Why is community service important?

Community service is important because for many it helps out so much. There is a scholarship that is called Bright Futures. For this scholarship there is a required amount of community service hours needed. For some Bright Futures really helps out with college fees. But in order to get help for college fees, you are going to need community service hours.
Community service also helps the community. Volunteers really help our community. There are things that are done by volunteers that really help businesses, people and students. When you volunteer it really helps out to volunteer and the volunteer sight. It also makes the person feel good that they made a diference.
Community service is also important because thats one of the main things that colleges look at. Colleges could care less about your grades when it comes to community service. Everyone should try and have community service hours. They can either help you or they can be a waste of time. Community service is also a great way to meet new people and to to learn new things for the job you want in the future.

Blog 15

As the new year approaches think about some of the goals and changes you would like to make in your life. Many of you will soon have a different routine. Graduation is only a few months away. Set a long term and short term goals for the next year. With the new year coming I am going to be very busy. I have to say that I'm going to be sad when the new year comes. I don't want it to end. But in the meantime when the new year does come, I will be making some changes. January 5th I will be turning 18! So Im going to have to start setting up my own bank account. Im going to have to get used to doing things on my own.
The short term goal that Im going to make for myself is filling out as many scholarship applications as possible and getting my community service hours done. In order to get my bright futures i have to have a certain amount of community service hours. With all of that I'm also doing competition cheerleading and the task of doing my job, So Im going to set a goal of staying focused.
Lastly, the long term goal Im going to make is not taking a break at all through out the course of going to college. Some students will go to college and then drop out and take a break. I know that If i take a break I wont finish. The road ahead isnt ending so im gonna keep going! I LOVE YOU CLASS OF 2008!!!

Blog 14

I like having an organized schedule for my freshman. I have noticed that the teachers are more willing to let me in. I am also more able to help them if they need help. Before I didnt have the opportunity to do this. Now I am able to do what I am supposed to be doing. I also think that students are more willing and accepting to want our help. They are getting used to us coming and and feeling comfortable. I like how the students want our help now and they arent fighting with us anymore.
I see a huge difference! When i went before the students were disrespectful to me and didnt want me help. They were even disrespectful to the teachers. Another difference is that the teacher I have now is more SANE. The teacher I had before didnt want my help. Now that Mrs.Bedard emails all of the teachers and lets them know that we are coming they are more willing to let us in. The kids are nice too and like me being there and they actually need me.
I also stay longer with my kids. Now that I have two classrooms I have to spilt my time up and go equally help them. The students like me and are used to me. All in all I like my new classrooms.

New Freshman

I have two new classrooms and I like them better this way. I have Mrs.Bigwood and Mr. Parker. We had to make a set schedule. That schedule had to have where we were going and what days we are going there. I like these new classrooms better because I feel like we are more organized. I am able to go to my classroom and the teachers actually want my help.
I am going to make a difference because I am going to try and influence the students to do better. Even though some of them dont want my help I am going to push them to do thier work. If they do better to begin with they wont have to be stressed out when it comes time for them to graduate. I want the kids that I have to be happy with their grades.
I have a set schedule that I go by to go and see my kids. I like to be more organized so that the kids get used to me coming. I want to make sure that when I go they get some work done. I dont want the kids to end up screwed in the end and have to retake classes and stuff. So I hope that these news kids will be better then the last bunch.

Blog 12

I think that being a Delegative leader helps me in Link Crew because if a kid doesn't do their work then i just let them be. I tell them that in the long run it will hurt them. I let the kid decide what they are going to do. I don't like to push people top do their work but when they ask or need help I am willing to do whatever I can to help them. If the student is being lazy then I'm not going to waste my time on them. Its their grade not mine.
This leadership can help me in mentoring because I can show a strong will in wanting to help students who really need help. Its also going to help me in the future because I am such an independent person. I don't like falling behind in my work so its going to help me when i furthur my education. As far as my success, again its going to help me be determined and set my standards high. Being this type of leader is going to continue helping me.

Blog 10

Myself and Link Crew can help communicate important information about Pine Ridge, clubs, activities and other things our community needs to know by just doing what we are doing now. We are trying to get the freshman to get good grades early on in high school. Because most of the time students regret the grades that they made early on and its too late. This program shows that we are willing to help the new students who start off as freshman.
Another way to communicate is to be inlvolved in the activities so that you can share your experiences with others. Being in clubs also helps you make friends that way you can then share it with others and maybe they will want to be involved at Pine Ridge. We can also just share other experiences that might motivate people who arent involved to be invloved.

Blog 9

What do you think success is? How or what are you going to do to be successful? I think that success is getting what you want done. When you set a dream or a goal getting that goal achieved is great. It makes you feel like you have done something with your life. It also makes the people around you proud and make you stand as a rolemodel.
To be successful to have to first set a goal and tell yourself that you are going to stick to it. If you want to be successful then you have to be focused and determined to want that success. When you achieve that success it makes you feel like you have accomplished something. When i achieve a goal it makes me feel like i have done something with my life and I feel successful. Being successful can set a milestone in your life and make you work harder to be more successful in your life.

Blog 4

I think that every teacher needs to have a Link Crew member. Every year there are new teachers that come to Pine Ridge. They are new at learning the rules and the expecations here. When the new teachers get new freshman they won't be able to let them know things that are going on because they are new. With a linkcrew student in each class it will help the new teachers get on board.
Another reason that a teacher might need a linkcrew leader would be that one or more students need help in the subject area. A teacher might not be able to handle the needs of that one or more student that needs help. With a linkcrew student they can take them aside and help them individually. That would also help because in some situations the student might listen to the teacher. With Linkcrew leaders students might listen to them and relate better.
The last reason is that sometimes teachers can't handle their kids and Link Crew students can help with limiting the behavior problems. If their isn't any work for a link crew leader to do then it might be helpful to walk around and try and keep kids quiet and on task. Having leaders in a teachers classroom might lower the behavior problems and keep the students' grades up.

Blog 2

I think the necessary character traits to succeed in high school need to be to just be yourself. Don't try and be someone you are not. If you try too hard it's going to be hard to make true friends. Another trait is to be humorous. When you are funny people tend to come to you. I know that if one of my friends are funny I will most likely be hanging out with them.
Other traits you might need to have would be honesty, trustworthy and dedicated. When you have friends they need you to be honest and trustworthy. When it comes to your work you need to be dedicated to making good grades and have the focus and drive to want to do good. Most first time freshman don't like to do their work and like to goof off. They will regret it in the end.
I will help foster these to my freshman by just setting an example. When report card time comes around I will try and tell them what my grades were so that I can set a good example. They might think that I am rubbing it in their face but I will just be trying to help them out. Another thing that I will do would be to help them all that I can so that they will get used to getting good grades. In the end I know they will be happy that I helped them.

Expectations for freshman

I am looking forward to working with a new group of freshman. I was in Link Crew last year and I had a great time helping all of the students. I felt good about what I did for them. I still talk to most of them because they recognize me in the hallways. This year I am expecting the same. I'm really excited to be working with a new bunch of kids. I hope that this year goes as well as it did last year.
When I go to meet my new kids I like to introduce myself to them first. Its hard for a new kid at this school to warm up to someone new, especially a junior or senior. That's why I like to go to the classroom at least 4 times a week if not the whole week. I then just try and help them with something that they need to get done like makeup work, classwork or even homework.
Again, I'm looking forward to working with my kids. I have a great time helping them out and like seeing them successful. I know the kids will thank all of the Link Crew kids in the end when they are making good grades to take home and show their parents. Let's get started! yay!

Today we get to pick to pick what to write on our blog. Im choosing to write on everything that is going on at school. This week was SGA elections and we voted today in mentoring. The people who are running for SGA will find out sometime in the next week. Also going on this week is Powder Puff. SENIORS against JUNIORS! May the best team win. The game is Friday so come out and cheer on your class!
Coming up on May 4th is Prom. The theme for prom is a Kiss of a Rose. It is also nearing the end of the year so the Seniors are going to be graduating. Last Friday was Grad Bash for them. Coming up is Senior Awards and Senior Breakfast. I wish all the Seniors Good Luck when they graduate High School and go on to College!
For me, I am just trying to get straight A's so that I can get a higher GPA for graduation when I gradute next year! Oh my gosh. I am so excited for my Senior year. I am also VERY excited for the summer. I have a cruise for the month of July to go on, I am going to Alaska!!!! Yay! I also am excuted for cheerleading camp that is in June. I am excited to learn new things and to make the Pine Ridge Varsity team a better one. Well thats it. Have a great week. =]

Study Skills

The study skills that were in the article were very interesting and helpful. That article could of helped a kid learn study skills that they didnt know. If a kid was stuggling to learn skills that actually worked then it would of been a good article to read. For me, in order to improve my study skills I think that I need to make more time for myself. When I have a test at school, the night before I cant get motivated to study or I just simply get side tracked. So that leaves me studying 5 minutes before the test is given.
Some schools dont have a exam policy like we do where we only have 2 exams in one day. That works well for me because that way it wont overwhelm me with all the studying. I have been trying to study for my tests more often. To improve my study skills I usually try and make flash cards, to me that is a good way to study and it actually helps me to rememember the material. For the freshman, it is probably harder for them to study because they might be still getting the hang of going from middle school to the high school environment and the difference on work.
Just telling them to go home and study probably wont be effective. In order to improve the study skills of the freshman I am trying to help I am going to have to show them the skills that work. I am going to tell and show them to skills that have worked for me in the past. I am going to try and work harder at helping them study better.

Mission Statement

"How will a mission statement and Link Crew Leader guidelines help make the program more effective"? I think that having a mission statement will be good to the program because the incoming freshman will have a better view on what the Link Crew is and what it does. In a mission statement there are guidelines in that statement and we have deffinately done a good job at follwoing the rules in the mission statement.
Even though the Link Crew is already doing a good job with the freshman, with a mission statement it might make us even better. Having the guidelines will state what is expected of a link crew member before they even get into it, they will already know what is expected of them. I think that the freshman too will benefit from the entire program knowing that they have a positive role model to look up to.
Lastly, having a mission statement will be benefical to the Pine Ridge community because it will get more people involved and knowing what the Link Crew is. If people know more about us than they will want to get more invloved.
Okay, Im tired and I want to go home. K. Byeee

Blog 1

Link Crew, peer tutoring, and mentoring has worked for me because I like helping people and making a differene in thier lives. By helping them get thier grades up I now have a skill that will stay with me for thr rest of my life. It is working for me because I have learned so much in the past semister that will be with me for a long time. Being in link crew has made me a better person and has taught me patience and responsiility towards other people.
I have had some non rewarding things happen like when I go to help students they are not willing to let me help them but on the other hand there are things that are rewarding too, like when the kids want me to help them, I like seeing people happy and I like seeing them get good grades. Link Crew is going great so far but I only wish that we had more time. When we have assignments to do in class that cuts down on the time that we had for the students. But when I do get to go and see my students it's fun.

Responsibility.

Responsibility is a concept that you have to deal with for your whole life. Your life depends on being responsible and irresponsible. If you are not responsible no one will be able to depend on you for anything. If you are responsible throughout your life it can make things a lot easier for yourself. When you are responsible it makes you a better person, that way people will be able to trust you and rely on you.
When you are responsible you can make better judgment on things than others can. Again, people can trust you more often and you can become a better person by doing so. When you are irresponsible it just makes life harder on you. It can cause many consequences, like getting in trouble and not being able to do the things that you like. I can change my irresponsible habits by maybe trying to replace them with other good responsible habits. I can realize the good things that come out of being responsible like making good grades and being able to do what I want without being followed by parents. They trust me enough to let me go out on my own and do whatever. By being responsible they gained my trust and believe that I will make good judgments without them holding my hand. So many good things can come out of being responsible, its just up to the person to decide if thats the route they want to take.

Whats on your mind?

What is on your mind? There is a lot on my mind because I just got a new job at Publix and Im trying to do that and school and keep my grades up. I am in Algebra II and I currently have D. I dont get D's that often and it makes me upset. I am used to getting A's and B's. In like 2 weeks there are going to be Cheerleading tryouts. I am very nervous about that, I was on JV my sophmore year, so at least I am going in there with a little experience.
Another thing is my car! My parents just spent $250 dollars on getting something to do with the motor fixed. So Tuesday after school I go out to the parking lot and my front bumper thing is like coming off and I got really depressed because thats going to cost my family a lot of money. I have no idea what happened to it because when I got to school it wasn't like that.
This year is also going by so fast, I am going to be a Senior next year and I can't beleive it. With that it brings stress on me because my guidence counselor made me take two AP classes next year so that my college applications would look good. I am also aiming towards the Bright Futures Scholarship and you need 75 hours of community service and I have like 8, so I have t get started on that too. So basically thats about it. =]

How have I made a difference in someones life?

I think I have made a difference in someones life because I am trying to help the freshman get their GPA up. By going to the kids classroom and trying to get them to do their work I think I am influencing them to to do better. This is the first year that I am in the Link Crew and if I see that by me helping the students that their grades are going up, that makes me feel good. When I see that their grades are going up they make a difference in my life because I know that I am helping someone that is in need and is valuable for their future.

How does Link Crew Help?

Link Crew, high school transition programs, tutoring services, how does this help the freshman students based on your experiences during the last 5 weeks? What has been frustrating for you? What has been rewarding? Transition programs and tutoring services can help the freahman so much. The kids at Pine Ridge are so lucky to have the Link Crew here for them. I think that the students that we are helping will have a better experience in high school if they have one less thing to worry about and thats them having a low GPA or even being behind in thier work.
I haven't started tutoring with the freshman yet but one thing that frustrates me is that the freshman are so lazy. I'm so glad to be helping the freshman but if I have to be by thier side and hold thier hand the whole way through high school then there is nothin I can really do. In the end there are some rewarding things about being in Link Crew because although this class is new for me,I am looking foward to seeing the freshman become successful. Another rewarding thing that I like is that the teachers thank you for your help and when you hear that it makes you feel like you are doing something special. Hopefully the freshman will understand that getting good grades in high school are important and they will eventually become successful.

Self Esteem and the Ninth Graders

How can improving self esteem help in high school? How are you going to try to stay positive to help the kids?


Having good self esteem can help in high school because it will give you the confidence to perform well in whatever you choose to do such as sports and your classes. To having good self esteem it gives you a positive attitude because it makes you feel good about yourself. I am going to try and stay positive to help the kids by trying to put myself in their position and relate to their problems. I am going to try and make their self esteem go up so that they won't get so down on theirselves. When their self esteem has went up I think that they will begin to have a positiive attitude. With them having a positive attitude it might give them the confidence to do well and to perform well in their classes too.

Twelve Steps to Improving your Self - Esteem

In reviewing the twelve steps to improving your self esteem, which ones do you regularly exhibit? Which one do you need to work on?

When I reviewed the twelve steps I think that I exhibit most of them. I forgive myself for the past mistakes, I don't think that I should dwell on my mistakes but instead learn from them. I often become a self talker when things tend to get difficult in school or even out of school. I tell my self that I can do it. I think that I always exhibit a good attitude, well most of the time. I think that when you have a bad attitude that it tends to rub off on others and makes them have a bad attitude so I try to keep my attitude positive msot of the time. The sixth step is the one that do exhibit, SLEEP. I always get enough sleep because if I don't then I get in a bad mood. So since I get enough sleep I have a positive attitude. Dressing well is one of the things that I enjoy and that I exhibit. I think that if you dress well it makes you look good and it ups the first impression that people get of you.
The steps that I probably need to improve on is becoming physicially fit, well I have participated in sports but I think that I might need to excercise more then I am. Learning new things is something I enjoy but when things are outside of my comfort zone I tend to get a little nervous. Trying new things are a good way to make new friends and to open the doors to new opportunities. So I think that trying new things would be good for anyone. The last step that I need to work on is to hone my work skills. I am still a good worker but if I work extra hard I think that I could be an even better worker.