Monday, May 14, 2018
On Monday we had so much fun learning about each other during Toastmasters. It’s amazing how you can get to know someone by just having a conversation or by just sitting in the audience and being an effective listener. Every week we are expected to present a speech that allows us to learn more about each other. Toastmasters has been a very useful tool in helping us grow and work on our grammar, which will help prepare us for society and aid us in landing a good job. It’s important that we take this part of the curriculum seriously – this includes learning how to speak without saying “and,” “um,” “uh,” “you know,” and other incorrect words. Some people talked about themselves, while others talked about what they love to do. We have so much fun as a class and are starting to build bonds with one another.
After Toastmasters, many of us went to our computer lab class. Throughout the day a lot of us broke up into study groups back on the pods so that we could continue to prepare ourselves for the next test. We enjoy being a part of the PEP revolution, which stands for a positive transformation and helping us to become better, productive citizens for our families and community.
Michael H.
(a.k.a. “Baby Rogaine”)
Tuesday, May 15, 2018
We woke up early and migrated to the dayroom to get with our study partners. We were not sure if they were going to test us on Chapter 11 of Living in the Village or maybe give us a pop quiz on the Venture Capital Panel (VCP) event. One thing everyone in PEP learns is to stay ready to keep from having to get ready. At 12:00 p.m. In-Prison Management came to the living quarters to let us know that it was time to turn out for class. We gathered our things and headed to the PEP room. We went into the classroom and immediately went to the homework table to turn in the homework that was due. That is when they announced that we also needed to turn in our Living in the Village workbook so it could be checked. By the looks on some of our faces, some of us were about to get assigned extra homework for not properly working in their workbook.
We then prayed-in like we do before every class. Just as we suspected, right after we prayed-in, it was test time. We were given 12 minutes to complete that particular test. After that it was time to go over Chapters 12 and 13 of Living in the Village workbook taught by a very knowledgeable graduate. Next, we all had the privilege to participate in one of our PEP brother’s pray-out videos for Henry T. It was a nice way to close out the evening. We were done for the day so we prayed out and went back to our living quarters.
Jake H.
(a.k.a. “Michael Blackson”)
Wednesday, May 16, 2018
Today was very valuable and insightful. We targeted a key area of our business plan: marketing. A very special volunteer and great supporter of the PEP program, Scott H., taught the class. Scott H. is a TCU graduate and marketing expert with over 20 years in the industry of marketing and sales. To put it in simple terms, he’s very knowledgeable and took our class of Legacy ‘18 to greater heights by explaining different types of marketing strategies, tactics and secrets that companies use to gain an edge over the competition.
After Scott H. concluded his PowerPoint presentation over marketing, we recognized one of our PEP brother’s birthday. Now in PEP we have a tradition, and that is any time you are needed in the front of the room, you have to start from the back and dance your way to the front while everyone stands and claps. The D.J. played the smooth sounds of R. Kelly’s “Step in the Name of Love” remix while a brother made his way to the front of the room. Being that it was his birthday, we sang “happy birthday.” After that Brian T. gave us an overview of past events and a preview of future events. We then prayed out and had lunch.
We then headed back to the pods to break up into our study groups to learn more about marketing and the importance of advertising. After a quick review, we made our flash cards and started to quiz each other and see the areas that we needed more help on so that we can all pass the next entrepreneurship test.
Jassmine H.
(a.k.a. “Jazmine Sullivan”)
Thursday, May 17, 2018
On Thursdays we have art history. Art history is required as part of the Phase Two (business phase) curriculum. At the beginning, we didn’t understand why art history, but as time passed we realized that this was helping us to diversify our conversation. We had learned about Monet, Boudin, Renoir, Pisarro and many other talented artists who inspired not only other artists, but also some of us. Art history teaches us how to distinguish the differences in these artists not only by the type of painting, but actually by the boldness or plumpness of the strokes of paint from the artist’s brush. These two artists in 1869 used each other to learn, so they would set up their compositions next to each other.
Also today in PEP, we switched things up a little and we had Toastmasters. It was nice for all of us to be here for an extra Toastmasters session because we always seem to have fun and learn more about each of our brothers that are a part of Legacy ‘18. Today we had about twelve speakers and twelve evaluators. This extra session actually helped us to execute our speeches and reminded us always to be prepared. All in all, we enjoyed class today and were able to build a closer bond with each other. Now that the class came to an end a few of us recited our logic definition for Toastmasters. But just because it’s the end of class doesn’t mean we don’t still have a long day ahead of us to prepare for our entrepreneurship test and our Living in the Village final exam.
Kareem H.
(a.k.a. “12 A.M.”)
Expressions
“Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.”
~ Winston Churchill.
Back in the 1970s, three young guys (one being a college dropout) saw a chance to make it big. They put the rubber to the road and created a company that would efficiently analyze automobile traffic data, collected pneumatic road tube counters and gave their new venture the catchy company name “Traf-o-Data.” How could it fail? Although they produced some fine hardware and software, they ended up generating just a few thousand dollars in revenue and quickly admitted defeat and closed the business. It was a failure, but through that failed enterprise those “techno geeks” had gained considerable and profound insights into computing machines and their true potential. Two of those founders took what they learned from their failed attempt and launched another start-up company, this time with the catchy name “Microsoft.” Paul Allen and Bill Gates are poster boys for the power of exploiting failure and allowing mistakes to lead the way.
“Fail” is viewed as another offensive four-letter word beginning with “F”. The typical attitude that mistakes should be avoided is wrong and has several detrimental consequences. The mindset that mistakes are poisonous often freezes us into inaction. If we have the healthier attitude that failure is a potent teacher and a scheduled stop along the road to success, then we find ourselves liberated to move forward sooner, because mistakes are actions we definitely can take at any time. If you’re stuck, a mistake can be just the thing to unstick you.
Lu H.
(a.k.a. “Hammer Head”)