Hershey’s Chocolate Bar

The Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar, often shortened to just the “Hershey Bar”, is the major chocolate bar produced by the Hershey Company. The Hershey Bar was first sold in 1900 with the Hershey’s Milk Chocolate with Almonds variety beginning production in 1908.  A circular version of the milk chocolate bar called Hershey’s Drops was released in 2010.

Raised in rural central Pennsylvania, farm boy Milton Hershey would never have even dreamed that he would someday both touch the lives of thousands and become of the most famous chocolate producers in the world. It was in the year 1894 that candy manufacturer Milton Hershey made the decision to try adding chocolate coating to his caramels. Calling this new enterprise the Hershey Chocolate Company, he located it near the area he had been born, amid the rolling farmland of Derry Township, PA. By the summer of 1905, with the milk from nearby dairy farms and the spirit of hard-working local people, his new factory started turning out milk chocolate.

The Hershey processed milk chocolate used in these bars is actually cheaper to make than that of other chocolates, as it is markedly less sensitive to the freshness of the milk used in the recipe.  The process was developed by Milton Hershey himself, and was the very first mass-produced chocolate in the U.S.  As a result, the Hershey flavor is widely recognized in the U.S. and Canada, but less so around the world, especially in areas where European chocolates are more widely available.  The process is a trade secret, but experts speculate that the milk is stabilized from further fermentation.  The compounds made to create this effect a sour, tangy taste to which the US public has become accustomed.  The American bar’s taste profile was not as popular with the Canadian public, leading Hershey to introduce a reformulated Canadian bar in 1983.  The company describes the revised Canadian formulation as a “creamier, smoother, lighter colored and milder flavored product more suitable to Canadian taste.”  The Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar is the only 45 pound chocolate bar, costing $44.99 on the Hershey’s website.

 

The Review

It comes as no surprise to learn that the Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar is one of the top 3 bestselling candies in America. When a food has such an appetizing appearance, unique aroma, and, of course, peerless taste as Milton Hershey’s amazing chocolate bar does, there’s no doubt that it’s a winner.

One of the most impressive things about the renowned treat is its delicious appearance. While it’s true that you can’t normally judge a book by its cover, you can certainly judge a Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar by its exterior.  Even before you see the candy, you feel impressed by the look.  The simple, slim-cut wrapper oozes style and prestige, and will have you salivating from the moment you see it.  From here, it only gets better.  The bar itself is the same rich, brown rectangle repeated over and over again, with the HERSHEY’S emblem imprinted in each one. When the look of a candy bar is this impressive, there can be no doubt that the candy bar is going to be delicious!

Of course, there’s far more to candy than the look. Simply by sniffing the candy, you are struck with an overwhelming sense of euphoria, one that can only be induced by a flavor as awe-inspiring as a Hershey’s Chocolate Bar! It’s an astoundingly rich smell, heavy and incredibly hunger inducing.  The smell matches the flavor of the candy exactly, a rather uncommon occurrence when it comes to candy.  Normally, the scent is different from the actual taste, but it is different in this case.  As wonderful as it is, the smell of a Hershey’s Chocolate Bar is merely a foretaste of the greatness that is to come…

Last and greatest of the many wonderful things about the Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar is the flavor.  A taste as delicious as this is unparalleled in any other chocolate bar, a factor that you’ll be aware of the moment it enters your mouth.  It’s a quite sweet, and yet, not too much so.  It would not be difficult to go overboard on the level of sweetness, but it’s the perfect balance of sweet and bitter. But what really puts this candy over the edge is its texture.  It’s soft and pliable to the touch, yet offers resistance to your bite. As all the best candies do, Hershey’s melts in your mouth quickly, but not so quick as to prevent you from enjoying it.  The taste of a Hershey’s is truly amazing, and it’s very easy to see why it’s the most popular candy bar in America.

            Hershey’s is one awesome treat.  It might not be the fanciest, or the healthiest, or the cheapest, but it still rises above the rest.  Maybe it’s the flavor, or the texture, or even the appearance!  No matter what it is, Hershey’s has created an amazing food, and one that is- in my opinion- the best around.  A+

 

The Competition!

Part One: Kraft’s Milka!

            I’ll say this (and not much else) in support of Kraft: they do their best to cover a whole range of foods.  As a onetime fan of Kraft Mac and Cheese, I made the awful mistake of assuming that Milka, Kraft’s cheap attempt to match the popularity of Hershey’s, would be even remotely good.  I soon learned the error of my ways.  At first glance, Milka is actually quite good.  It’s a light brown color, and has certain “cuteness” to its tiny little squares.  It even smelled surprisingly appetizing. The horror strikes in when you actually sink your teeth into this ungodly little morsel.  It has a truly nightmarish taste, combining cow feces and rotten milk into a single deceptively tasty looking square.  If the devil has a chocolate counterpart, then it’s Milka.  D-

Part Two: Mars’ Dove!

            Mars may be most well-known for its patented Mars Bars and M&M’s, but there’s an undeniable charm to Dove milk chocolate.  It doesn’t look like anything special, just a small square of chocolate, but it gets better from there.  Dove smells quite a bit like a classier version of Hershey’s, which makes sense: You can get two Hershey’s for the price of one Dove.  The candy itself melts rather quickly (you have been warned!) even in your hand, and it’s not the type that you ought to leave in your pocket for a day and a half.  But what made me most excited was the taste.  It’s far, far bitterer than Hershey’s, which is extremely sweet, and honestly?  That’s a good thing!   Overall, I highly recommend Dove, as long as you’ve got the cash to spend on it. A-

Part Three: Cadbury!

            It comes as absolutely no surprise to find that Cadbury makes one fine chocolate.  Most famous for their Easter themed “Cadbury Eggs”, the candy company once again proves their worth when it comes to chocolate.  Once you get past the bland appearance, the milk chocolate reveals its true worth.  It has a nice, rather rough texture, and is not likely to melt quickly.  That’s a HUGE bonus, considering how annoying it is when your chocolate melts to nothing in your hand.  It also smells quite similar to how it tastes, which is divine.  All in all, Cadbury creates a nice experience once again, earning its place high in the chocolate charts.  A

 

Statistics:

Artist: David Bowie
Album Title: The Next Day
Genre: Rock
Record Label: ISO, Columbia
Release Date: March 8th, 2013

Tracklist:

1. The Next Day
2. Dirty Boys
3. The Stars (Are Out Tonight)
4. Love Is Lost
5. Where Are We Now?
6. Valentine’s Day
7. If You Can See Me
8. I’d Rather Be High
9. Boss of Me
10. Dancing Out In Space
11. How Does the Grass Grow?
12. (You Will) Set the World on Fire
13. You Feel So Lonely You Could Die
14. Heat
15. So She (Bonus Track)
16. Plan (Bonus Track)
17. I’ll Take You There (Bonus Track)

Review:

After many long years, David Bowie’s triumphant return to the music industry has reminded the world that rock and roll will never die.  After looking death straight in the face back in 2004, many David Bowie fans gave up hope for a new album.  And yet, here he is, back and better than ever with “The Next Day”.   With stylistic changes from song to song, David Bowie’s new album is certainly one that he won’t regret recording.  The fantastic rhythms and melodies make The Next Day addictive to listen to, and the many style alterations make every time you enjoy the album different.  Of course, no album is perfect.  Because of all the genres Bowie covered, not all of the songs are as appealing as they might be.  Even so, David Bowie is as far from gone as he can get.

To begin with what is, in some ways, the most important thing about The Next Day is the incredible rhythms and melodies.  It’s difficult not to tap your foot and nod in time along with Bowie, with such strong rhythms rocking in your ears.  I’ve noticed people staring at me, and I realize that my foot is thumping up and down in time with “Valentine’s Day”.  And it’s not just the rhythms that make The Next Day so awesome.  The melodies are sheer genius!  From “I’d Rather Be High” and its rapid, driving anti-war chant to the fast rock of “(You Will) Set the World On Fire”, the notes have been crafted together seamlessly, making the entire album an absolute joy to listen to.  These two factors combine together to give birth to one of the most fantastic musical experiences of the decade, leaving you with no doubt as to Bowie’s musical prowess.  All in all, The Next Day has no difficult cementing itself as one of Bowie’s best albums, and one that you’ll listen to many times over.

But perhaps the most intriguing thing about The Next Day is the many stylistic changes from both past albums and from song to song.  David Bowie has never been one to focus on a single genre, but even for him, The Next Day showcases lots of music types.  From the fast rock of “If You Can See Me” to the slow, sad ballad of “Where Are We Now”, The Next Day will appeal to fans of all.  One nice thing about the number of genre changes is that every time you listen to the album, it’s different.  If you shuffle the songs on the album, it makes each listening experience unique in its own way.  The album is definitely rock, but it still gives you plenty of musical opportunities to enjoy.  David Bowie’s musical prowess is demonstrated very clearly in this aspect, and it’s one of the best things about The Next Day.

Finally, as much as I loved Bowie’s latest, it wasn’t perfect.  While some of the songs were simply phenomenal, I found myself reaching for the skip button every now and then.  I absolutely loved “(You Will) Set the World On Fire” and “The Stars (Are Out Tonight)”, but “Dirty Boys” and “Heat” were ranked lower on my list of music.  Perhaps the reason I enjoyed these songs was due to my taste in music, and Bowie’s new music styles.  I’m a huge Queen and Rolling Stones fan, and these songs had less “Another One Bites the Dust” within them than some of the album, making me feel less drawn to them.  I felt that the entire album was a return to Bowie’s roots, but some of those roots aren’t to my taste. That’s not to begrudge the album however: The Next Day is terrific, and was a most welcome addition to Bowie’s already extensive arsenal of amazing music.

Final Thoughts:

The Next Day was Bowie’s triumphant return to the musical industry, and one that no one is likely to forget.  The music is simply incredible, the number of genres astounding, and although it has it’s bad spots, practically every song is awesome.  For these reasons, I’d give The Next Day a 4 out of 5.  This album should be one that you add to your collection, no matter what kind of music you listen to.  It’s worth the cost, and you’ll absolutely get your money’s worth in songs.  It’s one of those albums that everyone ought to own, and one that marks a great day in Bowie’s already successful career.  Welcome back to the music industry, David Bowie.

The Stats:

Director: Ben Affleck
Produced by: Grant Heslov, Ben Affleck, George Clooney
Genre: Historical / Drama / Thriller
Release Date: October 12th, 2012
Rating: R for language and some violent images

The Summary:

Argo focuses on the story of a tense time in American history, the Iran Hostage Crisis.  When an angry group of revolutionaries storm the American embassy on November 4^th, 1979, only 6 of the original 58 Americans escape.  These 6 run to the Canadian ambassadors house, but they can only hide for so long. As enemies close in on all sides, what was already an explosive situation has just had it’s fuse lit.  With no options left, the CIA turns to their best exfiltration operative, Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) for help.

The Review:

As the credits rolled down the screen, I was filled with satisfaction.  Argo had truly lived up to my expectations of the best picture of the year, and a large part of that was due to the degree of realism, the fantastic script, and, of course, the intense acting.

ARGO is completely based off fact.  The story of the Iran Hostage Crisis is, by this point, no secret.  Many people still remember the yellow ribbons from this time period, so trying to represent the emotional level, trying to capture the feeling that resounded through America during such a tense time, must have been difficult. And yet, Affleck pulled it off astoundingly well, managing to get ahold of this reality and project it onto the silver screen.  Before I watched ARGO, I did just a little bit of research on the film.  Much of what I could find discredited the realism of the film, pointing out details and points that occured in the movie. I went in to the film expecting it to be your standard movie, with maybe the occasional fact thrown in there, but for the most part, a lot of Hollywood.  The critics weren’t wrong: Ben Affleck had added much and more to his film.  All the close calls, the suspicions, even the plan itself…they were all birthed or modified by Affleck.  But the thing is, I didn’t even notice these things while I watched ARGO: I focused on what hadn’t been altered.  I saw a man hanging from a crane, long dead.  I saw Iranian officials shoot an old man for trying to ask a question.  I saw the fear, the tension, in the eyes of the hostages.  I saw the past.  Ben Affleck created a portal to the Iran Hostage Crisis in ARGO, giving those born long after the tensions of the time had past a chance to glimpse the anger, the fear, of the era.  Everything, right down to the actors, was intended to mimic the people, the sets, the world of the Iran Hostage Crisis.  Reality is a harsh thing, and ARGO makes no attempt to mask that. It doesn’t show you heroes, or true love, or cliched villains.  It shows you the truth.

Another thing I absolutely loved about ARGO was the sublime script.  Screenwriter Chris Terrio must have been hit with a stroke of greatness when he wrote this script, because it could come from nothing less than either pure genius or complete insanity.  ARGO jumps from hilarious to tense in under a minute, leaving you blindsided and unprepared for the darkness that is sure to follow.  The script, already extremely suspenseful, is made even more so by the fantastic score.  Even in light hearted moments, you can’t forget the darkness lurking behind the facade of Hollywood lights and jokes, and that’s in large part due to the music behind the words. However, the best thing about the script was not the score, or the transitions. It was the flow of it. Some movies have difficulty making lines seem natural, but ARGO is not one of them. Reinforced by the superb acting, ARGO’s script creates scenes that run just as real conversations do. ARGO’s script leaves you on the edge of your seat from start to finish, drawing you in more and more…and all without a single action scene in it.

Last, and in some ways, most importantly, was the excellent acting. In my opinion, acting is the one thing that can make or break a movie, and ARGO’s cast was truly amazing, bringing to life the grey world of Hollywood in the 70’s and 80’s.  From the acting of Ben Affleck to the random Iranian officials, ARGO boasted one of the finest casts I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen quite a few movies.  The wonderful actors in ARGO represented the people of the Iran Hostage Crisis to the letter, from their appearance to their lines.  During the credits of ARGO, it compares the real life ambassadors in the Iran Hostage Crisis to the amazing actors playing them in ARGO , and the similarity is staggering.  The acting in ARGO was truly wonderful, and it certainly made the movie a great of its time.

Final Closing Thoughts:

ARGO was a wonderful film.  It had everything that a movie ought to have, with excellent acting, a superb script, and the exact right degree of realism.  That’s not to say that it’s the best movie of all time, but it certainly makes my top ten list.  It’s for these reasons that I give ARGO a 10 out of 10, simply because there was absolutely nothing that I didn’t love about it.  It was a great movie, and one that I recommend greatly, especially if  you can yourself remember the days of the Iran Hostage Crisis.  You won’t regret it.

If you want to see m pre-movie review, go to my glog here: http://wjb2017.edu.glogster.com/argo/

     Every year, I give thanks for everything given to me.  I’m very lucky to live the life that I do, and I always try to remember that.  This year, I’ve got more to thank for than usual, so this blog is a good way of letting out some of the thanks that I don’t know how to express.  One thing I’m thankful for is my family.  We’re all healthy, we’re all friends, and we all have enough to survive.  Many people out there have far less than I do, and no matter our petty conflicts and issues, we should remember that we are truly blessed to live such wonderful lives.  I’m also thankful for my friends.  We may have our fights, but throughout it all, I know you’re there for me.  Without you guys, I don’t think I could make it through the day.  The last thing I’m thankful for is somewhat…unusual.  Most people would be thankful for Xbox, or games, or food…that kind of thing.  I’m thankful for peace.  Here in Littlestown, we live a life of relative ease and safety.  We don’t have to worry about bombs, or guns, or any violence like that.  There are people out there that fear a painful death every day, and we have no need to fear that here in south-central PA.  The world is a harsh place, and we are lucky to be as safe as we are.  As I said, I have much to be thankful for this year.  And why not?  I’m alive, I’m healthy, and I’m happy.  There isn’t much more a person could want.

 For this project, we were to Google our name and our town to see our “Digital Footprint”, or our effect on the grand world of the internet.  I found several sites relating to my late great-grandfather, who passed away about 2 years ago, because I’m mentioned in his obituary.  I also found a few sites about choirs that I am or was involved with, and sites where we performed.  My name was listed on my churches website for dates that I served as an acolyte in church, and finally, it linked to my Facebook page, which came as no surprise.  What did come as a surprise was how many times I found my name.  I’m not involved with much outside of theater and church, so the fact that it was so easy to find myself on the internet was slightly surprising…and a little be worrying.  In this day and age, there is very little privacy, and I realized that for the first time just now.

 For the next part of our assignment, we were to Google our names without the town to see who else shared our name.  To my disappointment, no one shares the same name as me, so I had to Google my parents’ names instead- I chose my dad.  One of the results that came up was a cellist, a relatively famous one, who lived in Chicago.  A 57 year old psychiatrist living in Denver was another person who came up, as well as a World War II veteran’s obituary.  There were also several other doctors who had the same name as my dad, which came as  a surprise.  It’s not a particularly common name, so the amount of people who are named the same thing as him was a shock. 

The internet is a wonderful place, and it’s easily influenced.  Be you a lawyer or a doctor, a musician or an academic, you may someday appear on Google.  It all depends on how you live your life.

#5: Friday, by Rebecca Black

I am, as you’ll see, an unusual person when it comes to music.  I prefer classic rock from the 60’s and 70’s to the music of today, but this is one song that everybody hates, no matter what kind of music they like.  It’s so horrible that it got more dislikes than likes on YouTube… and it was the number one most viewed YouTube video for a while.

 

#4: Teenage Dream by Katy Perry

I hate modern music, I’ll be honest.  This is just one of the many songs that make me want to vomit.  It makes me wish for the days of Queen, of David Bowie, of the Rolling Stones.  Days when music was actually GOOD.

 

#3:  Baby by Justin Bieber.

This song…I still believe that it was written expressly to punish the world for all that mankind has done to the earth. It’s annoying, vain, and overall a terrible creation by humans.  It makes me sick.

#2: That’s What Makes you Beautiful by One Direction

This song is just awful.  I dislike it for the same reasons as the rest of the music on this list.  It’s too “poppy”, too annoying, and too stupid.  But the main reason I hate modern music is that every song sounds EXACTLY THE SAME.  Maybe it’s just me, but songs ought to always be unique.  Modern music all sounds similar, and I’m sick of it.

#1: Bangarang by Skrillex:

Dubstep.  A category of its own.  Music?  No, this is ear torture.  To be classified as music, there ought to be a beat or rhythm, and, most importantly, a tune.  Dubstep is basically a bunch of sounds mashed together to form the worst thing ever conceived in the mind of the world.  It’s the number one on my list for the simple reason that nothing else can match its ability to make me wish I could just stab my ears out in under 5 seconds.

 Want to see my Top 5 songs list?  Come check it out, and thanks for reading!

Student Blog Challenge: Week Three: Pennsylvania is a state rich with history, entertainment, and beauty.  There is so much to see, you’ll never have time to do it all.  That’s my job.  Here is a list of the top five attractions in PA.  This list is in no particular order, so let’s get started!

5: Fallingwater @ 1491 Mill Run Road: This astonishing architectural marvel is a must see in PA.  Designed and built by Frank Lloyd Wright, you’ll be seriously missing out if you don’t stop by here.  Whether you want to see the sculptures, the house itself, or even just explore the grounds, you’ll have an fantastic day for sure.

4: Wildwood Park @ Harrisburg PA: This picturesque park hidden away in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania is a perfect spot for an afternoon of fun.  With tons of planned events, hikes, biking trails, and much, much more, Wildwood Park is a great place for an awesome day.

 3: Philadelphia: It might not be the prettiest town out there, but Phillie holds something for everyone.  From the Liberty Bell to the Philadelphia Eagles, this city is one that you can most certainly find plenty to do in.  There’s museums, sports stadiums, historical locations, a recreation of sailing ships, and, of course, the multitude of cultures (and their food!) that live in Phillie.  I strongly recommend that you make the wise decision to stop by for a few hours; it’s a decision you won’t regret.

2: Hershey: “The Sweetest Place on Earth” holds true to its name.   Milton Hershey had no idea that the town he built for his factory workers would someday become such a huge, successful place.  From Hershey Park to Hershey Chocolate World to Hershey itself, Hershey has an extremely expansive list of attractions to its name.  If you don’t go here, then you’ll miss out on the experience of a lifetime. 

1: Gettysburg: Whether or not you are a big history lover, Gettysburg is a great place.  It has a wonderful visitors center, tons of great restaurants (I personally recommend Mr. G’s, the greatest ice cream place on earth) and lots of other things to do.  There’s the Gettysburg Community Theatre, which I am sometimes involved in, that puts on highly professional shows, and so much more to do.  Gettysburg is a town with great historical significance, great food, and fantastic fun.

 

6: Batman: Arkham City

The game Batman: Arkham City is a fantastic game with a dark, engaging storyline.  You play as the Dark Knight in all his glory, progressively upgrader your gadgets and fighting your way through thugs and enemies.  It’s an open world game with a huge area to explore, and its graphics are impressive, to say the least.  Batman Arkham City is a great game, and it most certainly makes 6th on my list.  It would be higher, but it simply can’t match the potential of the rest of my games.

5: Assassins Creed

Assassins Creed is a very popular, open world game following the storyline of a group called the Assassins.  It’s an intricate open world game with immersive missions and realistic graphics that almost defy possibility.   While it’s a violent game, it’s filled with historical information and stunning overlooks that truly strike the greatness of the game home.  It’s absolutely fantastic, but unlike the top 4 games, it just seems to lack something that truly makes a game a pioneer in gaming.

4: HALO

Coming in 4th is the only FPS on my list.  HALO is a huge franchise with a massive fan base, and is constantly viewed in competition with the Call of Duty franchise.  I tend to side with HALO, due to my preference of sci-fi to so called “realism” that Call of Duty apparently has, although I don’t agree that it does.  HALO is often credited as “the greatest storyline of games to date”, and has extremely fun gameplay, as well as fascinating history and cultures contained within a game.  HALO is one of the few shooters to blend both the fast paced combat of today’s FPS’s, and an incredible storyline.  Halo is a game that I absolutely LOVE, and would be in first on a list of FPS’s for sure.  It just can’t match up to my top 3 games though, and you’ll soon see why.

3rd:  Mass Effect

Oh, Mass Effect.  I’ve followed the story of John Shepard ever since Mass Effect, and I have to say, it’s been a fun ride.  The story of Mass Effect, combined with the hundreds of locations to explore and secrets to discover, put this game in 3rd place easily, and combined with the rest of the game, it’s surprising that anything comes even close to matching it, and amazing that things beat it on my list.  Mass Effect is a trilogy of games that has realistic characters and a storyline that is truly immersive.  From Tali’ Zorah vas Normandy to Garrus Vakarian to Thane Krios, every character in the game is unique.  Mass Effect is an open world third person shooter with an entire universe contained within the game.  Mass Effect is truly the greatest game of its kind, and has it’s happy moments, and ones that will stun you into silence.  Mass Effect is an amazing game, and one that I will certainly replay over and over again.  The top two games on my list got the stop through sheer greatness only, and believe me when I say that the fact that they are rated above Mass Effect is not a decision that I made lightly.

2: Skyrim

 I’m assuming that you’ve heard of Skyrim, or else you’ve been living under a rock.  This amazing game is tied with my number one game, although it is listed as number 2.  I couldn’t decide between the two games, and the reasons why are clear.  The 2011 Game of the Year, the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is the fifth installation in the epic chronicle that is the Elder Scrolls.  It’s a huge open world game, with over 200 hours of gameplay, and DLC that adds twenty more hours.  Skyrim is a fantasy game with stunning locations, jaw dropping graphics, grotesque monsters, and, of course, a long, well written storyline.  Skyrim is basically the greatest game ever released, and even now, almost a year after it’s release, I still find things that I never even knew existed.  Skyrim is a game that will leave you in shock when you’re done playing, and if you don’t own it already, then buy it.  Now.  It’s a truly fantastic game, and could only be beaten by a single game.  A game that has more options than Skyrim…

1: Minecraft

Yeah, Minecraft is my number one game.  How could it not be?  Minecraft is a truly great game, with an infinite number of options.  Want to build a house?  You can do it.  Want to live your dreams of being a cruel dictator?  Start building your empire.  Want to build a huge space ship, complete with a fully stocked armory and huge, powerful weapons?  What are you waiting for?  Go ahead!  Minecraft is, quite literally, a game where the only limits are your imagination.  People think it’s just about placing blocks, but it’s so much more than that.  It’s a game with no rules, where you fight for your survival using what you can get.  Minecraft is, by all accounts, a wonderful game.  Whether you’re playing with friends, building your mansion, or just going on a killing spree, you are doing something that no other game can truly offer.  Minecraft is a fantastic game, and absolutely deserves it’s space on my top 5 list.

My School District is, by all accounts, a failure of a School District.  There is so much to change, the hardest part will be figuring out what NOT to say.

For starters, there is the budget.  The arts, like band, chorus, and musical, and being cut left and right.  These activities are very important to the less athletic students, and help enrich our society.  Cutting them is a mistake, but if it saves the district a buck or two, then it goes out the window.  Money going to the arts is money well spent.

Next, there is the matter of the focus on standardized testing.  Tests are important, yes, but the material that the students are to learn is much more so.  Teachers are being made to stress the emphasis on tests like the PSSA’s and the Keystone exam, instead of letting them teach in the way that they can do most efficiently.

Finally, I feel that teachers don’t teach us in ways that are easier to absorb.  Students prefer learning in ways like using computers and watching movies.  Instead, we are taught by taking notes and listening to a teacher talk for 53 minutes.  We’d learn much faster if we were asked how WE wanted to learn, and isn’t that the goal of school?  Teaching students as quickly and efficiently as possible?

As you can see, school has many issues.  This is just three of them.  However, if we seriously reevaluated the way schooling is done, I believe that it would be much better.  I hope you agree.

One: I would like to write at least one mildly successful book because I’ve always loved writing- but only fiction!

Two: I want to travel around the world.  Not literally all the way around, but to at least 10 different countries.

Three: I want to live in England as an exchange student for at least one year, because England may be my favorite place on Earth.

Four: I would like to perform on a professional stage (Like Broadway or Carnegie Hall).  Performing is my dream job, and I just want to have the experience of it.

Five:   I’ve always wanted to go spelunking.  I’ve been spelunking a few times, but I’d like to discover a new cave system or something akin to that.

Six: I want to help out at a charity, like World Wildlife Fund.  I’ve donated money before, but I’d like to do something more than that.

Seven: I want to become a lawyer.  My dad is one, and I love solving disputes- being a lawyer is an ideal job.

Eight: I want to meet a famous person (who I’m a fan of).  Most people want to BE a celebrity, but I’d be satisfied with just meeting one- Billy Joel, for example, or Paul McCartney.

Nine One of my life’s goals is to make a new friend from a foreign country.  It would be fascinating to discuss our respective cultures, and I’ve never had a friend who lives outside of the USA.

Ten: I want to go to a selective college, like Columbia or Harvard.  To have a succesful career, you need to go to a school suited to meet your needs.  Yale, and schools lke it, would be perfect for me, although I have no doubt that it would be nigh on impossible to get in.