Graduation Speech :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

Will you be who you were meant to be, or will you be who everyone wants you to be. It is up to you to decide your destination, but it is the events along the way that shape the final outcome. As we sit here at graduation, having suffered and prospered through four years at County High School, it is hard to forget the memories we've shared. At the same time, it is easy to see how the past four years have shaped who we are today and impacted our future forever. Who can forget being a freshman: finally out of middle school, we took on the world in a school of 1,400 that was only suited for 900. We've sat in not only moldy portables but also condemned bleachers, seen rusty water, squished together in the gym to display our spirit and learned what it means to truly work hard. We took the challenge presented to us and chose to succeed in one way or another. Whether on the playing field, in the classroom, with an instrument or in the community, the launching of our high school career began our journey and began the adventure to become our destiny. And who can forget the friendships we've made along the way? Some will last a lifetime, and some will last no longer than tomorrow, but either way, it's okay because we will forever be impacted by it. As a class, we've laughed together, cried together, skipped class, failed tests, aced tests we forgot we were taking and now, we're graduating together. Whatever the event, we did it as a whole. Through all of this, there were the teachers of Arlington High School. Of the finest quality, I doubt anyone would argue they are masters of making us mad and then being our biggest ally. Remember the sodium bomb in chemistry? How about the career search, the I search and the scholarly paper in English? We are now masters at finding the slope of a line courtesy of the math department, and who hasn't had the quadratic formula engrained in their mind? All because of the teachers who have supported us through these past years. Without them, our outcome in life would be dismally different. They taught us to be who we are and proud of it at that. And now - guess what - it's up to us. We are the beholders of tomorrow, and we determine the future.

Determine Disinfectant and Antiseptic Effectiveness Using Zone Inhibition Method

Lab Report Title Page: Determine Disinfectant and Antiseptic Effectiveness Using Zone Inhibition Method Prepared for: By: Date: Introduction Page: Abstract This study is to examine the effects of different types of disinfectants by disk diffusion method using common agents such as Betadine, Clorox, Crest, Kiss My Face, Listerine, and Lysol. Wound care and general cleaning of home surfaces is a part of daily activity for many of the general population. Knowing which agents are effective against the bacteria that most commonly cause infection, disease, and illness allows educated decisions on which agents to use. We compared the bactericidal effectiveness of 6 common agents widely used by the general public against 3 common bacterial organisms. Introduction Sterilization kills all organisms in or on an object or substance. Disinfectants and antiseptics do not sterilize since many types of organisms and spores are not killed. Disinfectants are described as antimicrobial agents that are used on inanimate objects such as an instrument or structural surfaces. The term antiseptic is usually applied to antimicrobial agents that are used on living tissue such as skin and throat mucosa. A disinfectant must be capable of killing pathogens while it is in contact with them, so that they cannot grow again when it is removed. This action is said to be cidal (lethal), and it is described according to the type of organisms it kills as bactericidal, sporicidal, fungicidal, virucidal, etc†¦ If the antimicrobial substance merely inhibits the organisms while it is in contact with them, they may be able to multiply again when it is removed. In this case, the agent is said to have static activity and may be described as bacteriostatic, fungistatic, etc†¦ Microorganisms of different groups are not uniformly susceptible to chemical disinfection due to the structures of their cell walls. As an example, Mycobacterium are more resistant than most other bacteria because of their waxy cell walls. Of all microbial forms, bacterial endospores display the greatest resistance to both chemical and physical agents of disinfection. The efficacy claimed for a given disinfectant in killing vegetative bacterial species may have no bearing on its ability to destroy bacterial or fungal spores, mycobacteria, some viruses or prions. A number of factors must be considered when choosing a disinfectant besides type of organism. These include exposure time, concentration of the antimicrobial agent, temperature, optimal pH activity of the antimicrobial agents, the concentration of the microorganisms present, and the toxicity of the agent for skin or its effect on materials to be disinfected. Here we will test the effectiveness of various antimicrobial substances by inoculating culture plates with the test organisms and then applying the disinfectant/antiseptic to the inoculated plate by a filter paper disk that has been dipped into the disinfectant/antiseptic. This is a disk diffusion method that is similar to the method used to test the effectiveness of various chemotherapeutic agents. We will then measure the zone-of-inhibition. With this method, the presence of such a clear zone (lack of growth) surrounding the chemical shows either the cells have been killed or that their growth has been inhibited. A zone of inhibition does not discriminate between bacterio-static and bactericidal chemicals. The 6 agents we will be testing are: Betadine (B) – A povidone-iodine preparation used mainly for skin disinfection and wound treatment. Kills a wide range of disease-causing organisms including bacteria, fungi, many viruses, and most micro-organisms. Does not affect hydrophilic viruses such as polyomavirus and PBFD. Clorox (C) – A biguanide preparation of Sodium Hypochlorite used mainly for surface cleaning in various environments such as homes and hospitals to kill microorganisms. Bleach is effective as a disinfectant and kills many micro-organisms, but is not a viable solution to the spread of tuberculosis, bacterial spores and Chlamydia. Crest (Cr) – A widely used antimicrobial for oral bacteria and biofilms. Especially useful on Gram-negative micro-organisms such as Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Campylobacter rectus, Eikenella corrodens, and Fusobacterium nucleatum. Kiss My Face (Kf) – An organic alternative to typical alcohol based mouthwashes using aloe vera as antimicrobial agent and grapefruit extract as a polyphenol. Proven useful with Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Staphylococcus aureus. _ _. Listerine (Li) – An alcohol based antiseptic mouth rinse containing the active ingredient ethanol which is toxic to bacteria at concentrations of only 7%. Reduces dental carries, plaque and gingivitis. Lysol (Ly) – A O-phenylphenol preparation of cresols used for surface cleaning in various environments such as homes and hospitals to kill microorganisms such as fungi, Tuberculosis, certain viruses,_ staphylococcus_ and Pseudomonas bacteria. Does not kill nonenveloped viruses, such as _parvovirus, polyomavirus, papillomavirus, adenovirus and reovirus_, nor will they kill all bacteria types. The three common bacteria we will be testing against are: Pseudomonas aeruginosa – An ubiquitous environmental organism associated with whirlpools whereby infection is caused by immersion in contaminated water. Staphylococcus aureus – A normal flora organism on the skin surfaces of most healthy humans. Escherichia coli – A large and diverse group of organisms associated with fecal remnants that have been ingested causing infection. Materials and Methods Page: Materials and Methods T-Soy plates (TSA) – Lawn spreading method Sterile swabs Forceps Sterile filter paper disks Disinfectants/Antiseptics We will follow the specific instructions to carry out this experiment as noted in Lab 16 p90 of Symbiosis by Pearson. Results Page: Results and Discussion This experiment was conducted to show how different disinfectants and antiseptics kill bacteria. The results of our experiment under normal room conditions on the TSA agar were as follows: Conclusion Page: Conclusion Previous research has shown that if an antiseptic disinfectant agent does not kill bacteria, the risk of infection is significantly higher. We used a Gram-negative (P aeruginosa), a Gram-positive (S aureus), and a Gram-negative (_E. coli_) bacterium for bactericidal testing procedures. We allowed the TSA agar to mature over a 7 day period and then noted our results by viewing and measuring the zone inhibition (mm). Findings were that while all had an effect, there were differences among how effective each agent was against each strain of bacterium used. Surface cleaning agents – Lysol was most effective against S. aureus and E. Coli, while Clorox did significantly well with all three bacterium. It appears from our findings that Clorox is the most effective disinfectant and antimicrobial of the six agents tested. Oral care agents – The effects of Listerine were less than stealer, while the organic product Kiss My Face was more effective with all three types of bacteria. Crest rated low as an effective agent for all three types of bacteria. It is important to note that the standard deviation rose as high as 7. 8, which is a significant difference in the resulting data accuracy. Literature Cited Pearson, 2010. Symbiosis Lab 16 Disk Diffusion Assay to Determine Disinfectant and Antiseptic Effectiveness, pp. 89-91. Pearson Custom Publishing Vicki S. Rabenberg, Christopher D. Ingersoll, Michelle A. Sandrey, and Mary T. Johnson. The Bactericidal And Cytotoxic Effects Of Antimicrobial Wound Cleansers. 2002. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention http://www. cdc. gov/nczved/divisions/dfbmd/diseases/ecoli_o157h7/index. html#spread Violet I. Haraszthy, DDS, MS, PhD; Joseph J. Zambon, DDS, PhD;Prem K. Sreenivasan, PhD. The Antimicrobial Efficacy of Commercial Dentifrices Featured in General Dentistry. 2010 Agarry O. , Olaleye M. T, and Bello-Michael, C. O. Comparative antimicrobial activities of aloe vera gel and leaf. African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 4 (12), pp. 1413-1414, 2005. ZDENKA CVETNI, ANDA VLADIMIR-KNE. Antimicrobial activity of grapefruit seed and pulp ethanolic extract. Department of Microbiology Faculty of Pharmacy and BiochemistryUniversity of Zagreb in conjunction with the Croatia and Department of Pharmacognosy Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry University of Zagreb, Croatia. 2004.

The Juilliard School Acceptance Rate, SAT/ACT Scores

The Juilliard School is a performing arts conservatory with an acceptance rate of 8%. Located in New York City, The Juilliard School is highly selective with a reputation as one of the top performing arts institutions in the country. Juilliard alumni have collectively won hundreds of prestigious national awards including Grammys, Tonys, and Emmys. The campus, part of Manhattan’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, is surrounded by nearly 30 theaters and performing arts facilities, immersing the conservatory in the city’s artistic and performance culture. Students receive individual faculty attention, with average class sizes of 12 students and a  student/faculty ratio  of 5-to-1. Considering applying to this highly selective school? Here are The Juilliard School admissions statistics you should know. Acceptance Rate During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, The Juilliard School had an acceptance rate of 8%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 8 students were admitted, making Juilliards admissions process highly competitive. Admissions Statistics (2017-18) Number of Applicants 2,848 Percent Admitted 8% Percent Admitted Who Enrolled (Yield) 56% SAT and ACT Scores and Requirements The Juilliard School does not require SAT or ACT test scores for most applicants. Students who were home schooled must provide SAT or ACT scores and applicants whose native language is not English will need to demonstrate their competence in English by providing SAT, ACT, or TOEFL scores. Juilliard recommends the writing component of the SAT or ACT for homeschooled applicants and students whose native language is not English. GPA The Juilliard School does not provide data about admitted students high school GPAs. Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph The Juilliard School Applicants Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph. Data courtesy of Cappex. The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to The Juilliard School. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in  with a free Cappex account. Admissions Chances The Juilliard School, one of the best performing arts conservatories in the country, has a highly competitive admissions pool with a low acceptance rate. However, Juilliards admissions process has little to do with high school grades and standardized test scores. Juilliard has a holistic admissions process focused primarily on auditions, application essays, and letters of recommendation. The data in the scattergram above seems to lack a true pattern. Admitted students tend to have above-average grades and test scores, but this is largely because students who excel in the performing arts tend to be solid students. Youll notice that most admitted students had a GPA over a 3.0, combined SAT scores (ERWM) of 1000 or better, and an ACT composite of 20 or higher. ACT and SAT scores, however, are not a required part of the Juilliard application except for home-schooled and international students. And whether you have a B average or an A average, your audition will be the deciding factor for admission. Bear in mind that some majors at Juilliard are more competitive than others. Juilliard typically admits 24 students in dance and 8 to 10 undergraduates for actor training. The greatest number of undergraduates are admitted to the music department, and the level of competition varies depending on the instrument or program. Some fields such as voice, piano, and violin pre-screen applicants before they are invited to audition.   If You Like The Juilliard School, You May Also Like These Schools Applicants to The Juilliard School tend to apply to other schools with highly regarded performing arts programs. Popular choices include  New York University, Yale University, Berklee College of Music, and New England Conservatory of Music. All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and The Juilliard School Undergraduate Admissions Office.