Real Deal

Its all starting to become real. Costa Rica is in my reach. We have the seats on the plane booked, and my passport in hand. I'm ready. This week the Costa Rica class is finishing the last chapter of "Walking with Wolf." I guess I never thought we'd come this far. I have such a sense of pride for my classmates and me. The plane tickets symbolize the realness. I just want someone to pinch me, it's so surreal!

We leave the 6Th of April and return to Boston airport the 16Th of April. I'm a little nervous but I think once its closer ill be okay. My mom is so excited for me. She reminds me everyday what a great thing this is. On our trip my classmates were really thinking about going to the coast. We still need 1,500 dollars to have a truly awesome trip and do everything we want to do while down there. All we need is forty gifts of forty dollars.

PLEASE HELP THE ROBERT J LISTER COSTA RICA CLASS!!!!!

https://sites.google.com/site/listeracademycostaricaclass/donate

>Also the Robert J Costa Rica Class was in the Portsmouth Herald today, look for us and find out the latest fund-raisers and links to our websites!

Dear Santa,

All I want for Christmas is to go to Costa Rica! Over all as a class we have raised $13,650 towards our goal of $15,000. All that we need is 40 gifts of $40. We're hoping to end the year with all the financial matters taken care of. From raking alone our class has raised $3,800, and just recently we have received a grant worth $2,000. We are doing great but with your help we can get everything on our christmas lists! (Except mabey a monkey!)

PLEASE BE A SECRET SANTA AND HELP THE ROBERT J LISTER COSTA RICA CLASS!

MONEYS!

Chapter 10 of "Walking with Wolf," talks alot about the different species of animals. In the Costa Rica Class theres kind of a joke with the monkeys and me. I tell everyone that once we get there I'm going on a hunt to find the cutest monkey and have it as a pet! Bryan especially tells me that , that will not happen. My class mates just let me dream.

There are four different species of monkeys in Costa Rica. The White Faced Capuchin, Howler, the Squirrel Monkey, and the Spider monkey. The monkey in this picture is a White Faced Capuchin or the (mono carablanca.) All the monkeys co- exsist with each other, and rely heavily on fruit.

The Spider monkeys are very active thoughout the day. They jump from tree to tree, and are scattered throughout the rain forrest. The Howler monkey loves to lay up in the trees and soak up the sun, they eat leaves, and all types of fruit. Howlers are called "howlers" because of the sounds that the adult males make.They howl when the troops postison is changing. White Faced Capuchin monkeys rely on fruit but heavily on insects. Some of there favorites are frogs, birds, and lizards.

Im so excited to go to Costa Rica I probably sound like a broken record. I want to climb the trees with the monkeys and live freely, Costa Rica seems like the perfect place to do that. We have made it to $11,650 and still have a few thousand to go. If you'd like to help you can check out our websites. Youtube , Blogger , and Paypal .

8th Block

Today in eight block was very chaotic at first. We were all arguing about absolutely nothing, Byran of course wanted to process things. He brought each of us up and helped bring us back to being team mates. His words were very powerful to me. Byran reminded us all of the personal growth we have gained, and how proud of ourselves we should be. After giving most of the kids in my class an example he gave me mine. He reminded me of when I had a school meeting to continue going to Lister. People from my old school were at the meeting and old principals , and new principals, as well as my old case manager from Sanborn was there. When Byran had told her how well I was doing she almost second looked at me to make sure I was the same person. He asked me to think of my old case manager, and asked me to think if she would believe all of the work I have done. I started crying immediately. I was crying because I was so proud of myself. My entire class just looked at me, and I think they understood. That was the most rewarding, and powerful thing that has happened during this whole experience for me. Bryan told me in the very beginning that he thought the class would help us grow and learn from things that regular classes couldn't give to us. Bryan was correct.

Thanksgiving

On November 18Th at RJLA we had are annual Thanksgiving dinner. It was a success. We had about 150 to 200 people come and enjoy the fun and of coarse the food! All the classes had there own little exhibit about what they've been working on throughout the year. For the Costa Rica class we had out a few lap tops with our websites for our blogs and for the leaf busters. We also had out a poster with pretty much everything we're about on it.

A lot of different types of people came to the Thanksgiving dinner. Friends and family, friends of the school, people that work for the community like firer fighters and policemen, children, the school board members, supporters of the school, and complete strangers. We all joined together and enjoyed a meal prepared by mostly the students and organized my guidance consular Erika. It was great. we had all the traditional Thanksgiving food you could imagine. I sat with Erika and her husband Jason with her daughter Camy that is only 8 months old. Shes just the cutest! They made me feel welcome to sit with them.

This has been one of the nicest Thanksgivings I've had in a while. To see all those people at the school because they believed in all of the kids there was very touching. I am so thankful for that day, my family, my health, and the Robert J. Lister Academy.

Look out for our posts, and articles in the newspapers. Thursday January 20Th we are going to have a fundraiser at the Heritage Commons - 2800 Lafayette Rd. Portsmouth NH. at the Papa Gino's. Come with your certificate and 20 % of any sale will go to the Costa Rica class. Id like to thank you to everyone for there support, and for helping make my dreams and the dreams of others come true. =] Thank You!

Thank You! =]

I really love Robert J Lister Academy. Without my school I don't think I'd be as good off as I am. In Walking with Wolf, the book consistently talks about how Wolf and the group of people he went to Costa Rica with stayed a group. Meaning they stuck together, they didn't separate and could always lean on one another when they needed help. They were a family pretty much. And as crazy or weird as this might sound, my class, in fact my entire school is a family. As much as we fight, and yell, we always are there for each other.
I know that my classmates in the Costa Rica class are definitely my group;my family. We are a team, through anything and everything. But one thing that really made me know for sure that my entire student body supported the class and had faith in the Costa Rica students was when we had a raffle for a laptop held at the Harlem Wizards game. A few of the teachers actually were playing and most students showed up to the game to support us. It touched me sincerely to feel that I had my entire school behind me, to know that the Costa Rica class just wasn't doing it by ourselves. Our classmates are happy for us and are showing spirit in their school. That was a very gratifying moment in this process.
6 months ago I did not have much school spirit at all. I was at a really big public school, in which I hated! (I have never been a fan of school, I am frustrated easily with work and give up) When I came to RJLA I wanted to change and they were just the people that were willing to help. The kids, teachers, and the principal. I had a lot of support and a lot of new spirit I never thought I had! Ha I thought I was being taken over by body snatchers! I literally had felt and had a totally different opinion about school. In Walking with Wolf, every time there was a road bump and Wolf, Kay, Lucky or anyone of them fell off the horse they were always there to pick one another up. I was finally at a point in my life where that was okay for me. I was allowing people in to help me, and to help pick me up when I fall.

To have supports in my life is a great thing and I believe it will make me so successful. It helps me have self confidence in myself and it's good to know others have confidence in me as well. I just want my peers and supporters to know how much they mean to me. Thank you so much for everything, even just reading this blog. If you'd life to support our Costa Rica class in more than one way our Facebook page account is up and running. Our PayPal account is accepting online donations. Our article will be in the Portsmouth Herald/ Seacoast Online over the weekend. My class is hiring out for our leaf raking on October 23rd - November 7th.

Check us out at http://sites.google.com/site/listeracademycostaricaclass , thanks so much and have an awesome weekend!

Chapter 5 "Walking with Wolf"

Something that jumped out at me in this chapter (in Walking with Wolf) is when it came to cutting down the trees. Wolf was sick and tired of chopping trees down with axes - he wanted a faster way of doing things. Back in the states they of course have chainsaws. The tico's became very curious about the loud machine. When Wolf showed the tico's it was almost like they laughed at him because they have been cutting down trees for years with axes. They've always done things their way and Wolf has done things his way. I liked that Wolf thought he could finally teach the people that had taught him so much something about his culture and his technology. But at the end of the day Wolf still ended up learning from the ticos.




The message I receive from the book is that there is always something to be learned out of every situation, even when you think you have the upper hand. This is something that has taken me a while to understand. Being the teenager that I am I think I know everything. I'm learning so much from my class and from my class mates. This experience has helped me be much less conceded and listen to others. Costa Rica class has taught me to be considerate of others. I know I have to pull my weight in this class along with everyone else , so our dreams can come true- whatever that means for other people.





In the past I've had a lot of trouble asking for help, leading me down a bumpy road. So like they say, "it's better late than never". Please help my class get a chance of a life time, and see, and learn things we never thought we would. If you would like to help please send a check, payable to Robert J. Lister Academy-Costa Rica Class. Mail to 35 Sherburne Rd Portsmouth NH 03801, to the attention of Kristine Tirone. Please leave a return address so I can personally thank you. =] Also keep an eye out for our fundraising at Texas Road House and dates that RJLA Costa Rica Class will be lawn raking.