The Oracle

The Reactionary Difference

My aunt attended an eating disorders anonymous meeting to gain information for a research project. As each person went around the circle to share their experiences with eating disorders,they all had one common theme,their disorders were a result of something somebody did to them. Whether they ate too much or too little,there was one thing for sure,it was not their fault,they were merely reacting to their environment. They were spot on,they were all products of their upbringing,from their parents,to their friends,to the town they lived in,it all mattered.

Environment and outside influences create who we become. A perfect storm of historical events,economic depression,and xenophobia created one of the worst human beings the world had ever seen. The toxic environment he was raised in and consequently perpetuated,created for an entire class of followers hell bent on eradicating an entire race. They were all products of their environment.

Coincidentally,at the same exact time in history,under the almost identical circumstances,some of the worlds most courageous,moral,and selfless individuals were raised up,also a product of their environments. We are all products of something. Every decision we make was for a specific reason,but in reality,those reasons don’t matter. We hear from parents who say “I know my child did something wrong,but let me explain the reasons or the factors which caused them to react one way or the other.” Sometimes as parents we would like to know these factors so we can eliminate them or change something. Sometimes as teachers,it is important to know them as well. However,the only discussion with the child should be how they reacted to the situation or their environment.

We usually have very little to no control over certain situations or other peoples actions,the only thing we can control is our reaction,in the end,the reasons don’t matter. It is the only reason that two completely different people can arise out of identical circumstances,one chooses to use the circumstances to mold and shape their character,while the other uses the circumstances to excuse their lack of character. The most important thing we can teach our scholars and our children is to resist the urge to look for those circumstances to assign fault to,and simply accept our own reactions and the positive or negative consequences that follow,in short,the reasons don’t matter,the reaction does.

TOPA AIMS Scores

Two media publications have recently reported our schools State Accountability grades as “C”. This is not accurate and we are currently working with ADE to correct problems with the data they recorded. Both schools letter grades are still “pending,”as a residual effect of last year’s data being reported under the wrong entity ID number. Because half of a school’s grades come from how the scholars did the previous year,obviously,last year’s data being accurate is a must. We have isolated the incorrect data to one grade level and our ELL students. We have been working diligently with ADE to make sure the TOPA grade is an accurate reflection of what our scholars achieved. We are optimistic that the data will be corrected,ADE has been very responsive and helpful,as it is in their best interest to have accurate grades calculated. However,if this cannot be done,we accept the grades and move on,constantly trying to improve.

You as TOPA parents understand more than most that data is subjective and a mere snapshot of a student and a school. TOPA is so much more than a letter grade just as your scholar is so much more than a test grade. TOPA will never deviate from our core value that “growth is not measured by test scores.” While most schools obsess with test scores and data, TOPA adds outdoor classrooms and more fine arts classes. We take pride in the fact that our scholars hold their own against other schools who spend the majority of their day on test prep while our scholars engage in a full,well-rounded rich curriculum. We are also confident that our teaching staff,along with the IB Curriculum will set your child on a path that not only prepares to be college ready,but also springboards them to launch as a global citizen in an international market.

For your convenience,our AIMS scores are available on our website: www.odyprep.com/studentparent-resources/download-forms/ along with comparison reports of local schools for you view. For more specific questions,feel free to contact us. A retraction to the incorrect data will be in Friday’s edition of West Valley View.

Sneak Peak of the Summer of TOPA

The Buckeye Campus Outdoor Classroom is well under construction. Phase 1 includes a citrus orchard,a raised vegetation area,a track and a new sports field,a covered picnic area with tables,space for classroom instruction,and a new basketball court. The Goodyear Outdoor Classroom plans are being finalized by the city and will begin construction soon. Goodyear will also have raised vegetable gardens and a pond. The classrooms at both campuses will produce fruits and vegetables to sell at local farmers markets. Legacy bricks and benches are still available for sponsorship. Questions about this wonderful program should be directed to pmesser@topamail.com.

The OIAIS Campus,Phase 1 is almost complete….and it is AMAZING! We don’t want to give too much away but this campus brings to life the TOPA vision in a way that fills us all with pride. Science lab,Choir Room,Lecture Halls,Art Studio,Dance Studio…..This campus is set for the IB Curriculum to be poured into our scholars. Leaders will be groomed within these walls,and we are so excited to show it to you August 14th!

Scholar iSearch Paper –Briana Alvarez

Briana R. Alvarez

Mrs. Hurley and Mrs. Stroud

Humanities

11 April 2012

How Does Competition affect Community?

Hows does competition in competitive gymnastics affect young girls?

1. What I know-

In humanities after going over the Cold War,I have come to learn that

competition affects communities by increasing technology,dividing communities,and

separating families. The historical events I’ve learned about during the Cold war,

display these different effects of competition based on the past .The Berlin Wall and

the Space Race show that competition results in increasing technology and dividing

communities.

Competition affects community by advancing technology. For instance,the

competition between the United States and the Soviet Union ,otherwise known as

the Space Race,led to the advancement of space technology.On October fourth

1957,Sputnik 1,the world’s first artificial satellite,was launched into Earth’s orbit,

which was said to be the beginning of the space race. After this point,the U.S. and the

Soviets were in constant competition,trying to “beat” each other in advancing in Space

technology. Russia and America continued to develop new ideas for space technology,

sending up Apollo crafts,satellites and eventually shuttles,as often as every month to

insure they were ahead in what was later called the Space Race. In the meanwhile,

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Russia and America received even more knowledge of aeronautic technology as a

result of these competitions.

Competition during the Cold War also caused division in communities because

of the different political and economic views ( Capitalism and Communism). For

example when the Berlin Wall was put up (or started) in 1961,the borders of East

Germany were closed and the walls now completely divided into East and West Berlin,

making West Berlin a compound of the French,British,and U.S. zones (Capitalist),

while the east was the Soviet zone (communist). The division made it impossible

to leave the communist zones and trading prefered goods without the government

approving of it first.

Not only did the Berlin wall cause division between the city of Berlin,but also to

families living on opposite sides of the wall. That meant they would be separated until

the wall was taken down,or if they had managed to illegally reunite.

2. What I want to know-

My personal interest and curiosity lead me to the topic I chose to reflect on

which is,” How does competition in professional gymnastics affect young girls?”.

This topic relates to my essential question ( how does competition affect community)

because in this topic question the competition is professional gymnastics,and the

community is the young girls who are participating in this sport. I chose this topic

because gymnastics is something I love to do and have had an interest in for as long as

I can remember. Gymnastics is something that has been a common interest of mainly

people in my family,with one of my relatives even owning and coaching at her own

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gym. Because of my fascination with this sport,the effects of gymnastics on young

girls is something I would definitely be interested in learning more about.

2.1 Research Questions

1. What are physical effects of gymnastics on young girls?

2. What are the possible psychological effects from professional gymnastics and

this way of life?

3. What are some opportunities competitive gymnast may have?

4. What is an appropriate age to begin training a young gymnast?

5. What is the financial impact from the process throughout this commitment?

3. The Search

3.1 What are physical effects of gymnastics on young girls?

The primary theory on the physical effects of gymnastics on young girls,states

that gymnastics could stunt height and developmental growth. It is said that starting

out in gymnastics at a young age,can cause your body to naturally adapt to the sport.

The reason this theory is said to be fact is because gymnasts with larger muscle

mass,who are shorter in height,do better in all elements of gymnastics competition.

A survey was conducted by a college student,Marta Erlandson,comparing sixty-

three,four to six year old children,participating in gymnastics programs,to ninety five

control children of the same age groups. In this experimental survey they measured

certain anthropometric measures like “height,weight,BMI,waist circumference,and

skinfold thickness”(Erlandson). The results of the survey showed that there was not

any significant differences found at any age between the groups measurements. “The

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conclusion of this survey does not necessarily mean that the theory was proven

inaccurate,but may indicate that the potential effects of gymnastics training may have

not yet manifested in the children at these ages”(Erlandson).

Although the effect of stunted growth from gymnastics may still be considered

theory at this age,the fact is that some coaches may work children to an excessive

extent that can keep them from growing properly. Girls who are in the elite level of

gymnastics,have been proven to not grow to the right proportioned size that non elite

athletes would naturally grow to. Fortunately,researchers have found that women and

girls do catch up on growth when they significantly cut down on training hours.

Gymnastics is said to be one of the most dangerous sports because it can leave

a gymnast with severe injuries. The reason gymnastics is considered significantly

more dangerous than other sports is due to the fact that most competitive gymnast

start at very young ages,and severe injuries that occur during childhood,will usually

last all throughout adulthood as well. The most common physical effects competitive

gymnast face,include fractured ankles,torn joints/muscles,spinal problems,and knee

injuries. “Menstrual irregularities are incredibly common in gymnasts,with at least

seventy-five percent of girls getting their periods years later than the average girl who

doesn’t compete”(James).

3.2 What are the mental effects of competitive gymnastics?

A common mental effect on young girls caused by the competition in

gymnastics is the obsession with maintaining unhealthy low weights. In the gymnastics

population,certain compulsive behaviors such as excessive exercise habits and

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restrictive eating patterns are seen as acceptable. “Pathological methods of weight

control are often introduced such as anorexia and bulimia”(James).These specific

eating disorders occur in more than a few gymnasts;some even leading to

hospitalization and even death.

Most of these disorders occur because of anxiety about performance and negative

self confidence the gymnast develops about their body size and shape which come

from constant display to the public in the competitive settings,as well as the “social

influence”,from the coaches and team to be thin.

3.3 What are opportunities young girls are given through competitive gymnastics?

Young gymnasts are given many different opportunities through competitive

gymnastics,some including traveling internationally,meeting professional athletes,and

becoming sponsored and advertising for different brands and industries. One of the

most honored competitive events to qualify in is the Olympics. This event provides

the majority of opportunities of all competitive events. Because this competition is so

widely known and watched,advertising the participating Olympians in commercials and

magazines is something most businesses choose to do because they believe it will

attract more people to their product . Additionally,gymnasts are given the opportunity

to travel all over the world for the Olympics (which depends on where they are held

that year). During the few weeks of this event,the gymnasts are also able to meet and

interact with many other professional athletes from all different areas of sports.

3.4 What is an appropriate age to begin gymnastics training?

An appropriate age for beginning gymnastics training is still controversial.

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Many believe that ages four to five years old,have been identified as critical years

in early childhood that may influence developmental fat and bone mass,that could

have potential importance on adolescent health. It could be a benefit to start training

this young because it would narrow chances of obesity and would begin developing

the child’s muscles in advance for competitive or even an elite gymnastics level,by

creating a .good exercising habit early on . On the other hand,it could be seriously

dangerous too. Any injuries that occur during these critical developmental years could

leave the child with permanent life long injuries that may have been spared,had they

started a few years later. Amy VanDeusen,a mom of a young gymnast,states that age

six sounds just right to her. She believes that the more serious it is when they’re young,

the more likely they won’t last in the sport because of the intense pressure. The reason

Amy thinks age six is just the right age to begin training is because when a child waits

until age seven or older,they are said not to learn enough and are further behind the

later they start.

Although gymnastics training may not be the best idea for a young child or toddler,

beginning classes are always an option. Basic gymnastics classes are offered for

children as young as eighteen months,but until a child is around age three,most

believe they are not ready to be enrolled in beginner classes. Beginner classes start

out being grouped by ages,but as they progress they are grouped by skill level.

3.5 What is the financial impact from the process of becoming a professional gymnast?

The financial impact of gymnastics depends on what competitive level one trains

in. Gymnasts,no matter how talented or skilled must spend hours a day to perfect their

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ability and maintain physical shape. Most training Olympic athletes spend an average

of eight hours a day,seven days a week ,training their mind and body. This intense

training it is more than a full time job. Which raises the question,How do competitive

gymnasts earn money to pay for coaches,housing,food,and other ordinary living

expenses? Well the answer to this question for most gymnasts is something called

sponsorship. Sponsorship is a form of survival for most amateur athletes,especially

those who compete in non-paying events such as the Olympic games. Sponsorship

can cover the costs of living and training for non professional athletes in different forms

including private,corporate,and team ownership. Gymnasts who are training without

sponsorship may face significant financial struggles because of all the expenses of

training.

4.What I learned

I learned that competition in gymnastics has more negative effects than positive

ones. Through my research I have found that the majority of effects of gymnastics on

young girls have been negative.Competition in gymnastics limits physical and mental

growth and can lower girls self-esteem. The one positive effect gymnastics can promote

to the gymnast,is narrowing chances of obesity and developing larger muscle mass

early on by creating good exercise habits.

When I started this project,I understood that competition affected communities

by increasing technology,dividing communities,and separating families . After doing

my research,I know now that competition affects communities by impacting physical,

mental,and financial health. Although these answers sound different,they both bring

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across the same message:Competition affects the relationships between people in a

community. For example,Berlin Wall caused division between neighbors and separated

families. Similarly,gymnastics competition affects communities of girls by impacting

their physical,mental and financial health. This essay taught me that communities are

affected differently depending on the type of competition encountered.

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Work Cited

Erlandson,Marta. “The Effects of a Gymnastics Program on Early Childhood Body Composition

Development.”University of Saskatchewan library electronic Thesis and dissortations.

(2007):1-4. Web. 25 Apr. 2012. <http://library.usask.ca/>.

James,Geoff. Negative Effects of Gymnastics. Ezine articles. Ezine articles,2003. Web. 19 Apr

2012. <https://ezinearticles.com/?negative-effects/2003>.

McDonald,Sharon. Telephone Interview. 04 04 2012.

Vandeusen,Amy. What age should a child start serious gymnastics training.

www.About.com/gymnastics. Readers Respond,2009. Web. 23 Apr 2012.

The Who,Where,Why,and Whens of Gymnastics. Elitegymnastics.com. Nd. Web,14 Apr 2012.

Web. 24 Apr 2.

Scholar iSearch Paper –Walker Adams

Walker L. Adams

Mrs. Hurley,Mrs. Stroud

Humanities,Language A

May 1,2012

Essential Question:How Do Words and Actions Inspire Change?

Topic:How did rap music create changes to society?

1. What I know

Through the course of the school year we have studied people and events that have

created change. Specifically in Humanities,we studied the Civil Rights Movement. Through

this unit,I found that words and actions inspire change in people by setting a appealing goal for

those involved to reach,by relating to the crowd they are targeting,or boldly stating things that

are considered wrong. Two exceptional individuals that put these techniques to near perfect use,

Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. These two men were both inspirational but in different

ways.

During the 50’s and 60’s Martin luther spoke powerfully to large crowds of all racial

backgrounds and he preached a mannerism of non-violence;a sense of equality and peace

between all people. His word brought anguish to the racist oppressors,hope to the oppressed

cultures of the south;one of his most famous speeches is the “I have a dream” speech,it

beautifully and precisely embodied everything that he was striving to create.

Malcolm x was also another powerful speaker,but for a very long time he did not

promote a life of nonviolence. He was very much the antithesis of King. He spoke of equality,

but equality through separation. He was confirmed in his thinking that eventually the white race

would be extinguished and black people that have been diminished would rise up and rule so he

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saw no reason to be non-violent.

2. What I Want to Know

I see how this topic can easily correlate to life;through rap music words have inspired

and created change but to understand rap music and the artists behind the music. I have fostered

a great love for music;rap music specifically,and I would love to delve deeper into the effects of

rap music. These are several questions that will lead to my question.

● What are some influential west coast rappers and what type of life do they rap about?

● What are some influential east coast rappers and what styles of life do they rap about?

● How do rapper’s lives influence their music ?

● How does rap music influence today’s culture?

● How has rap music changed from its origin?

3. The research:

3.1 What are some influential West Coast rappers and what type of life do they rap about?

Several extremely prominent artists in the rap industry that preside from the west coast

are:Dr.Dre aka Andre Romelle Young,Kendrick Lamar,Tupac Amaru Shakur,Ice Cube aka

O’Shea Jackson,Snoop Dogg aka Calvin Cordozar Broadus,Jr.,Big Sean aka Sean Michael

Anderson. While researching and listening to a large majority of their music,you can discern

that it is not entirely uncommon for a west coast rapper to have a more

relaxed style of rap talking of the joys of their life,or how they are use their money to

enjoy a better lifestyle than the average person.

“ You make 25 a year I make 25 a night whoa,”(Slight Work). This is a good example of a West

Coast style when Big Sean speaks of making in a night what someone may make in a year. “The

woman,****,and weather,they come for the woman,****,and weather,” (The Recipe). This is

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another great example of two LA rappers speaking of how many people wish they could live the

life they live. This all shows a common style of west coast rapping. You will find that primarily,

East coast rapping has a very different feeling to it.

3.2 What are some influential East coast rappers and what particular “style” do they rap

to?

It is not uncommon for a rapper from the East coast to have a more intense style of rap.

The evidence is extremely prominent in several artist such as:T.I.P aka Clifford Joseph Harris,

Jr.,Meek Mill aka Robert Williams,Wale aka Olubowale Victor Akintimehin,Lil Wayne aka

Dwayne Michael Carter,Jr.,Wiz Khalifa aka Cameron Jibril Thomaz. You will find a common

relationship in the way the beats sound and the way the beats for their songs sound. “ I ain’t

with the rappin,cause the loudest n**** in the room is usually the brokest!”(Tats on My Arm)

“I never let you down i’mma shine on sight keep your mind on your grind and off of mine

alright? Hard,i’mma ball on them squares I flow. Quarter-million dollar cars everywhere I

go.” (I’m Back). These both show how the “flow” in a rap of an East coast rapper has a more

intense feeling to it,to understand my comparisons fully you would need to view the songs for

yourselves. (If you are offended by explicit language I do not recommend viewing these songs)

3.3 How do rapper’s lives influence their music?

More often than not a rapper’s life is his inspiration for becoming a rapper. It is very

common for a rapper to be born in raised in poverty,without a father,and watch a mother

struggle to make ends meet,or often a traumatic event such as watching a friend die in a drive by

can influence them greatly. “ Mommy a soldier,daddy is dead,catch the n***a dat did it and we

gon carry his head f****n’ 911,tell em we have em in bed. I’m talking death row records,

tell ‘em have me a chair.”(Tupac Back). Meek Mill was a rapper who was raised in a poverty

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stricken area without a father and a mother who struggled to make ends meet. “I was raised by

the stop sign,no religion I was getting saved by the glock 9.”(Ambition). In this verse he speaks

of how through the struggles in his life he resorted to living on the block,you can see how this

influenced his music. Be aware though in today’s music industry a rapper will lie about his past

to earn “cred” therefore they are not able to speak from experience.

3.4 How does rap music influence culture?

“Rap music is very influential and can have positive or negative effects,according to

some experts,” (Killion). I can personally say rap music has influenced me greatly,through the

way I view challenges,dress,and live my life. Although many view rap music as a negative

influence in every way. I believe that is an amazing way to express yourself,it speaks to so many

different people in so many different ways. I has also heavily influenced the way people dress

now,a few examples that have left to the forefront of the clothing industry such as the hat

industry has benefited greatly from the rappers influence.

3.5 How has rap music changed?
Rap music originated in the bronx in the mid 70’s,it was a beautiful way for

children without hope to express themselves and give themselves an opportunity to escape and

create a better life. Time would pass,and rap music progressed and evolved,becoming more

beautiful and expressive,out of this the MC was born. MC was simply a title that rappers would

label themselves with although it is rare for a rapper in today’s society to find an artist labeled

MC it is a general term that has simply faded into the background behind flashy stage names and

flashier pants. Another change some consider progression,I personally consider it re-gression,is

the essence of music today. The music moved away from this beautiful vessel to portray your

emotions and speak out against,racism,violence,poverty,rap moved away from the soul music

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that had eloquently giving so many an opportunity for a greater life. They lost sight of,the

reasons rap had become what it was they lost sight of its beautiful true form. “The rappers today

are more concerned with making money than music. Rappers like Soldier Boy,Bow Wow and

Young Jeezy rap about material things. They rap about Louis Vutton bags,money,Jordans and

black credit cards.”(Sellars 1) It began this snowball effect where an artist would put out album

after album after album simply to have music out in the loop,simply just to make money. It is

understood that quantity does not always equal quality. As you would expect the essence of the

music slowly degraded and then drastically dropped with the turn of the century,rap turned from

rapping of the problems of life and connecting with their fans to flaunting their money and

extravagant life styles in everyone’s faces.

4. What I learned.

Rap music has created an abundance of changes in today’s society,some negative,some

positive. Whether they are positive or negative is a question of personal opinion. Rap music has

changed the way we view life in general but overall rap has created subtle changes to everyday

things such as the way many people dress. It is especially prominent in male fashion where the

flat bill hat,camouflage cargo shorts and pants,and high top shoes have made massive leaps

into today’s fashion trends. It has also changed how we speak,you find that slang terms are used

in far more situations than in earlier times before raps expedited rise to the top of mainstream

society.

When I began this essay I thought that words and actions create change by inspiring

people to take actions and create change on their own accord. After I studied the influence of

rappers they are not necessarily concerned with the well being of others they are more concerned

with getting their personal opinion out there for the public interpretation. Rappers always have

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been the type to boldly state what they believe it is wrong,be it the simple issues of poverty and

people not getting what they need,or the continued mistreatment of African-Americans. The fact

that these people have struggled and fought for what they want and have gives them that ability

to relate to their audience making their words all the more appealing. Through all these qualities

leaders,be it your favorite rapper or a historical legend such as Martin Luther they use all of this

to perfection to influence the people and world around them.

Scholar iSearch Paper –Tiffany Meyer

The I-search paper is a combined effort between Language A and Humanities. It is designed to teach the writer and the reader something valuable about a chosen topic and about the nature of searching and discovery. The I-search paper allows scholars to take an active role in their search,to hunt for facts firsthand,and to provide a step-by-step record of the discovery process.

Over the past year scholars have explored multiple guiding questions in all of their core classes through novels,historical events,current events and primary and secondary documents. The purpose of this paper is to explore one of those questions on a deeper level. Scholars are to choose one of the questions we have discussed in the past year and through the I-search process,develop an answer to that question. The papers we have chosen to share are some of the most outstanding efforts that we witnessed. We will be adding a paper every day or so for you to enjoy.

Tiffany J. Meyer

Mrs. Hurley and Mrs. Stroud

Humanities and Language A

1 May,2012

Essential Question:Are Human Activities Natural?

Topic Question:Are Activities of Serial Killers Part of their Nature or was it Caused by their

Environment?

1.What I Know

Being in science for a couple months now I have came to several conclusions for the

question “Are human activities natural?” We studied a unit on the environment in science. I

found out that human activities are not natural. Examples of human activities that are not natural

include:pollution and acid rain.

People pollute the Earth almost every day in different ways. We pollute the air and the

water,which we use everyday. Humans throw garbage and waste into the oceans and rivers.

These actions kill animals and can harm humans as well. The air is just as bad,every 20 seconds

someone is dying because the air dirty. One cause of this is that people are cooking with unsafe

materials.

Acid Rain is caused by gases that evaporate or are in the water and when it precipitates

the acid rain falls on Earth. When cities have a large amount of factories that produce chemicals

in the water or dump waste in the water and the water evaporates then precipitates it causes

people to get sick and ruin buildings and the community. All these actions are not something

that is natural to humans.

2.What I Want to Know

As we studied the environment and what humans effects on it are,I thought of the effects

humans have on decreasing population. One group that can can affect population is serial killers.

Serial killers are people who have killed more than three people over a month. They usually kill

people because of psychological issues,after they kill people they sometimes feel better or feel

more powerful.

Serial killers interest me because I want to know more about why they murder people and

what motivates them to kill. I want to learn more about this subject to answer the big question “

Are human activities natural?” Here are those questions:

● Do losses in their lives affect the reason for killing?

● If they were treated poorly as a child does that trigger their urge to kill?

● How do serial killers react to their murders?

● What type of physical and mental abuse do serial killers suffer from?

● Do most serial killers appear well adjusted?

3. The Search

3.1 Do losses in serial killers lives effect the reason for killing?

In some cases serial killers kill because they have lost loved ones in their lives. “Studies

show that 60% of psychopathic individuals had lost a parent” (Scott 10). Losing friends,family,

or anyone that they can trust or look up to hurts them,emotionally. Anger intensifies as they

grow up. They think about abusing more and then they take their anger out on others who

haven’t lost anyone important to them. They think others should go through what they had to go

through growing up. “His father died as a result of his alcoholism and later his brother,Henry,

who used to criticize his mother about Gein’s unhealthy attachment to her,died in a mysterious

fire” (Hasan). These losses affected Gein’s life very much so and he had an attachment to

his mother but other people that he loved were all of a sudden gone which created him to be

heartbroken and anger inside of him. It is not always the lose of a loved one that can cause the

harm sometimes its is physical and mental abuse that can cause issues to arise.

3.2 If serial killers are treated poorly as a child does it affect their urge to kill?

As a child some kids are treated poorly,they can be humiliated or just have embarrassing

experiences. “When it came to Starkweather’s turn,his classmates spotted his slight speech

impediment and began to laugh. Starkweather broke down in confusion. He never forgot that

humiliation” (Cawthorne 6). Starkweather was only a teenager when he began his killing spree

and he managed to kill eleven people before getting caught. As a child he was made fun of and

he did not appreciate it,he got rid of the people who didn’t appreciate him.

3.3 How do serial killers react to their kills?

After serial killers kill they all have a reaction but some are different than others. After

serial killers kill they usually feel a sigh of relief or feel powerful. “I know she’s finally dead and

for the first time in a h**l of a long time,I feel completely alive” (Douglass 93). After they feel

the strength,the power,the feeling of being the one in charge they want that feeling more. “Once

you become addicted to it,I look at this as a type of addiction and you keep craving something

which is harder and harder which gives you a greater sense of excitement” (Bundy). They

start to get addicted which turns them into serial killers,they feel as if they have accomplished

something that turns their world into a greater place. They reach a certain point where they

begin to wonder if actually killing people gives them satisfaction,“You reach that jumping off

point where you begin to begin to wonder if maybe actually doing it will give you that which is

beyond just reading about it” (Bundy). They might want more power because they are abused in

their regular daily life.

3.4 From what type of physical and mental abuse do serial killers suffer?

Mental and physical abuse can both cause someone to have hatred towards others and

make them have the urge to kill. Bad experiences in everyday life that stay with the killer and

then they feel the urge to release that anger their own way. “He was a loner and would hang out

in gay bars” (Cawthorne 231). Having no friends or no one to talk to can hurt them or anyone

mentally. “I left prints everywhere they covered it up. They let me kill the the rest of those guys

they turned me into a serial killer” (Wuornos). Overtime the unidentified subject (unsub) begins

to blame others for what they have done or blame others for making them who they are today.

Having no one by your side can cause bad thoughts and a lot of stress.

3.5 Do most serial killers appear well adjusted?

Most serial killers appear to live very normal lives. Growing up,some do well in school

and have high IQs and have normal lives. “Ted Bundy has been reported as having an IQ of 124

by some and as high as 140 by others. Those numbers place him in the “Superior” rankings.

Michael Ross who brutally raped and murdered eight young girls had an IQ of 122. Joel Rifkin

tested at 128 even though he suffered from undiagnosed dyslexia and did horrible in school”

(Serial Killers &IQ). Many serial killers are very smart and being smart is almost a requirement

for being able to kill so many people without getting caught at first. They have to plan out their

kills and that doesn’t sound so simple,it takes time,skill,and obviously brains. Not all serial

killers do well in school not because they aren’t smart but because their lives outside of school

affect their grades,as we can see they are way smarter than average.

4.What I Learned

Serial killers are not born killers but their environment shapes them to be that way.

Outside forces such as a loss of a loved one,abuse,or extreme stress motivate or caused them to

kill. Abuse,loss of a loved one,and stress can cause them to start to build up anger overtime and

makes them want to make others suffer from what they suffered from.

At the beginning of this research paper I believed human activities are not natural and

after my research of serial killers I still believe the activities are determined by their environment

and actions. Companies putting waste into water creates pollution and abusing a child or a child

losing their parent creates a serial killer. Humans have the ability to create progress or harm.

Unfortunately,often humans choose actions that create harm. Human activities aren’t natural

and environments can cause pollution and serial killers.

Works Cited

Bundy,Ted. Personal Interview. 23 Jan 1989.

Douglas,John,and Mark Olshaker. Journey Into Darkness. New York:A Lisa drew

Book/Scribner,383-25,1997. Print.

—. The Cases That Haunt Us. New York:A Lisa Drew Book/Scribner,2000. 13-352. Print.

“Serial Killers &IQ.”The Serial Killer Blog. N.p.,05 14 07. Web. 19 Apr. 2012.

<http://dead-silence.org/?p=260>.

Hansan,. “America’s Famous Serial Killers!.”Directory Journal. N.p.,07 Sept 2008. Web. 30

Apr. 2012. <http://www.dirjournal.com/info/americas-famous-serial-killers/>.

Scott,Shirley Lynn. “What Makes Serial Killers Tick?.”Trutv. N.p.,08/06/11. Web. 25 Apr

2012. <http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/notorious/tick/abuse_3.html>

—. “What Makes Serial Killers Tick?.”Trutv. N.p.,08/06/11. Web. 24 Apr 2012.

<http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/notorious/tick/psych_6.html>.

Wuornos,Aileen. Personal Interview. 08 Oct 2002.

A Year In Review

A TOPA end of the year practice is to reflect on the triumphs of the school and discuss our short comings as well. At TOPA,the philosophy is to “only bring the past if we intend to build with it.”Yesterday is gone,today is here. It is always our goal to take what we do well within our Core Values and make it better,and take our weaknesses and turn them into strengths. We appreciate all the feedback and suggestions we get from parents throughout the year. So many of our policies and procedures within our cornerstone principals,come from appropriate parent feedback. Modeling problem solving strategies and advocacy is such an important thing to teach your children,thank you.

Strengths and Triumphs

500 filter straws delivered to Kapachi Yili,Ghana

Just under 10,000 dollars raised to help the Smith family battle cancer (he received an excellent prognosis this week,cancer free!)

Thousands of dollars raised through various activities and events for technology,outdoor classrooms,and field trips.

98.9% re-enrollment percentage

87% re-enrollment of 8th graders matriculating to OIAIS

Internal AIMS web testing shows all k-3 scholars progressing at rates well above the national average

Scholars representing TOPA in District and State Spelling Bees,Geography Bees,and Grammar Bowl

This year our 8th graders took the PSSAT to begin preparing for the PSAT and the SAT. Their scores were compared against college bound sophomores around the nation,we could not be more excited about the results:
In the Critical Reading Category
40% of our 8th grade scholars scored higher than 50% of all college bound sophomores nationwide
In the Math Category
45% of our 8th grade scholars scored higher than 50% of all college bound sophomores nationwide
In the Writing Category
40% of our 8th grade scholars scored higher than 50% of all college bound sophomores nationwide

We also have had the privilege of hosting both Core Knowledge and IB visits. Both visits could not have gone any better. One great comment was “it is so nice to see the school philosophy and vision being carried out in every classroom.”

Our boys baseball team and girls softball team finished second in our conference,not bad for 6-8th graders playing against all 8th graders!

Areas we at TOPA are focusing on or topics of discussions for the summer:

Philosophy permeating throughout the entire school,in every aspect. For example,a sixth grader was bothered this year by some of the unhealthy snacks being sold out of our cafeteria. We love when our scholars question what we do and bring solutions. This will become part of our summer discussions.

Along with the snacks,the philosophy of fundraising rewards. We strive for intrinsic rewards at TOPA,doing something because it is the right thing to do,not for the reward at the end. Our fundraisers come with tangible rewards to entice scholars to sell,and man,do they sell. Technically,the reward for the scholar is the field trip or technology,but if we take away the prizes,sales statistically drop by two-thirds. When parents donate tax credit,they receive all the money back,so it is separated out from the fundraising. We continually go back and forth between the need for extrinsic rewards to fund extra programs and simply saying,the extra programs are the reward. So far,it just continues to be a discussion.

More “Love”in our Love and Logic policies. We always re-evaluate our policies. This year it became clear that we need to model the Love and Logic program throughout the school. Our teachers,staff,and parents need more education and more practice in this program. How much grace do we extend kids because we do love them and want them to see victories,but we do not want to enable and coddle. It is a fine line,and there are over 1400 scholars with all different circumstances and personalities that we have to account for.

Volunteerism

My grandmother passed away about 13 years ago,although we had a great relationship when she was alive,every day since her funeral has brought me closer to her. My grandma embodied everything that was good in the world,but we never knew how good. She dedicated her life to easing her fellow man’s burden,but we never knew her burdens. She taught us all to quietly do good things,but we never knew how good or how quiet she really was;until her funeral. Her funeral gave people a platform,a forum to share and reminisce. If she had not died,I may have never known what it meant to give of yourself. One of the greatest mysteries we grandchildren had about her was why she never took her much anticipated and much deserved retirement vacation to Europe to learn of her heritage. All we ever knew was that gramma had saved her whole life for a trip and she would be gone for a month;and then,she never went. At her funeral my dad answered the question;my grandma lived in Napa,CA when the San Francisco earthquake hit about a month before she was to leave on her vacation. She called my dad (her financial adviser) and said,“How can I take this trip when my fellow man is suffering right next door. I want all my trip money to go to the victims of the earthquake,and I do not want one soul to know about it.” The rest of the funeral was full of stories just as dramatic and just as touching. With each passing story,the appreciation for giving of yourself grew deeper and deeper. There is not one member of my family whose life was not drastically changed for the better that day.

Everyday I have to the privilege of watching the spirit of volunteerism in action at TOPA. Parents who quietly go about working tirelessly for the benefit of their children and for all the TOPA scholars. They show up,sign in with a smile,make somebodies life better,and then sign out as quietly as they came in. They dedicate hours upon hours to events that bring our TOPA families together and raise valuable funds,all for little or no recognition. It is inspiring. What a great example you all are for your scholars and for us. By the fourth quarter of every school year,we print out totals and amounts each fundraiser made,but those amounts don’t tell the whole story. The story of a community that pulls together to revolutionize education and set the mark. Holly and I are always so deeply humbled by all of you. On a personal note,thank you for helping me remember my grandmother’s example on the sign-in sheet! –Megan Olson

**I have witnessed Megan pass by the visitor log,thumb through,tap the top of the page,and smile as she walks away. With this writing,I see that it means a visualization of a dream come true with the help of parents that dream just as big. Beautiful stuff,indeed! -SC

World Water Day 2012

The Odyssey Preparatory Academy participated in a celebration for World Water Day 2012. Both the Buckeye and Goodyear campuses had a main ‘water source’ located about 300 yards from the campus gates. Classes who participated in the morning were responsible for filling 5 gallon buckets with water from the hose on campus and carrying it out to the water source (2 kiddie pools). The afternoon classes carried empty 5 gallon buckets out to the water source,filled them up with water,and used the water to hydrate trees and plants on campus. Our goal at each campus was to work as a team to carry water from campus to the water source and back without wasting any of it. The scholars were able to carry and conserve water,and to help our plants grow. However,the true beauty of the simulation was the physical experience of carrying water and relating to the students from our partner school,the Kpaachi Yili Primary School,in Ghana.

The ‘walk for water’ simulation was a success! The scholars were amazed by the inconvenience of having to walk a total of 600 yards in the heat without water bottles. They practiced teamwork and were supportive of each scholar who carried a bucket. They were worried about losing one drop,and adamant about minimizing splashes and holding the bucket carefully. I think the simulation allowed the Odyssey scholars to adopt and ‘attitude of gratitude’ and to gain an appreciation for our easy access to clean water in the United States. When asked which IB Learner Profiles scholars related to through this experience,the most common responses were caring,thinker,and reflective. I can tell many Odyssey scholars care about the people in the Kpaachi Yili Village in Ghana. I observed as they used their critical thinking skills to transfer water from the source to the bucket without wasting any of it. I also noticed many of them were reflective in their conversations with each other. Challenges like the ‘walk for water’ help build character. Character gives scholars a chance to realize the true capacity of what they can do. –Jess Lusin,TOPA Teacher and Water Is Life Team Member

The Invisible Parents

At first blush,it would seem like a public school of choice would have no need for advice from a marketing guru. TOPA is about educating students and giving parents a distinct choice,theoretically,the marketing would take care of itself. However,every now and then Seth’s blog seems to speak to what we as an administration and board go through when developing and running a school. Here is one of his latest entries:

The mathematical impossibility of universal delight

Jack Nicholson calls it,“rabbit ears.” If you’re hyper-aware of what others are thinking,if you’re looking for criticism,the unhappy audience member and the guy who didn’t get the joke, you will always find what you’re seeking. For it to be any other way,you’d either have to be invisible or performing for a totally homogeneous audience. Invisible is an option,of course. You can lay low,not speak up and make no difference to anyone. That’s sort of like dividing by zero,though. You’ll get no criticism,but no delight either. As for finding a homogeneous audience,good luck with that. The one thing that’s true of all people is that they are different from one another. What delights one enrages the other. Part of the deal. -Seth

So what does this have to do with running a school? Long before TOPA opened its doors,the founders sat down at the table and made lists;lists of deficiencies we knew we had as founders and who could fill those deficiencies, lists of logistical and tactical strategies that we knew we would need input from parents and teachers about once we opened our doors,and a list of nonnegotiables. The focus of this blog is the third list,the programs and curriculums that are so deeply embedded in both our contract with the state of Arizona and in our basic core philosophies that drove us to starting the school in the first places. These components would need to be the basis for all decision making and be the foundation for any TOPA school,regardless of geography. These are our curriculums and programs (ie,Singapore Math,Core Knowledge,IB and MYP,Peaceful Playground,Responsive Classroom,Love and Logic,to name a few). When discussing anything,whether it be in board meetings or administration and staff meetings,two questions are always asked: 1) Is this in keeping with our philosophies? 2) Will this help our scholars get through college? As Seth mentions above,“What delights one enrages the other.” We learned early on that when we would bend on one thing for one group of parents,we made the silent group who were happy with the way things were running upset. It became clear for every parent who believed something should be run one way,there was another one who appreciated it the way it was. One of the most frequently asked questions we get when a new parent enrolls is “do you bend to certain groups of vocal parents,or do your principles run the schools?”Our answer is simple,we always listen to parents and take their suggestions,however,we will never deviate from our guiding principles and programs because they are why parents are drawn to our school in the first place.

So what was our solution? Educate the parents,let them in,let them read and see what it is we do and why we do it. We hand out program descriptions and philosophies at Open House,we put them on the website,we hold Core Knowledge Nights to help parents understand our approaches to learning,we have Curriculum Corners once a month for parents to come and ask questions and learn,we send our the Principal’s Corner once a month with messages from the school’s administration,we blog as often as we can,and we link articles and research on our Facebook and Twitter page. We want people to understand and know why we are different and why we chose the programs we did. We understand fully that TOPA is not for everyone, it is ok. We understand that we cannot please everyone,it is ok. We are here to offer a choice for parents,but we won’t please everyone. We know this and,it is ok. We don’t have invisible parents,we have wonderful parents,parents who did the research and bought in,parents who recognized we weren’t going to look like their neighborhood school and accepted it,parents who sacrificed the conveniences and familiarities of what they knew of public education for something better. As always,we at TOPA are so grateful to our families who have helped build the school and who continue to just dig in,roll up their sleeves,and say “what still needs to be done?” You will never know how much we appreciate all your support!