Graduation Speech -- Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

Welcome fellow graduates and honored guests to the sixtieth anniversary of commencement for Stoll Community College. For those graduating, this day marks the culmination of a period of courage, commitment, and accomplishment. For these reasons, I am greatly honored to be chosen as student speaker for this outstanding class of graduates and I hope that my words will give a measure of justice to the significant event that has brought all of you here tonight. Hopefully, we will laugh a little, perhaps cry, and give some much-deserved praise. For the class of 2012, this is our night to shine, to pat ourselves on the back, to say "Well done. Good job." And as we take center stage to receive our degrees we are also going to lift the curtain and recognize the people behind the scenes. People like the three individuals I am now going to tell you about. Though you may never have personally met any of them, I am certain you have met people like them in your careers as students. They are the embodiment of why we are here tonight. Her name is Mary. She was born towards the end of the Great Depression and, while still very young, she contracted polio. Now, imagine if you can, what it is like to live in the shadow of an illness that substantially impairs your ability walk without pain or climb a flight of stairs without handrails or assistance. What would you do? How would you live your life? Mary stepped out of the shadow and endeavored to live life beyond any physical limitation. When her three children had grown and moved away, when her foster children had all found permanent homes, she enrolled in college. Reaching for what others said would be impossible, she graduated with honors from Stoll Community College 35 years ago. Two year... ... word. Most importantly, thank them for the unconditional love they continue to show. Mom, thank you for everything, I love you very much. Mi esposa, mi BeBe, te quero mucho. Feliz aniversario. Later, when all of tonight's excitement and nervousness has subsided, thank yourself. You have earned it. To graduate is a great accomplishment; whether you started ten or two years ago matters not, what matters is the determination and hard work that brought you to this moment. Your moment to shine. And so, as you prepare to walk through a new door, as you set new and challenging goals for yourselves, remember to keep your eyes focused forward because the future is sure to be adventurous, full of laughter, hope, achievement, gratitude, and inspiration. Congratulations to the class of 2006 on this, the sixtieth anniversary of commencement for Stoll Community College.

Crime Prevention Essay

Abstract Crime prevention has become a major issue in our Nation. In our text we have learned that in the early 1990’s President Bill Clinton had passed a bill that hired 100,000 police officers as a result of the Violent Crime Control Act (Worrall, 2008). The hiring of all the police officers looked as if was going to make a huge impact across the nation. With the rate of crime going up across the world crime prevention is really needed. Communities and police officers need to come together to help preserve our neighborhoods. This is the best form of crime prevention. In this paper I am going to discuss the relationship of crime prevention to the Criminal Justice System. I am also going to give my definition of what is crime prevention. I will also discuss two or more institutions through which crime prevention programs and practices are delivered and try to give some examples. Crime Prevention Crime prevention can be defined in several ways. My definition of crime prevention is stopping crime and protecting our neighborhoods. If the community and the police work together they can reduce crime over time drastically. Crime is increasing in neighborhoods, so, crime prevention should increase as well. The relationship of crime prevention to the Criminal Justice System has several purposes. Crime prevention has the main purpose of protecting the community and the people that live in them. â€Å"Crime prevention and the Criminal Justice System have two main goals: to lessen the human and material cost and its impact on socioeconomics development and to formulate international standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice and promote their observance (Encyclopedia of the Nations, 2013).† In the relationship of crime prevention to the Criminal Justice System the police have several objectives. The police objectives are to prevent and control conduct threatening the life or property including serious crimes. Police also help and protect victims who have been physically abused (Plant and Scott, 2009). They also stop and arrest drunken drivers which help and protect the community. When police make drug bust in which the community helps with tips or make arrest on repeat offenders this type of crime prevention is key in the relationship with the Criminal Justice System. Police are used as mediators and negotiators to resolve domestic disturbances or hostage situations (Plant and Scott, 2009). Police are also trying to find ways to protect the youth of today from following in the same footsteps as the criminals that they deal with on a day to day basis. Police are trying to do everything that they can to stop trafficking of persons and drugs throughout our nation and help keep our youth stay out of the criminal justice system. Crime prevention and the Criminal Justice System go hand in hand with the reduction of crime. There are many institutions through which crime prevention programs and practices are delivered. Most of the programs are built around habitual offenders and youths from the 5 to 18 years of age. One program that they have for repeat offenders is the Circle of Support and Accountability (COSA). This program targets young to adult males that have been tried and convicted of a sexual crime, did not get early release, and are at serious risk of reoffending (National Crime Prevention Centre, 2008). COSA has up to seven but no less than four volunteers that help the offenders reengage back to a normal life in their community. The volunteers also hold the offenders accountable for their actions. COSA’s main goals are to help the offenders through their difficulties and emergencies, hold them accountable for their behavior and attitudes, to be advocates for treatment with the providers, comm unity groups, the police agencies and any other professionals in the community, mediate with the community to answer their concerns, and to help them celebrate their success of treatment and their anniversaries (National Crime Prevention Centre, 2008). Another program that is used as a crime prevention program is the Boy and Girls Clubs of America. This program targets young children and teens from five years of age to eighteen. This also targets kids in high risk and drug infested communities. The Boys and Girls Club gives kids in the community a safe place to go after school and in the summer. This organization keeps kids and teens out of trouble. Teens that have dropped out of school are given an opportunity to get their GED through programs provided by the Boys and Girls Club (National Crime Prevention Centre, 2008). The Boys and Girls Club gives children a place to go when their parents are working late and gives parents a sense of relief because they know that their child is in a safe environment. The Boys and Girls Club provides kids with meals and snacks, a place to do their homework, a place to play sports, and a place to feel safe (National Crime Prevention Centre, 2008). The Clubs offer programming in four main areas. The areas are leadership; growth and empowerment, physical activity; health and safety, learning and career development, and community services. It also operates under five values. The values are inclusion and opportunities, respect and belonging, empowerment, collaboration, and speaking out (National Crime Prevention Centre, 2008). As you can see that empowerment is a major part of the Boys and Girls Club. Showing kids that they matter and that they have worth gives the kids a boost in their confidence and self-esteem. These are just two organizations that help and focus on making someone’s life better. There are many more out there that can help in particular fields of rehabilitation and kid safety. Crime prevention and the Criminal Justice System are needed though out our nation. Police are doing all they can to make the communities safe. It is time for the community to help the police and get rid of the â€Å"no snitching po licy.† The youth of today have so many things that can cause them to turn to a life of crime and it is up to parents, police, and other government officials to protect them. There are a large number of organizations that are out there that can help youths, teens, and adults to become better members of society. When a criminal is released back into society they should find one of these organizations to help them get acclimated with the community that they are moving into. The Criminal Justice System and crime prevention goes hand in hand but is not the only way to turn young adults away from crime. The responsibility is the parents to guide and protect the kids from the dangers of the world. The Criminal Justice System is full enough with young men and women, let’s try and stop the number from getting bigger. References Encyclopedia of the Nations (2013) retrieved from: http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/United-Nations/Social-and-Humanitarian-Assistance-CRIME-PREVENTION-AND-CRIMINAL-JUSTICE.html National Crime Prevention Centre (2008) retrieved from:

Clean India For A Green India Essay

‘When the last tree is cut and the last fish killed, the last river poisoned, then you will see that you can’t eat money.’ -John May The CLEAN-India Programme India has a population of over one billion, of which almost 300 million live in around 600 towns and cities. Unfortunately, as a result of stressed environmental conditions, most of these towns and cities are unable to cope with the rapid pace of urbanisation. Water pollution, unavailability of drinking water, inadequate sanitation, open dumping of waste, and loss of forest cover are some of the related problems. These have serious consequences on the health of the people and are also an economic burden to the country. Similarly, water-borne disease like diarrhoea, jaundice and cholera are taking a heavy toll on both human health and economic productivity. This situation demands immediate intervention in the management of rapidly growing urban environmental problems. The quality of the environment needs to be monitored regularly and, more importantly, scientific work needs to extend beyond the laboratory and become more community centered. While the regulatory agencies continue to play their role. Programmes that are community based are required. These will help the community understand local issues and take necessary initiatives to improve their local environmental conditions and come up with new locale-specific initatives to improve their sorrounding environmental conditions. CLEAN-India (Community Led Environment Action Network) programme was launched by Development Alternatives (DA) with the vision of developing a cleaner environment for our urban centres. This nation-wide programme focuses on environmental assessment, awareness, advocacy and action on school children who are the future citizens. The underlined realisation is that ‘each one of us is responsible for the current state of are environment and we cannot wait for someone else to solve it’. CLEAN-India Mission The CLEAN-India programme aims to mobilise community responsibility for environmental assessment and improvement in all major towns and cities of India through schools and NGOs linked with governments, business, academic and other institutions. CLEAN-India Network CLEAN-India programme partners with more than 30 like-minded NGOs, 400 schools and over one million students who coordinate the activities across 78 urban centres of India. They participate in various environmental activities and programmes for a cleaner greener India. CLEAN-India Thematic Areas †¢ Water quality and conservation †¢ Sanitation †¢ Land use and biodiversity conservation †¢ Water conservation †¢ Air quality †¢ Energy efficiency †¢ Carbon footprint †¢ Climate change CLEAN-India has evolved with the experiences and learnings from the various initiatives it has taken in the past fifteen years. It is now a front runner in the field of conservation and sustainable living. CLEAN-India programme evolved from DA’s experience with the Delhi Environment Action Network (DEAN) programme, which began in September1996 with five schools. Over 4000 children have now been trained directly on environmental assessment and improvement activities. Action programmes to improve local environmental conditions have been initatiated. Solid waste management, plantation drives, energy conservation, paper recycling, etc., are some activities done by the schools, Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), business and industrial associations and individual households. This experience indicates that when environment assessment is youth and community based, it mobilises the community to review their local environment conditions and take the requisite measures without waitin g for external support. CLEAN-India has around 30 partner NGOs who drive the CLEAN-India initiative in their urban centres. The endeavour has been well received in these areas. Many more NGOs from across the country have expressed interest to initiate the CLEAN-India programme in their own cities and towns. Over the past decade, the programme has mobilised an extensive network of environmentally conscious citizens. They have assumed responsibility and evolved solutions to their existing environmental problems. Besides the core network of 30 NGOs, thousands of  school teachers and several other citizens’ groups like RWAs, parents fora, local business associations and youth clubs participate actively in the activities. The programme covers various aspects pertaining to our environment like water, air, trees and medicinal plants, waste management (composting, waste paper recycling), checking for food adulteration, bird watching, energy conservation, eco-consumerism. The CLEAN-India Programme is: Unique – because it involves children and yougth, the future citizens as engines of change Scientific – as it is equipped with scientific tools, methods and techniques Innovative – as it has a structured framework with flexibility to address the local needs Inclusive – as it joins hands with all stakeholders Holistic – as it addresses the entire value chain from assessment to solutions Regular – in creating an environmental movement combining hands-on scientific learning with civic action Effective – because it creates Eco-Citizens for tomorrow†¦ Recognising the potential of the CLEAN-India Programme, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Development Alternatives to mutually assist and strengthen existing initiatives of community based environmental action in India. This collaboration was aimed at mobilising the school network for continuous monitoring of environmental quality and motivating communities to initiate activities for clean neighbourhoods. Similarly, CLEAN-India is partnering relationships with business and industry associations and entities like the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Society for Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), FORD Motors and also with academic institutions like the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), and Indian Institute of Science (IISc). CLEAN-India Tools †¢ Jal-TARA Water Testing Kit helps monitor the quality of drinking water. †¢ Pawan-TARA Air Testing Kit helps assess the quality of the air we breathe. †¢ Jal-TARA Water Filter provides safe drinking water by treating pathogenic bacteria and turbidity. †¢ TARA Mini Paper Recycling Plant recycles waste paper generated in schools and communities which enable us to make our own  stationary. Achievements/ Milestones †¢ CLEAN Dindigul recieved the JCB Confederation of Indian Industries (CII)-Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) second runner up award for excellence in solid waste management in 2011. †¢ CLEAN-India website won the Manthan-AIF Award for best e-content on environment in 2006. †¢ A CLEAN-Shillong (ex-CLEAN-India Centre) student was selected by Reuters for the Johannesburg Meet in 2000. †¢ The first DEAN – CLEAN Mela was held in 1998 and included an exhibition, competitions, quiz and a public forum †¢ CLEAN-India students participated in international conferences in Edinburgh, UK and Nairobi, Kenya in 1997 and 1998. †¢ Tony Blair, Prime Minister of Britain interacted with a CLEAN-India student in Edinburgh, UK in 1997. †¢ DA was nominated as the focal agency for ‘Earth Charter for Children’, South Asia. Few of our Resource Centres have helped us translate it into 6 regional languages also. We have released posters, brochures and one book on all the languages in ninth CLEAN-India Meet in 1995. †¢ Tree helpline started by Delhi Government. PIL in Supreme Court for protection of greens / trees. †¢ A number of projects have been catalysed with agencies such as UNICEF, Water Aid, Department of Science and Technology, MoEF and Delhi Government. †¢ CLEAN-India is a part of an International Youth Alliance ‘Be the Solution’. Support for CLEAN-India †¢ European Commission †¢ Delhi Government †¢ Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India †¢ Ministry of Water Resources, Government of India †¢ State Governments †¢ Central Pollution Control Board †¢ Respective State Pollution Control Boards †¢ Royal Netherlands Embassy †¢ Foundation Ensemble †¢ Ford Motors †¢ Jocknick Foundation Success Stories †¢ A Solid Waste Management Plan for Jhansi is being developed in collaboration with the Municipal Corporation of Jhansi and Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board. †¢ Ten deflouridation filters were provided by the manufacturer and 70 filters have been set up with the initiative of CLEAN members by Rural Water Supply Department, Government of Andhra Pradesh. †¢ CLEAN-India Delhi Chapter initiated and facilitated in setting up of a tree helpline. †¢ CLEAN-India Mysore Chapter has networked with Mysore City Corporation for solid waste management. They have also networked with a womens’ Self Help Group (SHG), to convert all election campaign material into mats and other decorative items. †¢ CLEAN-India Pune Chapter was successful in the Eco-visarjan campaign. The authorities banned the use of idols made of plaster of paris painted with toxic colours. Unbaked clay idols were made available and proper arrangements were made for immersions. †¢ CLEAN-India Dindigul Chapter has set up a residual recycling plant in tanneries as an outcome result of a campaign by school students. Harnessing Youth Power – Way Ahead Young people constitute a large part of the world’s population. India has the largest youth population in the world. Nearly 40 per cent of the Indian population is aged between 13 to 35 years, and are defined as youth in the National Youth Policy. A large population, especially young people and children, are particularly vulnerable to environmental risks, for example, access to clean and safe drinking water. In addition, young people will have to live with the consequences of current environmental actions and decisions taken by their elders. Future generations will also be affected by these decisions and the extent to which they have been addressed. Their concerns would be on depletion of resources, the loss of biodiversity, and radioactive wastes. Youth have both special concerns and special responsibilities in relation to the environment. Young people will engage in new forms of action and activism that will generate effective responses to environmental challenges. CLEAN-India will now focus on youth and provide them with an opportunity to associate with it. It will direct their efforts towards eliciting a positive change in urban society. In the past 16 years of its existence, CLEAN-India has traversed a long way in pursuit of its mission to mobilise community responsibility for environmental assessment and improvement, which has also earned it numerous laurels from both within as well as beyond its shores. But a greater opportunity of work and engagement still awaits our footsteps and we are committed to take it further in the days to come!

Frankenstein and Models essays

Frankenstein and Models essays He was a monster, no one enjoyed him. They knew not what to do about the terrible creature, so they chased him from the world. He was so distraught by this and the fact that his creator abandoned him because of his appearance; he disappeared into the darkness of the North Pole. He was unable to connect with society because of his appearance. What does this say about humanity! Humanity is so based on how someone looks, that the people are unable to fit in with society and should basically walk into the freezing cold areas and waste away. This certainly doesn't say much about how well "ugly people" can live in our society. The ripping action of the modern peoples shows how biased they are. If you look into a magazine, you can see how terrible times have gotten. No one can live with the sickly thin models that show up in those awful areas. They have no meat on them, and would be better off just lying down and eating a couple boxes of chocolate. The digitally altered women in the magazin es do nothing to help with mentally distraught teenagers in todays society. The people make me sick. They cant even stick with the reality of the situation. If the population is going to live on fast food and boxed meals, how do they expect people to look the way the people do in magazines! The inability to ascertain the reality of the situation is thoroughly disturbing. It is almost annoying to hear the people complain that they are fat or ugly. When will society realize that they are all ugly in some way, that the models in those magazines are just pretty pictures with airbrushed bodies and faces. ...

View of Toledo by El Greco Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

View of Toledo by El Greco - Essay Example However after moving into the Spanish town of Toledo in 1577, where he spent the rest of his life, a spiritual dimension entered his works and a sublime aura of divinity can be seen in all that he was commissioned to paint. The View of Toledo cannot be stared at or its significance understood in a single glance, for it is to be contemplated upon and the seemingly dark spectrum riot of colors should be twirled within the mind, just like how several concoctions of heady liquors are tossed into a smooth cocktail. The storm that is about to break over the town is immanent with the deep spiritual force that seems to breach the heavens and take over the earth. There is an aesthetic element of how the lightning and thunder is not clearly seen or heard, yet brings about an electric tension over the horizon, where the sky is the darkest. The content of this painting maybe a simple landscape, but to what extent the painter's imagination has been affected is clear in the perception of a deep mystery surrounding the emptiness of the town, and from the feeling of vastness and volume, of space and time blending into the ethereal brink of an explosion. There is a three-dimensional quality to the picture plane because of the richness in color tone gradually increasing from left to right.

Honesty In Contemporary Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Honesty In Contemporary Politics - Essay Example The columnist Charles Blow in his issue has mainly discussed honesty, hypocrisy, and lies of the politicians. He talks mostly about Romney, the Republican nominated candidate for the presidency. He sides with the results of the Gallup poll that surveyed the sentiments of Independents and Republicans about Romney’s chances of re-election. This group surveyed is the group considered least likely to vote a Democrat and therefore the fact that they predict that Romney will lose by 20% of the votes is credible since they go against their biases. Blow’s sources are all credible, which is a clear indication of his commitment to veracity. This shows Charles Blow is unbiased, thus he gets views from all sides. The critical arguments made in the article are those that talk about Romney hypocrisy and dishonesty throughout his campaign trail (Blow). Romney contradicts himself countless times and this clearly shows that Romney was not honest about all the promises he was making. The article on Romney’s son intimated to Vladimir Putin personally, that his father Mitt Romney was intending to keep relations with Russia if elected. Blow states that Romney’s son, Matt, recently traveled to Russia and delivered a message to President Vladimir Putin. Later, Romney contradicts himself by saying he told a Russian known to be able to deliver messages to Mr. Putin. As a result of these contradictions, it’s unclear if the message actually got to Mr. Putin. This also does not give us actual evidence of whether Romney’s son actually intimated to the president of Russia. However, the article does accurately represent the state electorate before the United States 2012 elections (Blow). Charles Blow writes another column â€Å"The G.O.P fact vacuum.†

Emergent Technologies in Commercial Construction Essay

Emergent Technologies in Commercial Construction - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that the need has arisen for solving urgent environmental problems that have been caused partially by an anthropogenic factor. The consequences of the greenhouse effects (such as gas emissions), the forthcoming and unavoidable insufficient fuel supply, and other related topics are causing intensifying energy concerns among the global community. The increasing use of renewable fuels has become an inevitable practice when facing the global energy crisis. Oil depletion makes oil extraction more difficult and expensive, which has forced many countries to search for alternative fuel sources and energy conservation strategies. Due to these threats, sustainability planning has become the primary agenda for the states who are facing an energy crisis and environmental problems caused by destructive human activity. Since sustainability increases the chances to survive in the context of a complex and changing environment, timely planning of activities to enhance alternative energy usage seems the most reasonable. This paper will present a framework to help organizations design sustainability plans, aided by discussion and analysis of innovative technologies and construction in real-life settings. The revelation of commercial construction and building technology innovations of the near future will also be discussed. There is a pronounced need to expand knowledge on commercial construction and energy, and on their influences on sourcing, building material use, construction processes, and interior/exterior design. In addition, the positive changes in the global construction patterns that can create a reliable and sustainable living environment will be predicted. The need for energy conservation and analysis of biomimicry advantages will be considered herein. The discussion of future energy delivery models will provide a solid basis for the analysis of innovative construction technologies. The essence of smart interface technologies will be revealed as this phenomenon promises future benefits for the sustainable construction and engineering fields. Information about future construction techniques and material implications will also be covered. Energy Conservation and the Benefits of Biomimicry Throughout the centuries, people have been producing energy from natural resources like fossil fuels, such as coal, natural gas, and oil, which are nonrenewable. Unfortunately, these natural resources take millions of years to form and humanity has not yet discovered any methods to accelerate this process. Moreover, energy production is a costly process that causes enormous time and financial losses for individuals and organizations (Ollhoff, 2010). In this context, the necessity for energy conservation is growing at an alarming rate. The current energy crisis is accompanied by increasing prices for energy supplies, shortages of fossil fuels and other natural resources, and a reduction of the number of power stations in some countries. It is obvious that in facing the current energy crisis, people are searching for effective sustainable practices to solve these new problems; however, finding them implies initial clarity about the intricacies of the energy crisis, its causes, manifestations, and possible consequences. To respond to the energy crisis, research and development programs, along with the corresponding agencies, are focusing on biomimicry as the method to solve specific problems by following the examples of certain processes in nature. Biomimicry is welcomed in numerous energy conservation programs (Brebbia & Carpi, 2010). However, one needs to deepen into the essence of all essential aspects of energy conservation in order to understand why biomimicry occupies a significant place in contemporary innovative construction technologies. Ollhoff (2010) noted that the problem of energy conserv