"Mr. Global Studies"

Allow me to introduce Adrian Medina, "Mr Global Studies." This responsible tenth grader is the quintessential Global Studies student. He is a well-rounded young man who is not only a basketball and volleyball player, but also shines academically. Adrian is outspoken and firm in his political ideologies, he is a prominent voice during class discussions and debates. Furthermore, he is a diligent student and a natural leader. In fact, Adrian was one of the founders of his classes' country name "Mellowmania". He was also elected as his classes' president. All in all, he is an insightful resource about the Global Studies program. He has readily represented the program at Varela's Magnet Fair and Cirriculum Expo. Kudos to Adrian!  

World Religions: Guest Speaker!

As my World Religions class wrapped up our unit on Hinduism, we were visited by a speaker who lived in an Ashram in Varanasi, India for two months. This visitor was none other than my sister, Kelsey Rodriguez. Kelsey is an international traveler- she's been to Kenya, Brazil, Ecuador, Cuba, and India, to name a few...She attended Wellesley College in Massachusetts and studied Psychology. While in college, she lived in a multi-faith dorm setting where she had the opportunity to reside with a variety of people who practiced all sorts of religions.

Kelsey shared with us her stories of travels along the Ganges River, her experience with wandering cows and electricity-free living. She described her vegetarian diet, bumpy rig-shaw rides and encounters with the locals. Furthermore, she showed us pictures of a traditional wedding that she attended and described the meditative practices that she engaged in. If any students have enduring comments or questions please comment below. I hope you enjoyed hearing a first-hand account of her time in India!

Homecoming Week Recap

Varela's got spirit, yes we do, we've got spirit, how about you?! This past week has provided an endless array of opportunities to showcase our Viper pride. Club Chaos, Viper Vamp, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Banner Decorating, the Homecoming game and dance, were just a few of the events going on in Viper country. I had the privilege of sitting on two judging panels this week where I was thoroughly entertained. I was serenaded by members of the clubs as they performed the Alma Matter to the tunes of their choosing. Viper Vamp made me laugh, clap, and cringe as I watched the anti-Sunset-themed skits performed by various clubs. I saw many of my students dance, sing, act, and cross-dress in efforts to entertain the crowd (and bash our rival), and that, they did. I was very impressed to see a generous turnout at the Homecoming game, where we were victorious! Furthermore, I got to see many of my students all glammed up the Hyatt Regency Downtown, as they danced the night away with their friends. All in all, it was a successful week, chalk-full of spirit, fun, and countless activities. I'd like to give a special shout-out to the Global Studies students who took part in Viper Vamp, Club Chaos, and played against Sunset.

Shout-outs: Bravo to all cast members!
Ronald Torres, Ryan Bauta, Samantha Amandor, Celeste Montenegro, Kaitlyn Reyes, Maria Diaz, Sebastian Quintero, Samuel Grossman, Didier Arias, Steven Santos, Christine Seda, Juanasofia Chirino

Football players: Ronald Ferrer, Eric Blanco, Pedro Sainz, and Roberto Matos

What was your favorite activity? How did you show your spirit this past week?

Florida Boycotts Columbus Day: Hero or Villain?

It's not surprising that a state with the legacy of Spanish colonization would be critical of the controversial, Christopher Columbus. Why is he controversial you ask? First off, he never reached the current-day U.S. territory. Secondly, he did not "discover" a single thing, he explored and put claims on inhabited lands. He was convinced that he'd reached Asia, and took this inaccurate belief to the grave. He treated the inhabitants brutally, so much so, that the Spanish monarchs responible for the Crusades (Ferdinand and Isabella) even disapproved. Here's the real kicker, Columbus Day was only deemed a national holiday in 1937 when President Roosevelt wanted to win over the Italian vote and therefore picked an Italian to glorify. Many states have decided to forgo this celebration, and some have even declared it Native American Day to remember those who perished because of Columbus. Do you support Florida's boycott of this holiday? Watch the following clip for the full story. http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/id=7424664n&tag=showDoorFlexGridRight;SunMoImageStack

Global Studies T-Shirt Challenge

Attention! Attention! Global Studies Magnet students, put your design expertise to the test and create a logo for a magnet T-shirt. Bring back the FUBU notion of "For Us By Us," you will be the one's sporting the shirt so make sure you have a say in the design. Our intention is to have "Magnet T-Shirt Friday's" where all the magnet's will wear their shirts. All submissions must be in by next week and be in a JPEG format. You will receive 3 personal participation points for your submission, and add a point to your classes mula count. If your class has the winning submission, you will earn a bonus 5 points. Cannot wait to see the creativity of the program! 

IR Country Competition

Fellow citizens of the International Relations territory,

The time has come to reveal the three new "countries" at Varela. After an arduous drafting, planning, presenting, and voting process, three plans for statehood have been adopted. All founders of the winning groups will receive participation points in class. Though the race was close in some classes, I am ready to present the winners. Drum-roll please...INTRODUCING...

Period 2-Varelix

Period 4-Krypton









Period 6-Mellowmania







Best of luck to the Varelixians, Kryptonites, and Mellowmainians-may the best country win! Mula collection begins this week!

A.P. Web Quest

As promised, the following optional assignment provides a deeper view into the life of Olaudah Equiano. The link below is a Webquest-an online learning experience that gives you tasks to complete regarding a particular topic. Be sure to look at the scoring guides and utilize the links provided in order to accurately complete the tasks at hand. Those who choose to complete this assignment will be allowed to replace a low HW grade or add a maximum of 5 points to the Chapter 2 Test. However, the assignment must be completed properly in order to ensure maximum extra credit potential. Enjoy your quest to find out more about this man who endured slavery, bought his freedom, learning to read and write, and captured his journey in his autobiography.

http://imet.csus.edu/imet1/desler/passages/odyssey/odyssey.htm