Election Reflection & Water Project

I am so happy that Barack Obama will be our new president! Watching the entire campaign was really interesting for me and it's so exciting that it's actually happening now. I like the fact that things will be changing, as it would with any shift in administration.

I was thinking about the fact that Obama will be the first black president, and I'm really happy about that. I think it's a huge accomplishment and a notable milestone that children will read and learn about in generations to come. I feel that this milestone moves our country forward. Just fifty years ago, blacks weren't even given the right to vote in an election. Now, we know that this is in our past because Barack Obama was just elected president. Of course, this doesn't mean that it is the end of racism in America, but it is without a doubt, an amazing accomplishment. It makes me feel like our country is progressing. It's my hope that we continue to move forward and accomplish more and mark new milestones.

Even though I feel like we have made huge steps of progress through this election and have pushed our society forward, I can't help but say that I feel we've also pushed ourselves back, in some senses. For instance, Proposition 8 was passed which means the right of marriage has been taken from same-sex couples. I don't understand how this represents equality and how it moves us forward as a nation. I know this is a hugely controversial topic and people are very passionate about their opinions, but I can't help but wonder how we are going to continue moving forward, and still deny the right of marriage. Like I said before, I'm so glad that we were able to break boundaries by electing our new president, I hope that boundaries continue to be broken, but my concern is that they may stop here.

I feel like my level of civic knowledge has grown a lot throughout my few years in high school. However, I don't really think about how much I know, just about what I know and what I want to know. I like learning about what is going on in our country and in the world because I want to be intelligent and feel informed about current issues. It's important to me to be aware of these things, especially as I get older, as I will be able to vote and make more of an impact.

This blog has been a really good way for me to keep up with current events. It makes me research things that I probably wouldn't otherwise and makes me aware of different opinions and insights on certain issues and topics. Having discussions in class also helps me a lot and make it interesting to me. I like hearing everyone's opinions and I learn a lot by listening and joining in the conversation.

I think that one good idea would be to replace some of the time spent on journaling in the morning and dedicate it to class discussions about a current event, scandal, or any news story. I think everyone would be interested and it would be a good way to get the class started.

I tend to stay out of a conversation if it is about something that I am unsure about or am not familiar with. Either that, or I ask questions because I don't want to talk about something I don't know very much about. However, when I am in a conversation about something I am familiar with, I often surprise people with the knowledge I have about it. I don't think people usually expect teenagers to be learning so much about current events like what we talk about, but I think it's exactly what we should be learning about. It's important to know, and if not now, when? When talking outside of class and when my friends start talking about the election or a certain issue, I get frustrated and want to tell them everything I know. To be quite honest, it makes me angry when people talk about something and are stubborn about it and don't really know that much about it. In some ways, I feel like what I am learning in school is more valuable than others because I learn about what is actually happening, not just read and memorize dates in a textbook.

Plan for the Water Project!

The question that I plan to work with and answer is: What do residents of Imperial Beach think about the current state of their beach and the water quality?

I'm wondering about how opinions differ--the opinions of long-time Imperial Beach residents vs. people who just hear about Imperial Beach.

My hope is that I can volunteer with Wildcoast, and their "Clean Water Now!" program. Clean Water Now aims to get together residents of south San Diego County and Tijuana who are want an end to ocean pollution in their area. They want to get the attention of county officials and policy makers to support a real solution to the issue.

I'm still unsure of exactly how I want my final product to look. I definitely plan on sending an e-mail or letter to a San Diego policy maker urging them to help our beach, like Wildcoast suggests. Their website gives a list of contact information for members of San Diego City Council and U.S. Congress and Senate, which I can definitely use.

I was also thinking about creating a short video which would compile snapshots of the interviews and be a quick and entertaining way for people to learn about the problem. However, I don't really have experience making movies, so I'm not completely sure if the product would come out as good as I would want it to. I also want to create an e-mail, with the video embedded in it, to send out to people that would have information that could at least get the word out and let people know about the problem. It could also have a link where they could easily send the letter that I wrote to the San Diego City Council. If more people send it, it will have more of an impact.

Resources Needed:

• Video camera (if I choose to make the video)
  
• A program to make the e-mail look professional (like a petition e-mail)
  

People Needed:

• Already have list of contact information for San Diego City Council and U.S. Congress members
  
• A representative from Wildcoast or the Clean Water Now program
  
• Possibly a representative from Bajagua
  
• Surfers, lifeguards, and people at the beach willing to be interviewed
• Surf Hut employees and manager
• Tijuana River Estuary Park Ranger
  

Possible interview questions for surfers, lifeguards, and Surf Hut:

• Do you think that Imperial Beach needs improvement?
• Do you think the beach needs better water quality?
• Do you think that Imperial Beach needs more attention from county, state, U.S., or Mexican officials?
• What do you think Imperial Beach's reputation is? Is it percieved by others as good or bad? What is your view on it's reputation?
• Do you think the beach needs improvements? If so, what kind?
• Is the water polluted too often?
• On a scale of 1-10, what would you rate the quality of the water?
• Do you ever feel the effects of the pollution (being sick, beach closure, etc.)
• What are your views on the effects of being the closest beach to Mexico?
• Are you familiar with the proposal of Bajagua? Are you in favor or disagreement of the proposal?
• Are you familiar with Wildcoast or the Surfrider Foundation?
  

Possible interview questions for local officials/representatives:

• Where does Imperial Beach fall on your list of priorities, since it is not known as a tourist beach (such as Mission Beach, La Jolla, Coronado, etc.)?
• Do you think that Imperial Beach is given enough attention and funding on a local and a county-wide level?
• Are the habitats at the National Wildlife Refuge being adequately protected?
• Do you receive many complaints about the quality of Imperial Beach?
• Do you think Imperial Beach has improved over the years?
• Do you have a good working relationship with Tijuana and/or Mexican officials in order to maintain balance in the situation?
• Are you in favor or opposition of the proposal of Bajagua?
  

A Schedule for the next two weeks:

• Thursday, November 6: Possibly find a partner to work with and choose what my final product will be.
  
• Friday, November 7: Prepare final interview questions and gather necessary supplies to begin interviews over the weekend.
  
• Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday; November 8-11: Interview, take pictures, record information, etc.
  
• Wednesday, November 12: Write letter to San Diego County Official(s).
• Thursday, November 13: Finish writing letter, revise, and send.
  
• Friday, November 14: Look over footage (possibly), pictures, information, and answers gathered over the weekend. Begin to edit video and create e-mail.
  
• Saturday, Sunday November 15-16: Continue working on final product, go back to the beach if necessary.
  
• Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday; November 17-21: Continue working on/finishing final product.
  

Useful Links & Information:

Wildcoast; Clean Water Now Program

City of Imperial Beach

Union Tribune Article about Pollution from Mexico

Tijuana River Estuary

Toxic Surf on the U.S. - Mexico Border

Contact information for San Diego City Officials