Social Media

            One, two, three, four.  Counting the likes you receive from your latest picture, or reading the comments that people leave. Especially now, social media is becoming a huge part of our lives. Almost everybody has an IPhone or an Instagram account. Social media is known for secluding teens and making us less social. It is also a big cause of cyber bullying. Although that is not always true. Social media is very healthy and is necessary for people, especially teens, because it is a great source of communication, and a boost of self-esteem. 

            While apps like Instagram and Twitter are said to distract you from the real world, they actually bring you closer. According to an article from the Pew Research Center named, “Teens, Technology, and Friendships” by Amanda Lenhart, the author states, “Fully 57% of teens ages 13 to 17 have made a new friend online, with 29% of teens indicating that they have made more than five new friends in online venues.” Many people make lifelong friends from the internet. Something like Facebook can help you meet so many new people through similar interests. There are hundreds of thousands of cook groups, book groups, and just about anything groups. Now even if these people may not meet in person, it is a great way to make friends. An article on CNN named “The upside of selfies: Social media isn't all bad for kids” states, “‘They can just find other kids who are superexcited about the same thing, so if you are living in a small town and you're the only kid who loves musical theater, instead of feeling like a freak about it, you can go online and find all these other kids that love musical theater,’” Social media brings people together, because teens that feel isolated are given the option to communicate with people about similar interests. Social media isn’t just about posting pictures, and hoping to get more likes than your friend, it’s about actually communicating. Kids who don’t have the opportunity to talk about something they like can find someone on the internet that can. Social media gets a wrong image that it’s horrible, but when you see what it does for some kids, you can understand how helpful it is.

            Social media allows you to post about your life and keep in touch with friends and relatives. The video in the New York Times called, “I Forgot My Phone” shows how our phones can distract us from what’s actually happening, but it saves those memories as well. In one part you see a man proposing to a woman and holding a cell phone recording the proposal. Many could say that this just a self-obsession of our phones, but it’s not. He is creating a video because he wants it to be on tape forever. You can always save memories onto your phone, and share them with the world. Taking pictures of what you’re doing doesn’t make you less social. If anything it makes you more social. You’re not sitting there and playing games, you’re taking pictures, and videotaping what you’re doing. Because when you go to a concert you’ve been dreaming of going to your entire life. You want to be able to look back at it, and social media allows us to do that. Recording everything is proof that something happened, and if it is really special to you than it’s amazing to be able to keep it on a database and not just in your head. Sites like Instagram and Facebook allow us to not only save certain memories, but share them with family and friends. In another article Teen Ink named, “Social Networking, and its Effect on Communication,” the author, Thaiatazickas states, “Social networking has its positives, considering it allows us to connect with friends and family in a matter of seconds.” If you have grandparents that live in Spain that you only see once a year, it’s very difficult to communicate with them. Through social media, you can easily text, call, or facetime your relatives. You can show them what you’ve been up to on Instagram, or show your latest pictures of yourself on Facebook. Social networking is now accessible to many people, and is capable of bringing people together. If you have a friend in a faraway country, you start to lose your friendship because you can’t communicate. But nowadays, you can talk to that friend anytime. Social media strengthens peoples’ relationships, by permitting them to communicate with one another.

                Some might say that social networking is a terrible idea for teens because of cyber-bullying. It is a worldwide issue, especially for teens. According to an article on CNN called, “When bullying goes high-tech,” the author, Elizabeth Landau states, “He (Brandon Turley) was told on MySpace that a group of 12 kids wanted to beat him up, that he should stop going to school and die. On his walk from his locker to the school office to report what was happening, students yelled things like ‘fag’ and ‘fatty.’" Turley an average middle schooler at the time was not the only kid that has suffered from online bullying. People commit suicide, and hate their lives because someone bullied them. And when one person says it, everyone starts to. It is so depressing to see how vulgar people are to people they don’t even know. People insult others to make themselves feel better, but what about the kid that is being bullied? The worst part is how much cyber-bullying goes on online, but at school, the kids won’t even state a word in front of each other. And while social media affects kids in negative ways such as this, the positives outweigh them. Social media is actually a great place to boost self-esteem. The author, Kelly Wallace of an article from CNN named, “The upside of selfies: Social media isn't all bad for kids” says, “‘I think just as damaging as social media can be, it can ... help to build self-confidence, too," (…) "When they post selfies, all the comments I usually see are 'You're beautiful,' 'You're so pretty,' 'Oh my God, gorgeous,'" said Masio.” Kids who may not be pretty at all will usually get comments that read “you’re so pretty”. Because many people are incredibly nice and don’t want you to feel bad.  They actually care and take their time to help you. Social media is a great boost of confidence and doesn’t make you worry if you’re pretty enough. When people keep commenting you’re gorgeous you start to think that to and become more outgoing in yourself. Apps like Instagram help people that sit in a corner and eat lunch alone, become happy with themselves and come out of that corner. Overall, social media help kids gain assurance, with the help of some kind individuals.

            Social networking helps people communicate with others, share experiences, and gives them a sense of self-confidence. It’s difficult to argue that there is a quicker way to communicate with friends and family than social networking websites. We can share our vacations, ask your classmate for your math homework, and call someone that lives half-way around the world. All of these things are true aspects of social media, but there is one that stands out the most- it helps kids who are timid and have low self-esteem find friendships in ways that traditional talking could not. Social media has given us an opportunity to connect with people, and has invented new ways to for those in the past, that have been unable to do so.

Bibliography

Lenhart, Amanda. "Teens, Technology and Friendships." Pew Research Center Internet Science Tech RSS. N.p., 06 Aug. 2015. Web. 05 Dec. 2015. <http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/08/06/teens-technology-and-friendships/>.

Wallace, Kelly. "Social Media Positive for Teens? Maybe! - CNN.com." CNN. Cable News Network, n.d. Web. 06 Dec. 2015. <http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/21/living/social-media-p

Bilton, Nick. "Disruptions: More Connected, Yet More Alone." Bits Disruptions More Connected Yet More Alone Comments. N.p., 01 Sept. 2013. Web. 05 Dec. 2015. <http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/01/disruptions-more-connected-yet-more-alone/?_r=0>. ositives-teens-parents/>.

Thaiatzickas. "Social Networking and Its Effect on Communication." Social Networking and Its Effect on Communication. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Dec. 2015. <http://www.teenink.com/opinion/social_issues_civics/article/539423/Social-Networking-and-Its-Effect-on-Communication/>.

Landau, Elizabeth. "When Bullying Goes High-tech - CNN.com." CNN. Cable News Network, n.d. Web. 06 Dec. 2015. <http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/27/health/cyberbullying-online-bully-victims/>.

Between Shades of Grey and Night Essay

Between Shades of Grey and Night Essay

By Matthew Breitman                        711

            Conditions during the Holocaust and the deportation of the Baltic Region were more than terrible. They were atrocious. People were starved, beat, and mutilated. Night, a book by Elie Wiesel is about his experience during the Holocaust. He writes about how he struggled to survive as he was famished, tired, and his family was dead. Between Shades of Grey is a book written by Ruta Sepetys about a teenage girl, Lina, and her family, as they were deported and separated from their father. They were forced to work, by the NKVD guards, who were the Soviet and secret police. They were hungry and treated awfully. Even though the two books are about two different events that took place around the same time, Lina and Wiesel, the main protagonists, went through similar and different conditions. Although they both suffered miserably.

            In Night, Elie Wiesel was whipped, starved, and was forced to run through the freezing cold. After Wiesel sees Idek (his Kapo, or prisoner assigned by the Nazi’s to supervise forced labor), lying with a half-naked girl, Wiesel breaks out laughing. Idek chokes him, and says he will be punished. He gathered a whole unit of prisoners for roll call. He brings up a box and tells Wiesel to lie on it. Wiesel says, “Then I was aware of nothing but the strokes of the whip. ‘One… Two…,’ he counted. He took his time between each stroke. Only the first ones really hurt me.” This part in the book, really shows how brutal the Nazi’s were. How they tried to be superior and how no one could defy them. How being disrespectful can result in twenty five strokes from a whip. Idek was a horrible person, and I believe he took much of his anger out on the Jews. He not only whipped Elie, but savagely beat him, and hit his father continuously with an iron bar. Since he was in power he felt he could do anything he wanted, including being a savage. If Wiesel was next to Idek, then he was surely in terrible conditions. Later in the story, as the Russians approach Buna, (the camp where Wiesel is being held), all prisoners are evacuated and are forced to run in the middle of winter, to a new camp called Buchenwald. As they are running, Wiesel says, “Our limbs numb with cold despite the running, our throats parched, famished, breathless, on we went.” The prisoners were tired, starving, but they just had to keep on running. Many people died because they were so weak, but the Nazi’s didn’t care. They made them keep jogging through snow in thin clothes. The prisoners were dying, but the Nazi’s thought of it as a test. Whoever makes it, is strong, and whoever doesn’t, fails. The conditions were abysmal. People were trampled and forced to sleep in the snow. Nazi’s didn’t blink an eye as many prisoners died. Elie Wiesel suffered horrendously because he was mistreated by being starved, whipped, and made run in winter.

            Lina Vilkas, the protagonist from Between Shades of Grey suffered as she was deported from Lithuania and put in labor camps. When Lina and the other prisoners said they wouldn’t sign papers, (documents that state that they will be arrested and have to stay in labor camps for 25 years), one NKVD officer named Komorov forced Lina and other people into a hole that they dug. He shot around them, and was shoving dirt onto them. Lina said, “More dirt crumbled above our heads. Komorov laughed wildly, kicking dirt onto our faces. Dirt covered my nose. I opened my mouth to breathe and choked on soil.” Even though they were not Nazi’s, The NKVD were just as evil. They could have killed someone by burying them alive. Even though he didn’t intend to kill them, he scared them. The NKVD were brutal, and like the Nazi’s in many ways. When they wanted something done, they would get it done. In this case, they wanted the people to sign the documents, so they buried them alive to make them scared and do so. But Lina, her mother, and many of the other people were persistent to make sure they did not sign the documents. Although the book was made up, I’m sure this happened to some people. As the people stand in line to go to the bathhouse Lina and all the other woman are forced to undress in front of male guards. As Lina finishes to undress, she says, “The guard grabbed my arms and threw them down to my sides. He looked me up and down and grinned. He reached out and groped my breast. I felt his ragged fingernails scratch my skin.” This to me, might be one of the most disturbing parts in the book. It’s just crazy how a grown man would sexually assault a fifteen year old girl. It is absolutely frightening. The NKVD though they had so much power so they thought it was ok to assault this teenager, who was completely helpless. The NKVD officers were basically Nazi’s but they just believed in different things. They treated their prisoners the same. There was also sexual assault going on during the Holocaust. And they both thought of themselves so highly and they thought they could do anything they wanted. The NKVD put a knife to a boy, and demanded that his mother had to sleep with the officers. And this was not only back then. People are sexually assaulted nowadays too. It’s terrible that sick men, believe they could do anything they want. Lina lived and suffered in terrible conditions, from being assaulted to being buried alive.

            Even though Wiesel wasn’t buried alive, and Lina wasn’t whipped, the two protagonists went through horrendous times. And the worst part is, it’s still happening today. Many kids, teens, and people in general are abused and sexually harassed. It’s been going on for a long time, and it was clearly shown during the Holocaust and deportation of Lithuanians and Estonians. Yes our society is improving, but there are still sick people who whip, and hurt their kids. And there are many people in this world who have been sexually assaulted as well. Prisoners being held by countries and groups such as the Taliban, are being tortured too. The conditions that Lina and Wiesel went through, were appalling, but some people have it worse. So we should be thankful, that we were not deported from our countries, or placed in concentration camps. But that we live an amazing life. And whenever you say, “I hate my life,” just think about what people like Elie Wiesel who at a teenager, was tortured, starved, and lost his entire family.

China's Cram Schools

           

                                                       Matthew Breitman 711

          Tests all over the world, are the same, they both assess students, but some are much more extreme than others. In an article titled “China’s Crammed Schools”, the author, Brook Larmer explores the Gaokao, a Chinese test that decides your future. Students are put under massive pressure, and that makes some commit suicide. Kids study for years, and some make it and some don’t. The test can decide whether you become a wealthy business man or a farmer.  The SAT’s, ACT’s, and other American standardized tests are similar but very different to the Gaokao.

            The Gaokao test is incredibly hard, puts kids and teachers under tremendous pressure, and decides the students’ lives. On page 14, Larmer states, “The boys knew that manual labor would be their fate too, if they failed to do well on the Gaokao.” This one test determined their life, it made the decision whether a student will work in a factory or become a stockbroker. The stakes were so high. If you didn't sleep enough that day and you tanked the test, there may not be another chance. For someone like Cao Yingsheng, his family could not afford another year of Maotanchang, so he was forced to go into manual labor. It’s very unfair how much is riding on this one single test. Is ruins kids’ lives. All they do is study, so sure they’ll be smart, but they have no social life. On page 15, the author wrote, “their job security bonuses depend on raising their students’ test scores.” I honestly believe that it’s completely unfair that teachers’ bonuses depend on their students’ scores. What if they teach a class with kids with disabilities? Or immigrants that can’t write in English. You can’t base it all on a single test because some kids have panic attacks when they are about to take a test. In order to give teacher a bonus, administrators should check on the teachers at school while they are teaching. The Gaokao tests put too much pressure on kids and teachers, and decide where you’re going to end up

.

            The SAT, ACT, and other American specialized tests aren’t worth as much as the Gaokao, and have a big impact on teachers. On page number thirteen, Larmer wrote, “the gaokao is like the SAT or ACT, but it’s more than twice as long and the stakes are much higher”. This shows how even though the SAT and ACT are important, the Gaokao is twice as important. It’s stricter, longer, and if you don’t take it, you have no chance at having a good job. In America, if you don’t take the SAT’s and don’t go to college, you still have a shot. Think about Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and the boy who created Tumbler, they all dropped out. But look at where they are/were. Bill Gates is one of the top three richest men in the world. Also, I believe that if the Gaokao is worth so much more than the SAT’s, then China has higher expectations. If they have higher expectations on test, they might do so on many things in life. One thing similar though, is the way the Gaokao, and specialized tests treat teachers. The teacher’s bonuses depend on their students test scores, in China. In America, it’s actually stricter. The New York state tests now says if the teacher will be fired or not. If some of the kids grades drop, those teachers will most likely be fired. I think this is completely unfair, teachers should be fired if they are not teaching a class well, not if one of their student’s grade drop. Therefore, American specialized tests have lower stakes, compared to the Gaokao, but it has a big impact on teachers.

            In conclusion, both the Gaokao and American specialized tests compare and contrast in many ways. Although, the Gaokao is a bit crazy. The way people stress those kids is unbelievable. In the United States, kids still have a chance to succeed if they do badly on their SAT’s. But in China, your only choice is to retake them. So I think that we should be lucky, because we live in America. Where sure, we are under pressure. But not under the same amount of pressure the Chinese kids are under. 

Night Essay

Matthew Breitman         711

            The Holocaust was a time where many people lost faith in God, because they wondered how someone could do such a thing. Elie Wiesel, was going back and forth. Elie Wiesel is the author of his memoir Night. Night is about Wiesel’s experience surviving in the concentration camps such as Buna, Auschwitz-Birkenau, and Buchenwald. Wiesel loses almost all his faith in God, and while doing so, he almost loses faith in humanity. But now Elie Wiesel believes in him. Wiesel struggled to believe there was a God out there during the Holocaust, but now as an eighty six year-old man, he has slowly picked it back up.

            In the beginning of the book, Wiesel believes and prays to God. He is very religious and is studying the Kabbalah and the Torah. As he gets thrown into the concentration camps he begins to question God. Wiesel says, “Blessed be God's name? Why, but why would I bless Him? Every fiber in me rebelled. Because He caused thousands of children to burn in His mass graves? Because he kept six crematoria working day and night, including Sabbath and the Holy Days? Because in His great might, He had created Auschwitz, Birkenau, Buna, and so many other factories of death? How could I say to Him: Blessed be Thou, Almighty, Master of the Universe, who chose us among all nations to be tortured day and night, to watch as our fathers, our mothers, our brothers, end up in the furnaces? Praised be Thy Holy Name, for having chosen us to be slaughtered on Thine altar?” (Pg. 67) I believe this is a very powerful quote in the book because it really shows how Elie Wiesel thinks of God, and how he questions him. He wonders why someone would do such a thing. Why would Wiesel pray to God, the being that put him in these concentration camps? Wiesel is taking a different approach than many other Jews. He’s saying that God put them in this place, that God is basically the leader of the Nazi regime. Because he did this to the Jews. Many other Jews said that God didn't help them, but they never said he did this to them. Wiesel is confused, because after all those years of praying, what does he get in return. Death, torture, starvation. Wiesel blames God for all this, for killing Jews, for starving him, and for demolishing his teenage life. A little earlier in the book, as Wiesel witnesses the hanging of three men, “Behind me, I heard the same man asking: ‘For God's sake, where is God? And from within me, I heard a voice answer: ‘Where He is? This is where--hanging here from this gallows...’” (Pg. 65) Wiesel is saying that God is dead. There can’t be a God. Wiesel was going through such terrible things that made him believe that it was God’s fault. The man that said “where is God” questions God, because he’s saying how God could to these things and just stare. Stare at people being hung and a little boy choking to death. Wiesel’s explanation, is that there is no God. And if there was, he died. Because God can’t do such terrible things. No one can do such things. This quote was very powerful, because Wiesel is struggling through the entire book, thinking where God is. But he is trying to find a way that God is alive. But now he gave up, he says he’s dead. Because how could the God that he prayed for pay him in return, by shooting babies in front of his very eyes, burn people in crematories, and starve them in concentration camps. I would believe God was dead. Wiesel also might have meant that God was dead inside. Because Wiesel can’t believe that God could do such a thing. He thought that God was dead inside for creating the Holocaust. When Elie Wiesel was in the concentration camps, he questioned God, and ended up almost losing his beliefs in him.

            As Elie Wiesel grew older, his beliefs in God changed, because he reacquainted with God. In an interview with Nadine Epstein on http://www.momentmag.com/heart-to-heart-with-elie-wiesel/, Nadine asks, “NE: In Night, you write, “Never shall I forget those moments that murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to ashes.” Has your approach to God changed since, and did you think about God in the hospital?” And Elie Wiesel answers “EW: What I wrote in Night is a protest and a question, and I stand by every word I wrote. It’s an outcry, an agonizing outcry. I come from a very religious background. I spoke to God, against God, but the next day, somebody managed to smuggle in a pair of tefillin, portions of bread, and together with my father we got up early and stood in line just to say the morning prayers. My disappointment was with man—what should I expect of man, both good and bad. But with God, the question, “Where is God?” has obsessed me for many years and still does without an answer. Even in the hospital, I couldn't not think about that question. Without faith there is no question. I remain profoundly attached, of course, to my parents and grandparents. I said, “What good do I do to them if I say goodbye to God?” But I didn't, because what good would it do to them? It’s really because of my grandfather and my father that I say to God, I pray to you and I bless your name.” Wiesel still can’t answer the question, "where is God." He started thinking of it when he was sent to concentration camps, and still is now. He can’t answer it, because he has so many different answers. He also questions it. Wiesel probably thinks about where God was when he was suffering. Or where God is now. Or even is God out there. And after many years of obsessing over the question, he still hasn't found an answer. Wiesel also says that he was switching sides all the time. He believed in God at one moment, and then didn't in the other. What I found interesting is that the only reason Wiesel prays to God, is for his family. I always thought, why he would believe in God, after all that God put him through. It made no sense to me. But Wiesel says that he never said goodbye to God, because what good would it do to his grandfather and father. In another interview between Oprah Winfrey and Wiesel on http://www.oprah.com/omagazine/Oprah-Interviews-Elie-Wiesel, Wiesel expands a little on his thoughts about God. Oprah says, “Where are you and God with each other these days?” And Wiesel answers, “We still have a few problems! But even in the camps, I never divorced God. After the war, I went on praying to God. I was angry. I protested. I'm still protesting—and occasionally, I'm still angry. But it's not because of the past, but the present. When I see victims of a tragedy—and especially children—I say to God, "Don't tell me that you have nothing to do with this. You are everywhere—you are God." This shows that Wiesel never left God during the Holocaust, even though he made it very unobvious in Night. His question for God has always, and will always be, “where are you.” Wiesel believes that God is out there but Wiesel is angry with him. What surprised me is that Wiesel is angry at God, not only because of the past, but also the present. He is frustrated at God because of all the deaths and "victims of tragedy,” that are currently happening now. He is especially irritated with what God does to the children. After the Holocaust Wiesel saw God in a different way. He blames God for many of the bad things happening in the world. Wiesel sees the other side of God. Not the one that saves the Jews, and makes the world a better place, but the one that has flaws, and the one who created the Holocaust. Wiesel never left God, but he struggled to have faith in him during the Holocaust. He questions God, asks him, “where are you,” but still believes in him.

            In conclusion, as Wiesel grew older, he questioned God, but now as an 86 year old man, he prays to God for his family. Wiesel almost lost faith in God during the Holocaust, but to this day, he says he never lost faith. I believe Wiesel’s faith in God represented his faith in himself. Elie Wiesel struggled to survive, but he held onto that faith in God, and in himself. As long as he had faith in God, he had faith in himself. Elie Wiesel is an amazing man, and one of the very few Holocaust survivors who still believe in God. Many gave up after the war. I have spoken with many Holocaust survivors, and many had seemed to believe that there was no God, but others still went to synagogue. In Night, religion was a big part of Elie Wiesel’s life. That’s what kept him, and many others going. If Wiesel had lost religion in the beginning of the Holocaust, he could be just one more death added to those six million. To still believe in God, you had to have courage and determination. So if you were in the Holocaust, would you still believe in God? Would you think of him in a different way, and see his other side?

           

            

Should Teens Take Part in Competitive Sports?

Matthew Breitman           711            1/16/15

            Sports are a path that can lead to improving your health, or diminishing it. It has been a very controversial subject of whether competitive sports are something that teenagers should be taking part in. Yes, the yearly statistics of emergency room visits are devastating, but sports can prepare you for the ups and downs of life. They greatly improve your health and help you socially and mentally. Anyone can argue that competitive sports have many dangers that are associated with them - from concussions in football, to getting permanent brain damage in lacrosse - sports can be dangerous if played without caution. But that doesn't mean teens should stop playing them. Competitive sports help teenage kids because they enhance their health, fitness, and can also teach them many meaningful life lessons.

            Your health is a very important aspect of your life, and by playing sports you could improve it easily. In the article “Young teens who play sports feel healthier and happier about life”, from Science Daily, there are multiple pieces of evidence about sports affecting your health. In one, the author wrote, “Playing on a sports team was linked to higher life satisfaction in both boys and girls. In addition, boys were five times more likely, and girls 30 times more likely, to describe their health as fair/poor when they were not playing on a sports team.” As you can see, playing on a sports team most definitely improves your health. It’s amazing how girls are 30 times more likely to express their health as poor when they are not playing competitive sports. Whether you feel your health improving, or you see it, you are experiencing it. These statistics are quite incredible because when you are not playing sports, everyone, not just these kids, can say they feel less healthy, myself included. Sports are an excellent option to gain health and fitness. They increase it physically, and mentally. Teenagers feel healthier when they play sports, and that’s an incredible feeling. So they should be encouraged to keep playing. In the article entitled “Kobe Bryant says healthy competition key in youth sports,” from ESPN, “Walker told of how sports helped transform him from an overweight kid with a speech impediment into one of the greatest athletes of his generation.” Sports can change your life, just like it changed Herschel Walker (Olympian, and a former NFL star). You can be an overweight kid, but by playing competitive sports, you may transform into an entirely new person. You could become one of the fittest people in the world because of sports. So why shouldn't teens play sports? It improves their health and fitness, which are some of the most important things in your life, so whether you want to sustain your health, or improve it, sports are an excellent way to do so.

            Playing competitive sports teaches you life lessons, and helps you socially, and mentally. In the article “Competitive Sports: Helping Kids Play it Cool”, from Kids Health, it is stated that, “Playing sports can impact many wonderful life lessons – valuing teamwork, overcoming challenges, controlling emotions, taking pride in accomplishments”. These life lessons are not easy to learn, and when they are learned, they are to be valued. They are important and essential to everyone. And by playing sports, all teens can learn them.  Another piece of text from the same source states, “Sports are about enhancing self-esteem, building social skills, and developing a sense of community. Sports are an excellent option for teenagers to improve on their self-esteem. The more they participate, the fitter they get, and their achievements make them feel good about themselves.  As the article says, you build social skills, you might meet new people and become friends. You also learn and develop a sense of community which means that you might learn how to support your friends and family more. You also learn how to deal with loss, criticism, and how to work with others. Another article titled “Young teens who play sports feel healthier and happier about life”, from Science Daily states “Taking part in sports is good all round for young teens: physically, socially, and mentally, according to a new study by Dr. Keith Zulig and Rebecca White from West Virginia University in the US.” Sports improve your health, and they help you socially. You might start getting more friends, or becoming a better person.  They also help you emotionally and you might start thinking of yourself differently. Your self-esteem and your confidence might go up. You see, when teenagers play sports, they learn life lessons which possess great value, and it also helps them mentally and socially.

            While sports teach teenagers life lessons, and improve their health, sports can also pose some of the biggest dangers to kids. In the online video, “How Children and Teens can Avoid Sports Injuries”, from the Wall Street Journal, the reporter says, “‘3000 kids from 13, 14, 15 years old get sports injuries to bring into the emergency room each day.’” This statistic is so frightening that it just makes your back shiver. 3000 kids per day is unacceptable. This statistic shows why some people want to ban sports for teens. Not only do sports cause little injuries, they can cause permanent brain damage, and even death. Another statistic that will frighten a lot of people was from an article, “For Children in Sports, a Breaking Point”, from the NY Times. The author states, “‘Every year more than 3.5 million children under 15 require medical treatment for sports injuries. Nearly half of which are the result of simple overuse.’” 3.5 million, do you understand how much that is? It’s difficult to imagine what sports can do to a teenager. On the news, you sometimes hear of the deaths of high school students, because of sports. Sports may be a fun activity but they have a lot of dangers associated with them. And the deaths are not only concussions that happen accidentally, it’s because parents push their kids too hard. Many people keep pushing their kids, until it happens, and then they have no kid. It’s terrible how teenagers die just because of their parents or coaches mistakes. Now sports may be scarily dangerous, but if you take precautions, you will be just fine. In the online video called, “Teens playing through pain, not taking sports injuries seriously, says study” on Today.com, there is a line that really stands out. The reporter says, “‘But the takeaway here is to watch those warning signs. Parents, coaches, teens, you have to watch the warning signs, and you have to put safety first.’” Now this proves that it is possible for those statistics of sports related injuries to go down. No, they’re not going to go down to 0, but there can definitely be less than 3.5 million injuries, yearly. So as the reporter said, you have to watch the warning signs. Ok, you miss your soccer game or your swim meet because your leg hurts. But it’s better than permanently damaging your leg. You have to take precautions, and be careful. It’s better to sit on the bleacher once, than lose your entire life. Kids should not ignore their injuries, because that’s when big things start to happen. Teenagers should not feel ashamed or scared of telling their coaches that they can’t play. Sports may be dangerous, you can’t deny that, but if you take precautions, and sit out when you feel you should sit out, you’re going to be just fine.

            In conclusion, teenagers should most definitely be playing sports because it enhances their health and fitness, and teaches them wonderful life lessons. There will most likely be danger associated with sports, but sports are all about fun, and fitness. Now you may easily avoid injuries, by watching the warning signs, and enjoying the actual sport. Sports can change your life, literally. They are a fork in the road. One of those roads may lead you to happiness, healthiness, and a better life. The other road leads you to life-long injuries, or maybe death. So I hope you take that first road, and be healthy and happy. Because that’s what competitive sports do, and are for. For you to learn life lessons, help you emotionally, socially, and to enhance your health and fitness. So as I said, take the first road, and know, what sports are really about.

Building Bridges Essay

            Matthew Breitman                            711                              11/15/14

It is not unusual for fathers and mothers to struggle to let go of their children as they grow up. Mama Lil in the short story “Building Bridges”, by Andrea David Pinkney, is the seventy nine year old grandmother of Bebe. Bebe is a seventeen year old teenager who wants to become an engineer, and is trying to pull away from her old life. She wishes to become an adult, and make her own decisions, but Mama Lil doesn’t want to let her go. Bebe pleads with Mama Lil to sign a consent form to let Bebe work at the Brooklyn Bridge, but Mama Lil refuses.  Their relationship illustrates to the reader how challenging it is for parents to see their kids grow up.

As the journey begins, Mama Lil can’t grasp onto the thought that Bebe is growing up, and because of this, Mama Lil treats her as a child. As Pinkney introduces the characters, the protagonist, Bebe, says, “And the older I got, the more at odds we were.” This highlights that as Bebe is progressing as a teenager, Mama Lil doesn’t know how to deal with her. This is not only because she doesn’t want Bebe to grow up, but also because Bebe is maturing as a teenager. This is deteriorating their relationship, because Mama Lil doesn’t know how to respond to Bebe growing up. Later in the story, Bebe is talking about how the Brooklyn Bridge is a mystery to Mama Lil. She says, “Truth be told, Mama Lil was scared of something she didn’t know.” This makes me think that Mama Lil doesn’t want Bebe to work at the Brooklyn Bridge, because Mama Lil doesn’t know what’s out there. She continuously refuses to sign the consent form because she hasn’t experienced what Bebe wants to. Mama Lil doesn’t want Bebe to work at the Brooklyn Bridge because she is scared that something will happen to her, and is trying to protect her. She thinks that it’s the best choice for Bebe, so she holds her back and keeps her behind the doors that if opened could lead to her dreams. Mama Lil isn’t just refusing to sign the form because she doesn’t want to let her go, but also because she wants to protect her from the unknown.  She treats Bebe as if she’s a child and wants to hold Bebe’s hand anywhere that she goes. But Mama Lil doesn’t understand that Bebe is getting more and more independent. Therefore, Mama Lil wants to stay with Bebe forever, as if she was a new-born baby. She doesn’t comprehend that because of this, their relationship is slowly losing its quality.

As the reader journeys towards the middle of the story, Mama Lil still can’t accept that Bebe is growing up, and Bebe is feeling indignant about it. Mama Lil is also neglecting her. As Mama Lil leans back on the sofa, avoids eye contact with Bebe, and smokes her cigarette, Bebe says, “ ‘Mama Lil, your eyes are always closed. Closed to seeing me.’ ” This line really stood out for me, because Mama Lil is ignoring Bebe because she doesn’t know how to treat her. Bebe is growing up, and Mama Lil doesn’t want that. So Mama Lil thinks that by disregarding Bebe completely, she won’t have to face the facts.  When Bebe becomes livid, she starts screaming, and yelling hurtful statements towards her grandmother.  She says, ‘Yeah, that’s right,’ I said, my voice strained with frustration, ‘blow me away. Try to make me and my dreams disappear, like your puffs of smoke!’ ” I feel like this line really changed the story. I think Mama Lil is finally going to understand not to ignore Bebe. Because this line, and the previous one, were both very powerful. Bebe is getting very aggravated and sick of how Mama Lil doesn’t want her to be free. Thus you can see that Mama Lil is trying to pretend Bebe is not there so she doesn’t have to face the facts, and that she wants to keep Bebe cradled in her arms forever.

As the reader’s journey nears the end, Mama Lil finally starts understanding that she must accept that Bebe’s growing up, and that she has to let Bebe follow her ambitions. After Mama Lil finishes smoking her cigarette, she informs Bebe of something that was very impactful. She said, “Your dreams are the kind that’ll take you away from here, Bebe – away from your Mama Lil. You got big hopes, child, but they gonna leave me alone, by myself. ” This line reveals why Mama Lil doesn’t want to let Bebe fix the bridge. She doesn’t want to grow old all alone. She wants to be with Bebe forever. Mama Lil finally admitted it, which shows honesty, and courage. She might not be as courageous as a soldier in the Vietnam War. But it does show courage, to say something as powerful and moving as that. Through this one line, Andrea Davis Pinkney revealed the main reason of why a parent or grandmother, like Mama Lil, can’t watch their kids go, and just leave them. When Mama Lil is lying on the sofa and Bebe smooth’s out the consent form, Bebe asks, “You want me to read you what it says?’ I asked. Mama Lil shook her head. Leave it be, she insisted. ‘Let me sit with it awhile. ” Mama Lil is finally considering to let Bebe go. She’s understanding that Bebe is becoming a mature adult, and accepting the fact that Bebe is growing up. She is finally understanding that she has to unlock the bolted door that is stopping Bebe from pursing her dreams. Mama Lil is finally understanding that it’s not all about her, and her decision determines Bebe’s life. Therefore Bebe is leaving her old life, and entering a new one, and Mama Lil is not as persistent and determined to deny it.

As the story comes to an end, Mama Lil realizes that in order for Bebe to be happy, and to follow her dreams, she has to let her go. As Mama Lil and Bebe finish reading the consent form, Mama Lil takes her pen out of her house-dress pockets. Then the narrator says, “She held it awkwardly and signed the form with her crooked handwriting.” Mama Lil really did let go. Every letter of that crooked signature was a step of letting go. The more she wrote, the closer Bebe is to following her dreams. Mama Lil understood that she should let Bebe run to her dreams and not to Mama Lil’s. She also understood that what Bebe wants is more important than what Mama Lil wants. I mean, all parents need to let go at some point, and this was Mama Lil’s time. After Mama Lil finishes signing the consent form, and reads it over, she folds it, and then gives it to Bebe. Then she says, “Bebe, that bridge is lucky to have you.” Mama Lil doesn’t regret her choice of letting go. Mama Lil realized how much she loved Bebe and how much she wanted her to do what she loves, even if it meant letting go. She had to do what was best for her granddaughter. After she finished signing the form, she didn't break into tears, and say “Oh you’re getting so old.” She smiled, and felt proud of her decision. Overall, Mama Lil realized how important Bebe’s dreams were, and that in order for Bebe to dream her dreams, she had to accept that Bebe is growing up.

As the story progresses, the reader journeys through Mama Lil’s feelings about Bebe growing up. She can’t grasp on to the idea that Bebe is maturing, and doesn't want her to. Though in the end of the story, her love for Bebe is stronger than anything, so she lets her go. She lets Bebe follow her dreams, even if, they will leave Mama Lil all by herself. This lesson is significant to all of us because at one point, we were all kids. And we understood that our parents had to let us go. Now we can see what our parents feel, as they open the doors for us. Parents have to learn that even though they struggle to let go, they have to let their kids pursue their dreams. Even if, it will leave them by themselves.  

My Name

My Name

Matthew Breitman                      711                          9/22/14

My name is not Spencer because it sounds uptight, my name is not Vladimir because it doesn’t sound right. For my name is in honor of my three great-grandparents. Two named Michael, and one named Gary. I didn’t know them, but I was told to be like them. They said that I was funny and nice, just like them. They also had a great personality, also like me. Michael, Michael, and Gary names turned into the name and middle name of Matthew Gabriel.

My name is like the number 12.  Nice-sounding, great, and it so happens to be my lucky number.  12 is bold, and strong.  It’s 12! The number flows as you say it. I was born on 12/12/02, and had a Birthday on 12/12/12. 12 is a common number just like Matthew is a common name.

My name is like a wolf. When wolves howl they say “Aaahooooooo,” and when you say my name it sounds like “Mattheeeeewwwww.” My name is a howling wolf. Most wolves live in the snow or the cold, and those wolves like the winter too. I also love the winter, and it is my favorite season. Wolves show great leadership, and I think I show that too.  I think I am very leader-like. My name is bold, strong, and proud, just like a wolf. And even my personality (but not entirely).

I don’t need to be a Panogiotis or an Alastair, because my name is unique to me. My name reflects me as a person, and my characteristics. I bet you there is not one other boy who has the same interests and name, as me. And I like that. So, my name is very unique. And I’m very happy, and proud to have the name of Matthew Gabriel Breitman.