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Trip to Costa Rica
Over the summer I traveled to Costa Rica with my family. It was absolutely gorgeous there and we all fell in love with it. By dad, a hard Republican, joked that if Presidential candidate McCain did not win that we were going to move to Costa Rica. But that clearly was not the case :) -
Barack Obama won NC
Presidential candidate Obama won with a 0.32% margin of victory in North Carolina. -
Obama wins the Presidential election
Presidential candidate Obama went on to win the Presidential Election with 365 of the Electoral College votes going to him. He was sworn in as the first African American President of the United States. -
11.2% Unemployment Rate in NC
From April 2008 to February 2009, the state unemployment rate rose from 5 to 11.2%. This is one of the most rapidly rising unemployment rates in the nation. -
Obama unveils his first budget plan
President Obama unveiled his budget plan which vowed to reform health care and shift tax burdens in addition to slashing the national deficit over the long run. Analysts predicted unemployment to fall to 5% by 2014 which played a role in the creation of this budget plan. This plan also revealed the amount of money that would be set aside to stabilize the fallen economy. -
First Job!
I got my first job working as a gelato scooper at Gnam Gnam's in Raleigh. One of the men who worked as a chef there was over qualified to work there but had been laid off from his past restaurant chef job. He had been part of the unemployment rate in NC before beginning at Gnam Gnam's. The reason I got a part time job was beause of the poor economy which Obama's budget was attempting to fix. My parents encouraged me to earn spending money since their personal budget could not afford for it -
Busing to End in Wake County
The school board voted 5-to-4 to develop school zones closer to students' homes and there was much controversy over this "resegregation" of Wake County schools. -
I Started at NC State University
I was thrilled to follow in my dad's footsteps and become a part of the Wolfpack. I planned to major in Elementary Education. As an aspiring educator, it was important for me to follow news stories relating to education. While this resegregation may have caused a higher proportion of free/reduced lunch in some schools, the Child Nutrition Bill is feeding those students better so they will be better able to pay attention in the classroom and learn. -
Child Nutrition Bill Passed
The House of Representatives voles 264-157 and the Senate votes unanimously to pass this bill which expanded the scope of the current school lunch program. Overall health of school lunches is improved under this bill.
I began to learn about the demographics of students in our public schools this year at NCSU. For some, this is the most balanced or biggest meal they will receive. If students are not fed well, learning becomes more difficult for them and more pressure is put on the teacher. -
Violent Storm System and Tornados Destructing NC
On this day thirty tornados touched down in NC, destroying over 900 homes and busineses. There were 9 tornados in the Raleigh area. I was at the DG house during the storm. Power went out and the building was shaking! We were lucky that a tornado did not come through our neighborhood. Many other close campuses, including Shaw University (who had to shut down for the remainder of the year), were heavily hit. Members from Delta Gamma helped clean up debri in the community. -
Tornado Hits Joplin, Missouri
One of the girls living in the DG house with me was from Joplin and her community was destroyed. This tornado was among the deadliest in history, destroying nearly a third of the city. That year my chapter decided to direct some of our fundraising efforts towards rebuilding her community. -
Moved into the Delta Gamma House at NCSU
I moved into the house with my pledge class and roomed with two of my close friends. After having one of my friend's home destroyed in Joplin and the surrounding community in Raleigh destructed, I was even more proud to be a part of an organization that could provide support to the people in each of these instances. -
Census Bureau
The Census Bureau released data that Asians, blacks, Hispanics, and mixed races made up just over 50 percent of all births, becoming the majority for the first time in the US. The face of public schools will definitely change as these students enter the system. -
Began Teacher Observations at NCSU
I was placed in a 2nd grade classroom at Brooks Elementary. I was able to teach my first lessons. This opportunity and the Census information from this year gave me insight into the current school system and the students I would be teaching. I will have a diverse classroom that will look different from the class I grew up in. I must work to make sure all students' needs are being met and make efforts to keep at-risk students involved so they do not make trouble for themselves. -
NC's Crime Rate Declined in 2012
This decline was led by a double digit drop in crime by juveniles. This decrease comes as a result of the continuum of prevention, diversion, and community programs targeting high-risk kids. As I was doing my observation I could talk with my mentor teacher and learn about the opportunities for community involvement that are in place for at-risk students. For example, at Brooks there were after school clubs that teachers could start to spark students' interest in something.
