Genova Here we Come!

For my Italian class, we have learned how to speak and the language, we also learned about the different cities that make up Italy; such as Rome, Venice, and Milan. Leading me to this fun project, each student had to pick from a hat and on the paper they took out was a city and we had to create a presentation, showing the main features of the city. My city was Genoa, or in Italian Genova. Please enjoy, it might give you an idea for your next vacation!

           

The New Cutting Edge C.O.O.L Lopper

For my new class Design and Engineering, we learned about simple machines, such as inclined planes, pulleys, wedges, and levers. We also learned about some physics that would apply to these machines as well as Geometry and Trigonometry. An FE we went on is we went to Home Depot and looked at gardening tools and how they are used and the kind of simple machine concepts behind them. Also we went to a place called Gravitytank, where we saw how people study and do research on how to design a new product to sell. Both of these help lead me to the action project, where we had to interview a gardener about the tools they use. Then when we went to Home Depot, we, with a partner, chose a tool and did research on it. Lastly we had to create a design to make this tool easier for elderly people to use or younger people, really anyone who isn’t the average adult size. My partner and I chose to do the lopper, a tool used to cut branches off trees or bushes. I’m proud of the design we came up with, however one challenge we encountered was really trying to make a good design that made sense, and could actually help a person, in every possible scenario. Please enjoy what we came up with!

What is empathy? This is when someone can put themselves in someone else’s shoes and really feel what it is like to be them. As I said before we had to interview a gardener, and what I learned from the person I interviewed was that they like to use the tools as a starter and then just use their hands. They said, “I find tools today are too expensive and just get in the way of the task they are made to do.”

When looking at the lopper we learned that it has long handles to make the use of leverage higher. It uses a bumper so when cutting you don’t smash your fingers, and  it has a cutting capacity of 1.5 inches. From this we have created The C.O.O.L Lopper: the C stands for contractible, the O’s are the wheels that are on our tool, and L is for leverage. It is a lopper that is connected to a step button to cut, and it has handles for mobility and wheels on the bottom (Three: one in front and two in back). This way it is easier to move and swizzle. The handles have gel added to it, also the tool has a bar with holes and a metal bar that will click into it so it stays at that height (like a crutch); this will help to cut at different heights. Also the tool has the regular handles like from the original model so that you can direct where you want the cutter to cut. But why is this so great? Well it is easier to store away, because it can contract and become smaller, it is easier for elderly people to use because it is less stress on their back, and it is easier to control when in use.

NVA/JR "COOL Lopper" (2015)

The physics that goes into this, is force and work, because the user will need to use a certain amount of force to get the lopper to cut. Now we have put some simple machine concepts into this design as well. We put a pulley system in it, because we wanted the tool to always be closed out of safety reasons. To open it to cut it, we have two pulleys that connect to the handles of the tool and they are connected to the stepper, so that when you push down the lopper opens, and when you let go the lopper closes. The ropes being used will allow the pulleys to create a sling shot effect, making it cut the branch you need to cut. Also a wedge is added, that being the blade to cut the branch in general, otherwise it is useless.

NVA/JR "COOL Lopper, Physics" (2015)

We obviously had to think of some scenarios so it wouldn’t be too big, instead being comfortable. Now as I said we are thinking of an elderly person or someone who isn’t the average adult size, so to design our new tool I had to put myself in their shoes by, thinking of strength, when this would be used, and how it would just be better in the end. We also had to take into consideration the other styles of loppers and how they helps people, that being bent handles, or a gear to make the blade longer. These are the competition and so we had to take those concepts and make them better for our tool and the user. The main challenge of doing that was coming up with enough scenarios, where these concepts would need to be applied.

NVA/JR. "COOL Lopper" (2015)

A Good Self Defense Is the Best Offense!

In my new Rhetoric class, we learned about the theory of speech, this containing the difference between content and form. Then we learned about some appeals and devices used in an speech, such as Logos: the stats and real information, Ethos: the credibility of the speaker, and Pathos: the emotions that are shown while speech is given. Then the devices are, simile, metaphor, or allusion. Leading me to the action project, we had to make a speech that includes the three appeals, and some devices, on a topic we are passionate about. The topic that I have chosen is why people should do martial arts, because this is something I do and I am very passionate about it. Some challenges of this project was that at the last minute i switched topics so I had to write a 2 minute speech in a day. What I am proud of is that I actually found a topic that I really care about, because I didn’t like what I had before. Please in enjoy why I think you should do martial arts.

Have you been in a situation where you feel weak, maybe just mentally or physically and you know that you really don’t have a solution in mind? I know that I have, and I could never find a way to feel strong, in anyway. I know that people everywhere come up against this problem. The main solution that I’ve discovered is learning a type of martial art, ranging from boxing to Jiu Jitsu.

Today we have so many problems with everyday life, that leave us feeling vulnerable or weak as individuals, for example :

One: People don’t feel confident all the time. With martial arts you learn to become confident with everything you do. While doing martial arts, and afterwards, you feel new, knowing that you are a better person. And that feeling will always grow, unless you stop. But why stop doing something that can actually benefit you?

Two: You will get respect and you know to give respect more often. In martial arts there will always be someone better or bigger than you. But that just teaches kids and you that it’s good to get respect and give it. This will make us live in a better community of people, where no one is ever trying to be the better person. Today we see people getting in street fights, and for what, what is the point of sending someone to the hospital, or getting sent to the hospital? NOTHING. With martial arts, it will destroy your bad ego and let your good one shine. This all comes back to respect and some self control. If someone is picking on you, or yelling at you, just think, “Oh well, they didn’t have a good day and they aren’t really mad at me.” This applies more to random people. Don’t think that of your parents, or teachers, because you might have a lesson to learn.

Three: It’s a good tool to have if you’re attacked. Many people get mugged and hurt, and have no idea how to defend themselves. Well, with martial arts you have something to defend yourself with. Females and other are more vulnerable to sexual assault, they now will also have a proper way to defend themselves. I know that the Gracie family (Who created Brazilian Jiu Jitsu)  has a program just for women so they can better protect themselves from threatening men.

Four: It gives you a better way to focus and really try hard on what you want to accomplish. Many people today are distracted from everyday entertainment devices, that we will usually not want to work hard. Well with martial arts, since they have a belt system, it gives you something to work hard for. This will teach your mind how to start working harder for things you want done. Not only will it help with everyday tasks, but it will help you focus on you. What I mean by this, is we get very stressed, this will always happen, but with martial arts will help you relieve stress. Either by doing Tai Chi, or just doing boxing and just punching something to get some anger out.

So in the end, martial arts is something you need to do, because the boost of confidence, respect, self defense, and lastly helps our focus. All of these things are something that can really help a person become better and feel new. For people who do it, always remember some things, “We do martial arts so we don’t have to use them.” - Bruce Lee, this is really important to just keep in mind that it’s something for fun and it’s never fun to send someone to the hospital. Also martial arts is a river, it will be calm and happy, and it can be stressful, but keeping it fun and always being adaptable is good thing for life.

References:

Stevens, Eric C. "7 Reasons Why Your Child Should Practice Martial Arts."Breaking Muscle. Web. 22 Sept. 2015.

Ghosh, Sushmita. "10 Reasons to Learn Martial Arts - List Dose." List Dose. 4 Mar. 2014. Web. 22 Sept. 2015.

BJJ Kid

While doing school at GCE to become mentally strong, I wanted to learn how to become physically fit. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a martial art where it acts as a sport and a self defense mechanism. This something that I have always wanted to do, with other kinds of martial arts. The main challenge is that it is very hard to upgrade in this martial art, taking a lot of mentally and physically will. This also helped me meet new, people and because of the place I go, POW MMA and Fitness, I got to also explore other martial arts.

NVA/AA "Gracie Regional Tournament" 2015

So to start from the beginning, I was actually inspired first by boxing, mainly through watching movies where it showed the man get defeated and then rise up from will. So in about 2 years ago, I watched a movie called Never Back Down, this had the same premise of Karate Kid, but instead of Karate, he did mix martial arts (MMA). This movie was a slap to face and from that point I wanted to join a place and learn how to fight, but also learn how to become a more cerebral person.

It took a while, but I found POW MMA and Fitness, where for my first class I took Muay Thai, which is the art of eight limbs, meaning fists, legs, elbows, and knees. I did that for a week or, and then I remembered that the main reason I joined this place was to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and I quickly started that, while also doing Muay Thai. Then, I realized I joined this place at the right time, because they started doing martial art of the month, where every Wednesday of the month they would do a martial art that they didn’t normally have. That quickly grabbed my attention, and the very first one was Kung Fu, a very old and well known Chinese martial art. Then it was Taekwondo, which is a well known Korean martial art, mainly focuses on kicks; since everyone loved this it went on for 2 months. Now it is currently Jeet Kun Do, which is Bruce Lee’s martial art that is a mixture of martial arts he liked.

The one martial art though that has had my focus, is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, which is my all time favorite, because this martial uses leverage, unlike many martial arts. This one takes, a lot of mental strength as well, because it it like playing chess, you are always trying to out smart people. I am training with guy named Dino Costeas, who once trained with the very famous Rickson Gracie. A man named Helio Gracie created this, because he was taking Traditional Jiu Jitsu, and he was a much smaller person than his brothers, so he tweaked that martial art to make it best for him. Now the Gracie family is huge in the fighting world, and the are the ones who created the UFC, mainly to show how powerful Brazilian Jiu Jitsu was to the world.

From doing this for 5 months, I have become very fit, and I think a little more logically in certain situations. Something that martial arts taught me that I always will remember, is that people do martial arts so they never have to use them. I think I can stand for myself more, being someone that people could always pick on, making me very inconfident about myself. I am still a white belt, but one life goal I have set for myself, to become a black belt, which will be hard but I am up for the challenge. I will definitely, keep doing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and trying other martial arts to mainly become a well rounded fighter.

Giving Yourself Medical Attention

In unit 3 of my Cure class, we learned about how prevent problems from happening, and making ourselves our own doctors. We for some FEs, looked at diets, yoga, and making medication out of herbs. Leading me to the action project, we had to create a video where a person went to do the doctor to look for a way to prevent something from happening to them. For me I chose a man wanting to prevent any lung problems from happening, as you might see the doctor is very caring and understanding, which is in honor of Patch Adams and how he was so loving to the people he treated. The purpose of this was to show people that they can be there own doctors, and that we control a lot in our lives. Please enjoy!


                     

What does the Chorus do?

In unit 3 of my Drama course, we read A Raisin in the Sun to examine the role of the matriarch. We also learned about Greek tragedies and what they have done to superheroes to make them seem more life like. Also we looked at the chorus in a play and song, and how they say the moral in the story. We went to the Cultural Center to look at paintings, and to practice techniques to write a Greek chorus. For this Action Project we picked a character from Raisin in the Sun and to show that characters in the play have their moments of glory and failure just like a Greek tragedy. I picked Walter from the play because he is someone who has a lot of problems with trying to be a hero. The purpose of this was to see how important a chorus is in a play, song, and book. Please enjoy the chorus I made to resemble a Greek tragedy, a Raisin in the Sun.

The Common Cold

In unit 2 of my cure class, we learned about the quadratic formula, and we looked about different medicines and their purposes. For a FE we went to CVS and Whole Foods to look at the packaging of medicine, and the different things they say, including side effects, the intended effect etc. Leading me to the action project, we had to create a medicine box, that had a main ailment and the symptoms. Then we had to add four different treatments for this ailment, behind and over the counter, and two others that someone would/could do at home. The ailment I have chose was the common cold, because it is something I get from time to time, and it usually lasts longer than any other ailment for me. We also for the action project had to make a video solving the quadratic formula given to us by the dimensions of our boxes. The purpose of this action project was to show people all the different medications there are for people to use, that are in chemical form and outside treatments.

NVA "The Common Cold Box" 5-09-15. GCE Lab School