Run Time Today: 22:45

Today we had a meeting with Mr. Lee and we talked about the requirements for my black belt and the UBBT book. At the end of the meeting, he said I would have to run at Windemere because I have not gotten my run down to 20 minutes or less. So we went to Windemere at 1:30 to run. My dad and I stretched out some and one more black belt candidate, Lauren, came to run, too. Then Mr. Lee came outside and started the run by saying, “Go!”

I ran the first lap alone in 10:13. I then ran with my mom halfway around the second lap and my dad came and he ran the last half of the second lap with me. At the end of the run, I was really tired and wanted to sit down so bad. My time at the end was 22:45. That is my best time yet. I will keep on running it until I reach 20 minutes or lower. I will run it again soon and keep practicing. This is one of my last things to do before I get my black belt in May.

Hero #10: Andrew Young, Jr.

Andrew Jackson Young, Jr. (born March 12, 1932) is a Civil rights activist, was the former mayor of Atlanta and the United States’s ambassador to the United Nations in the Jimmy Carter administration.

Andrew Young was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. His father was a dentist and his mother a school teacher.

He had originally planned to follow his father’s career of dentistry, but then felt a religious calling. He entered the ministry and received a Bachelor of Divinity degree from Hartford Theological Seminary in Hartford, Connecticut in 1955.

Andrew Young then served as pastor of a church in Marion, Alabama. Young became interested in Gandhi’s concept of non violence. He encouraged African Americans to register to vote in Alabama, sometimes facing death threats while doing so. He became a friend and ally of Dr. Martin Luther King at this time.

In 1964 he was named executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, with whom he organized many peaceful protests. Young became one of Dr. King’s principle helpers, and was with King in Memphis, Tennessee when King was shot in 1968.

In 1972 he ran for US Congress and became Georgia’s first African American congressman since Reconstruction. He was re-elected in 1974 and 1976.

In 1976, President Jimmy Carter appointed Young the United States Ambassador to the United Nations. He held that post until 1979.

Andrew Young was elected mayor of Atlanta in 1981, and re-elected in 1985. While mayor, he was co-chair of the committee which brought the 1996 Summer Olympics to Atlanta.

Young continues to work for human rights. I watched Andrew Young give a talk at my aunt’s church earlier this year. He is living history!

Hero #9: Muhammed Ali

Muhammad Ali was actually born with the name Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. He was born January 17, 1942 in Kentucky. He became interested in boxing after someone stole his bike and he wanted to beat them up. A police man told him he should learn how to fight first. He did learn to box and was very good at it. He won an Olympic gold medal in boxing in 1960. He quit boxing for awhile and then came back to it later.

He announced that he has Parkinson’s disease in 1984. Since then he has supported the Special Olympics and Make a Wish Foundation. He has traveled to many countries
to help people in need. Ali got the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush.

Ali is quoted as saying, “Many fans wanted to build a museum to acknowledge my achievements. I wanted more than a building to house my memorabilia. I wanted a place that would inspire people to be the best that they could be at whatever they chose to do, and to encourage them to be respectful of one another.”

I thinks Muhammad Ali is a hero because even though he is sick with Parkinson’s disease he still goes and helps others in need.

Hero #8: Jimmy Carter

James Earl “Jimmy” Carter, Jr. was born October 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia. He was the son of a peanut farmer, served in the Navy on submarines, was Governor of Georgia and eventually elected as the 39th President of the United States from 1977 to 1981.  

It is his work after leaving the White House that has earned him the most respect.  He and his wife, Rosalynn, actively participate and support Habitat For Humanity. His work was recognized in 2002, when he was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the prize after leaving office.

 He was the first United States President to be born in a hospital.  The Carter family was poor.  I think Jimmy Carter is a hero because he overcame many difficult things during his childhood. When he was a child, no one thought he would become anyone big in life, but he proved them all wrong. He was a senator, a governor and even the President of the United States of America

Hero #6: Bill Gates

Bill Gates is the founder of the computer company Microsoft. He was born in 1955 and married to Melinda.

They have 3 children and live in the Seattle area. When Bill Gates was very young, he started a company in his garage and it later became Microsoft. He left Harvard to create a computer software company with his friend Paul Allen. In high school got out of math class to pursue his interest in computers.

Bill and his wife Melinda, created the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.  As of 2007, this foundation has donated over $28 billion to charities ranging from AIDS research to providing bed netting to fight malaria.  They are part of a new generation of wealthy activists who are personally getting involved in worldwide causes. He is a hero because he worked hard to create a huge company and now wants to give his fortune to help others.

Hero #5: Queen Rania of Jordan

One more living hero is Queen Rania of Jordan. Her real name is Ranija al-Jasin. She was born in 1970, married to the King of Jordan, and has 4 children.

Queen Rania works for women’s and children’s rights, like domestic violence, and the protection of women and children against abuse. She serves as the head of the national Early Childhood Development and Family Safety Council, and she is a member of the UNICEF Global Leadership Initiative, which focuses on children’s rights. The Queen works with a center for abused and neglected children, the first of its kind in the Middle East.

 

She likes to focus on getting technology in schools.  She’s president of the Jordan Society for Organ Donation and works to help people know the importance of organ donation. She works on educating people about blood diseases and prevention.  Before getting married she worked in banking.

 

Why is she a hero?  Instead of focusing on just being queen, she focuses on helping others in need.

30% Proficiency in iXL!

My mom and I have worked hard on the iXL 3rd grade work, so I can reach one more of my goals. I am now 30% proficient on 3rd grade iXL!

Stocking mosquito fish in the neighborhood pond

Dad and I took 7 little mosquito fish (Gambusia) from our backyard pond and put them into the little pond outside the entrance to our neighborhood. We walked down to the pond and dumped them into the pond. It was a drop of many feet below, I hope they are OK! Time will tell.

These mosquito fish will help eat mosquito larvae in that pond and maybe help control mosquitos in our neighborhood. We want to also stock the dam road stream.

Hero #4: Tony Mendez

He is a hero because he got our American hostages out of Iran.

Tony Mendez worked for the CIA and was a spy. Mr. Mendez pretended to be a Canadian who was filming a movie in Iran. He prentended to have 6 American hostages who escaped from the embassy as a part of his film crew.

Tony had to help the hostages learn how to act Canadian in how they talk and even give them new identities. He had fool the Iranian people into thinking he was from Canada. If they were caught the Iranians would torture and kill all of them, including the Canadians who let them stay with them.

Tony Mendez was successful in getting the hostages out and safely home. President Carter said that Tony Mendez was a great American and was one of the 50 CIA agents ever. Tony Mendez won the Intelligence Star for his work in helping the hostages get out of Iran and get safely back to America.

3 Fiction books I have read

I have read 3 fiction books for my UBBT. I actually have read many more than that, but here are three of my favorites.

1. Diary of a Wimpy Kid. by Jeff Kinney. These books are so funny! This was probably the first book I read that was a harder book, all on my own.

2. Matilda. by Roald Dahl. My mom is a fan of Roald Dahl. He is a funny writer and his books are weird and funny. Matilda is a crazy story about a little girl named Matilda. She is so smart!

3. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. by Roald Dahl. Another weird and funny book. I have seen both movies and now read this book. I wish I could visit a candy factory!