above image source: http://www.eastchester.k12.ny.us/schools/Ms/teachers/burke/images/outsiders_000.jpg

For this unit, our unit question was "Who are the Outsiders at CDNIS?". Our area of interaction that we have been working with is Community and Service. Our main assignment was to create a 45 second long Public Service Announcement to bring awareness and maybe even solutions to problems at our school. I now can recognize the problems and social issues that us students all have faced one time or another and will try my best to help these victims. I have also come to the conclusion that despite money, reputation and friends, we're all outsiders one way or another.

For part of our Outsiders unit we were told to write a monologe, and play one of the characters in the book. I chose to play Randy because I believe there is much more to him than just being a soc. Actually, there is so much more to every soc than you think. But Randy was interesting to play, because Bob, his best friend, was stabbed and killed. I wanted to show how I think Randy must have handeled it. I think I got my message across fairly well, thought I could'ce have improved on explaining more of it a little bit more. When I presented it to my class, I could've been more in character by dressing up. I also should've have had more eye contact and a louder voice to show I was confident with my monologe.

A few days ago Bob was killed. Karma? Maybe. He was killing Ponyboy. It was out of self defense; Johnny stabbed Bob to save his friend. But Bob was my best friend, someone who I many have known better than myself. Yes, we're socs, we jump people, we kill and we hurt. But that doesn't mean we don't feel. Should I run away? No, I know that won't help. Not one bit. If only it would be that simple. If I could just run away and suddenly find Bob midway to someplace unknown. I'm speaking through silent tears, and sometimes I pretend i don't give. But I do, I really do. As I lit up a cigarette, I decided I wouldn't show up at the rumble. Fighting? It's not good, what's the point in it? If the socs lose and the greasers win, we all know the socs are still going to be at the top; the top of the food chain, leaving the greasers at the bottom. Just as it was before. Besides, fighting leads to other things. Bad things. Like death. Maybe not directly, but it happens.

This piece of writing below is my descriptive paragraph on Mr. Dick. I think that I have described him well enough that someone who didn't know him could picture Mr. Dick in their mind. I have met almost all the requirements even though it is a little bit too long. I'm proud that Mrs. Daniels has chosen mine to display on her portfolio. I was glad with my final mark on this assignment and happy to realize that I really put my heart into this piece of writing. I only wish Mr. Dick could be just as proud and honored.

      “Good morning Andrea!” his calm comforting voice said as I strolled out of my car at 7:30. He was at his usual spot, greeting every student as they entered what Mr. Dick was so proud of; CDNIS. A second home for him, a second home for us. An extraordinary man he was, memorizing every body’s names. He had the ability to make each and every one feel special.

    With a fashionable hair do, his grey white hair didn’t make aged nor old. Alan Dick was never one to be classified with an age. His blue eyes were mesmerizing, bottomless.. As though you could look through and receive an endless amount of care, and love. When he spoke to you, he would only be speaking to you. Mr. Dick’s voice made everything feel alright. It was calm and relaxed, smooth, and not many can recall him ever shouting. He was always dressed stylish, whether it was Calvin Klein or some other name brand, well-tailored suit. He really had a smile we can’t help but to grin back at, a smile we will never forget. Mr. Dick was also tall, I remember being three and looking up at him, at that age, he felt like a monster.  Only he was the complete opposite.

You could compare him to a puppy, though I think he was more like a child-adult. He was silly, fun, as proved by his ‘Funny Bunny’ bunny stuffed toy. At the same time he was sensible, he knew right and wrong. Mr. Dick gave off such a positive attitude, he had something that was exceedingly genuine, and you felt you had to be around him.

    Mr. Dick was a legend, he created traditions that us students and teachers would always look forward to. Starting off with his wild Halloween costumes. Every year everyone would be discussing what he might have planned for the legendary Halloween parade. I still remember my favourite of his, the peacock. As he was a good friend of my mother’s, I learned he didn’t purchase the costume, he had each costume of his made specially. And the peacock costume? He bought the peacock feathers and helped his helper glue them together. Our lower school principal was the best at assemblies, every Friday the younger students had the pleasure to attend his weekly assemblies, where Mr. Dick would make humorous comments, give out awards, and most importantly, sing songs. He was a proud Canadian, every assembly began with O’ Canada. As a Canadian myself, I quite enjoyed this. Every assembly would also end on a great note,  Mr. Dick would sing his signature songs, like Little Rabbit, Sweet Chariot, Dip Dip & Swing, There’s A Hole At The Bottom Of The Sea, Hokey Pokey and many others. Another tradition of his was his Chinese New Year drum playing. Every year at CNY he would play the drums with his good friend Mr. Ko, and attempt to speak Mandarin. Valentine’s Day was a joy to us as well, he would go around sharing his delicious cinnamon hearts, specially bought from Canada. I loved them, and without Mr. Dick around, things will never really be quite the same.

There are many things to say about this great man we’ve all grown to love. And clearly there’s so much more I could say. But Mr. Dick wanted the best for everyone and cared deeply about the future of his students. He truly believed in us becoming responsible, global citizens and leaders, just like he was. He was accustomed to his winning smile and his hilarious sense of humor. Mr. Dick beyond doubt lived and loved, and he has made his mark in many hearts’. I only wish I could have such a big impact on people just like he was on other’s. He was an inspiration and will be sorely missed. Quite frankly, we will never meet such a character again.

“We can cry that they’re gone, or we can smile they they’ve lived.”

(actual video below)

I think that my group and I did a very good job on our PSA. Us five, P.O.E (Prevention Of Exclusion), chose to create our PSA about exclusion of friends. It is a very big problem anywhere in the world, no matter how old you are. Everyday people are or feel left out and feel as if they can't fit it with the others. They might feel talked about, backstabbed, ignored or terrified. As human beings ourselves, we all have felt that way one way or another. And our PSA was made to inform others about what it can lead to. It was very effective because we had chose a sad plot, music and video effect - all to send the message. I am frankly quite proud and glad that Ms. Daniels chose our PSA as the bet and most effective one.

Below is a reflection I have written about one of the PSA's from our 7B class. I believe I have written this fairly well, and i have described the PSA in a clear orginized way. I mentioned how they could maybe improve and what parts they did very well on. I explained why it was my favourite out of the class and how it was effective. I am very happy I have recieved a 9 on this piece of work.

A short while ago, we started making PSA’s (or Public Service Announcements) for English class. Each group had a different topic, and the one I found most effective was “Exclusion Classified”. Their PSA showed Claire walking through a hall, where there were two groups, or cliques, both not willing to be nice to Claire. As the “smart” group pushes Claire away, she tries to talk to the “snobs”, where they push her as well. This time though, Claire falls down, along with her belongings. Then a scene of Claire picking up her possessions comes up, and Claire herself begins to talk about statistics of bullying in Hong Kong. I found this effective because I can feel the rejection of the two groups, I myself has had this happened to me (of course not exactly the same, but the aspect of being unwanted). I know many others have had to go through the same thing. “Exclusion Classified” ‘s PSA could effect many other people, it may also change people’s minds (bullies or others behaving in the same way). Bullies have to learn to accept the other person for who he or she is, whether it’s because they have different opinions, or their looks, race, language, maybe even their wealth. I like how they mentioned to statistics, because without that, other people may not have realized how many kids or teens feel the same way. One thing I think they could have improved was their original topic. They were given “exclusion of looks” and I found that their PSA didn’t have much to do with that. It was more of exclusion in general. Even so, their PSA was very well done, it was successful in helping people see how bullying is such a big problem in our adolescent society. It was definitely one of my favourite out of the class.