About Vikings History, Locations, and Characteristics

About Vikings History, Locations, and Characteristics The Vikings were a Scandinavian people profoundly dynamic in Europe between the ninth and eleventh hundreds of years as pillagers, dealers, and pilgrims. A blend of populace pressure and the simplicity with which they could strike/settle is ordinarily refered to as the reasons why they left their country, the locales we currently call Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. They settled in Britain, Ireland (they established Dublin), Iceland, France, Russia, Greenland and even Canada, while their strikes took them to the Baltic, Spain, and the Mediterranean. The Vikings in England The principal Viking strike on England is recorded as being at Lindisfarne in 793 CE. They started to settle in 865, catching East Anglia, Northumbria, and related grounds before battling with the lords of Wessex. Their locales of control changed extraordinarily throughout the following century until England was controlled by Canute the Great who attacked in 1015; he is commonly viewed as one of Englands smartest and most capable lords. Nonetheless, the decision House which went before Canute was reestablished in 1042 under Edward the Confessor and the Viking age in England is considered to have gotten done with the Norman Conquest in 1066. The Vikings in America The Vikings settled the south and west of Greenland, as far as anyone knows in the years following 982 when Eric the Red †who had been prohibited from Iceland for a long time †investigated the locale. The remaining parts of more than 400 ranches have been found, yet the atmosphere of Greenland in the long run turned out to be unreasonably cold for them and the settlement wrapped up. Source material has since quite a while ago referenced a settlement in Vinland, and late archeological revelations of a brief settlement in Newfoundland, at LAnse aux Meadows, have as of late brought into the world this out, in spite of the fact that the subject is as yet disputable. The Vikings in the East Just as attacking in the Baltic, by the tenth century Vikings settled in Novgorod, Kiev, and different regions, converging with the nearby Slavic populace to turn into the Rus, the Russians. It was through this eastern development that the Vikings had contact with the Byzantine Empire †battling as hired fighters in Constantinople and framing the Emperors Varangian Guard †and even Baghdad. Valid and False The most well known Viking attributes to current perusers are the longship and the horned head protector. All things considered, there were longships, the Drakkars which were utilized for war and investigation. They utilized another art, the Knarr, for exchanging. In any case, there were no horned caps, that trademark is altogether bogus. Popular Vikings Ruler Canute the GreatEric the Red, pilgrim of Greenland.Leif Ericsson, pioneer of VinlandSweyn Forkbeard, King of England and Denmark.Brodir, dynamic in Ireland.

Effective teaching free essay sample

In fall 2009, the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation propelled the Measures of Effective Teaching (MET) venture to test new ways to deal with estimating successful instructing. The objective of the MET venture is to improve the nature of data about showing viability accessible to training experts inside states and districts†data that will assist them with building reasonable and solid frameworks for estimating educator adequacy that can be utilized for an assortment of purposes, including criticism, advancement, and constant improvement. The venture incorporates about 3000 educators who elected to assist us with distinguishing a superior way to deal with instructor advancement and assessment, situated in six overwhelmingly urban school regions the nation over: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Dallas Independent School District, Denver Public Schools, Hillsborough County Public Schools (counting Tampa, Florida), Memphis City Schools, and the New York City Department of Education. As a feature of the venture, different information sources are being gathered and broke down more than two school years, including understudy accomplishment gains on state evaluations and supplemental appraisals intended to survey higher-request applied comprehension; study hall perceptions and instructor reflections on their training; appraisals of teachers’ educational substance information; understudy view of the study hall instructional condition; and teachers’ impression of working conditions and instructional help at their schools. The venture is coordinated by Thomas J. Kane, Deputy Director and Steven Cantrell, Senior Program Officer at the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation. Our lead look into accomplices include:  ¦Ã¢ ¦  ¦Ã¢ ¦ Mark Atkinson, Teachscape Nancy Caldwell, Westat Charlotte Danielson, The Danielson Group Ron Ferguson, Harvard University Drew Gitomer, Educational Testing Service Pam Grossman, Stanford University Heather Hill, Harvard University Eric Hirsch, New Teacher Center Dan McCaffrey, RAND Catherine McClellan, Educational Testing Service Roy Pea, Stanford University Raymond Pecheone, Stanford University Geoffrey Phelps, Educational Testing Service Robert Pianta, University of Virginia Rob Ramsdell, Cambridge Education Doug Staiger, Dartmouth College John Winn, National Math and Science Initiative Introduction For four decades, instructive specialists have affirmed what numerous guardians know: children’s scholarly advancement relies intensely upon the ability and aptitudes of the educator driving their study hall. In spite of the fact that guardians may worry over their decision of school, inquire about proposes that their child’s instructor task in that school matters significantly more. But, in most government funded school locale, singular educators get little criticism on the work they do. Everywhere, educator assessment is a cursory exercise. In an excessive number of schools principals make a cursory effort of visiting study halls, agenda close by. At long last, for all intents and purposes all instructors get the equivalent â€Å"satisfactory† rating. 1 The expenses of this disregard are tremendous. Beginner teachers’ abilities level unreasonably right on time without the criticism they have to develop. In like manner, there are too scarcely any open doors for experienced instructors to share their training and reinforce the calling. At last, principals are compelled to settle on the most significant choice we ask of them†giving residency to starting instructors still from the get-go in their careersâ€with minimal target data to control them. In the event that we state â€Å"teachers matter† (and the exploration plainly says they do! ), for what reason do we give so little consideration to the work they do in the homeroom? On the off chance that instructors are delivering drastically various outcomes, why don’t we furnish them with that criticism and trust them to react to it? Settling the inconsistency will require new instruments for picking up understanding into teachers’ practice, better approaches to analyze their qualities and shortcomings and new ways to deal with creating educators. In the Fall of 2009, the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation propelled the Measures of Effective Teaching (MET) undertaking to test new ways to deal with recognizing powerful instructing. The objective of the undertaking is to improve the nature of data about instructing viability, to assist work with fairing and solid frameworks for instructor perception and input. OUR PARTNERS Albeit financed by the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation, the MET venture is driven by in excess of twelve associations, including scholarly establishments (Dartmouth College, Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Chicago, University of Michigan, University of Virginia, and University of Washington), not-for-profit associations (Educational Testing Service, RAND Corporation, the National Math and Science Initiative, and the New Teacher Center), and other instructive advisors (Cambridge Education, Teachscape, Westat, and the Danielson Group). Also, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and Teach for America have urged their individuals to take part. The American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association have been occupied with the undertaking. For sure, their neighborhood heads effectively helped select educators. 1 T he 2009 New Teacher Project study, The Widget Effect, found that assessment frameworks with two appraisals, â€Å"satisfactory† and â€Å"unsatisfactory,† 99 percent of instructors earned an agreeable. In assessment frameworks with multiple evaluations, 94 percent of instructors got one of the best two appraisals and short of what one percent were evaluated unsuitable. Introductory Findings from the Measures of Effective Teaching Project | 3 Yet, our most imperative accomplices are the almost 3000 educator chips in six school regions around the nation who chipped in for the venture. They did so as a result of their responsibility to the calling and their longing to grow better instruments for criticism and development. The six regions facilitating the undertaking are altogether dominatingly urban areas, spread the nation over: CharlotteMecklenburg Schools, Dallas Independent School District, Denver Public Schools, Hillsborough County Public Schools (counting Tampa, Florida), Memphis City Schools, and the New York City Department of Education. THE THREE PREMISES OF THE MET PROJECT The MET venture depends on three basic premises: First, at whatever point possible, a teacher’s assessment ought to incorporate their students’ accomplishment gains. Some raise authentic worries about whether understudy accomplishment picks up measure all of what we look for from educating. Obviously, they’re right. Each parent needs their youngsters to construct social abilities and to procure an affection for learning. In like manner, our different society needs kids who are open minded. Be that as it may, these objectives are not really at chances with accomplishment on state tests. For example, it might be that a viable educator prevails by moving an affection for learning, or by instructing kids to cooperate adequately. We will test these theories in future reports, utilizing the information from our understudy overviews. For instance, it might be conceivable to include proportions of understudy commitment as extra result measures. This would be especially valuable in evaluations and subjects where testing isn't doable. Others have raised separate worries about whether â€Å"value-added† gauges (which utilize factual techniques to recognize the effect of instructors and schools by altering for students’ earlier accomplishment and other estimated attributes) are â€Å"biased† (Rothstein, 2010). They call attention to that a few instructors might be appointed understudies that are efficiently extraordinary in other waysâ€such as inspiration or parental engagementâ€which influence their definitive execution yet are not sufficiently caught by earlier accomplishment measures. As we portray beneath, our examination tries to determine that question with a report the following winter. Around then, we will test whether esteem included measures precisely anticipate understudy accomplishment following arbitrary task of educators to study halls (inside a school, evaluation and subject). Nonetheless, in the meantime, there is little proof to recommend that esteem included measures are so one-sided as to be directionally deceptive. Despite what might be expected, in a little example of educators relegated to explicit lists by lottery, Kane and Staiger (2008) couldn't dismiss that there was no inclination and that the worth included measures approximated â€Å"causal† instructor impacts on understudy accomplishment. Besides, an ongoing re-examination of an analysis intended to test study hall size, yet which additionally haphazardly alloted understudies to educators, revealed instructor consequences for understudy accomplishment which were, actually, bigger than huge numbers of those detailed in esteem included investigations (Nye, Konstantopoulos and Hedges, 2004). Worth added measures do appear to pass on data about a teacher’s sway. Be that as it may, proof of inclination toward the finish of this current year may require downsizing (or up) the worth included estimates themselves. In any case, that’s to a great extent a matter of deciding how much weight ought to be joined to valueadded as one of numerous proportions of educator viability. 4 | Learning about Teaching Second, any extra parts of the assessment (e. g. , study hall perceptions, understudy input) ought to be obviously identified with understudy accomplishment gains. The subsequent rule is basic, particularly given that most educators are getting the equivalent â€Å"satisfactory† rating now. On the off chance that school regions and states essentially give principals another agenda to round out during their study hall visits little will change. The best way to be sure that the new criticism is pointing instructors in the privilege directionâ€toward improved understudy achievementâ€is to consistently affirm that those educators who get high

Hirschi About The Social Control Theory

Hirschi About The Social Control Theory “The highest possible stage in moral culture is when we recognize that we ought to control our thoughts and actions”, Charles Darwin. Social control theory definition Social control is a concept within the disciplines of the social science. Social control, within sociology, refers to the many ways in which our behavior, thoughts, and appearance are regulated by the norms, rules, laws, and social structures of society. Social control is a necessary component of social order, for society could not exist without it. Hirschi’s social control theory The Social Control Theory, originally known as The Social Bond Theory in 1969, was developed by Travis Hirschi. The central question of the theory asks why do people follow the law? The theory suggests that people engage in criminal activity when their bond to society has weakened. Hirschi states that “social control theory refers to a perspective which predicts that when social constraints on antisocial behavior are weakened or absent, delinquent behavior emerges.” Social disorganization theory points to broad social factors as the cause of deviance. A person is not born a criminal, but becomes one over time, often based on factors in his or her social environment. This deviance in his behanior is seen to result where feelings of disconnection from society predominate. Individuals who believe they are a part of society are less likely to commit crimes against it. Social bonds and restraints Hirschi identified four types of social bonds that connect people to society: Attachment measures our connections to others. People conform to society’s norms in order to gain approval (and prevent disapproval) from family, friends, and romantic partners when they are closely attached to people and worry about their opinion. Commitment refers to the investments we make in conforming to conventional behaviour. A well-respected local businesswoman who volunteers at her synagogue and is a member of the neighbourhood block organization has more to lose from committing a crime than a woman who does not have a career or ties to the community. Similarly, levels of involvement, or participation in socially legitimate activities, lessen a person’s likelihood of deviance. The final bond, belief, is an agreement on common values in society. If a person views social values as beliefs, he or she will conform to them. An environmentalist is more likely to pick up trash in a park because a clean environment is a social value to that person. Forms of Social control Social control tends to take one of two different forms: informal or formal. Informal social control refers to our conformity to the norms and values of the society, and adoption of a particular belief system, which we learn through the process of socialization. This form of social control is enforced by family, primary caregivers, peers, other authority figures like coaches and teachers, and by colleagues. Informal social control is enforced by rewards and sanctions. Reward often takes the form of praise or compliments, but also takes other common forms, like high marks on school work, promotions at work, and social popularity. Sanctions used to enforce informal social control from confused and disapproving looks, to conversations with family, peers, and authority figures, to social ostracization, among others. Formal social control is that which is produced and enforced by the state (government) and representatives of the state that enforce its laws like police, military, and other city, state, and federal agencies. Social control theory in criminology Unlike most criminology theories that purport to explain why people offend, control theory offers the justification for why people obey rules. Social control theories, however, focus primarily on external factors and the processes by which they become effective. Deviance and crime occur because of inadequate constraints. Crime and deviance are considered predictable behaviors that society has not curtailed. Explaining conformity, particularly the process by which people are socialized to obey the rules, is the essence of social control theory. Thus, social control theory focuses on how the absence of close relationships with conventional others can free individuals from social constraints, thereby allowing them to engage in delinquency. Why people commit crime? Many people have their own theories on what makes a criminal. Some of these theories are based on first hand knowledge or experience, some unfortunately may be based on racism or prejudice, and some on scientifically investigated studies. The causes of crime are complex. Most people today accept that poverty, parental neglect, low self-esteem, alcohol and drug abuse are all connected in explaining why people commit crimes. For example, it is much easier to steal money than to work for it. So in the eyes of control theorists, crime requires no special explanation: it is often the most expedient way to get what one wants. Some people are simply at greater risk of becoming offenders because of the circumstances into which they are born. Individualists tend to focus on individual weakness or lack of values as the reason why people commit crimes. Examining why people commit crime is very important in the ongoing debate of how crime should be handled and prevented. Any society must have harmony and order. Where there is no harmony or order the society actually does not exist because society is a harmonious organization of human relationships. The results of social control are not always beneficial to society or to the individual. Using the force to influence on individuals to correct the deviation in their behavior is not always a good option on solving the problem. It may cause mental disorders, psychosomatic illnesses and other disorders and, as the result, to increase the number of psychopaths and sociopaths in our society. One of the reasons that individuals comply with norm prescriptions and avoid counter-normative actions or attitudes is fear of social negative evaluation by others. In the worst cases, individuals tend to respond with the force or to resign completely to act in accordance to social norms. This type of behavior called “rebel”- one may be followed by crimes made on purpose as they could be performed as a form of disobedience in the future. However, social control is necessary to protect social interests and satisfy common needs. If social control is removed and every individual is left to behave freely society would be reduced to a state of lawlessness.

Champlain College SAT Scores, Acceptance Rate

Admissions at Champlain College are largely open. Those with grades and test scores above average have a good chance of being admitted; however, Champlain looks at more that just scores and grades. Students can fill out an application with the school, or via the Common Application (more on that below). In addition to an application, students will need to submit scores from the SAT or ACT, as well as recommendations and a high school transcript. Personal interviews are not required  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹but are encouraged. Students interested in applying to any arts programs should check out the schools admissions website for more information about submitting portfolios.   Admissions Data (2016) Champlain College Acceptance Rate: 70%Test Scores -- 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: 520 / 630SAT Math: 510 / 630SAT Writing: 490 / 600What these SAT numbers meanCompare SAT scores for Vermont collegesACT Composite: 23 / 29ACT English: 23 / 29ACT Math: 21  / 287What these ACT numbers meanCompare ACT scores for Vermont colleges Champlain College Description: Champlain College is not your typical small private college. When you look at some of the majors that Champlain offers, like game design and radiography, youll see why. The college does have a liberal arts foundation, but the curriculum is designed to have specific and sometimes niche applications in the world. Students are encouraged to explore their major from the first year, gain practical knowledge, and develop conceptual and critical thinking skills. Students can even bring their own business to college as part of the BYOBiz program and receive course work and mentoring to help with their business goals. Enrollment (2016) Total Enrollment: 4,778  (3,912 undergraduates)Gender Breakdown: 59% Male / 41% Female66% Full-time Costs (2016 - 17) Tuition and Fees: $38,660Books: $1,000Room and Board: $14,472Other Expenses: $2,174Total Cost: $56,306 Champlain College Financial Aid (2015  - 16) Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 96%Percentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 96%Loans: 69%Average Amount of AidGrants: $16,699Loans: $9,795 Academic Programs Most Popular Majors:  Accounting, Business Administration, Computer and Information Sciences, Criminal Justice, Elementary Education, Liberal Arts, Multimedia Graduation, Retention and Transfer Rates First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 82%Transfer-out Rate: 28%4-Year Graduation Rate: 54%6-Year Graduation Rate: 62% Data Source National Center for Educational Statistics If You Like Champlain College, You May Also Like These Schools Ithaca College: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphDrexel University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphEndicott College: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphBennington College: Profile  Syracuse University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphBoston University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphRochester Institute of Technology: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Vermont: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphRoger WIlliams University: Profile  Emerson College: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphBurlington College: Profile   Champlain and the Common Application Champlain College uses the  Common Application. These articles can help guide you: Common Application essay tips and samplesShort answer tips and samplesSupplemental essay tips and samples

The Philosophical and Moral Component of Virtue Ethics Movie Review

Essays on The Philosophical and Moral Component of Virtue Ethics Movie Review The paper "The Philosophical and Moral Component of Virtue Ethics" is a good example of a movie review on philosophy. The lecture attempts to explain the intricacies that revolve around the philosophical yet moral component of virtue ethics. It is important to understand the history of virtue ethics to disseminate the facets that make up the topic. The lecture makes it evident that virtue ethics stemmed from the Greeks’ perspective to the modern-day philosophers who view virtue ethics as a moral obligation among humanity. The video illustrates the transition of virtue ethics from the Greeks who viewed it as a source of good living. The rise of Judaism and Christianity broadened the scope of virtue ethics and termed it as divine commands. Finally, due to continued secularism, the scope shifted to a subject of moral law terming virtue ethics as the most appropriate thing to do. The video continues to explain the modern-day view of virtue ethics as propelled by philosophers such as John Stuart Mill (utilitarianism) and Emmanuel Kant (Absolutism). According to the theory of utilitarianism, virtue ethics entail maximizing the good for the greatest population. On the other hand, the theory of absolutism entails accepting and following a set of beliefs as an obligation. However, the lecture creates a point of deviation from the theoretical point of view to a simplified perspective of virtue ethics as described by Aristotle. The video points out that Aristotle based his perspective on virtue ethics as the good of man. In addition, a comparison of such perspective with that of the Bible indicates that humanity ought to love without conditions or a set of beliefs. The explanation derived from the video indicates that virtue ethics is a balance between two extremes; that of deficiency and excess. As such, virtue ethics is about morality. In addition, Aristotleâ€⠄¢s perspective, as per the video, indicates that such a balance entails what humanity considers as good rather than a set of guidelines and beliefs as that of absolutism.

Itt Tech Comp. Ii Final Paper Free Essays

Course Project Submission The Legalization of Marijuana J. Doe ITT Technical Institute March 7, 2013 Composition II Dr. Sue Introduction Marijuana should be legalized. We will write a custom essay sample on Itt Tech Comp. Ii Final Paper or any similar topic only for you Order Now That is the decision everyone in our group has come to. We believe the pros of marijuana use greatly outnumber the cons, and that the government needs to realize that. Defending either side of this argument is actually quite difficult. Any studies that you may find can be disproven by studies performed from the opposition and vice versa. Still, we have not found anything that has even came close to changing our opinions. Medical Use Many studies have been performed that prove marijuana can help with the treatment of many types of cancers. Metastasis is when cancer cells spread from one part of the body to another (Mandal, n. d. , What is Metastasis). Scientists at California Pacific Medical Center have found a compound in marijuana that can actually stop metastasis. This compound is called Cannabidiol. They learned this first by testing the compound on animals that had cancer and have proven that it works. They are now waiting on approval to begin human testing (Wilkey, 2012, Marijuana and Cancer). It can also be used to replace many pain pills that damage our kidneys and cause major addictions. Studies show that smoking marijuana can help lessen nerve pain or pain caused by surgery. â€Å"About 10% to 15% of patients attending a chronic pain clinic use cannabis as part of their pain control strategy†(Doheny, 2010, Marijuana Relieves Chronic Pain). Lower Crime Rates In 2011, after legalizing marijuana in California, the juvenile crime rate dropped 20 percent. The number of arrests for violent crimes dropped by 16 percent, homicide went down by 26 percent and drug arrests decreased by nearly 50 percent. In 2010, marijuana possession accounted for 64 percent of all drug arrests, and in 2011, that number decreased to only 46 percent (Sankin, 2012, California Marijuana Decriminalization). Many people believe that drug dispensaries would attract crime. A study has shown that crime actually seems to be much less near the dispensaries then in the areas where dispensaries have been closed. â€Å"On the blocks with closed dispensaries, crime was 60% greater within a three-block radius, and 25% greater within a six-block radius than on the blocks with open dispensaries, according to the study† (Shaw, 2011, Study Show Lower Crime Rate). A Better Economy There are many ways legalizing marijuana can help the economy. Marijuana-related charges would fall significantly, saving US prisons nearly $1 billion annually. Ending prohibition laws against marijuana would save taxpayers $41. 8 billion annually. Marijuana growers in California account for $14 billion a year now that is legalized there. The selling of marijuana illegally is a $38 billion industry which is money our government is missing out on (Bradford, 2012, Boost the Economy). Physical Dangers to Users There are many studies that show marijuana use can greatly impair a user’s motor skills. They have shown that these impairments lead to a much higher rate of vehicle accidents even though people think being high has nothing to do with it. Studies have also shown that the constant inhalation of smoke, whether it is tobacco or marijuana, can lead to cancer. There has also been a link of marijuana use to psychosis, anxiety, and panic attacks (Lipkis, 2012, Impaired Driving Skills). A Worse Economy Polls show that many people do not believe legalizing marijuana would boost the economy. About a quarter of those polled said legalized pot would lead to more jobs in their communities; 57 percent said there would be no effect. About a third thinks the economy would improve, while 46 percent foresee no impact† (Grisling, 2010, Will NOT Boost Economy). In fact, many people think it will make things worse. This is because while marijuana dispensaries are favored, there are not many people that would invest in them. â€Å"If marijuana was decriminalized, more Americans favor private businesses selling it (54 percent) than the government (36 percent). But just 24 percent said they would be interested in investing in a company that sells pot† (Grisling, 2010, Will NOT Boost Economy). Conclusion The legalization of marijuana is, in our opinion, a good thing. Many people have benefitted from using marijuana even if there are some undesirable side effects. Moderation is something that needs to be applied. Whether it be marijuana or even exercising, too much can hurt you. Recreational use is not what was discussed here. Improving upon the lives we are currently living, through the different applications of marijuana, is what we aimed to point out. How to cite Itt Tech Comp. Ii Final Paper, Essay examples

The Eyes of Poverty free essay sample

I attend one of the most privileged prep schools in the country and simultaneously live only a few miles away from one of the poorest cities. My mother works as a supervisor in that impoverished city, Camden, NJ, at an agency most commonly known as Welfare. My perspective, therefore, stems from a paradox of influences perhaps reflected best by our dinner conversations consisting of both destitute drug addicts and the latest high school gossip. This unique situation allows me insight into not only the triviality of my â€Å"problems†, but also the extent of my classmates’ ignorance about the immense issue of poverty. It is all too easy for my peers to sit back in their V-neck sweaters and pressed slacks and exclaim about the tax dollars wasted on the nation’s poor. Of course, these complaints come loudest from the kids who have not worked a day in their lives, whose Daddies bought them Mercedes before they could even drive worth more than what a welfare recipient might see in years. We will write a custom essay sample on The Eyes of Poverty or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page With each remark, I shoot back about the cycle of poverty, gang violence, addiction, disability, and mental illness, but inevitably, I end up bending my head and gritting my teeth in frustration. However despite these daily defeats, I continue to respond because I know something that they do not; that poverty has a name, a face, a family, and a story. For a few years now, my mother has especially advocated for a particular client, a homeless paranoid schizophrenic by the name of Mr. McKay. Mr. McKay has a family and a very caring, albeit aging mother who calls at least once a month to ask if her son has cashed his Welfare check, an indication that he is alive. She also sends cards for every holiday and birthday, cards that my mother dutifully hand delivers to Mr. McKay in the soup kitchen line if she has not seen him in a few days. Sometimes Mr. McKay turns up with a new bruise or gash, displaying to the world the immense impact his mind has had on his body, Though obviously suffering from overwhelming disabilities, he only receives minimal general assistance or minimal free handouts draining the country’s resources as my peers would so adeptly put it. Luckily, Mr. McKay does not take notice; he sleeps under the stars, in the rain, with the gang bangers bothering him for the contents of his garbage bag, with the voices in his head. I am fortunate enough to have had the unique pleasure of meeting Mr. McKay while volunteering at the soup kitchen one afternoon. Besides his gentle nature and gratitude, what jumped out at me about him from the layers of clothing and grime acquired from years of living on the streets was his piercing blue eyes, the same eyes that at an earlier point undoubtedly looked out at the world from a more functional and realistic perspective. I wondered then and wonder still if he experiences any moments of lucidity through those eyes and how he feels about what his life has become. I wonder if he ever worries about his mother who still has not given up on him or thinks about the teens sitting in their ironed clothes judging him and others like him in a prep school classroom just a few towns away. Poverty is more than an issue of choice or work ethic, it is an epidemic plaguing a nation of damaged individuals who need help, not judgment. I believe that empathy and education are indispensable parts of this so I refuse to stop responding, loudly, to the ignorance spewed in my social justice class, on television, and in daily conversation because I know the victims so flippantly dismissed: the teen mother, the lifelong drug addict, the unemployed father, and the schizophrenic man sleeping on a bench somewhere in Camden. I think of their mothers sending birthday cards and calling the Welfare office, wondering if this time, they will be told by a harried social worker that their son is dead. I think of their faces, faces that could be anyone’s, even yours or mine. I think of my own blue eyes staring back at me.