Assignment5- Swazey Sexton- The Death of Normal Television

I don't watch TV, I doubt there are very few people that legitimately watch TV. There's just no point. Back when Television first started, it was an outlet for creativity for directors, producers, and writers to create ongoing stories and segments that kept the audience on edge every week. It was a means to be able to steadily increase the quality of the show as the audience reacted to the large cliff hangers of dramas and actions, and to figure out what kind of humor was best responded to in your sitcoms and other comedy shows. It was a way for people have a weekly thing they can watch, and people steered towards certain channels because those channels gave them specific content and stories they liked. MTV was for people who wanted to relate to musicians and to get a behind the scenes look on the people they idolized, early Disney was live action, family friendly dramas and sitcoms that kids could enjoy, Cartoon network was your animation hub full of silly gimmick type shows like Tom and Jerry, to the action packed shows like the original Teen Titans, and Nickelodeon was a large center for episode by episode comedies like Sponge-bob, Catdog, and Jimmy Neutron. But as television has gone on, they just started copying what got the best scores, no one channel has really any specific feel except for the flashback channels like Boomerang, and the majority of plots seem to be too repetitive. Nowadays, streaming services like Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, the DC Channel, and Twitch are a better, and more creative outlet, Hulu and Netflix originals like Lucifer, The Path, The Act, Daredevil, Catch 22, and Black Mirror are thriving more than standard television series, and Twitch streamers and YouTube content creators tend to put out more interactive (and in many cases) more creative content. So while I don't watch TV, I watch Critical Role, The Children of the Whales, Hero Mask, The Boys Good Omens, and a handful of YouTubers that are just a more modern and better fit for of entertainment.

Assignment 4- Sam Ederington

When I was young, I frequently questioned my teachers, especially on history. Of course, I was never brave enough to ask my teachers my question, but would rather do independent research on my own, to confirm my suspicions. I believed that Alexander the Great was not a particularly amazing military commander, and found out that his phalanx style army was originally designed by his father, who also was the one to conquer all of Greece in the first place.

I similarly wondered about the success of ancient Rome, however, even though I didn't vilify its great generals such as Julius Caesar and Scipio Africanus, I still decided to study why they were successful. Again, I found that earlier methodologies had been created, which they simply used and refined upon. For example, the armies of ancient Rome built great roads behind them on their conquests, and the basis for a legion had been created under the Marian reforms, just 7 years before Caesar's birth. It also taught me the military unit the century only had eighty soldiers in it. While knowledge like this isn't particularly helpful, it did get me into doing research about random topics that interest me.


198 words

Assignment 4-Hayden Caldwell- Thinking for Myself

My freshman and sophomore year I was set on leaving Henry Clay and attending the Craft Academy at Morehead State my junior and senior year of high school. I wished to engage in a college atmosphere and take college classes to get a degree as early as possible. This was what I knew I wanted to do and I didn’t see any other alternative as possible. My parents, however, were not set on this idea. Not only did they want me to stay at home for two more years, but also they questioned the academic benefits of these programs and whether they outweighed the negatives of moving out. They also were concerned for whether or not I would be able to fend for myself and perform basic tasks on my own. Although we disagreed, we both aimed to consider the other side’s arguments and they even went with me on a visit to Morehead State. In the end, my parents decided it wouldn’t be best for me to go and I did not apply. Reflecting on it, I am happy with the academic and extracurricular opportunities I can continue to engage in and the friends I can keep knowing better.

Assignment 5- Madison Underwood- TV vs. Cellphone: A Fight that the Underdog Will Never Win

Growing up, my parents would always joke that my eyes were always glued to the TV. I always watched Disney Channel over the summer, Food Network with my grandpa after getting home from school, and Dateline with my dad on Saturday nights. To this day I still love to watch Food Network and crime shows like Criminal Minds but I find myself recording them on the DVR and letting them pile up, unnoticed like the dust-covered books on an old shelf. I sometimes pride myself of the fact that I do not spend hours upon hours watching reruns of old Disney shows, however this pride comes to shame as I look at my average screen time on my cell phone. The reason I do not watch TV that much is because this past week I spent on average of three hours a day on my phone- three hours that I could have been studying material, reading, or preparing for college. TVs are a great source of entertainment but they can't compare with the convenience of cellphones which provide an interactive connection between device and user unparalleled by the television. Moreover, more and more advertisers are focusing their attentions on internet ads when looking to target the general population. The mass media has the capabilities to be used in a productive manner- documentaries and news articles/broadcastings- creating a more educationally diverse society. Yet it is laziness that prevails in the majority of the American population- a laziness that leads to more people knowing who won this most recent season of American Idol rather than who the most recent Nobel Prize recipient is.

Assignment 6: Create Your Own Adventure (College)

What interests you? What is your point of exigence? What's on your mind?  What do you want to chat about? Rant about? Learn about? What intellectual experience (course, project, book, discussion, paper, poetry, or research topic in engineering, mathematics, science, or other modes of inquiry) that has meant the most to you: 

'Cause really, isn't it all about you? <wink wink nudge nudge>

This response allows you to discuss something that is important to you and to demonstrate how you think about intellectual problems. This is an exercise in creative and critical thinking. It also provides a platform for you to convey your enthusiasm for learning. What excites you about this intellectual experience? How did the experience challenge your preconceptions? How did it impact your way of thinking? What was your reaction? How did it change your perspective?

Ready...

Go!

Due Sunday, October, 6 at 11:59 pm

October 29 is last day to make up Blogs 1-8

Assignment 5- Hayden Caldwell-The Differences in Awards

The differences between the Nobel Prizes and entertainment awards can be seen as unfortunate, but it is also a byproduct of the entertainment industry awards being broadcast on the very medium people who enjoy television like. The actors and actresses in entertainment awards are bound to a public image. A random person asked on the street would probably know who the most prominent actors are. This can also come with disadvantages however. Being famous means you may get swarmed with people running a simple errand. My guess is that most Nobel Prize winners appreciate the recognition they receive because it comes from the authority they report to and don’t need the extra recognition of a TV broadcast. They appreciate their award because their achievements are what count. The only reason entertainment awards are broadcast is because the corporations in charge of them can profit off of them. Media attention is overrated and self-confidence is a better substitute. I’m sure Nobel Prize winners possess that plentifully.

Assignment 2- Hayden Caldwell-My lack of Recent Books

I would not consider myself a reader. While I feel as if a lot of the media I consume is through reading. I’m not the kind of person who sits down and reads novels in my free time. First off, playing sports and involving myself in numerous extracurriculars year-round leaves little time behind when coupled with being a student in the Liberal Arts Academy. Secondly, I enjoy spending time with people and being active so much more than sitting inside by myself. I just don’t feel the urge to sit down and read every once in a while. However, I have picked up a book every once in a while. My favorite genre of book is probably dystopian novels. Two I’ve read recently are The Giver and Fahrenheit 451. I enjoyed reading both of these books because the reader sympathizes very easily with a pure main character in the discovery and rebellion against a corrupt world. Both Jonas and Guy Montag demonstrate a hope to change what you see and don’t like in the world that keeps me interested in their stories. I also really enjoyed reading The Great Gatsby in AP Seminar last year because of how well F. Scott Fitzgerald develops his characters and story. The plot twists and suspense he creates later in the book always keeps the reader on their toes. One never knows what will come next. Hopefully this school year I can develop a better habit of reading more.

Assignment 2- Sam Ederington

375 Words, counting spoiler

I normally think of myself as someone who almost exclusively reads fiction, especially science fiction or fantasy. But, looking back on this list, I see a lot of non-fiction books, many of which I really enjoyed. Factfulness is a book that changed how I viewed the world, especially countries in what Rosling claims we should call levels 2 and 3. It made me understand that despite all of the constant negativity, the state of the world and living conditions are constantly improving. Weapons of Math Destruction changed how I saw modern technology, and its threats in job recruitment and police racial profiling.

However, on this list, my favorite book is still Warbreaker followed by the Iliad, which it seems I reread every year. I love the seeming never ending titles and vivid descriptions of the chaotic siege of Troy in the Iliad, and I greatly prefer it to the Odyssey. What surprised me though is that I never got around to reading the Aeneid, which I was planning to read for the entire year. To me, though, Warbreaker not only contains the most innovative magic system I've seen, but also contains my favorite character in all of literature: Lightsong.

List of Books
Factfulness by Hans Rosling
The Iliad by Homer
Weapons of Math Destruction by Cathy O' Neil
Malazan Book of the Fallen series by Steven Erikson: Memories of Ice and House of Chains
Safehold Series by David Weber: How Firm a Foundation, Hell's Foundations Quiver, At the Sign of Triumph and Through Fiery Trials.
A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson
The Cartoon History of the United States by Larry Gonick
Siege of Stone by Terry Goodkind
Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson
Whistling Vivaldi by Claude Steele


(Spoiler about Warbreaker)
Lightsong, the god of Justice, is to lazy to fulfill his duties as such, and instead spends his time idling about or trying to figure out who he was before he became a god. However, his sarcastic wit and inability to stay serious made him my favorite character, so when he sacrificed himself, I was overwhelmed by the layers of symbolism in that moment. But most importantly to me, was that the only person deserving of his BioChromatic Breath was the god-king himself.

Assignment 3- Sam Ederington

Norway is a country with vast oil reserves, and much of the countries wealth comes from the oil business. Despite this, when vacationing in Norway over the summer, to prevent freezing, I noticed that the country was attempting to be very environmentally active. Norway wanted you to use trains, as opposed to airplanes. This has helped me reflect on cultural differences between places like Norway, which attempt to protect the environment, and the U.S. In addition, after seeing the World War 2 Museum in Norway, I better understood not just the dogmatic U.S. view of the war, but how nations subjugated under the Nazi Regime viewed it. Both of these helped me realize how culturally different places can be. Academically, visiting Norway's resistance museum and reading all of the newspaper articles and accounts by the Norwegians made me realize how hard that time must have been for them, and helped me appreciate what World War 2 really was like. In addition, the stories about how all of the teachers in the union collectively refused to teach Nazi propaganda and so were sent off to labor camps is really moving, and made me appreciate all teachers more.

Assignment 3-Hayden Caldwell- My Experiences in Two Cities

I have always had a passion for learning about different cultures and groups of people. I have made it a personal goal of mine to achieve a measure of fluency in Spanish and have dreamed about travelling to other countries, particularly in Europe. Many colleges I am looking at are more than a six hour drive away from home. Unfortunately, dreams don’t always translate into reality and the reality is that the furthest away from home I’ve been is Orlando, Florida on vacations. My closest experience to living far away for a prolonged period in time is living in Union, Kentucky during elementary and middle school. While my old house is only about an hour and ten minutes away, there are profound differences from my previous and current community. In Union, the demographic was at least 95% white and almost all families were at least well-off economically. Compared to the cultural and economic diversity of Lexington, Union paled. Moving to Lexington has opened me up to the people of our world and although moving is hard for anyone, I have learned invaluable information about our world. I could never have learned to appreciate the world the way I do without moving to Lexington. Interacting with people from different cultures has made me a better person. I also have experienced the world from two distinct points of view and that has helped me understand how different types of people think. 

Assignment 5- Abby Shadwick

I watch TV for a number of reasons. Mostly, to get my mind off of other tasks. Also, I tend to become invested in characters (sometimes unhealthily) and have fun watching them live their lives, thrive, and make mistakes. I am very people and feeling oriented. But being surprised is actually my favorite sensation. TV is absolutely perfect for this reason. The Bachelorette and Bachelor are my guilty pleasures for this reason. The drama and surprise are the perfect amount of what I need to keep me sucked in. I would argue that the show is even an educational experience, because that is definitely not how you find love. The Office and Parks and Recreation keep me laughing, and it is in those shows that I really get to know the characters. My favorite character's sayings and expressions settle into my brain, and I often quote and imitate them. Those two shows are also a way for me to bond with my two of my close friends, Katherine and Beppy. We keep each other laughing, often through Office quotes and memes. If I'm being honest here.

Assignment 4- Abby Shadwick

My dad has always been a big fan of Kentucky's universities. Having gone to Morehead State, and raised in sleepy Wilmore, Kentucky, he's never lived anywhere else. Recently, the topic of college has come up more and more, and he always inserts his opinions. Usually about how great of a school Kentucky is. Go Cats! I believe he just wants his daughters to be close to him. That and he wouldn't know what to do with himself if we were gone. Time and time again, I have told my parents I want to go to college out of state. Even if it doesn't work out, I would know I attempted to fly. I've been as far as Hawaii, New York City, Sacramento and San Francisco, and the experiences and opportunities there are immeasurable. The universities are impeccable. I can't fathom a better college experience than one that is adventurous and enlightening. Family is the most important thing in the world, and I can't discount that. But sometime what my parents think is best for me, isn't truly what's best for me.

Assignment #5- Noah Ford

I do not watch American TV personally for about four different reasons. First, I am a weeb and none of the animes that I watch are on the TV, nor do I want them to be for some (slightly adult) jokes and violence that I don't want my parents to see/hear. The second reason is that I don't like how depend you are on the TV schedule. Once you start to watch a show, you know when the next episode airs, and so you plan your days around the TV instead of it being a relaxation time, it becomes your life. My third reason is that I play videogames a lot, and I have ADHD, so I vastly prefer to be playing and keeping myself occupied as apposed to just watching a TV show I'm not particularly interested in. My fourth and final reason is that TV IS JUST A CORPORATE WAY TO EXTRACT MORE MONEY FROM CONSUMERS WHILE SUCKING THEIR BRAINS OUT. Just Kidding! (Mostly) But I do think that American corporations have started to use TV to suck more money from the populace. I don't think that is how TV should be used. But I can't say I completely hate TV because of how much anime I watch. There are still ads on the sites I use, but those ads I can ignore, unlike American ads that completely interrupt your program.

Assignment 4- Madison Underwood- If Only My Sister Loved to Read

Growing up, I was a very independent and (what I would like to believe) overall good kid. My parents never had to reprimand me for breaking the rules because I never did. I was the kid always eager to help, always ready to volunteer and always trying to learn more. My parents never had to remind me or force me to do my homework because I always did it, nor did they have to get on me for much anything else. My sister on the other hand, is not like me in the slightest. She is a known procrastinator and very shy. She's incredibly bright but doesn't push herself. Kids see everything as black and white, right or wrong. So growing up I could not figure out for the life of me why when I did something "bad" I received a different punishment than my sister. It wasn't until I was older did I realize that it's because we are different people- taking away my sister's books leaves her unscathed, while taking away my books leaves me emotionally distraught. This past year, my parents have started implementing the laissez-faire style of parenting that I was accustomed to on my sister, and it left me rather frustrated. I started to question my mom's decisions of letting my sister drop out of the gifted program at Ashland and of not pushing her to join more clubs at school or read more books. I couldn't stand to see my sister, someone who is so smart and has so much potential for academic greatness, fall behind in her classes. I questioned why my parents weren't intervening more on her school-life. While I am fully aware that she will never share my love for school, I at least want her to find what she is good at and let that interest her. In the end, I voiced my concerns to my mom, who reaffirmed what I already knew- my sister and I are different people. Yet, after hours of contemplation, I still believe that in order for my parents to set my sister up for success in the future, they need to push her now.

Assignment 3- Madison Underwood- My Experiences Studying Abroad

Prior to my departure from the United States to Spain, I had never flown by myself, nor had I even left this continent. Needless to say, I was a little apprehensive. My studies in Spain lasted four weeks, with four hours of class every morning on the weekdays, and cultural exploration filling our evenings and weekends. Walking around the streets of Granada, Spain, I was surrounded by a culture so rich that I could practically see the history written on the faces of the merchants and on the stone of the fountains. Some of my favorite cultural elements include the traditional Flamenco dancing, the tortilla de patata (my favorite Spanish dish), La Alhambra (a historic castle that Granada is most noted for), las siestas (the much-needed naps after lunch), and el helado de Los Italianos (the best ice cream I've ever had!). However, this trip was far from easy-going. On the third day, every student signed La Palabra De Honor, a language pledge that prohibited the use of any language besides Spanish. Moreover, our phones were also confiscated and only returned twice a week for one hour (to call home). Speaking only Spanish for a month, I was able to improve in my resilience and persistence in new situations. I was also able to grow in my maturity and gained a new sense of independence. Lastly, my love for exploring the unknown intensified like never before.

Assignment 5: For the Love and Hate of Television

The Emmy Awards (aired recently) are kind of a big deal. Not a big deal in that life-altering-kind-of-way, but a big deal in the sense that a lot of celebrities dress up, that a lot of companies pay more money in advertisements, and a lot of people stop watching reruns.

The Emmys are not the only award extravaganza of the season though. During the first week of October, without the advertising, paparazzi, or celebrities, the Nobel Prizes are announced. But how many people are listening? With the Emmys comes television's fall lineup, but what does the common person get after the announcement of the Nobel Prize in physics?

So, what are your thoughts? Choose one or two or all of the following prompts:

Why do you watch TV? Why do you not? What shows do you love or hate?

Does TV provide a good form of entertainment? Is it just a convenient delivery system for advertisers to send their messages to the masses? Is it an inane use of time? Can it be all three?

What does it say about our society that the Emmy's have so much glitz and attention and the Nobel Prizes are quietly announced in the news? Is this bad? Good? Appropriate?

Check out these sites for more information:

Turn off your TV

Television and Health

Positive Benefits of TV on Toddlers and Children

Due Sunday September 29 at 11:59 pm

October 29 is last day to make up Blogs 1-8

Assignment 2- Madison Underwood- I Love Teen Romance Novels and I'm Not Ashamed

Reading has always been an escape for me. No matter what kind of day I've had or how much pressure I'm under, I can always confide in my favorite authors to whisk me away into a world where I can fully indulge myself in a fantasy. Because of this, I tend to go for books I can somewhat relate to, teen realistic fiction. Those sappy love stories that set unrealistic expectations of what true love is- yeah, that's my jam. One of my favorite authors, Nicola Yoon, has only authored two books: Everything Everything and The Sun Is Also A Star. I first read Everything Everything in the eighth grade... in one day. And I have read it countless times since then and now can finish it in about two hours. While the cheesy love story is nothing less than stereotypical perfection, what I find myself appreciating more about Yoon's writing is her wit. She writes in a way that makes me feel like I can't help but keep reading because the dread of not knowing what comes next is far greater than dread I will face if I keep reading, ignoring my body's hunger for sleep. My excitement for Everything Everything caused my eagerness to read The Sun Is Also A Star, a book which I recently read this past summer- a book equally filled with Yoon's wit. I spent two days reading this book, and even more days thinking about it afterwards. I had mentally prepared myself to be let down by the second work of my newly proclaimed favorite author (and yes, she was my favorite author after reading her only novel), however disappointing would be the last word I would ever use to describe her work. Her ability to go "full circle" in both obvious and discreet ways is something I appreciate about her work, as well as the relatable humor. Other teen-fiction novels I have read this past year include The Fault in Our Stars, Infinite in Between, and The Beginning of Everything. What can I say? I'm a sucker for a good teen fiction novel- no matter how cheesy or "basic" that may sound.
However, there is one book that I have read in the past year that I did not anticipate would interest me as much as it did. Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett was the book I chose to read for AP World, and it was almost a thousand pages of nail-biting suspense intertwined with romance and betrayal. I started this reading analysis long before most other students and at about a fourth of the way in, I was recommending it to anyone and everyone who had not yet picked their book. Seemingly out of place in my list of this year's books, Pillars of the Earth challenged me to think from the perspectives of peoples from different incomes, with different pasts, fighting for different beliefs, and to top it all of all of whom were from a different time period.
Lastly, I will address the one book in the past year that I failed to complete: Go Set a Watchman, the sequel to the beloved To Kill a Mockingbird which is another book I have read countless times (including in the past year) and fall in love with more after each read. My expectations for Go Set a Watchman were extremely high and I hate to say that Harper Lee's sequel did not live up to the original (a phrase that is said so often, we as a society should question the need for sequels in the first place). You know how sometimes books can get off to a slow start? In my opinion, this book got off to a slow start... which was followed by a slow middle... and at that point I did not have the will power to read on.

Assignment 1- Madison Underwood- Me in a Nutshell

Hola to whoever is reading this, my  name is Madison Underwood, and as you probably could have guessed, I am an Academy junior here at Henry Clay. I have been dancing for almost a decade and a half at the Barbara Ann's School of Dance, and I am a third generation dancer. In my free time (which like most juniors is very limited), I love to dance, go on walks with my neighbor, read, go to youth group at church, and pass time with my friends and family. I have an unhealthy obsession with Bourbon and Toulouse, peanut butter, and Criminal Minds, and if I could have one superpower it would be to fly (mostly because I am too scared to drive). Over the summer, I was fortunate enough to travel abroad to Spain for a month where I was required to speak only Spanish. This unforgettable trip helped me grow so much not only in my abilities in and love for the Spanish language, but also emotionally and in my maturity. Leaving the continent for the first time by myself forced me to become more aware of my surroundings and more independent since it's hard to rely on your friends and family when they are an ocean away. For this academic school year, I would love to be able to have more of an open mind when it comes to my abilities. My favorite subject will always and forever be math, and sometimes I find myself loathing other subjects without even considering the possibility of me finding them interesting. My goal for this year is to walk into every class like it's a fresh start, forgetting what happened yesterday (excluding the content of course) and focus on finding aspects of each class that I can look forward to. As to what geeks me out, I would have to say Christmas. I am a firm believer in one's right to listen to Christmas music during all twelve months, and I believe it ought to be socially acceptable to listen to Christmas music in what I consider the "ber" months (that is, the last four months of the year). Also, for your pleasure, I have linked below the best Christmas album that has ever been made. You are welcome in advance.
The best music to ever grace your presence

Assignment 3- Abby Shadwick

Eastern Kentucky has deep roots in my family. I often visit my grandmother on my mother’s side, who lives in a tiny town bordering West Virginia called Inez, Kentucky, where poverty and addiction run rampant. Service in Eastern Kentucky is something I have recently found a passion for in the last 3 years. Through Christian Appalachian project, my entire view of Kentucky and service has been changed forever. I realized that solutions to those types of problems may be easy to propose, but the roots and lifestyle in Eastern Kentucky run deeper than I ever thought they did. Small efforts are all I have to give these people, through the building of decks and ramps for the disabled, and even homes for impoverished families. That work is the most rewarding I have ever done. The participants are so thankful and welcoming, the epitome of Southern hospitality. Additionally, my dad has his own charity, Direct2Kids, where we find sponsors in Lexington with the means to buy Christmas gifts for children at a church in Middle Fork, Kentucky, who otherwise would not have any. Delivering those gifts fills my heart every year.

Assignment #3- Noah Ford

During my free time, I play golf and play videogames. Golf is a really good way to meet a lot of different people, but only if you take the time of day to actually socialize. I have met several very interesting people while playing. For example, I met the third longest driving champion in the world the other week and we had a good long talk about how he did charity events around the country and just other fairly cool subjects. Video games are also fairly cool ways to meet other people and cultures. For example, I frequently invite people to join my party in order to get better communication for games that have rankings. I have met someone from Russia, France, Japan, and Ireland. All four of them spoke English, and it was really cool to be able to talk to someone from out of country for more than just pleasantries at an airport.

Assigment 3- Katelyn Rowell- Life in El Paso, Texas

In 2006 my family moved from Rochester, Michigan to El Paso, a city right on the border of Texas and Mexico. My parents are both engineers who were working for a company named Delphi at the time. For the four years that we lived in El Paso, my parents would cross the border every day to get to their offices in Mexico. Because of where we were living, we were surrounded by Hispanic culture. I was actually one of the only two kids in my grade who wasn’t Hispanic. I have memories of my friends teaching me Spanish as we played on the playground during recess. It was normal for me to eat traditional Mexican foods and learn about Mexican holidays such as Día de los Muertos. The community that I lived in was incredibly hard-working, religious, and family-oriented, and definitely had a substantial impact on my life. I remember moving to Kentucky when I was eight years old and wanting to become completely fluent in Spanish so I could go back to El Paso and surprise my friends. Although I haven’t been back to El Paso since we moved, it holds a special place in my heart, and I would love to visit there one day.
This year I’m taking AP Spanish, and part of the curriculum is being able to compare your culture with cultures in Spanish-speaking countries around the world. As we learn about the cultures in different countries, I’ve found that my experiences living in El Paso have definitely helped me to make connections. When we talk about Mexico in class, my memories of living in El Paso match up with the content we are learning. In addition, my family also traveled to Mexico over spring break. While we spent the majority of the time at the beach, we visited a Mayan village as well as Chichen Itza. It was very interesting to learn about Mayan culture as well as Mayan history. Last year we talked about Chichen Itza for a day in Spanish class, so it was really cool to see the Temple of Kukulcan in person after talking about it in class.

Assignment #2: Noah Ford

I mainly read fantasy fiction novels that are based mainly in medieval times. I will sometimes read a more historical fiction writings but as my love for D&D grows, so does my love of fantasy. I loved the Eragon series, the Game of Thrones series, The Black Prism and the Heir of Fire series, and others, but as you said in the assignment, I will cut it short. My favorite book by far is the stand-alone novel called Dune.

I would say that those books take up about 35% of my reading time, while the other 65% is in reading manga. Many of the animes I watch come from manga, but because of time constraints for time during the seasons of anime, many not very important but still cool parts of the manga get left out, and thats why I read it. If you didn't know, manga is Japanese comics that read from top right to bottom left. I have read a total of about 40 different mangas, with The Seven Deadly Sins, Overlord, Solo-Leveling, My Hero Academia, Tokyo Ghoul and That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime being some of my favorites. I know the Japanese translations for some of them because thats how I search for them in my reading sites, as well as some various phrases and such that appear often.

Sadly, the books I read and have included on this list are only books that excite me. Fantasy books don't typically challenge my thinking and I don't buy a book unless I am more than 66% sure that I am going to like or finish it.

Assignment 4: On Second thought. (College)

As you enter this age of intellectual independence some of you might be dealing with thoughts that question or even contradict some deeply held beliefs that have been passed on to you via your family and extended community.  As a parent I am beginning to see this in my 14 year old and I am conflicted.  I am at once thrilled to see her think for herself and wince at some of her conclusions. 

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Due Sunday, September 22 at 11:59 pm.

October 29 is last day to make up Blogs 1-8

Assignment 2 - Matthew Klee - Books from the Past 6 Months

The most recent book I've read this year was A Court of Wings and Ruin, the third book in the four-book series A Court of Thorns and Roses. This book was a fantasy novel telling about the adventures and action of a human turned Fae (basically an immortal with some sort of elemental powers). Overall, the series has presented no challenging content but more of a satisfying storyline and presents the urge to read more and more (I somehow ground out the first three books of around 600 pages each in just under a week). I've found that in recent years I have become less inclined to read, if I start a book it must catch me from the beginning or I won't even finish the first chapter.

Another book I read (this past summer) was Midnight at the Electric. I started reading this book out of boredom because my sister had picked it up for me from the library in my need for a source of entertainment for plane and car rides. The book was realistic fiction, set in both the past and future. It told the story of a girl accepted into a space program to populate Mars due to drastic climate change on Earth. It made parallels with another story that the main character was discovering through old letters sent to her aunt. Overall, the message of this book was to appreciate the now, give love to everyone especially family. This book was very predictable and overall I would say its a waste of time to read. This really didn't change my way of thinking at all and the language was so simple I felt like it was made for a third-grade reader.

One last book I read in the past six months was The Teenage Brain (for summer reading of course). I found this book to be interesting in the first couple of chapters because I did not take psychology last year as most of my peers so the information was new. However, once I got to the chapters on drugs, alcohol, and other bad habits teenagers fall into I felt like I was being lectured by my parents again on how these things are bad. Although the information was likely correct I found it repetitive to things I'd already learned after the first few chapters of microbiology. I had a difficult time finishing this book, first because I viewed it as homework, and second, because there was no chapter where I felt left wanting more, it was just a relaying of information. Overall, I thought the book had good content but could have been formatted more interestingly to encourage reading.

About Me

Hello to everyone reading. My name is Evan Winkler, and I am sixteen years old. I was born in Los Angeles on November 26, 2002, and from that point onward my family and I lived in different areas of Southern California until the August of 2009, when we moved to Lexington. I am the oldest out of four boys, one of whom (Quincy, who I'm sure some of you have met) goes to Henry Clay and is currently a sophomore. My other brothers include Luke (aged 11) and Riley (aged 5). I live with all three of my brothers and both of my parents, who are both doctors employed by the University of Kentucky.

From an early age, I was diagnosed with Autism, as were two of my three brothers, and my disability has been the biggest hurdle that I have had to overcome in my academic career and my social life. I am very grateful to have a family willing to fight for me to receive all of the help and services that I have needed, and I'm also very thankful for how patient and compassionate all of my teachers have been throughout my educational career. As someone who used to struggle to complete tasks and work on time, the most meaningful moment of my summer was probably when I received my ACT score. (I try to avoid bragging, but considering that this information is already public, there is no point in hiding it. Were it not for the article about me in the Herald Leader, I would probably say that my most meaningful summer moment was losing thirty pounds.)

I am very interested in the social studies - politics, linguistics, economics, history, political geography, and so forth - but I also enjoy learning about the natural world and the intricacies and processes of natural science. Perhaps the most concise way to put it is that I am attracted to information that involves categorization, typology, in-depth explanations of research, and statistical analysis. When I first started to use the internet and on my own, some of my favorite YouTube Channels included ones like Vsauce and WonderWhy which sparked my interest in the various topics that I have mentioned above.

Returning to the subject of my academic career, my personal goals are to maintain my GPA, and to establish positive relationships with all of my peers and teachers. My social skills have always been deficient to a certain degree due to my disability, and it is of course a major goal of mine to lead a life where I have close personal friends, and where I have no trouble in making them. I am also participating in speech and debate this year, and I am hopeful to improve upon my performance in the group from last year.

Assignment 1 - Matthew Klee

My name is Matthew David Klee. I go by Matthew David with most of my friends, however, many of my teachers call me Matthew. I was born and raised in Lexington and grew up playing basketball, soccer, swimming, and tennis. I currently play for Henry Clay's tennis team during the spring but I train year-round with an indoor clinic at the Bluegrass Racquet Club. A personal academic goal I have for my junior year is to get a 4.0 GPA and successfully lead the three clubs that I'm part of the leadership of (Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Dance Blue, and Future Medical Professionals). Another academic goal I have would be to apply and get into GSP because of the heavy boost it gives your college application and the great experience I've heard people have at the program. This past summer I was very busy, I started a job at Chick-Fil-A, did a research internship in a lab at UK, volunteered at UK Hospital, and had a great vacation to Hawaii. The most meaningful moment from my summer would be working at Chick-Fil-A because of all the connections I've made with my coworkers and the overall excellent environment of working there (of course the money is nice too!). The thing that "geeks me out" is most likely playing and or watching tennis. I spend 2-4 hours 3-6 days of the week playing tennis whether it be matches or practice. I also really enjoy watching all the pro players in the various tournament around the world.

Tennis ranking website (what I use to see how good my opponents are): https://www.myutr.com/

Photo of the summer tennis  JTT squad:

Assignment 2- Katelyn Rowell- I Don't Read Enough

In today’s society, I feel like reading is much less common for many people. When I was younger, I would sit down on a Saturday and read a whole book. Nowadays, I find myself debating if I should read a book or watch an episode of Netflix instead. This past year, I’ve read fewer books than I usually do.

Of the books that I read, Lady Midnight was the most significant. It is the first book in The Dark Artifices and is about a teenage demon hunter who is trying to solve the murder of her parents. I absolutely loved this book due to all the twists and turns it had. Needless to say, I couldn’t put it down. I always love books like this that make you predict and think as you read.

In addition to Lady Midnight, another significant book I read was Catching Fire. I actually read this book when I was much younger, but I decided to reread it over spring break when I was bored. Originally, I read the book before the movie came it out, so it was interesting to read it again after having watched the movie. As I reread it, I realized how much the movie left out and changed. There were many important plot points that I didn’t even remember because they weren’t in the movie. This goes to show that the book is always better.

This year, I also started reading the book Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard. However, I just couldn’t get into it. I was so bored at the beginning of the book that I had to look up some spoilers to keep me going. However, I found that I wasn’t even that intrigued by the spoilers. Reading the book became a chore rather than something enjoyable, so I decided to give up on it only 150 pages in.

Assignment 1- Sam Ederington

While in Sra. Haley's class last year my name was Isidro, the name I usually go by is Sam. Until October twenty-sixth, my life will be consumed by marching band. I play clarinet (the best instrument), and am one of the section leaders for the clarinet section this year. My goals for this year include surviving the AP Spanish exam, and improving my ACT score with as little studying as possible. 

https://www.ted.com/talks/james_veitch_this_is_what_happens_when_you_reply_to_spam_email 

This is my favorite video, its by a British comedian discussing his experiences replying to spam emails. I just found out when looking for this that it is the most viewed Ted Talk of all time. Feel free to share in class. To me it's funny because spammers try to get money by tricking unaware people, and this makes fun of them by showing just how weird responses can get. If you enjoyed it, James Veitch has done a sequel and another talk about trying to unsubscribe from large businesses' emails.

https://www.youtube.com/user/thecreativeassembly/videos

My favorite website is the official Total War Youtube channel. It's in charge of creating content for the assorted Total War games that introduced me to the grand strategy genre of video games.

One cool thing over the summer was I got to meet an actor playing Polonius when I visited Kronborg castle in Denmark, the model for Elsinore. I played Polonius (and died as him) when we acted out Hamlet in Mr. Peavler's class, so it was a nostalgic reunion of sorts.

Assignment 3: Oh! The Places You’ll Go! (College)

Travel or living experiences in other countries or other parts of this country:  Here again, is an opportunity to provide further context for your life-experience. Discuss interesting extracurricular, cultural or intellectual experiences and how they impact your perspectives about the world. What did you learn from these experiences and what do they reveal about you? Think about how you engage with new environments, cultures, and activities. How will your experiences enrich your educational environment? This may relate to topics of social responsibility.

Due Sunday September 15 11:59 pm

October 29 is last day to make up Blogs 1-8

Assignment 2 Abby Shadwick

During the last 12 months, I have read a variety of books. This year, I have challenged myself to read one book a month. Some of the most memorable include All The Light We Cannot See, Lovely War, and If You’re Out There. Overall, I enjoy reading fiction and realistic fiction. All of these books were realistically based, with (mostly) human characters, and teenagers or young adults. People, their minds, feelings, behavior, and challenges are what interest me the most. All The Light We Cannot See was definitely the most challenging to read, as the writing style was slow at times, but the overall message was touching. It observed two deeply sensitive teenagers in the midst of World War 2 and how their world’s eventually collided. Next, Lovely War was set in World War 1, and again about how teenagers from faraway places found love in the midst of their losses. It all sounds a bit cheesy now that I’m typing, but it was quite interesting. The best twist in the book was that the Greek gods Aphrodite and Hephaestus had waged a bet on the fate of these humans, and then the reader sees how it all played out. Finally, If You’re Out There was also about teenagers, but set in present day America. This book was actually a bit of a mystery, as one of the two main characters moves away and begins completely ghosting her former best friend. The former best friend begins investigating, and is shocked by what she finds. Overall, recommend all three reads. On the other hand, I would not recommend Inventing Ourselves: The Secret Life of the Teenage Brain (sorry Mr. Logsdon), but I am not enthralled by scientific reads. 

Assignment 1- Averi Ricks

My name is Averi Ricks and I live with my parents, my older sister, and my dog. I also have another older sister who has a baby, so I'm an aunt also. I've played different sports, but volleyball is the one I stuck with and I've been playing for 6 years now. An academic goal for me this year is to get straight A's both semesters and a personal goal is to not get stressed out about school and/or volleyball. This summer I went to a volleyball camp at a college I've been considering going to. It was a really cool experience, but it made me realize how much I'll miss my family because the school is 6 hours away in Missouri. After college, I would really like to travel the world with friends. I want to visit every continent (including Antarctica) and visiting every country would be pretty cool too.

I love to watch travel vlogs and mukbangs/food videos on YouTube. My favorite YouTubers are Raphael Gomes, LivingBobby, and Safiya Nygaard. https://www.youtube.com/

My dog is named Ricksie (my last name is Ricks) and she is a ten year old Jack Russel Terrier mixed with a Fox Terrier.

Assignment 1- Katelyn Rowell- Hey!

My name is Katelyn, and I have two sisters and a black golden retriever named Moose. For the majority of my life, I’ve lived in Lexington, Kentucky. However, I was born in Michigan and also lived in El Paso, Texas for about five years. I have a lot of family that lives in Michigan, so we frequently travel up there. Although it's typically colder than Kentucky, Michigan is an incredibly beautiful state with tons of small lakes in addition to the Great Lakes. Over the summer, my family spent a lot of time on the water in the northern half of Michigan. If I could pick a superpower, it would probably be teleportation because of how much time we spend on the road. One day I would love to travel all over Europe (especially Ireland), so teleportation would really come in handy. In addition to travelling and spending time outside, I spend the majority of my time playing volleyball, watching James Corden on Youtube, laughing at corny dad jokes, and hanging out with my dog. We adopted Moose about two years ago, and he is an energetic pup that never fails to make me smile. 

This is a picture I took on Crooked Lake in Michigan:

Link :https://www.youtube.com/user/TheLateLateShow/videos (James Corden on YouTube)

Assignment 1- About Hayden

My name is Hayden Caldwell and I feel like I’m always embarking on new adventures every year. About two years ago, I moved from Union, Kentucky to Lexington for my freshman year of high school. After besting the internal and external struggles that come with moving and freshman year, I finally adjusted to high school in Lexington my sophomore year. I currently play soccer for the varsity team in the fall and volleyball for the second-year men’s team in the spring. I play outside back or outside midfielder in soccer and defensive specialist/libero in volleyball. I also have a general love of sports, both watching and playing them. Much of the media I watch, listen to, or read is sports-related. I enjoy playing basketball and football with my friends in my neighborhood as well. As much as I love sports, my academics are my top priority. My goal for every school year is to maintain straight A’s in all my classes and to score a 4 or higher on every AP exam I take. Because lofty goals require a high work ethic, I spend a large portion of my time on school-related work. I hope this dedication will pay off on my journey to college, career, and beyond. I strive to be an active member of my community even in my youth, and I am a member of multiple student leadership groups such as the Prichard Committee Student voice team and Leadership Lexington Youth. I also volunteer at my church with my mom, dad, and two sisters in the children’s ministry. I enjoy my busy schedule because it gives me less time to sit around and worry and more time to live in the moment. At home I live with my mom, dad, and two sisters as well as my dog Maverick. He is a miniature Australian labradoodle. He is a great companion and will always be by my side. This summer I went to Charleston, SC and it was a great vacation. Outside of that, I was outside playing sports any second I could.

https://www.espn.com/ is where I find most of my sports media.


 Here is my dog Maverick

Assignment 2 : iRead (College)

Gimme list of books you have read during the past twelve months.  As you compile your list, think about the breadth and depth of content. Please don’t fell the need to include every book you read in the last year. Select the ones that best demonstrate your interests/passions or allowed you to explore something “novel.” This list should include the books you are most excited about but also the ones that challenged your way of thinking. Each title is a means of interacting with the world of ideas and communicates something significant about you.  Also consider including the books you didn’t finish, ‘cause sometimes it’s just not worth it – and this says something about the book as well as the reader.  What does not finishing say about you the good the bad and the ugly.

Due Sunday, September 8

October 29th is last day to make up Blogs 1-8