We the People
What an experience.
So last year, I volunteered to be in We the People, as opposed to a regular American Government class. For the first time, Mrs. Haggerty was going to have an entire class of willing students as opposed to simply picking the best out of all the Government classes.
At the beginning of the semester, and after a brief introduction (not really needed except for between the students and teacher, as seniors, we've been around each other in our various classes for a while now dating back to elementary for most of us), we were immediately separated into units. Six units in accordance with the first six units of our We The People book. Six groups of five or six people basically.
The competition was laid out like this, each unit would receive three questions and would have to compose a response to each question in under four minutes. The response would be broken up to be read by each member in the group. After those four minutes, there are then a six to eight minute session of follow up questions.
So my group of Ted, Jeniffer, Alezibeth and Stephany broke up our questions into pairs, Alezibeth and I, Steph, and Ted and Jenn. The first portion to the competition was in the Santa Clara Valley Board of Education Headquarters where we would compete against other schools in front of a panel of three judges based on unit. The judges would go to all the rooms, each with a school, and hear out their respective assigned units. In our region, we were the wild card pick. There are two districts in our region, two schools from each region go to state. One school is alone in their district, so they're an automatic shoo-in, the second school won by points. We got a letter later saying we were the wild card pick,so that probably meant we came in third.
Next stop, Sacramento with our new set of questions. Left after a few weeks of preparation on the fourth, and came back yesterday around 7pm.
School on Wednesday, went to ASB and Economics, moved over to Mrs. Perez's room for mock screening for on question, brunch, then off to the train station after packing everything into Cruz's, Barraja's, Haggerty's, and others' cars. Waited around for the train a little bit. Some review, some video gaming, some singing, some sleeping, mostly kicking it.
Surprise of my life, on Youtube.
Arrival in Sacramento, had to bus to our hotel with Mr. Chang's Monta Vista kids. Decent bunch, more later. We settled into our rooms and unpacked. Out came the Wii, Guitar Hero and some other things. Headed for the pool with Kathy, Rudy, and Tai. FREEZING ICE COLD, but I jumped in four times anyways. Waited around for the start of the night's dinner and introduction to the competition for the next day. After that, made our way to our rooms to study with Powers, Haggerty and Perez. After some walking around and seeing what everyone else was doing, fell asleep with Annie because my room was taken over by some all nighters.
Next day, Kathy and Annie woke me up, proceeded to get breakfast and get ready for the day's questions. To be edited with questions and analysis later.
Units 4,5,6. Break. 1,2,3. Lunch
Second set of questions in the same order, ended around 6.
Two hours of downtime mostly spent sleeping in yo dangs, talking to Annie, and running around with the boys. Before dinner to cap the night, changed and headed over to wake up xtina, both Jenns and Jessica. Headed down for another less than mediocre hotel meal, more later.
Skipped out on the dance, lame anyways, barely anyone dancing, four schools were still off studying. Watched Bones, Grey's Anatomy, and Private Practice with Annie, Kelly, Kathy and Tai and Danny on and off. Ran around looking for things to do when the shows ended. Most of the rooms were taken up. Catalina, Alezibeth and Cecilia were in theirs. Ashley, Martha, Desiree, and Brythanie were in theirs. Kathy was running around with me, Ana left and Annie was talking to Kevin her room so left them alone. Myngoc, Steph, Nance, and Carolyn were in theirs and switchign between there and Marin's. Martin was talking to gf, so left all of them alone. Didn't want to play Wii with Kelly, Afro Rudy and Danny, and didn't wanna play Guitar Hero with Anh, Ted, Rudy, Tai and David. Sleepover in yo dang's room +Johnson and Henry.
Eventually made our way back to my room to watch random whatever and pack in anticipation for the next day. Kelly and yo dang came over for the quiet while everyone else scrounged for food. The three of us went to sleep around two knowing we had to wake up at six. Yo dang and I woke up around three to Kelly snoring, put a pillow over his face and moved to the opposite side of the room to sleep in the couch. Rudy and Danny came in looking for Kelly, "woke his ass up due to his irregular breathing and shit". Kelly moved to the next room with Danny, Rudy, and Martin "ay pinche puto". Hector moved into the next bed and I slept on the other side with xtina.
Woke up to various ringtones and Rudy cursing in the room over. Everyone started packing and we were all kinda late with our things to go downstairs. Brought all our bags to an isolated room to get it out of the way for other guests. Piled into a bus to head over to the Capitol for some sightseeing while the four finalists finished with their third question. Took some pictures and learned a few things. Visited some people and in some cases, doors.
After the tour ended with Joe Coto, we proceeded ot walk a few blocks to the closest mall. Interesting layout, ate at Johnny Rockets with Henry, Desiree, Annie, Martin, Tai, Jenns, Jessica, yo dang, Kells, Ted, Brythnnie, and some of the others. Had to make it back to the buses by around 12.
Making our way back to the buses, started working on speech honoring Mrs. H for all her work. Continued on the bus, and once we got back to the hotel, throughout the luncheon. Carolyn and I went up and asked that we be the first to speak because we weren't going to stay for very long. After the introduction and keynote speaker, I went up to give the speech.
smexy or what? I'm on youtube. Props all around and a standing ovation.
Had to leave immediately after, rode to train station with Annie, proceeded to pile in with Monta Vista. Played and won first game of Cranium with Annie, Martin, Danny, and Kelly- against Nance, Steph, Tai, Myngoc and Carolyn. Ran throughout the area looking for thigns to do, most were sleeping form the previous night's all-nighter. Started up another singing group to include Monta Vista too for the remainder of the ride.
We're on youtube too.
Brought David and Tai home.
So last year, I volunteered to be in We the People, as opposed to a regular American Government class. For the first time, Mrs. Haggerty was going to have an entire class of willing students as opposed to simply picking the best out of all the Government classes.
At the beginning of the semester, and after a brief introduction (not really needed except for between the students and teacher, as seniors, we've been around each other in our various classes for a while now dating back to elementary for most of us), we were immediately separated into units. Six units in accordance with the first six units of our We The People book. Six groups of five or six people basically.
The competition was laid out like this, each unit would receive three questions and would have to compose a response to each question in under four minutes. The response would be broken up to be read by each member in the group. After those four minutes, there are then a six to eight minute session of follow up questions.
So my group of Ted, Jeniffer, Alezibeth and Stephany broke up our questions into pairs, Alezibeth and I, Steph, and Ted and Jenn. The first portion to the competition was in the Santa Clara Valley Board of Education Headquarters where we would compete against other schools in front of a panel of three judges based on unit. The judges would go to all the rooms, each with a school, and hear out their respective assigned units. In our region, we were the wild card pick. There are two districts in our region, two schools from each region go to state. One school is alone in their district, so they're an automatic shoo-in, the second school won by points. We got a letter later saying we were the wild card pick,so that probably meant we came in third.
Next stop, Sacramento with our new set of questions. Left after a few weeks of preparation on the fourth, and came back yesterday around 7pm.
School on Wednesday, went to ASB and Economics, moved over to Mrs. Perez's room for mock screening for on question, brunch, then off to the train station after packing everything into Cruz's, Barraja's, Haggerty's, and others' cars. Waited around for the train a little bit. Some review, some video gaming, some singing, some sleeping, mostly kicking it.
Surprise of my life, on Youtube.
Arrival in Sacramento, had to bus to our hotel with Mr. Chang's Monta Vista kids. Decent bunch, more later. We settled into our rooms and unpacked. Out came the Wii, Guitar Hero and some other things. Headed for the pool with Kathy, Rudy, and Tai. FREEZING ICE COLD, but I jumped in four times anyways. Waited around for the start of the night's dinner and introduction to the competition for the next day. After that, made our way to our rooms to study with Powers, Haggerty and Perez. After some walking around and seeing what everyone else was doing, fell asleep with Annie because my room was taken over by some all nighters.
Next day, Kathy and Annie woke me up, proceeded to get breakfast and get ready for the day's questions. To be edited with questions and analysis later.
Units 4,5,6. Break. 1,2,3. Lunch
Second set of questions in the same order, ended around 6.
Two hours of downtime mostly spent sleeping in yo dangs, talking to Annie, and running around with the boys. Before dinner to cap the night, changed and headed over to wake up xtina, both Jenns and Jessica. Headed down for another less than mediocre hotel meal, more later.
Skipped out on the dance, lame anyways, barely anyone dancing, four schools were still off studying. Watched Bones, Grey's Anatomy, and Private Practice with Annie, Kelly, Kathy and Tai and Danny on and off. Ran around looking for things to do when the shows ended. Most of the rooms were taken up. Catalina, Alezibeth and Cecilia were in theirs. Ashley, Martha, Desiree, and Brythanie were in theirs. Kathy was running around with me, Ana left and Annie was talking to Kevin her room so left them alone. Myngoc, Steph, Nance, and Carolyn were in theirs and switchign between there and Marin's. Martin was talking to gf, so left all of them alone. Didn't want to play Wii with Kelly, Afro Rudy and Danny, and didn't wanna play Guitar Hero with Anh, Ted, Rudy, Tai and David. Sleepover in yo dang's room +Johnson and Henry.
Eventually made our way back to my room to watch random whatever and pack in anticipation for the next day. Kelly and yo dang came over for the quiet while everyone else scrounged for food. The three of us went to sleep around two knowing we had to wake up at six. Yo dang and I woke up around three to Kelly snoring, put a pillow over his face and moved to the opposite side of the room to sleep in the couch. Rudy and Danny came in looking for Kelly, "woke his ass up due to his irregular breathing and shit". Kelly moved to the next room with Danny, Rudy, and Martin "ay pinche puto". Hector moved into the next bed and I slept on the other side with xtina.
Woke up to various ringtones and Rudy cursing in the room over. Everyone started packing and we were all kinda late with our things to go downstairs. Brought all our bags to an isolated room to get it out of the way for other guests. Piled into a bus to head over to the Capitol for some sightseeing while the four finalists finished with their third question. Took some pictures and learned a few things. Visited some people and in some cases, doors.
After the tour ended with Joe Coto, we proceeded ot walk a few blocks to the closest mall. Interesting layout, ate at Johnny Rockets with Henry, Desiree, Annie, Martin, Tai, Jenns, Jessica, yo dang, Kells, Ted, Brythnnie, and some of the others. Had to make it back to the buses by around 12.
Making our way back to the buses, started working on speech honoring Mrs. H for all her work. Continued on the bus, and once we got back to the hotel, throughout the luncheon. Carolyn and I went up and asked that we be the first to speak because we weren't going to stay for very long. After the introduction and keynote speaker, I went up to give the speech.
smexy or what? I'm on youtube. Props all around and a standing ovation.
Had to leave immediately after, rode to train station with Annie, proceeded to pile in with Monta Vista. Played and won first game of Cranium with Annie, Martin, Danny, and Kelly- against Nance, Steph, Tai, Myngoc and Carolyn. Ran throughout the area looking for thigns to do, most were sleeping form the previous night's all-nighter. Started up another singing group to include Monta Vista too for the remainder of the ride.
We're on youtube too.
Brought David and Tai home.