Week 16
Week in Review
Monday July 25, 2016
Today is the first day of the week – time to get going. Some of us have Toastmasters at different hours of the day. I am part of the 7 a.m. Toastmasters. We had some good speech presentations. Most of us are on our final speech project which is a seven to ten minute speech. You could say I killed two birds with one stone. My final speech was about remodeling and selling homes. It counted as both my final speech and a signature for my pitch. Speaking of which, let me tell you that on August 5th we have our Pitch Day Event. My brothers and I have been working day-in and day-out practicing our seven to twelve minute pitches. Let me tell you it is not easy, however it is necessary.
As soon as Toastmasters was over some of us headed over to the computer lab, where we worked on different assignment. For example we have several projects in Word that help us to understand more how the program works. We also have to make a PowerPoint and create an Excel spreadsheet. If you are interested in a challenge, just try to create a spreadsheet on finances using Excel. Once that is all said and done we had some extra time to edit our business plans using the new market research provided to us by our business plan advisers.
We have all made it a long way by helping each other. I would have not made it this far if it was not for my brothers. Thanks to you all.
Michael Alvarez (a.k.a. Sweet Meat Pack Head)
Tuesday July 26, 2016
Today we got popped! – meaning we had a pop quiz. It was the names test. Not just any names though. We were tested on the names of all our PEP brothers. Here is the catch: we had to get a 90 or above. It was not so bad. All of us passed! After the names test we watched some U.S. History. It is part of the curriculum and it is interesting to watch.
Some of our brothers are going home and like tradition has it, we prayed them out. A Pray Out is basically some words of encouragement our brothers can have to refer back to when they find themselves in a tough situation out there. We also saw some PEP TV. PEP TV is the reverse of a Pray Out. The brothers that are out there give us some words of encouragement in order for us to keep our heads focused in here. I am glad that our brothers keep in touch with us. It helps us out a lot when we see that they are doing great out there. Personally it helps me to keep going no matter how tough it might get. All in all it was a short day in class today. As we get closer to graduation we get more and more time to prepare our pitches. We need all the time we can get.
Daniel Amparan (a.k.a. Sweet Earth Worm Jim)
Wednesday July 27, 2016
I never cease to be amazed at the abundance of inspiration that surrounds us. Inspiration comes in many different forms and fashions, and we were blessed by a special guest today. Many of us whether in prison or on the outside balk at the idea of having to give up our precious time to listen to someone talk about their life. We are selfish, and all we want to talk about is Me, Myself and I. I, for one, used to be that type of person, but I am learning how to be receptive to my surroundings. If we give opportunity a chance and open our eyes and ears, there is a whole new world to discover. I believe everyone from the pauper to the Pope has a story to tell. We all have a word we can share with our fellow men that might make all the difference in the decisions we make. Thanks to PEP and other programs alike, we now open ourselves to strangers who reach out and give us a helping hand. Sometimes they don’t realize the impact of their wisdom and kindness. So by using the universal term, “Save the best for last,” we want to thank Mr. Aaron S. body builder, personal trainer and nutritionist for sharing his knowledge and wisdom on those subjects which he is so well trained for. I also want to thank him for his advice on the business techniques he has mastered and applied to earn him well-deserved success. We’ll be anxiously awaiting his return for a promised fitness program which we desperately need.
Alonzo Aros (a.k.a. Sweet Pancho Pistolas)
Thursday July 28, 2016
Today we had our second-to-last test on the Entrepreneurship book. I am really excited as we are coming to a closing of this part of the program. We have less than 45 days left until graduation! I thought things would slow down, but the homework keeps coming. We received a new book entitled Crime and Punishment with new study material. That means more tests to come. On top of that we all have a seven to twelve minute pitch to prepare for. All the hard work is a challenge, however when we look at it in retrospect, we can see where it has helped us developed a stronger work ethic and an unshakable desire to succeed. We needed this. We thank God for all this because we know that He is shaping and molding us into the men He created us to be.
Saconn Ayala (a.k.a. Sweet Cowardly Lion)
Expressions
This journey through PEP has been a life changing experience. When I first started the program, I was a little skeptical due to the fact that I was being challenged to hold my peers accountable for their actions. I had to hold myself accountable for my actions as well, which was not too bad because I knew something had to change within me. I had already been working on myself and wanting to change, but that came easier than holding my peers accountable. Little did I know, Phase One was all about character development, something that each and every one of us participants needed. It took several months for me to embrace this part of the program. Now I’m an accountability leader and encourage my peers to hold one another to a higher standard. We’re now a month and a half from graduation and I’m so excited because I have never walked across a stage before to receive a diploma or certificate for accomplishment. It feels good to know I’ve almost endured everything necessary to receive my certificate. This journey has not been easy; it has come with a lot of homework, assignments, reading and dedication. When it is all said and done, it is a big accomplishment and feels great!
Kevin Beane (a.k.a. Sweet Twitch A lot)