IT GETS BETTER.

Reminding us about the effects of bullying, Aysha Hood says, "Watch this video by Rise Up of their great new song, 'Make It Stop (September's Children).'"
http://youtu.be/XP4clbHc4Xg

SET SENIORS DRESS FOR SUCCESS

Bridget Angulo and Ermelly Diaz accessorize
their uniforms in a winning way.

On February 20th, seniors from the School of Education and Training took part in their first senior spirit day- Dress to Impress. Students were encouraged to dress-up and tastefully accessorize their uniforms.  The winner of the first spirit day contest is Ermelly Diaz!  Senior spirit days will be on Wednesdays for a month, except during HSPA. Students must be in full uniform in order to participate.

Dressing for Success,
Pamela Soto and Arige Taha pose
outside their homeroom.

Quadaija Kibler, Asia Lewis,
Imilsi Gonzales and Deja Wilkerson
show how it's done. 

NEXT SPIRIT DAYS WILL BE:

Wed., Feb. 27:

CRAZY TIE/BOWTIE DAY!!

Wed., March 13:

CRAZY HAIR DAY!!

SOTU

If you did not get to see and hear President Obama's State of the Union address on Tuesday night, Feb. 12, here is a good place to see it. This link gives you the video, the text, and additional enhancements.


http://www.whitehouse.gov/state-of-the-union-2013#

Starry, Starry, Starry, Starry Night UPDATE!

THE 

STARRY, STARRY KNIGHTS

TALENT SHOW

HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED FOR FRIDAY AFTERNOON, MARCH 8TH, RIGHT AFTER SCHOOL.

QUICK REACTION BUTTONS

If you are a regular visitor to this blog, you might have noticed a small change we made this week: at the end of each post, you will see five little check-boxes. You can use these if you don't have time to write a comment,  but you want to leave the writer a signal of how you feel about what you read. See?

Please either comment or at least click a box when you read something on JFKTorch.blogspot.com. THANKS!

WHAT MAKES A GREAT TEACHER?

by Mili Ismothara,
Education Policy Correspondent

In my opinion, a great teacher is someone who is helpful, fun and caring. A teacher should have all these qualities. A great teacher should always be helpful, no matter how busy they are.

A great teacher sets high standards for all students. This teacher realizes that the expectations she has for her students greatly affect their achievement. A teacher should also be kind to every child, keep students safe, be organized, show interest in students, have a good sense of humor, and give students a second chance. Great teachers should have their own love of learning and inspire students with their passion for education and the subjects they teach.

            Also: a teacher should respect her students. A teacher should always be calm and happy. She should always help solve problems. And she should also make learning fun.

            That’s all! Do you have any great teachers?

Editor's note: Ms. Mili sets a pretty high bar for someone to be called a great teacher. Is it even possible for someone to have ALL  of those qualities? Does this describe your favorite teacher? Your thoughts are welcome below.

Got 15 minutes for peace?

Periodically, we at JFKTorch.blogspot.com like to share links to things that we think are important for people to see. Here is one. Maybe you can take 15 minutes to see it.


http://www.ted.com/talks/israel_and_iran_a_love_story.html

JFK PETS AND THEIR PEOPLE

The 2nd in a continuing series about the animals we love.

Crurel Penn,
Lifestyle Correspondent

Below is SET senior Deja Wilkerson's shih tzu terrier, Ewock. Deja has had Ewock since he was a puppy. He is now fourteen in dog years. Ewock is named because of his fur since it is nice and fluffy like Chewbacca from Star Wars. Deja takes Ewock to the groomer for a nice haircut. 

Deja Wilkerson, Ewock's Owner

Ewock has a couple of unusual traits: For one thing, he likes to run down the stairs but not up. For another, Deja says, "sometimes he  has moments when he just snaps. I say give him back, but everybody else loves him, so I guess he's here to stay."

Be careful! Ewock looks cute, but he thinks he's a tough guy.

Fernando Quispe

Simba, Fernando's shih tzu.

And speaking of shih tzu terriers, Fernando Quispe of BTMF has one too. Fernando has had Simba for two years. He is fluffy and soft. He is also very playful with any one who gives him attention. Maybe Deja and Fernando should set up a play date for their shih tzus?

MARA KETTLE WINS ESSAY CONTEST

Congratulations to Mara Kettle, first place winner of the Metropolitan New Jersey Planned Parenthood 2012 Teen Summit essay contest. The topic was “What Can You Do to Bring Positive Change to Your School?” Ms. Kettle is truly passionate about writing and making her school a better place. “I enjoyed putting my ideas down on paper. The beauty of it was picturing the perfect foundation where every child felt like they belonged”.

SET Junior Mara Kettle, winner of the 2013 Planned Parenthood
Teen Summit Essay Contest.

Ms. Kettle’s essay is below.           

            The 21st century has brought to its inhabitants, a world of imagination and wonders. We are taught to dream big and reach up for the stars and create our own constellations. Our society is full of intellectuals who are prime doctors, lawyers, artisans, musicians, engineers, and entrepreneurs. There is courage and ambition instilled within individuals who strive for success in their life time. The only problem our world faces today is lack of inspiration passed down to generations.

            Many individuals are inspired through learning in school. We obtain knowledge beyond our horizons that allow us to discover who we are and what we want to pursue. But sometimes the environment can discourage people from expanding above the custom. Factors such as violence, poverty, disabilities, and negativity can influence a person's mental outlook on learning and moving forward in life.

            If I could change the world, I would make the environment a more positive place. Communities would accentuate hope and promise. Families would be secured financially in the sense that children won't have to worry about someone outside the home providing for them. Community Fundraisers and counseling groups would be established for family's who need extra help in the home to care for their children. Instead of students focused on getting the bills paid with a minimum wage job, an education would be their number one priority.

            Visualize some struggles students may face socially, mentally, and physically. Think about children who are overweight, autistic, insecure, physically disabled, mentally impaired, bullied, afraid, parents, and so on. These examples are someone's reality and it makes them different in some shape or form. Imagine if everyone felt equal to their neighbor. Despite the fact that autistic child having social problems, everyone still made an effort to be his friend. The overweight person who is bullied constantly would feel beautiful because she had constant encouragement from her peers and counselors. And the teenage mom with a baby boy wouldn't be on her own because she had support through the school system.

            There are reasons beyond wanting to drop-out or simply just hating school. Many kids don't have the support they need from school and at home, therefore making students feel like they don't belong. One thing that society needs to realize is that we are all human. Our indifferences shouldn't depict how we are treated and placed among the world.

            One major change I would make in the world is to make every individual a support system for someone else. We all need to realize the same people we ignore will affect our lives or the next generation. Their children can impact someone else's children future. Let’s all be an advocate for someone and show people that it is okay to be gay, mentally challenged, or overweight. When acceptance is of the essence, school would be a place where everyone wanted to be because students could express their uniqueness and feel belonged.

SUPERBOWL 47 IN NEW ORLEANS

George "The Authority" Pasquella Picks Emotion over Momentum!

George "The Authority"
Pasquella's Prime Picks

The time is here NFL fans, time for what everyone has been waiting for, Super Bowl XLVII! This year we've got a good one, a battle royal between the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers.

But it's not only a team battle. It's a battle between brothers John and Jim Harbaugh. These teams are so alike because both teams have young talented QBs and great defense.

I've looked at the stats. We've ALL seen the stats. The stats say that the Niners will win this game due to their good defense and ability to score on offense. But statistics don't show what I like to call the X factor: emotion.

Like I said in my last post, 17-year veteran Ray Lewis will be retiring after this season and the Ravens have been playing with the emotion and drive to win.

So this game could go either way. But I'm taking the Baltimore Ravens to win, just because of the emotion they play with. And the Super Bowl MVP will be Ray Lewis who has dominated these last playoff games.

Editor's Note: JFKTorch.blogspot.com does NOT encourage illegal gambling on sporting events, which is illegal. However, if you are picking favorites in a friendly competition with your buddies, you could do a lot worse than going with George's authoritative picks. That's why they call him "The Authority." If he says that pathos is going to trump logos tomorrow, I wouldn't argue with him.