This+I+Believe+Essay

=Essay 1: This I Believe Essay =

==Assignment: Write a 400 - 500 word essay describing what you believe in. We will use these essays to create our first podcasts. ==

EXAMPLE: Listen to Felipe Morales' Essay that he wrote about a belief he has This is a great example of what your essay should sound like.

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__Transcript of Morales' Essay (415 words): __

A few years ago, I took a sightseeing trip to Washington, D.C. I saw many of our nation's treasures, and I also saw a lot of our fellow citizens on the street — unfortunate ones, like panhandlers and homeless folks.

Standing outside the Ronald Reagan Center, I heard a voice say, "Can you help me?" When I turned around, I saw an elderly blind woman with her hand extended. In a natural reflex, I reached in to my pocket, pulled out all of my loose change and placed it on her hand without even looking at her. I was annoyed at being bothered by a beggar.

But the blind woman smiled and said, "I don't want your money. I just need help finding the post office."

In an instant, I realized what I had done. I acted with prejudice — I judged another person simply for what I assumed she had to be.

I hated what I saw in myself. This incident re-awakened my core belief. It reaffirmed that I believe in humility, even though I'd lost it for a moment. The thing I had forgotten about myself is that I am an immigrant. I left Honduras and arrived in the U.S. at the age of 15. I started my new life with two suitcases, my brother and sister, and a strong, no-nonsense mother. Through the years, I have been a dishwasher, roofer, cashier, mechanic and pizza delivery driver among many other humble jobs, and eventually I became a network engineer.

In my own life, I have experienced many open acts of prejudice. I remember a time, at age 17 — I was a busboy, and I heard a father tell his little boy that if he did not do well in school, he would end up like me. I have also witnessed the same treatment of family and friends, so I know what it's like, and I should have known better. But now, living in my American middle-class lifestyle, it is too easy to forget my past, to forget who I am and where I have been, and to lose sight of where I want to be going. That blind woman on the streets of Washington, D.C., cured me of my self-induced blindness. She reminded me of my belief in humility and to always keep my eyes and heart open.

By the way, I helped that lady to the post office. And in writing this essay, I hope to thank her for the priceless lesson.

Grading

I will use this rubric when grading your essays.
__**HINT:**__ USE THIS WHILE WRITING TO MAKE SURE YOU PRODUCE AN __EXCEPTIONAL__ ESSAY


 * CATEGORY || 20 || 15 || 10 || 5 ||
 * Focus on Topic (Content) || There is one clear, well-focused topic. Main idea stands out and is supported by detailed information. || Main idea is clear but the supporting information is general. || Main idea is somewhat clear but there is a need for more supporting information. || The main idea is not clear. There is a seemingly random collection of information. ||
 * Adding Personality (Voice) || The writer seems to be writing from knowledge or experience. The author has taken the ideas and made them "his own." || The writer seems to be drawing on knowledge or experience, but there is some lack of ownership of the topic. || The writer relates some of his own knowledge or experience, but it adds nothing to the discussion of the topic. || The writer has not tried to transform the information in a personal way. The ideas and the way they are expressed seem to belong to someone else. ||
 * Flow & Rhythm (Sentence Fluency) || All sentences sound natural and are easy-on-the-ear when read aloud. Each sentence is clear and has an obvious emphasis. || Almost all sentences sound natural and are easy-on-the-ear when read aloud, but 1 or 2 are stiff and awkward or difficult to understand. || Most sentences sound natural and are easy-on-the-ear when read aloud, but several are stiff and awkward or are difficult to understand. || The sentences are difficult to read aloud because they sound awkward, are distractingly repetitive, or difficult to understand. ||
 * Grammar & Spelling (Conventions) || Writer makes no errors in grammar or spelling that distract the reader from the content. || Writer makes 1-2 errors in grammar or spelling that distract the reader from the content. || Writer makes 3-4 errors in grammar or spelling that distract the reader from the content. || Writer makes more than 4 errors in grammar or spelling that distract the reader from the content. ||
 * Word Choice || Writer uses vivid words and phrases that linger or draw pictures in the reader's mind, and the choice and placement of the words seems accurate, natural and not forced. || Writer uses vivid words and phrases that linger or draw pictures in the reader's mind, but occasionally the words are used inaccurately or seem overdone. || Writer uses words that communicate clearly, but the writing lacks variety, punch or flair. || Writer uses a limited vocabulary that does not communicate strongly or capture the reader's interest. Jargon or cliches may be present and detract from the meaning. ||