Throughout my childhood poverty, has always been an issue of immense importance to me. I can recall my roaming down the streets of Manhattan, New York with my parents and watching this old battered and frail woman lying down on the sidewalk in an ally. Although I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth myself, I feel obligated to share what little wealth I do have with those who are shamefully impoverished. As a result of doing this project I learned that America is not as perfect as it is portrayed through the president’s speeches and through Hollywood movies. I have learned that poverty is not just a third world problem it’s an all-world problem that affects even the wealthiest of nations. As I viewed the American poverty statistics on the census website, I became deeply saddened and my passion for the topic grew immensely as a result of this project. In addition to learning about America’s poverty I learned how to conduct a proper presentation without the use of the Microsoft PowerPoint program. My project was primarily displayed through an online program called JooMag, which in my opinion is very fun and effective to use. Aside from utilizing a new program for my presentation, I also had the opportunity to write my first collaborative poem. As a poet I have always believed that the process of writing poetry to be beautiful; however being able to work with other creative minds is much more rewarding and insightful. The skills technological skills that I attained and the analyzing skills that I utilized during this project completely embody what I utilized and attained through my earlier projects throughout my two semesters in AP Literature. Throughout this course I was able to explore different programs such as Scoop It, JooMag, and Microsoft’s Live Window Movie Maker. In addition to being exposed to different programs, I have also been exposed to a variety of literary masterpieces such as, The Importance of Being Earnest, and Metamorphosis, which have both become two of my favorite literary works. Through being in this class I have learned to showcase myself and my abilities in a more exposed manner. I consider this to be the biggest skill that I have attained because it is a necessity for my future goals. In the future I plan on conducting an international campaign against poverty. I intend on collaborating with others who view poverty as an important issue in order to conduct a unified effort against the impoverished people of our international communities. I also plan on becoming an ambassador for the U.N on the issue of socio-economic inequality. In conclusion I enjoyed this class and I will always remember to utilize the things that I have learned as I embark on my future goals.
Corey Chapman