Kokomo —
When I was in seventh grade the “Real World” was a reality show I was forbidden to watch. The behaviors flaunted were borderline unfit for TV, let alone a 12-year-old’s eyes. However, that’s what older cousins were for, I suppose, because my remote somehow found its way to MTV a time or two and lessons in how to not live your life ensued. But, today Howard County 7th graders are getting a multifaceted look into life in the “Real World” — and not the kind that encompasses Jell-O wrestling and TV-censored bleeps interrupting 80 percent of a sentence.
Twelve and 13 year olds will be spending the day at Indiana University Kokomo and learning a lesson or two in how to match their characteristics with a career in the “Real World” that is their futures.
The event, hosted by Partners in Education and IUK, is designed to get the wheels of young minds moving towards careers in the world of reality, the kind that’s not plaguing our TV screens. The day is all about initiating ideas in teens and helping them hone in on careers that fit their skills, interests and passions. The day highlights the heart of Howard County careers ranging from marketing and law to computer science and journalism in a day-in-the-life format to build a foundation for their futures.
I’m thrilled help illustrate the picture of a workday in my chosen field of journalism.
However, I’m most thrilled the greatest part of “Real World” is students’ opportunities to enhance their immediate worlds with information about what their future worlds could include, what they could do and what they could be. We’re often reminded our souls aren’t defined by what we create at our desks, but I believe if you find a career true to your core you’re driven to create in a way that’s bigger than yourself; ultimately bettering yourself in the process. As the worst versions of people fill our TV screens, our Twitter and Facebook feeds and,sometimes, even our inboxes we’re reminded just how important a day such as “Real World” is to the lives who carry the world’s future in their backpacks. Fulfillment breeds pride and pride lends a hand to developing passion. Passion is a powerful weapon against the negativity and cruel behavior, which often stems from half-empty hearts still searching for that passion to fuel fulfillment. People without passion and without pride can slip into the belief of “misery loves company” and further contribute to the hate wagon we too often see as a bulldozing vehicle for bullies at any age.
Although “Real World” is helping kids craft their skills and interests into careers, it’s also helping our community craft positive young people into inspiring and fulfilled adults. As important as a career is to their livelihoods; passion in their careers is crucial to making our society one that supports and encourages, not tears down and destructs.
Our future is being built in the halls of middle schools as we speak, the screenwriters who write the worlds we dream to live in are writing school essays. However, it’s our job to help inspire all students find a career that makes the world they dream to live in their “Real World.”
The value of yourself is just as necessary as the monetary value that pays your rent. The sooner students start learning self worth, the sooner we can eliminate characters without character from our TV screens and remold the world with compassion and kindness. That’s the “Real World” our future generations are capable of building. I hope to help build a house today where half-full glasses are served tomorrow.
[friday] editor/ Strive for a better “Real World”
[friday]
Reality is only as deep as our passions
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A day in the life
My love for words was written into a hobby at an early age. I wrote stories about the nature I witnessed from my window, experiences I shared with my Pap and anything that came to mind. From age 9, most of my moments were stories my mind hadn’t written yet. For me, writing was the tool that enriched my experiences. If I went to the children’s museum and saw something that struck me, I’d write about it.
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Facebooks threads into more than I expected
“Lindsay, what’s on your mind?”
I immediately thought, “I’d have to be pretty self-centered to think my ‘Facebook friends’ would care about such an answer.” So, the section stayed blank on my profile for far longer than most. -
Kokomo Speedway
After 18 interviews, copious note-taking, endless discussions and picture browsing for a story about something bigger than its parts — i.e. Kokomo Speedway — is nearly finished. To be honest, I’d never been to Kokomo Speedway until last year. I grew up watching the Indy 500 and picking a name from a hat, but my racing knowledge ended there. But, when you fall in love with someone who fell in love with Kokomo Speedway — most likely when he was still in the womb as his mom watched his dad race — your knowledge increases, exponentially.
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Earth Day: Experience it every day
“No litterers allowed,” stated the sign I drew up with peace signs and flowers with extra power that adorned my bedroom door as a kid. Growing up, I was a litter patrol lady. Toss a banana out the window? You were going to face the wrath of a 6-year-old. Leave a soda can at the park? Oh my, a mistake you don’t want to make. My cousins would purposely provoke such opportunities for nothing more than to get the entertaining spiel of keeping the Earth safe from a 6-year-old. I encouraged institutionalizing recycling in our household and double-checked trash cans to make sure recycling objects didn’t make their way into the wrong places.
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The Waving Girl
She was born on land, but her soul was given life from her love of the sea and the lives it carried. Her journey started simply and ended sentimentally. During the in-between, she was the symbol of home to the hearts of maritime travelers: At night, she was the illumination of guidance. At morn, she was the breeze the sea gently exhaled. For 44 years, she was ingrained with the Savannah River’s sand — just as she was ingrained in the minds who witnessed her waving handkerchief interrupt a sun ray’s storyline. S
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Never too late for April Fool’s Day
This will be my last column for the [friday] section, as Kokomantis has been promoted from corner-side spectator to Lifestyle Editor ... Just kidding, late April Fool’s Day joke! I look forward to writing my column every week just like I look forward to my favorite “holiday” every year. For 364 days, I plan pranks of all varieties for my beloved day that’s dedicated to flipping my family and friends out.
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The Egg Battle of 1990
Easter may be a time of sugary sweet Peeps and darting for hard-boiled eggs dressed in their Easter Sunday best. For me, it’s been about that and getting back to my roots. Growing up, my family and I nestled into my Pap’s motor home and headed for the mountains of West Virginia – our annual Easter Sunday home for my entire childhood.
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Bracket Madness
As a Hoosier, it’s hard to believe Wednesday night marked my first bracket-building experience. Despite my love for sports, I never got into brackets. I’m a one-team-at-a-time gal so in the fall it’s the Colts; in the winter it’s the Hoosiers; and in the spring and summer I go to baseball games for the people watching and soft pretzels. So, I never learned the pros and cons of other teams and what makes them worthy of winning in a bracket.
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Reality is only as deep as our passions
When I was in seventh grade the “Real World” was a reality show I was forbidden to watch. The behaviors flaunted were borderline unfit for TV, let alone a 12-year-old’s eyes. However, that’s what older cousins were for, I suppose, because my remote somehow found its way to MTV a time or two and lessons in how to not live your life ensued. But, today Howard County 7th graders are getting a multifaceted look into life in the “Real World” — and not the kind that encompasses Jell-O wrestling and TV-censored bleeps interrupting 80 percent of a sentence.
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You belong among the wildflowers
It’s the kind of lyrics that wreck your heart and warm your heart all at the same time. The melody happily whistles well wishes while the fingertips of yearning for yesteryear slip over each note. It’s the kind of song that sounds like the simplicity of childhood and feels like the rare chance of finding and living a childhood-type happiness — even if the years between now and the date on your birth certificate say you’re an adult.
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