The following newsletter has been placed on this website as an example of possible student products when writing is integrated across the curriculum. ABSPD hopes that pursuing the idea of a class newsletter will boost writing experiences as well as literacy in your classes. Besides gaining writing experience, using life situations, and raising self-esteem, constructing class newsletters unifies students in pursuit of a common goal.

The newsletter project was developed with the suppport of Michael Jordan, Vice President of Continuing Education, and Ruth Jones, Director of Basic Skills.

To help you get started with your class newsletter, use the topics suggested by Jim McDevitt. He gave the students choices such as the following:

1. Profile someone important to you.

2. Tell about the greatest challenge you have faced.

3. Describe the most unforgettable character you have known.

4. Write about an event or person that changed your life.

5. Relive the most frightening experience you have had.

6. Share the happiest moment of your life. Use different forms; essay, poetry, free write.

To begin your project start with a class write. Jim began with poems collectively written in class. As students dictated lines he wrote them on the board. A community experience that served as a model for other writing opportunities.

Try a class newsletter. Share it with us for placing on our website to be used by Adult Basic Skills students across our state as networking and reading material. What a great way to learn!

Late Bloomers

Volume 1, Number 1               Spring 2003

Edgecombe Community College, Rocky Mount campus (mcdevittj@edgecombe.cc.nc.us; 252.446.0436, ext. 342)

BLOWOUT!

By Lisa Moses

One of the most frightening experiences I ever had was on the day a tire blew out on my van while I was traveling about 60 miles per hour on Highway 64 West headed toward Nashville. There was no warning. I was driving along listening to the radio when it happened.

Several things happened at once. First, there was a small explosion and lurch as the tire burst and the air rushed out. Then I think my heart rate doubled, pounding in my chest. Then the steering wheel began to jerk back and forth as the van swerved from one side of the two-lane highway to the other. My hands began to sweat, gripping the wheel as if my life depended on it, and it did. It took a few seconds for me to realize what had happened. I took my foot off the gas and applied the brakes as the car turned toward the median again. The whole thing must have lasted several minutes from the time it happened until the van came to a stop in the median. My greatest fear was that the van was going to turn over. Fortunately, there were no cars or trucks nearby for me to collide with.

After what seemed like a week, the van jerked to a halt and a few minutes later, a woman motorist

stopped near me and got out. She asked if I was o.k. and I said that I was, but I needed to make a call. She handed me her cell phone and I made a call to my mechanic. When he answered the phone, I explained what had happened, told him where I was and asked him to come out and rescue me. He was there in 15 minutes, assessed the situation, took the wheel with the blown tire off the van, and replaced it with the spare.

My passenger was just as scared as I was judging by the look in her eyes. We hugged each other for reassurance, got into the van, and headed home again. As I was driving away, I began to think about what a friend had told me after he used my vehicle a week ago. He said the steering was peculiar and that I needed to have my tires checked. I had forgotten all about it. Apparently the belts had broken and weakened the tire causing it to rupture

I said a silent prayer of thanks for keeping us safe.

And I vowed never to get behind the wheel of another vehicle without checking all four tires.

MOVING UP, ON

Jerry Harris, AHS Diploma

Linda Harrison, GED

Shuronia Barnes, Journalism

Betty Davis, GED English

SNAKES? UGH!
By Keith Mercer

Of all the creatures in the world, the one I fear most is the snake. The sight of one slithering across the yard gives me goose bumps on my arms. Just imagining a snake crawling on my skin gives me the creeps.

They not only look scary but they can do some serious damage too. They have sharp fangs that can puncture the skin just as surely as a nail would, and I am sure it would hurt about as much. Since they donÕt have any way to clean them, the germs on their fangs could surely cause on infection, though it was not a poisonous reptile. I have never been bitten by one and donÕt want to try it.

Even though they are smaller than I am, some poisonous snakes are more powerful than me. Around here, Cottonmouth moccasins and Copperheads are a threat. I donÕt like them any more or less than the non-poisonous ones. Some people collect them and some keep them as pets. All I can say is they can have my share any day of the week.

By Keith Mercer

Living with my grandma for many years has been a positive influence on my life. She has taken care of me, provided food and shelter, and given me direction.

If it hadnÕt been for her, I would probably have wound up like so many young men my age - in trouble with the law or behind prison walls. Before I moved in with her, my family gave me little support. There was also no discipline.

My grandma changed all that. She has taught me the right way to go. When I hurt my foot, I didnÕt want to go back to school, but she told me about Edgecombe Community College and the program where I could get my GED. So I decided to try it out and found that I like it here much better than high school. She said I could get a better job it I got some education. Ever since she told me that, I gave her my word that I would finish school.

My Grandma also teaches me how to do things. She taught me how to mop a floor. If I donÕt do something right, she comes along and fixes it and shows me the right way. She does irritate me sometimes. She sends me to the same store twice in

the same day when I could have gone only once if sheÕd made a list. But I have learned to live with that.

She cooks great meals, like fried trout. I compliment her every time she cooks dinner. She loves to plant flowers, shop with her friends, decorate our house, and watch television. She also goes to church regularly and you can hear her singing hymns while she works in the kitchen.

My grandma is the best in the whole world. She takes care of herself and me. ThatÕs how she has helped me to grow up and changed the direction of my life.

THE CHALLENGE

One of the greatest challenges of my life has been returning to school after 30 years away from the classroom. I was forced to return to school by the loss of my job after 25 years with the same company. ThereÕs no such thing as job security anymore.

Instead of going to work every day and earning a living, I now drive 60 miles round-trip, fill out paper- work, deal with teachers and students, many like myself whoÕre getting their education which we hope will help us find a new job. I am enrolled in school to

get my GED and am taking English and Math classes. They help me understand the material but being out of school for so long, it comes slowly. Being out of work means no credit, no new or used car, no new furniture, and waiting on the government. The reality of it is if I had finished school when I was 18 years of age, I would have probably gone on to another job when mine ended and not missed a beat. But without a GED or high school diploma, no one wants to talk to me about a job.

On the first day of school, I had to fill out a lot of forms, meet a lot of people, many younger then me, and I felt out of place. Now that I have been here for a while, I feel more comfortable and am making progress. And that gives me hope for the future where I feel that I will find a good job when I complete my high school requirements and get back to work again. For that I am grateful. A Student

CONTRIBUTORS

The following students in AHS/GED English class contributed to this issue:

Lisa Moses
Claude Tillery
Claudie Daniels
Keith Mercer
Lena Dickens
Jay Williamson

MY HAPPIEST DAY

By Claudie Daniel

The happiest moment of my life was the day I joined St. John the Baptist church two years ago. That opened up a whole new world that has filled my days with activities, fellowship, and service.

On the day I joined, I was a little scared and very nervous because I felt that everyone was staring at me. However, I got through it without any major mishaps and later joined the church mass choir. I really enjoy mingling with the people and we always have a few laughs. I havenÕt led any hymns yet, but I hope to some day.

I also enjoy Sunday School and BTU. Sunday School starts early at 9:30 a.m. and ends at 10:00 a.m. BTU starts at 10:00 a.m. and ends at 10:30 a.m. On Wednesday nights we have Bible study. ThatÕs on every other Wednesday; on the alternate Wednesday, we have prayer meeting at 7:30 p.m. and also on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. After the meetings, we all stand around and talk afterwards, naturally.

Sometimes, we go on trips and sometimes we have cookouts. We also have special days such as Family and Friend Day and Homecoming Day when we

all have a great time. Going out to visit the sick and shut-ins makes us feel that we have accomplished something good when we see them smile.

I used to watch church services on TV and that was interesting. But there was something missing. There was no involvement with others or a way to become involved personally. At my church, we have a wonderful fellowship, social life, and opportunities for service and spiritual growth. Joining St. John the Baptist Church has certainly made a difference in my life - a happy one.

FAST TALKER

Joshua talks so very fast
He works real fast too;
Even when he tries to laugh
He laughs too fast anew.

His eÕs before his iÕs
and qÕs before his pÕs
Before you can blink an eye
HeÕs headed for the zÕs.

He needs to take it slower
So we can understand.
HeÕs just too much excited
He needs a calming hand.

At 8 heÕs a good learner
HeÕs read all of Dr. Suess
He knows about the Cat and hat
He can recite Mother Goose

Maybe when heÕs older
HeÕll take it kind of slow
But now he is a river

That never stops its flow.

GOOD LUCK?
The rabbit hops across the farm HeÕs looking for his foot;
He thinks he lost it near the barn ÔTwas cut off by a hook.

He searches far, he searches wide But doesnÕt find that foot;
Perhaps someone took it
And used it for good luck.

ÒIÕll tell you now, that missing foot Was not good luck to me,
I lost that paw and ever since IÕve been hopping mad you see.Ó
I cannot walk, I have to hop, Without that missing foot;
If you donÕt think thatÕs hard to do, Try walking with one boot.Ó

ÒThe say a rabbit footÕs a charm, But sadly not for me;
Now that mine is gone,
I have left only three.

So if you find my errant foot, Beware of its effect;
All the good luck may be gone, Though itÕs cute around your neck.

PURPOSE

This newsletter is by and for the students in Mr. McDevittÕs English class. Our goal is to give them practice and confidence in their writing.