ignite talks

Liset: Is there life after death?  There are only theories, so I will continue my research.

Sam: How do psychedelic drugs affect the brain?

Gissel: What are some inventions for the future?  What will we face?  Some research suggests that we will become lazy when machines do everything for us.  I want to see if this is true.

Abi: I study animation and movies, and I want to learn more about the qualities of art. In this course the things we read help us understand the authors who write.  I want to do art in my own way and see how people connect to it.

Nathan: [MIA]

David: Why are sports important?  There are many benefits and I look forward to doing more research on this.

Yaraldi: From experience I've seen how young kids use technology -- is this good or bad?  Research says it can be good for kids to learn technology, but they need to limit screen time.  I will do more research and ask people their opinions.

Dani: My best friend passed away from cancer, and my mom has cancer.  I want to learn more about cancer-- 9 out of 10 people are diagnosed, and I want to know what causes it.

Carlos:  How big is space?  I've done research online and I learned that the sun will also live a few more million years before it turns into a red giant.  I want to learn more about this.

Gladyz: Why do people do drugs?  Over break I learned that many people want to forget about their problems. 

Mario: How do I become famous on YouTube?  It seems like people are funny and interesting to watch, and maybe I can use my skills to become more well-known.

Jose: Why don't people like to draw?  People don't keep trying.  Little kids draw, but it's easy to get frustrated and give up.

Daisean: What's the worst injury a basketball player can get?  A million torn achilles and broken legs every year...

Citlally: Why does the United States have health insurance?  The majority of health insurance customers seem wealthy and maybe the country saves the profits to pay down debt.

Emmanuel: How does music affect us?  Over break I spent time at a music store and experimented playing happy and sad songs to see how people reacted.  Now I am composing my own music.

Mari: What causes sleep paralysis?  One of the main causes is rapid eye movement, which influences muscle movement while we dream.  This relates to Brave New World because people take soma to sleep.

Maria: Why do some people believe that God does not exist?  I asked people and did research, and I learned that atheists and believers both have opinions that you can't disprove.  One connection to this course is that Dr. Preston gives us space to express our opinions without judging right or wrong.

Misael: What causes someone to kill another person?  I researched different crimes and I learned there are many different reasons.  I plan to do more research.

Alejandra: How is life for a person who lives with only one parent?  Kids who grow up with only one parent live with more stress than those who don't.

Andrea: Why are people the way they are?  I have done research into psychology and found that identity can relate to childhood training and brain structure.  There is a connection to Brave New World in the way people are conditioned.

Cynthia: How does abuse change a person?  I want to do more research on this to help people.

Araceli: I want to help my daughter develop.  Over the break I read a book a day to her.  In this course we discuss different ways to learn, and I want to use this information to help my daughter.

Kevin: What is life like after high school?  I talked to some people who are freaked out about it, and I learned it's best not to stress and move on.

Adolfo: There are many benefits to playing soccer.  You can meet people from other cultures and learn about them.  Over the break I played soccer and met people from different backgrounds.  I plan to learn more and get better.

Evelin: What does it take to be the best writer?  From my first research I learned you have to eliminate distractions and write down your best stories.  I want to start by writing short stories and then create a book.

Miguel: Can I really become a YouTuber or streamer?  I have a blogging camera and 250 subscribers, but this is really time-consuming and that is a challenge.  I've been recording more videos and I want to learn more about editing efficiently.

Abel: Do sports help you later on in life?  Over break I learned how sports help build character.

Alvaro: I'm curious about why some people don't like sports.  I plan to talk to people and learn more about why they don't exercise or play sports.

Mariana: I love the art of fashion.  I researched a designer named Coco Chanel, and I learned that fashion isn't just about how people dress.  In Brave New World everyone has their own personality, and we express ourselves in the way we dress.  Next I'm going to research how each of us have our own fashion identities.

Alberto:  Where do I see myself in 5-10 years?  I want to be a mechanic, so I spent the break working on cars.  I can do this everywhere.  Preston called me out on this and I want to keep learning about cars.

Jose: Is joining the military important for a career in law enforcement?  Over the break I talked to a military officer-- I was afraid of getting in trouble or even getting killed.  I saw a connection with Montag in Fahrenheit 451 because he didn't really choose to be a fireman, and I want to make a conscious choice.