by the sound of my brothers running down the stairs behind me.  I will miss this house and my friends, but I am excited for the adventure on which my family is embarking. 

I hear my dad yell, “All aboard!” as my siblings and I pile into our cars.  As I watch out the window as the house I grew up in fades in the distance, I hear my sister jokingly ask “Are we there yet?”  For the next five days, we will be in the car as we drive from Colorado to West Virginia.  Two and a half hours have passed when we stop at a rest stop and I can’t help but laugh at the scene we cause.  We have two vehicles, with the Jeep pulling a small horse trailer that our dogs travel in.  After pulling into the parking lot all seven of us kids practically fall out of the cars and grab the leashes to walk our three dogs.  We take turns going to the bathroom and holding the dogs before we all pile back into the KIA and Jeep and head back down the road.  Since I was in the front seat (which took a lot of begging and pleading to achieve) I was also in charge of the music.  I pulled out my favorite CD at the time, Toby Keith’s Unleashed, pushed it into the stereo, turned the volume up and sang at the top of my lungs to Beer for my Horses and Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue with my mom. 

The time flew by and I heard my dad’s voice on the walkie talkies we brought taking a vote for where to stop for dinner.  The Chinese restaurant won by a landslide with only my three year old brother wanting McDonald’s.  We finally all sat down at tables the waitresses pushed together for us and started to eat.  I looked over at my sister and my three year old brother in time to see her feeding him noodles.  She proceeded to explain he told her he didn’t want to eat any Chinese food until she got him to pretend he was a baby bird and the noodles were slimy worms.  This gave my whole family, the waitresses, and the people at the surrounding tables quite a laugh.  After 45 minutes we were back on the road but this time just to find a hotel to stay at for the night.  After finally finding one that would allow us to bring our pet gerbil and mouse into the room we all put our swimsuits on and raced (loudly) down the hall to the pool.  This routine continued for the next four days until we finally reached our temporary home, the Days Inn in Flatwoods, West Virginia.

As my dad drove to Wal-Mart with two of my older sisters, my other sister and I quickly claimed drawers, unpacked our suitcases, and added our stuffed animals to the bed we would be sharing.  After about an hour my dad returned with a bulge in his jacket.  As I stared at it trying to guess what it was, the lump moved; my dad had gotten a German shepherd mix puppy!  My mom was very upset at first as we were living in a hotel that did not allow dogs and our other dogs were staying in boarding.  After our new puppy, Jake, walked up to her, placed his tiny fluffy paw on her arm, and licked her nose, she couldn’t help but fall for him.  A week into our stay, we were quite surprised to find out our secret puppy had been discovered.  As my dad came in from taking him out in the middle of the night, with him hidden in his coat, the clerk asked “How’s that little puppy doing?” with a smile and a wink.  Turns out the night staff had fallen for the tiny bundle of fur we had named Jake and were helping to keep our secret.

After a few days of living in the Days Inn, we found our stay was going to be slightly longer than expected.  The current owners of our future house, the Mathises, decided they needed a few extra weeks to pack all their belongings and completely move out.  As excited as my siblings and I were to be staying in the hotel even longer, since we were able to swim every day, this was actually a huge inconvenience. The hotel we were staying in was an hour’s drive from our schools, as well as my dad’s job.  After another few days, we were all becoming a little bored of car rides, and eating at restaurants; we all longed for a good, home-cooked meal.

Three weeks since we had first moved into the hotel, Halloween arrived.  This would be the first Halloween I remembered that my siblings and I couldn’t go trick-or-treating as we were still in the hotel and had no costumes.  As we sat down at our usual restaurant however, the waitress walked over with seven goodie bags of candy and other Halloween treats she had made for us kids.  That little bit of candy seemed to last forever.   After another week of swimming daily, eating out, and sneaking our puppy in and out of the hotel, it was finally time to move into our new house in Troy, West Virginia.

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My siblings and I the first time we
visited our house in Troy, WV.

 Me: I can’t believe we are finally here!

Becky:  Me either! I am so excited to finally be here. After five days in the car it’s so nice to be at our new home.  I’m going to miss Colorado, especially all my friends there and color guard, but I have a feeling this place is going to be awesome.

Me:  Me too! I love that we finally have a huge yard and that it has grass! Everything is so green! I feel like we’re in a jungle! Come with me to look at the creek!

Becky: Ok! (Takes off running)

Me: Hey! Wait up! Whoa!!! (Almost falls into creek)

Becky: (laughing) Don’t fall in Jess, you wouldn’t want to go meet your new classmates soaking wet!

Me: That would at least give them a reason to talk to me.

Becky: What are you talking about?

Me: If I’m soaking wet, at least then my classmates will come and talk to me to ask me why I’m wet.  

Becky: You will do fine Jess, you are going to make a lot of friends really fast.

Me: If you say so. (Wanders off in a different direction) Whoa, Becky! Come look at what I found!

Becky: What is it?!

Me: It’s our own little island! It looks so pretty with all the trees on the side of the creek and our island right in the middle! Come see!

Becky: That is really pretty! As soon as it warms up we can swim over there!

Me: I can’t wait for summer to be here already! (Laughing) That mushroom you just stepped on just puffed a bunch of powder out of it! Watch! (steps) on another mushroom and powder shoots out the top)

Becky: (laughing) That is awesome! (Jumps on two mushrooms at once then picks one up) Watch, if I squeeze it, I can shoot the powder at people! (Shoots it at me)

Me: Let’s go get Kass! (Grabs a mushroom and runs to Kassie with Becky following) Hey Kass! Watch this! (Shoots the powder at Kassie and gets it all over her coat)

Becky and Me: (bent over laughing)

Kassie: Guys! That isn’t funny! This is a brand new coat and now it’s all stained with stupid mushroom powder!

Becky: Aw, come on Kass, admit it. It was pretty funny.  If we did it to someone else you would be laughing.

Kassie: (pouts for a minute then slowly starts to smile) I guess it was kind of funny.

Me: (shoots a smile at Kassie) Come look what Becky and I found! We have our very own island! (Runs off with Kassie in tow)  

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Name : Chaz McCollum                                 Date:  January 11, 2003                      

Acrostic Poetry Worksheet

Directions: Create an acrostic poem using the word(s) given below. The poem must flow well and make sense.  Complete sentences must be used.

We moved to West Virginia,

Earlier this year.

Sometimes I miss my old house

That is very clear.

LiVing here is so much fun though,

I like it very much.

Running, playing, and fishing is how I spend my time.

Grass stains cover all my jeans.

I like my classmates too.

Nobody is ever mean.

I am glad we moved to West Virginia

And I hope we never leave.

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Dear Toni,

To: Toni Corbitt
From: Leslie McCollum
Subject: New Life

                How have you been?  It has truly been incredible how much our family has grown since moving to West Virginia.  When Rick and I were first married, it seemed like our entire life together was going to consist of troubles, arguments, and strife because of Verna.  I felt as if all the children only thought of me as the “evil stepmother” due to her brainwashing and lies she was telling them.  Kate was just confused and uncomfortable in the whole situation; after all, she was in a house with five new siblings and a new dad. 

                Now, everyone is extremely close and all the kids are practically inseparable. It’s amazing what some fresh country air, a huge yard, and having to spend time with each other (simply because there is no one else around) has done for all of us.  Jessie called me Mom for the first time in person today. :) I know it sounds really cheesy, but I almost cried.  It’s kinda funny how she was the first one to call me Mom in letters and e-mails, but the last in person.  Living in Cañon City, I was truly afraid this situation wasn’t going to work. Thank God we were able to move, and put all of our pasts behind us.  My new crazy family means the world to me and I wouldn’t trade any of it for the world.

            Thank you Toni for always being there for me; even after your son and I got divorced.  I am extremely lucky to have gotten a good mother-in-law (I guess ex-mother in law now) instead of the stereotypical one.  I love you and hope to hear from you soon!  God Bless!

~Leslie~

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January 20, 2011

Dear Diary,

            I don’t even know where to start.  My life has changed so much in the last few months.  I am now a student at West Virginia University and I absolutely love it here.  It makes me think back to when my family and I moved to West Virginia for the first time.  Wow, that seems like so long ago; I was only 10 years old then.  Haha, I remember I didn’t even know where WV was, let alone how much it would come to mean to me. 

Looking back now, I have come to realize how important that move truly was to my family.  My dad and my mom had just gotten married and we were all trying to get used to having new family members.  It didn’t help that my biological mother was making everything way worse and doing everything in her power to tear us apart.  Moving to West Virginia was a way for us all to start fresh and grow as a family.  All the rooms in our new house were on one floor, which made it nearly impossible to disappear and/or hide and we had no television so we always had family movie or games nights.  It also helped that we lived out in the country so we were only around each other most of the time and we had to come up with activities to do together.  My favorite was when we would set up badminton in the yard; we were always so sore the next day.



Most of my siblings and I in our amazing yard with our dogs



I think living there also helped us to appreciate the little things in life.  Most of my memories involve catching fireflies for the first time in my life, fishing in our creek and learning how to release the fish, shooting the debris floating down the river after a flood, and sitting on our porch with my siblings as the rain poured down and thunder crashed all around us.  From our neighbors, we learned that true friends would give you anything you needed, without you asking, even if they had nothing to give. 

The actual move to Troy was quite an adventure in and of itself. We were all in two cars (with 9 people it was a little crowded at times) and we had 3 dogs, a gerbil, and my pet mouse.  We were a traveling caravan with only walkie talkies to communicate.  We did a lot of “bonding” in the 5 days it took to drive from Canon City, Colorado to Troy, West Virginia.  I wouldn’t trade that experience for the world.  This move truly meshed all of us into one family and I truly feel we wouldn’t be nearly as close as we are now without that experience.  I am so glad I am able to call myself a West Virginian and a Mountaineer.  I have come to learn what the words to John Denver’s Country Roads mean and the truth they hold.  As a mountaineer, I get choked up anytime I hear the words, for these country roads have truly brought me and my family to where we belong.

                                                                                                  Love,

                                                                                                 Jessie

One of the old country roads by our house