TOW #29 Letter to a new APELC student

Dear future APELC students,
     Although the journey was difficult, strenuous and even at times seemed impossible, I stand here as a survivor from room L08. To be to the point this class may be one of the most difficult courses you will encounter in your high school career- but don't panic if I made it, you can too! Even though this course was challenging it was a truly intriguing experience. There will be times in this class where you will be shaken up a bit but your hard work and dedication will all pay off in the end and transform your writing skills.
     On the first week back from class we received our first summer essay scores, during this time my confidence in my writing was at an all time low. Although I doubted my writing from then on by the end of this class there has been a surge in my writing skills. I can truly see a change in my style of writing and comprehension of texts. When you enter APELC you should have an open mindset and be willing to accept lower grades than you are used to getting. On our first day Mr. Yost told us students who usually get A's might be getting B's, and B's may be getting C's. Of course grades matter but don't stress about the grades instead worry about the quality of your work. Once your time is put into the quality of your pieces your grades will automatically improve. But also remember to not let your grades define you. Just by signing up for this class you have shown the type of person you are, hardworking, committed, and passionate.
       My biggest piece of advice is do not be afraid to ask for help!!! I wish I started this year asking for help when I needed it. The best way to get the grade you want is to work with those grading your essays and get their advice about the structure and content of your essay. Its no secret that junior year is hard, so make sure to balance your time and make time to meet with Ms. Pronko and Mr. Yost.
       My favorite thing in class is not a popular favorite but I truly enjoyed timed essays. Although the thought of timed essay writing seems scary and stressful (which it is) the reinforcement of writing in a timed setting truly pays off! The amount of times we have practiced timed essays in class has helped me boost my confidence on writing for the actual AP test and even helped with the SAT. Symposiums are also a very interesting part of class. Honestly everything done in this class has felt very rewarding by the end.
      Lastly BE POSITIVE! Don't let preconceived opinions get in the way of how you work in the class. Cherish interesting moments (times like Toga day) in class because although it is rigorous if you have the right attitude you can have a good time in it!
      Now go on and simply do your best!!! Now in the wise words of Mr. Yost "Relax it's only school."

Sincerely,
APELC survivor Deeksha Kandan

TOW #28 Reflection

When looking back through my TOWs over a time period of around 8 months I see a trend of improvement in each one. In the very beginning of this class my TOWs seemed very to be structured and formulaic but over time they have improved to suit my style of writing. I used to list out rhetorical devices and use ethos,pathos, and logos as my main devices. Now I combine devices and avoid using basic ones. I have mastered identifying rhetorical devices and then tying them back to the authors purpose. I never thought that I would be able to recognize post hoc ergo propert hoc but by identifying devices every weekend for the full school year devices soon started to stand out to me.
 In the beginning I did not fully understand analyzing articles instead I summarized what the article said. In the second marking period I started getting more in depth into analysis and by the end I mastered analyzing images and texts. I still want to improve my hooks and concluding sentences, but there were some TOWs in which I had very strong introductions or conclusions. TOWs have been a great tool to enhance my writing skills. Writing these every weekend prepared me slowly for the analysis on the test. As well as enhancing my writing skills they also provided evidence to write about in timed essays. Although half way through the year TOWs became tedious and a dull task for me I can not say they did not help me prepare for the AP test. On the actual test I mentioned an article about a campaign that I read and analyzed as an piece of evidence during the test. Analysis is the essay I struggled the most with but TOWs took some of that difficulty away and overall helped me spend all year preparing for the test. Although some of my TOWs were rushed to meet a Sunday night deadline they truly helped my writing and style grow.

TOW #27 Apple Watch (Text)

Most apple retailers were expecting a burst of customers waiting to experience apples latest venture into the luxury business. But rather than the usual tables displaying the watches, the stores are just the same. The apple watch was sort of anti-climatic, as far as the new Apple products go. Usually a long line of people wait outside the stores, and some even sleep out. But for this release only some people appeared in the store, maybe it was the 17,000 cost of some watches, or how apple suggested booking appointments to try on the watches. The article attached pictures of empty stores and high price points showing the failure of the latest release. The most frequent buyers of the watch are celebrities, who have a VIP dedicated to them in most new york and L.A retailers. The article also compares the release of the watch to the google glass. There was much hype behind both these products but the results didn’t go too well. Another downfall of the product is that even those who desperately want the watch have shared their horror stories of the time range it takes to get to them. Overall the article highlights more of the cons of the watch rather than the pros, but does a good job showing the hype behind the product and the downfall.

TOW 26 "Boston Conviction" (Text)

Why do we kill people that kill people to teach them that killing is bad?

Convicted Boston Marathon bomber Tsarnaev is surprisingly associated with the polling of the death penalty. Boston area resients see the death penalty as an unpopular punishment for the convicted bomber. 61% of voters in the city say that the penalty is not necessary and instead he should serve a lifetime in jail. The latest poll was held just days after his conviction. Although the bombing had a deep impact on the community, the view on the death penalty has not changed in Boston. To appeal to pathos the article includes the youngest victim of the bombing holding up a sign displaying “No more hurting people PEACE.” Readers of the magazine have mixed opinions on Tsarnaev’s penalty/life. Those more involved with the marathon plead to have him fixed on a lifetime in jail rather than the death penalty. The article utilizes pros and cons to two different sides of an argument to make the reader take a stance. There is no possible excuse for his decision to commit this outrageous act, lawyers are trying to humanize him to save his life but it all boils down to his stupid decision of committing this act.

TOW #25 "And Everything Nice" (Visual)

A recent photo series by photographer Hannah Altman portrays the “unflinching analysis of the standard for female beauty” in a piece titled “And Everything Nice.” She portrays popular photos showing women with their body fluids being replaced with glitter. These pictures include blood, tears, and vomit replaced with glitter to portray the concept of girls invariably needing to seem attractive regardless of the situation they’re in. The intention of these photos is to represent the unreasonable female standard of beauty. The sparkle in the photos stands out, compared to the grotesque nature of the pictures. Altman created the series to raise questions and awareness of the ridiculous standard and to quest the morality. Ever since its posting the project gained over 130,000 likes in less than 24 hours. The photo series made me question the standards held for females today. Altman skillfully shows the beauty of glitter with the pain of perfection to make her piece effective.

TOW #24 "Feedsa" (Visual)

Every year consumers waste 222 million tons of food. In Feedsa’s advertisement they display a common shopping cart, but instead of a red bottom they display a starving child reaching up for food. The ad evokes pathos, showing a starving child begging for something simple consumers add to their cart. The purpose of the advertisement is to show how simple it can be to feed the hungry, just like handing them the food. Feedsa’s campaign is targeted towards everyone whos shopping for groceries, by sending the message the next time you shop think about those who are hungry and how you can get involved. The bright red colors make the child stand out, as if they are truly at the bottom of that cart begging for the food. The purpose of Feedsa’s ad is very effective through the use of their emotional appeal. It truly motivates you to get involved in the cause.

TOW #23 "Eat,Pray, Love" (IRB)

For my third marking period IRB, I read Eat, Pray, Love a novel by Elizabeth Gilbert. The novel is about a yearlong vacation Gilbert goes on, to find herself. To most people packing up and traveling around the world is simply impossible due to everyday constraints. The book immerses you in Gilberts life lessons of finding happiness, without having to get on a plane and do it yourself. As Gilbert continued her journey from the Big Apple, to Italy, to India, and finally Indonesia, she enchanted her readers with the progression of her attitude. The book is set up by the country she travels to, each country she goes to she has a specific goal in mind. In the beginning of the novel Gilbert has a stereotypical new Yorker attitude, as the book progresses she finds peace within herself and resorts to modes of meditation to calm her. As she travels she takes advice from the people she meets, she soon accepts her true self and this gives her the ability to see the world from a different perspective. Gilberts purpose of Eat, Pray, Love was to share her enchanting experience with her readers. She meant to inspire those with dull lives to get up and immerse their selves in new cultures, food, and interact with new people.