Week 18
Week in Review
Monday January 29, 2018
Describing what class has been like throughout the course would have to be summed up with one word: growth! We started out with 150 participants and now we are down to 45. We know you’re thinking “that’s not growth,” but the growth we achieved is not in numbers, but in character.
It’s no wonder so many people dropped out of class, because developing character is something this class has done only for those of us who chose to weather the storm. From giving speeches in front of the whole class, to dancing down the aisle from the back of the room, to our personal favorite “The Chicken Dance” that must be a sight to behold, we have watched each other transform in so many ways. The workload is meant to be tough, with all the testing and all the assignments. We hold ourselves and our brothers to a high standard. It is all tough, but we pushed each other through it. We encouraged each other, and everything we’ve done in class has been a learning experience. I am proud to say we, the Sovereign Kings of ‘18, are finally graduating!
Steven G. (a.k.a. “Kelis”)
Tuesday January 30, 2018
Greetings, PEP supporters! Here at the Estes Unit our day started with our morning personal Scripture reading. Before we go to class, we spend time reading the Word of God and meditating on it. Then we go to the PEP room to help the guys who are currently going through Phase One as they go through the character development portion of the program. We know that this is not easy for them, so we show up to show support and give encouragement. It feels great to be a part of this program and able to give back to the next class, being there for the men to help them in every way that we can, just like those who helped us when we were going through Phase One. For me, it is a very humbling experience.
We have worked so hard, and now here we are just weeks from the finish line. We are still studying art history and U.S. history, as well as working on our business plan pitches in preparation for the upcoming event, the Business Plan Competition (BPC). For many of us, this is the first time we have actually committed to something and followed through with it. We have learned that within us, we have the capability to do anything we set our minds to. PEP has pushed me far beyond that which I thought I was capable of. Once we are released, I believe that we will be successful and enjoy a life we never thought possible – and without all of the PEP supporters and the graduates who have paved the way for us, none of this would have been possible. I am really just honored to be a part of something so wonderful as PEP.
Oscar G. (a.k.a. “Ball of Masa”)
Wednesday January 31, 2018
As we packed in the PEP room all in a single file line, just like a family of ducks crossing the road, we grabbed our name badges and turned in extra credit for the test we had to take and our pitch signatures. We took our seats and talked to one another for a brief moment, then prayed in and, before we fully sat down, we heard those words we all dread to hear in PEP: “Turn your chairs to face the library – test time!” Today will be the last test out of our entrepreneurship book. Most of the class was surprised, because more of us passed the Chapter 14 test than any other test we have taken. When everybody got their tests back you could see the joy in each person’s face. The room filled with smiles and laughter. It was just a great environment that was short lived as we were informed that we were going to watch some art videos. We have watched 18 out of the 24. Some are boring but they part of the curriculum we only watched two of them thank god. We broke up in groups to practice our business pitches some of the guys in our class have some good ideas and pitches. We have all came so far with our public speaking. It’s like night and day, the way anyone in the class can say their pitch with confidence one after another we got front and center and said our pitches after the last person went; it was time to pray out and go back reality.
Hector G. (a.k.a. “Conehead”)
Thursday February 1, 2018
Not much that is interesting has occurred today, since everyone seems calm and relaxed. Some of us indulged in watching television, which is something that has been a rare treat since the beginning of the second phase of PEP with its arduous curriculum. Others enjoyed a few games of chess or Scrabble as they took the day off to unwind their minds. Especially since our Thursday class was rescheduled to Wednesday about three weeks ago to accommodate for the new PEP participants in the new, large Phase One group. Our intense workload of assignments has all but ceased, except that we have two more tests coming up this Monday consisting of vocabulary terms and answering several questions about the 1886 novel Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky.
Tomorrow is our Pitch Day event, where we will have to give our seven to twelve minute business plan pitch in front of ten or more executives. This is a sort of test run for the “big event,” the Business Plan Competition (BPC) which is four weeks from today. This is where we will battle it out with one another by presenting our business plan pitches as we strive to earn votes from the panel of executives, who will decide if we have what it takes to advance to the semifinals of eight participants, then proceeding to the finals which consist of just four of those participants. Those four will then go through another round of presenting their business pitches to see who will come out on top. This is what we all have been vying for since the start of class. When asked if we were ready, most gave a simple and confident thumbs up. For those of us that can be a bit OCD, or on the perfectionist side of doing things, we spent most of the day reciting and practicing our pitches.
Looking back, and now with less than a month until graduation, this day seemed daunting and even elusive. We have remained persistent and have persevered, and because of this I know we are better men today! We are the Sovereign Kings of ‘18!
Andres H. (a.k.a. “Mr. Pistachio”)
Expressions
“Man is not judged by the mistake he’s made but by what he does after he makes the mistake.”
~ Unknown
I believe being incarcerated was our mistake. Now it is time to unlock our full potential to being a better father, son and individual in general. In Phase One we watched a video on eulogies – what would people say when we passed away?
That inspired a lot of us to change into the person we each would like to be talked about. Being released will be how people judge us because we are in a controlled environment. We have to walk out these 10 Driving Values we have learned while being in PEP to guide us and keep us on track. We have to embrace adversity, because hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny. We are all waiting to show the world we are different now – we just made a bad decision.
Miguel H. (a.k.a. “Crazy Eyes”)