See YOU on January 4th!!!!

 

Be Your Own Advocate!

 

Pay It Forward

 

This will pull at your heart strings!  If you want a pick me up - watch this!  If you are blessed - you MUST share your blessing!  Here is a guy who was showed so much kindness then paid it forward!

Former President Called To Testify!

 

This picture makes me incredibly sad. On January 6, 2021, an armed mob stormed the U.S. Capitol. On October 21, 2022, the January 6 Select Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives did something unprecedented. They sent a subpoena to former U.S. President Donald Trump for his actions on January 6. Included here is the text of the subpoena. Please read it!

To my APUSH students: This is a big moment! The DBQ for this year could really be about the executive branch.

President Washington's Farewell Address

 

President George Washington was elected the FIRST U.S. President by unanimous vote!  I truly believe the only President who will be - political parties today are so divided.  George Washington was so afraid of being seen as a monarch - so he only served two terms.  He could have served a life time!  He was popular and trusted!  But he set a precedent!  Due to only serving 2 terms every president only served two terms because Washington did.  Then Franklin D. Roosevelt got elected to 4 terms, and Congress was so afraid America would get a Monarch or Dictator.  So they passed the 22nd Amendment limiting a Presidential Term to 2 Terms.

President Washington never said the Farewell Address - it was published in Newspapers across the Country.  He gave 3 Warnings to this new country!

 

Breaking News!

 

Queen Elizabeth DIED today as the longest reining English Monarch!  Below is an article from NY Times about her sudden death:

NY Times Article

Boys In The Boat

 

A fantastic book I just read was Boys In The Boat!  It is HISTORICAL!  It is about the 9 Boys who are sent to race in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin!  They win GOLD!!!!  It is so riveting! I did not rowing was such an EXCITING sport to read about!  I felt like I was there!  The book follows the 9 Boys before the Olympics so you KNOW them!  You feel like you are right there with them!  You also get a sense of what the 1930s is like!  

The BOOK was so good and I just read George Clooney is going to make it into a film!  I literally cannot wait!  If you need a good book to read - read this one!

Welcome Back To School!!!

 

Importance of Friendship

 

I LOVE CBS Sunday Morning!  I feel like I've become an adult!  Growing up my mother made the family watch it.  She got to decide what is on T.V.  Well now I ADORE it!   I totally get it!  They have the best stories!  One of them is below - The Funny Farm!  This story is about a rescue farm and friendships have flourished!  Ones you would not think of - lion, tiger, and bears, and a steer and goat, an emu and duck.

It is the sweetest story, and the woman running the farm discusses the importance of friendships!  It is true for animals and humans!  Friendship has power and everyone needs friendship! I posted the Funny Farm video below and Christian the Lion's story.  I do not want to tell the stor, but if you have never seen it - please watch!

Safety in our World

 

I LOVE the idea of the power of one.  I truly believe we were all given a talent to share with the World!  Mr. Karakatsanis LOVES Safety for all, and crusades for it!  We all say to our self what the problem is and how to fix it, but that is it!  Mr. Karakatsanis is trying to do something about it!  

He has gained fame through his Twitter!  He knows Republican's will vote how they do - so he is talking directly to the Democrats about solutions WE know WORKS!  The video below is when he went on the Daily Show to talk about his ideas!  I am so impressed!  Watch if you can!

 

Under The Tulip Tree

 

This Summer (2022) I joined my Church's Book Club!  Wow!  Best decision ever!  The first book I read was "Under The Tulip Tree" by Mary Shocklee.  So GOOD!

This book follows a young woman who dreams of becoming a writer.  The book opens up on Rena's 16th birthday.  Rena and her family are getting ready, and decorating for the event.  Then you read no one comes!  The Stock Market Crashes!  This is a HUGE reason I love this book.  It is historical!

The story immerses you in the 1930s, and you get to read how people dealt with The Depression.  Rena and her family have lost everything, and she MUST bring in money to the house!  A former employer tells Rena about a writing opportunity with the F.W.P. (Federal Writer's Project) through the W.P.A. (Works Progress Administration).

The W.P.A and F.W.P were part of FDR's Alphabet Soup of the New Deal to help get Americans back to work during the 1930s!  As soon as I read that in the book - I thought to myself, Oh My Goodness Rena is going to interview Former Slaves.  As a History Teacher I knew the F.W.P interviewed former slaves to help preserve their history, and hear first hand what happened during Slavery.  That is exactly what happened.

The story follows Rena interviewing Frankie, a 101 year old Former Slave, and her story.  It is captivating!  Frankie's story is crazy, and you will find yourself not wanting to put the book down.  I will admit I was a little sad when I was done!  I wanted the story to keep going!  I cried, I laughed, and I Screamed at the book!  Read it!  It will not disappoint!

One of the coolest aspects of the F.W.P is the filmed Former Slave Narratives, and they are on YouTube!  Here is one!  Check them out!

 

Prom 2022 - Garden in the Clouds

The Aftermath

Prom was so BEAUTIFUL and MAGICAL!!!!  It was held at a new venue - Vista 21 downtown behind Greenwood Rising!  I took pics of the Venue - the dance floor was OUTSIDE!!!!!!   And pics of me and current students!

Pay your dues and LOVE your Class Sponsors!  So your Prom can be just as BEAUTIFUL!!!

Where the kids mingled, talked, and ate!

The dance floor - look at that view!

When they got off the elevator

My job was Coat Check

Mr. Hornet!!!!!

I ADORE these ladies!!!!

 

History has been made!

 

History has been made!  Ketanji Brown Jackson has been confirmed to the United States Supreme Court!  She is our first African American Woman on the court!  So exciting!

The Power of One!

 

Famous Oscar Speeches by African Americans!

 

I Love MOVIES!!!!  So I adore the OSCARS!!!  It is my Super Bowl Sunday!  This year the Oscars are on Sunday March 27th, and the hosts are Amy, Schumer, Wanda Sykes, and Regina King!  I am already so excited!  Here are some famous acceptance speeches from African American actors:

Spike Lee won his first Oscar for Black Klansmen

2019 Oscars

Happy Valentine's Day

 

10 Year Challenge