|
7/23/2017 0 Comments The OverWEIGHT of Grades As famous youth American entrepreneur, Walt Disney, once said, “if you can dream it, you can do it.” This inspires children to have many long term hopes and dreams, whether it be creating an art gala or ending world hunger. However, in order to do anything nowadays, we need a college degree, preferably from an Ivy or other high ranked school. To get there, we are trained to be “the best” in our high school class at all costs - sacrificing our social lives, sleep schedule, and any chance of taking a class we actually have interest in. The “geniuses” in our school districts have created a weighted grade system to “inspire” students to keep that desired high GPA. The system, however, brings into question if students are taking courses to challenge themselves, or if they are taking honors, IB and AP classes for the sole purpose of boosting their GPA, raising chances of college acceptance.
The idea of taking a class to enhance your knowledge rather than fulfilling a credit/enhancing a transcript is almost unheard of in the American educational system. On countless occasions, my counselors and classmates have pressured me to rethink my course decisions in order to embellish my resume. Once, I was advised to take a study hall instead of an art class, because even one non-weighted course lowered my GPA from its usual honors track. Despite this, I decided to take the art class. Though I’m not skilled artistically, this art class was something I was interested in and passionate about. The experience I had in that class, from meeting people I normally wouldn’t have to the hands-on experience I gained from creating art, inspired me to take another art class instead of a study hall my sophomore year. As a result, the following year, I had to manage five college level courses, because the two art classes lowered my GPA just enough to unease my counselor. Personally, I value taking a class that makes me think differently than most classes over a class that gives me time to get a head-start on homework. Many people choose the latter, because a study hall does not affect your GPA. While I do not regret my choices in taking on a heavy course load as a result of taking two non-weighted art courses, it is imperative for all classes to have an honors option, or for all schools to implement stress-free classes that will not damage a student’s GPA. The American schooling system needs to make taking non-weighted classes acceptable without a student feeling as though they are “destroying” their GPA. If keeping an unrealistically high GPA had not been an overhyped idea since grade school, students would have the chance to enroll into classes they are truly interested in. They would be able to learn and experience things from a new perspective, similar to my experience taking art. To allow honors students to take non-weighted courses that interests them, it is imperative they are not placed in a position to choose one class over another, pressured by classmates or counselors. The current limitations placed on students towards taking art and other non-weighted courses have prevented them the opportunity and ability to explore all possible interests, passions, and career paths. This post was originally published on Threading Twine. Founded in January 2017, Threading Twine is a youth-led social impact media company that focuses on allowing youth creators to have a voice in an increasingly globalized world. Threading Twine allows youth to create media about social issues and experiences and submit it to Threading Twine. Threading Twine is a communication system for the intellectual youth in today's world. Through Threading Twine, creators have the opportunity to network and connect with other change makers through online webinars and in person events. Threading Twine believes that every youth should have a voice, however, no change can happen in the world with one person alone. Post written by guest writer Ellie Fichtelberg
0 Comments
7/23/2017 0 Comments While People Keep Talking As teenagers, we ask ourselves an abundance of questions. We attempt to find ourselves while being inundated by people telling us who we should be, we question our identity the most at the times we feel they should be most established, and we ask ourselves what society wants to see from us, not who we want to be in society. I’ve been asking myself these questions lately, and I’ve found one question lingers consistently in my mind while I try to define myself.
What does it take to be valued? I ask myself this question as the founder of Threading Twine. I ask myself this question as an activist, an artist, a creator. And I ask myself this question as a typical teenager trying to understand popular culture. But most importantly, I ask myself this question as a female entrepreneur. Starting a company isn’t easy. Starting a company as a 16 year old definitely isn’t any easier. I struggle daily with issues involving identity, self-confidence, and stress. My mind is constantly abuzz with thoughts like “Where will I be in 5 years?” “What will I be doing?” and “Who am I?” The first thing I learned as an entrepreneur is to not focus on the effects my company would have on my identity, but rather every small aspect of running a startup that requires meticulous attention. So how did I put that all these identity questions aside when becoming an entrepreneur? Answer is, I didn’t. I let, and will continue to let my growth as a person contribute to my growing as an entrepreneur and businesswoman. However, in the midst of finding myself and allowing that affect my goals for Threading Twine, the realistic side of me knew that my ideas needed to be more solidified and developed in order to continue my aspirations of growing this media company and social organization. So this, is the story of my journey to finding self confidence as a female entrepreneur. Threading Twine has been launched as an online platform for just three months, and our team and I continue to grow and learn new business strategies every day. With every new creator contacted and ambassador recruited, Threading Twine’s support system consisting of other youth never fails to amaze me; it brings me back to when the idea for this company was just in its infancy. The encouragement our team has received motivates the us as a whole, and personally makes me feel enough support and value to write this piece, sharing my journey so far as a female entrepreneur. So, what does it take to be valued? It takes hard work. It takes dedication, determination, and drive. But these are widely known concepts that can be found in any self help article or entrepreneurship book. There are two distinct traits (one cliche, the other more practical) that I believe are aspects that will make a person value themselves and be valued by others. To start off with the more cliche, self-value is a prerequisite to being valued by anyone else. Being able to find value within yourself to implement an unexpected idea you’ve had, join a new community, or make a risky decision, is a crucial step for others to see value in you. The night I thought of starting Threading Twine was probably the first time I felt a substantial amount of self value. That amount was enough for me to pitch my idea to others. The first three individuals I introduced Threading Twine to were our very first creators: Janice, Lisa, and Chinmaya. The amount of support I received from these three extremely passionate youth creators continued to inspire me to implement my original vision for this company. The process of pitching Threading Twine to them resulted in many raw and open conversations, leaving me vulnerable in receiving any feedback. I had not been so authentic to anyone before, and being truly genuine helped others accept my passion for starting this company. As a result, I automatically became more comfortable with executing my idea. However, the most discouraging situations are, at times, the ones that contribute the most to my journey in finding self-confidence. It’s the times when others laugh and dismiss Threading Twine, saying activism is pointless, and the times when I overhear sexist remarks about my status as a woman entrepreneur that give me the strength and courage to continue carrying out my visions for Threading Twine. It’s been just over six months since I came up with the idea of creating a network for youth storytellers. However, self-value can only get me so far. Within the last few weeks, I have come to learn the second aspect of what it takes for others to value me: following through with my ideas. I have followed through with Threading Twine in numerous ways: first, creating a website; second, reaching out to youth creators for content; and third, getting accepted to participate in a startup incubator, which led to the formation of Threading Twine’s current team. From following through, I have come to learn that people love a finished product. As humans, we love the satisfied feeling when the outcome of an implemented idea is complete. I remember the first time I told Janice about Threading Twine and how overwhelmed I felt to have a friend so supportive of my idea. However, this feeling does not even compare to a few weeks ago when she reflected upon how Threading Twine has grown from a simple thought to a solidified company. Her feedback left me humbly grinning ear to ear. Following through with my visions for Threading Twine and receiving feedback like Janice’s, despite the pressing situations I continue to face, is how I have come to understand follow through is one of the most important aspects I need in order to be valued by others. Although Threading Twine has just gotten off the ground, I have complete faith that with the team, mentor, and advisor Threading Twine has, we will empower youth globally, achieving the mission that powers this company. As a team, we are discovering new and improved techniques to further company operations, and we don’t see this “Build, Test, Learn” process ending soon. Reflecting over these past six months through writing this piece has been the most revolutionizing step thus far, allowing myself to feel bold and comfortable in solidifying this statement: My name is Aarushi Machavarapu, and I am a confident 16 year old female entrepreneur, storyteller, and activist. This post was originally published on Threading Twine. Founded in January 2017, Threading Twine is a youth-led social impact media company that focuses on allowing youth creators to have a voice in an increasingly globalized world. Threading Twine allows youth to create media about social issues and experiences and submit it to Threading Twine. Threading Twine is a communication system for the intellectual youth in today's world. Through Threading Twine, creators have the opportunity to network and connect with other change makers through online webinars and in person events. Threading Twine believes that every youth should have a voice, however, no change can happen in the world with one person alone. Post written by guest writer Aarushi Machavarapu There comes a point during adolescence - somewhere between freshman orientation, driving for the first time and listening to speeches during graduation - at which you question yourself.
You question your authority, your credibility, your accomplishments, and above all, your identity. You get lost in the nuances of what you’re supposed to be, who you’re supposed to talk to and what you should think. All too often, society plays these ideas off as the familiar rambling of an angsty teenager. I’m Chinmaya Andukuri. I’m a sixteen-year old Indian-American social entrepreneur. I’ve grown up with boiled daal and buttered tortillas in paper trays, arguments over board games and the TV remote in the upstairs bedroom, and corner rooms full of dads talking about politics virtually every Saturday for my entire life. The idea that my parents’ childhoods proceeded in a relatively similar way (though it was over 9,000 miles away) is comforting, but it raises a simple question as well. Why? Why didn’t growing up in a new age of liberal education and cultural freedom affect me or the other kids at every Indian house party? Social activism, in whatever form it may have come, wasn’t meant for a sixteen-year old kid in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh in the 80s. At my age, my dad furloughed six months of tenth grade to take care of my grandma’s tuberculosis and my grandpa’s high blood pressure problems. Cultural constraints created a bubble that restricted him to focus on school and family, but nothing else. The social convention he subscribed to is best defined with five words - leave politics to the politicians. The question I ask isn’t why my dad and I have had the same domestic experiences early in life - rather, it’s more about the cultural sentiments that stem from those experiences. House parties have become as significant a part of my identity as they were for him, but so have the things I’ve seen, read, heard and thought. In the environment I’ve grown up in, I’ve never felt completely safe discussing certain things. I’m afraid to tell my aunts and cousins about my entrepreneurial aspirations, and to this day I haven’t heard a single conversation about white supremacy or anti-black violence. It doesn’t take very much of this restriction for a teenager to stop taking oneself seriously. Am I even allowed to call myself a social entrepreneur? How much laughter should I expect to hear from that corner room of dads crowded around a coffee table when I tell them I want to explore the world of the humanities and work on social development projects for the World Bank? Fortunately, my parents confronted me about everything before I had the opportunity to let these thoughts destroy my confidence. What had grown to be my primary concern - figuring out how to tell my parents, uncles, aunts and grandparents who I wanted to be and then how to be okay with it - deflated into a simple, “Do whatever makes you happy,” and a soft smile. My parents will, undoubtedly, always support me in my decisions in regards to school, social life and the footprint I'm trying to leave on our world. Unfortunately, not everyone has the same luck. But what I can say is that I will always support whoever I can in their endeavors to make their voice heard. If people can't take themselves seriously, they can’t expect anyone else to. I’m Chinmaya Andukuri. I’m a sixteen-year old Indian-American social entrepreneur. I want to be loud. This post was originally published on Threading Twine. Founded in January 2017, Threading Twine is a youth-led social impact media company that focuses on allowing youth creators to have a voice in an increasingly globalized world. Threading Twine allows youth to create media about social issues and experiences and submit it to Threading Twine. Threading Twine is a communication system for the intellectual youth in today's world. Through Threading Twine, creators have the opportunity to network and connect with other change makers through online webinars and in person events. Threading Twine believes that every youth should have a voice, however, no change can happen in the world with one person alone. Post written by guest writer Chinmaya Andakuri 7/17/2017 0 Comments Fighter On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. Only 34% of people who are injured by intimate partners receive medical care for their injuries. 1 in 4 women have been victims of severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime. With statistics this high you'd think that you would be mentally prepared to come across someone who's been through this kind of thing before. That could not be more wrong because I remember that day I heard my aunt on the phone. I was a nosy 3rd grader who saw her favorite person’s name on the landline and picked it up only to hear “No I swear I don’t think I can do this anymore. If you don’t do something I’ll kill myself” I remember that it was 2:30 pm, and that day I went to a family friend's house but this time I saw my mom with her friend crying on the couch agonizing over the fact that her baby sister had lost her desire to live.
As of today, my Aunt has been fighting an 8-year custody battle to ensure the safety of her son. She has taken care of his education, and well-being all on her own. Sometimes while I think about this whole situation I wonder why I never said anything. I soon realized that it was the fact that I didn’t know what was wrong. Let me precise, I didn't know what consent was. I wasn't aware of the concept that allows a man or woman to clearly address what they are and aren't comfortable with. I’d see him. He’d squeeze her wrist when she said something she wasn't supposed to. As if she was some horse and her wrists were the reigns. The physical, mental, and verbal abuse that my aunt went through is something that I can never imagine myself surviving. There are some things that I can handle. I’m a dancer. I know how to suck it up and deal with pain but domestic abuse is a pain beyond words. Moreover, it affects more than just the victim. Through her hardships, I began asking the important questions. Is consent sexy? No, lingerie is sexy. Consent is a basic human right. A woman should be able to say No at any given time and expect that the other person will respect it. Consent is far beyond a legal term. It is not a boxed check or something to just get out of the way. Consent IS the way. I can without a doubt say that my aunt is the reason I joined Ladki Love. I may be too young to help her but with this organization, I can help women who have been through the same things. My aunt is one of the most positive influences in my life but I can’t help thinking how much easier her life would be if she knew that she was allowed to say NO. My aunt is a sister, a daughter, a mother, niece, and a best friend but above all my aunt is a fighter. She is the same fighter that lives in the heart of the millions of women that Ladki Love hopes to help one day. I can’t wait to see the change they bring when we do. Post written by guest writer Neeharika Chenna |
Want to write a guest post for the
Ladki Love blog? Click below! Archives
November 2020
|
Search by typing & pressing enter
