Welcome and For Wednesday

Welcome, new class members! We had a successful first class with healthy debate, participation, and positive energy.

Please remember that all new students will be taking the TABE Math Test on Wednesday, April 20th.

For Wednesday, please read "People I Admire" by Naomi Shihab Nye and answer:
1. What is this poem mostly about?
2. Why do you think the poet wrote this poem?

I look forward to a wonderful class cycle with all of you.
Karen

Fun time on the last day of class :)

Congratulations to ALL, and I hope you enjoy the pictures. :)

Congratulations!

Congratulations to the Winter 2011 Coney Island Pre-GED class: Salim, Maria, Orlette, Kojo, Natalie, Juanita, Jesus, Leslie, Yosef, Melo, and Kim

Thank you again for contributing to our beautiful dinner tonight. Your energy, time, and money are so appreciated. Most of all, congratulations for your hard work, success, and growth for the past 10 weeks.

A special congratulations to Jesus Gonzalez (Most Improved Reader, +2.7 points), Yosef Schuff (Most Improved Math, +3 points), Salim Williams (Participation), and Juanita Griffin (Best Attendance, 60 Hours) for standing out this cycle.

Please make sure that you return your slip to me at the Coney Island registration on Wed. 4/13 at 5pm to reserve your spot for the Spring cycle.

We will resume classes on Mon. 4/18.

See you soon!
Karen

Congratulations to ALL

Today is the last day of class. I will be at the library early, probably around 4:30 pm to set up the camera and music stuff :) . I wish everyone luck on their success in the future :D.

The Person I Admire the Most: My Mom

My mother cries, I see her tears drop. Some theft took all her money, but again and again, my mother tried. My mother worked very hard to make her living. After sending us off to school, she would go to corination market. Located in the heart of downtown Kingston, Jamaica, where she would but and sell oranges, bananas, and sweet sugar cane. It wasn't easy lifting all those loads and staying up late just to make a profit, but she had no other alternative because of the little education she received. Coming home one night my mother was robbed and compelled to give up all her money, my mother cried but again she tried. My fahter passed away when me and my twin brother was just 8 months old. It was very hard taking care of twins; I was very sickly and had to rush from one hospital to next. My mother almost gove up on me because taking care of a sick child and raising eight children without a father was hard, but my mother held her ground she was always around. Sometimes it's heart breaking hearing my mother reminisced about her passed, and all she went through for us. My mother never let us down. It was December 2,1992 when my mother migrated to the U.S, she was in her senoir years, but in six months she filed for us. It took us seven years to get to the U.S, but my mother was always optimistic, and for that reason time flies. Here we are today thanking mom for the opportunities and experience she gave us. The person I admire the most is my mother, because she raised us without a father. She worked very hard to send us to school, put food on the table, and in her senoir years took us all to the U.S. Sorry mom I have no PHD or a lawyers degree, but i will see to it that my children your grandchildren does not forget your legacy. So mom smile and sit back because you have accomplished alot." I am very proud of you MOM"!

By: Orlette

Last Class Tomorrow!

Hi everyone!
Tomorrow is our last class. We will be sharing our essays and celebrating our successes.

Here is the list of items for our celebration:

Natalie: icecream
Karen: strawberries and whipped cream
Juanita: salad
Jesus: roast chicken
Maria: garlic mashed potatoes
Kojo: soda
Orlette: Jamaican oxtail
Salim: music and camera

If you're not on the list, please contribute something to our dinner.
See you tomorrow and congratulations on 10 weeks of hard work!!!
Karen

GHANA AN INTERESTING PLACE TO BE.

Ghana is a beautiful country with gold,diamond and many other minerals but what really makes Ghana special is its diverse and culturally warm atmosphere which touches and embraces everyone.if you have never been to Ghana before,"Akwaaba!" Ghana welcomes you.

Ghana is located in the west Africa near the equator and on the Greenwich meridian.And is bordered on the north by Burkina Faso, on the west by Cote d'voire on the east by Togo and on the south by the Gulf of Guinea.

The colonial power that rule Ghana until their day of independence was the Britain.The Portuguese were the first to arrive and they named the place where they settled the Gold Coast.This became the name of the country till independence when it was changed to Ghana. Ghana was the first black African country to gain independence on the 6th March 1957. Dr Kwame Nkumah was the first prime minister of Ghana and in his first speech said Ghana your beloved country is free forever.The flag of Ghana consist of red,gold and green stripe with a black star in the center of the gold stripe.The red represents the blood of those who died in the country's struggle for independence,gold stand for the minerals wealth,while green symbolized the rich forest.The black star represent the lone star of African Freedom.

The country's economy is dominated by agriculture,which employs about 40 percent of the working population. Ghana is one the leading exporters of cocoa in the world.It is also a significant exporter of commodities such as gold and lumber.Ghana has an estimated population of 23 million,drawn from more than one hundred ethnic groups each with its own unique language.The education system is constantly improving and so the growth in tourism.Ghana has several tourist attractions such as the castles,Forts,wildlife protected Areas,national park,museum and the Volta lake.There really is no best time to visit Ghana,as the temperature is always Africa hot and if rainfall doesn't soak you,then the humid air will.if you prefer your soaking tropical in nature,stick close to the beaches.whatever the season,the weather gets more arid the farther inland you go.Village specific festivals and event occur throughout the year.

I end my essay by singing our national Anthem that says God bless our homeland Ghana.