January 20, 2008

ABC Who Is Me?

Your Multicultural Alphabet goes on this page. Two early submissions published below show the great potential of this assignment.

For an indepth explanation of how ABC Who Is Me? fits into the Multicultural Issues scaffold, read the essay on the class homepage. Just click the photo of the young man at the top left to get there.

Due date for your assignment is January 27.

Jessica Fay's ABC Who Is Me? submission is a great example of how to approach the assignment with the voice of a poet and lyricist.
NOTE: Rhyme is nice, but not absolutely necessary.

Anthony's ABC Who Is Me? submission is a powerful personal narrative that demonstrates the expressiveness and deep cultural connections that can be inspired by this assignment.

Jessica Skordal's ABC Who Is Me? submission is an incisive and sensitive exploration of cultural roots and family ties.

Coty's ABC Who Is Me? submission takes us through a diverse array of cultural, familial, and personal connections that define one man's expression of identity.

This is a flexible and creative assignment. Just follow your ABCs. The rest is up to you.

ABC Who Is Me? is designed to reflect who you are and what you can tell the world about your cultural connections and heritage. When we're done, we should be able to see up close and personal how effectively the Multicultural Alphabet assignment will work for your students.

Justin Keen

A is for Arkansas,
     Named by the mighty Algonquian

B is for Bryant,
     It is pronounced with one syllable in my dialect

C is for Country,
     My people need room

D is for Don't,
     "Don't worry about losing your accent a southern man tells better jokes"

E is for Earth
     I was taught it would sustain me

F is for Funky,
     Sometimes you need to get down

G is Good Ole Boy,
     I was groomed to be one

H is for Hunting,
     Family tradition and rites of passage

I is for Impersonation,
     Taught to be our fathers

J is for John 8:32,
     "The truth will set you free"

K is for Keen,
     Who moved down from the Carolinas

L is for Logger,
     My grandfathers inherited trade

M is for Murky,
     Like the Saline River in whose bottoms I was taught how to act

N is for Never,
     "Never act like your families a joke"

O is for October 1,
     When Jane Marie became my bride

P is for Protestant work ethic

Q is for Quick,
     To use wit, to throw a punch, you want to get out of here don't you?

R is for Romine,
     Who fled the dust bowl to Helena

S is for Southern,
     The best part of the country

T is for the ever-present TV.

U is for Underpaid

V is for Vegetables,
     I love to grow them

W is for White Oaks,
     Which shade my daddies' house

X is for Xanthic,
     How I looked when I was born

Y is for Yesterday,
     Which I cannot change

Z is for Zero,
     My uncle told me I had "a snowball's chance in a microwave" that's zero.

Justin Keen
January 27, 2008

Jessica Fay

A is for American,
     First and foremost

B is for Brown Eyes,
     Latin blood, of that I will boast

C is for Colombia
     The land of my mother

D is for Dancing
     A better time spent with family?
     Of that there's no other

E is for Education
     A must for my kin

F is for Fair and Freckles
     From my Mediterranean skin

G is for God
     To His will I succumb

H is for Hospitality
     "Bienvenidos" means welcome

I is for Indian
     Slanted eyes of the Cherokee

J is for Joviality
     Keeping my heart young, along with esprit

K is for Kiss
     A sign of friendship to display

L is for my Last Name
     From a long German one to Fay

M is for Middle Class
     Not rich, but not poor

N is for Nymph
     Petite women in the family for sure

O is for Ocean
     Born near one in Florida during Hurricane Isabel

P is for Philomath
     Learning has me under its spell

Q is for Quality
     I strive for the best

R is for Respect
     Because of my elders, I truly feel blessed

S is for Scotland and Spain
     Where my grandmothers come from

T is for Travel
     Seeing 13 countries made me who I've become

U is for Unique
     Yes, no one is like me

V is for Valedictorian
     My parents would not stand for a 'B'

W is for Wink
     No room in life to be a coward

X is for X-Chromosomes
     Having two of those makes me feel empowered

Y is for Yen
     Passion for life is a must

Z is for Zenith
     Accomplish my dreams or bust!

Jessica S. Fay
January 19, 2008

Anthony Halter

A is for American
     That even with all her flaws,
     I am proud to call home.

B is for the brotherhood
     I experienced in the Nondenominational church.

C is for Caucasian
     Which labels my family's ethnic background.

D is for the determination
     My father had to move his family
     out of the backwoods to a better life.

E is for the energy
     I feel when I am in my old church.

F is for the fear
     I feel in the face of my ignorant relatives.

G is for Germany
     Where my father's family hails.

H is for my honor
     In that I have risen above the prejudice
     taught in my German upbringing.

I is for the insecurity
     I face when stepping away
     from the rural values of my youth.

J is for the junk
     My parents protected us from
     by raising us out on the farm.

K is for the kindness
     From my childhood church
     that nurtured my young spirit.

L is for my father's learning
     That the ignorance of his past
     did not have to dominate his sons' lives.

M is my mother
     Who loves me no matter what.

N is for my need
     To understand the cultures
     that separate us and bring us together.

O is for the openness
     In which I live my life.

P is for the power
     I feel knowing that I know
     who I am spiritually and socially.

Q is for my favorite quote,
     "Who I have been
     is not as important as who I can be."

R is for raw
     Which describes how uncomfortable I feel
     relating to being German.

S is for the security
     I feel knowing I do not have to live
     the harshness of my father's impoverished past.

T is for the temper
     I inherited from my father.

U is for the underdog
     Who I relate to as a result of my struggles
     to flee the grasps of ignorance and poverty.

V is for violence
     That my mother's
     native American ancestors experienced.

W is for the will of my parents
     To teach their sons to think
     outside the programming of their youth.

X is for the x-axis
     That represents the level starting point
     that I know I am below
     due to my personal life choices.

Y is for the years I spent
     In ignorance of rural prejudice
     that I wish I could relive.

Z is for the zeal
     That my father had for education
     and challenging the ways we think
     about the people around us.

Anthony Halter
January 19, 2008

Jessica Skordal

A is for American
     The description I proudly carry

B is for Bentonville
     My hometown in Arkansas

C is for Christian
     The religion I base my life on

D is for Dublin
     The word from which my maiden name (Noblin) was taken

E is for English
     The language spoke in my home

F is for Family
     The roots of heritage

G is for God
     My lord and savior

H is for Hillbilly
     The term used for my ancestors

I is for Irish
     My heritage and pride

J is for Jack of All Trades
     The characteristic that describes my husband

K is for Kindness
     A trait learned from my mother

L is for Love
     The aspect of life that has both hindered and helped me

M is for Mexico
     The only country I have been to outside of the United States

N is for Norway
     The heritage of my husband and someday children

O is for Optimist
     A characteristic my mother holds. Never let the weakness and mistakes of her past affect the growth of her children

P is for Potatoes
     The food of my homeland

Q is for Quality
     The type of time I spend with my family

R is for Religion
     The central aspect of my entire life

S is for Sandlin
     The maiden name of my mother, strong Irish roots

T is The Ten Commandments
     The rules I follow

U is for Understanding differences
     A characteristic my family taught me

V is for Variform
     A description of my melting pot of a family

W is for Woman
     My gender and Pride

X is for Xanthippe
     A characteristic of my fiery Irish Temper

Y is for Young
     The way I describe myself

Z is for Zaftig
     A characteristic of the women in my family and the health concern I constantly face

Jessica Skordal
January 22, 2008

Landry (Coty) Nichols

A. Arkansas
     Where I have lived most of my life.

B. Blue Eyes
     I'm the only one in my family with 'em.

C. Coty
     Mine and my grandfather's nickname.

D. Ducote
     My middle name and my mother's maiden name.

E. Episcopalian
     My family's denomination.

F. French
     My family's ancestral home.

G. Glad
     I'm glad to be in the MAT!

H. Hand/Eye Coordination
     An inheritance from my father. Helps me play better tennis!

I. Interesting
     What I hope I am when I'm teaching.

J. Jennifer
     My girlfriend's name.

K. King
     As in Martin Luther King; one of our country's greatest leaders.

L. Landry
     Mine and my grandfather's first name.

M. Monroe
     My hometown in Louisiana.

N. Nichols
     My last name.

O. Ouachita
     The parish in Louisiana where my family is from.

P. Pluralism
     My acknowledgement and promotion of diversity.

Q. Question Authority
     What my folks always impressed upon me.

R. Racial Harmony
     What we need more of in this city, state, country, world.

S. Support
     I'm supportive of my friends, family, students, etc.

T. Tolerance
     How I try to conduct myself with all peoples and points of view.

U. Unity without Uniformity
     Acceptance and individualism. What I hope our leaders will promote.

V. Virginia
     My late aunt's name.

W. Washington DC
     The most diverse city in which I have lived.

X. Xenophobia
     What I hope will end soon in this country.

Y. Young
     I will always be young at heart.

Z. Zachary
     One of my favorite ESL students.

Landry (Coty) Nichols
January 22, 2008

Julie Allard

A is for Allard
     My married name

B is for Brown
     My maiden name

C is for Cunning
     Women must try harder

D is for Daring
     Dare to be different

E is for Effort
     Always try your best

F is for Fiery
     Never give up

G is for Grace
     My dear daughter

H is for Heredity
     I enjoy good health

I is for Incentive
     I must support my children

J is for Julie
     Free to be me

K is for Kid-like
     Wanna play?

L is for Learning
     Never to stop

M is for Michael
     My dear son

N is for Noble
     Character is tops

O is for Older
     I savor maturity

P is for Prejudice
     That I grew up with

Q is for Quarterly
     Carry insurance

R is for Relatives
     It takes a village

S is for Sisters
     Never go it alone

T is for Trusting
     There must be a heaven

U is for Understanding
     People are not all the same

V is for Viable
     I can live on a teacher's salary

W is for White
     I wish I knew my genealogy

X is for eXamine
     Never get complacent

Y is for Yearning
     I want a career

Z is for Zero
     No holding back!

Julie Allard
January 22, 2008

Jazmin Carranza

A is for America
     where I have liberty and prosperity
     that no other country has.

B is for Brown hair and eyes
     that I inherited from my father.

C is for California
     where the sun shined upon me
     the first day of my existence.

D is for Dios (God)
     the God that I pray to everyday
     to help me in this world.

E is for Education
     which I am soooooo lucky to have.

F is for Family
     that I love and would not trade
     for anything in the world.

G is for Girl
     The girl who is shy, quiet, but nice.

H is for Hispanic
     the roots of my spirit and soul.

I is for Inspiration
     to be someone in this world who makes
     a difference in someone's life.

J is for Jazmin
     the name that was given
     to me by my mother.

K is for Kid
     the kid in me.

L is for Leonardo
     The love of my life and my best friend.

M is for Mexico and Music
     the musical talent I inherited
     from my Mexican ancestors.

N is for New
     the new places, people, and experiences
     that make life exciting.

O is for Opportunity
     That I am given in the United States.

P is for Pain
     the affliction that both my parents
     had to suffer when they left their homes.

Q is for Querer la vida (love life)
     Life is too short. Enjoy!

R is for Respectar
     which means respect, and this I try
     to do each day to everyone I meet.

S is for Salvadorian
     the second half that makes me "me."

T is for Teacher
     which I always wanted to be
     since I was in 4th grade.

U is for Urge
     the drive my parents gave me
     to go to college and obtain an education.

V is for Victorious
     I am the first in my family
     and the first generation
     to have a college education.

W is for Warmth
     I like to be kind to every person I meet
     even if differences exists.

X is for X-Ray
     which symbolizes the transparency of my heart.

Y is for Yo-Yo
     which represents the ups and downs
     in my life, but it's always for the best.

Z is for Zest
     that I have for life.

Jazmin Carranza
January 22, 2008

Sarah White

A is for Arkansan
     Where I was born, raised (kind of), and live now

B is for Brown eyes
     From my African-American father

C is for Californian
     Where I was raised

D is for Dude
     I call everyone that, slang word associated with my upbringing in California

E is for Empathetic
     I was raised to be that way

F is for Firefighter's wife
     Strong traditions and the legacy of my husband

G is for Gregarious

H is for Hyper

I is for Intelligent

J is for Jumpy

K is for Karma conscious
     I try to follow Buddhist ideologies

L is for Loud

M is for Marine
     Strong traditions and a legacy

N is for Nervous

O is for Open-Minded

P is for Perfectionist

Q is for Questions
     I'm not afraid to ask most of them

R is for Resilient
     Due to MY history and background

S is for Sentimental

T is for Tattooed
     Just because I have them doesn't make me a bad person

U is for Understanding

V is for Versatile

W is for Worry Wart

X is for Xanthippe (sometimes)
     A strong loud woman
     (All of the women in my family have been this way)

Y is for Ya'll
     Word engrained in me due to my heritage and upbringing

Z is for Zen
     Again the Buddhist ideals

Sarah White
January 24, 2008

Jeff Holland

A is for American,
     Which that I am

B is for Blue eyes,
     That I got from my father

C is for Cherokee,
     The tribe of my mother's family

D is for Dutch,
     Where my father's ancestors once roamed

E is for Education,
     The profession that has chosen me

F is for Father,
     Who exemplified hard work

G is for Gordon,
     My middle name, after my Grandfather

H is for Harmony,
     What I need in my life and classroom

I is for Initiative,
     The example my mother set for me

J is for Joy,
     The feeling I have when I teach

K is for Knowledge,
     That I have and still must gain

L is for Laughter,
     To help keep me sane during this year

M is for Middle Class,
     The upbringing and values that were taught to me

N is for Need,
     To understand other people and cultures

O is for Oklahoma,
     My home state, and go Sooners!!

P is for Patience,
     Which I exercise everyday

Q is for Quit,
     Is what I will never do

R is for Respect,
     It must be earned, not given

S is for Short,
     Like all the men in my family

T is for Teaching,
     It is what I love to do

U is for Unity,
     Which is what I hope for

V is for Victory,
     What I will have achieved at the end of this year

W is for Wife,
     Who supports me in all my endeavors

X is for Xmas,
     The best day of the year

Y is for Yesterday,
     To reflect on how I can improve

Z is for Zeal,
     That I have for life and learning

Jeff Holland
January 24, 2008

Kendra Jones

NOTE: My students helped me fill in my ABC Who Is Me?

A is for All-American, Agriculture

B is for Baseball
     All-American pasttime

C is for Christian

D is for Dance
     Our culture, like many others (Mexico, Ireland)
     uses dancing to express our feelings.

E is for English

F is for Family, Freedom

G is for Gracious
     Americans are gracious
     to our elders and ancestors

H is for Honesty, Honor
     Provided to us by our nation's soldiers.

I is for Irish, Ingle
     My future last name.

J is for Jealousy

K is for Knothead
     Sometimes people are stubborn
     and will not change their opinions
     regardless of facts.

L is for Lord, Loud
     Culturally, Americans are loud and outspoken.

M is for Manners

N is for Nephew and Niece
     My culture — our family is close.

O is for Obnoxious
     Americans come across that way sometimes.

P is for Prideful

Q is for Quick-Tempered

R is for Racist
     Like it or not, not all of America
     is positive about the mixture of cultures
     we have in our country.

S is for Siblings
     2 brothers, 2 sis-in-laws —
     Americans have many brothers and sisters.

T is for Trustworthy, Texan
     My family comes from Texas.

U is for Undefined
     The American culture is undefined,
     a melting pot.

V is for Vicious
     With many different kinds of people
     in our country, some can come across as vicious.

W is for Wales
     My ancestors are from Wales.

X is for Xena Warrior Princess
     Like Rosie the Riveter,
     it's about women's rights in America.

Y is for Young
     Our culture's future is in the kids.

Z is for Zealous
     Americans strive and USUALLY work hard.

Kendra Jones
January 25, 2008

Michael Figueroa

A is for Arkansas,
     the place I now call home.

B is for Benji,
     which is my middle name.

C is for Cola,
     which I prefer without the foam,
     and

D is for Dallas,
     from where my Mavericks proudly came.

E is for Easy-Going,
     which I prefer to be.

F is for Figueroa,
     the name I've held since birth,
     and

G is for Gorgeous,
     and, I know, that doesn't refer to me.

H is for Hispanic,
     because it's in my blood,
     and

I is for Insider,
     which this program has made me become.

J is for Joking,
     which you can tell I like to do.

K is for K,
     whom I'm proud to call a friend.

L is for Linda,
     the aunt I sadly never met,
     and

M is for Michael,
     you know that name I bet.

N is for Numbers,
     which I've always used a ton.

O is for the Obstacles,
     which I've felt lucky to jump past,
     and

P is for my Parents,
     without whom I would be no one.

Q is for Quiet,
     which my classrooms hardly are.

R is for Rest,
     of which I think I need some more.

S is for my Siblings,
     whom I honestly adore (Yes, honestly),
     and

T is for Teaching,
     which shouldn't be surprising.

U is for Umbrella,
     which I'll need when I go to London....
     because

V is for Vicky,
     my pal who lives in England.

W is for Witchcraft,
     which is what it took (Harry Potter)
     to get me to read.

X is for X,
     a math teacher's favorite unknown.

Y is for Young,
     which I hope I am still at heart,
     and

Z is for my Zeal,
     which it took to finish this part.

Michael Figueroa
January 26, 2008

Angela McCutcheon

A is for Arkansas.
     Born and raised.

B is for Brothers.
     Who have my eyes and my smile.

C is for Confederate.
     I have ancestors who fought for the Confederacy.

D is for Dallas.
     I naturally inherited a deep love for the Cowboys.

E is for Emotional.
     It's by no means out of the ordinary to see tears and long hugs when we all get together.

F is for Federal.
     I have ancestors who fought for the Union.

G is for Green.
     My mother has successfully passed her "tree-hugger" values on to me.

H is for Hannah.
     Hannah is my best friend and the mother of my godson. She has influenced my culture by helping me develop a healthy and nutritious lifestyle.

I is for Indian.
     My paternal great great grandmother was full-blooded Crow Indian.

J is for John.
     My dad and my best bud.

K is for a "Kiss, a hug, a hit, and some love."
     Our family's traditional goodbye saying.

L is for Love.
     My parents have been divorced since I was five, but still remain best friends and have shown my brothers and I how truly important love is during the hardest of times.

M is for Music.
     Before I can even remember, my dad and uncles were sitting around with their guitars singing and writing songs while I hung on their every word. The McCutcheons are definitely music lovers.

N is for Nature.
     I have a deep love of the outdoors.

O is for Outspoken.
     My mom raised me to always speak my mind.

P is for Plaid.
     The McCutcheons are a part of the Donald clan and we have our own plaid (pretty cool!).

Q is for Questions.
     This assignment prompted me to call and ask my uncle questions about our heritage.

R is for River.
     River is the name of my beautiful dog. Ask anyone.... He's my life.

S is for Sister.
     My mom and little brothers have always called me by this name.

T is for Tired.
     When I'm sleepy, I naturally act grumpy and intolerable. My mom always says "we don't do tired well."

U is for Unconditional.
     I know that no matter what conflicts I face in my life, my brothers will always be by my side.

V is for Very small ears.
     A feature I have inherited from both sides of my family.

W is for Widows peak.
     Another inherited feature.

X is for Wrong.
     This is a symbol our culture has always used to signify the wrong answer and now I have to use it to grade papers.

Y is for Yelling.
     Yelling has always been an accepted form of communication at my house. We're a rowdy bunch.

Z is for Zzzzzzzz
     I need to catch some of these before school tomorrow.

Angela McCutcheon
January 27, 2008

Elizabeth Tucker

Arkansas
     When I was younger, I swore I would leave as soon as I could, but now I can't imagine making anywhere else my home.

Black bean and pineapple quesadillas
     Sounds strange, but this is one of my favorite meals!

Costa Rica
     I spent four weeks of the most wonderful weeks of my life there.

Dog person
     If you have to be one or the other, I have to side with dogs over cats (my Chihuahua would get her feelings hurt otherwise).

Energy
     I believe that this is the elusive key to success in teaching (and life), and I am always in search of more of it.

Family
     My family is immensely important in my life� I don't know what I would do without them.

Grateful
     When I'm frustrated with my circumstances, I remind myself to be thankful for the many blessings that I have been granted.

Homemade
     Almost all of my clothes were sewn by my mom when I was little.

Ireland
     Not only where my fiancé proposed to me last summer, but where my family originally came from.

Jasmine
     My almost middle name, taken from my maternal grandmother — one of the most profound examples of a lady that has ever lived.

Kids
     I love them in general, and I can't wait to meet my own someday.

Loyal
     Once you win me over, you're stuck with me.

Media literacy
     I think this is a vital skill to teach kids today, and I plan to incorporate it with a focus on current events in my classroom.

New Zealand
     One of the places I would love to travel when I can afford it (it is unbelievably gorgeous there)!

Open-minded
     If I know anything, it is that I don't know everything.

Piano
     Music is soothing to me when I am stuck in traffic.

Quiet
     When I am irritated or upset, I don't say much until I can articulate my emotions in a healthy way.

Russellville
     Where I finally found a hometown after moving around every few years in my childhood.

Stubborn
     But in a good way. This trait was unavoidable for me.... I inherited it both from my mother and my father.

Traditional
     While it is important to consider newer methods of instruction and incorporate contemporary issues in the classroom, I don't think it is necessary to throw out every traditional approach to teaching.

University of Central Arkansas
     I am one of the very few MAT students who did not go to the U of A for my undergraduate degree.

Vagrant
     Until my family moved to Russellville the summer before sixth grade, I felt like we were constantly shifting from one city to another and felt like I did not have a place to call home.

Weddings
     Mine will be on May 31st, 2008, so I have had wedding on the brain for awhile!

Xenophobia is not cool.
     I understand that people are afraid of what they are unfamiliar with, but it is my dream to eradicate this in my students.

Yuppie flu
     This year, sometimes I feel like I have it... a hazard of the MAT.

Z-pack
     I think the Z-pack is very characteristic of American culture; we're too impatient to wait for a cold to run its course (I'm not judging.... I am a typical "American").

Elizabeth Tucker
January 28, 2008

Sarah Applegate

A is for Acceptance
     I always try to be open-minded and appreciate the differences that make us unique.

B is for Bilingual
     Minoring in Spanish allowed me to fall in love with another culture, and it is a language I am still trying to learn.

C is for Christian
     My faith has continued to be an important part of who I am.

D is for Dual Identities
     At this point in my life, I am both a teacher and a student, which creates an interesting and challenging combination of roles.

E is for English
     My native language and the subject I hope to inspire other students to love.

F is for Fifty-Nine Years
     My grandparents have been married for over half a century, and that type of love is something I value and hope to find for myself.

G is for Goals
     Striving to do my best has been instilled in my character from a very young age.

H is for Home
     Everyone needs a retreat from the world where they can always count on finding comfort and love.

I is for Individual
     The journey of figuring out who I am as an individual is an ongoing process.

J is for Justice
     Sometimes I'm amazed at how unjust the world can be; I wish that everyone could be treated fairly.

K is for Kindness
     I fully subscribe to the motto "Treat others as you would like to be treated."

L is for Learning
     I've chosen a career that allows me to continue pursuing my own learning and enable the learning of others.

M is for Middle Class
     I'm constantly reminded of all the comforts and abundance in my life that so many others will never know, and I try not to take these things for granted.

N is for New Experiences
     I love expanding my horizons through traveling and experiencing new things.

O is for Ownership
     I strive to take responsibility for my own actions and decisions, which isn't always easy.

P is for Prayer
     Believing that you can trust in and rely on something greater than yourself is a powerful and beautiful feeling.

Q is for Quality Time
     Spending time with those you love is priceless.

R is for the Real World
     Graduation is quickly approaching, and I'm nervously excited about entering the next phase of my life.

S is for Southerner
     Born and raised in Arkansas, I believe there's nothing quite like Southern hospitality.

T is for my Twenties
     Although I'm only twenty-two, I think I have grown and learned the most about who I am over the past few years.

U is for the United States
     The melting pot of the world is one of the best examples of diversity.

V is for Values
     Honesty, freedom, family, and love are all things that I value.

W is for Woman
     Simultaneously nurturing and strong, I'm very proud to be a woman.

X is for eXhaustion
     Sometimes I forget to take time to relax and enjoy the world around me.

Y is for Youth
     Although I believe wisdom comes with age, I'm enjoying the freedom of my youth.

Z is for Zoo
     Sometimes this seems like the best word to describe my life in the fast-paced culture we live in.

Sarah Applegate
February 2, 2008

Megan McGrew

A is for American
     Which I'm proud to be

B is for Blue Eyes
     Which I got from my Grandfather

C is for Compassion
     Something we all can show more of

D is for Dogs
     Which are a part of the family (I have 5)

E is for Europe
     The majority of my ancestry comes from here and where I hope to visit someday

F is for Freckles
     A trait from my forefathers

G is for Genieveve
     The name of my grandmother

H is for Horses
     I work on a horse farm

I is for Irish
     Blood I get from both sides of the family

J is for Jubilant
     How I feel when I think about graduation

K is for Kid
     The nickname my mother still calls me

L is for the Luck of the Irish
     Of which I have very little

M is for MacGregor
     The Irish clan my name stems from

N is for Native American
     My great great grandfather was a Cherokee

O is for Only Child
     I am the one and only

P is for Parents
     I have the best

Q is for Questioning
     Something I'm always doing, probably why I like science

R is for Roots
     Born and raised in the Arkansas River Valley

S is for School
     My parents always insisted this came first

T is for the Teachers
     A source of knowledge and guidance in my life

U is for Unique
     I'm glad that everyone is

V is for Vie
     Be the best you can be

W is for White
     The color of my skin

X is for X Chromosomes
     Which I am very glad to have

Y is for Young
     We are the next generation

Z is for Zealous
     I pursue my goals

Megan McGrew
January 27, 2008

Luke Davis

A is for Arkansas,
     where I was born and raised.

B is for Blue Eyes,
     that I share with my cousins.

C is for Camden,
     hometown, same town blues.

D is for Davis,
     I can only assume it's

English,
     my father's

Family Land,
     we used to own "family land."

G is for German,
     on my mother's side.

H is for Huenefeld,
     our "chicken field" name.

I is for Identity,
     and mine is frequently vague

J is for Jim,
     my dad's professional name.

K is for Kreativity,
     and my love for kreative liberties.

L is for Lucas,
     but I go by Luke.

M is for my Maw Maw,
     one of my most favorite people.

N is for Nerd,
     what I'm often mistaken for.

O is for Oldies,
     my dad's songs become mine.

P is for Pizza,
     eternally my favorite food.

Q is for my least favorite letter,
     I mean, think quick, why do we even have it?

R is for Razorbacks,
     one of my family's passions.

S is for Salem,
     a brief childhood home.

T is for Timothy,
     my little brother.

U is for Universal Appeal,
     of which I'd like to maintain.

V is for Vonnegut,
     my all-time favorite writer.

W is for WASP,
     which I guess I sort of am.

X is for X-Ray Vision,
     someday I hope I get it.

Y is for Yummy,
     because I really like pizza.

Z is for ZZZ's,
     I really need some sleep.

Luke Davis
January 27, 2008

Maria La Near

A is for Active
     Otherwise I get bored.

B is for Blessed
     I was blessed, never lived extravagantly,
     but never worried about money.

C is for Christian
     Easy to claim
     hard to live.

D is for Distant
     Relationship with my parents until recently;
     now I can't go a day without talking to them.

E is for English
     Unfortunately, the only language I speak.

F is for Frisbee
     I enjoy the game of ultimate Frisbee;
     it has its own special culture.

G is for Generosity
     My family was generous with me;
     may I be generous towards others.

H is for Heritage
     Not super distinct;
     don't really know where I came from.

I is for Inquire
     What I hope to motivate students to do.

J is for Joplin
     Epitome of white middle class.

K is for Kindness
     Shown to me
     by family and God unconditionally.

L is for Laid Back
     My family is fairly laid back.

M is for Mobile
     I am not bound by much
     unless I choose to be.

N is for New Beginning
     Starting in May
     when college life is over.

O is for Over Achiever
     What I used to be;
     now I've gone the opposite direction.
     I'll find a balance someday.

P is for Positive
     Try to stay positive
     even when things are uncertain;
     there is a reason.

Q is for Quirky
     Aren't we all;
     eclectic is good.

R is for Restoration
     What I believe God does.

S is for Sports
     Where I learned a lot about myself —
     the good and the bad;
     and my dad spent hours
     throwing whiffle balls at me
     (he didn't have any sons)

T is Thrifty
     We value a good deal.

U is for Unknown
     Story of my life right now
     (and our culture);
     learning a lot.

V is for Values
     Christian from the Methodist church I grew up in.

W is for Wasteful
     Grrrrr, but I am a culprit.

X is for eXcited
     ...for life and the future
     even if it is unknown.

Y is for Yearn
     I yearn for something beyond myself.

Z is for Zzzzz
     Our culture doesn't get enough of.

Maria La Near
January 27, 2008

Shane Hampton

A is for Arkansas,
     both born and raised in the South.

B is for Beautiful Baby girl,
     who will soon make me a daddy.

C is for Caucasian,
     a race I belong to.

D is for Democrat,
     a political party I agree with.

E is for Education,
     which gives me an advantage.

F is for Family,
     only God comes before.

G is for God,
     who is my creator and Holy Father.

H is for Heterosexual,
     happily married indeed.

I is for Intelligence,
     at least 2 standard deviations above the norm.

J is for Jesus,
     who is my Lord and savior.

K is for Kingdom,
     a place I hope to inherit.

L is for Language,
     the only one I know is English.

M is for Maryland,
     in Baltimore I lived as a minority

N is for National,
     honor society I belong to.

O is for Old,
     how I feel at twenty-seven years old.

P is for Pride,
     something southern boys have.

Q is for Quran,
     the holy book my Iranian grandfather reads.

R is for Religion,
     raised Baptist to be specific.

S is for Spanish,
     I can hardly speak a word.

T is for Teacher,
     a career I desire.

U is for Uncle,
     of Noah my brother's one-year-old boy.

V is for Virginia,
     another southern state in which I lived.

W is for White,
     another name for my race.

X is for X,
     which is only one of my chromosomes.

Y is for Yellow,
     the color of my smiley face tattoo.

Z is for Zodiac,
     my sign is Gemini.

Shane Hampton
January 25, 2008

Sarah Glass

A is for Arkansas
     Where I've lived my entire life

B is for Britain
     And my paternal ancestors

C is for the Creativity
     My mom and sister share

D is for Diversity
     And embracing it in the classroom

E is for Ely, MN
     My future husband's hometown

F is for Friendship
     And how important it is to me

G is for Germany
     Where my mother's family originates

H is for Hope
     Something I will never lose

I is for Ideals
     Which I strive to maintain

J is for the Joy
     My friends and family give me

K is for Kin
     The family I adore

L is for Laughing
     And never getting too serious

M is for Music
     Playing, listening, loving it

N is for Never Giving Up
     And seeing this trait in others

O is for Optimistic
     Something I try to be

P is for Penny
     My adorable Basset hound

Q is for Questioning
     Something everyone must do

R is for Reaching Out
     To ones who need it most

S is for Sweet Tea
     My favorite southern beverage

T is for Tenacity
     What I appreciate in those close to me

U is for Upbringing
     And how grateful I am of mine

V is for Values
     And how they affect my life

W is for the Wonder Years
     My favorite show as a kid

X is for eXpectations
     And how my parents had high ones for me

Y is for Youth
     And all those we teach

Z is for Zup's
     My favorite Minnesota store

Sarah Glass
January 27, 2008

Megan Murry

A is for Arkansas
     The state in which I live and love

B is for Bentonville
     The only place I have ever called home

C is for Curious
     Always wanting to learn more than I know

D is for Democratic
     The society in which I live

E is for European-American
     With roots tracing back to Scotland and England

F is for Female
     The gender with which I identify

G is for Graduate
     Education has always been a must

H is for Helpers
     Coming from a family full of teachers and doctors

I is for Idealistic
     My view toward most things

J is for John
     The shared name of my grandfather, father, and brother

K is for Kentucky
     Where my mother's family comes from

L is for Liberal
     As a result of the times in which I was raised

M is for Miss
     Not yet a Mrs.

N is for Novel
     My career as a teacher

O is for Open-Minded
     Always striving to be

P is for Proud
     Of who I am and where I come from

Q is for Quintessential
     My upbringing

R is for Razorback
     Among the most loyal of fans

S is for Student
     I have known nothing else

T is for Twins
     My older sisters

U is for Understanding
     It takes a lot to really get me worked up

V is for Valencia
     The city where I fell in love with everything Spanish

W is for Work
     Nothing comes for free

X is for XII
     My age

Y is for Youth
     Some of the fondest memories I have

Z is for Zealous

Megan Murry
January 28, 2008

Scott Lampkin

A is for Arkansas
     Whose history I teach

B is for Bentonville
     Where each morning I must reach

C is for the Compassion
     And each student I love

D is for the Direction
     Each student must rise above

E is for English
     Which must be taught in each class

F is the grade I hope
     None of my students will have

G is for Giving
     I hope to give each student hope

H is for the homework
     That now fills my free time

I is for the idiots
     Who tell me teaching doesn't pay well

J is for the Junior High Student
     Who needs encouragement not to fail

K is for the kindness
     I demand from each student

L is for my laughter
     To be effective, it is prudent

M is for each mind
     Which needs a bit of shaping

N is for the Night after Night of planning
     Successful shaping takes time

O is for open-mindedness
     So I'll accept all my kids

P is for the potential
     That each student shouldn't miss

Q is for the quietude
     A sense of learning in peace

R is for the Restless kids
     Who might need a bit more attention

S is for each spirit
     Which is unique unto itself

T is for Trust
     Each student must learn to trust me

U is for the union
     That will exist between my students

V is for the valiance
     That school sometimes requires

W

X is for Xerox
     I'm always one copy short

Y is for Ying and Yang
     Professor and cohort

Z is for the Zebra
     Each one has different stripes

Scott Lampkin
January 27, 2008

Marilyn Titus

A is for Absent (geographically and ethnically; I do not connect myself to any one place/ethnicity as my own.)

B is for Basis (I am still working upon who I will be.)

C is for Contradiction

D is for Dartboard (where friends throw ideas and see what sticks)

E is for Electronic Lover

F is for Flexible (on certain ideas, locations, and body parts)

G is for Goal-oriented

H is for Hopeful (of many, many things)

I is for If-Then statement (without which my world would be upside down)

J is for Jabber mouth (when necessary)

K is for Knick-knack (because I collect them too much)

L is for Listener

M is for Music lover (especially soft rock and soft metal)

N is for Nervous

O is for Observer of Language

P is for Procrastinator (sometimes)

Q is for Quiet (when people know what I will say)

R is for Rigid (on certain ideas, locations, and body parts)

S is for Spanish Language Learner (My Spanish is not as good as I would like it.)

T is for Tomboy

U is for Unrivalled (Good or bad, there is no other me)

V is for Vitamin water (fruit punch)

W is for Wacky (I take some getting used to)

X is for Xian (Combining the Greek spelling for Christ (Xristos) with Christian.)

Y is for Yoked (connected) with other people

Z is for Zest (For life and love)

Marilyn Titus
January 27, 2008