DEPARTMENT OF ADULT EDUCATION NEW BEGINNINGS LARGEST NEVADA HIGH SCHOOL V O L U M E I I 1. I S S U E V I I I A P R I L / M A Y, 2 0 1 3 INSIDE ADULT EDUCATION REGISTERED STUDENTS 16,000+ (2012) GRADUATES 1,100+ (2012) GED S EARNED 2,000+ (2012) I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E : SHOWING UP DON T MISS OUT MUSIC OF MY MIND HOLLA IF YOU NEED ME MORE POWER 2 U CHANGES HOME ALONE FIRE SPINNING PASSION FOR ART STRINGS ATTACHED DANCING FOCUS MY STORY COUNTRY HIGH MY LADY LOVE THE CULTURE OF HIP-HOP 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 IN MEMORIAM 9 8:30-9:20 9:30-10:20 10:20-11:30 11:30-12:00 12:00-1:20 1:30-2:30 MAY 14 JOB READINESS WORKSHOP WORKSHOP SCHEDULE RED ROOM BLUE ROOM GREEN ROOM PURPLE ROOM The Job Search Where are the Jobs Patricia Nelson and Ellen Russell, Nevada Job Connect Completing the On-line Application Patricia Nelson and Ellen Russell The Job Search Where are the Jobs Patricia Nelson and Ellen Russell Completing the On-line Application Patricia Nelson and Ellen Russell Dress for Success Stephanie Calmy, LV Valley Water District Interviewing Stephanie Calmy, LV Valley Water District Let s Make a Resume! (on the NCIS) Esther Cothrun/ FeliciaTaylor,CCSD How to Be the Best Employee Brett Beibel, Allegiant Airlines Re-entering the Workforce Janice Greer, Nevada Workforce Connections Ready For the World Of Work? Mary Ramirez, LV Library District Lunch on your Own Dress for Success Stephanie Calmy, Las Vegas Valley Water District Interviewing Stephanie Calmy, Las Vegas Valley Water District How to Be the Best Employee Brett Beibel, Allegiant Airlines Re-entering the Workforce Janice Greer, Nevada Workforce Connections FREE STUFF STUDENTS ATTENDING WILL RECEIVE A FLASH DRIVE CONTAINING RESUME & COVER LETTER SAMPLES PLUS JOB SEARCH TIPS.
P A G E 2 INSIDE ADULT EDUCATION THE IMPORTANCE OF SHOWING UP Looking for a job isn t easy. But sitting around and just waiting for something won t get you anything. One day, my boyfriend, Kris, encouraged me to go job hunting. He said, If you don t go out and try, if you don t show up and ask, you will never succeed. Okay, I said, I ll give it a try. My first stop was a clothing store that was hiring. I asked for an application, but I didn t feel very confident. As a matter of fact, I didn t have any faith that I could possibly get the job. So immediately after completing the application, I turned it in and almost ran out of the store. Not a minute later, one of the employees chased me in excitement, congratulating me for being hired. Kris was right. All I had to do was show up! REANA ROSE PANGELINAN That s the same idea you should have for the Career Day on May 21st. Over 30 local companies and technical schools will be there. This is an opportunity for all adult education students to find a job and just maybe, a career. Just SHOW UP!! DON T MISS OUT! On March 12, I went to the very first Job Readiness Workshop that was organized for adult students. Ordinarily, I am not somebody who likes to go to class. I get bored easily. But these Adult Education Workshop classes that I attended were really informative and to the point. The classes held my attention. The day went by fast. All in all, it was a pleasant experience. Now, I am really looking forward to the May 14 th Job Readiness Workshop. I am hoping to learn how to really be more comfortable during job interviews- to know what to say and to know what NOT to say. I looked at the schedule and there are a lot of classes that will focus on this. Also, by attending the whole workshop, you ll get a Certificate of Achievement. You can put that on your resume! If I were you, I would circle the date-may 14th. If you are an adult education student, this event is made for you. DON T MISS OUT! ADAM HOWELL N E W B E G I N N I N G S
FOR NO PARTICULAR REASON EXCEPT THAT SO MANY OF OUR STUDENTS ARE PRACTIONERS OF MUSIC, DANCE,PAINTING AND WRITING, THIS EDI- TION IS DEDICATED TO THAT WHICH MAKES THE AMERICAN CULTURE SO SPECIAL THE ARTS! THE ESSAY BELOW HAS BEEN ACCEPTED TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE LITERARY BOOK CELEBRATING WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO ME. THIS IS A UNIQUE HONOR. CONGRATULATIONS MATTHEW PYNE! MUSIC OF MY MIND I ve always had some sort of connection with music, even as a young child. I used to sing along to my favorite songs as much as I possibly could. Although it s normal to singalong and get songs stuck in your head, I took it to an entirely different level. During freshman year, I began hearing these random melodies in my head that would not leave. I didn t understand it at the time, but I slowly started realizing that I had some talent with creating music. As the sounds came to me night after night, I knew I had to write things down-i needed to seize my abilities with music. It was my brother who truly inspired me and kept pushing me to put the sounds on paper. That s what they were, almost always, sounds of music. At first, I began writing and recording these nonstop melodies in my mind s eye. Afterwards, I would write the lyrics to fit the music. My phone was my only piece of recording equipment at that time. Then, my mother encouraged me to buy actual recording equipment. Last year, I put my music on social network. Today, I have a following of over 1000. Mostly I am overwhelmed that people like what I do. It is a great joy to make music. Oh, by the way, if you want to hear something I wrote, go to soundcloud.com. and search pyne. I hope you like what you hear. MATTHEW PYNE MARCH GRADUATE 2013 HOLLA IF YOU NEED ME Have you heard the song Holla If You Need Me by Trey Songs? First time I heard it, it stopped me in my tracks. It was the day one of my closest friends passed away. The song was on all day, before the bad news arrived. The day she died, I started listening to the lyrics a lot more. In a way, it made me feel responsible because I could not save her. The verse that gets to me the most goes, holla if you hear me, you know you are my beau; holla if you hear me, you know I still got you-you can always talk at me. When it says holla, I feel like she was screaming for me to save her, but I could not get to her fast enough. DARYL FRANKLIN, JR. At times, now, when I m going through some issues, I take a moment and sit back to just listen to the song in her memory. It calms me down a lot. It takes me back to a place where I realize that life is too short to waste. I realize that you have to keep your head up and keep going forward and to never look back.
P A G E 4 MORE POWER 2 U It s interesting how the forces of this universe work together. When there is a push, conversely, there is a pull. Without light, why would we refer to darkness as we do? In chemistry, the positive charges are attracted to the negative charges. Do we not live in a backwards, upside down world? That we do. Similarly, in the times we claim to have the utmost control, these are most often the times we lose ourselves. There was once a time in my life that I lost control. At a very young age, I thought I knew it all. I refused the help and direction of others in an effort to prove myself, to myself. I ended up living on the streets, begging for money, because I had nothing. I gave up everything-my family, their home, food, love from those that care, and myself. I was lost in my failing effort to claim the world. As a result, the world took me as its prey. I wouldn t change the past even if I could. I have learned that the lowest, most painful times in my life, are the times in which my faith and strength to carry on grows. I have learned that the concept of having control is accepting that I am not always in control. There is a force much To catch the reader's attention, place an greater than interesting me sentence guiding or quote from my the story life, with a strong hand. I learned to rely on that force to lead me through the storms of life. here. McKENNA KELLER Therefore, as I admit the things I am powerless over, I allow myself to be utterly powerful. Power is not control. Power is wisdom. Power is lessons learned. CHANGES If I could do anything over again, maybe I would not have stayed in the abrasive and abusive relationship with my son s father. Then, again, if I had the power to redo my love life, then I never would have learned to stand up and be strong. Life is full of mistakes. I believe we make them to better ourselves. Think! What if we never made mistakes? Do you think we would be strong at all? Good-hearted? Wise? I believe things happen for a reason. Challenges are meant for us to overcome them. Life is too short to fill your mind and your heart with regret. Enjoy life. Embrace it. When something bad happens, do not worry. It can rain, but it can t rain forever. Find an umbrella to stay dry. If I could change anything in my life, I would not change anything. Everything that happens, happens for a reason. KADIE ANDERSON HAVING TROUBLE FINDING A JOB? ATTEND THE ADULT EDUCATION CAREER DAY! TUESDAY, MAY 21ST. 8:30AM 2:30PM, ST. LOUIS CAMPUS
P A G E 5 HOME ALONE I remember a time when I was home alone for a week. I was an emotionless sea of ideas, with no interest in anything. The only thing I wanted was to escape the ennui which held me captive. It was during this time that I turned to three pleasures of my past. I broke free from boredom s grasp by reading, playing guitar, and drawing. It was by doing these activities that I was able to enjoy my week of solitude. To begin, I have always enjoyed reading. I could get lost in the plot unfolding on the pages in front of me for hours. I d forget to eat, forget to sleep even. Having nobody around gave me the opportunity to read my wonderful books for hours on end. Reading is amazing! It is a far more memorable and immersive experience than any film or video game could ever be. Also, I used this time to revive my now-fading musical talents. I played my guitar. I played it loudly. I played my heart out. Late into the night, I d still be strumming Chevelle s, Send the Pain Below. It was a very special time to rock out. Lastly, I often found myself drawing. There s nothing quite like witnessing something you imagine come to life on paper. I d draw pictures of dragons, characters from my favorite books and films, animals that I found interesting, and anything else that I felt I was capable of drawing well. AUSTIN OCHOA APRIL GRAD 2013 This is how I was able to free myself from boredom s grasp. Believe me, it is a failsafe method to save yourself from the inevitable boredom that solitude brings. It makes being home alone a veritable joyous experience! FIRE SPINNING Recently, I went to a festival where I saw a girl spinning fire. If you have never seen it, it is a spinning pot that is set on fire. It is just amazing! At the festival, the girl who was dancing was beautiful, strong, and graceful. Right away, I knew this was something I wanted to do. I found a local fire tribe and asked them if I could join. I had to do grunt work for a while, but eventually they let me spin. Finally, after months of hard work, I was a fire spinner. Each day, I m getting better. One day, you will see me as beautiful, strong and graceful as the girl who lit this passion in me. KIRA GREENER N E W B E G I N N I N G S
V O L U M E I I 1. I S S U E V I I I PASSION FOR ART STRINGS ATTACHED P A G E 6 DANCING FOCUS ASHLEY BRIM MARCH GRAD 2013 URIEL BERISTAIN-BERNARDO SHAYLEEN PRASAD Art is my life. I can t remember a time when I wasn t painting a canvas. But what impacts my life most is the escape I receive from drawing and painting. Life is tough. We hear that so often. But until we find our niche, or have a passion like I do with art, we aren t able to fully appreciate how wonderful life truly is, as well. I put a tremendous amount of time and emotion into every piece of art work I produce. I want my viewers to experience a range of feeling when observing my work. I might not be the next Picasso, but my love and respect for art will always dominate my actions. My guitar is like a part of my body. I was born to play it. When I first picked up a guitar, I felt like I knew how to play. When I began to play, I forgot all my worries and cares. It is in my blood. It is in every single cell of my body. The guitar is the only place I can escape to and the only thing I love doing. It is like my guitar and I are two sides of a coin. In my freshman year of high school, I decided to take dance as an art class. Soon, I discovered that I was a really good dancer. I ended up liking it more and more and got better as time went by. All through high school, it occupied so much of my time that it really didn t give me any chance to do anything else. Specifically, dance help me to stay focused and out of harm s way. In college, I hope to keep up with my dancing skills. Who knows, I just might teach it one day. REMEMBER THE DATES MAY 14TH JOB READINESS WORKSHOP MAY 21ST CAREER DAY
P A G E 7 MY STORY I have always been able to make up stories and then, bring the stories to life with my drawings. It is said that drawing is learning how to see, but writing gives the drawing more value. If you draw a person, he or she is only a person until you give them a name, and then he or she is only a name until you give them a story. Once you have your story and characters, you can get exciting results. Think about Batman, Scarface and Superman: all are characters that people love today and to be able to create something like that is literally out of this world! You see, each of these characters have their own world, like Gotham City and Krypton. Stories, drawings, and just art in general can change people s lives. I want my stories to make an impact on the people who read them. I want my readers to look at things differently and find new meanings to the mystery of life. Accomplishing this means everything to me. MICHAEL GOURLIE SEPTEMBER GRAD 2012 COUNTRY HIGH I was a DJ for nearly a decade. At least six times a year a certain client would hire me to play country music. I always accepted, but I always felt bad because I knew nothing about country music. Rather than feel guilty, I began listening to country stations anytime I could. I wrote down every song I heard. One day, while I was driving to pick up my little brother from school, a song came on that really captivated me. The song is by Chris Young, The Man I Want To Be. Every verse spoke to me and I realized, too, that the man I want to be was not the person I was. Today, I am more dedicated, family oriented, hard-working and honest-more than I ever was. In a way, country music saved my life. My family and friends appreciate me more. My girlfriend loves me more, and every day I wake up feeling like a better person. ROBERT RODRIGUEZ NOVEMBER GRAD 2012 N E W B E G I N N I N G S
V O L U M E I I 1. I S S U E V I I I MY LADY LOVE P A G E 8 Music is the woman of my dreams. I speak through this woman. Sometimes the woman speaks with passion, pain, or pleasure. When I play a musical instrument, the musical notes can reflect a variety of emotions and moods. It is the same thing when I sing. I can duplicate every emotion with my voice. I am so surprised that other people can t do the same thing. I guess that is something that makes me unique from everyone else. I am also amazed the way the second someone finds out that I can sing, they want to hear me sing all the time. Music separates me from everyone else in the room. It is my love and my soul. Without her, I wouldn t be able to live. She is my number one ladylove and can never be replaced. DEANDRE COLEMAN JANUARY GRAD 2013 THE CULTURE OF HIP-HOP Hip-hop is very important to me. Now, I m not talking about this so-called hip-hop that plays on the radio now-a-days. I m referring to the type you don t hear often, with legendary rappers/groups like Tupac, the Notorious B. I. G., Big L, a tribe called Quest, Mos Def, etc., These are real hip-hop lyricists, not this mess of artists (like Lil Wayne, Tyga, Drake, etc.) that have now become known to this generation has rappers. Hip-hop is much more than poetic verses with beats in the background. It s a culture. It s a culture that peacefully brings together like-minded people to enjoy the music. And what better way to enjoy it then by expressing it with graffiti art, breakdancing, free styling on the mic and having rap battles! Hip-hop is a culture that formed the community with a strong foundation with roots extending back to the late 80s when the first hip-hop group was formed-the Sugar Hill gang. DJs would play beats on the streets as minors, teens and adults crowded around to lay down their poems written in black books. But hip-hop is dying. The second the music industry came in, they distorted and manipulated what it means to be a hip-hop artist. Hip-hop is a true culture. It is a community of intelligent, like-minded individuals wanting to free themselves of the everyday world and express themselves the only way they know how By rapping their poems to beats spun by a DJ and listened to by many. And there is no greater satisfaction than having what you spit on the mic listened and enjoyed by people with similar interests and experiences. MAURICIO PORTILLO FEBRUARY GRAD 2013 ADULT EDUCATION GRADUATION WHEN: FRIDAY, JUNE 7, 2013 WHERE: UNLV, THOMAS & MACK AUDITORIUM TIME: 12 NOON
http://schools.ccsd.net/aded/ Department of Adult Education Clark County School District 2701 E. St. Louis Avenue Las Vegas, Nevada 89104 Phone: 702-799-8650 Fax: 702-799-8608 New Beginnings is a monthly student publication of the Department of Adult Education. Current and former Adult Education students are encouraged to submit articles to the above address for publication. Send articles to: "NEW BEGINNINGS EDITOR" KANYA TUNGWONGSAKUL MARCH GRADUATE 2013 YOUR DIPLOMA IS NOT THE FINISH LINE... IT S YOUR New Beginning ADULT ED STUDENT FOCUS 2013 IN MEMORIAM CHOOSE to live by choice not by chance to make changes not excuses to be motivated not manipulated to be useful not used CHOOSE self-esteem not self-pity to do the right thing not the easy thing to listen to your inner voice not the opinion of others truth not lies TIFFANY CLARK Good nurturing friend, pleasant positive coworker Your bright smile and honest laughter will echo in our hearts for years to come. Your memory will endure with all of us in Adult Education-the students you served, the friends you made and the high standard of professionalism which you always projected. You gave us much to treasure and cherish. God be with you.