14th Sponsor Meeting

Yesterday marked the end of visits with Charlie. We basically began to finalize the drawing and consider what materials I will need in order to complete the model, which is still in the process of construction. The model is a lot more time consuming than I thought, but I enjoy working on it except that I have to leave every other period to go to another class. On top of that work from other classes is driving me crazy because I feel like I do not have enough time to do everything i need to do. I'm stressing like crazy and I feel like I'll barely make the deadline of my presentation. I'm trying to focus, but it's a lot harder with all the obligations I have. Next week Charlie wants to discuss how the presentation will go even though I'm just going to do what comes naturally.

13th Sponsor Meeting

Yesterday was the first day that I visited Charlie twice in one week. Anyway, I spent my time yesterday actually creating a drafted diagram of my park. It was a long process. I spent three hours with Charlie. Two of them i spent trying to make the drafted version of the park. It was a long process, but I managed to finish. The other hour was spent doing a final review of variances and ordinances that apply to my project. If any problems applied that may possibly make an issue in the design occur I may have to address it. But lucky for me not a lot of problems appeared to be a hassle to correct. Now I'm on the designing portion and I hope the model will be a whole lot better than the drawing.

12th Sponsor Meeting

I have taken the next step in my project process. Over the past few days I have drawn up sketches and plans for the layout of my park. When I visited Charlie to show him the plan, he was very pleased on what I had created. His feedback was relieving and insightful. He provided suggestions and corrections that I neglected to do and added ideas that I never even thought about. Now I have several connections that i have to make to my original plans and I also must create a blown up version of my park. But before I do anything I must first look at all the setbacks and clearances and possibly fence restrictions that I been recommended to incorporate. I have a lot to do this week for my project since i leave for senior trip next Tuesday.

My Growing Eye for Engineering

My knowledge for Civil Engineering is growing everyday. I've recently picked up the habit of looking for the formation of puddles at intersections while I drive while also looking for inlets for water removal. I mainly notice that a lot of places have natural water removal while others have potholes that fill with water or are naturally sloped on a slant where the water will flow and sit until it evaporates. This habit just appeared and I am now noticing it. I also tend to look for how the layout of intersections suit the flow of the infrastructure. The markings left by surveyors catch my eye whenever I walk down a street or pass by a new development. I believe that the more I study and observe what Charlie looks for and how he identifies problems, the more I become adept at developing my skills.

Anecdote

When I was little boy, I remember playing with this set of building blocks my mother gave as a birthday gift. I spent hours and hours playing with them building variety of things. But this one instance I built this tower that I believed was the coolest thing in the world. This tower seemed to be calling out to me like a voice in the wind. My creation was inspired by the towers on Disney castle that extend high beyond the clouds. This castle sprawled forth all of my hopes and dreams of being a engineer of some sort. Over time that passion developed further as I grew and my outlook on it adapted and changed. As I became influenced by my environment, my passion stayed true. As I entered high school, the passion to just build amazing building changed so slightly that it will make all the difference. I changed my focus of engineering in order to give back to my community and to make a difference which will now make a dramatic impact in the world today.

Another Missed Sponsor Meeting

This week was kind of a bummer because I wasn't able to see Charlie again, but this time he was sick. I managed to find out that he was home sick before I left for his office. His wife who works at the school managed to find me and tell me that Charlie was unavailable. The news was somewhat bitter sweet because I didn't see Charlie, but I then could go to the baseball game that I would of missed. Unfortunately, we lost the game. Anyway, I did begin the designing process of my project today and I hope to add more detail and formulate a better layout than I pictured in my head.

My Weekend

My weekend went as I had planned , but there were a few things that happened that were unexpected. For instance, my step-brother snuck out the house Saturday and was caught which was funny, but I knew about it and I lied to my dad so I wouldn't get in trouble. I felt bad, but I really didn't fell like getting in trouble. I my dad found out, he would lose his trust in me. That bothered me for awhile, but time heals all wounds. Anyway, I had work to do. I managed to finish the feasibility study by my accounts and I also completed the cliff notes that I was assigned to do for chemistry. Overall, my weekend was filled with work to do as well as some excitement.

Product Process

I believe that I have completed my feasibility study even though I'm not exactly how one is suppose to look. I basically did what Charlie told me, I researched each aspect of the zoning code, permits that are allowed, parking regulations, front footage, building restrictions and coverage. All of that I researched, but the exact formatting that the feasibility study is suppose to have is something that I'm not aware of or that I need to know right away. If so, I can have Charlie help me because I have no idea whatsoever. Tomorrow I hope to actually plan out what the park is going to look like in my drafting class. With that start I plan to show that layout to Charlie and get some feedback from him in order to progress further.

Baseball

Yesterday kicked off our need for wins. Coach Shannon told the team that we need to have eight more wins before May 8th in order to make it to the playoffs. This is serious because we need wins, we want to make the playoffs this year. Next week we have six games in five days. We have a game every day next week and a double header on Monday. Hopefully we secure at least two or three games of that week.

11th Sponsor Meeting

I believe that this sponsor meeting was my most productive yet. I set the basis and foundation of what I need to do for the presentation later on. I first have to complete a feasibility study which I was told is the most difficult part of the construction process. Fortunately for me, my project falls within the zoning code of the property and the permits that apply to that zoning code incorporate accessories that I can use for my project. The second part is actually designing my project which will be a small park which will be located in a largely congested neighborhood. The third and final step to the process is actually creating a scale model of the park. I feel that the audience will respond more to a visual model than to a plain drawing. This is a lot of work that I have planned to do, but I hope to complete it all in time.

Vicks's Meeting

The Senior Project meeting on Tuesday with Vick and Paul was insightful, but it was so boring. The activities were annoying and in my opinion a little stupid, but they did provide a lot of information that everyone will need for their presentations. The idea to create an outline to help formulate an organize ideas and ways to keep the audiences attention. Paul's explanation of how the actual evaluation of the presenter was interesting because students and teachers as well as a community person critique the presentation. I wrote at least three or four pages of notes alone just on the evaluation and ways to capture the audiences attention. I have a lot of ideas for my presentation and I feel that this meeting allowed me to formulate how the presentation will go. The most important fact that I learned that day is to just have fun when I'm presenting.

Missed Sponsor Meeting

This week I had to postpone my meeting with Charlie due to my oral surgery yesterday. I had to have my wisdom teeth removed, all four of the them at once. Needless to say, I have no energy in me. I could barely walk straight yesterday and today I feel like I run out of energy quickly. My jaw feels better than what it did yesterday, but overall of feel about 50% better. On top of that I still have 3 baseball games this week that I have to go to, but I rather would stay in bed and rest. I hope I feel better quickly so I can go and watch my teammates play, finish my homework and enjoy what is left of my spring break.

Easter Weekend

My Easter Weekend was nothing special this year. I had hoped it would have been a bit more exciting, but not everything goes as planned. I was bored the whole entire weekend, had nothing to do, didn't go anywhere, not even to spend time with family or friends. I guess that's I should of expected since I was going to my dad's. It wasn't all bad though, Easter Sunday I spent some time with my mom and my sister which I enjoyed until yesterday when I had to undergo surgery, but that is for another day.

Letter to Mrs. Caroll

I am delighted to have had a chance to partake in this experience. The field I am studying in this program is Civil Engineering. Civil Engineers provide a lot of aid and support to communities and the environment. As a result, I want to produce some sort of plans that can benefit the community in some way, shape, or form. The project I wish to create is a simple subdivision of a piece of property that is in the area. I hope to design a small playground because the property for which I was given lies in a suburban area that has no recreational facility. In addition, I also plan to make a scale model of the project once all the research and planning has been completed. I feel that this project will allow me to give something back to the community and portray the main purpose of what civil engineers do. The overall project will be the process in which a developing project, such as the one I plan to do, begins and how it is altered once problems arise.

I believe that I will learn a great deal of problem-solving skills. Adapting to problems and finding logical solutions has become easy to accomplish. I also learned a great deal about the programs used by drafters, the equipment used by surveyors, and the adept thinking of civil engineers. All of these I have learned by simply spending time with each individual. By soaking up their knowledge I’ve been able to actually grasp the concepts that are spoken between civil engineers, drafters, and surveyors. My project will require a lot of research that ranges from mulch and metals for the playground to asphalt and elevation. My sponsor will solely be the aid for my project, however, the aid of others maybe enlisted if my sponsor is unavailable. The only obstacle I anticipate is time. Time is a huge factor because now it is April and the project is due by June and there is still a lot to be done.

10th Sponsor Meeting

This visit was a one to remember. As soon as I met up with Charlie we left his office to go and consult with the surveyors that were recording data on the streets that surround a elementary school. The roads were badly beat up since they were over 50 years old and the curbing almost seemed to be just a pile of rocks along the side of the streets. I actually learned something useful yesterday because most people don not really use a lot of math outside high school and college, but in surveying it really is important to know. The equipment surveyors use all relate to geometric shaping using various angles and distances. The main unit fires a beam to a receiver point held by someone else at whatever distance they maybe and reflects the beam back to the initial position. The from the amount of time it took the beam to travel and come back, an analyzer can analytically decipher how far it traveled, the angle at which it traveled, the elevation at that point. After watching the surveyors work for awhile we finally went back to the office to discuss the product portion again. There, I saw how engineers begin a rough draft on how major projects begin and how small details prove to be huge problems in the long run.

Product Process

Now that the research part is over, I can finally begin the product I spoke about at the Senior Project meeting a few months ago. Then I spoke about creating a subdivision of the high school or devising a simple sewer system. That idea has changed slightly, but incorporates many more elements and aspects to Civil Engineering. After conversing with Charlie for a long time about what exactly to do a throwing ideas at him and having Charlie bounce feedback back to me allowed me to formulate a specific plan. So far I have a piece of land that needs to be subdivided. I plan to devise some sort of recreational park for kids since the piece of land lies within a community. After looking at an aerial view of the area area the property, a small park seems logical, because the previous houses that were planned to be built on the property were denied. This project will allow me to give back to a community while experimenting on what can be built in a restricted region while dealing with regional problems.

9th Sponsor Meeting

Yesterday was interesting in a way that seemed boring and yet fun. When I met up with Charlie he again had to address an emergency issue which always occur when I go to see him. While had dealt with the problem over the phone and by email, Charlie had me finish a flow chart he began. I basically used simply calculations to determine the total number of gallons per day of waste water per block. For each block I had to highlight which lots had access to a certain connection. From there, the total number of houses would be multiplied by 300 in order to the number of gallons per day that flowed through that street. Charlie told me that this flow chart would enable him to see whether or not certain pipes are undersized or over sized. He also informed me of another project that will begin soon, hopefully. There is an intersection in Haddonfield that needs to be redone. The drafters have come up with a solution, but not everyone likes the proposal. In addition, part of the street that needs to be redone lies on the property of a liquor store at one of the streets. The intersection entirely looks like two streets connecting on each side with a strip of pavement that connects the two sides. Charlie hopes to finish this project, but he fears the traffic it will cause due to the number of cars that pass through that intersection.

Robotics Trip

Yesterday was a fun trip even though most of the time we spent on the road. The robotics competition in Newark sponsored by Panasonic was interesting to see. There were numerous schools that were admitted into the final round of the competition, but only one team was going to become the winner. When we arrived we immediately began observing the teams practice on the course. Some robots seemed to be exceptionally built and tested for the competition while other teams appeared to have spent no time practicing for the competition. After lunch a few of us went up stairs to view the competition from the balcony level. From there we saw two teams that were doing extremely well on the course, however, only one actually finished. Another cool thing that made the trip a little more interesting was that Dr. Ranelli went to the competition too.

8th Sponsor Meeting

Yesterday was an interesting visit to see Charlie. The route to his office that I usually take was blocked because the recording guys I met last week were doing some work on the street I usually travel on. I had to detour around his office and park three blocks away at another office building owned by Remington and Vernick. After I finally met with Charlie he gave me a few things that would help me on my research paper and a set of plans that dealt with the product I'm supposed to create for the end of the year presentation. Anyway, from his office we went to go see the camera guys down the street. One was prepping to clean the water line while Charlie, Joe, the other camera guy, and I opened a manhole to see if there were any problems. When the water went through the line, water splashed everywhere. This one woman stopped to take a picture which I thought was weird, but it's not my place to judge. From there we went to deal with a problem to see if the county or the town owns a road in Haddonfield and which one is responsible for repairing it. We took measurements which took an hour to finish, but it seemed a lot longer. Before I left, Charlie told me to look at the plans and study them to see what other ideas can be used that the property.

The Start of My Research Paper

I started my research paper today by writing my introduction during the very first few minutes of class. Before I knew it I was down to the bottom of the page. Its weird because I just flew through it like it was nothing. Right now I have stopped because I need to ask my sponsor something to incorporate in my essay so I at a standstill until tomorrow. I hope to write a page a day so I can knock this thing out by the weekend. I'm meeting with Charlie tomorrow so I'm sure he'll have some bright ideas to contribute to my paper. I going to fly through this paper without a problem.

Spanish Trip

During our Spanish Trip today, I actually noticed how older streets and alleys that were made out of cobblestones and bricks have modern manholes and storm drains. When we visited this tee-shirt store on a back alley way I noticed this. I actually thought about this for a while trying to figure how a modern type of sewer and water management was inserted in a old street with having to dig up the street. Its weird because the street appeared to have nothing done to. I want to know how that manhole got there because that must of been a difficult job to do, but interesting on how the engineer approached the problem.

Depressed

I'm feeling a little depressed right now because Coach Snyder told us that we were all losing focus in this class. This kind of ruined my mood because I was happy, but his comments made me feel a little bit upset. Now I'm a little frustrated because a few of the articles I found really don't help me as much as I thought they would. Now I'm scrambling to find some more articles before I start writing my essay this weekend. Time isn't on my side right now, but I know I can pull through, I always do. Besides the paper schoolwork in my other classes is becoming somewhat overwhelming because we are finishing up the curriculum. Within the next few weeks I going to have to review for all my AP tests while trying to play baseball, do work in this class and attempting to have some fun. Life is tough, but it's only as fun when it's enjoyed to the fullest extent.

7th Sponsor Meeting

This week Charlie took me back out in the field to actually meet the people who video tape sewer lines to check for problems. I actually got to see the crawlers that are sent into the sewer. Some of them were small whereas others were like a remote control car size. In the truck the two guys drive, there is a workshop and a recording studio where all the footage is recorded and saved. After we met them, we began opening up manholes to check the flow of water down this particular street. The first few we opened were a shallow depth under ground, but one of them was a huge drop beneath the ground. One of the crewman actually climbed down the manhole to see where the flow of water was heading. I thought he was crazy, but then I soon realized that he probably used to doing that. This week wasn't really exciting ,but I did enjoy opening up manholes to see how far the storm drain can be underground one block and how it can change one block down the street.

The Beginning of the End of My Research Paper

Today I will attempt to start my research paper. I believe that I have more than enough articles to actually complete the paper. The only fear I have is that I'll run short of ideas before I reach the six page mark. Anyways, I have to remember how to cite my sources, but before I do that I have to read them all first. I've read the majority of them, but I need to reread in order to extract the information. Now that I think of it, I should highlight the important stuff in the articles before I even think about writing the paper. I should also revamp my outline prior to writing my essay. My goal is to start writing my paper this weekend and finishing it by the end of next week or sooner.

Articles for My Research Paper

Ever since I changed my thesis I've been scramblng to find new articles that deal with all types of conservation. The three main types of conservatopn that I'm trying to focus on are water, enviromental, and energy. Hopefully I can find an excess of articles to use for my paper. I also hope to add other ways of conservation just in case my ideas run short and my paper isn't long enough. I'm sure, however, I'll have enough information to not let that happen because I know how to explain and drag things out while still making the topic interesting. The deadline is approaching quickly so I have to start writing my research paper ASAP.

New Direction for my Thesis

After several days of attempting to find articles for my research paper, I came to find out that my thesis was too narrow of a topic. Water conservation did not have enough articles to support what I wanted to prove. So I changed my thesis to how Civil Engineering has done much to protect the environment. Under this thesis I'm able to venture out and talk about water conservation, energy conservation, pollution, and environmental conservation, such as trees, wildlife, and the ozone. Hopefully, I'll be able to find a lot more articles and sources that will benefit me when I begin writing my paper.

6th Sponsor Meetings

Yesterday, I visited Charlie and I believe that this visit was actually my favorite out of all my visits. This week Charlie took me out to actually do some field work. First we examined this one property where the owner owns two housing lots. The town wants to buy the second lot and construct a house on it. Charlies told me that the client has already done a subdivision of the land and has already altered the property line. Anyways, when we examined the property, Charlie told me what to look for when out in the field. I actually found something that he missed. It was only a gas valve, but he didn't see only because grass was growing over it. After that, Charlie took me to another site where the street is going to be repaved. He let me survey the area in order to determine the area to be paved. I found this visit very insightful and fun. I hope next week will be as fun and interesting as this one.

Time Management

Ever since the Senior Project started, I had to adjust my time management skills. I have spent a tremendous amount of time working for this class and my Chemistry class. These two classes are my most difficult and require a lot of work. Now that baseball is starting I'm not sure what I will have to do to keep my grades up and be able to do everything i want to do. I felt overwhelmed a few times already this year with homework for every class and still trying to meet deadlines for this class and doing community service. I hate that feeling because I get so nervous that I can hardly focus on the current task. I believe that I'll have to sacrifice more of my social life time and relax time to accomplish more so i don't feel that way. I'll also have to deal with the drama my mom starts with me when I snap due to the stress. In the end however, it will all be worth it.

Engineering Software

When I went to visit Charlie this week we discussed what product I want to create from this experience. We actually began the process , but not at a fast pace. He also told me that I need to become familiar with the software program AUTOCADD. This software is the foundation for creating all engineering projects. He told me I can use the program whenever I see him, but Charlie believes I will not have enough time working on that alone. Right now I am trying to find someway to acquire the program because I do not want to spend over a hundred dollars for some software that I may not be able to understand completely. Hopefully, I can find someway to use AUTOCADD, either at home or in school.

An Inspirational Quote

" The best investment my dad ever made was education." Ivan Piñeiro

Over the weekend my father and I spoke a lot about my future during our drive to New York. At one point in the conversation, my dad said the quote stated above referring to his father. This really impacted my attitude and respect towards my father. It made me respect him and appreciate him a lot more because he is investing in me to better my life. I never thought about education being an investment. I know my father is investing a lot in my education because he knows that I can handle anything and that I am worth it. I won't throw that opportunity to better my life by getting an education.

Fifth Sponsor Meeting

This week Charlie and I began discussing ideas for a Senior Project product that I will need to create from this experience. He told me that a subdivision of the school, a set of plans that show every layer and detail of the school, would be a lot to accomplish in the one week meeting. We soon achieved an alternate solution. Instead of the school, Charlie suggested a subdivision of a land plot that is nearby where construction has not started. I told him about the construction project off of Chews Landing Road and Old Black Horse Road. We used Google Earth to get a satellite view of the land and a website to get the zoning code of the area. It turned out that the county bought that property and it is registered as public and recreation land so no building can be built on that property. We eventually decided to use that land, but change the zoning code. This off course cannot be used for any legal documentation because the subdivision is not for the proper zoning code. Next week Charlie hopes to actually begin the process of what a Civil Engineer actually does when given a piece of land and what has to be done before any work can be done.

Trip to New York

Yesterday my father and I drove up to New York to see his cousin who is sick in the hospital. We also went to pick up my uncles and my grandfather and spend some time with them. Anyway, the trip up there was very interesting. I saw many different types of roadways, overpasses, and bridges. On our way into the city we crossed the George Washington Bridge. It was my first time actually crossing that bridge and I was amazed on how it was built. The sections of roadways after the bridge were interconnected by stunning spirals of roadway and ramps. I found this connection of roadway is an amazing feat of civil engineering. The whole length of time I spent in New York I attempted to search for other places where civil engineering created an incredible system of pavement linking various place together.

History of Civil Engineering

"...the art of directing the great sources of power in nature for the use and convenience of man, as the means of production and of traffic in states, both for external and internal trade, as applied in the construction of roads, bridges, aqueducts, canals, river navigation and docks for internal intercourse and exchange, and in the construction of ports, harbours, moles, breakwaters and lighthouses, and in the art of navigation by artificial power for the purposes of commerce, and in the construction and application of machinery, and in the drainage of cities and towns.

"Institution of Civil Engineers' original charter, 1828

This original charter instituted by the Institution of Civil Engineers is the foundation of the duty of Civil Engineers. Civil Engineering is the oldest form of engineering to date. Civil Engineers built the pyramids and the Great Wall. The wonders were all created on paper before constructed to scale. Some of these structures were built it assist people like the Roman aqueducts and others for show like the Eiffel Tower. Whether these marvels were built for the intention to help people or to be just an attraction, they do depict and show the history of Civil Engineering came to be. They are Civil Engineering's past, present and future.

Sponsor Meeting 4

This past visit to see Charlie I actually had a chance to see the nasty side of being a civil engineer. I saw footage of what Charlie and his co-workers call "Dirty Movies." The videos were not actually dirty movies, they were footage of what goes on inside a sewer line. In the video I saw several different types of cracking and gaps in piping. At one point in the video I actually saw tree roots that pierced the sewer line to reach the nutrients in the water that was running through. Soon after I saw that, I also saw something that posed a serious problem to the area the pipe was running through. The side of the pipe actually broke. I saw a huge break in the pipe wall exposing the ground. When I asked Charlie about it he told me that it must off been a recent break and that it needs to be replaced immediately. After a while longer of watching I began to get bored of watching the same thing. When Charlie noticed this he asked me if I wanted to go visit the drafters again. I answered with rejoice. There, I learned a little more about how the plans are created on the computer with AUTO CAD, a program which enables drawings and renderings of land plots and/or projects. Next week when I visit, Charlie hopes to have me actually start my senior project product. Hopefully I won't face any problems early on.

Engineering and Sports

Baseball will be starting next week and I can't wait. Now that I think about it, I wonder how much the town paid to construct the fields in which we play on. On my second sponsor visit I met an engineer, Tim, who told me all the components to building a sports complex and all the possible problems that come with it. For instance, my towns sports complex has five baseball fields. Two are for little league baseball, two for softball, and one official baseball field. At the heart of the complex is a concession stand with bathrooms and storage for field maintenance. There is about six lights for night games and a parking lot that sits upon a hill that overlooks the fields. There are more fields to the park, but the main focus I see is on the baseball fields. I truly wonder how much this project cost entirely. I can assume a hefty sum of money, but solely for the fields. I have an idea about the cost, but I only learned that by visiting my sponsor.

Engineer of the Year

I received an invitation a few weeks ago to the Engineer of the Year banquet in Philadelphia. The banquet is to honor Drexel Alumni Christopher Ferguson,. Ferguson is an astronaut who is also a Mechanical Engineer. In 2008, Ferguson commanded the space shuttle Endeavour STS-126. Ferguson worked with his six-person crew on a 15-day space mission to install a system that recycles urine into drinking water. Ferguson is now being honored for his contributions to engineering. The banquet is tonite, however. I am not sure if I want to go mainly because I am not a part of that so called "scene." I also know that some of the friends I made with over the summer are going to the party. This may possibly sway my decision, but I have not really selected an option.

Video of the Week

This video of the week splices new school reggaeton with some old school salsa music. This new blend allows the younger Latino generation to appreciate the music of elder generations by using the flow and beats of the past in conjunction with the words of the youth. I believe this form of reggaeton helps me to remember where I came from. It helps me keep my mind focused and defers all distractions. I want to always remember where I come from be able to be proud of it. Not letting anyone stand in my way and belittle me is my belief, and just because there are many stereotypes about the education of Hispanic does not mean they are all true. I am proud of where I come from and no one will tell me otherwise.

Sponsor Meeting 3

This week, Charles had me taste a bit of what civil engineers must face when not on site. As soon as I saw him, Charles told me to sit down at a drafting bench and do so calculations. He taught me how to calculate the slope of piping by measuring the lateral footing of the pipe and the inversion of each side. At first I thought I was going to mess up because I actually had to find the numbers myself, whether it was measuring the drawing or inspecting the paper for the inversions. After I finished one set of plans, he gave me another to work on. This set of plans, however, was several pages longer than the previous one I had completed. After about and hour or so he told me that he finished the estimations of road projects the company will do in 2010. He told me he he used a spreadsheet, which took him about four hours to complete. The overall cost to do the 15 road projects was estimated to be 7.2 million dollars. This is only in the following year. I can only imagine how much the projects this year will cost. Next week Charles plans to have me either on site seeing how sewer problems emerge or watching videos of what happens in the sewer. Either way, I will get a better understanding of how sewers work and how cross contaminations or leaks occur.

A Mercury Contaminated Building

I was reading the paper a few minutes ago and came across an article that mentioned a mercury contamination. The building was used as temperature controlled facility, but many leaks and spills happened and the building closed down. Those leaks seeped into the walls and remained there. The building was reopened as a Child Care center when the man who owned the building sold it to the Kiddie College franchise. Low and behold the man who sold the building did not mention the building was contaminated. Once the truth was revealed later on, over 100 kids were reported to be infected. No severe harm has been done or seems to be expected. I believe that any kind of contamination needs to be dealt with in any way possible. The longer the contamination is left unchecked, the more harm it can do to civilians living in the nearby area.

Project Thesis

Lately Mr. Abrams has reminded to keep a weary eye on what we want our topics for the research paper coming soon. I allegedly thought about Salsa and how Salsa music evolved from classical music, but now i think I may do something different. I think I may do a research paper on the steps necessary to create an engineering project. From plumbing to water will all be included. I think this paper will allow people to grasp the idea on how much time and energy it takes to actually design the project and bring it to life. As I was told yesterday, it would take about 14 million dollars to create a working sports complex, which will only have two soccer fields, only two. But because it will be a sports complex facilities such as bathrooms and concessions will also need to be built. That will require water, gas and a septic system. Lightening also comes into play as well as the electrical source powering the lights. All these factors are interesting to know when an engineering marvel is completed and used by other people because no one truly thinks about this kind of things.

2nd Sponsor Meeting

My sponsor meeting today went so much beter than last week's mainly because the weather was so much nicer. This week my sponsor had to handle a last second meeting with one of his clients. This, off course, happened right as I arrived. I called Charles to tell him I had arrived and he told me that another engineer, Tim, would assist me. While waiting for Charlie, Tim showed me two land plots of two entirely different projects. One was a land plot of land Remington and Vernick bought from the state. The town wants that land to be used in order to build a new soccer complex; however, they're several problems that must be dealt with. They include, a gas line that cannot be moved, a waste removal system, contaminated soil, water to facilities, the elevation of the land, and an eagles nest that sits to the Northeast of the land. The estimated cost, Tim and Charlie expect, is approximately 14 million dollars. The lightening alone for night games will cost 70,000 dollars a light without maintenance. The other project was a complete overhaul of one street in Haddonfield. There was a cross contamination between the water line and the sewage system. The sewage leaked into the water and killed all the fish in a nearby pond. The town wants this problem fix, but there are other problems with the street that also have to be tended to. Overall, I believe I learned a lot this week because I was able to visualize what civil engineers have to face when tackling various problems.

Maintaining Modern Marvels

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/world_us/39274202.html

This article, which I heard about through Mr. Abrams, shows how much work is required to maintain modern structures. The number of people required to fix even a small problem like a light bulb demands the input of several experienced individuals. In addition, I learned that it takes 30 painters 18 months working full-time to completely paint the Eiffel Tower. Taking care of a monument that big takes a lot of time, especially the problems that need to be taken care of higher up. The men who have to tend to problems higher up need to wear climbers gear and work in pairs to ensure safety. Not only that, but the workers also have to make sure not to drop anything because someone could die if he or she were hit. In conclusion, many people need to work on one structure to maintain it workability, safety, and its longevity as a historic landmark.

Civil Engineering News

http://www.cenews.com/article.asp?id=3557

This article reveals how the structures built years ago are becoming more deficient and more likely to fail as time passes. The "grade" of each structures quality is diminishing and we, as a country, need to invest in these projects in order to prevent a serious problem like how the levees broke when Katrina hit. These wore down projects need to be revamped and redesigned in order to ensure the safety of the nation.

Drexel News

http://drexel.edu/news/headlines/substantial-work-ahead-for-water-issues,-say-scientists-at-acs

I was searching through news articles the other day and I came across this article on Drexel University's website. This article identifies how to preserve clean water and distribute it to the people of the world. This article ties in to my project in two major ways: infrastructure and water cleanliness. Engineers and scientist are trying to develop methods to keep water cleaner in new water lines and attempting to create a water contamination detector that can read a contamination but differentiate a false alarm from a serious threat. These are the problems I will have to face when I become an engineer because water conservation will become a more serious issue as time goes by.

First Day on the Job

Yesterday I met with my sponsor for the first time at his office in Haddonfield. I was lost for awhile, but I managed to find him within the freezing cold blizzard. Once we met, my sponsor, Charles, navigated me around the town. He told me his company has seven seperate buildings in Haddonfield. I told him I managed to figure that out when I past several buildings with his company's logo. After we spent a few minutes roaming the his office we took to the streets. We walked several blocks, and on every block, Charles pointed out some problem that he has to fix or modify in the town. The majority of the problems consisted of a cross connection between water and sewer lines. This problem is serious because if a sewer line breaks, the sewage can possibly seep into the town's water lines. Another problem he presented to me dealt with the reconstruction of an intersection to make it accesible to disabled individuals. This meeting lasted about an hour, and Charles told me to come back next Tuesday. Next week, he told me, that he will have me working on some calculations that civil engineers need to make in order to maximize efficiency while minimizing cost.

A Bad Day Turns Around

This morning was one of the worse mornings I've ever had. I woke up with the most annoying upset stomach that didn't go away until third period. On top of that, Coach Synder asked me before school began to speak on behalf of the Senior Project Seminar class. At the moment I felt annoyed because I didn't have anything prepared, but I soon felt honored that he asked me to speak. Before the actual address, I was in my Chemistry class working on lab that went horrible wrong. I was on the verge of completing a large portion of the lab, but I mistake cost me the results I desired, and now I have to start over. Even though all these bad occurrences happened, my day is turning out well.

Somehow, I managed to laugh off all the negative things that happened today, and transformed it into something positive. For once in my life I do not have a ton of homework to complete and i do not have any school activities today. I'm just glad that Monday is almost over and that all these bad things happened today, and that they are done and over with.

Senior Project Kickoff

We had a Senior Project kickoff meeting on Wednesday that allowed parents, mentors, and sponsors to become more familiar with the program. At the meeting, a bunch of us students spoke about ourselves briefly. In this mini speech, we introduced our family, our mentors, and pour sponsors, if they managed to make the meeting. After introducing who we were with, each of us gave our topic, or thesis, we would care to study during Senior Project and a possible product we may produce.

When I spoke, which I was the very first person, I introduced my mom, her boyfriend, my mentor, Mrs. Hansbury, and my sponsor, Charles Chettloti. I then decided what career field I would like to study, which is civil engineering. Afterwards, I discussed the product I would like to produce. I said I would like to redesign the school, but that didn't seem like a crowd pleaser so I added a second option which was designing a simple sewer system to bounce back. Once everyone spoke, we took pictures for the website and we all were able to leave.

Midterms

My midterms are severely difficult. My Calculus midterm didn't seem difficult at first, but there is another section that I have to finish because there was not enough time to complete during the allotted time. My chemistry midterm, however, was the most difficult midterm I have ever taken. The actual midterm was a lab, that I barely finished, and a few free response questions. I actually could not even finish the questions because, low and behold, I ran out of time. So I think I failed that midterm big time. In addition, I ran out of time during my drafting midterm, but my teacher allowed extra time since no one was close to finishing, except me.

Tomorrow I have my English and History midterms, which I know will be difficult. They both are subjects I excel in, but the people I know who have already taken the midterm have informed me that neither of them are easy. Friday my Spanish midterm project is due, but that is already done except for one final detail that has yet to be completed. Other than midterms, my week has going well, except for some minor setbacks.

Difficult Decision

Recently, I have come to a difficult decision that determines my activities over the summer. One option is to apply for an internship, which I will most likely be hired, and work the whole summer or spend the summer with family and friends, having fun. I'm perplexed on how each weighs because one benefits my career and the other tones and shapes my emotional persona. i have taken this dilemma to several of my friends and a few family members and I still have yet to reach a decision. I want to do what is best for me, but both contribute to that philosophy in their own way.

I hope to reach a decision soon. I may possibly reach a census by confronting my parents about it. They both care about me and respect my choice, so their input can possibly settle my inner conflict. All my parents want is to see me happy and make my own choices because I'm becoming an adult, and this is a part of growing up that will make me a stronger person.

The benefits of applying for the internship are, pay, experience with new technologies, a possible job once I finish college, and a productive summer that I hope it to be. The cons, however, consist of lack of family and friend time, not having the option to vacation in various exotic locations, and a break from working. The main con that affects my decision the most is that I will not spend a lot of time with my family and friends. The majority of this problem weighs on how much I want to spend time with my family and friends and the craving for more experience.

Video of the Week

This video of the week focues on a genuine love song by my favorite reggaeton artists, Wisin y Yandel. Yo Te Quiero means I want you/ I love you, and in this video it plays both meanings. I chose this video because it shows how one man will do anything he can inorder to be with the woman he loves the most even though she left him. This video reflects how I would act in this situation because love makes people do crazy things. Besides the fact this is a love song, the duo express pure and true words about the problem.

Lyrics
(Wisin)
(Hace un año que no se de ella)
(Hace un año que cambie mis amistades)
(Que amigos es un peso en el bolsillo por sus comentarios perdi a la mujer que amo)
(Hace un año que no como lo mismo)
(Y da la casulidad que... chico)
(Both)
Ayer la ví(Loco por ir donde ella),
solita...Y me desespero (oye bebe), señorita...Tu sabes que por ti me muero (los Vaqueros)Déjame hablarte(dejame hablarte ma'), deja orientarte (chica)
Que desde aquella noche que lo hicimos,Siento que te quiero

Yo te quiero, (oye bebe)
Tú me quieres, (si yo te quiero)
Entonces porque ya no viene, (vuelve)
Si sabes que por ti me muero.(como)

Yo te quiero,
Tú me quieres, (oye bebe)
Entonces porque ya no viene,
Si sabes que por ti me muero.
(Wisin)
Ya ni como ni vacilo con el combo,Te propongo del problema llegar al fondo,Tu amor en mi llego muy hondo,Mami vuelve pronto en la situacion yo fui un tonto,Y sigo aquí comiéndome un cable,Como si fuera vulnerable,Lo nuestro es inevitable,Las ganas de comernos son palpables,Intocable estar contigo es algo saludable.
(Oye mami)

Yo te quiero, (tu sabes)
Tú me quieres,
Entonces porque ya no viene,
Si sabes que por ti me muero.

Yo te quiero, (si yo te quiero)
Tú me quieres, (tu me quieres)
Entonces porque ya no viene,
Si sabes que por ti me muero. (tu sabe, tu sabe)
(Wisin)
Como chayane, tu pirata soy yo',
So', nadie te besa como lo hago yo,
Duro sensación como chambear una loa',
En la rookie yo soy pro,Y yo quiero resolver el asunto,Y estar juntos,
Entre tu y yo no hay nada oculto,Ganemos los tumultos,Dejemos los insultos,Dejemos que el asunto, nos tenga juntos.
(Yandel)
Quiero hacerte mía, besarte to'a,Sentir tu cuerpo,
tu movimiento,Hacerte mía, besarte to'a,Sin sufrimiento, hacerlo lento,
Quiero hacerte mía, besarte to'a,Sentir tu cuerpo, tu movimiento,Hacerte mía, besarte to'a,Sin sufrimiento, hacerlo lento,

Yo te quiero,
Tú me quieres,
Entonces porque ya no viene,
Si sabes que por ti me muero.(Oye princesa),

Yo te quiero, (tu sabes),
Tú me quiere, (quien soy yo),
Entonces porque ya no viene,
Si sabes que por ti me muero.
Si yo te quiero,Tú me quieres,
Entonces porque ya no viene,
Si sabes que por ti me muero.

Si sabes que por ti me muero bebe,Tu lo sabes,W con yandel el duo de la historia,Sobrepasando limites musicales,Nestyyyyy...Víctor El Nazi...El verdadero dream team y unico dream team,Aqui no pueden inventar,Oye bebe,Shhhhhh,Tranquila,Que yo te quiero,Tu lo sabes,Si yo te quiero,Si sabes que por ti me muerooooooo

My Genes

Recently, I have thought about my grandfather and my father. While analyzing their character and their abilities, I realized that some of their extraordinary talents I did not inherit. For example, my grandfather is a really good singer, even though he's old he can still carry a tune. In addition, he's an excellent dancer who has years of practice and experience.

Fortunate for my father, he inherited my grandfather's excellent dance skills. When I watch my father dance, I can see myself gliding around the dance floor showcasing my skills. However, I didn't inherit his amazing dance skills, but I did inherit a natural rhythm and other helpful qualities from my father.

I still wish I had the ability to sing. It's a rare talent for a man to have and it's a interesting quality to have and perfect. But I can only dream about singing. In the mean time, I can practice my dance skills so I can show them off the next time an opportunity arises.

A Quote from President Obama's Inaugural Address

"In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less."



Throughout President Obama's address, this is the one quote that stuck out to me. The first line which describes the old saying, "greatness is not given, but must be earned", intrigues me because I fight for any and everything. I want to achieve the level of success Obama has achieved and I am willing and able to meet those standards, no matter the cost. One day I'll achieve that level of success, and then I'll reflect on everything I did in order to reach the pinnacle of triumph and happiness.

The second line to this excerpt, defines me as a person. I never really used any kind of excuse or method to cheat myself out of work. I always stay true to my word instead of using cheats and shortcuts to get ahead. Everything that I have done in my life so far had been done so I can have a legit advantage when I enter the working world. Actually understanding and explaining ideas and facts work much better than memorizing them for an interview just to show some intelligence. Shortcuts never work in the real world because whoever uses them always gets caught and always suffers the consequences.

Inauguration of President Obama

The inauguration of President Barack Obama was a historic moment in history. His address filled me with goosebumps after every cheer of the crowd. His words flowed and meshed together like a river emptying into a ocean. Barack Obama's use of metaphors and imagery painted a perfect picture of the changes he will make. In addition, his incorporation of the nation's history within his address was but all inspiring. Incorporating the events that set in motion that led up to his moment was nothing short of genius.

After Obama completed his speech, I called my sister to discuss the speech. She told me that she was crying because she thought this moment would never happen. Besides the fact Obama is black, he is also a minority, the feeling I get from watching a minority succeed fills me with inspiration. I believe that the change Obama promised will happen, its only a matter of time before he revitalizes our nation to its former glory and prosperity.

New Years Resolution

I always found that creating a New Years Resolution was such a tedious task for people because no one ever follows their resolution, but I’ve come to realize that they seem much more helpful than they appear. I personally have made several New Years Resolutions over the past few years, but I gave up on them before I even got started. However, I realize now the standards I made I could never achieve. This year that is all going to change. My resolutions for self improvement focus on my health, family and friend appreciation, and the impact I can make on my community. Although I’ve made several mistakes about setting a New Years Resolution, this year I will be able to make up for lost time by improving my life and the lives of other around me. My first resolution, which I began last year, dealt with acquiring a healthy diet. Over the past year only half of that goal has become a reality. Eating healthy foods spliced itself into my lifestyle, but exercise has whittled its way out. I plan to exercise much more this year. In addition, I plan to assist my mom because she to also wants to get in shape. By exercising I will gain more energy, feel good about myself, and act less lazy when I’m around other people. My second resolution concerns my family and my friends. As this is my senior year it will be the last time I see some of my friends. In addition, I may not see some of my relatives in Puerto Rico over the summer due to an internship that I may acquire. Even though some of my family is visiting soon, I want to treasure their time here with many memories. Likewise with my friends, I want to share many fond memories in the time we have before we go our separate ways. I want to show my family and friends how much I appreciate them in the time left to tell and show them. My third resolution addresses my generosity towards my community. Lately I have done community work for the National Honor Society, and I felt proud of myself for donating my time to help others. I want to dedicate more of my time to aiding my community in any way possible. In December, I volunteered at my church to make food baskets, acted as a greeter, and I collected offerings during mass. These deeds seem to put a smile on my face and I want to continue to do that. New Year Resolutions seem impossible to follow, depending on their difficulty, but if easy resolutions are achievable. Exercise is the number one important thing this country needs and I intend to get in shape and I won’t be doing it alone. Friends and family are important, so I want to treasure the time I have with them in order to reflect on the experience and memories later on in life. Community service does the heart well and nothing can improve someone’s character by helping out the community.

Seven Pounds Movie Review

If you haven't seen the movie, I advise you not to continue reading.



At the beginning of the movie, I felt lost and confused due to how the movie opened. As the movie continued more and more information about Will Smith's character arose. The overall story is basically how Smith's character attempts to repent for his irresponsible actions causing a car accident that killed seven people, including his wife. Throughout the course of the movie, Smith's character visits several individuals and tries to uncover how they truly act, because he has the power to drastically change their lives. This, however, can only be given if those individuals truly deserve it. In the end, Smith commits suicide in order to complete his plan to save the life of a newly found love and to give life to another by donating his eyes.

I believe this movie is inspirational because of the fact that helping others can make a difference. For example, in the movie Smith's character donated bone marrow so a little boy could walk again. A donation like that may be asking to much, but donating blood is easier can can save a life as well. Movies such as this inspire many people to help others in need in anyway possible. This movie can inspire the uninspirable.

A Letter from the Future

Imagine that you are twenty-eight years old, and you're writing to a cherished teacher whom you haven't heard from in ten years. Tell him/her about your professional life. What do you do for a living and how did you get there? Consider the following: What schools did you attend? What special training and degrees do you have? Where do you work and what is the name of your company? What do your coworkers and boss think of you? What professional successes and awards have you enjoyed since graduating from high school.

Dear Mr. Smith


It has been a long since we have spoken. A lot has changed in my life. I am the head Civil Engineer at WP Projects down in Miami, Florida. I'm a Drexel University Alumni with a Bachelors Degree and I have finished my Master's thanks to my company's financial assistance. I went to Graduate school at Princeton University as soon as I was ensured my position at WP Projects. Through the help of Drexel's coop program, I was able to work with WP Projects and they told me that they would hire me as soon as I graduated. I really do not have a boss, but I do have superiors that I must consult with on every project our company undertakes. My coworkers are respectable and dependable because I need them to be besides the fact that I manage them like money. Soon after I achieved my position, I received a letter of acceptance from the Society of Hispanic Engineers. In addition, I was nominated for Civil Engineer of the Year. So far I couldn't ask for a better life.



Sincerely,
Iván Alejandro Piñeiro

Commenting fellow Classmates' Blogs

By reading and commenting my fellow classmates' blogs, I have been able to understand them and know them a bit better. For example, I had no idea my closest friend, Enrique, and my neighbor Aliccia both are bungee jumping lunatics. On the other hand, Brionna wrote about how the ties of love can make or break a person. I feel the same way in the matters of the heart experiencing some heartbreak already. On a more professional level, I share the same stress with Des. We both seem to stress about school and what we are doing for our future. Moving on, I never knew the unique style and creativity Turk thinks about and she exhibits it. Lastly, I read Sam's latest post. I felt a connection with her post because she wrote about how much family, especially her mother, means to her. In addition, her enthusiasm about traveling the world can only rival my own, however I already have a head start. I now realize that reading and commenting on other blog posts can build a deeper connection and a closer friendship with everyone in the class.

Weekend Grab Bag

Today I have a lot going for me that I set in stone to secure my future. I already have my acceptance letter to Drexel University, acquired some scholarship money, and received news of a summer internship that I am currently applying for. However, I still have a lot of work to do. There are several scholarships that I still need to apply for, some of which provide a hefty sum of money. Free money is out there, I just have to find it.

In other news, my cousin, my uncle and my grandfather are visiting my family and I at the end of the month. This of course is exciting because I usually do not see them until the summer. In contrast, if I am accepted into the summer internship I applied for, I won't be able to see my aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. There is so many things happening in my life I feel at times overwhelmed, however, the aid from family and friends helps me fight on.

Personal Improvement Excerpt

The excerpt I took from my self-improvement book came from Chapter 1. It concerned how sale representatives try their hardest to persuade consumers to purchase items that have no use for shoppers. This excerpt is a metaphor on how the tactics a sale rep uses can result in a hard life without money for day to day survival.

"It is far better to paddle your own raft over rapids than to give up the oars to a stranger, sit down in the bottom of the boat, close your eyes, cross your fingers, and hope for a happy landing."

I would rather trust my own knowledge and instinct rather than to be persuaded by a sneaky sales person. Following my own instinct and trusting my own knowledge will keep my mind focused and my money in my pocket.

Project Exploration

I've always had an interest in music. Listening to music allows me to express myself in whatever mood I'm in. At times i feel a deep connection with the lyrics of gospel and R&B and other instance to just dance to Hip Hop. But my true connection to music comes from my roots, Puerto Rico. The music native to the island flows through me everyday. Salsa, Merengue, and of course Reggaeton forms who I am; it's forever edged into my soul and my heart. My research paper will consist of how the evolution of classical music formed what I know today as Salsa music.

I've always listened to salsa music when I was little. My parents played it whenever we had company. The flow of the music excited me and always seemed to grasp my attention, especially when people began to dance to the music. as soon as I saw people dance I immediately had the urge to do the same, but I didn't know how to. Now I know how to dance salsa somewhat and I love dancing to the music.

Salsa music developed from classical music. This transition occurred in several steps. In the beginning, the classical music soon gained a new rhythm by using the beats of African drums which produced the fierce dance, the Tango. However, the true start of Latin dance all started in Cuba with the Son. Later on the North American Son was renamed Salsa and as for the music, newer and newer musical instruments were added like trumpets and guitars.

How to Grade the Journal

I think the blogs should be graded on grammar and length. The quality of grammar and the grammar mistakes made will count towards the majority of the grade. The length, however, will also count as a portion of the grade but not as much. The minimum written in the journal should be at least five to seven sentences, a paragraph minimum. I believe that the quality and grammar used in writing is more of a priority than the amount written because the amount written may make no sense at all. The Journal should include any knowledge gained, emotions, relationships, opinions, or thoughts the writer may think of. Nothing should be off limits in the Journal, but not everything needs to be written in it too.

The number of journal entries should be based off of the amount of time a student spends with his or her sponsor in order to be fair. People who do write a lot should be rewarded with extra credit, but extra credit should also be earned by class presentations of what someone has learned or by bringing in a guest speaker. Since everyone in the class know on another, setting up a network should not be a problem to create. By commenting and providing suggestions towards one another will allow everyone to stay connected and to consistently grow as a person through one anothers help.

Learning About Blogger

I started my new blog a I'm still learning features about the software. I find that having and maintaining a blog seems fun and easy, but I'm still learning and adapting in order to make my blog more appealing and more unique.