interview to karen

Karens first day at MAHS.  it was not efssy for her to make friends really fast because she didn't speak english back then. But nowd she knows ant thats good for her. She met Mr.Miller Karen'd homeroom teacher. she said "hello" to him then a girl came up to her and said " eel maestro esta guapo" it means "the teacher is hot" Karen said , "i really wished I could speak english so I could be able to communicate with them"

Journalist Interview: Manual Arts High

Manual Arts High School is your typical inner city public school and by now, far since the school’s establishment in 1910, you wouldn’t expect any problems concerning the way the school’s adminstrative staff sorts things out. The fact of the matter is that the school does face this sort of problem and any student whom it concerns to, that is currently attending the school can easily spot this issue out off the back. Students such as myself, Ana Rodriguez, and many of the current seniors, that is. The scary part about the whole situation is that finding out that this sort of problem exists in our school would be the least of anyone’s worries if they were told that they would win a prize if they were to find out what that problem was.

I had a chance to interview my fellow classmate Ana Rodriguez that I’ve previously mentioned and I asked her a couple a questions concerning the matter at hand. As I was interviewing her, I noticed the facial expression her face had shown when I asked about the matter as a result of familiarity with the matter through past experiences. I went on interviewing her with an inquisitive attitude towards the subject and when I got to asking her a particular question that, in fact, had me in a state of premonition, she answered my question with confidence as if though every single word that she spoke were 100% accurate. The words she spoke did not quite surprise me but, instead, her words did indeed draw my attention more towards the interview where the amount of interest I had towards interviewing her got to the point where almost nothing could distract me from listening on to what she was saying. She said, “what bothers me most is the fact that the school’s staff doesn’t come through with satisfying student’s needs. In fact, they do not even listen to or care about our needs as students”. The thing that captivated me about what she said was that what she was saying has been experienced by myself first hand and it angered me to hear this from someone else because it allowed me to ensure myself that my personal experiences with this issue weren’t just mere coincidences but, instead, a reality.

Interview: The Girl Called Jackeline

The chaos encircling Jackeline is getting uncontrollable. People bombarding a single teacher with questions, others bombarding each other with questions. Girls giggling, boys jeering and Jackeline unaware of all that surrounds her.

Her head hangs low and she fans herself with her hand. Rolling her eyes at the heat that fills the small claustrophobic classroom that resides above the Manual Arts High School bookroom.

With a flushed face, she asks: “Shall we begin?”

Only if you’re ready. So tell me, what’s your name?

Jackelnine Lopez.

Tell me a little bit about yourself Jackeline.

I’m seventeen years old. [Hesitates] I’m a senior attending Manual Arts High School.

At this point I stop her from continuing sentence. Something about the way she said what school she attends bothered me a bit.

Do you like your school?

That’s neither here nor there. It’s a respectable place. Has it’s ups and downs like every other school in South Central.

I see you don’t mess around with the sugar coating and the use of the word South Los Angeles.

Not at all. Why should I? [Laughs] I think you should embrace where you come from. Even if where you come from isn’t the best place.

Do you dislike your neighborhood?

I dislike my neighbors let’s get that straight. Then again, no one has the perfect relationship with their neighbors. Some are loud and others like to keep to themselves. Mine just so happen to be under the loud category.

How do you feel about the people at school?

They’re just sort of…there. I mean outside of my group of friends, I don’t trouble my thoughts with other people.

Would you say that is due because of bad experiences with certain people.

Not at all. Like I said, they’re just there. They’re them and I’m me and you’re you; If that makes any sense at all.

A confused look crosses Jackeline’s face. As if she herself is trying to process what she just tried to explain to me.

Experiences in general. Do you have any memorable experiences from Manual?

Um…I’m going to have to think about that.

Looking away, with a pensive look upon her face, her eyes scan the room as if within it, she will find the answer to the question.

During this time, she asked me if she could take a small break. She engaged in a small conversation with a friend. They talked and laughed and mentioned all the bad times. Finally after approximately five minutes her nonchalant manner put upon my face a smile.

I’m ready.

Where did we leave off? Oh yes, you were about to tell me about a good experience you have had here at Manual…

Oh right. Well there was this one time when I was in I believe the ninth grade. I was in Mr. Zavala’s class. I played the Saxophone. It was around finals time and well I had been absent for his final. The day after his final, he saw me and asked me if I wanted to make up the exam that day. I was never that good at the Saxophone [laughs] so I obviously refused. Naturally, not wanting to see a student of his fail, we engaged in a tug-of-war where instead of a rope was my bookbag.

So you were having a tug-of- war with your teacher, how was that like?

Embarrassing. People were starting to gather and stare. I know he meant well and I thank him for that but if anything I was saving his ears from the ugly music that would come out of that saxophone.

I’m sorry, but I can’t see the positive experience from that incident.

Really? Well even though it was really really embarrassing, I learned something that day.

What was that? I asked, for she had stopped talking.

Well I realized that not all teachers are bad teachers. Among them are the good ones that go as far as to start a tug-of-war with you to get you to take a final.

So, tell me Jackeline; How did you do on your final?

I didn’t. [She smiles] I never took it.

Interview!

Hello, my name is Karen. Yesterday I interviewed Yesenia and this is the story she told me,

When I first came, I was in the cafeteria and one African American girl stole my purse. I went to tell the security about that and he asked if I saw her stole it. Isaid yes and he went to talk to her. She admited she had my purse and gave it to me. I was scared since people say they can do many bad things to you. The security guard asked me if I wanted to go to tell the police,but Isaid no because I was scared she got angry with me. When I open my purse I noticed that the only thing she got from  it was my lunch ticket. It is weird since I had money in it. I suppose she was hungry that day. But I do not understand why didn’t she just asked me for the tickets? Well thanks God after that she never hurt me.

Well Yesenia had this experience whe n she was a freshman and that is why I think she was scared of telling the police about this incident. Yesenia also told me it was not her first time that somebody stole something from her. She had had many similar experiences before and after that one. I think Yesenia has to be more careful since it is kind of strange that these things happen to her.