Saw Jane yesterday at the State Theatre in NJ.  She looked wonderful.  There was a full house and people were lined up all the way out on the pavement to meet her and talk with her.  She graciously signed copies of her books, had a smile and a greeting for each and every person.  


Her message was spectacular as always.  I could observe the energy, the emotions and determination in people's expressions, movements and overall buzz.


Indeed, there is hope.!!!!

Montrose Roots and Shoots

Thank you everyone for the donations of money and school supplies.

We can't wait for the students of Sokoine Primary School to receive the boxes.

Life in Harlem

A poem written and read by Kyree for the novel Dope Sick by Walter Dean Myers

Opinion: Mexico's Drug Battle

Students in Language Arts classes have recently been reading and responding to The New York Times Upfront magazine article titled "Mexico's Drug Battle" from the issue published April 4, 2011. Students were asked to respond to the following in the form of an Op-Ed piece: "Expert Keven Casa-Zamora predicts that Mexico's drug violence 'will end up affecting the U.S. sooner than later.' Do you agree?"

Below is their response.

From Kyree:

Foreign Policy export Kevin Casas-Zamora is quoted as saying that Mexico’s drug violence "will end up affecting the U.S. sooner than later" in a recent article titled "Mexico’s Drug Problem" in the New York Time’s Upfront magazine. I agree 100% with Kevin Casas-Zamora because it will take a long process to get rid of the drug cartels. It is something that will never just happen over night.

According to epochtimes.com, even though crime has always accumulated since the drug cartels have been around Mexico’s drug Violence was at its highest ever in 2010. More than a quarter of the cities in Mexico experienced at least one gang-related crime that led to a total of 11,583 murders in 2010.

It won’t be long until the murder rates start taking over the U.S. On May 09, 2011 twelve suspected members of the Zetas drug gang and a member of Mexico’s Navy were killed in a shootout on Falcon Lake located between Texas and the Mexican state of Tamaulipas.

Falcon Lake drew attention when an American man, David Hartley, was shot in the head by a drug cartel when riding on a watercraft with his wife. Tiffany Hartley, David’s wife, explained to authorities that he was killed by the drug cartels while they were making an exchange. His body has yet to be found.

The Mexican drug cartels are rapidly taking over the U.S with drugs and crime because they are our main drug supplier. It is going to take a lot of effort from the U.S government to help Mexico’s government to stop the drug cartels distribution of drugs into the U.S.

From Greg: Mexico drug problem will soon be ours

Foreign Policy expert Kevin Casas- Zamora’s prediction of drug violence affecting the U.S is true. I agree with his prediction because the United States is a buyer even though they don’t know it. Most of the United States import products from Mexico and sell it, or they buy the drugs and use it for themselves. As more and more drugs pour into the United States it would begin to affect our children, by exposing them to violence because they would rob people to get the drug they need and they would do anything to sell it or buy it, and our bright future is now dim and dark. The gang violence rate would increase largely because the drugs will pour into they’re area and they would want control of it but would have to take control and there for shot outs would happen between the gang that want control and the gang that has control. While the violence increase the population would decrease because more people would get caught in cross fire, more people would get robbed, and more of our children would get into gangs and die for stupid drugs. More and more weapons would pour out on the streets and sooner than later our once proud country is no more.

I agree with Kevin’s prediction because the United States is a buyer or seller of drugs. In the article Mexico’s Drug Problem by Randal C. Archibold he said that “The drugs, mainly marijuana and cocaine, are largely purchased and used by Americans, and many of the guns the drug cartel use are legally or illegally smuggled across the border”. This tells us that the U.S is going to be affected in the long run, because our economy would slowly drop and we would have fewer jobs available because the more people get on drugs the less they would be able to cooperate.

By the U.S, becoming a major buyer, our children and our future would be gone. Children in the world these days are doing drugs and selling drugs, and violence comes with this activity. If the U.S does not stop the illegal smuggling to the U.S, our future would not be dark, and our children would soon kill each other if the drug does not. Our children would not be able to lead us into a brighter nation, not going to school getting their education. In the article it says “Mexico fate is intertwined with the United States”. Which means the U.S is going down the same route as Mexico.

In the article Randal C. Archibold says “To the extent that violence careens out of control in Mexico, it will end up affecting the U.S sooner than later”. Meaning violence will break out of control in the United States like Mexico in the city of Juarez in the last 3 years it has lost 20 percent of it population and that’s 230,000. In the U.S drugs would run the streets and the United States would suffer the same fate Mexico has.

I hope our future can change as soon as possible. I hope our nation stops the illegal drug smuggling. Because if not Kevin will be right with his prediction about the United States fate.

Music

Greg is listening to 'Lil Wayne and he thinks the lyruics are inappropriate.

The question I have is: "Tell me how and why you think it is inappropriate?"

My opinion on Jane Goodall

- When I saw Jane Goodall at Liberty Science Center, I wasn't really excited. To me she was just a regular person who just studied chimpanzee's. My experiance wasn't that great, at first I thought I was going to be interested in what she did. Then after thinking about things, what she did wasn't that interesting. Yeah she found out somethings about chimps but it's nothing that caught my attention. Again, she is just a regular person. Maybe in the future I will understand what she did for 50 years bt at this moment, it's not intersting what so ever.

- Keith

Dear Jane,

        I was very excited to have met you. You are a true inspiration on following your heart and standing  up for what you believe in. You inspired me to follow my heart, thanks to you I am no longer afraid to follow my dreams I believe in taking chances. Even if no one believes in me I know even if your not physically here to push me I know you would want me to still follow my heart. Without you most people would not be so interested in chimps. Your foundation Roots and Shoots is helping me become a more active person around my school to refresh the world with our orgainic garden. Thank you  for inspiring me.


By: Raffif