TGPLAN

Reflection

Will Ezell
English
Webster Period 1
May 8, 2014

Photo: AGS Students (Left to

Photo: EPA
Right): Laurel Fowler, Elena
Hubner, Hailey Heal, Sarah
Ballard and Will Ezell.

Food is a Terrible Thing to

Waste
Will Ezell

A group of sophomores from

the Academy of Global Studies at
Austin High School recently launched
a composting initiative in their
schools Culinary Institute. This group
of students refers to their group as
Austin Composting Committee or AC2.
AC2 plans to spread the word about
the benefits of composting on a local
level. As they shared their initiative to
a panel at the TGPLAN Showcase night
at
Austin
High
School,
they
emphasized the global and local
benefits of composting, the research
and data to support their project, and
the success, shortfalls, and future
direction of their composting plan.
Here is what we learned from these
students.
Composting
is
a
critical
ingredient to reducing waste. The
United States generates more waste
than the United Kingdom, Italy,
Sweden,
France,
and
Germany
combined (Gunders). Nearly fifty-five
percent of that waste ends up in
landfills (How Much Do We Waste).

After recycling and composting efforts,

food waste remains the largest
material disposed n landfills (Municipal
Solid Waste). In 2012, more than 36
million tons of food waste was
generated, and only five percent of
that waste was composted (Reducing
Food Waste). People are starving, our
climate is changing, our wildlife is
suffering, and yet the United States
continues
to
waste.
Although
composting is only one way to reduce
waste, a national, state, city and local
composting campaign will make a
difference. Schools can actively do
their part to stop climate change and
reduce food waste in the United States
by implementing a district wide
composting campaign.
Most all of the uneaten food in
this country ends up rotting in landfills
where the waste represents sixteen
percent of U.S. methane emissions
(Gunders). Methane emissions impact
our environment and contribute to
global warming (A Students Guide).
The earth's climate is changing and
affecting our weather, oceans, snow,
ice, ecosystems, and society (A
Students Guide). Millions around the
world experience health problems
from heat and disease as global
warming becomes more serious (A
Students
Guide).
Glaciers
are
retreating, sea levels are rising, snow
and
precipitation
patterns
are
changing,
and
extreme
weather
events like floods, droughts, and
hurricanes are occurring (A Students
Guide). Our world cannot sit by and
allow waste management to continue
to impact our survival.
Roughly forty percent of food in
the United States goes uneaten
(Gunders). Americans are throwing out
the equivalent of $165 billion dollars a

year
(Gunders).
Many
American
households do not get enough
wholesome
food
to
eat,
and
unfortunately a large amount of the
food thrown into landfills is healthy
food (Gunders). Instead of tossing the
food in landfills, the food can be
redirected to food bank donations or
sent to composting bins to be reused
in gardens to grow food. Composting
efforts will reduce or eliminate the
need for chemicals and fertilizers,
reduce landfill emissions, promote
higher
yields
of
crops,
assist
reforestation, restore wetlands, and
renew animal habitats (Composting for
Facilities). Moreover, composting is a
cost
effective
way
to
remove
hazardous waste, oil, grease, and
metals from soil. Composting does
make a difference in our world
(Composting for Facilities).
Schools must do their part to
save and protect the environment.
While AISD was the first school district
in the state of Texas to implement
single stream recycling in all facilities,
the
district
only
composts
in
elementary schools (Green Schools).
Hays County is the only district in the
state to have district wide recycling
and composting (Green Schools). AHS
should expand its waste reduction
efforts, but budget constraints and
staff and custodial limitations weigh
into the decision to implement a
district wide composting plan. In
addition, school composting programs
require a plan for on-site or off-site
composting, support from school
leadership, and a team to make sure
the program is effectively carried out.
A plan must include safe handling and
disposal
procedures,
staff
and
students to deliver the compost bins
to the garden, rake the compost into

the garden and make sure the garden

is odor free and safe from rodents.
While these important considerations
take time to review and implement,
they do not prevent AHS from taking
an active role in protecting the
environment.
The AGS students launched a
composting program with the AHS
Culinary Institute. As a result of the
efforts, the Culinary Institute now
composts and takes the compost
material to the AHS Garden. The
students delivered composting bins to
the Culinary program along with
composting instructions. Each week
the students collected and weighed
the compost material before taking it
to the AHS garden. The students
would add the compost to the
compost pile and rake the material
into the pile. Additionally, the group
worked with a classroom to compost
coffee grinds for the garden. To
advocate for their project, the
students visited Casis Elementary and
discussed
the
importance
of
composting.
The
students
also
showcased their project with flyers, a
webpage, art, a scrapbook, and a
movie advocating for students to start
composting. The goal is for AHS to
advance the program to school-wide
composting. Likewise, AHS can create
an AHS Green Team from the
student and staff population. This
group would be responsible for
encouraging
interest
in
waste
reduction and carrying out not only
the composting program, but also all
environmentally friendly programs at
AHS. Students can start a Composting
Club, have a Composting Awareness
Week, and celebrate Earth Day by
organizing,
observing,
and

implementing a composting and

recycling day.
This group of students learned
greatly from taking action on their
composting program and had the
program change their lives for the
better. The implementation of this
project was a complete success in that
the group member cooperated well
and rarely procrastinated. Everyone
produced equal work to the project
which helped to create a smooth
transition between phases of the
project.
AISD and other school districts
should
implement
recycling
and
composting programs in their schools.

AC2 learned that waste reduction is an

important element to protecting our
environment.
The
benefits
of
composting are numerous. Schools
can improve soil, save money, reduce
landfill use and emissions, learn about
and protect the environment, take
pride in their green efforts, help feed
the hungry, and ultimately reduce
food waste. Austin High School should
continue its composting awareness
initiative and encourage other schools
in the district to become eco-friendly.

Work Cited
A Students Guide to Global Climate Change. EPA, 22 Oct. 2014. Web. 19 Apr.
2014.
Composting for Facilities Basics. EPA. 9 Apr. 2014. Web. 19 Apr. 2014.
Green School Solutions. Texas Disposal Systems, 2013. Web. 19 Apr. 2014.
Gunders, Dana. Wasted: How America is Losing up to 40 Percent of its Food from
Farm to Fork to Landfill. NRDC Issue Paper. National Resource Defense
Council, Aug. 2012. Web. 26 Apr. 2014.
How Much Do We Waste Daily? Duke Center for Sustainability & Commerce. Duke
University, 2014. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.
Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in the United States:
Facts
and Figures for 2012. Environmental Protection Agency, 2012. Web. 19 Apr.
2014.
Reducing Food Waste for Businesses. Environmental Protection Agency, 10 Mar.
2014. Web. 19 Apr. 2014.

What is your definition of art? Choose a painting that you think

could challenge some viewers and develop an argument for why
it is, indeed, art!

Ezell -1

Will Ezell
Webster
English Period 1
May 5, 2014

2012 Frank Stella / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Art is in the Eye of the Beholder

Contemporary art raises mixed emotions. Some people view contemporary
art as a wonderful expression of the imagination, while others view it as a childish,
untalented effort. However, art should be seen as a venue for expression and
escape. Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time
(Merton). Art is a form of communication that invokes thought, emotion, and
imagination.
The painting, Double Scramble, created by Frank Stella in 1968, is a
wonderful example of contemporary art that could be considered a masterful work
of art by some viewers yet something that a five year old could paint by other

viewers. On first glance, the painting appears to be two simple images of colorful
boxes within boxes. However, when the viewer looks much closer, this painting
entices the viewer to search for meaning and detail. Double Scramble invites
interpretation and emotions.
Double Scramble draws on the imagination of its viewers. Frank Stella
created one painting with two similar but different images. He created mirror
images of pyramids within pyramids. He did this to offer two perspectives on the
way pyramids are formed. By using imagination, a viewer can consider whether the
smallest square is closest to the viewer or whether the smallest square is farthest
away from the viewer. The author plants this visual seed to cause the viewers to
pause, think, and develop an opinion, which helps to classify this piece as art. The
art enables the viewer to lose himself in his search for meaning.
Double Scramble also stirs up emotions. The bold use of color is dramatic and
energetic. In one image, the pyramid spirals deep into the center which creates the
illusion of a very long journey that seems to go on forever. The mirror image builds
emotions up from the bottom of the pyramid to the top. The viewer feels as if he is
falling or climbing, depending on which image he views. This painting allows a
viewer to see that with the fall from failure, comes the rise and often scramble for
success.
Double Scramble is amazing art. Frank Stellas vision pulls his audience into a
state of pause and reflection. The optical illusion of the pyramid squares creates
different experiences for each viewer. The psychedelic patterns put the viewer in a
trance and cause the viewer to slow down, enjoy the journey, learn from the
mistakes, and work hard to succeed. Frank Stella used his innovative idea to convey
a piece of work that makes the viewer take a personal journey.
Art, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. When a viewer takes the time to
search for meaning, the viewer will find a reason to appreciate the art. Even a
simple dot on a piece of paper or a black line across a page, can represent ideas
and incite feelings. Art, in any form, invokes a personal experience.
Work Cited
Merton, Thomas. Brainy Quote. 2012 Web. 6 May 2014.
Stella, Frank. Double Scramble. Painting.2012. San Antonio Museum of Art. 2014.
Web. 6 May 2014.

You are Japanese living in Hiroshima and you

experienced and survived the dropping of the
atomic bomb.

Ezell-9

Will Ezell
Tierney
World History Period 2
May 7, 2014
The Day History Changed
6 August 1950
Dear Tomasu,
I hope this letter finds you well. Please excuse my delay in responding to
your letter inquiring a about the events of 1945. I have been very busy trying to put
my life back together. As you can imagine, life in Hiroshima is forever changed. I will
do my best to give you an account of the day history changed, and the events that
led up to that day.
August 6, 1945, started as a normal day in Hiroshima. I was in my classroom
listening to my teacher lecture about World History. The classroom was full of
students eager to learn. We did not have summer vacation during the War. As I
listened to the lecture, I could hear a faint hum of a plane in the distance. Planes

often flew over Hiroshima, so I thought this day was no different than any other day.
Little did I know that my country was about to absorb the impact of the first atomic
bomb (Hiroshima). The aftermath was horrific.
The humming noise seemed to get louder and louder. I looked out the
window and could not see anything. Within moments, I heard an extremely loud
sound an explosion of some sort that forced me to the ground. It was 8:15 a.m.
(Hiroshima). The bomb exploded above the center of the city, over Shima Surgical
Hospital (Hiroshima). As I looked up, I could see an enormous mushroom shaped
cloud (Hiroshima). At the same moment of the explosion, our entire building shook,
beams fell, shelves collapsed, windows and lights shattered, and people screamed
for help (Hiroshima). The screams were piercing. Black rain came from the sky
(Hiroshima). It was unimaginable, devastating, and haunting. Many of my
classmates were severely burned, many were dead, and many were begging for
water. Most of the buildings were reduced to ashes (Hiroshima). Of the 90,000
buildings in Hiroshima before the bomb was dropped, only 28,000 remained
(Hiroshima).
As I rose from the smoke and debris, a deafening silence surrounded me.
Everything seemed to be in slow motion. The heat rays from the bomb were so
intense that fires spread quickly (Hiroshima). Black, charred bodies lay scattered
around, and soot covered debris was all over the city (Hiroshima). This once
prominent, lively city became a city of death in minutes. This encounter will be
forever etched in my memory.
The US B-29 Plane that dropped the Atomic Bomb killed 80,000 people
instantly and injured another 70,000 (Hiroshima). This bomb, called Little Boy, took
out a 4.6 mile area of Hiroshima (Hiroshima). It took three days to extinguish the
fires (Hiroshima). Even after the fires were out, the devastation and destruction
continued (Hiroshima). The fear of the unknown became real, and the path to
recovery was long. Moreover, many who survived the impact of the Atomic Bomb
later died from radiation exposure (Hiroshima). Little Boy continued to devastate
our country.
After the War ended, allied troops occupied our country to help us rebuild
(Occupation and Reconstruction). The troops have been in Hiroshima for 5 years
(Occupation and Reconstruction). When they first arrived, the troops focused on an
effort to punish and reform Japan (Occupation and Reconstruction). The Japanese
army was dismantled and war trials were held to punish Japan for its military efforts
against the United States and other countries (Occupation and Reconstruction). A
few years ago, worried about Communist control, the allied forces began working on
the economic strength of Japan (Occupation and Reconstruction). Just this year, the
allied forces have raised the idea of peace talks to end occupation and war
(Occupation and Reconstruction). Rumors are that a peace treaty is in the works.
Four years earlier, my country bombed the United States naval base at Pearl
Harbor, also killing hundreds of thousands of people (Pearl Harbor). This act by
Japan sparked the United States decision to declare war on Japan (Pearl Harbor). On
July 26, 1945, just weeks before the dropping of the Atomic Bomb, the United States

issued the Potsdam Declaration, which was an ultimatum from the United States for
Japan to surrender or face destruction (Hiroshima). Japan refused, and the rest is
history (Hiroshima).
As I reflect on August 6, 1945, I can only do so with deep, sad feelings. The
memories are very painful, and the images remain scars in my mind. However, I
must move forward with my life and use my experience to make a difference in this
world. I was one of the lucky survivors of the first Atomic Bomb. I pray that no one
else will ever experience the tragedy, torture, pain and fear that so many Japanese
people encountered on August 6, 1945. This story in history should serve as a
lesson to deter any country from using atomic warfare.
Sincerely,
Wiriamu

Works Cited
Hiroshima and Nagasaki Remembered. National Science Digital Library. 2013 Web.
6 May 2014.
Occupation and Reconstruction of Japan. Office of Historian, Bureau of Public
Affairs, United States Department of State. n.d. Web. 6 May 1014.
Pearl Harbor. History.com. 2014 Web. 6 May 2014.

Explain how the Neolithic Revolution, Industrial

Revolution and Digital Revolution changed the way
Will Ezell
people live. Finally, which do you think has or will
History
have the most far reaching impact? Why? Persuade
Tierney Period 2
your audience.
May 8, 2014
A Change for the Better or Worse

Ezell 6

The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all
forms of human poverty, and all forms of human life (Kennedy). Technology and innovation are tools
mankind can use to create change. Throughout history, technology and advancements have led to new
ideas and creations like the steam engine, agricultural farming, the automobile and wireless networks.
While Kennedy was advocating that technological advancement is an essential stage in humanity, he was
also saying that developments in technology bring about numerous disastrous and catastrophic creations
such as the construction of the atomic bomb. President Kennedys observation about our modern world is
supported by the three main revolutions that altered history. The Neolithic Revolution, the Industrial
Revolution, and the modern Digital Revolution each drastically changed the way that people live in
positive and negative ways that have affected and continue to affect humanity.
The Neolithic Revolution was the first major revolution and began the chain of revolutions that
changed the world forever. The Neolithic Revolution was the event that began the widespread use of
agriculture. The adoption of agriculture rather than the old hunting and gathering methods helped to
significantly change the way that humans lived. The Neolithic Revolution brought along many positives.
For example, the old system of hunting and gathering took up the whole day, while agriculture took far
less time and therefore brought along free time to do other chores and work (German). Also, with the
creation of agriculture, several other advancements in technology increased including new ways to do
tasks in a quicker and more effective way such as the invention of the automobile or other new
technologies (German). Although agriculture brought about numerous positives, many negatives also
came along with agriculture. For instance, as the amount of free time increased, the population grew

rapidly. As the population grew, towns became more clustered because people did not move out of the
town with the agriculture. Furthermore, temperatures began to rise as agriculture increased (Farming
Revolution). Even though the Neolithic Revolution created some issues, the Neolithic Revolution was an
important part of human history that changed the way that humans live forever.
The second revolution, the Industrial Revolution, played a huge role in changing the way that
people live today. The Industrial Revolution brought along many new innovations and creations that have
assisted humanity in a variety of ways. For example, the automobile was generated during the Industrial
Revolution. The automobile is an innovation that has shaped humanity and is still used today (Montagna).
During the Industrial Revolution, the steam engine was also created. This invention provided a basis for
the way that automobiles, boats, trains, and many other machines work (Montagna). The Industrial
Revolution had many positives that provided a basis for our technology today, but also created many
problems. For example, the Industrial Revolution consisted of many factories which emitted smoke into
the atmosphere, therefore causing global warming. Also pollution began to be a big factor due to the fact
that trash and waste was being put into rivers and lakes because of a lack of space. The Industrial
Revolution consisted of both pros and cons which heavily impacted our culture and the way that we live.
The third revolution that is still occurring today is the Digital Revolution. The Digital Revolution
consists of a multitude of innovations that are used on an everyday basis in peoples lives. The Digital
Revolution has brought about several new innovations that help us to gather information, communicate
long distance, and operate at an easier and more convenient rate. For example, the smartphone is a great
example of a technology created in the Digital Revolution that has impacted humanity greatly. The
smartphone gave us a way to communicate, gather information, and record important information on an
easy, pocket-sized convenient device. The Digital Revolution brings about several new technologies that
help people do tasks at a convenient rate but also introduce many negatives that are hindering the way
people used to live (Digital Revolution). With more digital devices arriving, more and more people are
spending less time outside and living their lives digitally (Digital Revolution). Digital devices are causing
seizures and suicidal acts due to the competitive and time consuming nature of the game. The Digital
Revolution has both negatives and positives that affect humanity in a large way.
In my opinion, the Digital Revolution will have the far most reaching impact. Today, more and
more job options require a field that uses digital technology. Any job from a doctor using X-Ray scans to
a businessman using his smartphone to contact his business associates requires the use of digital devices.
Digital devices are appearing all over the world and are taking over society because in almost every
circumstance and every setting, a product from the Digital Revolution is present.
The Neolithic Revolution, Industrial Revolution, and Digital Revolution all contributed greatly to
the advancements of society and have added many pros and cons to everyday life. Each Revolution has
influenced one another and the progression of humanity throughout time. The Neolithic Revolution
brought about agriculture. The Industrial Revolution brought about new technologies that have
contributed greatly to transportation and communication. The Digital Revolution has brought about a new
way to live life on technologies that are becoming smarter than people. All three have provided great new
innovations and technologies that have helped the world to advance from a primitive state of hunting and
gathering all the way to a world that is ruled by technology.

Works Cited
German, Senta. The Neolithic Revolution. Smart History. 6 May 2014.
http://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/the-neolithic-revolution.html
Montagna, Joseph. The Industrial Revolution. Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute. 6
May 2014.
http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1981/2/81.02.06.x.html
The Digital Revolution. Digital Experts Academy. 6 May 2014.
http://digitalexpertsacademy.com/about/the-digital-revolution/
The Farming Revolution. The Development of Agriculture. 6 May 2014.
https://genographic.nationalgeographic.com/development-of-agriculture/
The Industrial Age. Environmental History Resources. 6 May 2014.
http://www.eh-resources.org/timeline/timeline_industrial.html

Ezell 12
Usage of the defoliant Agent Orange in the
Vietnam War, and its subsequent
controversy in recent generations.

Will Ezell
Whitted
Chemistry Period 3
May 5, 2014
The Continuing Saga of Secret Agent Orange
In the abominable history of war, with the sole exception of nuclear
weapons, never has such an inhuman fate ever before been reserved for the
survivors (Wilcox, citing Dr. Tung). For the survivors of the Vietnam War and others
who have worked on or been around equipment used during the War, this claim has
become all too true. Veterans, Vietnamese civilians, military personnel, and
offspring of these groups have argued that the exposure to Agent Orange has
caused cancers, birth defects, miscarriages, psychological symptoms and other
health conditions (Agent Orange). After fifty years, the controversy still persists
over the use of Defoliant Agent Orange, the extent of exposure to the chemical, the
knowledge the United States may have had about the levels of dioxoin in the spray,
the adverse health effects linked to its use, and the responsibility for compensation
and remedial action.
Between 1960 and 1973, approximately 2.6 million United States military
personnel served in Vietnam, nearly 500,000 served off the coast of Vietnam in the
Blue Water Navy, and around 300,000 served in areas of Southeast Asia (Waiting for
an Army). During this period of time, the United States sprayed various herbicides
on North Vietnam to destroy ground cover (Agent Orange). One of these herbicides
is known as Agent Orange (Agent Orange).The United States military forces sprayed
the chemical around roads, military bases, canals and other surrounding areas to
remove forest and jungle cover that North Vietnamese and Viet Cong. troops used
while fighting against South Vietnamese forces (Agent Orange).The United States
also sprayed the chemicals to clear vegetation from the U.S. military bases and
demolish crops that would feed the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong. troops (Agent
Orange).
Agent Orange got its name because of the orange stripe that was painted
around the 55 gallon containers (Facts about Herbicides). Agent Orange consisted of
two
active
ingredients:2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic
acid
and
2,4,5trichlorophenoxyacetic acid, which contained traces of a dangerous form of 2,3,7,8tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, commonly referred to as TDD (Facts about Herbicides).
According to the United Nations, Dioxin is one of the most toxic compounds known
to humans (Facts about Herbicides). The Environmental Protection Agency
identifies TDD as a human carcinogen (Facts about Herbicides). During the
Vietnam War, the United States sent airplanes and helicopters, trucks and boats to
spray Agent Orange over land in Vietnam (Agent Orange). Soldiers with backpack
sprayers also sprayed the chemical (Agent Orange). This defoliation program,
known as Operation Rand Hand, was responsible for spraying more than 19 million
gallons of herbicides over several millions of acres of land in Vietnam (Agent
Orange).

Health claims began to arise, and many Vietnam veterans and their families
filed lawsuits claiming that exposure to Agent Orange caused many different health
problems like miscarriages, birth defects, cancers, and psychological symptoms
(Agent Orange). As a result of the multiple claims and lawsuits, the Agent Orange
Act of 1991 was enacted (Agent Orange). Pursuant to the Act, veterans who served
anywhere in Vietnam between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975 are presumed to
have been exposed to herbicides, and do not need to prove exposure to receive
treatment and recover disability benefits (Exposure to Agent). The claims, however,
did not end with U.S. Vietnam veterans. Vietnam also claimed that many
Vietnamese people were killed or maimed as a result of exposure to Agent Orange,
and that their children have been born with severe birth defects and cancer as a
result of Agent Orange (Agent Orange). A class action lawsuit was filed in 2004 on
behalf of the Vietnamese families against the chemical companies who made the
chemicals in Agent Orange (Fuller).The suit was denied in 2005, and for several
decades, the United States refused to acknowledge that Agent Orange played any
role in the deaths, illnesses and defects that the Vietnam people claimed to
experience as a result of the chemicals (Fuller). However, in 2007, the United States
started a project to clean up U.S. air bases where Agent Orange was stored (Fuller).
The U.S. also allocated approximately 44 million to remedy the contamination
(Fuller).
A new wave of complaints has recently surfaced over the use of Agent
Orange. In 2012, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs denied benefits to
servicemen who claimed Agent Orange exposure as a result of being around postVietnam War airplanes (Agent Orange Residue). This denial was based on a
government report that found that the dioxin residue on post-Vietnam War planes
would not be enough to cause long-term health risks to servicemen or passengers in
contact with the planes (Agent Orange Residue). However, a new study recently
published in Environmental Research found that, Exposure to the toxic defoliant
after the war is greater than previously believed (Elsevier). In an effort to address
these recent concerns, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has asked the
Institute of Medicine to look into the possible health effects related to this
contamination (Agent Orange Residue). Stay tuned as the results will come in late
2014 (Agent Orange Residue). Additionally, the servicemen who were part of the
Blue Waters Navy continue to push for the same presumption of compensation
rights that other Vietnam War veterans have received under the Agent Orange Act
of 1991 (Wheatley). Moreover, Agent Orange Relief bills have been submitted to
congress to expand relief and benefits to veterans and their families (Victims of
Agent). Finally, the chemical industry is trying to get permission from the USDA to
use 2,4-D, a component of Agent Orange, on U.S. crops (EPA Advances Approval).
The saga of secret Agent Orange continues.

Work Cited
Agent Orange. History.com. A+E Networks. 2011. Web. 5 May 2014.
Agent Orange Residue on Post-Vietnam War Airplanes. U.S. Department of
Veterans Affairs. 10 Mar. 2014. Web. 7 May 2014.
Elsevier. "Air Force Aircraft Returned from Vietnam Identified as Postwar Source of
Agent Orange Contamination." ScienceDaily. 21 Feb. 2014. Web. 6 May 2014.
EPA Advances Approval of Powerful Weed Killer for Dows Agent Orange GMO
Crops. Reuters. Rt.com 2 May 2014. Web. 6 May 2014.
Exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. 3 Jan.
2014. Web. 7 May 2014.
Facts about Herbicides. U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. 3 Jan. 2014. Web. 7
May 2014.
Fuller, Thomas. 4 Decades on, U.S. Starts Cleanup of Agent Orange in Vietnam. NY
Times 9 Aug. 2012.
Victims of Agent Orange Relief Act of 2013. Library of Congress. H.R. 2519. Rep.
Barbara Lee.Referred to Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial
Affairs. 8 July 2013.
Waiting for an Army to Die. Agent Orange Record. War Legacies Project. 2010.
Web. 6 May 2014.
Wheatley, Laine. Navy Veterans Fight for Return of Agent Orange-exposure
Benefits. Bellingham Herald. 18 Feb. 2014. Web. 6 May 2014.
Wilcox A. Fred, Scorched Earth: Legacies of Chemical Warfare in Vietnam. Seven
Stories Press. New York. 2011.

Ezell 15
Look back over your year and reflect on the
sophomore AGS experience.

Will Ezell
English
Webster Period 1
May 5, 2014
A Journey to Global Responsiveness
Knowledge is a vital part of life. Without knowledge and innovation, our world
would not have the necessary tools to discover advancements, cures, and solutions
to global issues. AGS provides students an opportunity to learn about cultural
differences and global concerns. The vision of the program is to engage students in
an educational experience that fosters international understanding and welcomes
diversity of thought, while preparing students for a globally interconnected world
(Vision Statement). By participating in the AGS program, I have learned skills for
analyzing, communicating, and solving issues that confront our world. These life
skills will enable me to make a difference in the world.
In AGS, we studied the world and the problems that are occurring around the
world. We learned about why these problems occur, the efforts that have been
made to stop these problems, and the actions we can take to make a difference.
The most shocking issue we discussed is the lack of womens rights in Afghanistan.
Women are required to hide their face and are forced into marriage. These women
are treated like objects and slaves. The image of the eleven year old girl who was
forced to marry a forty year old man opened my eyes to this terrible human rights
situation. I realized that not every country around the world has the same freedoms
and rights that America does. I also realized that in many countries, like
Afghanistan, people do not have the liberty to assert their first amendment right of
freedom of speech. People are often silenced. Unfortunately, Americans often take
these rights for granted. In A Thousand Splendid Suns, Khaled Hosseini writes about
the civil war, human rights violations, and difficult everyday life in this part of the
world (Hosseini). The vivid descriptions and imagery in this novel made a lasting
impression about the unfair treatment.
A major theme in the Global Studies program is diversity of thought. The AGS
projects give students the opportunity to listen to different ideas and work as a
team to problem solve. My favorite project is the TGPLAN project because the
project encouraged students to research a global issue, communicate about the
issue and promote change. The AGS program fosters a team work ethic so that
differing views can come together for a common goal.
In AGS, we are also encouraged to learn more about our self and our beliefs.
The teachers and the students care about one anothers success in the classroom.
Students work together to make sure that each persons full potential is met. I have
learned that I can analyze issues and achieve any reasonable goal that I set. I have
also learned that I am blessed to live in a country where freedom is a guaranteed
right, and that I can make a difference in this world. Working with groups has
encouraged me to speak up and voice my opinions and also to actively listen.
Groups ensure that all members put in some work to contribute to the whole. While
on the trip to Costa Rica, AGS students worked as a group to learn about the
different culture by paint a building, living with a tribe, and picking coffee beans.
Throughout this year in AGS, I have worked hard to achieve the goals of the
ISSN. Through various projects, I have investigated global concerns such as war,
poverty, hunger, global warming, and human rights. I have studied different

countries and their cultures such as Costa Rica, India, and Afghanistan.
Understanding different points of view and practices has helped me to gain an
appreciation for our world. Throughout the year, I also learned to communicate and
advocate ideas with the community. The TGPLAN gave me the opportunity to
convey the importance and benefits of composting and also to propose an action
plan for bringing composting to Austin High. This journey through AGS has prepared
me to be globally responsive in a globally connected world.

Work Cited
Hosseini, Khaled. A Thousand Splendid Suns. Riverhead Books. New York. 2007,
print.
Vision Statement. The Academy for Global Studies. Stephen F. Austin High School.
n.d. Web. 7 May 2014.