Blog #5

Adolescence is one the most challenging stages of development individuals go through. This is the part of their lives where they get more knowledge about how the world works as they get exposed into the truth of life. It is the time where an individual learns about themselves most. They face numerous life struggles that can affect their ways of living or their attitudes toward certain things. The most common issues that they get exposed to are: poverty, gang involvement, teenage pregnancy, and drugs. All of the students in the novel had to adjust to the volatile environment that surrounded them.

On the other hand, these gifted students utilized their motivations to overcome obstacles in their life as they thrive to conquer adversity. Although they lacked support at home, their teachers were always there for them to help them achieve their goals one step at a time. The school became the place where these students felt cared for, supported, and loved. The absence of their parents was replaced by the presence of Ms. Little and Mr. Braxton who never failed to assist them in the best way they can. This novel can help other people realize that teenagers do not live an “easy” life, everyone has different stories and everyone has different opinions. Lastly, this book highlighted the positive impact the school teachers and administrators have on students.  

Blog #4

The issue regarding gang violence is also present in this novel. According to the official site of Los Angeles Police Department, “children as young as seven or eight years of age have been recruited to work in criminal street gangs.” This fact proves that anyone can be easily involved in gangs; however, families of gang members are often unaware of the actions their child or relative has already taken. LAPD also provided warnings that will help you determine of a person is involved in any gang activity. Some people might have joined a gang because they simply want other minorities to fear them or they simply want to feel powerful, but most do not realize the consequences of joining a gang. For instance, gang involvement can limit one’s employment opportunities and it can disregard all levels of education a person has received.

Gang involvement is also present in the novel Always Running by Luis Rodriguez. The narrator talks about his life beginning from the time his family decided to move to Los Angeles because his father saw it as a safe haven where they can start a new life. As the story progresses on, he reveals how he got involved in gang activities with his friends and talks about what he had to go through because of that experience. Both of these novels emphasize the real danger of gang involvement as well as the aftermath of being in a gang. 

Blog #3

Miles Corwin is not only the author of this novel, but he is also a former reporter of Los Angeles Times who was deeply affected by the “John Doe Number 27” case. He came to realization that he should also write about numerous gifted children instead of gangs and drug dealers. The police assumed that John Doe was a member of a gang, but they saw a graded test paper from his backpack; he received an A. This student was shot by gang member while he was on his way home from school. Corwin decided to base this book on twelve gifted students as he reveals the life struggles each student is going through.

He gradually highlighted different issues the students had and he also included numerous teachers who had great influences on the students. These educators prepared their gifted students for the AP tests they are going to take before the school year ends. The gifted students found refuge in their Advanced Placement classes because their teachers were always there for them to guide them. Their counselors also kept them on track in order to make sure that they graduate on time, go to college, and be successful. Corwin not only focused on the life of each student, but he also provided chapters for the different opinions of each teachers.

Blog #2

Mr. Braxton was the guidance counselor at Crenshaw Gifted Magnet High School who acted as the students’ second parent to keep them more involved in school. He took care of these gifted students since their first day of freshman year and he still is doing his best in order to keep them on track and prepare them for the new upcoming challenges they are going to face. Even though he was gradually getting frustrated because his top students are falling out of track due to multiple pressures, he never gave up on them.

These students’ life struggles motivated Mr. Braxton to work harder and help the students who he believes will go far in life and be successful one day. He never failed to assure his students to that they will always have his support. His optimistic attitude has helped many students overcome what they’re currently going through one step at a time. In today’s time, there are a handful of guidance counselors at each and every high school who strive to help their students to the best of their abilities. They constantly make appointments with their assigned students to review their academics as they advise them to do better than they did yesterday.

Without the help of our teachers and our counselors, we would not almost all of the things that we know today. Their patience and hard work helped our knowledge about the world grow as they taught us how to always improve.