Adesewa's Blog

Everyone has a strong opinion about things and people, and struggle with getting their point across. That applies to a controversial topic, a heartbreak and your trying to get over the person, and many more. Both Ray Bradbury in his novel “Fahrenheit 451” and Kesha in her song “Praying, describe the feeling of having to get your point across, but finally getting over that struggle and recovering emotionally. Even though the road to recovering may seem like a long, dreadful process, it’s worth it in the end, which is when you finally feel free and happy about your life. In “Fahrenheit 451,” Guy Montag is struggling to prove to others that books aren’t so bad after all, but is constantly shut down by the people around him.  He keeps trying and trying, but matters get even worse when people start to think that he’s becoming insane. After numerous tries, he finally takes action, leaving his town and venturing to a finally peaceful future that awaits him. Similarly, in “Praying,” the speaker wants to get her point across that she is over a painful relationship, but is discouraged by whoever was in the relationship with the speaker. In both texts we learn that it’s better to move and take action, rather than living in the past.

A common theme in both texts is that you can recover from past pain with self-confidence and a strong motive. In “Praying,” the speaker describes how she is finally over that pain the she felt and is now feeling more sure and positive about herself. In the song it states,” And I don’t need you, I found a strength I’ve never known.” This shows that the speaker has gotten over her pain and found the self-confidence she has been burying deep inside herself for a long time.  In “Fahrenheit 451,” the author shows how Guy Montag has disregarded the negative influences in his life and has finally lived in peace and not in fear of the unknown. In the novel, it states, ‘Yes, thought Montag, that’s the one I’ll save for noon…. When we reach the city.” This takes place in the very end of the book, where Montag is about to reach the city. He can finally read without being penalized. Which is why it mentions, ‘..the one I’ll save for noon.” He is saving a piece of a book he is about to read later. In the past, Montag couldn’t do such a thing like that, but now he’s free to do so.

Although both texts share a common theme, they both have their differences also. In “Praying,” the speaker describes an emotional battle with one person in particular. Meanwhile in “Fahrenheit 451,” the author describes how the main character is having a metaphorical battle with society. Although the themes are similar, they are used in slightly different ways.  In ,”Fahrenheit 451,” Ray Bradbury shows how Montag is trying to get over the fact that books are illegal and that imagination is limited. He can’t even be seen with a book in his possession or else there will be huge consequences. The most feared consequence of this is, being forced to burn down your own house, or where the books are kept. And if you burn down your house, you’re most likely going to end up homeless, which is why no one ever dared to rebel against the law. Everyone except Montag. In contrast, in “Praying,” Kesha describes how she is trying to get over a past relationship. Based on the tone and description of the song, Kesha was at a low point in her life, because of whoever was In the relationship with her. That person made her feel like she was a nobody. In the song, it states,” You brought me the flames and you put me through hell.” This shows how the Kesha felt about the relationship and how much it impacted her, emotionally.

In both “Praying,” and “Fahrenheit 451,” Kesha and Ray Bradbury show how recovering from past pain and taking charge of your life, can actually result in positivity, self-confidence and a healthy state of mind. After reading and analyzing both pieces of text, readers can realize that although you may be going through a tough time in your life, that shouldn’t stop you from living your life happily, rather than living in sorrow. Because if you do that, you’ll just end up hurting yourself, which could make things even worse than it already was. Just find happiness and live your life the way it was meant to be lived.

Ray Bradbury’s novel, Fahrenheit 451 takes place sometime in the future where the main character, Guy Montag lives in a corrupt society where books are illegal and imagination is limited. Montag’s curiosity gets the best of him when he is caught stealing books. Because of this, he is forced to burn his own house down. Subsequently killing two people, one including his fire-chief Beatty Montag becomes a wanted fugitive. After escaping his town and following a path by a railroad, Montag meets other fugitives just like him and is accepted into their “group”, travelling with them to an unknown future that awaits them.  One lesson in the story is to not try to fit in with everyone else. Stand up for what you believe in, despite what others think of you. Guy Montag wants to dig deeper into the past, but is constantly discouraged by others.

 

From the very beginning of the novel, we see how Montag is introduced to the fact that life used to be different and books weren’t unauthorized. People could read as much as they wanted and not be penalized for it. Imagination was boundless, all according to another main character named Clarisse.  If it wasn’t for Clarisse, Montag would still be living life plainly like everyone else. At first, Montag is baffled this new information, but later starts to consider more about it and delve deeper into the topic. In the beginning of the story, Guy was perplexed as to why Clarisse says that firemen put of fires rather than burning them. After hearing this, Montag begins to debate his actions and everything that he stands for. The beginning of the novel also uses comparisons to show Montag’s point of view on books and their importance. An example of this would be, “This book has pores. It has features. This book can go under the microscope. You’d find life under the glass, streaming past in infinite profusion.”

 

In the middle of the story, Guy starts to think deeper about this and begins to question his beliefs, as stated in the second paragraph. Montag even steals a book and hides it in his bedroom. He tries to read a couple pages to understand why books are even considered illegal. He even attempts to explain to Mildred the new information he learned, but she refuses to listen to him. She thinks that what Montag is doing is insane, but Montag continues to learn more about books and their significance.  As he learns more he realizes that he should be cautious. He realizes this because he starts to notice that Beatty is on to him and feels suspicious about his sudden change in behavior. While burning a woman and her books, since he is still continuing with his job, he even uses this opportunity to read one line from a fairy-tail book.  But instead of feeling a rush of adrenaline, he starts to feel guilty about burning the woman and her books. Because of this, he considers quitting his job but Beatty uses persuasion to coax Montag out of quitting.

 

Because of Beatty’s act of persuasion, Montag continues going to work the next day. Although he chose to continue his job, he still has mixed emotions. On the other hand, many people think that being too curious about something can end up being a bad idea making the issue worse. Most people are familiar with the phrase, ‘Curiosity kills the cat,’ which is believable. While this an exceptional point, this doesn’t apply to everything. Sometimes it’s good to know more about an underrated topic even if it seems like no one else cares about it as much as you do. This shows that it all depends on the topic. You might have good intentions, but sometimes it might have bad consequences.

 

After Montag decides to be committed to discovering more about the past, he officially goes against the law, which makes him even more isolated from society, just because his beliefs are different from others. After being caught with books,  Montag is forced to burn down his house. Montag used this opportunity to kill Beatty. During this, Montag’s ex-fellow firemen don’t make an effort to stop Montag. The people of the law, even begin to fear Montag’s behavior, but do not want to show the public their fear. This is why the police kills someone who looks like Montag to fool the public into thinking that Montag was caught.  Instead, Montag runs away and meets a group of people who are runaway fugitives  like him. Montag no longer feels alone and isolated, because now he’s found people who are in the same situation as him and understand his struggles. At the very end of the text it states, ” Yes, thought Montag, that’s the one I’ll save for noon…. When we reach the city.” This shows that now, Montag can read freely when he reaches the city, where he can finally live in a fear-free future. When you stand up for what you believe in, even though others might not agree with you, that shouldn’t stop you from accomplishing your goal and making sure your voice is heard.

        Fahrenheit 451 takes place in a bleak, dystopian future.  Although the book does not clearly state when and where the setting of this book takes place, based on context clues, the reader can infer that the setting is a small rural town where not much happens and that this book takes place in the present. Although you might think that this town is ordinary, its actually quite peculiar. First, all books are illegal. Another detail that makes this rural town quaint, is that firemen start fires, rather than putting them out. In the  first chapter on page 1 it states, ” With his symbolic helmet numbered 451 on his stolid head, and his eyes all orange flame with the thought of what came next, he flicked the igniter and the house jumped up in a gorging fire that burned the evening sky red and yellow”.

         Clarisse is a 17 year old girl who is neighbors with another main character, Guy Montag. Clarisse is an eccentric person. Every time she appears in the book, she seems to be full of energy and has an interesting way of seeing things. The main problem(s) that impact Clarisse would probably be the law and society. She has all these ideas, thoughts, and wonders, but in reality, she can’t delve more into the topic, because it is either illegal, or others will think she’s crazy and won’t actually consider her thoughts. Only one person puts up with her and that is Guy.  Clarisse is similar to me, because we’re both always full of energy and like to think outside the box.

School Start Times, beneficial or not?

It was another average first period class at Blackhawk Middle School. The sky was dark and bleak, and the classroom was dull and muted. As all FWCS students know, middle schools begin at 7:20am. Although this might sound like a beneficial start time, others oppose. Around the Algebra 1 classroom, students seem to be working on their PSL’s. Groups of students with their heads low, fixated on their work. However, if you look intently, it seems that these students are having some trouble with keeping their heads up off their desks.

In the morning, during first period, it seems like students are working on their assignments, reading a book, ect. Although one student realizes that their fellow peers are actually fatigued and drooping. Despite the fact that these students are trying to stay somewhat focused in class, their lack of sleep seems to be pulling them back from their objective.

Picture this, all middle schools that are in the FWCS district, begin at 7:20am. Therefore, students have to wake up between  5;30 to 6 am in order to make it to school on time. Every person should receive at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep a day.  Although that is the average sleeping time, the amount of sleep you receive per night depends on your physical activity and your age.  Children ranging from ages 3 to 5 years old should attain 10 to 13 hours of sleep.  Children 6 to 13 years old should receive  9 to 11 hours of sleep.  Teens ages 14 to 17 should gain 8 to ten hours of sleep. Finally, adults should acquire at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep. Notice the difference between children ages 3 to 5 and adults. Adults obtain less amounts of sleep than younger children, due to the fact that adults are more preoccupied with things such as work, parenting, and other responsibilities.  On the other hand, younger children do not have to deal with numerous responsibilities like adults. Therefore, children have more time on their hands.  Although, this is a different story for students.

Some seemed to think that school start times shouldn’t affect students’ sleep times and performance within the classroom, but according to the NCBI, “Although getting enough sleep may not seem that big of a deal, medical research shows that teens who usually get too little sleep are more likely to struggle in school.” When you sleep, your brain is preparing you for the next day, Receiving enough sleep is crucial for adolescents.  The lack of sleep can induce multiple physical, emotional, and mental issues. This would be a serious issue considering the fact that adolescents’  are changing in health, hormones, and overall, growth .”Every morning, I would always go to school with a negative attitude, because I didn’t get enough sleep, the night before, I would easily get upset over pretty much anything!” says Adesewa, an 8th grade student attending Blackhawk Middle School.

All adolescents go through a phase called puberty. During this phase, juveniles become more sleepy late and night and are most likely to sleep later in the morning.  This is why students feel undoubtedly fatigued early in the morning.  A student currently attending Blackhawk Middle School says,” I earn 8 hours of sleep a day. I’m not happy with the amount of sleep I get though. I absolutely feel different when the amount of sleep I get changes.” -Jaclyn Polley.

Based on the results of a survey, 50% of the teens surveyed say that they feel a lot more fatigued than usual if their sleeping schedule changes. Paris Drew, currently an 8th grade student attending Blackhawk Middle School says that she receives 8- 9 hours of sleep. She is okay with the amount of sleep, she gets per night, although she does feel more tired without enough sleep. Paris also believes that school should start later in the morning so teens can get a proper amount of sleep. Mia Hill, who is also currently an 8th grade student, says, “I earn 7-8 hours of sleep. I sometimes receive less sleep than usual, because of sleep paralysis. However, I am satisfied with the hours I get per night. I feel terrible when my sleeping schedule changes, especially in the beginning of the school year, because I’m so used to sleeping longer during summer vacation. I wish school started later so I can earn more sleeping time.”

“When I was in elementary school, I earned a lot more sleep, because school started around 8:20am. That’s why my performance in school was beyond fantastic and it was very easy for me to focus. I was also happier about school. Now that middle school only starts at 7;20am, I get less amounts of sleep and its harder for me to focus and lighten up my mood. Who knew that an extra hour of sleep could do so much for not only my behavior, but also my health!” says Adesewa.

 

Sources: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/how-many-hours-of-sleep-are-enough/faq-20057898), students from Blackhawk Middle School

An informal survey conducted by a student

Picture this, you’re in bed, feeling serene, having the perfect nights’ sleep of your life. You wish it could go on eternally. Suddenly ”BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!!”, your alarm clock goes off and you comprehend that it’s time for school, sound familiar? The subject of start times for school has been a very popular topic.  As many people already know, sleep is an exceedingly significant habit. The National Heart, Lung and blood institute states, “Sleep affects physical, emotional, and mental health.” Furthermore, students struggle with this habit.

Start times for school districts vary. Referring to the FWCS homepage, elementary schools start at 8:20 am. Middle schools begin at 7:20 am, and high schools begin at 9:20 pm. Based on this information, it seems that middle school students have limited time to sleep than elementary and high school students.  Although, not everyone’s sleeping patterns are equivalent, middle school students continue to struggle with coping with their sleeping patterns and times.

Every person should receive at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep a day.  Although that is the average sleeping time, the amount of sleep you get per night depends on your physical activity and your age.  Children ranging from ages 3 to 5 years old should attain 10 to 13 hours of sleep.  Children 6 to 13 years old should receive  9 to 11 hours of sleep.  Teens ages 14 to 17 should gain 8 to ten hours of sleep. Finally, adults should acquire at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep. Notice the difference between children ages 3 to 5 and adults. Adults obtain less amounts of sleep than younger children, due to the fact that adults are more preoccupied with things such as work, parenting, and other responsibilities.  On the other hand, younger children do not have to deal with numerous responsibilities like adults. Therefore, children have more time on their hands.  Although, this is a different story for students.

Some seemed to think that school start times shouldn’t affect students’ sleep times and performance within the classroom, but according to the NCBI, “Although getting enough sleep may not seem that big of a deal, medical research shows that teens who usually get too little sleep are more likely to struggle in school.” When you sleep, your brain is preparing you for the next day, Receiving enough sleep is crucial for adolescents.  The lack of sleep can induce multiple physical, emotional, and mental issues. This would be a serious issue considering the fact that adolescents’  are changing in health, hormones, and overall, growth. All adolescents go through a phase called puberty. During this phase, juveniles become more sleepy late and night and are most likely to sleep later in the morning.  This is why students feel undoubtedly fatigued early in the morning.  A student currently attending Blackhawk Middle School says,” I earn 8 hours of sleep a day. I’m not happy with the amount of sleep I get though. I absolutely feel different when the amount of sleep I get changes.” -Jaclyn Polley.

We can only imagine the difference a new school start time would make in students’ daily life. Sleeping also affects your mental health and brain function. Like mentioned before, as you sleep, your body is preparing you for the following day. It’s creating advanced pathways to bolster learning and retaining information.  Sleep improves the way you learn too. Similarly, sleep promotes you to pay extra attention to circumstances going on around you. Furthermore, sleep helps you compose decisions and being creative. If your sleep is deficient,  allegedly, you’ll have complications in generating decisions, solving issues, maintaining your emotions and behavior, and coping with change. Now we know that a lot can happen without a good amount of sleep!

         You’re in bed, feeling serene, having the perfect nights’ sleep of your life. You wish it could go on eternally. Suddenly ”BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!!”, your alarm clock goes off and you comprehend that it’s time for school, sound familiar? The subject of start times for school has been a very popular topic.  As many people already know, sleep is an exceedingly significant habit. As stated in the previous newscast, “Sleep affects physical, emotional, and mental health.” Furthermore, students struggle with this habit.

         Start times for school districts vary. Referring to the FWCS homepage, elementary schools start at 8:20 am. Middle schools begin at 7:20 am, and high schools begin at 9:20 pm. Based on this information, it seems that middle school students have limited time to sleep than elementary and high school students.  Although, not everyone’s sleeping patterns are equivalent, middle school students continue to struggle with coping with their sleeping patterns and times.

     Some seemed to think that school start times shouldn’t affect students’ sleep times and performance within the classroom, but others disagree with this claim. According to NCBI, “Although getting enough sleep may not seem that big of a deal, medical research shows that teens who usually get too little sleep are more likely to struggle in school.” Receiving enough sleep is crucial for adolescents.  The lack of sleep can induce multiple physical, emotional, and mental issues.This would be a serious issue considering the fact that adolescents’  are changing in health, hormones, and overall, growth. All adolescents go through a phase called puberty. During this phase, juveniles become more sleepy late and night and are most likely to sleep later in the morning.  This is why students feel undoubtedly fatigued early in the morning. “When I wake up in the morning, I feel like I don’t even want to go to school because of how tired I am.” Says, a middle school student.

       Sleep can benefit your needs in various ways. Most importantly, your health.  This includes your mental health, physical health, and emotional health. Every person should receive at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep a day.  Although that is the average sleeping time, the amount of sleep you get per night depends on your physical activity and your age.  Children ranging from ages 3 to 5 years old should attain 10 to 13 hours of sleep.  Children 6 to 13 years old should receive  9 to 11 hours of sleep.  Teens ages 14 to 17 should gain 8 to ten hours of sleep. Finally, adults should acquire at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep. Notice the difference between children ages 3 to 5 and adults. Adults obtain less amounts of sleep than younger children, due to the fact that adults are more preoccupied with things such as work, parenting, and other responsibilities.  On the other hand, younger children do not have to deal with numerous responsibilities like adults. Therefore, children have more time on their hands.  Although, this is a different story for students. Students receive less amounts of sleep due to school and other educational responsibilities. A student currently attending Blackhawk Middle School says,” I earn 8 hours of sleep a day. I’m not happy with the amount of sleep I get though. I absolutely feel different when the amount of sleep I get changes.” -Jaclyn Polley. Another student attending Blackhawk Middle School says,” I get about 6 hours of sleep and I hate it. I wish I could sleep more ,but I’m so preoccupied with school, sports and studying that I don’t have enough time to just relax. -Anonymous.

8 Sleeping also affects your mental health and brain function. As you sleep, your body is preparing you for the following day. It’s creating advanced pathways to bolster learning and retaining information.  Sleep improves the way you learn too. Similarly, sleep promotes you to pay extra attention to circumstances going on around you. Furthermore, sleep helps you compose decisions and being creative. If your sleep is deficient,  allegedly, you’ll have complications in generating decisions, solving issues, maintaining your emotions and behavior, and coping with change.

sources: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/how-many-hours-of-sleep-are-enough/faq-20057898), students from Blackhawk Middle School

 

Blackhawk Middle School kicks off the new school year with a party

It’s the beginning of August, and summer is coming to an end, but something else is starting… That’s right, a new school year! Students start the school year with many emotions. Some are dreading the start of a new school year, meanwhile others are full of excitement and enthusiasm. Although it is rare to find students who are actually glad that the summer fun is coming to an end, what better way to boost the mood with a celebration?

Every year, the administrators gather together to come up with a “back-to-school” party. The 2017 Blackhawk Back-to-school party will take place sometime between the second and third week of school in the back of the building by the track. They try to incorporate fun activities such as bounce-houses, an open soccer field where students can play a game of football and soccer, a dj that plays popular and trending songs that the students will love  to jam out to, and so much more! This year, several sources have confirmed that the administrators have lowered the price of admission, to provoke more students to come and have a good time. Who would want to start the new school year feeling down? Why not ease up a bit and start the school year with a positive attitude?

Based on reviews from previous students from the 2015-2016 school year, the back-to-school parties are always a big hit. One of the students says, “I like the back to school parties because I get to have fun with my friends”. Based on this anonymous  students’ review, this shows that they believe that Blackhawk’s Back-to-school parties are always a fun event. A survey that took place during the 8th grade lunch mod proved that about 70% of the 8th graders love to attend the parties.

The back-to-school parties are a very fun event, especially for the 8th graders. They tend to enjoy the parties as much as they can, considering the fact that it will be their last Blackhawk back-to-school party. A current 8th grade student says, ” I loved the back-to-school parties since the 6th grade. I’ll really miss the fun activities there and having fun with my friends to start the new year” This student clearly means that the Blackhawk, back-to-school parties were such a delight and will surely be missed by many other 8th grade students.

Back-to–school parties are a fun way to kick off the new school year with a positive attitude. It not only creates positive vibes but also can create a joyful mood towards a learning environment. The fun activities not only allow you to socialize with friends, but also allow you to feel a bit more comfortable and start the school year without a lot of stress. The Blackhawk  back-to-school party will surely accomplish these goals.