The Enemy Of A Car - 1955 Words

Droplets of sweat begin to form on your forehead as you grip your gun tightly. Your heart is beating like crazy as you explore through this new unfamiliar world. But you are in control. Are you worried about law, what law? Go ahead, steal a car, pillage a village, become a drug cartel, or shoot an innocent bystander, you have the freedom to do whatever your wildest dreams may be! Those intentions might be good or bad, you call the shots in this new world you run. You may be laying on a rooftop while patiently waiting, not making any movement. Suddenly, there is the target you have been looking for steps into your crosshairs. You pull the trigger and now his remains litter the street. Another, as the general of an army, you are the†¦show more content†¦The sources describe the aspects of both the positives and negatives depicting each side of the argument. For a lot of people in the world today video games are a perfect break from a reality filled with deadlines, stress, worr y, anxiety, and responsibilities. People play them because they are entertaining, riveting, and a way to spend leisure time. Most often, they are used to go after certain passions. Sports fans love to play football and baseball video games. Hunters and outdoor enthusiasts enjoy playing action packed Big Game hunting games and extreme sports games. Many chess lovers and even gamblers who cannot find enough human opponents to compete with will play computer chess and gambling games or even seek competition from online players. Video games are often used to help people focus on something other than life’s unsettling problems and issues. For a few moments, the players kind of lose themselves in their TV screen as they feel a release from the real world and then of being in control of their own. For some, the fantasy escape of video games is just a passing interest. For others, video games are much more than that, even a way of life. A benefit from the youth playing many video ga mes is recently, the U.S. Army and Navy have started using video games to train their new recruits. They had realized that the large simulators that they once used were much

Water Pollution Causes, Effects, and Solutions

Our planet is comprised primarily of water. Aquatic ecosystems cover more than two-thirds of the Earths surface. And all life on Earth as we know it relies on water to survive. Yet water pollution is a very real threat to our survival. It is considered by most scholars and politicians the worlds biggest health risk, threatening not only humans, but also myriad other plants and animals that rely on water to live. According to the World Wildlife Fund:   Pollution from toxic chemicals threatens life on this planet. Every ocean and every continent, from the tropics to the once-pristine polar regions, is contaminated. So what is water pollution? What causes it and what effects is it having on the worlds aquatic ecosystems? And most importantly—What can we do to fix it? Water Pollution Definition Water pollution occurs when a body of water becomes contaminated. The contamination could be caused by physical debris such as plastic water bottles or rubber tires, or it could be chemical such as the runoff that finds its way into waterways from factories, farms, cities, cars, sewage treatment facilities, and air pollution. Water pollution occurs any time that contaminants are discharged into aquatic ecosystems that do not have the capacity to absorb or remove them. Water Sources When we think about the causes of water pollution, we have to think about where it comes from. There are two different sources of water on our planet. First, there is surface water—thats the water that we see in oceans, rivers, lakes, and ponds. This water is home to many plant and animal species that rely not only on the quantity but also the quality of that water to survive. No less important is groundwater—the water stored below the surface in the Earths aquifers. This water source feeds our rivers and oceans and forms much of the worlds supply of drinking water.   Both of these water sources are critical to life on Earth. And both can become polluted in different ways.   Surface Water Pollution Causes Bodies of water can become polluted in a number of ways. Point source pollution refers to contaminants that enter a waterway via a single, identifiable source, such as a waste water treatment pipe or a factory chimney. Non-point source pollution is when the contamination is coming from many scattered locations. Examples of non-point source pollution include the nitrogen runoff from agricultural fields that leaches into rivers and streams, or oil from parking lots into city sewers. Groundwater Pollution Causes Groundwater can also be affected by point and non-point source pollution. A chemical spill can seep directly into the ground, polluting the water below. But more often than not, groundwater becomes polluted when non-point sources of contamination such as agricultural runoff or prescription medications find their way into the water within the Earth.   How Does Water Pollution Affect The Environment? If you do not live near water, you may not think that you are affected by pollution of the worlds waters. But water pollution affects every single living thing on this planet. From the tiniest plant to the largest mammal and yes, even humans in between, we all rely on water to survive. The water from your tap may be filtered by a water treatment facility before it gets to you, but ultimately it comes from either surface or groundwater sources. Fish that live in polluted waters become polluted themselves. Fishing is already restricted or prohibited in many of the worlds waterways due to contaminants.  When a waterway becomes polluted—either with trash or with toxins—it diminishes its capacity to support and sustain life. Water Pollution: What Are The Solutions? By its very nature, water is a very fluid thing. It flows throughout the world without regard for borders or boundaries, crossing state lines and country borders alike. That means that pollution caused in one part of the world could affect a community in another. This makes it difficult to impose any one set standard on the ways we use and protect the worlds water. There are a number of international laws that aim to prevent dangerous levels of water pollution. These include  the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea  and the 1978 MARPOL International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships. In the U.S., the 1972 Clean Water Act and the 1974 Safe Drinking Water Act were created to help protect both surface and ground water supplies. How Can You Prevent Water Pollution? The best things that you can do to prevent water pollution are to educate yourself about the worlds water supply and support conservation projects both locally and around the world. Learn about the choices that you make that affect the world water, from spilling gas at the station to spraying chemicals on your lawn and look for ways to reduce the number of chemicals you use each day. Sign up to help clean litter off of beaches or out of rivers and oceans. And support laws that make it harder for polluters to pollute—the Clean Water Act in particular has often come under political attack. Water is the worlds most vital resource. It belongs to all of us and it is up to everyone to do their part to protect it.

The Severity Of People s Ptsd Symptoms Following The...

The severity of people s PTSD symptoms following the hurricane was overtly connected to the amount of television coverage they watched of the damage which included the looting of New Orleans, rescue efforts, and evacuations in and around the Superdome and the Convention Center in New Orleans. People fared better in terms of PTSD symptoms if they watched less television coverage overall, especially of the looting. They also benefitted from using prayer as a way of coping with the stress of the hurricane. A natural disaster, such as Hurricane Katrina, can have a major impact on a person s life. Following a traumatic event such as this, it is normal to want to seek out as much information as you can, and watching television may be one way to do this. However, as this study and other studies on the effects of disasters show, extensive viewing of television coverage of traumatic events may put people at risk for depression and PTSD. Therefore, it may be important to keep an eye on what yo u and your family are watching after stressful events. A news report on the mental health of Hurricane Katrina victims’ shows patterns in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast that are contrary to post traumatic stress disorder usually seen after major disasters. The mental health of Hurricane Katrina victims is worsening with the drawn out recovery time. The mental health of Hurricane Katrina survivors contains some surprising information. The study s author says what s going on in the Gulf CoastShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Hurricane Katrina And Its Impact On The Mental Health2127 Words   |  9 Pages PTSD, Psychological Effects of Hurricane Katrina and its impact on the Mental Health By definition, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), is the †¦ It was not until the 1980’s that the diagnosis of PTSD as we know it today came to be. However, throughout history people have recognized that exposure to combat situations can have profound negative impact on the mind s and bodies of individuals in these situations. But there are other catastrophic events that can have such profound impact on peopleRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Hurricane Katrina Essay1599 Words   |  7 PagesMass tragedies occur on a daily basis in almost every nook and cranny of the world. No matter the severity, they all appear to have a similar effect: deterioration of mental health stability among those involved. Children and adults alike possess the risk of suffering from mental disorders, such as depression and PTSD, following exposure to a traumatic event. However, the circumstances of these events differ, simply because not all mass tragedies are the same. No matter what type of event occursRead MorePost Traumatic Stress Disorder Among Adults2737 Word s   |  11 Pageswith multiple victims such as natural/human caused disasters, war, mass violence or explicit experience in the death of others. Examples of these large-scale events include 9/11, the Holocaust, Hurricane Katrina etc. Other classification of traumatic events involve unintended acts involving fewer people such as motor vehicle collisions or life threatening illnesses and acts of intended personal violence such as sexual/physical assault, torture or child abuse. These traumatic stressors cause a significantRead MoreResearch Based Interventions Paper1727 Words   |  7 PagesDisorder (PTSD), is a â€Å"disorder that occurs following an extreme traumatic event, in which a person re-experiences the event, avoids reminders of the trauma, and exhibits persistent increased arousal†. An example may be, a person who observed or experienced something extremely frightening, may feel that their life or the life of others may be in danger (Butcher, Mineka, and Hooley, 2 013). People with PTSD may feel frightened and feel that they don’t have control over their feelings. People most commonlyRead MorePost Traumatic Stress Disorder ( Ptsd )2099 Words   |  9 Pagesby depression, anxiety, etc.† (Merriam-Webster’s, n.d.) Post-traumatic stress disorder can occur after seeing a dangerous event such as war, hurricanes, car accidents, death of a loved one, and violent crimes. It can affect a victim mind, body, and the people around them. While some mental disorders are genetic, this disorder come from the things that people encounter in life. This paper will discuss the risk factor involved with post-traumatic stress disorder as well as treatments that will helpRead MoreCRIS 608 research paper 13650 Words   |  15 Pagestraumatic event affects many people in various ways. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a globally recognized disorder that is common among persons who have experienced traumatic events, but is also known as a normal response by normal persons in abnormal situations. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder can be caused by a mul titude of reasons, not just from traumatic events. People with various personality traits can be associated with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. People who suffer from poor healthRead MorePost Traumatic Stress Disorder ( Ptsd And Race / Ethnicity2617 Words   |  11 PagesCorey Hills May 5, 1015 PSY-230-A Final Paper The Correlation Between Both ASD/PTSD Race/Ethnicity Post-traumatic stress disorder is a well known disorder that takes over the life of it’s victim. We know that anyone has the chance of facing this challenging disorder but does race/ culture have anything to do with it? Throughout this paper we will be trying to answer this question and many more. This paper’s main focus is on what post-traumatic stress disorder is, what evidence provided byRead MoreNatural Disasters3617 Words   |  15 PagesZyy06mku SWK Psychological Consequences of Earthquakes Natural disasters, such as earthquakes, hurricanes and cyclones, floods, and tornadoes are some of the traumatic experiences that may cause posttraumatic stress disorders. This type of disorders and other disaster related psychological problems are prevalent after natural disasters. As a result it is important to analyse those individuals that develop psychological problems especially to prepare and planRead MorePsychological Problems After 9/112598 Words   |  11 Pagesdaily. Some are minor events which shape the attitudes and personalities of only the individuals involved. An example of this would be the teenager who got his first traffic violation for going over the speed limit; he just learned the value of following the law and that every action has a consequence. As you can see this event was minor and just affected him directly. On the other hand, some events are catastrophic and can change millions of lives worldwide; like the attacks to the RMS Lusitania

Stigma And Treatment Of Depression - 1585 Words

Introduction Depression has become a daunting problem around the world, with the World Health Organization listing it as the leading cause of disability.1 As well, in 2030 it is anticipated to be second on a list of fifteen major disease burdens.2 In the United States, depression is a large, but often overlooked epidemic. It is estimated that 6.7% of the U.S. population suffer from depression yearly, with a lifetime diagnosis rate of approximately 16%.3,4 Additionally, it is estimated that 4-5% of adolescents are suffering from depression each year, with a lifetime prevalence rate of 11.7% in youth aged 13 to 18.5,6 Although 60-90% of adolescent episodes last one year or less, 50-70% percent are expected to relapse within 5 years.5†¦show more content†¦The large time commitment and perceived unreliability of treatments are additional barriers.9 Traditional treatments for depression, including outpatient therapy, generally require weekly visits with a professional, limiting treatment to t hose who have availability to make appointments during business hours. Starting and maintaining medication often has a large time commitment with multiple follow up appointments to assess and adjust the regiment. Furthermore, 26.6% of individuals surveyed in 2009 stated that they believed they could handle their mental health problems without treatment and 10.6% believed that treatment would not help.9 Prior Work There is a large body of work assessing the feasibility and effectiveness of alternative therapy options. Computer and web based interventions have been proven to be effective in both adults as well as adolescents. In a systematic review of online and social networking interventions, researchers found that these programs can be successful in preventing and treating depression in adolescents.7 It was also found that adolescents were open to using technology based therapies because of their immediacy and cost.7 The primary concern of technology based interventions was patient attrition.7 Developing interventions that encourage high engagement and motivation are essential as higher adherence to

Vital Pieces of Language Analysis Essay Samples

Vital Pieces of Language Analysis Essay Samples The Rise of Language Analysis Essay Samples You're able to receive a perfect essay you need so much in just a few clicks. Peer edits help give the essay a larger assortment of clarity. Quality over quantity goes a very long way here. An analysis research paper is not any different. These seven sample essays respond to a selection of thought-provoking questions. There's an endless number of different essay topics which can be analyzed. Bridget's essay is extremely strong, but there continue to be a couple little things that could be made better. Before writing a comparative essay, you first have to arm yourself with the data that you will need. Book reports are usually meant to recap and summarize information in a book. That means you'd start by outlining what the sub-argument is, and what the writer is suggesting. You might be able to type up your whole sample in actual moment. Feel free to get in touch with our company if you have issues with any types of reports, researches, or plot analysis. An event can only be categorized as news the moment it meets specific conditions, thereby adhering to a particular genre. There's no particular style for the introduction, but background information is easily the most frequent system of approach. Therefore second language acquisition is connected to the language aptitude and we shall examine the amount of than relation. When you decide to get a thesis on the web, you ought to look for the best services around. Our customer support will gladly tell you whether there are any special offers at the present time, in addition to make sure you are getting the very best service our company may deliver. A worldwide language has numerous benefits and disadvantages. however, it's very important to the concerned nations to be certain that its growth doesn't obstruct the use other native languages (Fennell, 2001 pp 259). Who Else Wants to Learn About Language Analysis Essay Samples? You are able to seek the services of the Best Essay Writing Service and receive an original custom made essay written by a seasoned writer. Stephen's essay is quite effective. You could need to know where to have thesis. Secondly, thesis writing covers a massive portion of the complete grade and whether you get the degree. From time to time, scholarly texts will merely cover the student's thesis idea in 1 paragraph. Much enjoy the intro, it's a structural requirement meaning you should write one in the event that you don't need to lose marks. The very first draft of essay analysis won't ever be like the last draft. Furthermore, the poem does not own a title in the manuscript. If you're going to write a comparative essay, you will need to get a notion of the impacts of distinct aspects to the result that you might get at the conclusion of the writing activity. The primary goal of the body paragraphs is to fully demonstrate the thesis statement. So, for instance, if you're writing about historic events or a social issue that you don't only describe it. You should have your reasons, and our principal concern is that you wind up getting an excellent grade. The standard of essays is the most essential thing when you're searching for services like ours. The greatest purpose is to demonstrate your comprehension of the way the author attempts to persuade the reader to agree with her or his contention. Any introduction you write will be quite important. The author starts with a rather thorough story of an event or description of an individual or place. A quick discussion of the topic may also be included only insomuch as it acts as a manner of introducing the topic to a reader who might have no familiarity with the topic. The process for writing a great thesis might take a little while. Your thesis will be crafted by our best available writer with plenty of experience in your academic region and basic writing. Finally, your analytical report should talk about the message the subject is hoping to convey.

Tips for Effective Performance Appraisal System

Question: Describe about the Effective Performance Appraisal System? Answer: Introduction: In this given case study there is a lack of performance appraisal system. So, a good and effective performance appraisal is required. Performance appraisal is a process through which, the performance level and ability of an employee can be evaluated. It is required in the future growth and development. It is generally done in a systematic way. The Relationship between strategic and operational plans: Plans are assigned goals of an organization. Without any plan, none of the employees can achieve their goals. Strategic plans help to meet the organizations large-scale goals. On the other side, operational plans holding excellent points for implementing and executing, strategic plans in day-to-day works. Strategic plans cover a long span of time that may be several years. On the other side operational plans have to cover within a year. Strategic plans are stated in a less-detail manner, but operational plans provide excellent details(Kerzner, 2014). Five things that needs to be considered in case of decision making: Relationship- 1) Relationship with managers. 2) Relationship with peers. 3) Relationship with subordinates. Work and life-1) location. 2) Travel. 3) Amount of work. The kind of work-1) autonomy. 2) Type of work. 3) Contribution. 4) Growth opportunity. Company-1) values. 2) Leadership. 3) Industry. Financial consideration-1) base pay. 2) Incentive. Key result area and critical success factors: Key result area refers to the common area of production and result. Critical success factors have very limited number of variables, conditions and characteristics that have a serious impact on the efficiency, effectiveness and viability of a project, program or an organization. Example of KRA or CSF, Role- product manager, Goal- ensuring of quality product. Key result areas: Satisfaction of customers. Managing the new level product. Controlling operational cost. Quality check. Keeping all the records SMART goals: every business required a set of objectives which is very important to focus on the organization. SMART goals can be defined as following: Specific Measurable Achievable Realistic Time scales. Importance of documentation in PMS and risk: Documentation is the process where information about employees performances is recorded. It is important for an interaction between the managers and the employees. Mainly, primary information is recorded in the documentation so that it would not be lost or forgotten. Example when a customer and an employees interaction went badly, feedback is recorded is the employees PMS (Aguinis, 2013). No risk is there for managing all the documentation effectively because HR develops this process by using feedbacks, measure work level, comments and observation. This all are general information which can get help an employee to develop their performance level. Four way of giving informal feedback and two formal feedbacks: Informal feedbacks are as follows: Ongoing- this type of feedback generally comes when the assigned work are in ongoing process. Day to day- when feedback provide as day to day basis. After checking someone- when the feedback coming after checking someone. Immediate feedback- the immediate feedback is generally comes informally (Aguinis, 2014). Formal feedbacks are as follows: Formal coaching sessions- it is a coaching session where HR and employee interact face to face and discuss about the employees progression and also analyze that there is any further support is required or not. Management by objective- MBO help to improve the performance of an organization by defining objectives which are decided both management and employees. Motivate staff through formal performance appraisal and self motivate for future performance: Motivation is the process which helps to encourage employees towards their work. Well execute and well design performance appraisals have a powerful motivational impact. Appraisal provides some benefits which help to motivate employees are as follows: Performance appraisal helps to improve an individual performance. Performance appraisal help to meet the higher-level psychological needs of an individual Performance management helps to increase an individuals overall development. Performance appraisal helps to build a sense of personal value. Performance appraisal gives a check to employees who are performing poorly. Performance appraisal helps to increase the satisfaction level of an individual (Falcone and Tan, 2013). Self motivation helps to improve an individual performance. By judging the past work performance review, an individual can improve their work in future. Performance appraisal help to interact manager and employees face to face and have a conversation regarding employees week areas, which also helps an employee to develop their performance in future (Mattone, 2013). Four different ways of Reward and recognition for an individual performance: Rewards and recognitions are the best way of motivating employees which help to change their work habits and the main behaviors to benefits a business. Types of rewards programs are- Variable pay Bonuses Profit sharing Stock options Types of recognitions programs- Recognize an Employees as a performer of the year or month Banquets or breakfast (Noe, 2013). Advantages and disadvantages of on the job training: In the On-the-Job training methods, skilled co-workers or supervisors instruct employees and they learn the job personal observation and practice. Advantages- This type of training is very economical as there are no additional personnel or facilities. The trainee will know the actual production conditions and requirements, since they work in the real environment with actual equipment. The trainee acquires full knowledge of the rules, regulation, and procedures by watching and doing. Companies with adequate jobs and employees can easily adopt this type of training (Beebe, Mottet and Roach, 2013). Disadvantages- Instruction may not be properly comprehended at times in these types of training. Learners are often distracted by the noise at the office or workplace. This may cause low productivity if the employee fails to develop adequate skills during the training (Mba-mentor.com, 2015). Plans for an individual are who is not able to meet the deadline: Performance Investment Plan (PIP) is taken for those who are underperforming level. The main purpose of PIP is to direct an employee regarding their performance and try to correct their work if any issues affect the business. Steps which help to improve an individual performance are as follows: Explain the performance issues. Establish an expectation level. Establish a fixed timelines. Progress an action plans which includes organizational objectives and goals. Determine a particular method of evaluation. Analysis PIP with the employee(Siddiqui, 2014). Monitor effectiveness of performance investment plan: There are six steps to monitor effectiveness of performance investment plan Collect all the data. Set a baseline for a normal performance. In this step employee receiving an alert, if they deviate from the baseline. Some typical repot appraise from the employee. In this step, data analysis and visualization take place. All data share with the employee after analysis.(Siddiqui, 2014). Benefits to manage unsatisfactory performance: There are some ways, which helps to benefit to manage unsatisfactory performance: Performance management only focuses on result, not the behavior and activities of an individual. If there is unsatisfactory performance, it will affect on the performance result. Performance management builds a meaningful measurement. It compares the standards and benchmark with the other organization(Successfactors.com, 2015). Steps involve in termination employees: Termination of an employee is the last decision which is taken by an organization. There are six steps which help us to handle termination process effectively: Address to the legal matters. Plan should be prepared before termination meeting. Assess security concerns. Finally conduct a termination meeting(Team, 2014). Conclusion: In the given case study it shows that an effective performance appraisal system is required. It shows that the appraisal system is not fair, so the employees are not aware of their own performance level. So, there a good appraisal system is required which helps to motivate employee and gives a good opportunity in future. References: Aguinis, H. (2013).Performance management. Boston: Pearson. Beebe, S., Mottet, T. and Roach, K. (2013).Training and development. Boston: Pearson. Falcone, P. and Tan, W. (2013).The performance appraisal tool kit. New York: AMACOM, American Management Association. Kerzner, H. (2014).Project management best practices. Hoboken: Wiley. Mattone, J. (2013).Powerful performance management. New York: AMACOM, American Management Association. Mba-mentor.com, (2015).Off the job training methods. [online] Available at: https://www.mba-mentor.com/off-the-job-training-methods [Accessed 21 Feb. 2015]. Noe, R. (2013).Employee training and development. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Siddiqui, M. (2014).Performance Appraisal Alignment in Perspective of Work Performance. Saarbrucken: LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing. Successfactors.com, (2015).Employee Appraisal Systems. [online] Available at: https://www.successfactors.com/en_us/lp/articles/employee-appraisal-systems.html [Accessed 21 Feb. 2015]. Team, B. (2014).What is Performance Appraisal System and what are its objectives? Describe the various sources of errors in the appraisal process. What is the difference between the Performance Appraisal and Performance Management Systems in an organisation? | BMS.co.in. [online] BMS.co.in : Bachelor of Management Studies. Available at: https://www.bms.co.in/what-is-performance-appraisal-system-and-what-are-its-objectives-describe-the-various-sources-of-errors-in-the-appraisal-process-what-is-the-difference-between-the-performance-appraisal-and-perfor/ [Accessed 21 Feb. 2015]. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, (2015).Understanding Performance Management Process and Practices. [online] Available at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/performance-management/performance-management-cycle/developing/understanding-performance-management-process-and-practices/ [Accessed 21 Feb. 2015]. Whatishumanresource.com, (2015).On-the-job Methods - what is human resource ?. [online] Available at: https://www.whatishumanresource.com/on-the-job-methods [Accessed 21 Feb. 2015]. Yamamoto, S. (2013).Human interface and the management of information. Berlin: Springer.

A Life Changing Story free essay sample

Apple Speech June 10, 2010 On September 20, 2002 1 bought my first classic pink iPod. On October of 2005, I bought my first iPod Nano in yellow. Last summer, I bought my first laptop computer, the Macbook Pro, and my first iPod touch. Wow! I have shared many of my first experiences with Apple and I am your loyal customer, and l, Ana Plascencia, am truly honored to be given the opportunity to address you (the men and women) who have contributed to the success of the Apple and who have contributed to my success in high school. Lets face it your ingenious technology assisted me with my homework nd research projects, allowed me to compose my own music, and allowed me to gain exposure to the outside world. You are the greatest innovators in the world, and you have been important to me because simply through your products you helped me succeed through high school and you have helped me make some of my dreams From an early age my mother inspired me to use values such as come true. We will write a custom essay sample on A Life Changing Story or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page passion, perseverance, and discipline to make my dreams a reality. My mother always says that the mind puts limits on ones dreams, but the heart has the power to overcome those limits and make those dreams come true. I have seen, in my mother and myself, this power of will to persevere and to strive to be greater than one thinks they can be. But I have also come to realize the deeper and truer meaning of my mothers saying. My mother emigrated from Mexico and raised me by herself with little education and little understanding of the English language. I believe strength and love motivated her as she worked three Jobs, seven days a week earning no more than nine twenty-five an hour. At the age of six, I began to work several times a week at restaurants and community events as a Mariachi singer thanks to an uncle of mine ho taught me how to play this great music from an early age. I performed for several hours during the weekends, earning as much as fifty dollars an hour, in order to help my mother make ends meet for the both of us. I loved Mariachi music then and still do now. But as I look back, Im am struck by key values such as working diligently and disciplinarily, along with the power of knowledge a power of the mind that also enabled me to help support my family even from a young age. As I grew older, I saw that my mother, too, recognized that passion and working diligently were mportant, but by themselves they were not enough to fulfill ones dreams. Along with passion and hard work, she believed the power of knowledge was a crucial key to realizing ones goals. She worked very hard so that I could go to school, to study, so that I might accomplish my dreams. But my mother and I didnt have the same vision at that time. I thought that by working and being focused on making money I could easily help support my mother. But my mother had bigger dreams for me; she knew that an education was crucial for my future. She knew that I needed to have an ducation to open new doors and have the opportunities she didnt have. Of course this tension between my mothers dreams for herself and her dreams for me was not something I reflected upon until later. My mother also instilled in me a dedication to my family and my community. Therefore at Mitty I got involved because it is was important for me to explore and take advantage of the opportunities offered at Mitty. and share the diverse Latin American cultures with the Mitty community. I was also a Mitty ambassador and an active member of campus ministry. In my local community, y passion for helping younger generations develop and strengthen their skills in reading lead me to co-found the S. T. A. R. S. reading program where I tutor children from low-income families and ignite in them the love for learning. Attending Mitty gave me the confidence to co-fund this program and help make a difference in a childs life, who through reading obtained confidence and a power of knowledge. My dedication for serving my community and my passion for learning have successfully transformed me into the young lady I am today. Today, this young lady that stands efore you Just graduated a few weeks ago from Archbishop Mitty High School, thanks to a scholarship that awarded me with the opportunity to attend a college- preparatory institution. The young lady that stands before you is a now a proud woman who will be the first in her family to attend college and who will be attending Wellesley College in Massachusetts this upcoming fall to obtain a dual degree in biochemistry and biomedical engineering so that I may train to become a medical doctor. My dream to become a doctor began when I started volunteering at the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, and was touched after a special incident. During mid- July of 2008, I was handed a set of personal history questions and asked to interview Spanish-speaking patients. I wasnt worried about having to translate because I expected the questions to be rather basic, but they were deeply serious. The patient I interviewed was Mrs. G. Mrs. G was a forty-five-year old, obese, Hispanic woman suffering from diabetes. The first few questions were neutral enough, but then I translated, have you attempted or have thought of attempting suicide because of your health condition? To my surprise, Mrs. G said, mies. Then I had to ask Mrs. G if her health condition made her feel useless, insignificant, or invaluable, and again she responded, mies. Suddenly her face was covered with a flood of tears, and she began to plead for my help. She wanted me, a fifteen-year-old girl, to help her restore not only her health, but also her faith in life. At that moment I became frustrated and upset. I felt useless. I felt insignificant. The only thing I knew to do was to give her a hug and tell her with all my heart that everything was going to be okay. But I knew that was not enough. How could I restore her desire to live if I didnt have the knowledge or skills to make her healthy? Ever since this incident I felt powerless. The idea that I could help and make a difference in an individuals life through being a doctor was exciting. But at that moment I also understood I didnt Just wanted to be a doctor, I wanted to travel the world and offer pro bono healthcare to people who lacked the resources. I also wanted to be a doctor who gives inspiration and desires of hope. I believe that with this education I can follow my heart and be truly useful to my family and my community. If you had met me 5 to 6 years ago, my accomplishments would not have seemed possible or even realistic because I lacked the confidence to believe that a single individual can lead and change the world, especially if that individual was a minority with little money. Now I understand that I am as capable as anyone else to become a leader for my community and I have the power to transform the world I live in. All of you present here today, are successful (businessmen and businesswoman) you have realized some of your dreams had to experience to achieve success was difficult, but you have an education, an xtraordinary Job, and a great future ahead of you. More importantly I feel honored to stand before men and women who have the power to affect so many lives through the Apple products. In all you are, and all you must have done to be where you are, you have the power to make a difference in peoples lives. Dont limit yourself; and try to be the best you can be because you have the opportunity to continue to deepen your knowledge, achieve personal growth, and make a difference in your communities. You see, Just four years ago, I was given the opportunity to change my ife by attending Mitty, but I was naive and close-minded. I was afraid. I was afraid that by attending Mitty and striving to follow a different path than my neighborhood friends, I would have to leave behind my identity and betray my culture. I was afraid of being successful because in the neighborhood I grew up in, Mexicans never amounted to anything important which caused me to believe that I would fail like everyone around me did. I truly lost a sense of who I was and who I wanted to be. It may come as a surprise to you, but during middle school I was involved with gangs. Although I wanted to run away from the neighborhood I grew up in and I wanted to change who I was at that time, I was afraid that I could never become a better person. I had big dreams, but I was afraid that I would always be that person somehow. But in the end I realized that my past didnt have to define me and that I could change today and be the person I wanted to be. I realized I couldnt let this opportunity go away and that I at least had to try to change. In the end I realized that because of my fear I was creating excuses and setting limitations for myself, but that n order to grow, I needed to find the courage to overcome my fears. Many of you may be wondering, what motivated me to leave behind my fears and pursue a different path? What motivated me to overcome by own limitations? My family was a key factor, but I was most enlightened to change my path after a visit to Guadalajara, Mexico. A few weeks before the deadline for registration at Mitty, I traveled to Mexico during the summer. During my trip, I was shocked by the poor conditions my family members lived in. In my families nearby ranchitos (small towns), I saw children alking barefooted with ripped clothing begging on the dirt road in the rural countryside. As I saw the look of the childrens faces, I began to picture myself as the child begging on the dirt road. At the moment I understood why my mother worked as hard as she did and encouraged me to strive for greatness. At that moment I began to appreciate the food, the shelter, and the life my mother provided for me in the U. S. My trip to Guadalajara also taught me to value education. In the rural countryside in Guadalajara, I met an older cousin named Roxana; she is the second youngest of her six siblings. At the time, she had graduated from high school 3 years ago, but had to abandon her dream of becoming a physician because her family lacked the financial resources to pay for college. Roxana sacrificed her own dream to help her family survive. Once I heard my cousins story I felt insignificant. I felt ashamed of who I was at the time and how I was wasting my life because I knew that my cousin would have given everything she had to have the opportunities I did. At that point, I felt as if God was purposely rescuing me and offering me a second chance by blessing me with the scholarship. Almost instantly, my anxiety and fears wondering if my cousin ended up accomplishing her dream, and she did. After dedicating herself four years to work for the survival of her family, Roxana was awarded with a four-year scholarship that enabled her to pursue her dream. The hunger Roxana demonstrated to break free from the cycle of poverty, motivated me to also break free from my past and attend Mitty. My experience at Mitty was one of the most difficult experiences of my life. When I began my education at Mitty I was not very good at speaking English. I was an outcast. I entered a new environment here I experienced a culture shock because more than 56% of the student body was white and only 10% was Hispanic at that current time. In addition I didnt know anyone, I wasnt catholic, I didnt know the rules, and I felt imprisoned in a complete different world where it was hard adjusting emotionally, physically, and mentally. After spending the first month eating in a bathroom stall and preventing myself from integrating into the Mitty community, I said enough and I found the courage to break my shell. I had to work hard everyday and even though I grew tired of having to fit in nd adjust to the workload, I couldnt let anything or anyone stop me. I was given an opportunity to become an educated and well-rounded person, and how could I not do it, I couldnt let myself down. Despite the rigid workload and the many sleepless nights, Mitty truly transformed my entire life. I am intellectually competent and a leader of the Mitty community, but I am also a young lady who is passionate for social justice. In my four-year experience at Mitty, many didnt believe I would make it. Many didnt believe I even deserved to be given an opportunity such as attending a private high school with a full ride. Thanks to the support of my teachers, my counselors, my principal, and friends, I learned to believe in myself and that was all I needed to continue to fight. I am greater than I ever thought I could be, and I know I will continue to grow as I begin a new stage of my life in college. If I am successful, it is my heartfelt belief that my success will be by some combination of heart and mind. Passion and love may drive the values of sacrifice, hard work, and dedication, but insight, thought and knowledge will focus those values into the actions needed to realize my goals. Insight, thought, and knowledge along with hard work and edication are values that have helped you realize your own goals. You work in an extraordinary environment where your work each day transforms the world we live in. You are leading the way towards a future full of opportunities and new discoveries. My only wish is that from my speech today you remember two things. First, take advantage of the limitless opportunities Apple offers. These opportunities will allow you to deepen your knowledge, realize your greater potential, and become empowered to not only to achieve the seemingly impossible, but also achieve personal balance in your overall success. You are all already successful businessmen nd businesswomen, but dont feel afraid to take an extra step to find new, innovative ways to contribute to Apple. And finally, I feel privileged to have shared my story with such a special breed of people who can make such a difference because of all of the opportunities you have that others dont. I think you have power and you can pay it forward to others in our society. Look at how my life changed because one school believed in me and took a chance, and each one of you has the power to do the same. This is why I am so excited to be here with you, you are truly the greatest innovators power. Thank you.