Barbra Boxer

After taking a lot of time researching potential American Heros for class I got interested and stuck on all of the things that the Senator of CA Barbra Boxer is trying to improve. She is trying to make college more affordable ......

http://boxer.senate.gov/en/press/updates/040710b.cfm

and public schools with more after school programs to keep kids learning & on the right path among many things. Barbra has spent most of her life committed to improving the rights of Americans and the environment. She is on a coalition to increase medical research to find cures for diseases and wants to let any American buy into the same health insurance that members of Congress have. Barbra believes that all consumers should be able to purchase lower-cost perscription drugs.

She is also trying to encourage companies to bring the work back to our country by giving them tax credit. Another thing that I look up to her for is that she authored the original Violence Against Women Act while a member of the House of Representatives.

I look at Barbra Boxer as an American Hero because she has dedicated her life to standing up for what she knows helps many many people. I agree with the values she represents and honor the effort she makes for our country. I relate to her when I read about the changes she makes in the U.S be them big or small and hope that I can spend my time supporting the things I truly believe in.

Mentoring 1st graders in JP :)

Today at 10:00 am I headed down to the Hennigan Elementary School in Jamaica Plain for my first day helping in a first grade classroom. Oh I was not quite sure what to expect but it turned into a very rewarding experience. I was a little early so I sat and waited after I signed in until the principal introduced me to a little girl named Stacey who escorted me to her classroom. The teacher introduced me as Ms. B since I advised against the 19 children struggling to pronounce Bialobrodec ;) Most of the children were surprisingly welcoming and accepted me into their environment.

I ended up giving them mini reading tests & helping them sound out short words. Then we read a short story twice....the hardest part of the two hours that I was there was to gather and successfully bring back all the kids from our bathroom trip. Right before lunch the teacher asked them to say their goodbye's to me & they proceed give me a bunch of hugs and ask if they can be my helper and hold my hand, awwww.

Almost all of them were helpful and attentive and had good skills when it came to sounding words out. Also most of them were having some trouble differentiating their b's from their d's as I also did when I was their age. My mom taught me by reminding me that the letter b had a belly which I passed along, we will see if any of the kids use that strategy next Tuesday morning.

I got a big thank you from the teacher who normally has to manage 20 children on her own and teach them as best as she can. It was clear that she was excited that the kids would receive some extra attention. I hope that I can continue to be helpful.

sent my letter to Senator Kerry :)

Dear U.S Senator Kerry

Thank You for taking the time to take a look at my email & group of five photos about Education in America. I am a graduate of the New England School of Photography in Boston and currently attending classes at Bunker Hill Community College. I have been struggling with loans and working through college for years now and wanted to share some of our stories with you. Please take a look at the faces and stories of some college students in Massachusetts at

http://bhcc.digication.com/reia/Welcome/

Education in America is so very important to me as I am sure it is to you, that is why I am trying to raise awareness on how hard many young Americans have to fight to further their education. If the average college education was much more affordable then it would be more accessible and appealing to the average American. America would have many more college graduates if once you graduate you are truly ahead of the game instead of buried in debt for years to come and struggling financially just like someone who has only graduated from highschool.

Having more educated citizens would solve so many of our social problems and improve the quality of life in our country. I am currently a teaching assistant at the New England School of Photography and see students every week worried, stressed out and not being able to put all their energy into their studies because of having to work full time to support themselves and their education. It is an unfair problem and this country should be begging people to learn instead of deterring then with thousands upon thousands of dollars of debt. Why are their people making money off of students who are struggling to fund their education?

The direction that I think education in our country should go in is to lower the cost of education by having more government funding to support students and colleges, lowering interest rates and cutting out more of the middlemen who profit off of student loans.

Thank You for your time,

Alice Bialobrodec

finished my DIGIcation portfolio :)

check it out...... this is the link that I will be attaching to my letter to a senator.

http://bhcc.digication.com/reia/Welcome/

I also just got the email telling me that I will be start helping at the Hennigan, James W. Elementary School in Jamaica Plain Tuesday (27th) with kindergardeners!! aww they will be so little :)

Steven

" Almost being finished with my architecture degree & planning to receive my masters, I cannot help but dread and fear the toll that the debt I have accumulated has and will continue to have on my life. The program that I am in is so demanding that it is close to impossible to hold a job so the loans just keep pilling up. It is a battle many Americans fight for decades after college."

- Steven Cormier

Jessica

"One year ago, I was very excited to be accepted into a well recognized health science college. I was much less excited to find a way to afford it. After begging a distant family member to co-sign my loans, I received a letter stating my payment plan that would span from 2010 to 2030. The plan is a monthly $900 payment that would only end in 20 years if there is not one missed or late payment. Now already thousands of dollars in debt I've found myself struggling to work and afford rent on top of supplies. I work to support myself but need to maintain my grades to not get dropped from my financial aid, I am worried that not being able to fully dedicate myself to either will catch up eventually. This being the case my biggest anxieties come from thoughts on my life after graduation, with $900 monthly necessary for payments how will I afford rent and the general costs of living?"

-Jessica Labonosky