Final Persuasive Letter

Andrea Hunt                          

21480 W. 123^rd Terrace

Olathe, KS 66061

May 22, 2011

Mr. Court Allam

21300 College Blvd.

Olathe, KS 66061

Dear Mr. Allam:

            Do you see that girl in the front constantly raising her hand to answer questions, ready to engage in all the activities? Well, that girl is me, Andrea. We are approaching the end of the year and grades must be given. I personally believe that I deserve an A. I should get an A because I am very engaged in the class and I have improved this year especially in my writing.

            Some teachers would believe that I don’t deserve an A. They might say that she has been absent a lot an does not have a couple of her blogs turned in. This might be true, however, I have always came in to see what I’ve missed and have caught up. Also, I do not believe that just a couple of things missing should bring down one’s grade by a whole letter. That is one of the reasons we created the 3P grading system. Furthermore, my participation and improvement in the class completely trumps both of these problems.

            Most of this year I have been very engaged in class, especially during second semester. Mr. Allam says, “She is very engaged.” This shows that even you have noticed my participation. There are many ways I have participated and engaged myself in the class. First, during journals I participate by sharing my journal. During gallery walks I give my opinion on the painting and what I believe it is. I have also gone above and beyond by commenting on people’s blog posts and giving my opinion and feedback on their writing. In all this ways and more, I have engaged myself in the class.

            Another reason I deserve an A is because I have improved tremendously in my writing. Mr. Allam says, “[Andrea has] improved her persuasive writing using different techniques, and her organization in her writing has improved.” This statement is proven just by the way I have written this letter. You can see the different techniques by my use of ethos in this paragraph and the one before it. Also you can distinguish my thesis statement and my refutation very well. All of this shows how much I have improved in my writing.

            In all, I deserve an A for my grade. I have been engaged in class. Second, I have improved my writing skills. This letter shows you all of these things. Therefore I deserve an A because of my participation in class and my improved writing skills.

Sincerely,

L. Andrea Hunt

Until Angels Close My Eyes/ The Hunger Games

I have finished reading Until Angels Close My Eyes by Lurlene McDaniel and at the moment I'm reading The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

 Until Angels Close My Eyes

If I were Lurlene McDaniel I would have made the story a little happier. I would have have done a couple of things different. First, I would have had Eli come back to talk to his father, or atleast send a letter to his family. Second I would have had Ethan stay with Leah or atleast have Leah's step-dad, Neil, live and recover from his cancer.

The intended audience is for young adult girls. However, this book was so good that even guys would like it. The main character being a girl is more appealing to the female side. Also, the romance is more girly and femine.

The Hunger Games

I wonder what kind of sick mind would think of this. The idea to send kids to fight to the death for the amusement of others and as punishment is so hedious and disgusting. How could someone even think of making kids do that, even if it is just a book. I wonder how she came up with that idea. What ispired her to do write this book. I wonder if this book is a warning to society about how our world could turn out.

If I were Katniss I dont think I could go through all the things she did. There are so many hardships she had to endure. First the loss of her father and then almost starving to death. Then constantly risking her life so she can provide for her family and herself. That all would just overwhelm me. Then to have my sisters name called to be enter in this game would be horrible. Then to go through the whole game and pretend I am in love with someone I barely know and feeling that I am in love with someone else is just horrible. I just dont think I could handle it all.

The intended audience is for young adults and teens. However anybody could read this book. It is filled with adventure and mystery. You will get pulled in immediatly. Once you start you are not going to want to put it down. This is a great book and you should really read it.

Your's, Mine and Ours to Share (Riddle)

I am the truth,
and yet a lie.
I am the word
sent from above.

It shows three,
and yet is one.
The past, the past, the past,
and the present and the future.

Many people
inspired by one.
Who? Who? Who
is the mighty one?

I know you.
Your touch, you smell,
It clings to me.

Your tears of joy
and sadness linger in me.
Your history is in me.
The love, the sadness, the passion.

I am
the truth,
the lie,
the word sent from above.

Andrea (Acrostic)

Athletic
Not Judgemental
Direct yet kind about the things she says
Reaches out to those in need
Ecstatic about her faith
Attentive to her education

The Shooting Star

Persuasive Letter to Parent

Andrea Hunt  

21480 W. 123^rd Terrace

Olathe, KS 66061

March 31, 2011

Kathey and Tom Hunt

21480 W. 123^rd Terrace

Olathe, KS 66061

Dear Mom and Dad:

            Don’t you get frustrated when you have four kids that need to be chauffeured and they all have a place to be at the same time? There is a perfect solution to this; let others especially teenage friends who can drive, drive me around. First, it gives me an opportunity to be more social. Second, it gives you more time to yourself because you don’t have to chauffer me around. I believe that you should let me be in the car with other teenagers and a teen driving because I can be more social and you would get more time to yourself.

            Now you might say this is too risky. Most automobile accidents happen with a teenager in the car and when they are driving. You might also think that if you are not the one driving you won’t know exactly where I am. There are easy solutions to these concerns. First let me have a cell phone that way you know where I am at all times and second trust me and give me an opportunity to be responsible. Also we could set boundaries so I am safer when the teenager is driving. With these solutions the problems aren’t as great.

            Letting me in the car with a teenage driver gives me an opportunity to be social. Are you not always saying, “Andrea you need to socialize more, go hang out with some friends”? Well letting other teenagers drive me around would be a perfect opportunity. I’d get to go to more places and meet new friends. There would never be an excuse that I couldn’t get a ride because my parents couldn’t drive me. Socializing helps both you and me out. First, I am not in the house as much so you don’t have to worry about me. Most importantly however, I would develop more. This is one of the reasons to consider for letting other teenagers drive me.

            You also benefit from this because you would get more time to yourself. “How?” you might ask. Well, first you wouldn’t have to chauffer me around. This gives you more time to yourself to look for a job or spend more time with the other kids and it takes me off your hands. You will also get more time to help the other children. Most importantly, I won’t be home to cause trouble with the other kids. I have shown in the past months that I can be responsible and trustworthy. I believe that this benefits you and you should let this happen.

            Mom and dad, I know you want me to socialize more and I know that it sometimes annoys you to drive me around. By letting me be driven by other teenagers all these problems could be fixed. Please let me be driven by other teenagers because I could socialize more and it would give you more time to yourself because you wouldn’t have to chauffer me.

From your loving daughter,

Andrea Hunt

Caesar's Persuasive Speech

 Andrea Hunt

Mr. Allam

English II

10 March 2011

Caesar’s Persuasive Speech

                What makes a best friend rather than just a regular friend or a bad one? Now that I am dead, the answer to that question comes easily to me. A friend is one who is loyal and stands by your side until the very end. Not one who judges you and tries to turn your friends against you. This is why I believe that Antony was a better friend to me then you and the conspirators because Antony was loyal and stood by side until the very end, while you and the conspirators judged me and tried to turn people against me.

                One might believe that what conspirators did was an act of friendship. Brutus may say that I was being too ambitious and power hungry, but to refute that all I was trying to do with my ambition was to help you so you could have a better life filled with joy and riches. Therefore, what Brutus and the conspirators say is irrelevant.

                Antony was more than any friend could ask for. He was loyal to me. I remember when Antony said, “I shall remember when Caesar says ‘Do this,’ it is performed” (I.ii.9-10). The essence of this comment from my loyal friend was that he would do anything I would ask him to do. I asked him to whip my wife so she might become unsterile and he did it. However, not only was he a loyal friend he stood by my side until the very end and even past that. After my death Antony spoke to you saying, “He was my friend, faithful and just to me,” (III.ii.87). He spoke well in my name. He never let disgrace come upon me and he stood there in front of you swayed by Brutus’s evil tongue and yet he had the courage to speak about the good I had done so you could be happy. Antony was loyal and good friend to me.

                On the other hand, you and the conspirators were horrible friends. Brutus, the conspirators, and you were judgmental about my actions.  Cassius and Brutus called me too ambitious saying, “But as he was ambitious, I slew him,” (III.ii.26-27).  This comment urges you to believe that I was too ambitious and that Brutus had every right to kill me. Later you agreed with them. They said that my ambition was bad but I only wish to give you the Roman people what you wanted and what was best for you. Furthermore, one of the conspirator, and I name him Cassius, turned you, my friends against me. Not only that he turned one of my good friends, Brutus, against me. He twisted his thoughts so bad that it was Brutus's hands that slew me. So I say to you, you were never a good friend and neither were the conspirators.

                So once again, I ask you, what make a good friend? Antony had all the makings of a good friend while you and the conspirators weren’t. Antony was loyal and stood by my side until the end while you and the conspirators betrayed me by judging me and turning people against me.

POW #3~ Dr. Berry Letter

Dear Dr. Berry,

                Did you know that we have not have had more than four snow days in a school in over fifty years? Most people in the Olathe District know that there are only built in snow days to school calendar. However, this year we have had six snow days and making us having to make up two extra days of school. There have been many rumors that you might decide to add on two days to the end of the school year. Many people however, are opposed to this idea. We should not have two extra days of school because teachers have already canceled some lesson plans, most students would not attend the last two days, and having the school opened two more days would be expensive to the school district.

                There are a few teachers who do think that we should have two extra days. One of the reasons being that the students would get the amount of school that is required. However, how much more is a student going to obtain in two extra days? Furthermore, some say that teaches would have more time for lesson plans but most teachers have already cut their lesson plans to accommodate for the snow days. Even though these might be valuable points there are better reasons not to have extra school days.

                One of the reasons we should not have extra days of school is because the teachers have already canceled some of their lesson plans to accommodate for the snow days. Mr. Court Allam said, “My lesson plans are driven by indicators and by the curriculum set by the state. Adding on two days to the end of the year would not affect my curriculum.” This come to shows that adding two days wouild not affect what teachers decide to teach and how they teach it. Teachers are prepared for snow days and do not need extra days for lesson plans. Furthermore, the last two days of school at most schools are spent by playing games, watching movies, and enjoying the day by welcoming the end of the school year and welcoming summer. This would not benefit anybody. We as the students are not going to obtain anything in the last two days of school. How is this any use to anybody? For this reason  I strongly believe we should not have extra school days.

                Second, why should we have our schools opened when most students aren’t going to be attending the last two days of school. In a study six percent of students do attend the last day of school. Imagine how much higher that percent will go up with having two extra days of school. I know that peers have vacation plans set for after the last day of school. So do some of the teachers. However, this is not one of the only significant points I have. Most students miss at least five to ten days of school during the school year. They either miss because they are sick, have appointments, they take a vacation with their family or simply miss just to take a break from school. The school board however, does not me the students make up days for that. So why should we make up for two extra snow days?

                Thirdly, it is going to expensive to keep the school open for those extra days. You are going to have to pay for the water bill, the electric bill, and food expenses. You would have to do this for all the Olathe District buildings. Imagine what you could do with all that money. You could spend it on more education for us students, or start paying off for the addition reconstruction to the Olathe high schools, or refurnishing  the classrooms that got burned in the fire at Green Springs Elementary. There is much you can do with this money instead of keeping the school open longer.

                With all of this information, I urge you Dr. Berry to not keep the school open for two extra days. With teacher already having canceled lesson plans, and students not attending the last day of school, and the expenses I find it unreasonable to keep the school opened longer.

                                  Sincerly,

                                          Andrea

Outside Reading #1 ~ Brisingr

I am reading Brisingr by Christopher Paolini.

This is book three of the Inheritance series. The first book was Eragon and the second book was Eldest. Much has happened in the first two books so I will explain so as you read you will know what is going on. In Eragon the main character Eragon finds what he believes is a blue stone in the woods called the Spine. The blue stone turns out to be a dragon egg which hatches for him. He slowly raises the dragon and he name her Saphira. However, soon the king, Galbatorix, finds out about the dragon egg in the village called Carvahall where Eragon is living. Galbatorix sends out his servants, the Ra'zac, who are terrible creatures of Alagaësia. Saphira, however, takes Eragon and flies off before the Ra'zac can capture them. The Ra'zac though kill Eragon's uncle trying to get information about Eragon and Saphira. Later through an adventure Brom the storyteller of the village and Eragon and his dragon go to pursue the Ra'zac to have his revenge for the death of his uncle. Along the way, they rescue an elf named Arya. Brom dies through the hands of the Ra'zac. Murtagh soon joins Eragon trying to escape the Empire. Together with Saphira and Arya they go to the Varden who is a rebel group that has protested against the Empire. The Varden with Eragon and Saphira's help, defeat the Urgals and the soldiers Galbatorix has sent after them. Eragon also defeats a Shade that was sent after them. In the second book Eragon goes to the elf's dwelling place to train. There he learns many things about magic and he finds out that he is not the only other dragon rider alive. During his training he is healed by the ancient dragon from a fatal wound that the Shade had inflicted upon him. During his training Roran, Eragon's cousin, returns home to find his father dead and his home destroyed. Soon, the Ra'zac return to Carvahall to capture Roran in hope of dragging out Eragon. However, Roran evades the Ra'zac and takes the whole village to go join the Varden. There Eragon and Roran reunite. There Roran tells Eragon everything that has occurred since he had been gone. He also tells him that his betrothed was captured by the Ra'zac and he makes Eragon promise he will help rescue her. Meanwhile, Murtagh was captured by the empire and made a slave to Galbatorix. Later a dragon egg hatches for Murtagh. In the Battle of the Burning Planes Murtagh and his dragon, Thorn, attack Eragon and Saphira. Eragon and Saphira barely escape with their lives but find out horrible news. Eragon finds out that Murtagh is his brother and that Morzan was his father who was a betrayer to the Riders. Saphira learns that she is the only female dragon and that she is only wanted by Galbatorix to mate with one of the male dragons. That is the end of the second book called Eldest.
In the beginning of Brisingr, Eragon and Roran are at the lair of the Ra'zac. There they find Katrina, Roran's betrothed, they kill the Ra'zac and escape the Empire once again. They return to the Varden who are in Surda at the moment. There many things happen. They battle Galbatorix's soldiers and evade Murtagh and Thorn once more. Eragon marries Katrina and Roran. I have only read to up to the part where Nasuada, the leader of the Varden, has sent out to Eragon back to the Varden's original hiding place to seek help from the dwarves. Keep reading my blog to find out what happens next.


One of the quotes from the book that I recognize is when Roran says, "He's a Dragon Rider now." (Paolini 57). This quote speaks to me because this is when Roran accepts that his cousin is a Dragon Rider and that there is nothing he can do to change it. Also he is happy that Eragon is a Dragon Rider and that he is willing to help him defeat the Empire.


Through out the blog posts I will put about this book I will rate the book. I will rate this from one to five fireballs. I picked fireballs because brisingr means fire in the ancient language used in this book. For now I give Brisingr 4 out 5 fireballs because there has been a lot of action and much adventure. However, I do not give it a five because there is a lot of unanswered questions that I would like to know.

There are a few questions I would like to ask the author. Below are a few.

• Where did you come up with this idea with the book?
• When are you going to write the next book?
• Will another dragon be hatched?
• When will Galbatorix attack the Varden himself?
• Will Murtagh escape Galbatorix and free himself and Thorn from his oaths?

POW#2 ~ Hard Lesson Learned

      Snap. Head up. Snap. Turn. Snap. The officer then told me I could sit. I walked to my chair with my head down in shame. I knew that this picture would be in my records forever and I could never take it back. It was the end and it was a begining.
     All pictures are of a memory of some kind. They are taken to capture a happy memory in a snap shot. However, the moment that is captured, which is described in the above paragraph, is not of a happy one. It is one of shame, grief, and disappointment. The picture that I am describing is of a picture that was taken at JDC. I was ordered to go there after charges were pressed against me for phone harassment. I knew right before that picture was taken that I would always hate that picture and I came to regret my actions.
     This picture was the end of my old life. The life of foolishness and carelessness and being impulsive. My new life was starting. A life of responsibility, thinking and hard work. I had a decision to make. I could either let this picture destroy my life or I could let it build my life anew. So, from that moment on I decided that that moment would not be my down fall but it would be my rise to responsibility and success. Now in my life I have great friends and family that support me. My grades in school are fabulous and my life is great. I have decided that from now on all the snap shots in my life will be of success and happiness, and that is how my life will go.

POW #1 ~ Pinneaple Pizza

Hello my  name is....


Learsy Andrea Ospina Roman

When I was seven and a half I was adopted. The first time I met my adopted parents was on January 28, 2002. At that time I was going by Learsy. I remember that everybody used to mispronounce it and they still do to this day. A few days after I met my new parents I made an important decision and I did it on the spur of the moment. We were staying in a very fancy hotel. We decided to eat at the hotel restuarant outside and we knew that we wanted Pinneaple Pizza. We were seated and our waiter came to get our order and my parents were about to introduce me when I stood up and said, "Hola, me llamo Andrea" (Hi, I'm Andrea). From then on people have called me Andrea. Another special thing about is that my name is different. Since I'm adopted my last name has changed to. However I cannot say it on this website for safety reasons. 
My name is very special to me. It is the only thing I have from my birth parents that they gave me. Most people dont think I like my first name Learsy because I dont go by it but honestly I love it. It is very unique and I searched on the internet for and only two other people show up. It is very unique and special to me. I love my name.