final response

When signing up for public speaking, I was quit skeptical as to if I was going to enjoy it. There was nothing more I disliked doing than speaking in front of people. Especially people I have never been in a class with. Five short month later,  I can say that taking this class was one of the best classes I have taken at Cheshire Academy and gained many public speaking skills and no longer have as much of a fear of speaking in front of people.

From the very first paper I presented to the class,  I was shaking, nervous, could not make eye contact, and had a very hard time following what I was reading due to being so nervous. The last paper I presented to the class I was able to deliver it with confidence, make eye contact, and be comfortable with what I was reading to my class.  Not only was presenting my paper a problem I had to work on, but also being able to get more than one minute out of the task/topic we were assigned. For example, we had to present a ted talk that had to be at least three minutes long; and I failed to do that due to not being able to talk about a topic for that long because I would not know how to present the information that was found. For the final exam I turned my topic about the incarceration rate   in America due to having too much information. To some this might not be such an accomplishment, but to me this was huge. I went from not having enough to talk about, to too much to want to discuss.

 This was not done over night. With every paper I wrote, and presented I got better and better. I am not saying that I am a pro at delivering speeches now. But having started with barely being able to read what I wrote to the class, to then being able to confidently present what I wrote was a huge accomplishment. This I would not have been able to do if it was not for me taking public speaking. 

Thanks to Mrs. Guarino,  and her patients with me I was able to gain many valuable skills and lessons that will not only help me in college. But also in the work field when I one day get a job.  

final speech

Victoria Giacobbe 

Public Speaking 

Final Paper 

When it comes to arresting someone it should not matter the color of their skin or where they are from. There are many disputes about police convection versus blacks, hispanics and whites. There is a big problem in America with the incarceration rate. Out of all the countries in the world America is known as one with one of the highest incarceration rates. This is not only a problem to those who are serving time that should not be there, those who should be allowed to have some type of freedom,  and to those who are paying for all of the inmates to serve their sentences. There are many contributors to this problem, and how it could be fixe would certainly not be an easy task.

Over 11 million people go to jail every year, this number seems very high. But, not everyone who goes to jail serves time. Most people in jail have not yet been convicted, they are awaiting trial, or do not have the money to be bonded out. In 2014 there were 2,191,000 people incarcerated; 1,330,000 people were serving in state prison, 630,000 people serving in local jails, 197,000 people serving in federal prison, 34,000 youth serving in juvenile.  Currently in 2017 there are 2,220,300 people in jail.

Federal prison is watched over by the government and there for is the highest prison to serve in. State prison is watched over by authorities of the state in which time is being served. In 2014 there were 97,000 people serving in federal prison for possession or selling of drugs (not specific as to what kind). As I said before there were 197,000 people serving in federal prison, almost 50 percent of people incarcerated in federal prison are for drug offenses. 

This then becomes a problem for those who pay taxes. On average it costs $31,286.00 a year to house an inmate in any level prison. A survey was conducted in 40 states. On average 39 billion dollars of tax payers money is spent annually to keep people incarcerated. 

Not only being interested in this specific topic due to my love for criminal justice, this is a serious problem that needs to be faced in America, and how this can be done is by putting an end to criminalizing so many drugs. This should not be misconstrued as saying that everyones should start doing drugs and not have consequences.

Marijuana for example is a drug that is decriminalized in 29 states in the United States; yet there are people serving time in jail for having possession of it. Instead of just throwing a person in jail because of drug offenses, there should be programs and help offered to those who are caught with possession of drugs. Such as checking in weekly with a probation officer, having drug tests often, and going to group meetings. If this does not help and they are still caught after the consequences become more severe, then it would be their probation officers desecration to decide what further actions would need to be taken. For example; serving a short sentence in order to learn his or her lesson (depending on type of drugs and amounts it is in), or  being put on house arrest with daily check ins. Personally I feel as if people who are being a accused and convicted of drug possession and selling should not have his or her freedom taken away and put behind bars. There should be help accessible to them and help them through why they are doing drugs and their reason for selling them. With the hopes that having meetings, follow up drug testing and counseling will teach them a more valuable lesson than going back to the streets and living the life they were before. 

Having grown up in Bridgeport CT, it is not the best area. Here we are known for crimes and drugs. I have seen first hand that some kids that get involved in drug activity do not know any better. Kids become used to seeing their parents or guardians in and out of jail for selling or having possession of drugs. They learn by what they are taught by their parents, and that is the norm. Having my aunt be a principal at Blackham, a public school, and a cousin that is an investigator here in Bridgeport I am exposed to much more. I was at my Blackham one day talking to a little boy who’s dad was in jail and when speaking to him about it he said, “it’s ok this isn't the first time… he knows he will get out”. This is why I am in favor of not just putting someone in jail, because knowing you can get out, and can go back to the same activity is not as valuable than having a person their to guide you and check in with. There are other alternatives to punish a person for disobeying the law.

This is certainly not an easy task to tackle. With the proper, approach, actions, and authorities this is a problem that can cause less people to be incarcerated and learn from their lesson with help from authorities .  Not just being locked and deprived of all freedom. 

Rabuy, Peter Wagner and Bernadette. "Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie 2017." Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie 2017 | Prison Policy Initiative. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 May 2017.

Initiative, Prison Policy. "Graphs by PPI Staff:." Graphs | Prison Policy Initiative. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 May 2017.

Justice, Vera Institute of. "Incarceration Trends." Vera Institute of Justice. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 May 2017.

Benson, Thor. "The 4 Biggest Reasons So Many Americans Are Behind Bars." ATTN:. ATTN:, 10 Apr. 2015. Web. 04 May 2017.

Rabuy, Peter Wagner and Bernadette. "Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie 2017." Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie 2017 | Prison Policy Initiative. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 May 2017.

"How+many+people+are+in+prison+in+the+us." Google Search. Google, n.d. Web. 04 May 2017.

"29 Legal Medical Marijuana States and DC - Medical Marijuana - ProCon.org." Should Marijuana Be a Medical Option? N.p., n.d. Web. 04 May 2017.

final speech proposal

Final speech proposal due -- assignment is on the class blog. Discuss what topic you chose and why you are interested in it and why you think it will be interesting to your audience. 350 words

The final speech will ask you to educate your audience about a problem that is present in our world today and offer at least one viable solution. Choose a topic that you are passionate about and one that you want to share with others. 

I would like to do my final speech about why the incarceration rate in America is so high compared to other countries. This topic is important due to the fact that America has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world. This affects not only those who are serving time but everyone because tax payers money is being spent to keep those incarcerated. Not only the money being paid to house those who are in jail; but are those who are serving a sentence, correctly charged? A big problem being faced today is people being wrongly accused of a crime he or she may have not committed. Before someone is brought to trial,  they are being held if they are not eligible to get bonded out. This is more money being spent to hold someone that can very well be innocent, and taking away his or her freedom for a crime they might have not even committed.  

There are many problems and changes that should be made to our incarceration and court system. Writing my final paper on this topic I will discuss what changes should be made, how can the be made, and how it would be different if there changes are made.  

mini debate reflection

Reflection on Mini Debate

Reflection on debate unit due on blogs by midnight Monday -- think about what you learned (terms and strategy), how you did, how you improved throughout this unit (including 1st mini debates, 2 formal team debates, last mini debates.) 400 words

During the time I was in class during the mini debate I learned that the number one thing I can not do is speak over you opponent. Despite if the point is right, it will make you lose the debate. A strategy I learned is, when the opposing side makes a point, you can flip it to work in your own benefit. Throughout the debates we have done from the first one (before I was out) to the last one done in class on Friday. I improved by, letting the opposing side complete their point before saying anything and putting in my input. The first formal debate completed in class, I did not have many personal relations to the topic, which I learned during the debates that it helps your case when you can relate it on a personal level. Not only being able to relate to the topic, it is also very good to have statistics to help the point your arguing. Having this knowledge helped towards the end of the week when it came time to do the mini debates in class.

When the topic foreign made cars versus American made cars was a debate that I argued, I was able to relate it to a personal level. Though I did not obey the "debate rules" by talking over my opponent, caused me to lose the debate. 

Despite not agreeing with the final topic I debated in class on Friday about gun control and being anti gun. I looked up the stats of those who lost their lives do to guns and was able to talk about the history of the gun laws; and did NOT talk over anyone and let them finish their argument and get their point across before I said my side. 

This to me was a big improvement because, I obeyed the rules and had background information instead of just going off of little knowledge I had about the pervious topics. 

why there should be no homework

http://www.mathprepa.com/top-5-good-reasons-why-kids-should-not-have-homework.html

- Kids are at school for eight hours a day and go home exhausted, therefor it makes it harder for kids at night to focus on their homework.
- Kids are studying for at least 5-6 hours out of the day while at school.
- Having time outside to exercise and play is important for a developing child. If a kid is stuck inside after a full day of learning at school, they should be able to have time to run around.
- Having a social life and family life is very important, there should be a balance.

http://neatoday.org/2015/09/23/the-great-homework-debate-whats-getting-lost-in-the-hype/

-1960's it was said that homework was inflicting too much stress on kids

http://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/homework-debate/

- homework causes students to drift away from schooling, opposed to liking school and improve academically.
- Time being spent on homework, is time not being spent on resting, activities, and family time
- “The research clearly shows that there is no correlation between academic achievement and homework, especially in the lower grades,” says Denise Pope
- 

Debate Topics

-  gun control
- legalizing marijuna
- school uniforms
- drinking age
- death penalty

Ted Talk Link

https://www.youtube.com/my_videos?o=U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwRYHBUuqvg

Ted Talk Reflection

There is still a lot I need to work on when it comes to making movies (short scenes) to show to the class and teacher. I had a lot of difficulty using iMovie and still very shy to record my self speaking to put into a movie to show the class.

This task was not as easy as I thought it was going to be. After watching many Ted Talks, it looked very easy to pick a topic and talk about it for the allotted amount of time. Weather that be five minutes or twenty five minutes. 

I noticed this task was not going to be easy when it came to picking a topic. I kept thinking what can I talk about for so many minutes with out getting bored or loosing interest in what I was talking about. 

Truthfully, the topic I picked I could not get as much as I wanted out of it. I picked the way the owner of patagonia runs his company and factories compared to others. I thought wow great idea. My parents own businesses and I could compare it, but in reality it was no where near as easy as I thought it was going to be. 

If I could do this all over again. I would definitely pick a different topic and making it a lot more interesting. As well as becoming more familiar with iMovie so I actually know what I am doing. 

Personal goals I am setting for my self by the end of the year after being assigned this project is, becoming more comfortable recording myself while I speak and presenting. Also becoming more comfortable speaking to the class.  

Ted talk paper

  When the word “work” comes to mind most people think, something they don’t want to do but have to in order to live; a place with a ton of rules, set hours, and sometimes miserable bosses.   What if you had a job that you looked forward to going to everyday? Not have counting down the hours till you leave and not have a week feel like a month.Now imagine a job that… you want to go to. Wake up in the morning and can not wait to get to work. A place where you enjoyed being. 

California is the home to Patagonia's factory where they make their products to ship around the country.  Here is where the employees make their own rules but make it a point to complete all the work has to be done.  

Yvon Chouinard, founder of patagonia published a book in 2005 about how to run a successful business. One of the points I agree with him most about is… don’t over complicate things. 

In California the employees of patagonia are allowed to do as he or she wishes during the work day. As long as he and she complete the amount of hours that must be worked that week. 

Personally I think this is an amazing skill more people should adopt when it comes to running a business. Too often we see companies running their business as if it is a factory. This then leads those who work in these types of places to tend to not enjoy working and just doing so to get along. So many people, especially factory workers are forced to work in such unstable environments just to get a paycheck. 

I believe if everyone ran their business like Yvon Chouinard, employees would feel more appreciated, willing to want to go to work everyday. Therefore this will lead to a more stable working environment and a place that people can connect rather than separated from one another. 

personal ted talk

When the word “work” comes to mind most people think, something they don’t want to do but have to in order to live; a place with a ton of rules, set hours, and sometimes miserable bosses.   What if you had a job that you looked forward to going to everyday? Not have counting down the hours till you leave and not have a week feel like a month.

Now imagine a job that… you want to go to. Wake up in the morning and can not wait to get to work. A place where you enjoyed being.

California is the home to Patagonia's factory where they make their products to ship around the country.  Here is where the employees make their own rules but make it a point to complete all the work has to be done.  

Yvon Chouinard, founder of patagonia published a book in 2005 about how to run a successful business. One of the points I agree with him most about is… don’t over complicate things.

In California the employees of patagonia are allowed to do as he or she wishes during the work day. As long as he and she complete the amount of hours that must be worked that week.

Personally I think this is an amazing skill more people should adopt when it comes to running a business. Too often we see companies running their business as if it is a factory. This then leads those who work in these types of places to tend to not enjoy working and just doing so to get along. So many people, especially factory workers are forced to work in such unstable environments just to get a paycheck.

I believe if everyone ran their business like Yvon Chouinard, employees would feel more appreciated, willing to want to go to work everyday. Therefore this will lead to a more stable working environment and a place that people can connect rather than separated from one another.

https://www.ted.com/talks/clint_smith_the_danger_of_silence     (good)

- was not reading off of a note card 
- was confident about what he was talking about 
- made very good eye contact 
- spoke at a steady pace 
- was easily understood 

http://www.ted.com/talks/chinaka_hodge_what_will_you_tell_your_daughters_about_2016   (bad)

- Did not make very good eye contact. 

- was reading off her note cards 

- was speaking very fast 

Reflection

What I did well the last time compared to the first time

The first time I delivered my “wish” speech, I was very nervous. I failed to make eye contact due to not knowing the content of my speech very well. I was unable to maintain a steady pace because I was so nervous my voice would go from high to low and change pitch often. When it came time to present in the black box and not in the class room, for some reason it became more intimidating  than just reading to the class. This caused me to stutter more then I did reading it in class and losing my place more. An observation my class made that I did not notice was was because I was reading so fast I was not articulating my words.     

After spending time reading and making easier transitions throughout my paper so when I do present it would flow better, I did improve from the first few times I presented my speech to the final time. I made better eye contact, marinated a steady pace, and made sure all my words were clear. There is still a lot to work on but the minor improvements will do for now. 

WISH:
Words that associate with wish- Disney
Where do you wish to be right now- to be home in bed
Where do you wish to be in the next few weeks - spring break and to be on an island somewhere
Where do you wish to be for the rest of the school year- getting good grades, keeping up in all classes and be on track to graduate
Next year- to enjoy college and be successful
Next 5-10 years- get a good job and hopefully be in the field Ive always wanted to be in
What do you wish for friends, family, community- everyone to be healthy and happy, not have to be over stressed, not have to struggle
What do you wish for the world- peace, no hunger

Top 3 topics
" what you wish for "
- to find a cure for cancer
- to help those who are less fortunate where I live
- to hopefully end up in the FBI after attending UNH for grad and under grad

Growing up surrounded by success leads me to follow the footsteps of those who have had an impact in my life. Having two very hard working parents who have given up a lot to provide an outstanding education for my brother and I have been a big motivator of mine to do well, so one day I can give them a good life just as they have given to us.

Being fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to attend private school has definitely put even more pressure on me to do well in and outside of the classroom, become successful, and follow the dream I’ve had since I was eight years old.

Growing up I watched many crime shows and living in a city with a very high crime rate I came to the realization at a young age that I did not want to be someone who just watched about and lived around crime. I wanted to be the one to do something about it and make a difference.

I was not the typically girl that would look forward to getting barbies, makeup and reading fairy tale novels. That was not as appealing as the CSI forensic kits, detective kits  and any and everything had to do with solving mysteries and crimes.

Being lucky enough to have my cousin Tiffany majoring in the criminal justice field at the time was even more exciting to me than the toys and books. I got to hear all her stories and what it was really like being in the field. Shortly after graduating from grad school Tiffany landed a great job with the city of Bridgeport as an investigator for public defenders office. It was not until then I got to go out into the field with her and see what it was really like to be an investigator. I quickly realized being an investigator was nothing like the shows people see on TV such as Criminal Minds or CSI, but it did not change my mind whatsoever.

Tiffany along with my mom and dad have had a very big impact on me wanting to pursue my education that will hopefully one day become a career in criminal justice. Having Tiffany not only be my big cousin but also my mentor have played a big role in my drive to want to succeed and do well in school. I would be lying if I said school came easy to me. Throughout my high school career there have been many times I have wanted to give up. Having her there to remind me that nothing worth having is easy, is a constant reminder that you have to work hard to get to where you want to be. Much like my mom and dad who came from nothing and made themselves somebodies.

Due to my dad having to work his whole life he never got the opportunity to attend college. Therefor my brother and I going to college is a must. Knowing I wanted to study criminal justice, it was not hard deciding where I wanted to see myself going to college.

Entering Cheshire Academy as a freshman I had the mindset that once I graduated from here I wanted to go to University of New Haven. One of the top ten criminal justice schools due to having Dr. Lee the most famous and well known forensic scientist be the head of the criminal justice department, made me want to gain my education even more from UNH. Countless visits to campus, knowing people who had attended and could not say enough positive things about the school, I knew this is where I wanted to end up.

Come senior year, University of New Haven  was the first college I applied to and the first college I heard back from.

After all these years and making my parents proud. I am fortunate enough to be living out my dream at The University of New Haven in the fall of  2017 and very excited to see where the road ahead will lead me.

I am Victoria Giacobbe, I'm 17 years old and I live in Bridgeport Connecticut with my mom, dad and younger brother .
The reason for me taking public speaking is because I have a fear of speaking in front of groups of people. I would like to conquer this fear soon considering I am going to college and I will have to give presentations and present group projects. As for obtaining  a skill of public speaking in my future field I wish to go into is highly unlikely but definitely a great skill to have.
Three goals I am setting for myself to accomplish by the end of the semester in public speaking is to to no longer have a fear of public speaking.
Be able to train my self to not read off a paper while presenting.
Having the ability to make eye contact with the audience
I attend Cheshire Academy. I'm currently in my fourth year as a senior. In the fall I will be attending University Of New Haven majoring in investigative services with a minor in national to security. Hopeful one day I will make it to the FBI as an undercover investigator.
I enjoy spending time with my family whether it traveling to just hanging out I'm always guaranteed a good laugh.


My favorite time of year is summer, not only because I get to lay on the beach all day. But also due to the extra quality time my family gets to spend together every Sunday at family dinners that turn into family breakfasts the next morning.


I love to travel. My all time favorite place to go to is Italy. The architecture is like no other and I get to spend time with my grandma and grandpa who live in Napels for half the year and my family who does not live in the United Sates.
 

Public speaking notes
- projection: volume / loud / carries
                      Breath support
                      Not yelling

- enunciation: pronunciation / not yelling / consonants
                       Not mumbling
                     
- Diction:.syllables / consonants

- Emphasis: variation/ exaggeration / emotion (not monotone) / meaning  [important words]