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My Birthday
I was born at Abington Memorial Hospital which was also where my Dad was born. -
9/11
The Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, and the Pentagon were attacked by the Taliban. The fourth plane that was believed to have been headed for the White House or Camp David crashed in western Pennsylvania. This dramatically impacted the life of United States citizens, and in the years following, many changes were made to the security measures that are in place today and changes that were made to how the government functions.
(http://ic.galegroup.com) -
No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) Signed
NCLB was passed to increase the amount of input that the federal government has on holding schools responsible for the process by which they educate their students. It also required a certain level of proficiency among the students in each state and stated that level of proficiency must continue to go up. Many states argued that this act didn't help improve the quality of education in the U.S. http://www.edweek.org/ew/section/multimedia/no-child-left-behind-overview-definition-summary.html -
Department of Homeland Security Established
Although it was established eleven days after the 9/11 attacks, it formally came into being in November of 2002. The DHS was established primarilly to protect the USA from threats that it faces such as defending against terrorism and working to prevent it from occuring. The DHS officially began operating in January of 2003. https://www.dhs.gov/creation-department-homeland-security -
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina was the largest displacement of people since the Dust Bowl era displacing close to one million people following the impact of this category five hurricane. This lead many people to believe that the government was inadequate at responding to natural disasters. This also showed the disconnect between the county, state, and federal government and their policies for such events. http://ic.galegroup.com -
First Day of Kindergarten
I went to Copper Beech Elementary School from Kindergarten to sixth grade. Since then I've been friends with Melissa and this class is the first we've had together after kindergarten. -
I joined the school orchestra.
In third grade I joined the school orchestra and began learning to play violin. I have participated in orchestra at school since then and I still absolutely love playing! -
President Obama is Sworn Into Office
President Barack Obama is inaugurated as the 44th president of the United States and Joe Biden becomes the Vice President. Both Obama and Biden are reelected in 2012. Throughout both of his terms as President he has instituted many policies to help improve the quality of life in the United States. -
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) Signed
Often called the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare, PPACA is created to reform health insurance and put consumers back in control of their healthcare. It also helps to ensure that those who did not have adequate healthcare before receive more affordable care. Many people considered this Act to be inadequate in doing what it was supposed to, and it has since been amended to improve its effect on healthcare. http://www.hhs.gov/healthcare/facts-and-features/key-features-of-aca/ -
Honorable Mention
In fourth grade I was in the APEX program and we could decide to enter a science fair-like poster contest. One of my friends and I did a project on which board game people preferred and our poster won an honorable mention. We had to attend a school board meeting in which they gave each of us a certificate for being recognized. -
Don't Ask Don't Tell Policy Ended
A law prohibiting homosexuals serving in the military from talking about their sexual orientation ended, thus preventing them from being discharged from the military because of their orientation. In 2008 on the fifteenth anniversary of the law, more than 12,000 officers had been discharged as a result of this policy. The termination of this law is significant because put an end to the discrimination that homosexuals faced in the military. https://www.britannica.com/event/Dont-Ask-Dont-Tell -
Got a Cat
In fifth grade we adopted our cat, Piper from my grandfather. She is the first pet I've ever had and although we didn't really understand each other at first, I've come to appreciate the adventures that go along with having a cat. Piper is a Devon Rex and that means she looks very different from your typical cat. She has bigger ears and she lacks the stiff hairs that most cats have which means her fur is very soft and curly. -
Hurricane Sandy
Hurricane or Superstom Sandy impacts most of the East Coast and leads to record flooding along the Jersey Shore. It was named the second costliest coming in second only to Hurricane Katrina. This Hurricane helped to show the public that the government had indeed improved in how it was able to handle a disaster of such caliber after Katrina. http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/13/world/americas/hurricane-sandy-fast-facts/ -
Debt-Ceiling Crisis 2013
From October first to the sixteenth the Senate and the House of Representatives could not agree on the budget for the 2014 fiscal year. As a result of this all nonessential departments of the government are shut down and the vote is postponed to 2014. https://mic.com/articles/23941/facts-about-the-debt-ceiling-crisis-2013#.9OgNTSHGN -
The U.S. and China Agree to Reduce Co2 Emissions
The Presidents of both China and the United States announced that they were going to try to cut emissions by 2030 so as to improve public health and adress air pollution issues. The U.S. and China combined account for one third of the Co2 emissions across the globe. https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/11/11/fact-sheet-us-china-joint-announcement-climate-change-and-clean-energy-c -
Freedom Act Signed
The Freedom Act prevents large scale collections of information such as from an entire zip code or state, phone data can instead be collected from the service provider and given voluntarily to the NSA. It also states that tech companies must have a range of options describing how they wil respond to national security needs. This act is also a source of controversy as it does not completely restrict government sureveilance. https://judiciary.house.gov/issue/usa-freedom-act/ -
I became a CIT
I've gone to summer camp at Abington Friends for five years. After you turn fourteen you get to work as a CIT (counselor in training) and help out with different age groups and activities. Last year (2015) was my first year as a CIT and I was able to help run the Art and Visuals Arts at camp. -
Went to a Rush concert
Not only was it my first concert, but Rush was the first band my Dad ever got to see live too when he was about my age at the time (13 or 14). In addition to that, it was the 40th anniversary of when they first formed the band. -
Supreme Court Declare Same-Sex Marraige Legal in All 50 States
The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that states cannot keep same-sex couples from marrying and must recognized their right to do so. This decision essentially forced the thirteen states that had not made same-sex marriage legal already to do so. Of the other 37 states that had already done so, most had done so as a result of a federal court ruling. http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/06/26/417717613/supreme-court-rules-all-states-must-allow-same-sex-marriages -
The United Staes Reestablishes Diplomatic Relations with Cuba
After severing ties with Cuba during the Cold War, President Obama announces that they will be reestablishing ties with Cuba including reopening embassies in each countries' capital city (both were reopened on July 20th). http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/20/politics/cuba-u-s-embassies-opening/ -
Every Student Succeeds Act Signed
ESSA replaces the No Child Left Behind Act and allows states to pick thier own long and short term goals. This law essentially reverses much of what NCLB introduced, allowing states to personalize their goals for themselves and not have any required goals that they have to meet. http://www.edweek.org/ew/issues/every-student-succeeds-act/index.html -
I had my art in the Abington Art Show
Last year my art teacher chose my skateboard design to be put in the district's art show. This was after I decided that I wanted to pursue a career in graphic design. The design featured three scarab beetles that were inspired by the album covers from Journey. -
President Obama Becomes the First President to Visit Cuba Since 1928
No sitting President of the United States has visited Cuba since Calvin Coolidge in 1928. As a result of President Obama's visit he hoped to end a long standing aversion between the two countries and encourage more people to forget their prejudice. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/as-cubans-wait-for-obama-tension-and-excitement-on-havanas-streets/2016/03/20/78726756-eed1-11e5-89c3-a647fcce95e0_story.html -
Second Year as a CIT
This year I went back as a CIT again and despite my fears I started working with the three year-old campers. It was a lot of fun to experience the camp from a different angle since I had only been going there since I was eleven and had never seen how the Junior Camp worked. It definitely helped me to step out of my comfort zone and do something I was unsure of. -
Went to a Yes concert
About two or three months before my birthday my parents asked me what I was planning on doing the day after my birthday. I replied telling them that I didn't think I was doing much of anything, but it turned out that they had bought tickets for us to go see Yes at the Sands Casino in the fifth row back from the stage.
