Hope Is What Keeps Us Going

By fighting for what she believes in Michaela Mycroft not only gives herself hope but many others to. She has done many things to not only make her life easier but for many others to. She was driven to help others from her own needs, needs for others, and awareness about those in need.

Michaela Mycroft was born with Cerebral Palsy, a disease which limits the function of her arms and legs.

When Michaela was 9 she was in great need of a wheelchair. So she raised some money with her friends and sisters so that she was able to get one. After 7 weeks of raising money, she had enough to get one but she still had some more money and decided to use it to help other children in South Africa just like herself.

After helping numerous kids it turned into The Chaeli Campaign. Now not only did she raise money to help children with disabilities get wheelchairs but get physical therapy as well. The Chaeli Campaign helps about 3000 children in South Africa per year. A campaign founded by kids became so successful because they were doing the right thing and no-one else was taking up the challenge. 

Now Michaela is 17 and just won The International Childrens Peace Prize for 2011. She had so much hope and that is what made The Chaeli Campaign so successful. By having hope for herself she gave hope to others by helping them have a better and easier life. Not just anyone would be willing to give up as much time and effort to do what Michaela did and she has a disability, but it goes to show nothing can stop you.

From starting with nothing Michaela Mycroft has come a long way. Her kindness and hope pulled her through and helped many others on her journey. It goes to show that hope and a dream you can do anything.

Buy Nothing Day

Everyone knows that the world is heating up, but there are was to stop it. There are many ways to stop this and the problem is not everyone is contributing.  On November 26th it is buy nothing day, when you buy nothing. It's really not that hard but even though we all need to buy things like food but we don't need to buy clothes, decorations ect. Buy nothing day does a few things, it slows down consumption rates, which slows production, and overall less gases and poisons are released into the atmosphere.

The first thing that Buy nothing day does it slows down consumption. Consumption is what we consume ( buy) . These days people buy a lot of things they don't need like iPads, clothes and useless little toys. But what people don't understand is that by buying all this 'stuff ' actually has an effect on ourplanet. If we reduce our consumption rates then our production rates will drop.

Production, is the process in which things are made. Production releases toxic chemicals into the atmosphere, which contributes to global warming. It does this by adding chemicals to the greenhouse effect ( what keeps earth warm) and it heats up earth. 

These three steps can easily be reduced and if so it could make a huge change in the way our planet is heading. The truth is, it isn't even that hard we just need to stop buying useless things but for some people it can be hard but this small adjustment could make a huge impact on our plant and hopefully make it a better place.

'All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.'

Everyone has a dream but only some people have the strength and determination to fulfill it. Some dreams are big and others small but all are worth fulfilling. Many people try their whole lives to live their dream but never can quite reach it. You can live your dreams if you have the strength and determination.

Bethany Hamilton, a Hawaiian girl was surfing at a beach on the north coast of Kauai, Hawaii when a shark bit off her left arm. At the time Bethany was only 13 but knew with all her heart that she wanted to be a pro surfer. During the days she was in the hospital all she could think about was, will I ever be able to surf again. Nobody thought she would even get back in the water, and never imagined she would attempt to surf again. With all of her strength and determination Bethany is now a Pro. Surfer. She is living her dream.

Cadel Evans’ dream was to win the Tour De France. He came from a small town in Australia and rode the Tour De France 7 times. In 2007 and 2008 he came second and in 2008 he was so close to coming 1st, but he never gave up. He continued riding the Tour and finally this year he won. Not only did his dreams come true but he made history, he was the first Australian to win the Tour De France and is among the five oldest winners of the race. His dream came true because he never gave up.

Fred Hollows was a very talented ophthalmologist. His dream was for no child to be blind from a sickness. He traveled to undeveloped countries to help restore children’s eyesight. He was amazingly successful as he fixed thousands of children's eyesight and now he has passed away but there is a foundation called ‘The Fred Hollows Foundation’ which continues his help to many children. Not only did he live his dream but he made many kids dreams come true to.

Living your dream is hard enough but these 3 people did more than that. These 3 people not only lived their dream but made history or helped others live their dream in the process. It may not be easy but it is possible and if you try hard enough you might just achieve more.

Society’s Uncertainty

Our generation
Is absolutely unacceptable
Integrity has morphed into uncertainty.
It is infection disguised as the hip manner of society
The ones who do not follow the trends and fads
Become invisible
Even if
The opinions of authority declare the contrary
It has reached the point,
Where wisdom isn’t enough

Fighting in Silence

Most people that fight for what they believe in do it by being an up-stander. Their are very few people that have been able to fight for what they believe in without saying a word to the person creating the conflict. During World War 2, in Nazi Germany a woman named Irena Sendler did just that.

Irena Sendler was the daughter of a doctor that treated jews. She grew up learning to help others no matter what race or religion. By the time WW2 started she was 30 and had very strong opinions about treating someone differently because of their religion or race. Many of her friends were sent to the ghetto and thousands of children, the ghetto was jammed full with deceases everywhere. What awaited them was death.

Irena Sendler knew 'The only way to save them was to get them out'. Almost everyday she would enter the ghetto with a plan in mind, to save as many life's as she could. Getting the children out of the ghetto was the hard part, not just for her but for the children. Many of the children weren't lucky enough to ride in a truck, the had to hide in a toolbox or a suitcase, anything that would hide the fact that babies of toddlers were in them.

Up until the day Irena Sendler got caught she had saved around 2,500 children from the ghetto. She stood up for what she believed in almost everday during WW2 knowing that one day she might get caught. She faught for her beliefs in scilence, a way that many people can't because the simply didn't know it was possible. Most people that silently fight don't get recognized simply because no-one knows what they did to help people one by one. They saved life's.

I think Irena Sendler was an amazing person, she fought for equality, something our world really needs. I know not everyone is stereotypical or racist but many people are and thats one of the many things that stop our world from achieving peace. Even though WW2 was a long time ago it still is worth something. Without people like Irena many people would be dead. I think Irena is an inspiration because she helped out as much as she could and did her part in saving the jews from the ghetto, something most people at that day in age wouldn't dare. Yes it was a risk but one worth making.

Peace Is What The World Strives For

Growing up I have learnt about war, watched them on T.v, and read about them. It might be interesting to learn about because they are a part of history we cant ignore. But do we really want another World War or any War really? I can't even imagine living through one. If there was to be a WW3, well everyone knows that wouldn't end well.

In WW2 many countries were at war, even in towns people were living an unjust life. Everyone was hoping for peace, peace that took many years to come. Even when it came the world wasn't considered utopia. The sad truth is that right now at this second somewhere in the world people are fighting, some of those fights are wars and some are just the regular fight with a friend. The point is that the world isn't peaceful.

If I was lucky enough to have the chance to create a 'New World' and choose just one characteristic I would, by far choose peace. I have been lucky enough to live in somewhat peaceful societies but I know many people don't have that luxury. Peace is what the world strives for, yet we haven't been able to reach that goal. There is always someone that wants more than what they are given.

If our 'world' started out with a goal of peace it would have easily been for-filled in a matter of years. Many people may have a different opinion on what the main characteristic should be if we could start all over. But I think peace is needed before you go into detail like organization and rules. I think one overall goal works best because rules, organization ect. fall into place whilst you are trying to reach your overall goal. Peace is what we strive for today, so why don't we strive for it tomorrow?

The image I chose is called 'Bird of Peace'. I chose this image in my eyes portrays peace because of the bird outline in white. I think that white is a color of peace when it is placed with many bright/ happy colors.

P, What could that mean?

The other day I was told to find my learning profile by doing a few tests. I was told to find my dominant hand, leg, ear, and eye. After doing that we were asked a few questions to find out what hemisphere of the brain is dominant. My dominant hemisphere of the brain is Gestalt (right). That means I can't follow instructions easily and I like to see the whole picture.

We also went through a chart to find our learning profile. Mine is P. I was eager to see what it meant. I read a sheet about profile P and it sounded just like me.

It said that I learn best through movement and looking at the whole picture. This makes sense because I need to be moving to keep my focus by doing things such as doodling. But luckily for me moving around comes easily so i don't often lose focus unless I am in a test or stressful situation. Strategies that help me learn are things like lazy 8's and Thinking caps from Brain Gym. Making lists and learning time management, pretty much anything more logic will make me more whole brained, which will help when I am under stress. I would like my teachers to know that durning class I may move a bit and doing things like games or skits will help me process information. Sitting at the back of the classroom is one of the best spots for me because whilst I am moving I won't distract others.

The picture above was taken from http://www.c2cinternet.org/gpage23.html . I chose it because it show how people dominant to the right and left hemisphere's of the brain function.

How Do We become What We Are Today?

Every move we take, every choice we make, it all makes a difference good or bad. Jesus Colon was at the subway station very late one night right before he made a decision that changed the way he thought about things.

Jesus Colon walked aboard a train one night. It was late. A woman with two little children a baby and a suitcase in her hand was also on the train. When it got close to Colon's stop he saw the woman with the two children, a baby and a suitcase get ready to get off. he asked himself, do I help her? he wondered what would she think? what would a black, Puerto Rican man past midnight approaching a white lady look like? would she say yes? he was to worried of what she would think so he walked straight past. This connects to 'No Man is an Island' by John Donne because in Donne's poem the line 'No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main' relates to Colon's story because he felt different and ashamed of his differences, he felt like an island, though really he is a part of the continent because he realized he did the wrong thing and he will never do it again. Colon's story for me relates to everyday things like just smiling in to hallway to someone can really make a difference.

Colon still to this day regrets the choice he made in the subway station and said that he would never not help someone again no matter what the response might be because at least you tried.

No Man Is An Island

No Man is an Island

By John Donne

No man is an island entire of itself; every man
is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;
if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe
is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as
well as any manner of thy friends or of thine
own were; any man's death diminishes me,
because I am involved in mankind.
And therefore never send to know for whom
the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.

I think that both the visual poem created by Jason van Genderen and the written poem by John Donne above have the same message. The message being no man deserves to be alone or forgotten, each man is part of the world and there loss or suffering will make us weaker as a whole. Fatmire Feka's speech

Donne's poem really expresses the interconnection between everyone and how one loss or bad thought makes everyone weaker. The line ' any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind' really shows how when one man dies or one man suffers even if you don't know who they are it is horrible to know that you have so much and they suffer.

Van Genderen's visual poem's message is to help others because if you just sit back and watch you will get weaker. In the video there are little clips of homeless people in Sydney and New York and that to me really expresses the message many people go without while other have everything they want. Life may be unfair but no one should ever have to suffer.

10 Objects That Represent Me

A flag, a camera, an origami crane, a silly band music note, my iPod, Vegemite, Japanese doll, a shell, a friendship bracelet, and a packet to sour Razzles, How could all these objects represent me?

My flag that says "Aussie Aussie Aussie" and that represents me because I come from Australia and I lived there for 10 years. When I look at my flag, all of my memories come flooding back, I remember having my dogs running up and down the hallway and my cousins laugh. I miss my friends, my house, and the clear blue skies.

My camera: I love taking photos and then looking back at all the fun times I have had. I got my camera for Christmas in 2008 and ever since then I have had a passion for taking photos. On that Christmas day I took a photo of every plant at my grandparents house and I was so happy that I had received that camera because I'd wanted one for so long. When you look through a camera lens you see the world differently almost like everything is perfect for that moment, or you see into the essence of a moment. When you press down the button and look back at the photo and you feel amazing that it is possible to capture a moment that tells a story.

An Origami crane because I always make origami things and I love how many amazing things you can do with paper. A few years ago I brought an origami book and had learnt how to make some basic things then when I moved to Malaysia, I met a girl called Sari who was Japanese and she always taught me how to make a different thing every day on the bus and soon I grew to love origami and made something daily. Fold by fold you slowly start to see what you’re making and once complete I undo it again and start over to memorize every fold.

A music note silly band because I play the clarinet. I started the clarinet when I was nine and I played with my school band in Australia and I had lessons weekly and when I moved to Malaysia I couldn’t do band for 6 months and then I started up again and playing the clarinet was so important to me because it was the only thing I have stuck at my whole life. The day I brought my clarinet I played it all day trying to remember what I had learnt in Australia.

My iPod because I love listening to music and listening to all the latest songs. I saved up for my Ipod touch for 6 months earlier this year and I remember the day I bought it, I was so excited, all the waiting was worth it. Most of my friends and I like Justin Beiber, but I appreciate all kinds of music, it all depends on my mood.

A jar of Vegemite because it is one of the foods that not many people eat it. I have eaten vegemite ever since I can remember and it is one of the things I have liked my whole life and all my friends in Australia have eaten it since they were little too. I also like Vegemite because it reminds me of when I was little. I ate a vegemite sandwich for lunch nearly every day for five years and yet I still love it.

A Japanese Doll because I collect them and I love the way they look. One day I was shopping and I saw these modern Japanese dolls with personalities and I loved them so much that for my birthday I got a few and somehow now I have 9 so when I see one while travelling I buy them if they look a bit different from everything else.

I picked a shell because I love the beach and go there every Christmas and I also collect shells whenever I go to the beach, I went to Sabah this summer and I stayed at a Backpackers Island for a night and they had some amazing shells, so my dad and I picked a lot up so that we could make a jar of shells from our trip so we could have great memories.

I picked a friendship bracelet because I love my friends and they are always there for me and I also think that they are like tying your friendship together. I like my friendship bracelet because I made it with some of my closest friends and whenever I see it I think of them and all the fun times we had in our sleepovers.

The final object I chose is a packet of Sour Razzles because they’re my favourite kind of candy and even though I have only had them once in my life, I still find them amazing because first they are candy and then after you have chewed on them they turn into gum.

I’m a person who treasures my friends because they are always there for me.

If you don't get lost, there's a chance you may never be found

I picked the quote 'If you don't get lost, there's a chance you may never be found' because i agree with the meaning of it. Basically the meaning is, if you don't step out of your comfort zone you will never live life to the fullest. Another way of saying it is, if your don't try new things your life will never change. I think that the only thing that stands in the way of taking risks is fear and even from my past experiences fear can sometimes take over. To me this quote takes a big part in life because your decisions make up your life no matter what it is about.

The picture to the left is called 'Fear', I picked this painting because fear is the one thing that can hold you back from taking risks.

Connecting with Others

I agree with Matt Harding’s essay 'Connecting With A Global Tribe' because people all around the world feel a need to connect with each other on a human level. I think that a lot of evidence is shown in his youtube vidieo 'Where The Hell is Matt' because people from different cultures joined in with his silly dance in a similar way. I think that Matt's idea of connecting with others by dancing is very smart because most of the time when you are dancing you are the same as every one else and the differences leave while you are dancing.

The painting above is called Love Hands and I picked this painting because to me it represents to cultures coming together as one.

Compliments Create Happiness

I think that the 'Compliment Guys' (two students at Purdue University) are doing something good for the students in there university because receiving compliments boosts your confidence and makes you happy no matter what it is about or who says it, it’s the fact that someone spent the time to complement you. I also think the fact that there nearly everyday puts a smile on peoples faces.

The picture above is called 'imaginary happiness' i picked this picture because to me this painting is filled with happiness and happiness is what you receive with compliments.

The Giver

I chose, would you want your future to be decided by others? Why or why not?

In a way I think it is slightly good to be given your job because other wise as what happened to Jonas he got given a job that he would’ve never picked. He is getting so many benefits like seeing colour, snow and sleds. In this way people choosing your job is good.

I also think that you shouldn’t have your job picked for you because you can end a with a job that you dislike and have to live with it the rest of your life. Even though most of the people in Jonas’s community like the job that they are given I think it is because they think that everything the committee of elders do is correct so they might get a job and dislike it but think that they were given it for a reason.

Overall I think that people in Jonas’s community should have the right to pick there own job because people should have the right to use there mind and at least have some freedom.

Void

"The International School of Kuala Lumpur provides an exceptional education that challenges each student to develop the attitudes, skills, knowledge and understanding to become a highly successful, spirited, (silence) socially responsible global citizen."

I think that adding silence before " social responsible global citizen" creates void because it says 'highly successful, spirited' before the silence and it creates a question in the listeners mind. Highly successful, spirited what?????. I think the tension it creates is unexpected because there is just a long paragraph and then suddenly there is a pause and creates tension.

{The End is Here}

Dear Will,

I have a few questions to ask you. The first would be what is life like in the White Mountains Also how did your relationship change with Henry it seemed like you became better friends although you had to get along to be able to reach the White Mountains. Another would be did you think you would ever make it to the White Mountains after the tripods started to follow you

I can tell you now that I wouldn’t have survived the journey because it would be so horrifying to know that any second you could be captured and your dreams would be demolished, and you wouldn’t have a mind of your own.

Before I have to end this letter I would like to say that Henry, Beanpole, and your self are lucky to have arrived safely, as Ozymandias said only 1 out of twenty kids make it to the White Mountains.

Regards Riley

REVIEW THE BOOK:

Overall I liked the book except for a few chapters such as The City of The Ancients and The Capping Day. Besides those chapters I enjoyed reading and finding out what would happen next. I also didn’t enjoy the ending because it was only two pages long and had barely any description when it could have been a little more detailed and it would have made the book so much better.

Freedom

Will has discovered that life in the castle with the Comte and Comtesse is quite good infact it is so good that Will is starting to think that being capped isn’t so bad. He could become a knight and be able to stay with them and live there forever and not go to the White Mountains. Although life under the tripods, and not having the freedom to think doesn’t make life worth living. ‘What value did courage have, without a free and challenging mind to direct it?’ Will couldn’t bear the thought of not having a free mind. After realizing that Eloise had no true feelings towards Will he knew that life at the castle wasn’t a possibility if he cant think freely and enjoy it what is the point of even having it.

6th grade so far

So far in 6th grade I've learnt many skills, the most useful would be learning French because there is so much you can do with a language like learning the history of the country and the culture and customs of the people in France as well as respecting them by speaking there language because it makes it easier for them to understand.

My greatest challenge yet would be trying out for ISTA because through the process I had to also fill out a question sheet which helped the possibility of getting in a lot so I spent 3 nights working on getting the best answers possible finally I came to the conclusion with the best answers I'd come up with. When the day came for the audition I was so nervous because I had no idea what it would be like, but in the end it all worked out and the hard work payed off because to my surprise I got in.

Throughout the rest of the year I would like to work on my acting because it can be a useful skill for many things. Communication would benefit a lot from acting because you have to communicate with the audience. You can also benefit with learning to use your diaphragm, which is good because you can talk louder without screaming.

I positively contributed to the 6th grade community when I helped out with the breast cancer fun raiser that Zarina did by making ribbons and I worked at the stand for a bit. I also tried my best everyday to do everything with my very best effort.

My first goal for the New Year is to always remember my planner to all of my classes. The main step I will take to reach this goal would be to check my locker before every class to make sure I have my planner in my hands for the next class. My second goal is to always be on time for every class. To reach my goal I will talk less with my friends and always aim to get to class early so I wont be late.

Lifes Lesson

As we sat down at the table my dad announced that he got offered a job in KL. I was shocked I had never thought I would leave Australia all my friends since I was little are here and all my family. I knew that both my parents wanted the experience but I put it off as long as I could. Every day got harder and all I knew was that I had to make a choice and I had to be sure because once I made the choice there is no going back.

Finally the day came to decide and I still wasn't sure but I had learnt more about KL and the school. I knew what everyone else wanted but was it what I wanted?.  I told my dad that I wanted to go, because the school was better and I could make new friends but keep my old ones so I wouldn't lose much and it turned out that everyone wanted to come and visit (my family that is) and we would visit every year so whats to complain about. I guess moving isn't so bad after all considering where I am today.