Grants for Education: Children are the Future

According to the article published in the New York Times "Head Start Is Given New Rules for Grants" by Mark Landler, President Obama visited a schoolhouse in the suburb of Philadelphia on Tuesday November 8, 2011 to announce the stricter standards the government's Head Start program which offers preschool training for children from low income fmailes. President Obama declared that investment in early childhood education is critical to the future of competitiveness of the United States, which reflects to his plans for the Dream Act.

"If a program isn't giving children the support they need to be ready for school then other organizations will be able to compete for the grant. We will take money from programs that don't work and put it into programs that do", the president told teachers and administrators. President Obama wants to continue his mission to make the United States students leaders in math, science, technonoolgy. We are falling behind in that area. A reason that children don't have a fighting chance is because their school does not have the funding or teachers available to broaden students horizons. The children of the United States of American do not deserve to be victims of poorly funded education systems and school districts.

President Obama criticized the Republican Party claiming that members voted in favor of cutting the financing of the Head Start and the Pell Grant program, "The Republican have been trying to gut out investments in education" the president said.

President Obama made a four hour visit to the Yeadon, Pennsylvania school. The state was a good choice foe one of three reason, first, it is a political swing state, second, educators are a great crowd to inspire and lastly, he looks wonderful behind 3 to 5 year old children. These children are the perfect candidates for a more comprehensive education.

Before his speech he was in a room full of children playing with blocks, legos, puzzles, toy cars and trucks. These children, are the next generation. They should have the potential to become the next teachers, doctors, lawyers and journalists that represent the United States. They deserve a chance to have the best education and be a part of a growing intellectual community. "There is no substitution for Congress doing it's job. If Congress continues to stand only for dysfunction and delay, then I'm going to move ahead without them." As I write my final blog series, I truly hope that advancements are made in improving the educators and students all over America.

Halloween Weekend Storm

(Tree that fell in front of my driveway Saturday night)

(My street the morning after the snow storm on Sunday October 30, 2011)

I haven't been home the entire month of October, so this past weekend I told myself that I have to go home. I miss my family so much. Well I certainly choose an interesting weekend to return home. Friday night there were calm winds and it was chilly. When I woke up Saturday morning I was astonished to see snow outside my bedroom window. Everything looks so beautiful with a small layer of pure white snow on top of it however, after a few hours I noticed that it was still snowing.

A few more hours later I finally wondered when the snow was going to stop. I turned on my local news and saw it sparking red letters that my county, Bergen County in New Jersey was on severe weather alert. Connecticut also has severe weather warnings as well. After my heart sank with this weather report, I changed the channel and than the lights all around my house flickered. Could the snow really start affecting the electricity to? I haven't even been home 24 hours yet.

My four year old niece, Alana, was thrilled that we were having more snow as she watched it endlessly fall from our living room windows. A few minutes laters I heard my dad and brother shoveling some snow from our drive way. Shortly, my family and I went to the attic to pick our winter coats and boots. I thought to myself, its October, its not even halloween yet and its snowing. This is really early. Just as we left the house the electricity was gone...

The roads were terrible, there was slush everywhere. There are many statistics that indicate that New Jersey has the highest car accident rate. I feel completely comfortable agreeing with these polls as a New Jersey resident and licensed driver because its true. Despite the snow and slush on the road, people still did not drive with caution. I must have seen at least three to four near accidents on the way to the restaurant.

On our journey back home, as I looked to my left and right, there were trees and branches down everywhere. My dad not only had to be cautious and focus on the road but the trees hovering above us as well. As my dad turned the steering wheel to drive onto our street he suddenly pushed the brakes. Our street it was blocked. A tree had fallen right in front our driveway. The tree also brought a power line down. This was scary and troubling. I was glad we weren't home at the time it happened. So we drove to the next street and parallel parked our car safely near no trees and lowering branches.

We walked back into our now cold house and searched for candles and flashlights. My house was illuminated by candles and since we couldn't turn on the television for entertainment, my brother and I brought out board games. We all played Scramble. It was actually fun for about an hour or two. I began to feel really sleepy. The next time I opened my eyes there was daylight but still no electricity and there was still a tree in front of my driveway.

My family and I were starving so we went to our favorite diner called The Arena Diner. I have never seen it so crowded in my entire life. We waited for at least an hour to get seated at a table than forty-five minutes to receive our breakfast. All the other diners and restaurants within ten miles had no power. It was chaos.

After breakfast my parents drove me back to Iona where there was electricity, heat and everything appeared to seem normal.

According to major news outlets Bergen County and many towns in Connecticut were affected the worst by this snow storm. There are over 200,000 people in New Jersey without electricity, my family is one of them. In Connecticut there is about one million people without power. When will all these power get there power back? I don't know. But, I do know that I will be watching the news to keep my eye on the next storm.