Isolation of a Urea Degrading Bacteria :: Biology

Isolation of a Urea Degrading Bacteria Introduction Urea was the first organic chemical to be synthetically produced1, previously it was thought that only living creatures could produce organic compounds Urea is naturally produced by the kidneys as waste from the degradation of amino acids. It is because of this that urea is commonly found in soils and is a useful nutrient source for bacteria that are able to utilise it, such as, Helicobacter pylori, Klebsiella pneumonia, all species of Proteus and Micrococcus luteus. These bacteria degrade urea in a reaction catalysed by the urease enzyme, CO(NH2)2 + H2O Ã  CO2 + 2NH3. this process benefits the bacteria in several ways. The bacteria use the ammonia that is produced for respiration, the products also raise the pH of the environment. This promotes the growth of many urea degrading bacteria and inhibits competition from many other bacterial species. M. luteus is commonly found on mammalian skin and it is unusual for a member of the natural human flora to degrade urea. It is believed that M. luteus has this ability as an evolutionary hangover from its life in its ancestral soil habitat. In this environment urea is readily available and the ability to degrade it is a distinct advantage. As the species evolved to live on skin the trait remained, as it had no negative effect on survivability. Micrococcus is a genus within the Micrococcaceae family. With the use of 16s RNA in bacterial taxonomy the genus has recently been revised2. The genus now includes three species, M. luteus, M. lylae and M. antarcticus3. M. luteus is a common yellow gram-positive coccus and roughly 0.5-2.0mm in diameter. Cells appear in pairs, tetrads and irregular clusters but never in chains.4 Method of Isolation * Isolate a variety of organisms from soil and skin. By taking samples from four different sources (three skin and one soil) the chance of urea degrading bacteria being present was increased. * Culture in nutrient broth. This allowed all isolated microbes to grow. * Plate sample onto urea plates. On these plates urea was the only nutrient available, this meant that any bacteria that grew could degrade urea. * Perform urease test. Isolated bacteria are grown in a broth containing phosphate buffer, yeast extract, 2% urea and phenol red. An agar slope of the medium is heavily inoculated and incubated at 370c for at least four hours. If the organism only has low urease activity the phosphate buffer will neutralise the NH3 produced. A red colour indicates that NH3 has been produced and the result is positive5. * Perform Gram stain. This is the most important stain in bacteriology and differentiates between gram positive and gram-negative cell walls, which indicates

Commentary on Henry Handel Richardson(TM)s The Getting of Wisdom Essay

In this extract taken from Henry Handel Richardson’s The Getting of Wisdom, the author uses Laura’s perspective to present a scene in which a group of schoolgirls are seated and lectured in front of the rest of the school, of which one girl in particular, Annie Johns, is publicly called upon by their principal and accused of theft. The text is composed of six paragraphs, of which only one is dialogue, followed by a lengthy seventh paragraph. Told in the third-person, the entire excerpt is rich in descriptive language, enhanced by the use of alliteration and cleverly selective vocabulary, so as to achieve an attention-grabbing and detailed description of the characters’ thoughts and feelings. I find that Richardson is able to create a serious and tense atmosphere, evoking a suspenseful mood as should be the case for such an incident. In the opening paragraph of this extract, Richardson introduces the characters and sets the scene. The poor quality of the desks, ‘blackened, ink-scored, dusty, with eternally dry ink-wells’, indicates that the girls are possibly studying in a lower-class school where a higher standard of education environment is not available. Although Tilly, Inez and Bertha’s names are mentioned, it is made clear that Laura is the central character as we are given a detailed idea of how she feels. Richardson brings the reader into the intense atmosphere immediately, and apart from the literal description of Laura’s ‘flushed’ face, her difficulty of breathing and her cold hands and feet, further detail is added by the use of alliteration and shrewd phrasing. The consonance of the letter ‘f’ in ‘The cheeks of the four were flushed’ not only lets us imagine the pale colour of the girls’ faces but also picture the girls as they bite their lips in anticipation. This idea is brought to mind when Laura moistens her lips. The repeated use of the letter ‘w’, in ‘while the others only whispered and wondered’, forms a particular shape of the reader’s mouth, dissimilar to the shape of a smile. The fact they are whispering and wondering also suggests that there are matters at hand that need to be kept secret to oneself, and the writer is encouraging the reader to keep reading. In addition, we are given the first glimpse of Richardson’s use of placing a short clause at the beginning of his sentences. Using the word ‘But’ at the beginning of a sentence in line 4 is grammatically incorrect, but the author writes in this specific way to augment the reader’s idea of the nervousness the girls are feeling. Also to increase the tension, Richardson employs em dashes to create caesuras (that is, deliberate pauses). Consonance using the letter ‘f’ is used for the second time in the beginning of the second paragraph. ‘The first foregoing minutes’ recalls the picture of the girls’ lips, and the mention of the ‘foregoing minutes’, once more, attracts the reader to keep reading. Although silence is already present, Richardson makes a point of stressing the utter quietness, and exaggerating any noise that can be described, as minimal as they may be. This is done carefully when the writer describes the sound after Mr Strachey enters the scene as ‘an ominous hush’, the sounds of whispering and Laura’s trouble in breathing and when Mr Strachey raises his hand ‘to enjoin a silence that was already absolute’. This marks the beginning of a lot of light being shed on these characters. In line 11, the way in which Laura suddenly grows calm contrasts with the emotional nature of Bertha’s character later on, and this may show that Laura is less easily frightened or anxious and that she has the ability to keep her composure in uncomfortable situations. It is interesting to know that her calmness allows her to clear her mind of all anxiety and ‘take note of everything that passed’. Her calmness is vital for the reader to continue to understand and perceive the event as we are given her view, and the reader can appreciate Laura’s observance and self-control. The reader can also appreciate Richardson’s clever manipulation of this character’s perspective. As for Mr Strachey, him being labelled as ‘The Principal’ gives the impression that he has no need for a name in this current situation. The title is impersonal and implies that he is strictly being professional now. This formal occasion is also accentuated by the tidy arrangement of the desks, as unsanitary as they are, and the use of words and phrases such as ‘culprit’, ‘a few introductory remarks’ and ‘the present case’, relating the school-situated theft to an actual court case. Richardson then allows the reader to know Mr Strachey is somewhat of an authoritarian. This is suggested by Mr Strachey’s decision to raise his hand for silence that the writer vividly describes as ‘already absolute’ and his way of ordering Annie Johns to stand up. ‘†Will Miss Johns stand up!†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ is a question in strict linguistic terms, but the exclamation mark indicates that it is a command and not an inquiry. Bertha’s description adds a certain fearful quality to Mr Strachey’s character as Bertha cries from an overwhelming sense of panic. Probably the most outstanding use of alliteration is the consonance using the letters ‘b’ and ‘h’ in ‘Bertha †¦ the unhappy’ in lines 16 to 18. The letter ‘b’ generates a dramatic sound as we imagine Bertha releasing her emotions, and the letter ‘h’ produces a sort of sobbing noise that is gradually reduced like the actual use of the letter ‘h’. Last of all, Annie Johns is described as ‘pale and silly-looking’. Everything from the impersonal disregarding of her name, to the metaphor associating her with a small hunted animal, to the portrayal of her unattractiveness and insanitariness, characterize her as an unappealing person to sympathize for just judging by her appearance. Richardson’s use of the letter ‘s’ in the words, ‘stood’, ‘silly-looking’, ‘stared’, ‘Strachey’, ‘stares’ and especially the image created by ‘the snake’, foreshadow the crime that is to be addressed soon. The sounds created by the words, ‘mouth’, ‘fallen’, ‘half’ and ‘fear’, emphasize (yet again) the biting of the lips and the changing shape of the mouth. When we reach the last paragraph in line 25, all the components established in the previous paragraphs come together as Richardson uses punctuation, consonance and figurative language to vividly portray the scene and assign actions to the names and faces of the characters we are now familiar with in this particular extract. Laura’s ability to pay close attention to her surroundings is referred to as she is described as being unable to ‘take her eyes off the scene’, ‘fascinated by [Mr Strachey’s] oratory’ and ‘appreciating [Mr Strachey’s] points’. Richardson mentions lips again and this time, they belong to Mr Starchey. Particular phrases such as ‘the Principal passed on to the present case’ and ‘He made it all live vividly before her’ create a cacophonous effect and the reader may visualize Mr Strachey has he speaks dramatically, perhaps spitting as he enunciates too. Earlier, Mr Strachey is said to be speaking in a ‘low, impressive tone’ and Laura’s admiration of his rhetoric highlights this as well. Information concerning Laura herself is minimal, but we find out about her by observing Richardson’s skilful way of letting us into her perspective without actually writing in the first-person. The reader can know that Laura has the capability to recognize what the rest of the girls are going through by the way the writer talks about how Laura knows ‘what it was to be poor’ and understands ‘what it would mean to lack your tram-fare on a rainy morning’ (a brief instance of pathetic fallacy). Laura ‘could imagine, too, with a shiver’, to what extent the details of this crime could be revealed. When Richardson describes the lolly-shop as having ‘octopus arms’, and tells us that Laura is considering ‘if every one else agreed with [Mr Strachey]’, it indicates that Laura is imaginative, bright and deductive in her reasoning as she puts her observation skills in good use, and all of this suggests that her aptitude is possibly brought about by some difference between her attitude to education and the other girls’ approach. This extract was interesting to analyse and to see how a writer can use a character so captivatingly to direct us to what is significant in the actual plot. This includes the characterisations of Bertha, Annie Johns and Mr Strachey, as well as Laura, and the way in which Richardson applies alliteration to this text to create visual impressions. I guess I could say that I was fascinated by Richardson’s style as he made the scene and the characters all live vividly before me. I hung on his diction, appreciated his style and the clever way in which he worked up his climaxes. As grammatically incorrect as it is in saying this, I feel I have certainly been ‘getting’ some wisdom.

Discuss How Shakespeare Uses Language Essay

Discuss how Shakespeare uses language and dramatic techniques for character development in Act 2 Scene 2 of Measure for Measure. Shakespeare uses a variety of linguistic devices and dramatic techniques for character development from Act 2 Scene 2 to Scene 4. We see Angelo’s precise, business-like persona transform to temptation, and final cruelty whilst we see the true, confident side of Isabella as as she attempts to convince Angelo to reverse his judgement, but eventually loses her ignorant hope on the realisation of his true ‘purpose’. In Act 2 Scene 2 Shakespeare portrays Angelo as precise, intelligently dealing with the pleas of Isabella to save the life of her brother by reversing the death sentence that has been handed down to him. The scene begins with the Provost and Angelo discussing Claudio’s punishment. The Provost dares to ask Angelo if he really wants Claudio murdered, ‘All sects, all ages smack of this vice, and he to die for’t!’, and Angelo states that he does, ‘Did not I tell yea? Hast thou no order? Why dost thou ask again? ’. Shakespeare instantly uses dramatic technique of foreshadowing the conflict that is to follow through the sharp words exchanged between the two. Provost then asks what’s to be done with the woman he got pregnant, Juliet. Angelo still refuses to relent, and says that Juliet, who is in labour, should go to a more fitting place, away from everything that is going on ‘Dispose of her To some more fitter place’ Shakespeare’s lexical choice conveys his ruthless nature to the audience, in this context would mean ‘send her away’, but of course reading the text using more modern language; ‘dispose’ is an unpleasant word, especially when referring to a human being, where it seems incongruous, especially in reference to a pregnant woman, thus subtly foreshadowing the revealing of Angelo’s animalistic nature later in the scene. Angelo also calls Juliet a ‘fornicatress’, the harsh constanents of the name once again conjuring the theme that is constantly present through the play, that of appearance versus reality. Although Juliet appears from Angelo’s quick appraisal to be just a sinful person, her reality is far more complex; she is much better than most women of the time, she is not a prostitute or adulterer, rather her only fault was not securing a marriage contract before she slept with her fiancee. She is actually a woman of strength and principle, not the simple sinner that Angelo’s developing harsh, cruel character reduces her to. Isabella comes to see Angelo innocently, as shy as she appeared in her first scene at the nunnery, and begins to plead with him for Claudio’s life, ‘I have a brother is condemned to die. I do beseech you, let it be his fault, And not my brother’. Angelo is portrayed to be business-like and unrelenting, ‘Condemn the fault, and not the actor of it? Why, every fault’s condemned ere it be done’ but Lucio urges her to persist, encouraging her ‘Ay, touch him, there’s the vein’ acting as a kind of Greek chorus for the audience. She does, and calls upon Angelo’s pity, mercy, and moderation; she recognises that Angelo has the power to enforce the law in full, but impresses upon him that one must use power with moderation. Isabella’s strategy is a keen one, trying to persuade Angelo to have the same mercy for her brother that she has. Once again, the issue of mercy is urged upon Angelo, as is the theme of human weakness, which all, Isabella stresses, fall victim to. Her character is portrayed as increasingly canny, when she has to be; her argument is strong and persuasive, although it is not her argument that causes Angelo to relent, but his attraction to her. Isabella also touches upon the theme of use of power; ‘it is excellent to have a giant’s strength,’ she tells Angelo, ‘but it is tyrannous to use it as a giant’, making an allusion to ‘Jove’ to demonstrate her point – even the gods, with tremendous power, know how best to use their awesome abilities. This is another lesson that Angelo’s character must learn; for although he can use the law to its full extent if he wishes, he has to learn how to temper his power with mercy and heed moderation. Comparing the characters of Angelo and Isabella, one could argue that Isabella is ‘the symbol of goodness and mercy set against a background of moral decay’. Alternatively, one could see her character as self-righteous and hypocritical, as we later discover when she values her chastity higher than her brother’s life. Isabella continues arguing with Angelo until he finally relents and tells her to come back the next day to hear his judgement. Everyone leaves, and Angelo speaks a rather striking soliloquy, apparently talking to himself ‘†¦what art thou Angelo? Dost thou desire her foully for those things that make her good? ’. Thus, through Shakespeare’s staging, we learn that Angelo admits to himself that he is in love with Isabella because of her virtue and purity. Often characters in Shakespeare’s plays have soliloquies but they do not often refer to themselves in third person and when they do, it is often a sign of madness. Perhaps Shakespeare is suggesting this as a sign for Angelo. What is certain is that he is struggling with an inward battle between what he knows he should do and what he desires to do, as his develops and starts questioning the morality of his own character. It is with great irony that Isabella’s call to Angelo to mark the weaknesses in his own heart is answered by Angelo’s acknowledgement that he is tempted by Isabella. It is this temptation that brings from Angelo his first statement of mercy toward Claudio: ‘O, let her brother live! Thieves for their robbery have authority when judges steal themselves!’ Shakespeare shows how Angelo realises that with experience of one’s own weakness comes mercy for others’ failings; however, he soon ignores this lesson, and falls into hypocrisy in Act 2 Scene 4. In this scene, Isabella comes back the next day as Angelo had asked, and he begins by saying that Claudio must die. Isabella begins to leave, but Angelo begins to tempt her to save her brother, by offering herself instead. Isabella ignorantly misunderstands Angelo’s subtle sexual offer, and he is forced to tell her plainly that if she sleeps with him he will let Claudio live. Angelo accuses her of hypocrisy, and they discuss the frailty of women. In terms of character development in this scene, Angelo begins in a state of agitation, pondering why he cannot pray and with a new awareness of how the appearance of things might not be true to reality. Where before Angelo was unified in his intentions and actions, he has now become internally divided, ‘O place, O form, How often does thou with thy case, thy habit, Wrench awe from fools, and tie the wiser souls to thy false seeming! Blood, thou art blood. ’- questioning the power of authority, position and outward appearance to convince even wise men that false men are virtuous. Shakespeare uses language of coercion, ‘wrench’ and ‘tie’, and apostrophe – ‘O place, O form’ to perhaps illustrate the sophisticated and baffling nature of false appearances. Shakespeare also shows how Angelo is beginning to seduce Isabella with subtle and ambiguous lexis, but moving more and more towards blunt, harsh and animalistic discourse as the scene progresses. ‘I have begun, and now I give my sensual race the rein’; Shakespeare shows how Angelo has almost been possessed by his animal side. This is perhaps emphasised by the use of horse imagery, ‘race the rein’, as well as the use of plosives and dentals ‘fit they consent to my sharp appetite’, drawing attention to his teeth and lips, reinforcing his sexual lust and passion for Isabella. When Isabella enters, however, she meekly accepts Angelo’s judgement, but as the scene progresses she continues to find her voice. As Angelo descends into sensuality, she seems to become more pious and religously extreme, almost swapping roles with Angelo. ‘Th’ impression of keen whips I’d wear as rubies, and strip myself to death’ – Shakespeare uses images of love, death and falgellation to express her disgust at the idea of submitting to Angelo. Though the sentiment is spiritual, the language and images are highly physical, suggesting that her character would resist the carnal sexuality by yielding herself to more gruesome lovers: torture and death. Her innocence is also shattered by Angelo’s crass offer – she seems shocked to find out that justice might not be as perfect as it appears. Her naivety is gradually stripped away as Angelo easily overcomes her threat to expose him, and she sees that virtue does not necessarily triumph over iniquity. Yet, she still has ignorant faith in the honour of her brother, Claudio, and trusts that he will defend her honour even at the cost of his life.

How to Write a Great Community Service Essay

How to Write a Great Community Service Essay SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you applying to a college or a scholarship that requires a community service essay?Do you know how to write an essay that will impress readers and clearly show the impact your work had on yourself and others? Read on to learn step-by-step instructions for writing a great community service essay that will help you stand out and be memorable. What Is a Community Service Essay? Why Do You Need One? A community service essay is an essay that describes the volunteer work you did and the impact it had on you and your community.Community service essays can vary widely depending on specific requirements listed in the application, but, in general, they describe the work you did, why you found the work important, and how it benefited people around you. Community service essays are typically needed for two reasons: 1. To Apply to College Some colleges require students to write community service essays as part of their application or to be eligible for certain scholarships. You may also choose to highlight your community service work in your personal statement. 2. To Apply for Scholarships Some scholarships are specifically awarded to students with exceptional community service experiences, and many use community service essays to help choose scholarship recipients. Green Mountain College offers one of the most famous of these scholarships. Their "Make a Difference Scholarship" offers full tuition, room, and board to students who have demonstrated a significant, positive impact through their community service Getting Started With Your Essay In the following sections, I'll go over each step of how to plan and write your essay. I'll also include sample excerpts for you to look throughso you can get a better idea of what readers are looking for when they review your essay. Step 1: Know the Essay Requirements Before your start writing a single word, you should be familiar with the essay prompt.Each college or scholarship will have different requirements for their essay, so make sure you read these carefully and understand them. Specific things to pay attention to include: Length requirement Application deadline The main purpose or focus of the essay If the essay should follow a specific structure Below are three real community service essay prompts. Read through them and notice how much they varyin terms of length, detail, and what information the writer should include. From the AXA Achievement Scholarship: "Describe your outstanding achievement in depth and provide the specific planning, training, goals, and steps taken to make the accomplishment successful. Include details about your role and highlight leadership you provided. Your essay must be a minimum of 350 words but not more than 600 words." From the Laura W. Bush Traveling Scholarship: "Essay (up to 500 words, double spaced) explaining your interest in being considered for the award and how your proposed project reflects or is related to both UNESCO’s mandate and U.S. interests in promoting peace by sharing advances in education, science, culture, and communications." From the LULAC National Scholarship Fund: "Please type or print an essay of 300 words (maximum) on how your academic studies will contribute to your personal professional goals. In addition, please discuss any community service or extracurricular activities you have been involved in that relate to your goals." Want to write the perfect college application essay? Get professional help from PrepScholar. Your dedicated PrepScholar Admissions counselor will craft your perfect college essay, from the ground up. We'll learn your background and interests, brainstorm essay topics, and walk you through the essay drafting process, step-by-step. At the end, you'll have a unique essay that you'll proudly submit to your top choice colleges. Don't leave your college application to chance. Find out more about PrepScholar Admissions now: Step 2: Brainstorm Ideas Even after you understand what the essay should be about, it can still be difficult to begin writing. Answer the following questions to help brainstorm essay ideas. You may be able to incorporate your answers into your essay. What community service activity that you’ve participated in has meant the most to you? What is your favorite memory from performing community service? Why did you decide to begin community service? What made you decide to volunteer where you did? How has your community service changed you? How has your community service helped others? How has your community service affected your plans for the future? You don’t need to answer all the questions, but if you find you have a lot of ideas for one of two of them, those may be things you want to include in your essay. Writing Your Essay How you structure your essay will depend on the requirements of the scholarship or school you are applying to. You may give an overview of all the work you did as a volunteer, or highlight a particularly memorable experience. You may focus on your personal growth or how your community benefited. Regardless of the specific structure requested, follow the guidelines below to make sure your community service essay is memorable and clearly shows the impact of your work. Samples of mediocre and excellent essays are included below to give you a better ideaof how you should draft your own essay. Step 1: Hook Your Reader In You want the person reading your essay to be interested, so your first sentence should hook them in and entice them to read more.A good way to do this is to start in the middle of the action. Your first sentence could describe you helping build a house, releasing a rescued animal back to the wild, watching a student you tutored read a book on their own, or something else that quickly gets the reader interested.This will help set your essay apart and make it more memorable. Compare these two opening sentences: "I have volunteered at the Wishbone Pet Shelter for three years." "The moment I saw the starving, mud-splattered puppy brought into the shelter with its tail between its legs, I knew I'd do whatever I could to save it." The first sentence is a very general, bland statement. The majority of community service essays probably begin a lot like it, but it gives the reader little information and does nothing to draw them in. On the other hand, the second sentence begins immediately with action and helps persuade the reader to keep reading so they can learn what happened to the dog. Step 2: Discuss the Work You Did Once you’ve hooked your reader in with your first sentence, tell them about your community service experiences.State where you work, when you began working, how much time you’ve spent there, and what your main duties include.This will help the reader quickly put the rest of the essay in context and understand the basics of your community service work. Not including basic details about your community service could leave your reader confused. Step 3: Include Specific Details It’s the details of your community service that make your experience unique and memorable, so go into the specifics of what you did.For example, don’t just say you volunteered at a nursing home; talk about reading Mrs. Johnson her favorite book, watching Mr. Scott win at bingo, and seeing the residents play games with their grandchildren at the family day you organized.Try to include specific activities, moments, and people in your essay.Having details like these let the readers really understand what work you did and how it differs from other volunteer experiences. Compare these two passages: "For my volunteer work, I tutored children at a local elementary school. I helped them improve their math skills and become more confident students." "As a volunteer at York Elementary School, I worked one-on-one with second and third graders who struggled with their math skills, particularly addition, subtraction, and fractions. As part of my work, I would create practice problems and quizzes and try to connect math to the students' interests. One of my favorite memories was when Sara, a student I had been working with for several weeks, told me that she enjoyed the math problems I had created about a girl buying and selling horses so much that she asked to help me create math problems for other students." The first passage only gives basic information about the work done by the volunteer; there is very little detail included, and no evidence is given to support her claims. How did she help students improve their math skills? How did she know they were becoming more confident? The second passage is much more detailed. It recounts a specific story and explains more fully what kind of work the volunteer did, as well as a specific instance of a student becoming more confident with her math skills. Providing more detail in your essay helps support your claimsas well as make your essay more memorable and unique. Step 4: Show Your Personality It would be very hard to get a scholarship or place at a school if none of your readers felt like they knew much about you after finishing your essay, so make sure that your essay shows your personality.The way to do this is to state your personal strengths, then provide examples to support your claims.Take some time to think about which parts of your personality you would like your essay to highlight, then write about specific examples to show this. Examples: If you want to show that you’re a motivated leader, describe a time when you organized an event or supervised other volunteers. If you want to show your teamwork skills, write about a time you helped a group of people work together better. If you want to show that you’re a compassionate animal lover, write about taking care of neglected shelter animals and helping each of them find homes. Step 5: State What You Accomplished After you have described your community service and given specific examples of your work, you want to begin to wrap your essay up by stating your accomplishments.What was the impact of your community service? Did you build a house for a family to move into? Help students improve their reading skills? Clean up a local park?Make sure the impact of your work is clear; don’t be worried about bragging here. If you can include specific numbers, that will also strengthen your essay.Saying â€Å"I delivered meals to 24 home-bound senior citizens† is a stronger example than just saying â€Å"I delivered meals to lots of senior citizens." Also be sure to explain why your work matters. Why is what you did important?Did it provide more parks for kids to play in? Help students get better grades? Give people medical care who would otherwise not have gotten it?This is an important part of your essay, so make sure to go into enough detail that your readers will know exactly what you accomplished and how it helped your community. Compare these two passages: "My biggest accomplishment during my community service was helping to organize a family event at the retirement home. The children and grandchildren of many residents attended, and they all enjoyed playing games and watching movies together." "The community service accomplishment that I'm most proud of is the work I did to help organize the First Annual Family Fun Day at the retirement home. My job was to design and organize fun activities that senior citizens and their younger relatives could enjoy. The event lasted eight hours and included ten different games, two performances, and a movie screening with popcorn. Almost 200 residents and family members attended throughout the day. This event was important because it provided an opportunity for senior citizens to connect with their family members in a way they aren't often able to. It also made the retirement home seem more fun and enjoyable to children, and we have seen an increase in the number of kids coming to visit their grandparents since the event." The second passage is stronger for a variety of reasons. First, it goes into much more detail about the work the volunteer did. The first passage only states that she helped "organize a family event." That really doesn't tell readers much about her work or what her responsibilities were. The second passage is much clearer; her job was to "design and organize fun activities." The second passage also explains the event in more depth. A family day can be many things; remember that your readers are likely not familiar with what you're talking about, so details help them get a clearer picture. Lastly, the second passage makes the importance of the event clear: it helped residents connect with younger family members, and it helped retirement homes seem less intimidating to children, so now some residents see their grand kids more often. Step 6: Discuss What You Learned One of the final things toinclude in your essay should be the impact that your community service had on you.You can discuss skills you learned, such as carpentry, public speaking, animal care, or another skill. You can also talk about how you changed personally. Are you more patient now? More understanding of others? Do you have a better idea of the type of career you want?Go into depth about this, but be honest. Don’t say your community service changed your life if it didn’t because trite statements won’t impress readers. In order to support your statements, provide more examples. If you say you’re more patient now, how do you know this? Do you get less frustrated while playing with your younger siblings? Are you more willing to help group partners who are struggling with their part of the work? You’ve probably noticed by now that including specific examples and details is one of the best ways to create a strong and believable essay. Compare these two passages: "As a result of my community service, I learned a lot about building houses and became a more mature person." "As a result of my community service, I gained hands-on experience in construction. I learned how to read blueprints, use a hammer and nails, and begin constructing the foundation of a two-bedroom house. Working on the house could be challenging at times, but it taught me to appreciate the value of hard work and be more willing to pitch in when I see someone needs help. My dad has just started building a shed in our backyard, and I offered to help him with it because I know from my community service how much work it is. I also appreciate my own house more, and I know how lucky I am to have a roof over my head." The second passage is more impressive and memorablebecause it describes the skills the writer learned in more detailand recounts a specific story that supports her claim that her community service changed her and made her more helpful. Want to build the best possible college application? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. Step 7: Finish Strong Just asyou started your essay in a way that would grab readers’ attention, you want to finish your essay on a strong note as well.A good way to end your essay is to state again the impact your work had on you, your community, or both.Reiterate how you changed as a result of your community service, why you found the work important, or how it helped others. Compare these two concluding statements: "In conclusion, I learned a lot from my community service at my local museum, and I hope to keep volunteering and learning more about history." "To conclude, volunteering at my city's American History Museum has been a great experience. By leading tours and participating in special events, I became better at public speaking and am now more comfortable starting conversations with people. In return, I was able to get more community members interested in history and our local museum. My interest in history has deepened, and I look forward to studying the subject in college and hopefully continuing my volunteer work at my university's own museum." The second passage takes each point made in the first passage and expands upon it. In a few sentences, the second passage is able to clearly convey what work the volunteer did, how she changed, and how her volunteer work benefited her community. She also ends her essay discussing her future and how she'd like to continue her community service, which is a good way to wrap things up because it shows your readers that you are committed to community service for the long-term. What's Next? Are you applying to a community service scholarship or thinking about it? We have a complete list of all the community service scholarships available to help get your search started! Do you need a community service letter as well? We have a step-by-stepguide that will tell you how to get a great reference letter from your community service supervisor. Thinking about doing community service abroad? Before you sign up, read our guide on some of the hazards of international volunteer trips and how to know if it's the right choice for you. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Cmo emigrar legalmente a los Estados Unidos

Cmo emigrar legalmente a los Estados Unidos   Obtener una tarjeta de residencia permanente es el requisito imprescindible para emigrar legalmente a los Estados Unidos. Esa tarjeta tambià ©n se conoce como permiso de residencia o como green card.   Es cierto que se puede permanecer legalmente en Estados Unidos sin esa tarjeta, pero en otro estatus y siempre se tratarà ­a de una estancia temporal, aunque puede ser ms o menos larga. La tarjeta de residencia permite permanecer y trabajar de forma permanente en los Estados Unidos y puede ser, adems, un puente hacia la adquisicià ³n de la ciudadanà ­a americana por naturalizacià ³n. En este artà ­culo se explican las formas de obtener la tarjeta de residencia y trmites especiales, cules son los requisitos de que debe cumplir el solicitante, los tiempos de tramitacià ³n y, finalmente, cules son los errores que pueden causar el problema de que la green card no sea aprobada. Cà ³mo se adquiere la tarjeta de residencia permanente Aproximadamente, cada aà ±o fiscal 1 millà ³n de personas extranjeras obtienen la tarjeta de residencia por uno de los numerosos caminos creados por la ley para sacar la green card. La mayorà ­a, aproximadamente 6 de cada 10, la obtienen por ser familiar de un ciudadano o de un residente permanente.   Las estadà ­sticas acreditan que en la mayorà ­a de los casos se necesita un patrocinador, es decir, un familiar o una empresa, esto à ºltimo para el caso de trabajadores. Sà ³lo en casos especiales no se necesita patrocinador. Por ejemplo, ciertos casos de trabajadores excepcionales con reconocimiento internacional por su trabajo, asilo, loterà ­a de visas de diversidad o visas de inmigrante de inversià ³n EB-5, cancelacià ³n de la orden de deportacià ³n dictada por un juez, etc. Lo importante de este apartado es entender que no es suficiente querer emigrar. Es necesario reunir los requisitos para poder iniciar uno de los caminos creado por las leyes migratorias.   Trmites para la tarjeta de residencia Los trmites son diferentes segà ºn el tipo de camino que cada persona sigue para obtener la green card. Por ejemplo, en las peticiones de familia el patrocinador debe enviar la peticià ³n, probar parentesco, acreditar medios econà ³micos para el sostenimiento de la persona patrocinada, etc. Por el contrario, si se trata de una peticià ³n por empresa se va a necesitar una aprobacià ³n previa por parte del Departamento de Trabajo. En el caso de que se trate de asilo, se necesita una decisià ³n afirmativa parte del Servicio de Inmigracià ³n y Ciudadanà ­a (USCIS, por sus siglas en inglà ©s) o de una corte migratorio.   Si se trata de la visa de diversidad, hay que aplicar en octubre por internet en la pgina del Departamento de Estado y ganar una loterà ­a que se celebra en mayo del aà ±o siguiente, etc. Es decir, los trmites son distintos segà ºn el camino que se emplee para la residencia. Requisitos que debe reunir el potencial migrante En la fase final de la tramitacià ³n de la green card el proceso puede pararse y la peticià ³n negarse si se considera que la persona es inadmisible.   Es cierto que dependiendo del camino para la green card, algunas de esas causas no se tienen en cuenta, por ejemplo, estancia ilegal en casos de green card por razones humanitarias como la visa U. Pero la regla general es que hay que mirar con lupa esas circunstancias, ver cundo no aplican, cundo es posible pedir un perdà ³n, cundo hay que simplemente esperar o cundo no se puede hacer nada. En otras palabras, hay que asesorarse con un abogado de inmigracià ³n. Adems, en los casos en los que el problema surge por estancia ilegal en los Estados Unidos y se est en el paà ­s es conveniente entender cundo se puede ajustar el estatus a pesar de esa circunstancia y cundo no es posible y necesariamente hay que salir de USA para completar el proceso mediante un procedimiento consular. Esto es importante porque en el momento en que se sale de los Estados Unidos salta lo que se conoce como el castigo o penalidad de los 3 à ³Ã‚  10 aà ±os, que complica y mucho la obtencià ³n de la tarjeta. En otras palabras, si se tiene al menos una causa que convierte a la persona en inadmisible hay que asesorarse para ver cà ³mo aplica a las circunstancias personales de cada caso.   Duracià ³n de la tramitacià ³n Los tiempos de espera desde que se inicia el proceso de la peticià ³n al momento en que se aprueba y se obtiene la green card puede variar desde apenas 4 meses a ms de 20 aà ±os. En estos momentos los trmites ms rpidos son para los familiares inmediatos de ciudadanos, es decir, cà ³nyuges, padre, madre e hijos solteros menores de 21 aà ±os. Por otro lado, los mexicanos que son hijos casados de ciudadanos estn teniendo una demora superior a los 22 aà ±os. Las demoras, particularmente en peticiones de familia, hay que tenerlas en cuenta, porque pueden ser mucho ms largas de lo que se cree. Errores que perjudican el proceso de obtencià ³n de la green card Entre todos los errores destacan los siguientes: - Mentir a un oficial migratorio o del consulado. Y lo cierto es que es frecuente que la mentira sea sobre cosas que no afectarà ­an a la obtencià ³n de la green card. Sin embargo, el mentir es considerado un fraude de ley que es causa de denegacià ³n de la residencia. - Quedarse ilegalmente en Estados Unidos cerrando el paso a muchas de las formas de obtencià ³n de la residencia (aunque no todas ya que en algunos casos sigue siendo posible). - Casarse como turista inmediatamente despuà ©s de ingresar a los Estados Unidos - Casarse con un novio distinto al que patrocinà ³ la visa K-1 Conclusià ³n Hay muchas formas de obtener la green card. Pero como dice el dicho, hay las que hay y no se puede inventar lo que no hay. Adems, es importante entender los trmites, todo lo que se pide, dà ³nde surgen los problemas y cules son los tiempos de demora para la forma especà ­fica que se utiliza para sacar la green card. Para finalizar, es de interà ©s tomar este test de respuesta mà ºltiples sobre cà ³mo sacar la green card y cà ³mo conservarla, ya que en asuntos migratorio el mejor consejo es estar informado para evitar los problemas. Este es un artà ­culo informativo. No es asesorà ­a legal.

Free Online Public Schools for Kentucky Students, K-12

Free Online Public Schools for Kentucky Students, K-12 Kentucky offers resident students the opportunity to take online public school courses for free. Below is a list of no-cost online schools currently serving elementary and high school students in Kentucky. In order to qualify for the list, schools must meet the following qualifications: classes must be available completely online, they must offer services to state residents, and they must be funded by the government. Virtual schools listed may be charter schools, state-wide public programs, or private programs that receive government funding. List of Kentucky Online Charter Schools and Online Public Schools Kentucky Virtual High School - Now Defunct Online Charter Schools and Online Public Schools Many states now offer tuition-free online schools for resident students under a certain age (often 21). Most virtual schools are charter schools; they receive government funding and are run by a private organization. Online charter schools are subject to fewer restrictions than traditional schools. However, they are reviewed regularly and must continue to meet state standards. Some states also offer their own online public schools. These virtual programs generally operate from a state office or a school district. State-wide public school programs vary. Some online public schools offer a limited number of remedial or advanced courses not available in brick-and-mortar public school campuses. Others offer full online diploma programs. A few states choose to fund seats for students in private online schools. The number of available seats for online high schools may be limited and students are usually asked to apply through their public school guidance counselor. Choosing a Kentucky Online Public School When choosing an online public school, look for an established program that is regionally accredited and has a track record of success. Be wary of new schools that are disorganized, are unaccredited, or have been the subject of public scrutiny.

Desiree's baby by kate chopin Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Desiree's baby by kate chopin - Essay Example Regarding her as Providence’s most beneficial bestowment, Madam Valmonde, the childless rich woman raises her. The nameless little girl becomes Desiree and grows up to be â€Å"beautiful and gentle, affectionate and sincere†. At the age eighteen, Armand Aubigny spots her near the stone pillar at the gateway of Valmonde and falls in love with her and eventually marries her and takes her off to L’Abri, his place. The story begins when Madam Valmonde sets out to see Desiree’s baby. It is four weeks after the birth of the baby that she finally drives to L’Abri to Desiree and the child. The reasons behind this, whatever it may be, are not discussed in the story. Obviously it is not on account of any animosity between the two households. It is made clear in the story by the way Madame Valmonde’s thoughts go about the past fondly recollecting how Desiree landed into her lap and grew up to be her idol. On reading L’Abri, the surrogate mother sees the new mother and child. At the very sight of the four weeks’ old child, Madame Valmonde gets startled but Desiree is unaware of the reasons and she quite naively attributes it to the rapid growth of her dear child. She talks nonstop about how the child has exerted a softening impact on the temperament of its father who is basically imperious and exacting in his ways. Desiree senses trouble only much later, after two months, when she feels her husband’s awkward avoidance of her. It coincides with her noticing of the fact that her child was not white. The moment of this realization is marked in the story thus, â€Å"The blood turned like ice in her veins, and the clammy moisture gathered upon her face†. Having understood the cause of the great change in her husband, Desiree confronts him directly seeking reassurance and solace. But he brutally lets her down by declaring that the child is not white because of her black lineage. She resorts to the next thing she had to do. She writes to Madame Valmonde as soon as