Essay 1 Revision

Ashley Pennycuff
Mr. Andrew Smith
English 1020-003
22 April 2009
Love, Hate, and High School
High school has been a part of life for many years now. Everyone goes to high school; some hate it, some love it, and some could care less. Yes, there are cliques and groups, such as the athletes or the preps, but they have always been found in schools and also in the workplace. Leon Botstein proposes that high school should be abolished in his essay “Let Teenagers Try Adulthood.” Leon Botstein graduated at the age of sixteen, so obviously he is smarter than some other Americans, but just because he could graduate before the normal age does not mean that it’s meant for everyone. Although Botstein has a few great points, his idea of completely taking high school away is ridiculous.
Botstein’s idea that high schools should be abolished is crazy. High school is where teens start to grow as a people and learn more about themselves, others, and life in general. The high school years involve making mistakes, learning from them, and preparing a person for college. Students learn how to write papers better, be organized, and complete assignments on time. Botstein proposes the graduation age should be sixteen instead of the age of eighteen, which is what we are all accustomed to. How many people are mature enough to graduate at sixteen? Also, the American school system is set up to accommodate for the smarter teens. If a person proves ‘too smart’ for a grade level, he or she is able to skip that grade and move to the next. At the age of sixteen, many teens are just starting to mature and learn about life. Botstein believes, “By the time those who graduate from high school go on to college and realize what really is at stake in becoming an adult, too many opportunities have been lost and too much time has been wasted” (140). How much time can you waste by going to school for two more years? How many opportunities are lost in two years when you are only sixteen? Also, there are not many jobs available for sixteen year olds. The economy is much worse than it was at this time last year, therefore many adults cannot find jobs, so how are teens supposed to? The main jobs for sixteen year olds include working at McDonalds or Kroger or some other low paying job. When I was sixteen, I worked at Kroger as a cashier, and it is not the type of job I want to spend the rest of my life doing. Working at Kroger and earning $7.50 an hour is not enough money to support a family or pay bills.
Botstein expresses that teens are maturing at younger ages now compared to when high school was first started and gives that as a primary reason for high school not working. The last half of his statement is questionable. Yes, people are maturing at a younger age but that usually means they are beginning to go through puberty and their body is starting to mature because at sixteen the brain is still growing and teens are beginning to change their behavior and attitude, but as a reason for high school not working? This is absurd. If he thinks teenagers’ maturing is the reason for high school failing, what is it going to do to the work place? Botstein also remarks, “An institution intended for young children in transition now holds young adults back well beyond the point for which high school was originally intended” (140). At age sixteen, young people are still in that transitional phase of life. They are teenagers who are getting close to young adulthood, but still have not reached a high level of maturity. Some people in their forties have yet to reach a mature level.
Botstein has a good point when he says high school is made up of cliques, outsiders and insiders, and everyone is judged. In every school there are the jocks, the preps, the Goths, the nerds, and so on. There are also those who are the “insiders.” These people follow the crowd and conform. The “outsiders” are those who stand out and do not conform to wearing the brand name clothing and they do not try to compete with everyone else. Everyone is judged. Looks and popularity are not everything. He also states individuality is discouraged. It is not so much discouraged but it is hard to be an individual and do things one’s own way because of all the criticism and judgment placed on everyone.
Botstein makes a good point when he acknowledges, “The team sports of high school dominate more than student culture. A community’s loyalty to the high school is often based on the extent to which varsity teams succeed” (139). The athletes are always looked at highly and many times given special privileges. The best basketball player on the team may be failing a course, but sometimes the teacher passes her anyways just so she can play. For example, my freshman year of high school I had to do an art project made out of things found around the house. I spent several days working on my project and I received an 85. There was an athlete in my class who did not do his project, but he made cookies, and the teacher gave him a 70. Everyone was extremely mad that this happened, and honestly, it happens all the time. This is not right and should not be done because it would not be done for other “regular” students.
In conclusion, Botstein has made some good points on the problems with high school, but also some very poor remarks. At sixteen teens just are not ready to enter the ‘real world’. They are too immature and not able to take on the responsibilities. Going off to college brings on so many new challenges, but eighteen is a more mature age then sixteen. Students should still graduate at age eighteen and then enter either a job or college. The ‘real world’ is tough; even some thirty year olds are unprepared for it.

Botstein, Leon.”Let Teenagers Try Adulthood.” Reading Culture. Eds. Dianna George and John
Trimbur. New York: Pearson, 2007. 139-41
"Leon Botstein." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 22 Apr. 2009
.

Anti-essay readings

I believe the idea of this essay is to express yourself in some way. The Hakim Bay reading suggested expressing yourself by way of art or a public display such as a strike. This reading has many things that could get you into trouble so you must be careful with what you choose to do.
The Street Theatre reading suggested to define or express yourself in public areas such as parks or malls by some form of a theatrical performance. The performers may be buskers or organized theatre companies. They may be paid if it is for street festivals, children’s shows, or parades, but mostly the street performers are unpaid or may get some form of income by the audience dropping money in a hat. Street performers wear costumes and have simple props but they use their own voice an talent to express themselves. Street theatre offers an opportunity for people, who may not be able to afford a legitimate theatre school, to perform and do what they like to do. I like this idea because it is a way to express yourself in a way that you will not get into trouble or at least not as much trouble as with the Hakim Bay reading.
The chalk you tube video showed people expressing themselves by drawing on sidewalks. This is also done on campus through homecoming and other school organizations. Many groups write on the walk way in front of the University Center because that is where a lot of the school traffic will be able to see it.

Readings On Public Space

In the reading Public Space, it talked about how public space is used and how people interpret it. It also told about the conflicts over many public spaces such as the debate on what to do at the site where the World Trade Centers were. It also told how every building looks like the next and every grocery store is like the others, and how Americans must not like change. It is true that something that is built different or painted a different color or looks weird is when people actually notice it.
More than half of Americans now own a cell phone. Cell phones are “like the cigarettes of our day” (316): they are everywhere. You walk into a classroom and many of the students are texting or their phones ring during class. Many people get mad and find it very rude when they have to overhear conversations such as an argument. Personally, when I worked at Kroger as a cashier I hated when a customer talked on their phone while I was checking them out. Also, when I sold shoes at Dick’s Sporting Goods and I was asking customers many questions to try to get them the right shoe it was such a hassle if they were talking or texting on their phone. I will be the first to admit that I always have my phone with me wherever I go and I’m always texting someone even during classes, but if I receive a call I will step out of the room so no one has to overhear my conversation. Sprint did a survey and 80% of the people said they felt that people were less courteous on their phones today than that of five years ago. I agree with this and I agree that people need to try to be alone if they are going to have a long conversation and not bring everyone around you into the conversation.

reading of White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack

White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack

When reading White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack, it really became clear to me how many privileges whites have. In the United States white is the dominate race. So many other races are talked about in a bad manner or looked down upon. Whites always seem to have the upper hand in society. The writer has listed so many points that she says whites have as privileges and they are so true. It is awful to think that the white people, mainly white men, have so many privileges in our society. People try to say they are not racist but I think it is pretty clear that many still are. It is very unfair to the other races and ethnic groups and cultures. We are in 2009 and people still look down on African Americans, Hispanics, Chinese, and other immigrants coming to the United States. The thing is it is not going to change so they might as well get used to it.

The Iron Maiden: How Advertising Portrays Women

Advertising often portrays women as beautiful, flawless, tall, and thin. This could be described as ‘perfect’ by some. When reading this selection I realized that most of these pictures are retouched. Each image is painstakingly worked over: teeth are brightened, wrinkles are taken away, stretch marks and cellulite are removed. These women are not perfect, but their pictures present them that way. Some pictures even use certain body parts from different women to create a ‘perfect’ model.
Many women are getting plastic surgery and facelifts so they can look younger and feel better about themselves and a lot of this is brought on by the advertisements we see every day on TV commercials, magazines, and even billboards. Even young girls worry about their looks which is crazy. Marketers are targeting towards teens with beauty product ads. Girls are wearing make up at younger ages and worrying about their weight when it is unnecessary to worry about. Women are even following celebrity diets so they will be thinner. Women are even taking diet pills, using liquid diet drinks, diuretics, fasting, using laxatives, starving themselves, and even turning to purging to be a few pounds lighter. What kind of message is this sending to younger girls?
One comment made about these advertisements stated that ads that are effective make the viewer self-conscious. Some advertisers do everything they can to create images that discontent customers. Why? For money. Every advertisement has some kind of message to women that they have to be perfect and flawless to be beautiful, which is so not true.
Men are even feeling that pressure from advertisements. Men have to be muscular and sexy to get the girl. Also, men sometimes judge their wife or girlfriend based on ads of women who seem perfect.

Reading of "Let Teenagers Try Adulthood"

When I read “Let Teenagers Try Adulthood” I found many different things I agreed with, but also some I disagreed with. The writer states his thesis as the American high school is obsolete and should be abolished. I do not agree with this statement. In my opinion, high school is where you start to mature and grow as a person. Yes there are cliques and people are judged, but seeing how people acted when I was in high school made me realize I did not want to be like that. I wanted to be nice and friendly with everyone. You never know one day you may work for that guy or girl you made fun of or you made need their help one day. I also do not agree with the idea he has about the schools. He says elementary school should begin at age four and end with sixth grade and high school would start with seventh grade and end at sixteen years old. Then he says those sixteen year olds need to go out into the real world. I know when I was sixteen I was immature and had no idea what things were like. I got my first job at sixteen, yes, but not a “real” job. At the age of sixteen no one is mature. I know many adults who are still very immature.
One thing I do agree with is when the writer says many opportunities have been lost by the time graduates realize what is at stake. I know many people who just got by in high school and now cannot get any scholarships so they decide they are not going to college and now regret that decision and who are starting later than their friends. Then they realize without that college degree there are not many jobs out there that pay well.

Welcome :)

Hey guys my name is Ashley Pennycuff. I am from Mt. Juliet which is about 30 minute from Nashville. I graduated from Wilson Central in Lebanon where I cheered freshman through senior year fro basketball and football. I was involved in helping with CDC students and the special olympics. I am a nursing major and I am interested in working in pediatrics because I love kids.