How to Survive a Plague

Protests are the act of expressing specific views on certain topics and objecting to something you do not believe in. Protests are likely when it comes to issues you feel strongly about when others disagree. An effective protest calls for well-educated individuals preaching for what they believe in. Having valuable information to support what you are fighting for is also highly important when it comes to an effective protest. Groups of people use protests to make it known that not just one person can fight for one thing, multiple people can have the same beliefs and fight together as a whole for change. Group protests make others more aware and leave more of an impact on the lives of others by showing teamwork and dedication. I feel as if the AIDS activists did what they had to when it came to protesting against the government and pharmaceutical companies. The activists had a voice but it was not being heard and taken into consideration like it should have been. Taking the step to protest was necessary for the activists who wanted change and a cure for the disease. 

My Education

From my first day of kindergarten to my first day of my senior year, so much has changed dealing with my education and progression. For me, access to good education was possible with the help of my parents but for many, going to school and learning is a very difficult task. Nothing comes easy in life; it takes time and effort in order to be successful and make things work. When I think of school gowning up, I think of it as a good time where I met many of my friends and learned the basic fundamentals in life. I was taught the typical things such as how to add/subtract, how to write in cursive, and how to read at a higher level. Along with the learning, I did fun activities that helped me become social and learn how to have fun. Book fairs, fundraisers, and field days were all part of my childhood in elementary school. High school is so much different and more intense when focusing on the educational aspect. I was told that your high school years are the best and most important years so I should always try my best. My educational learning experience and grades will determine what I want to do with my future. School and education helped shape me to be the best person that I can be. My education helped me focus on what truly matters and that I need to do things in my life that will benefit me in the long run. What I have learned so far in English 101 is information that will help me out in life, not irrelevant stuff that will not matter when I need it to. As I get older, the material that I learned in elementary school all the way up through high school, will continue to change and be improved.

Media Image Analysis

I chose this ad because there are many things going on and it is very powerful. This ad shows a woman who appears to be a nurse, wearing blue scrubs in a hospital/doctors office. She is dressed in blue which is commonly seen as a "boy" color, rather than pink, which would be more "feminine". Although she is wearing blue, that is also the common color of scrubs that individuals in the health-care field wear, so it is not abnormal for her to be dressed like that. She is a woman, and like many nurses, they are typically viewed as women. Most doctors in todays society are viewed mainly as men, because that is a though, and "manly" job in comparison to nurses. The background shows a blurred image of other nurses/doctors doing their job and helping others. The ad also explains and gives off a vibe that only nurses can give the best patient care. Anyone, no matter if they have proper schooling or not, can and should be able to help others.

The Mask You Live In

"Blue is for boys and pink is for girls" is what you would typically think of when discussing gender. Growing up with 3 older sisters was difficult when all of us enjoyed different things. Ever since I could remember, I was always a daddy's girl and wanted to spend all of my time and do things with him rather than my mother. My father was adventurous and spent all of his time outdoors when he had the opportunity. I would always follow him with whatever he was doing, even if that meant getting my hands dirty. A tomboy is what I would have considered myself back then in relation to the way I acted, things I wore, and how I interacted with others at school. All through elementary school and middle school, majority of my friends were boys, if not all. Girls would always look at me strangely and wonder why I was not spending my time with them instead. Like most girls do growing up, I did not have that "bestfriend" to do everything with like makeovers and tea parties. I preferred to chill with the guys and have fun without worrying what anyone else thought. The "boy toys" such as Legos always seemed so much more fun than the "girl toys" such as barbies. I would always do what the boys did at birthday parties but heard the parents talk and say that I should be doing what the girls were doing because "I was one of them", not a boy. No matter what you enjoy, or what you want in life, you should not focus on what others say; you should just be yourself. 

A Stolen Life

My favorite book is A Stolen Life: A Memoir by Jaycee Lee Dugard. I read this book for the first time a few years ago when I was in middle school. Reading is not one of my favorite hobbies, but this book is so interesting and real-life that it makes you not want to put it down. Jaycee Lee Dugard was an average 11-year-old girl who was suddenly kidnapped and held captive for more than 18 years. Throughout the duration of these very long 18+ years, Jaycee was raped, treated without respect, and impregnated. The author herself, Jaycee Lee, talks about what was done to her and how she felt, very vividly and detailed. Although this is a book, it is also a true story that openly mentions kidnap and rape, which are serious issues that need to be discussed more and prevented. I felt deeply about this book not only because it was non-fiction, but because it is word for word and from the direct source. This book speaks to me so much deeper than just the words contained inside of it. The main point in the end of this story is that if something happens to you, you can be heard, understood, and accepted just by talking about the issue. It is best to talk about your feelings and emotions rather than bottling them up and concealing what you really feel.

Aaron Bratkovics

Aaron is a graduate of Wilson Area High School. His favorite subjects were math and science and he enjoys anything related to the two. He played street hockey for 4 years and his favorite hockey team is the Philadelphia Flyers. Once out of high school, he joined the United States Marine Corps Reserve. Lots of hard work and training took place but in the end, he succeeded and graduated in 2014. Aaron is currently attending Northampton Community College but would one day love to attend Penn State, his childhood school, and study criminal justice. The heavy interest of criminal justice comes from a family background of cops. A few of Aaron's greatest accomplishments throughout his lifetime were making it through boot camp, becoming a Marine, and passing flight school. Aaron admires and appreciates his grandmother most out of anybody he knows; she means a lot to him. Aaron's music preference changes depending on

Marine Helicopter

his mood but if he would have to choose just one, it would be country. Canada means a lot to him and he loves traveling there. If he were to be chosen as president, he would change a large majority of taxes in different areas, similar to Canada's. If Aaron were able to travel into the past, he would want to be at the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. That specific event on January 28^th, 1986, is astonishing to him because there was a teacher on the shuttle making her way to teach a class in space. The moon is an interest of Aaron's and he would love to have the opportunity to go to the moon one day. In 10 years, he sees himself as either a cop or detective; he would love to be an Alaskan State Trooper.

Aaron Bratkovics (Marine) 

Graduation

Welcome: Get to Know Me

Hello, welcome to my blog! I am Emma Werner and I am a 17 year old senior at Nazareth Area High School. In my future I would love to study nursing at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where I am currently already accepted. I plan on becoming a fertility nurse. I love the concept of nursing and helping others go through issues that they need assistance with. When I am not at school I am usually working or spending time with my family. My family consists of my mom and dad, my 3 sisters, and my 3 nieces and 1 nephew. My one sister lives in Florida with her 3 kids and husband who is in the Air Force. My two other sisters still live in Pennsylvania, one in Erie with one of my nieces, and one in Saylorsburg. I love watching sports, especially football; the Pittsburgh Steelers are my favorite football team. I have attended one game back in 2015 and will be attending another one this upcoming season. My hobbies include playing softball, going on nature walks, cooking, and making crafts. I would love to learn more about and play more sports such as lacrosse and volleyball. Occasionally in my free time, I go to the animal shelter to spend time with the cats and dogs, and I volunteer at the Miracle League when I can. Traveling and photography are big interests of mine and I would love to travel the world one day and take pictures in every location I visit. I am excited to see where life takes me and what I will encounter along the way.

Linley and Maddix

Pittsburgh vs. Oakland
11/08/15