Our Last Group of Writers!

 All Students:  Be sure to read the entries for this group  (April writers).  Everyone is required to comment on at least THREE different pieces of writing.  You must post the comment here on the blog (below the post is the "comments" link to click) by Tuesday, May 11, on Canvas AND the blog. 

Remember, comments must be positive, supportive, constructive, and SPECIFIC.  No "Good Job!" comments, unless you follow that with specific things you thought were done well in the piece.  Show them you actually took the time to read and enjoy their work!

"Introspection" by Zaejahn B

 

At age six, I was in kindergarten, picking flowers, painting my walls pink, and eating oreo worm dessert cups. At age six, Kameron Prescott was shot and killed by law enforcement while they aimed to kill a non-violent suspect. Officers had zero body cam footage and one officer was untrained on new guidelines. No one was charged. At age seven, my favorite color was pink, my favorite song was Super Bass and OMG and I learned every division and multiplication problem. At age seven, Aiyana Jones was shot and killed by police officer, Joseph Weekely, while sleeping on her grandmother’s couch. Officers had a warrant to raid the house next door, but had shown up there instead. He was not charged. At the age of twelve, I was playing with Bratz dolls, listening to Hot Line Bling, and getting ready for middle school. Tamir Rice was 12 when police officer, Timothy Loehmann, shot and killed him for playing with a toy gun. No one was charged. At age sixteen, I was getting my permit and my frst car. At sixteen, Ma’Khia Bryant was shot three times and was unfortunately killed for protecting herself from a group of girls trying to steal her car and fght her. No one will be charged. As a seventeen year old, I am getting ready for college and graduating. At age seventeen, Trayvon Martin was coming home from a gas station and was shot in the back for purely walking home. No one was charged.

 

Black and Brown adolescents are six times more likely to be killed by the police. Since 2018, officers have killed over one hundred children, twenty three under the age of fifteen.

Shockingly, police brutality is the one of the many leading causes of deaths for young men and boys. When we speak of reform, protesting the government, or demand change, what is the outcome we want ? For many years, we have been doing the same thing in a repeat manner. A child or adult would be killed or seriously injured by an officer, citizens protest, and the outcome would be that it was rightfully “justified”. Rinse and repeat. In 2020, Breonna Taylor was killed by officers in a botched raid in her apartment. An apartment that was later proved as the wrong one by their mistake. Breonna Taylor died, citizens protested, and the outcome was justified. This year, a verdict that many people wanted to come alive, was the charges held against George Floyd’s Killer, Derek Chauvin.

 

When I think about reform, I think about change. The change to have better educated law enforcement who care about the neighborhoods they protect and serve. A change to how the system was made. Many of the laws that were made to keep BIPOC down and unable to make money are still here today. With research, more activism,and more unity, we would be able to achieve the change that we need for our communities.

"To My Friend" by Angela C

 

To my friend,

I can’t wait for all the things we are gonna do later on in life. First of all, I want to travel with you so that we can see so many places and explore this big world together. I want to see pretty green fields full of flowers, and the nice warm sandy beach. Go to the desert and see the stars because apparently, that is the best place to go. When we are above 21 we will go see colorful and loud New Orleans like we always talked about and I can’t wait for us to go to our first pride parade!! I wanna go to Mexico so I can show you my culture and maybe we can take a trip to Europe and go to Portugal. I wanna go snorkeling with coral reef-safe sunscreen so that we can see all the amazing fish and sea creatures we have never seen before. But the world isn’t the only thing I want to see with you.

 

I wanna see us graduate!! I mean we have been on this journey together and even though it is sad to see this chapter end, it will also be exciting to look back and see how far we have come. Can’t wait to take pictures of us in our graduation gowns, it will be surreal. I can’t wait to see us go to college and kick ass! I can’t wait to see us put to use our knowledge to save the world!! Of course, we can’t save the whole world, well maybe we will, but I know we will help it before we go! Leave our mark! I can’t wait to see us graduate college and recreate the same picture we took for high school, that will be funny. I can’t wait for our first day on the job, you will probably work for the government and be a badass politician helping people here at home, and I will be working in a non-profit, helping people overseas in need. I can’t wait for you to tell me of your first love and watch you go crazy for her. I bet those talks will be fun. And of course, watching you get married to the women of your dreams will make me cry tears of joy. If she dares to break your heart, I will be coming for her and socking her with a peanut butter sock. Excuse the violence. I might go to jail in the future if I do that, can’t wait to see that too!! I can’t wait for you to get little children if you want children. If you do, I will be the best aunt I can be and spoil them while you get it on with your future wifey. I'LL BE THE BEST SIDE WOMEN!!! I'll take your kids to the beach while you have a lovely date night with her. I can’t wait for us to grow old together and go on old lady adventures, I wanna be that type of old lady that goes sky diving even though it's bad for my old little heart or maybe an adventure tamer like little old lady picnics gossiping about the people walking by.

 

Anyway, the point is I can’t wait for us to grow up. So don’t you ever DARE to leave me on this beautiful journey by myself. The thing I can’t wait to see the most out of all of this is you finally, and truly being happy for yourself. Being happy. I know you can do it. I can’t wait for you to tell me that you love yourself and you mean it with your whole heart. I can’t wait. It will happen and I know it will be hard and maybe it won’t happen for a while and maybe you will be like this for a while, but even if its 1 year, 5 years, 10 years, I don’t care how long it takes I'll wait for you and I'll always be here to try and make you love yourself. Because you are so amazing and I can’t wait for you to see that all by yourself. I can’t wait for the future and all the endless hugs, tears, and laughs we will share. So please don’t give up.

 

-Love, your friend :)

 

" What is Intelligence?" by Morgan M

 

 

“Education is no substitution for intelligence.” - Frank Herbert

 

Nowadays, too many people equate being educated to being intelligent, when the two are far from synonyms. According to the dictionary, education is merely “the process of receiving or giving systematic instruction, especially at a school or university,” while intelligence is “the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills.” So, if an education only guarantees you instruction and not absorption of “applicable knowledge and skills,” then why does society use it to measure intelligence? Attending school does not inherently make you smart. Even if you show up to class everyday, pay attention, and complete your work to maintain a good grade, it does not mean you are truly learning much of anything. It certainly does not mean you are learning any valuable skill that will be useful in your path for life. Yet, society still likes to treat a college degree as the requirement for being considered intelligent. A degree is a piece of paper, it does not dictate the capabilities of one's mind. Sure it takes around four years of studying a lot of courses to obtain a degree, but does that really take notable amounts of intelligence to achieve? Not necessarily.

Children are told, “Do well in school and you will grow up to be a genius!” or “You want to be smart? Go to school. Get an education.” In reality, how well you do in school depends on your level of effort much more than your level of intelligence. There is an

abundance of students who do not get the best grades in school because they simply do not care enough to try, though they are plenty smart enough to get higher grades if they apply themselves. So, no. I do not think that intelligence is determined by a person’s success in school, or whether or not they have a higher education. I am not here to argue that all kids who dropout of school at age thirteen are intelligent, because we know that is not true. All I am saying is that having an education does not automatically make you intelligent, and having a lengthy education does not automatically make you smarter than those who do not. It is absolutely possible, but it is not definite. For example, Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg are two of the smartest, most successful people I can think of, and both of them dropped out of college. This is why society should not place so much value on college degrees.

There is a lot more to “you live and you learn” than there is to sitting in a classroom. What makes intelligence is growth and understanding from various experiences that you will often not find in the school system. Intelligence is not just memorizing every math equation you have been introduced to, it is the ability to adapt and problem solve in real life scenarios. Intelligence is not remembering the exact date of every battle in American history, it is taking the knowledge you have been given and using it to make the right decisions under pressure. Furthermore, what many people would not include in their definition of intelligence, but I would argue is the most important, is social intelligence. Social intelligence is one thing that is hard to teach at school as it really is just common sense and conversational skills. Social awareness, the aptitude to reason with, and the ability to interact with others are extremely essential to well rounded intelligence that will lead you to the most success in life, which are more

frequently developed outside of the classroom. Everyone needs to be done with “Well if you didn’t go to college, then you must not be very bright.” It is time we stop putting all of our eggs in the university basket, because intelligent does not mean educated.

 

 

 

 

“Education.” Bing, Microsoft,

 

www.bing.com/search?q=definition+of+education&qs=n&form=QBRE&sp=-1&pq=definit

 

ion+of+education&sc=6-23&sk=&cvid=0E77A1A56BB74B369AB51E6C9CFFF39B.

 

 

“Intelligence.” Bing, Microsoft,

 

www.bing.com/search?q=definition%2Bof%2Bintelligence&qs=LS&pq=definition%2Bof

 

%2Bintel&sc=6-19&cvid=0485FE69E4804C9F951BDEC1B1F39DED&FORM=QBRE&s

 

p=1&ghc=1.

"My Lola's Lumpia" by Kaitlin D

 

As a Filipino American, I encourage myself and others to embrace Filipino culture whether it is the white-sand beaches, traditional dances, family based community, or it’s MOUTHWATERING food. When someone makes food for you, it does not only mean that they show their appreciation and love for you, but they insist on you eating to prevent ANY kind of hunger. This describes my lola, otherwise known as my grandma. My lola is the most passionate, caring, and funniest person I know. We bond over fashion, food mukbangs, and more importantly, the production of her lumpia. Lumpia is a dish very similar to a spring roll as it holds savory fillings within its crisp, thin skin. You will always find it at a Filipino party alongside pancit (glass noodles), spaghetti, lechon (roasted whole pig), bar-b-que skewers, ice cream, and cake. As a child, I helped my lola wrap each individual lumpia, but never actually trusted myself enough to make the filling in fear that it would taste completely different. Recently, I have gotten over the fear and tried making it myself. The result is definitely worth the time put into it. This dish could be eaten as a meal with a side of rice or it could be eaten as you constantly go to the kitchen to “search for a snack.” After my seventeen years of living and trying lumpia made by different people, I am grateful enough to say that MY LOLA’S LUMPIA IS THE BEST. When I say this, I mean it with everything in me. After trying this recipe of my lola's Lumpiang Shanghai, it will convince you to never buy frozen or ready-made lumpia that is not this one. Now let’s get started!

 

Ingredients for Lumpia Filling:

2 pounds ground pork or chicken (your preference)

½ of a big onion

2 teaspoons black pepper

½ teaspoon salt

1 big carrot, minced

½ can of low sodium spam, cut into small cubes (secret ingredient, you’re welcome)

2 tablespoons soy sauce

3 eggs

2 packs lumpia wrappers (brand: Menlo - red packaging)

 

Ingredients To Seal the Wrapper:

½ cup water

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

 

To Fry: Vegetable or Canola oil (amount is dependent on how big your pan is)

 

Tools:

●      Knife and chopping board

○       to mince the carrots, onions and spam

●      One big bowl

○      to place all ingredients in (except the lumpia wrapper, water and flour)

●      Measuring cups

●      Measuring spoons

●      Clean hands

○      for mixing all ingredients together

 

Steps:

1)    Chop and mix all ingredients listed under “Lumpia Filling.”

a)     Tip: Mix with clean hands (adds more flavor)

2)    Create sealant using the flour and oil in a separate small bowl.

3)    Grab the Menlo lumpia wrappers and cut them in half diagonally.

a)     Should have multiple triangle-shaped wrappers

4)    Place about two tablespoons of your filling on the base of the triangle.

a)     Tip: Do not overfill the wrapper otherwise it will rip very easily

5)    Fold in both sides so that there are no air bubbles or meat being exposed.

6)    Roll upwards and dip two fingers in sealant mixture and rub on the last corner before rolling the lumpia completely.

7)    Put a small, deep pan on the stove to prepare for frying.

8)    On a medium fire, fill the pan up to a little less than half way with oil.

9)    Fill the base of the pan with lumpias allotting space in between them to avoid sticking together.

10) Fry until golden brown.

 

Then you are done! Enjoy with a side of sweet and sour sauce or my favorite, Datu Puti Vinegar (can be found at Seafood City or any Filipino market)! I hope this recipe has given you insight into how good Filipino food is. Growing up, I would bring my favorite Filipino dishes to school and there would always be someone asking “What is that?” with a disgusted expression. If you try any recipe, especially this one, please be open to other cultures and what they have to offer. Hope you guys love it!

 

(Image from: food52.com)

 

 

"How to Make Pilau" by Neema M

 

During some year in the 90s, that I cannot for the life of me remember, my father, Acquillahs Muteti, came to America from Kenya in hopes of establishing my family’s future. A few years later, in the year 2000, my mother and two older brothers immigrated here as well. Four years later, I was born. Although I was born in the United States, I’ve rarely felt disconnected from my heritage. This is for many reasons. On one hand, I have spent basically my entire life going to a church solely dominated by other Kenyan immigrants. Seventeen years surrounded by my extended family, bonded not through blood but through that shared experience of being far from home. On the other hand, my mom’s home-cooked Kenyan cuisine has always helped me to feel tethered to that part of who I am.

 

She told me once how when she first moved she experimented with all kinds of ingredients she found in the grocery store to recreate what she came to know as familiar back home. Eventually she had an “American-grocery-store-friendly” recipe down for every old favorite. One of my personal favorites is a Pilau, a seasoned rice dish. Pilau, in particular, is a staple in any Kenyan household. And honestly, for good reason. It’s really good. Whenever a friend of mine wants to try Kenyan food, the first thing I think to make them is Pilau. Mostly because my family makes it so much that at this point it is quick and easy, but also because I have never met a person who didn’t love it, which may sound like an exaggeration but I swear it is not. There’s no better word for it than classic. You can tell a lot about a person from how they season they’re pilau while cooking. The staple seasoning in Pilau is Pilau Masala. It's a fine brown powder packed full of different spices and it’s hard to find in store in America. My mom gets hers from Amazon. Let me know and I’ll hook you up.

Within my own family, every person’s pilau tastes different. My brothers still haven’t completely mastered the art of seasoning pilau, but they’ll never know because my mom continues to hype them up for their efforts. Ultimately, she’s the expert but I’d like to think my rendition is a close second. Give this recipe a shot. Try something new.

Prep time: 15 minutes

 

Cook time: 45 minutes

 

Ingredients

 

●      1 small onion or ½ of a large onion

 

●      3 cups of Royal Basmati Rice

 

●      ½ lb of beef

 

●      1 heaping tablespoon of Pilau Masala (my mom gets hers from Amazon)

 

●      2 tablespoons of granulated garlic or garlic powder

 

●      3 tablespoons of pureed tomato or tomato paste

 

●      Salt to taste

 

●      Garlic salt

 

●      3 tablespoons of Canola oil

 

●      5 cups of Boiling Hot Water

 

Tools

 

●      Medium sized pot

 

●      Wooden mixing spoon

 

●      Measuring cups and spoons

 

●      Electric Kettle (or a second pot)

 

●      Knife

 

Step 1. Add water to your tea kettle and turn it on to boil so it’s ready for later. Step 2. Cut your onions into small pieces and put into a medium size pot

 

(in swahili, a “sufuria”). Cut the beef into small cubes and place that on the side for later.

 

Step 3. Add canola oil to the pot as well and turn on the stove to medium heat. It should be just enough oil to cover the onions

Step 4. Periodically stir the mixture with your wooden spoon to prevent it from burning. Cook until it starts to brown

Step 5. Once the onion starts to brown, add beef, Pilau Masala, garlic powder, and tomato puree.

 

Stir the mixture and allow the meat to cook for a few minutes.

 

Step 6: Add 5 cups of boiling water to the pot and stir the mixture. Also add both regular and garlic salt to the water. Feel free to taste the mixture and continue to add those two salts until it tastes really good. Don’t be shy.

Step 7: Make sure the water is at a rolling boil and then add your 3 cups of rice. Lower the heat to a simmer and cover the pot. Allow it to steam for about 15 minutes.

Step 8: After 15 minutes, check your rice. Taste the rice to see if it is cooked. If not, allow it to steam for another five minutes. Once it's cooked, you’re all done!

The rice should look similar to the picture below once done, minus the parsley (unless you’re feeling fancy, I guess)

I really hope you enjoy it!

 

" What is a Friend ?" by Mya B

 

“A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.” An inspiring quote by Walter Winchell. By definition, according to Oxford languages, a friend is “ a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically exclusive of sexual or family relations.” However, I would say the definition has a deeper meaning to it.

 

Throughout our lives we have gained and also lost many friends. There are some friends we feel can tell anything too, there are some friends that we have an unbreakable bond with,and there are some friends that soon became like family. On the other hand, there are many friendships that we have encountered that only lasted for a short amount of time. At that moment we knew there was a certain meaning to what a friend is.

 

A friend is someone who motivates you towards success. A friend is someone you can depend on and won’t let you down. A friend is someone who doesn't change in front of other people. Most of all, a friend is someone who never leaves your side when times get rough. Not everyone you meet in life is going to be your friend, and the sooner we begin to accept, that the easier it is to recognize the fake people around you. There are many people that will smile in your face, but behind closed doors is praying on your downfall. There are some friends that you have to let go

because they are holding you back from your future. Did you ever notice the change in your friend groups from middle school to now? Do you remember thinking you and your friends were always going to be close but are now complete strangers?

 

Overtime we begin to grow and mature as individuals. You begin to look at everyone around you differently. You realize they don’t have the same goals, they’re not genuine, or that you guys may not see eye to eye anymore and that is totally fine. It is okay to end your friendships with people. We have to learn to be comfortable with being alone sometimes. Because it is always better to be alone than be surrounded by the wrong people. Surround yourself with those that want to see you do better. Never settle for less and always remember your worth.

 

Friendships are valuable. The people you surround yourself with can heavily influence your future. Throughout life we are going to encounter different types of people. Some are only there for that moment and some you have created a connection with. But, there are a few amount of people that stand out from the rest. Those individuals that make you happy and that you trust. Those are the ones that you build lifelong friendships with. All in all, the definition of a friend is endless, but overall it is someone who loves you for who you are.

"Kahk El-Eid (Egyptian Eid Cookies)" By Anastasia L

            With Coptic Orthodox Easter and Eid El-Fitr^[1] around the corner, I have to tell you about these amazing Eid Cookies cookies^[2] or, as they are traditionally called, Kahk El-Eid. Kahk is believed to date back to Egypt during the Pharaonic times; it was found in the pictures drawn on the temples and buildings of Egypt. In present time, it is a symbol and tradition of celebration for both Muslim and Christian communities in Egypt.

 As a Christian, my family gathered and made Kahk, usually twice a year, for Christmas and Easter. The making of these cookies is simple but it brings great unity to all of the members of the family. Even after coming to America, my mother kept these traditions and made these cookies every year to bring the family closer together. To me, Kahk is a symbol for family, happiness, and celebration all in one. Because it is a celebration that brings all family and friends together, usually, every year I would make a large amount of cookies and share them with my classmates and teachers at school; however, since the pandemic is still ongoing, I share this with my co-workers. I always enjoy sharing my happiness with others because it makes the occasion 10x better than it already is. This is definitely my favorite dessert and I’m glad to be sharing this with you. I hope you enjoy this recipe and may it bring you much joy like it does to me!

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Ingredients and tools:

➢   6 cups of flour

➢   2 ½  cups of hot butter

➢   3 Tbsp of sugar

➢   3 Tsp of yeast

➢   ½ cup of room temperature milk

➢   Agameya (special honey filling) , walnuts, loukoums, and pistachios(optional)

➢   Powdered sugar

➢   Spatula

Recipe:

1. Put 6 cups of flour in a bowl. 
   
   
   
   
   
2. Then, add 2 tbsp of sugar and mix together.
3. On high heat, put 2 ½ cup of butter in a pot and wait till it gets hot melted but be careful, do not burn it.
4. After the butter is melted and hot, pour it carefully bit by bit and mix with your favorite spatula. While pouring the butter, it should make bubbles like this:
   
   
   
   
5. After mixing it carefully, the dough should look like this: 
   
   
   
   
6. Leave the dough for about 30 mins to cool off completely.

Notice: The dough needs to be room temperature because the yeast will not activate if the temperature of the dough is high.

7. Separately, Mix ½ cup of room temperature milk with 3 tsp of yeast mix evenly.
8. After 30 mins, pour the ½ milk with yeast in the dough and knead the dough thoroughly.
   
   
   
   
9. After kneading the dough evenly, take a small part of the dough and shape it into a sphere, then press the dough down with the palm of your hand.
10. If you want fillings in it, slightly press your thumb down in the middle of the sphered dough and put a small amount of your filling in it. Then close the dough by gathering all sides of the dough to the center, then shaping it into a sphere and press it down on your palms again.
11. After closing the dough, get a fork and press down slightly on the dough several times so the heat can be distributed evenly through the dough. It should look like this:
    
    
    
12. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
13. Get a cookie sheet pan and lay parchment paper on it.
14. Place the cookies on the tray with even space between them likewise:
15. Place the cookie tray in the oven and wait till the bottom of the cookie presents a golden color. The color should look like this:
    
    
    
    

16. After cookies are ready to take out of the oven, place on the counter to cool down.

 

17. After the cookies have cooled down, sprinkle powdered sugar evenly on top of the cookies.
    
    
    
    
18. That is all for the recipe, Enjoy! 
    
    
    
    

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The picture above should be the final result. Usually these delicious cookies are eaten with other homemade cookies and any type of tea. The cookie should feel soft and smooth and have a golden color to it. These are usually placed on a coffee table in a cookie platter for people to eat throughout the day and to remind them of the beautiful and holy occasion we are celebrating. One Kahk is about 160 calories and it is pretty filling, therefore, it is a very good snack. I hope everyone enjoyed the blog and to tell me how the cookies turned out (if you get to try the recipe). Thank you everyone for taking you time to read this recipe, Have a Wonderful Day Everyone!

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^[1] The celebration after Ramadan

^[2] Celebration cookies