Hilltop Middle School Diversity Conference

by Erica, 6th grade student

Hi, my name is Erica. I’m 11 years old. I was born in a hospital called Maternidad de Lima, in Lima, Peru. I was born on June 6, 2001. I came to America when I was one. I only spoke Spanish. I learned English when I was in Kindergarten. The students in my class spoke to me in English. I also watched “Nick Junior.” I enjoyed “SpongeBob” and “Dora the Explorer.” I also had ESL classes from Pre-k until 5th grade. My English improved more and more.

My mom and dad have made me strong. When I was failing math and ELA in 5^th grade, my parents told me to work harder. If I didn’t understand something, they told me to re-read the passage. My mom and dad made me read out loud to them. If I had trouble with a word, I would look it up in a dictionary or try to sound it out. I love my parents because they are always there for me. They support me in everything I do.

Time became difficult for me when my teacher told my mom and me that I was probably going to repeat 5th grade. My mom and I tried very hard. My mom put me in Saturday program. My mom got me a tutor she helped me with homework and helped me with other stuff. Since my mom and dad got home late from work, my mom put my sister, and I in after-school. My teacher asked two girls from my class to help me with my homework if I didn’t understand something. Ena would help me on Mondays, Wednesday, and Fridays, while on Tuesdays, and Thursdays Jeysa helped me with homework. Those things helped me a lot.

During the time that I struggled with math and English, I incorporated the pillar of dedication. I stayed focused on learning. I went to afterschool tutorial programs. I went to Saturday Academy. Dedication to my studies and hard work helped me through this difficult time. I was promoted to 6th grade at the end of the year, due to my dedication.

The pillar of dedication saw me through my difficult time in school. Hard work pays off when you work hard to achieve something. I’ve worked really hard so now I am succeeding in math. I am now in advanced after school math programs which I go to every Tuesday. I’ve improved my English. My grades have gotten better. I am very proud of myself. My parent are proud of me as well. If you work really hard for something, you will succeed. Nothing succeeds like success!

I want to go to the diversity conference to enrich my learning and meet other students my age. When we meet new people, we learn new things. I feel that I would be good student representative from TI because I am well-mannered, hardworking, outgoing and willing to learn about new ideas.   

            

School Days of Educated Pride

by Touba, 6th grade student

As a student at Tech International Charter School I value respect and in return I have been treated respectfully by my teachers, classmates, and other students throughout the school.  I am amazed at how quickly I was accepted by students and how much I am valued as a person.  There is a feeling of acceptance at TI, and we all look at each other equally.  Over the past year, the majority of my growth as a person has come from experiencing new cultures at TI.  This school has opened up a new world for me, and I take pride in the insight I have gained from a broad diversity of students’ ethnicities and interests.

            

At TI the students and their families come from different countries, such as Bangladesh, Poland, Puerto Rico, Guinea, and more.  Students are proud of their heritage, and they do not feel pressured to blend in with everyone else.  What I like most is the fact that students’ race, religion, gender and other characteristics do not separate us.  We can express our heritage and not be ridiculed for it.  The students who attend TI can be their selves especially in America, where every person has a colorful heritage to share.

            

To me, being a TI student is related to being a team player.  I know I can find help when I need it, and I will volunteer my help to someone in need.  Many students are less likely to find warm welcomes at other schools.  TI is a school where I can focus, learn, love and thrive.  It is difficult to find a school that shares the same togetherness that TI students have, and I am proud to be a link in that chain.

            

I know that TI has a lot to offer me and that is what is most exciting.  Students are competitive to get the best grades and get into a good high school.  The fact that students are so competitive helps me stay motivated to accomplish my goals.  I take pride in my work as a student at TI, and a committed attitude shows my teachers that I am willing to learn because TI is made for students who have a passion for learning.

            

Ultimately I believe that empathy is the heart of TI PRIDE because it allows students to understand each other, learn from each other, and respect each other.  Attending class with students from totally opposite beliefs and traditions not only made me aware of the diversity of our world but it also influenced my ability to understand and empathize with people from different cultures.  The ability to understand one another is one of the main benefits empathy provides and it is what makes each student at TI unique.    

            

I am very excited to be attending TI and to join with new students I have met at this school.  I have only begun to help my school with things like forming a basketball team and organizing different clubs.  As I continue my years here, I hope to instill the same feeling of TI PRIDE in newcomers as they begin to explore a new world of opportunities here.  Taking pride in my school can also inspire others to take pride in what they do and to work hard.

            

I realize from my experiences that I am capable of many things and should have the confidence to never underestimate myself.  TI has helped me to become more open minded in life and it is an honor to express the pride I have in my school at the Hilltop Diversity Conference.  Attending the conference is a rewarding experience that could offer educational and networking opportunities.  I am looking forward to connecting with students from other schools who will be participating in the conference, as well as reconnecting with friends of mine who are also invited.     

            

As I got to know some of the students at TI, I began experiencing new cultures and grew a greater appreciation for life.  The students I met are welcoming and warm, and I knew that I would be happy attending TI.  I really appreciate the kindness shown to me, and I hope to proudly return that kindness to other students who attend school here.  This is something that other schools lack, and for this reason, it is a place I will always feel welcome at and a home I will always need in order for a peaceful mind and heart.

            

I feel that I should go to the Hilltop Diversity Conference because I want to see new places, learn and see new things.  I will be a good representative for TI Charter because I am well-behaved, and I like to meet new people.  This conference can help me to be a better person in life and at school by talking with students who plan to have a career in Mathematic because my goal is to become a math teacher.  Also, I plan get information about some high schools that I can go to in the future, such as the Bronx High School of Science.  These are the reasons why I want to be chosen to go to the Hilltop Diversity Conference.    

Dedication

by Willy, 6th grade student

My name is Willy and I'd like to tell you about the time I used  one pillar of TIPRIDE. I used  dedication. I dedicated myself to do better in school. Another way I dedicate myself today is by helping others, so I can be a good citizen. This is what I did to do better in school.

Doing better in school has always been a goal for me. In my old school my grades weren't very good. But when i know I was going to a charter school,I realized it would give me many opportunities in the future to go to better schools and get a good job. Ever since I've come to TI Charter school my life has changed. I dedicated myself ever since to do better in school. All the teachers at TI Charter are very nice;they push the students to dedicate themselves to do better in school academically. This is where I get my courage to do better and dedicate myself in school. Doing better in school is one way of being dedicated and it really helped.

I also dedicate myself to helping others in need, or when they don't understand something that I do. Most people really didn't understand math in my class. So when I see someone not understanding something, I check up on them. I really try and dedicate myself to do this but most kids in my class are smart. I really help people when they are at home. Sometimes my friends ( like Sebastian) text me saying they need help. They text me what they need help with and I remind them what we learned in class that day.

Almost anybody can be a good citizen. I choose to be a good citizen to the environment. Most kids in our school leave garbage in the hallway. So what I tend to do is clean up after others and myself. Another example is in our classroom. People leave many things, like wrappers, and little bits of paper all over the floor and in cubbies. I ask my teachers if I can use the broom (if possible yo clean our class). Another way I try to be a good citizen is by trying to be respectful  to my teachers and not get detentions. Not to mention I have zero detentions! Most teachers would agree; I am very well-behaved . (This is what makes me a good citizen; I follow the rules.) Also I try to be good friends with people who I'm  not really close with (This whole paragraph was approved by Ms. Maller and Ms. Lonergan.)

So now you know what I have done based on TI PRIDE. I try to do this every single day I come to school. Even though I act silly in school, I'm always behaving in class and focusing. School is tough for most students but I tend to help them out. Also including that I try to be a good citizen to the environment. But at the end of the day I even though throw up and downs I always dedicate myself to be a good person.

Going to Fieldston would be a huge opportunity for me. One reason why that I would like to go to Fieldston is because I would like to visit the school. Why I would like to go to the diversity conference is because I would like to meet  people that are really successful in life and that can inspire me .Another reason why I would like to go to visit the children there and see what it is like in Fieldston. I also want to go there and meet the teachers and staff to see if I could probably go there for high school. Also Fieldston gives many opportunities to kids and helps them get into a good college. This is why I want to go to Fieldston.

A Quick Story About TI Charter

by Penelope, 6th grade student

My name is Penelope. I am going to tell you a quick story. One day before school stared I came to TI charter School. I was sitting there taking a test. A boy came. I never saw  him before. He was a little different. I later found out he was moving around in strange ways and making weird sounds. He sat next to me. I was freaking out. I was really nervous. I was trying not to pay attention to him. He is autistic.

Then we went to the hallway to drink water. He stared at me and said "Old school" in my face. He spit on my face and one of my awesome teachers saw it. I wasn't going to do anything back to him. I didn't want to move because I thought that it would make him angry if I  reacted. I was showing him empathy to him. I realized I am showing integrity by saying what I felt. I still think he should come to TI Charter School.

I think he should be able attend to school so he can become more social. I have seen him dedicated to his school work. It's also good that he can improve his social skills. Maybe if he was in an autistic school he would have bad social skills and he wouldn't learn anything because he would only be with autistic kids.

Sometimes when I see kids bullying him it annoys me. I tell other kids it's not funny, just  because he is different in some ways doesn't mean he doesn't think or he doesn't have a heart. He sometimes does and says weird things, but he doesn't mean to.

We can become different in a second. We don't know what our future brings. Life is something you can't predict. How life works is a mystery. People change, you might meet them and then it can take a twist. It can be us with that problem one day not him.

I think I should go to the middle school diversity conference for the following reasons: I am very focused in school. School is my main priority. I always do my homework. I don't do anything else but my homework when I get home. I am a very mature person. I am always paying attention. I would appreciate the opportunity. I would like to represent TI Charter School. I can behave. I won't be everywhere. I really want to go because I would represent TI Charter School to the best of my ability. If I go you won't regret choosing me. I work hard every day in school. I focus more on my school work than anything else. I think I would be eligible. I worked really hard on this essay. I follow TI Pride. I have a lot of empathy. I am very dedicated. I have integrity. I have resilience. I always have a Plan B. I would never give up on working hard if I don't win this contest. I will work harder than I can. Maybe I am not good enough. That would be fine. Even if I am very dedicated, it doesn't mean I am the best.

This is why I think I should go. This was my essay on how I used TI PRIDE. It was a little challenging , but I was very dedicated and I gave it my everything.

A Great Ambassador for the Hilltop Middle School Diversity Conference

by Lisne, 6th grade student

I am an eleven year old girl who enjoys life. I belong to a wonderful family.  Besides being part of my family, I also belong to a larger community: my neighborhood, borough and city.  I am also a six grade student. As a student, I take pride in being part of the Tech International Charter School.  As a member of a family and a community, I have many responsibilities. One of the most important is the responsibility to work hard to become an integral part of the society. I am sure that with the help of my family and Tech International Charter School I will be able to achieve and conquer my goals in life. 

At the age of nine I started to notice that I had problems with the way I was reading. This problem was not new, but now I was paying more attention to it because it was tremendously affecting my grades. I skipped lines without purpose, but not because I wanted to. It just happened.  Some words got scrambled and mistakenly I would say a different word.  I was afraid my vision was affected and it could become worse if I did not go to the optometrist. My reading levels were below grade and that made me nervous. I understood passing the state test was not possible if I was struggling with reading.  It was difficult for me to even imagine that I could not pass to the next grade. It felt horrible to think that the next year I could end up going to the same class again.  If that happened, my classmates would be in a higher grade and I would feel so ashamed to be left back. All these thoughts invaded my mind. Sadness and despair started to own my emotions.

However, I wanted to overcome this difficulty and be able to read fluently.  There had to be some type of help for me.  I knew that I had to notify my mother about this. I explained to her my frustrations for the reading difficulties I had.  My mother immediately contacted SUNY Optometrist and made appointments.  She also met with my teachers.  This was the start of a new journey.

The various exams that were performed at SUNY revealed that my eyes had a condition.  I was unable to see in the way that other people do.  Therefore, I needed vision therapy.  My teachers were informed about this matter and we began planning for accommodations in the classroom. My teacher gave me a special ruler that would help me stay on the line as I read.  I told myself that I had to try harder and be persistent if I wanted to pass 3rd grade.  So, I read for longer periods every day.  I woke up early in the morning to read before going to school.  I stayed after class when my teachers were available for reading tutoring.  At times, I would stay up late reading.  I knew that if I practiced reading I was going to pass the test.  Most importantly, my reading levels would go up. Dedication was the key to my achievements.  Not only did I pass the state test, but  my reading levels went up.  My condition was not longer a hurdle.  I had overcome this difficulty by dedicating hours and hours of reading.

Dedication is the key to success.  One way of committing to my education is by getting involved in all aspects of my education and taking advantage of the opportunities that are given to me. This opportunity has been offered to me to participate in this wonderful conference.  I will have the opportunity to learn new information in this conference.  I understand that interrelationships allow for learning as well. If I am one of the selected candidates, I would learn about how different and alike students from other schools  are to the students in TI Charter School.   I want to communicate with students from other neighborhoods and share ideas.  I have a strong desire to attend this conference.

I want to go to this conference because if I attend this conference I would be able to learn in advance about different high schools.  I want to get a head start to prepare for the selection of the high school that I will attend. Knowledge is power. It is important to be prepared to make good choices. The selection of a good high school is fundamental for higher education.

I believe I am a great candidate to be an ambassador for Tech International Charter School.  First of all, I believe I have the important qualities that a good representative of Tech International Charter School should have. I am a very outgoing, well-mannered, determined and dedicated student. I am an effective communicator. I can participate in this conference and bring feedback to my peers.In addition, I understand the mission of Tech International Charter School. I can talk about the dedication of my school administrators. I am a witness of how the teachers in Tech International have a great dedication towards each individual student, since I benefit from FREE tutoring after school.  I am one of the many students who stays up to two hours after school with teachers to help me improve my grades. Tech International Charter School has offered me with a great curriculum for my academic endeavors.  At the same time, it has provided me with great extra-curricular activities that support my interest. Tech International Charter School has offered me with a great education.  I also want to be able to give back with gratitude from all that has been given to me.  I can do this by being an ambassador for my school.