Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Eagle Edition
Volume 33, Issue 7
The Episcopal School of Dallas

News- Students explore China to connect to the World
Features- Flying towards your goals
Sports- Crew working day and night towards success
Opinions- Starting a new life with faith
Entertainment- My views on Views
Features- Imperfect with Perfection

7 News Values
Seniors spend final days learning life skills- Timeliness
Faculty organizes summer trip to China- Prominence
Graduation returns to ESD- Impact
Behind the Mask- Human Interest
Sky High | teens take life skills to the air- Prominence
New director aims to broaden diversity, inclusion- Impact
Magazine release, film viewing showcase creator's work- Prominence
LAX goes strong in SPC, falls short at state- Impact
Victories launch crew toward elite contests- Prominence
Random thoughts and parting shots- Impact
Dissatisfaction with flex this year inspires multiple improved ideas- Impact
Snapchats fall flat- Novelty
Red or Blue, what's your view?- Novelty
Tokens of faith follow me to college- Prominence
Border takes crash course in sibling rivalry- Human Interest

Sunday, September 4, 2016

Photo 1

Bret Landin is leaping into the pool for the 100 yard butterfly race. She has been the winner of this division for three consecutive years.

Photo 2

Students of McKennly High School gather to take on a project to aid the homeless
community. These houses will provide a home for more than one hundred people in need.

Photo 3

The members of the SAT study group meet to prepare and cram for the upcoming exam. The students meet three times a week and spend around two hours each session.

Photo 4

Students scramble to find a parking lot arriving at 8:00 am daily. The school has had 200 new incoming students presenting problems because of limited parking space.

Photo 5

Staff, Andrea Henrick and Russell Llyod, and student Travis Moore dress up to represent their American pride by covering themselves with red, white and blue. "American day" is an annual event which has been around for 17 years, becoming more celebrated each year.


Photo 6

Connor O'Haley is engaging in a scientific experiment with teacher Mark Henson by his side. Connor shares a deep passion for chemistry and is president of the Science club at school.







Eagle Edition
The Esiscopal School of Dallas
Volume 33, Issue 4


                           

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Car Raid

I interviewed sophomore Nelson Andrew who drives a red Ford pick up truck. There were some very interesting finds in his two seat truck. I found used baseball grips in the cup holders and it turned out he has a big passion for the sport. "I've been playing for as long as I can remember," he said "baseball has always been an outlet for my emotions because it is something I'm really good at and it helps me calm down in the moment."

I also found a pair of Oakley sunglasses, which I assumed were used for baseball, but I was still tempted to ask Andrew about it. "I actually use those sunglasses for when I go golfing." So I asked him about his relationship with golf. "Golf is a sport I play to spend time with my dad. He's a big golf player and it's really important to me maintain a good relationship with my dad, and golf helps me with that."

Andrew's car was fairly clean but then I found an old ticket stub in the compartment. "That was from a while ago when I went to the movie's with this one girl. She was cool but a bit boring so I never texted her again." I wanted to follow up more on Nelson's social life so I asked him more questions about his relationships. "I have a lot of friends because I am part of a lot of teams such as baseball, gold, and church groups. I'm currently not in a relationship, and I don't think I want to be."

I was about done with my interview but then I had one final question to ask, which is I wanted to know what he uses his car for, such as where he goes on the regular occasion. "I actually like to go on  casual drives, it helps me relax, especially at night. I also have a little brother so I'm always forced to drive him places but I don't mind it."

From this interview it is obvious Nelson is a humble person who has a very social and active life. I've known him for a while but was never aware of all the little details of his personal life. It was very interesting finding out all these things by just the findings in his car.

Thursday, May 12, 2016

Car Raid Preview

1. Who will your do your car raid with (who is your subject)?
I am going to do my neighbor's son 
2. When will you do this car raid?

This weekend 
3. Write 4-5 questions you can use to start this interview?

When is the most likely situation where you would use your car? 
Do you carpool with your friends a lot? 
What's your favorite radio station to listen to in the car? 
How long have you been driving?
4. What kind of details should your expect to write down to help advance the story line?
I would write down what kind of CDs he has in his car because I think you can tell a lot from a person's music taste. Also just the general condition of the car (old? new?) and how it is inside. I'll look at what he has in the little compartments because people usually keep important things in those places. 

Merger Photo


Friday, May 6, 2016

Merger Photo


1. Is there something you see in the photo above that you think could be a problem when you take your photos? Look carefully.

I think I'm going to have to very careful when taking the photos because when I merge them all together the ends of the photos have to match up perfectly or else the image will look off. 

2. Where do you think would be a great place to take this type of picture here on the Bowie campus?

A good place to go to take this image is just somewhere where the background is simple and not too complex so when you merge the photos there is less room for error. 

3. Can you think of something creative to actually DO in the photo when you take yours?

Something creative is to spell a word out or have different emotions in each photo so the image has a character. 

4. Is there something you could wear that would help you when you do this photo?

I would wear something nice so the photo has more color and is more interesting to look at. 

HDR Images



Warm Up

1. What is your favorite photo? Either describe it, or figure out a way to post it on your blog.
My favorite photograph is the image of the dog looking out the window of the car, I really like the framing elements and colors of the photograph. 
2. Does it seem like all of these images could have been taken with a phone?

These images look very high quality and I would not think they have been taken with a phone. 
3. How much do you think the apps some of the photographers used impacted the image?
I think the apps the photographer used majorly impacted the photo because they are able to manipulate the contrast, brightness and filter of the photo. 
4. List two tips you think might help your own photography with a phone.

Some tips that might help my photography with my phone is to find good lighting because that is very important when dealing with a lower quality camera, and to good contrasting colors that will make your image stand out. 

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

HDR Photography Intro


1. What manipulations to the camera will you need to make to create an HDR image?

Set the camera to "Auto Exposure Bracketing" and you must have differnet shutter speeds to acheive the effect.
2. What equipment will we use to take this type of image?

A camera, a tripod and an HDR blending software
3. What is the reason someone might take an HDR image?

To capture an image that is very contrasting, being very dark and light at the same time. 
4. What can we expect to happen with the images once we merge them together, what will we see that we might not have seen with just one photo?

The image becomes a high dynamic range which is only possible to capture by taking multiple photographs set to different levels. 






Saturday, April 30, 2016

Final Exam Planning Warm-Up


1. When will you shoot this assignment?
I will shoot this assignment on the weekend of May 7-8. 
2. Where will you shoot?
Mainly outside in a natural enviornment, some of the shots may be taken indoors. 
3. What will you be documenting or telling your "story" about?
The story I want capture is me and my friends heading down to Zilker for the day and the little adventures that we'll go through. 
4. What equipment needs will you have to get this finished?
Just a DSLR camera 
5. Make sure to describe the process, by this I mean, where will you use the video portion, where will you use still images, where will your narration be, etc?
My video portion will be split up in the video, and so will my narration, everything will be mixed up. 

Monday, April 25, 2016

Final Exam Preview




1.) Summarize what you watched and read about - let's say 2-3 paragraphs of 3-4
sentences

The video that I just watches explained the basics of iMovie and how to piece clips 
together and create a basic movie. It at first explained how to open up a new project, and 
then talked about exporting your video from your camera into the program. It then taught
 me how to cut, split and delete clips. 

Then it explained how to work with add-ons such as creating a title and subtitles. It also
 showed how to work with effects, which I found to be very interesting. You can add
 many effects such as filters and other animations such as adding "lightning" to your movie. 

2.) Tell me one thing that you already knew about iMovie that the website explained

I knew how to split and delete videos, and also how to rearrange clips. 

3.) Tell me one thing that you learned new today that you didn’t know before.

I didn't know how to start a project or how to export the videos from your camera
 into the program. I also did not know how to use the effects and how to alter them
 in your movie.




1.) Summarize what you watched and read about - let's say 2-3 paragraphs of 3-4 
sentences

I learned how to imort videos from your camera onto the program, which is the most 
essential step to know because you cannot start your project without the video itself.
 I also learned how to add clips into the photo library and how to alter the videos such
 as extending a clip selection, trimming, start and stop viewing a clip, changing the
 order of the clips, and deleting clips. 

I learned to add media to my production to make it more interesting and put together.
 The media I learned was adding titles, transitions, adding sound effects and music 
and also how to add photographs. I also learned how to record my voice over a clip or photograph. 

2.) Tell me one thing that you already knew about iMovie that the website explained

I knew the basics such as how to trim a clip or add a clip. 

3.) Tell me one thing that you learned new today that you didn’t know before.

I did not know all the features iMovie had and especially how to put them into action.

4.) What are you concerned about with this final project?

I am concenred about the story I am going to capture, but once I have that part figured
 out I don't think I'll have any issues putting the piece together. 

5.) What are you confident you can complete early and have ready to use?

I think piecing the photographs and videos will be easy, because it is very basic to 
reaarange photos and videos. 

6.) If I asked you today, what do you think you will do for your video?

I am still not sure what I would like to do, but I want to do something involving 
people and want to tell a unique story and idea. 

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Opinion Story

You walk into a room full of teenagers, and it is guaranteed that at least half the room will be on their electronic device, isolated from the people around them. 

Social networks are meant to help people communicate easier, but is it drawing us further from reality? Our smart phones and computers are an excuse to not communicate with our surroundings because we claim we are preoccupied with them, and they serve a greater importance to us than actual people.

Out of the seven billion people in the world, three billion are active internet users, and two billion are active social media users.

 I do agree that there are many upsides to social media, you are able to connect with people living a long distance from you, or just be able to have a conversation with a friend. I myself use social media and it can be very fun.

But where the problem occurs is when people abuse the use of social media, or even become addicted to it. Not only does it create a distracting environment, not being able to focus on school work or other necessary work, but it also distracts you from the real world.

 I’ve witnessed this many times before, where you will be talking to a person, but their focus is directed to their phone and they don’t have the slightest idea of what you are talking about.
Social media is also creating a new definition for love and relationships. 

It has given more opportunities for couples to meet and chat before real life interactions, but in my opinion it ruins the spark of when you first meet a person in real life. It also creates an awkward strain between the two people, talking online but never actually in person.

Social media has taken away our need to communicate with the people around us, because we feel as we are already doing that. It has given us an excuse to be antisocial and I think that is a real problem for the future.

Although it is obvious that we humans will continue to interact in person, I think the number will increasingly lower. That genuinely scares me because I think the way you interact with people plays such a big role in the quality of your life and happiness.

Of course there is a way to prevent this situation, but you need to have people willing to give up such constant social media use, which I don’t think a lot of people can, based on their dependency to social media. And I don’t mean completely give up social media, because I think it’s necessary to communicate with your friends and family, but to limit such excess use, the time that you use just scrolling through your feed over and over, or sending pointless pictures to your friends on snapchat.

If we were only to focus solely on the necessary communication, and then go on with our daily lives I think everyone would get a better use out of their time.


Social media has brought many advantages to our world, but has brought such a big disadvantage, degrading our social skills, that something needs to be done about it. 

SNO Online Papers


2. What is their story about?
Their Spring Break vacation in California to Disneyland. 

3. What is their direct opinion about that topic? Please quote it directly from the story or do a really good job of paraphrasing.
Going to California was one of the best Spring Breaks I’ve ever had. Seeing all of my friends while getting to go to amazing places made my trip significant and worthwhile. I hope to go back to California soon and I am so glad that I had the chance to go before I leave for college in August. I will never forget the new experiences and the joy I found while being in the Golden State.  

4. Did they address what the other side might think about their topic?
No 

5. Were they wishy-washy with their opinion? By this I mean did they every go back and say well maybe if this were to happen, then their opinion wouldn't be valid. Support your opinion.
No their opinion was strong about how they enjoyed their vacation and didn't talk about anything opposing that idea. 

6. Are there any quotes in the story?
No 

7. What point of view did they write in (1st, 2nd or 3rd)?
First 



1. Who wrote the story?
Aisosa Omere 

2. What is their story about?
Their story is about how Valentine's day should not be celebrated because love is greater than gifting teddy bears and chocolates. Essentially couple's should keep their love private within their relationship

3. What is their direct opinion about that topic? Please quote it directly from the story or do a really good job of paraphrasing.
Love is too rich of a feeling to be cheapened by lacy doilies and cheesy cards. Love is a treasure chest of different emotions that a single card alone cannot possibly describe. It isn’t something one is meant to showboat, and it certainly isn’t something to pay billions of dollars in advertising for. In reality, Valentine’s Day shouldn’t be celebrated at all.

4. Did they address what the other side might think about their topic?
No

5. Were they wishy-washy with their opinion? By this I mean did they every go back and say well maybe if this were to happen, then their opinion wouldn't be valid. Support your opinion.
No they were very strong with their opinions giving a little bit of history about how Valentine's day came to be and why it is even more of a reason to keep the celebration private. 

6. Are there any quotes in the story?
No 

7. What point of view did they write in (1st, 2nd or 3rd)?
Second 



1. Who wrote the story?
Griselda Maya 

2. What is their story about?
About how privileged white girls pose with shirts displaying a racial slur. 

3. What is their direct opinion about that topic? Please quote it directly from the story or do a really good job of paraphrasing.
The effect of the photo is far beyond the feelings of the students, it extends to the healing and progress our nation has made. Now that the nation’s attention has been grasped, we can begin to fix our nation’s perspective on what is and isn’t okay. The release of the photo will allow the district to realize the racial issues within their community. 

4. Did they address what the other side might think about their topic?
Yes, they addressed that the other side does not see this as a problem and more of a joke. 

5. Were they wishy-washy with their opinion? By this I mean did they every go back and say well maybe if this were to happen, then their opinion wouldn't be valid. Support your opinion.
No they were strong with their opinion, although they did mention the other side's opinion, they explained why they disagreed with it. 

6. Are there any quotes in the story?
No 

7. What point of view did they write in (1st, 2nd or 3rd)?
Third 

Monday, April 18, 2016

Personal Essays


1. What was one idea that the writer gave in the Wide Range of Topics section that you can use as you start deciding on a topic?

Your topic should be something that you can relate to and care deeply about, such as conversational topics or stories that bring out a lot of emotion, either being negative or positive. 

2. What was one idea the writer gave in the Opinions Pieces section that you should remember as you are writing your piece?

When writing an opinion piece, not only should you state your experience and opinion, but also focus on the bigger picture giving your readers the ability to connect to your experience, even if they've never been in that situation. 

3. List three suggestions the writer makes in the Personal Essays and Crafts section that you will use as you write.

The three suggestions I will use as I write are writing evocatively, employing all the senses pushing hard to convey the ideas and images. I will also think of my essay as a camera lens, describing something in fine detail and then taking a wide view on the subject, and then going back to fine detail. Last of all I will create an interesting hook which will draw the reader into my essay. 

Sunday, April 17, 2016

Opinions writing preview activity


Apple refuses to violate privacy of users 

1. Who wrote the story?
Kamryn Bryce
Lauren Blevins 

2. What is their story about?
How the FBI wants Apple to create a program that will be able to encrypt Apple user's phones so they can hack into the San Bernardino attackers.

3. What is their direct opinion about that topic? Please quote it directly from the story or do a really good job of paraphrasing.
"But is it reasonable to put everyone else at risk to find out what is on one person's phone? Here, the risk isn't worth the potential consequences, which would be much worse for the country and all iPhone users."

4. Did they address what the other side might think about their topic?
yes 

5. Were they wishy-washy with their opinion? By this I mean did they every go back and say well maybe if this were to happen, then their opinion wouldn't be valid. Support your opinion.
There was a little bit of that because they stated that it is essential to find out information about the ISIS attacks, but then said, "is it resobale to put everyone at risk?:


6. Are there any quotes in the story?
No

7. What point of view did they write in (1st, 2nd or 3rd)?
Third

Drug dog investigations have students feeling as though their rights are being violated at school

1. Who wrote the story?
Granger Coats 

2. What is their story about?
How the use of drug dogs and the school's "right" to search students is against what we as americans beleive in and the punishments given to students for drug related purposes are negatively affected their learning and not improving the student. 

3. What is their direct opinion about that topic? Please quote it directly from the story or do a really good job of paraphrasing.
"That's why I believe yhe DAEP should be a punishment saved only for severe causes such as students considered a threat to the school, the well being of students, or themselves."

4. Did they address what the other side might think about their topic?
No 

5. Were they wishy-washy with their opinion? By this I mean did they every go back and say well maybe if this were to happen, then their opinion wouldn't be valid. Support your opinion.
No they were very consistent with their opinion becuase they would state facts, and then back them up with their thoughts, and they stayed true to the situation throughout the whole article.

6. Are there any quotes in the story?
No

7. What point of view did they write in (1st, 2nd or 3rd)?
First 


Social media, back at it again 

1. Who wrote the story?
Alicia Molina 

2. What is their story about?
The social trend "Damn Daniel" 

3. What is their direct opinion about that topic? Please quote it directly from the story or do a really good job of paraphrasing.
"I thought the video was funny but after a while it was starting to get annoying"

4. Did they address what the other side might think about their topic?
No

5. Were they wishy-washy with their opinion? By this I mean did they every go back and say well maybe if this were to happen, then their opinion wouldn't be valid. Support your opinion.
They were strong with their opinion, although they did say that Daniel and Josh are doing good with their fame, that still doesn't change her opinion of the constant repition of "Damn Daniel" annoying.

6. Are there any quotes in the story?
No

7. What point of view did they write in (1st, 2nd or 3rd)?
First 


Beyonce causes controversy 

1. Who wrote the story?
Fuaad Ajaz 

2. What is their story about?
About Beyonce realesing a music video addressing the issue of African Americans being shot by police men, which caused a lot of contrevery

3. What is their direct opinion about that topic? Please quote it directly from the story or do a really good job of paraphrasing.
"No one should be offended by a powerful woman using her position to defend and protect members of her race and culture."

4. Did they address what the other side might think about their topic?
Yes 

5. Were they wishy-washy with their opinion? By this I mean did they every go back and say well maybe if this were to happen, then their opinion wouldn't be valid. Support your opinion.
No, they stated their side of the topic and then explained what others thought, and then explained their reaction to the other's thoughts. 

6. Are there any quotes in the story?
Yes 

7. What point of view did they write in (1st, 2nd or 3rd)?
Third 


Is the AP world history test worth it?

1. Who wrote the story?
Mia Barbosa 

2. What is their story about?
The advantages of taking dual credit classes 

3. What is their direct opinion about that topic? Please quote it directly from the story or do a really good job of paraphrasing.
"Considering all of the time, money and stress a student can save themselves be attempting to take the test for a fee of only $93 I believe it is a great idea to try."

4. Did they address what the other side might think about their topic?
No 

5. Were they wishy-washy with their opinion? By this I mean did they every go back and say well maybe if this were to happen, then their opinion wouldn't be valid. Support your opinion.
No they were clear about their opinion saying taking a dual credit class is a great way to gain experience and even save money. 

6. Are there any quotes in the story?
No 

7. What point of view did they write in (1st, 2nd or 3rd)?
First 

*             *          *           *           *           *            *             *          *           *           *           *  


A. What do you think the major differences between a hard news story and an opinions piece? Come up with at least three.
1. There are usually no quotes in an opinion piece 
2.The opinion piece only focuses on one idea, rather than in a hard news story having several ideas
3.It is sometimes written in first person 

B. Why do you think there aren't very many photos on this page?
Because the story is more focused on opinions about the event and the public rather the event itself.

C. What are three topics you think would be good to write an opinions piece on?
1. Presidential election 
2.Pop culture/ celebrities 
3.Multimillionaire company decisions 

Monday, April 11, 2016

Earthquake Story

An earthquake shook the San Francisco Bay area Moday at 8:12 a.m.. 

The earthquake resulted in many injuries and even a few deaths, also destroying buildings and infrastructure. 

A building housing McHenry’s Auto Supply at 2342 Plum St. partially collapsed, killing two people and injuring six others. Jennifer Vu, a public information officeer from the Hayward Fire Department said "Names of the dead are being withheld pending notification of families". 

Three of the six people injured were hurt seriously enough to require hospitalization and were transported to Hayward General Hospital. Vu added that "No other serious injuries have been reported in Hayward".

Hayward firefighters used ropes to stabilize the auto supply shop, conducting a search of the building and capped a gas line after detecting a gas leak at the site. "Twenty-one fire personnel, 12 police and five American Red Cross workers responded to the building collapse, with some arriving within four minutes of the quake", Vu said.

Hayward resident Mike Beamer, whose apartment is across the street from McHenry’s, said he felt a rolling motion that lasted for about 30 seconds, with a big jolt coming in the middle. “I was eating my breakfast when the room started rolling. I dove under the table just as I heard an explosion outside and a chunk of cement flew through my kitchen window. That’s when the screaming start across the street.”

The epicenter of the earthquake, which had a magnitude of 6.4 on the Richter scale, was under the Hayward Hills, according to Penny Gertz, a scientist from the U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo Park. Gertz called the quake a “strong one” and said "it occurred on the Hayward Fault, which runs under the hills".

"People as far south as Los Angeles and as far north as Redding felt the quake", Gertz said.













Huntington Story

Around 10 p.m. on Beach Boulevard, Barstow, California Janice Jones a 53 year old was accidently shot by her dog. 

Jones's dog knocked her 9 mm handgun off a seat, and the weapon discharged causing the bullet to pass through Jones's leg. 

Not only was Jones harmed, but the bullet ended up passing through the side of the vehicle. “It could have been worse,” Rye said, a California Highway Patrol. “The bullet hit two inches from the gas tank.”

"Jones was transported to Huntington Beach Hospital via ambulance and later was transported to Irvine Medical Center," Rye said. Jim Washington, a spokesperson for Huntington Beach Hospital, confirmed Jones was treated at the hospital but gave no additional information.

It was discovered that Jones's dog, a Pomeranian was malnourished and had fresh cigarette burns on its head. Janet Ngo, one of the animal control officers said “It could have done with a little less abuse and a few more of those pork chops". 
Rye said, "officers cited Jones for expired plates and the county’s district attorney’s office was considering whether to charge her in relation to the gun accident. Jones doesn’t have a permit for the gun".








Wednesday, April 6, 2016

News Value



Prominence 
This affects a large group of people who are in need of asylum, and is an event that has been in action for quiet a while. With the change in the system, there is sure to be disputes that follow up.
E.U. Introduces Proposals to Overhaul Asylum System 
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/07/world/europe/eu-migrants-asylum.html?ref=world&_r=0

Novelty 

This is a very unique story because it features dogs and news articles tend to focus on people. Also it is about a man flying dogs to other shelters which is something new and not heard of and makes people want to learn more about the subject. 
Pups on a plane: Flight saves 49 squirmy bundles of fur
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2016/04/07/puppies-on-plane/82772926/

Timeliness
This is a very current event relating with ISIS one of the most talked about events at the moment. This event might also affect future events soon to come.
ISIS Abducts Workers from Cement Factory is Syria
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/08/world/middleeast/isis-said-to-have-kidnapped-dozens-of-workers-at-syria-cement-factory.html?ref=world&_r=0

Proximity
The murder of a UT student occured which is only miles away from the consumers buying this newspaper. Some of the reader's might even be UT students and need to know of the events occuring
Austin PD called in to probe UT death
 Acknowledging “a lot of justified anxiety” after a woman was found dead in Waller Creek on the campus Tuesday morning, University of Texas President Gregory L. Fenves brought in the Austin Police Department to lead the homicide investigation.

Conflict
There was a conflict between a Bangladesh Activist and militants which ended badly for the activist, him being physically shot and killed. Not only was the conflict physical but the two "groups" had opposing views and ideas.
Bangladesh Activist is Killed After Critizing Militants
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/08/world/asia/bangladesh-secular-activist-killed-nazim-uddin.html?ref=world

Impact
There was a technical glitch on the STARR tests and affected 14,220 students. This problem might have impacted their scores and if AISD continues to test using the current program, students might face more technical issues in the future.
Glitch erases 14,220 STAAR Tests
 State officials are threatening to reconsider a $280 million contract with its testing vendor after answers to 14,220 state standardized tests were erased because of a computer glitch last week.

Human Interest 

The Romas were poisened at the U,N, camps, a place where they are supposed to be safe. This caused a lot of drama and now they are getting a compensation along with an apology.
Roma Poisoned at U.N. Camps in Kosovo May Get Apology and Compensation