Induction Of Decision Trees Analysis - 1571 Words

The paper, Induction of Decision Trees, briefly discusses the history of machine learning algorithms, the decision tree family of algorithms and their various use cases before giving an in depth explanation of the ID3 algorithm. This essay focuses on a couple of central ideas behind induction on decision trees. The first section will contain general background information and context leading up to the creation of decision trees. Once the context is established, there will be a quick introduction into the ID3 algorithm. This will be followed by a more rigorous discussion of the concepts of shannon’s entropy and information gain. Following the discussion on entropy there will be a quick overview on the proposed methods of handling noisy data. The last section will contain a critique of the paper. The field of artificial intelligence gained in popularity during the twentieth century, accompanying the rise in ubiquity of computers. During this time, the main goal of research was to use computers to solve problems in an intelligent manner. In other words, researchers sought to develop algorithms that learn how to solve problems. Quinlan mentions that one group of researchers focused on creating programs that learn through a feedback cycle of self-testing and â€Å"adjusting internal parameters.† A good example of this would be a program written to play checkers against itself many thousands of times. Each time a sequences of moves produces a winning result, that sequence is given aShow MoreRelatedComparative Analysis Of Data Mining Tools1685 Words   |  7 Pages Comparative Analysis of Data Mining Tools Research Paper 11/16/2015 Dr. Kweku-Muata Osei-Bryson 1. Executive Summary This research paper is about the Comparative analysis of three data mining software’s selected based on four important criteria Performance, Functionality, Usability and Ancillary Tasks support. â€Å"Data Mining is a field of study that is gaining importance and is used to explore data in search of patterns or relationships between variables and is applied to new data used for predictions†Read More Data Mining in a Nut Shell Essay1701 Words   |  7 Pagesfulfillment of these tasks can be enhanced if appropriate data has been collected and if that data is stored in a data warehouse. According to Stanford University, A Data Warehouse is a repository of integrated information, available for queries and analysis. Data and information are extracted from heterogeneous sources as they are generated....This makes it much easier and more efficient to run queries over data that originally came from different sources. When data about an organization’s practicesRead Mor eIntegrity : Integrity And Integrity1144 Words   |  5 Pagesavailable in a consolidated form to help managers a and others make decisions. A data warehouse is a special type of database that alleviates this problem by consolidating and storing data from various databases throughout the enterprise. Data warehouses are designed to perform data analysis rather than support routine operations. Data Warehouses The principal purpose of the data warehouse is to provide data for improved decision support. A data warehouse usually contains historical data that areRead MoreDecision Tree Induction Clustering Techniques in Sas Enterprise Miner, Spss Clementine, and Ibm Intelligent Miner – a Comparative Analysis6636 Words   |  27 PagesInternational Journal of Management Information Systems – Third Quarter 2010 Volume 14, Number 3 Decision Tree Induction Clustering Techniques In SAS Enterprise Miner, SPSS Clementine, And IBM Intelligent Miner – A Comparative Analysis Abdullah M. Al Ghoson, Virginia Commonwealth University, USA ABSTRACT Decision tree induction and Clustering are two of the most prevalent data mining techniques used separately or together in many business applications. Most commercial data mining softwareRead MoreEssay Data Mining1491 Words   |  6 Pagesthought to query the computer about. Without adding any more data, data mining gives a huge increase in the value added by the database. It allows both technical and non-technical users get better answers, allowing them to make a much more informed decision, saving their companies millions of dollars. Introduction Data mining is the process of discovering meaningful new correlations, patterns, and trends by sifting through large amounts of data stored in repositories, using pattern recognitionRead MoreThe Static Model Of Data Mining Essay1710 Words   |  7 PagesAbstract: Lot of research done in mining software repository. In this paper we discussed about the static model of data mining to extract defect .Different algorithms are used to find defects like naà ¯ve bayes algorithm, Neural Network, Decision tree. But Naà ¯ve Bayes algorithm has the best result .Data mining approach are used to predict defects in software .We used NASA dataset namely, Data rive. Software metrics are also used to find defects. Keywords: Naà ¯ve Bayes algorithm, Software Metric, SolutionRead MoreData Mining1668 Words   |  7 Pagescomputer processing power, disk storage, and statistical software are dramatically increasing the accuracy of analysis while driving down the cost. Example For example, one Midwest grocery chain used the data mining capacity of Oracle software to analyze local buying patterns. They discovered that when men bought diapers on Thursdays and Saturdays, they also tended to buy beer. Further analysis showed that these shoppers typically did their weekly grocery shopping on Saturdays. On Thursdays, howeverRead MoreBusiness: Artificial Neural Network and Data2030 Words   |  9 Pagesthumb 9. Common tools used for supervised induction are neural networks, dicision trees and if then else rules that need not have a tree structure 10. data cleansing is a critical aspect of data warehousing that includes reconciling conflicting data definitions and formats organization-wide. 11. which of the following is not a major activity of OLAP? Analytics 12. which of the following is a capability provided by OLAP to large set of data? Modeling, Analysis , visualization, all of the above 13Read MoreData Mining Fundamentals2140 Words   |  9 PagesData Mining DM Defined Is the analysis of (often large) observational data sets to find unsuspected relationships and to summarize the data in novel ways that are both understandable and useful to the data owner Process of analyzing data from different perspectives and summarizing it into useful information A class of database applications that look for hidden patterns in a group of data that can be used to predict future behavior. DM Defined The relationships and summaries derivedRead MoreAnalysis Of Big Data, Data Mining, And Data Analytics Essay1080 Words   |  5 Pagesdatabase management systems cannot manage (Rainer, 2015). Big data has three main qualities which are volume, velocity, and variety (Rainer, 2015). A distinct goal of big data analytics is to provide companies with more information to make better decisions (Rouse, 2014). Big data is gathered in large amounts, very quickly, and from many different sources. Sources of this data can come from web server logs, internet clickstream data, social media content, social media activity, texts and emails, phone

Islam The Second Largest Religion in the World - 872 Words

With over 1.5 billion followers in the modern day, Islam is the second largest religion in the world only behind Christianity. The word itself means â€Å"peace through the submission of god.† It’s roots date back to the 7th century C.E. in the Middle East and its followers are called Muslims which literally means â€Å"anyone or anything that submits itself to the will of god.† The goal of their religion is to surrender to the will of god in every aspect of their lives and enjoy the resulting peace with god and each other. The name Islam is given by its founder, Muhammad. One of the oldest religions in the world, there are a variety of theories of how exactly Islam was started. To look for the start of Islam in a sacred event, it would most likely be the Night of Power. However, ask any Muslim and they will say that Islam was created when God created the universe and made the first human beings along with it, Adam and Eve. However, the true origins of Islam begin with Muhammad, a prophet or messenger sent by god. He is known as the Seal of the Prophets since he is the last one to have been discovered by god. The story all began in the caves of Mt. Hira. Muhammad frequently visited these caves for solitary meditations and vigils, and on this night, he experienced a profound and disturbing vision. Several versions of the story are then told, but the meaning is all the same. An angelic being, which Muhammad later identifies as the Archangel Gabriel, appeared to him andShow MoreRelatedThree Religions and Three Holy Cities 990 Words   |  4 Pagesof cult ures as well as religions. It has an significant past with three major religions: Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. It is quite remarkable that Southwest Asia has been a holy place for all three, and although it causes turmoil it is important to understand the three religions and their customs. Such information may help us not to judge so quickly or perhaps to grow in our knowledge about the world. Hopefully this will help everyone to have a wider view of the world than just the town theyRead MoreChristianity, Islam, And Judaism1636 Words   |  7 PagesChristianity, Islam, and Judaism All three religions believe and worship the same God but they do it in different ways. Judaism happens to be the oldest religion today but they don’t have an official creed. They aim to teach you about God, the Messiah, human beings, and the universe which makes Jewish beliefs very important to them. But it is important to understand that being Jewish is more of a race and culture than it is a religion. Some Jewish people may have no interest in Judaism. Judaism hasRead MoreJudaism, Christianity, And Islam1052 Words   |  5 PagesFletcher 3/9/15 Humanities Professor Michaud 417868 Judaism, Christianity, and Islam There are roughly 4,200 different religions in the world today, among them the largest are Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. These three religions are more similar then one would think. Christianity is the largest religion in the world with 2 billion followers and are called Christians. Islam is the second largest religion in the world with 1.3 billion followers. They are called Muslims, which means â€Å"one who strivesRead MoreDifferent Religions, Different Practices, And One Aim Of Righteousness846 Words   |  4 PagesDifferent Religions, Different Practices, and One Aim of Righteousness For decades there have been many controversial arguments between the religions of Christianity and Islam. Many of the controversies have unfortunately resulted in hate crimes, discrimination and segregation. From the difference beliefs both religions practice to the languages they speak to one another, there has always been a conflict between both religions. What I question myself everyday about this controversy is: Why? WhyRead MoreIslam : An Monotheistic Faith, Monotheistic, And It1101 Words   |  5 Pages13 March 2015 Abstract Islam just like Christianity and Judaism is an Abrahamic faith, monotheistic, and it is also a universalizing religion. Although they all have those in common Islam differs in many different ways. For instance, Islam has the five pillars of faith that they practice, and a man named Muhammad started the religion because he received revelations from God. Islam also effects lots of cultures, including mine. Islam effects my culture, for example, through theirRead MoreCritical Thinking : Islam Worldview / Christian Worldview 21086 Words   |  5 PagesCRITICAL THINKING: ISLAM WORLDVIEW/CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW 2 The Question of Origin Islam Worldview The beginning of life according to Islam was facilitated by the prophet Muhammad. But, Islam began long before Muhammad. Muhammad dictated to the Quran, which is the holy book of Islam. The followers of the Islam religion call themselves Muslims. â€Å"There is approximately 1.8 billion people that follow the Islam religion. It is the second largest religion in the world† (Lipka, 2017). FollowersRead MoreThe Religion of Islam Essay1446 Words   |  6 PagesArabia has only one religion which caused Islam it is the largest religion in the Middle East. The follower?s of Islam are Muslims. Muslims believe in only one God just like the Jews and Christians, the major difference is the belief in the nature of God. The word for God in Arabic is Allah and that is what Muslims call God. By looking at the history, the beliefs, and the Islamic terrorists, Islam has been view as a bad religion. The Islamic religion is generally a very peaceful religion, and that a veryRead MoreHistory Of Islam : The Second Largest And Fastest Growing Religion Essay1400 Words   |  6 PagesHistory of Islam: Islam is the second largest and fastest-growing religion worldwide despite being the youngest of the major religions across the globe with 1.2 billion followers. The word Islam in the modern world does not only refer to countries from North Africa to Southeast Asia but also incorporates Muslim minority communities throughout the world. Currently, Islam is either the second or third largest religion in Americas and Europe since these regions have experienced the political, demographicRead MoreThe Nature of Islam 1006 Words   |  4 PagesThe Nature of Islam Although Islam is the second largest religion in the world with over 1.6 billion devotees, making up about twenty-three percent of the world’s population, for the hoi polloi, the image of Islam remains unclear. In contrast to contrary popular belief, research shows that Islamic practice is simplicity itself. Muslims live a normal life on a day to day basis. Its’ practice does not require mediation of ministers, priests or gurus, instead it incorporates five rules to live byRead MoreThe Religions Of Islam, Hinduism, And Buddhism1241 Words   |  5 Pages Religion and politics are quite interwoven into society both in the developed world as well as in the developing world. This paper will discuss the major religions of Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism and how these faiths connect to politics of nations. Islam has always been a very mixed within state and society as a whole, with no true line between church and state. Islam began in the Arabia by the Prophet Muhammad in the seventh century, and is the second largest religion in the world

Immigration Racism and Greece Free Essays

Introduction Nowadays, it has been observed in several countries that immigrant students do not have an equivalent school performance with their native classmates (Pisa, 2003). This essay is concerning the different school performance of the immigrant and Pontic Greeks students in Greece. The first section of this essay is about the immigration to Greece, and it explores the reasons of the increasing immigration to Greece, the second explores the attitudes of Greeks towards immigration, whereas the next section highlights the racism and xenophobia in Greece’s society. We will write a custom essay sample on Immigration: Racism and Greece or any similar topic only for you Order Now Section four is about the ethnocentric school curriculum in this country, whereas, the next section is about, the differnces of the socioeconomic status and cultural capital towards these two groups of immigrants. Finally, the next two sections are about the intercultural education in Greece and its problems. Immigration to Greece Before we go into the procedure of analysis of our topic it is obvious that we should explore the fact of immigration to Greece. The first decades after World War II, a lot of Greeks left their country and they immigrated in many countries such as USA, Canada, Germany and Australia which were more economically developed, because the rates of unemployment and poverty in Greece were extremely high (Katsikas ump; Politou, 2005), however, Greece nowadays has become a country where many immigrants from different countries arrive, hoping that Greece will offer them the opportunities to have a better life (Triantafyllidoy ump; Veikou, 2002). The Mediterranean countries have become a magnet for many immigrants replacing the traditional immigration countries like Germany and France (Brenner ump; Fertig, 2006). Moreover, immigrants in Greece exceeds the needs of the Greek industry, and Greece has the highest proportion of immigrants between the European Union countries (Siar, 2008). Greece has become the centre of immigration since 1980, when many Greeks who have immigrated to other countries returned back, morever, in 1985 many repatriated Greeks returned back from the U. S. S. R and Albania, finally, the last two decades many economic immigrants from many developing countries from the Eastern Europe, Asia, and Africa came to Greece (Katsikas ump; Politou, 2005). A research which was conducted by Eurostat in 2006 has shown that in Greece there are 884. 000 immigrants and the majority of them came from Albania, the 62% of immigrants in Greece are Albanians (Siar, 2008). However, there are a lot of people from many countries such as Pakistan, India, Georgia, Ukraine, Romania, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Egypt (Siar, 2008). Moreover, the last decades a lot of ethnic Greeks returned to Greece such as Pontic Greeks and Greek Albanians and also there are a lot Greek citizens who returned to Greece from countries such as Cyprus and Turkey (Fakiolas ump; King, 1996). Furthermore, we should mention that many irregular immigrants especially from Asian countries, live in Greece, and their number becomes every year more and more increased, this happens because they try to enter to Greece through Aegean sea, which is very difficult to be controlled, due to the fact that there is a line of seashore which is 18,400 km and a vast amount of islands which are near to Turkish coasts, thus, it is quite easy from them to enter to Greece (Siar, 2008). In addition, nowadays, in Greece, there is an increasing number of asylum seekers, who try to enter to the most industrialised European countries, the majority of them comes from countries like Iraq, Pakistan, and Afganistan, unfortunately, Greek state, does not usually recognize them, and only few applications get a positive response (Siar, 2008). Moreover, it is quite useful to explore the reasons that Greece attracts many immigrants. First of all, the majority of European countries have stricter immigration policy than Greece, as a result, a lot of people immigrate to Greece (Leghari, 2009). As we have mentioned before, Greece has many islands and a vast coastline, moreover, it has a lot of mountains, it is obvious that Greece’s borders are very difficult to be secured, as a consequence, many irregular immigrants enter the country (Leghari, 2009). Greece, is situated, between the developed and developing countries, as a result, many people from the developing countries immigrate to Greece because their countries very usually face a lot of conflicts and changes (Leghari, 2009). The fall of Communism in many countries made people to leave their countries, the immigration of Pontic Greeks, it was a result of the fall of Communism in U. S. S. R (Triantafyllidoy ump; Veikou, 2002). Another important reason which promotes immigration to Greece is the fact that the last decades there was an economic development (Leghari, 2009). Moreover, there was a decline in Greece’s population and as a result, there was a need of labour force (Leghari, 2009). In addition, we should mention that there is a lack of workers in the construction sector because Greeks do not want to do these kind of jobs (Leghari, 2009). As a result, the majority of immigrants in Greece do these kind of jobs, according to, the Greek Ministry of Interior the 32% of immigrants work in the construction sector (Siar, 2008). Finally, the fact that Greece’s economy, is characterized by an informal sector gives the opportunity to many irregular immigrants to work in this sector (Leghari, 2009). It is obvious that all of these reasons promote immigration, however, it will be quite useful to explore the attitude of public opinion and Greek policy towards immigrants in Greece, because this, will help us, to shed light on the differences in school performance between Pontic Greeks and immigrant students, the next section of this research is about the attitude of Greek policy and public opinion towards immigrants. Attitude of Greek Policy and Public Opinion Towards Immigrants First of all, we should mention that although, in Greece there are a lot of immigrants there is no any effective immigration policy (Triantafyllidoy ump; Veikou, 2002). The first decades of immigration to Greece, it was quite obvious that there was no such policy because there were no indications of the extent of this phenomenon, however, until now, there are not effective policies, as a result, we are able to assume that maybe Greek politicians and also society, believe that mass immigration will have an effect on Greek’s homogeneity (Triantafyllidoy ump; Veikou, 2002). On the other hand, any migratory policies applied in Greece favors some specific groups, such as Pontic Greeks, moreover, Greek citizenship was granted to them when they arrived in Greece (Triantafyllidoy ump; Veikou, 2002). This happens because Greece is one of the most homogenized societies (Rozakis, 1997), and Greece’s homogeneity comes from the fact that Greeks national identity is based on Greece’s glorious history and orthodox religion (Triantafyllidoy ump; Veikou, 2002). In line with, Triantafyllidou and Veikou: Greek national identity includes both ethnic and civic features, which are dynamically organized and interact with the changing international context and internal needs of the society† (Triantafyllidoy ump; Veikou, 2002: 195). However, nowadays, there are a lot ot social changes in Greece due to the fact of mass immigration, as a result, there is a need Greece’s national identity to be reconsidered and redefined to meet the demands of global and national changes (Triantafyllidoy ump; Veikou, 2002). It is obvious, that this fact led Greeks to believe that immigrants will elimintate their national identity and as a result, they do not have a positive attitude towards immigration. On the other hand, Greeks have a positive attitude towards Pontic Greeks, and they have a better treatment than immigrants from other countries such as Albania, we are able to assume that Pontic Greeks were a privileged group of immigrants, moreover, this positive attitude towards Pontic Greeks is based on media which have a more positive attitude to them than to other immigrants (Voutira, 2004). This happens because Greeks believe that Pontic Greeks are Greeks with some common habits and they have the same religion as a result, they believe that Pontic Greeks have, like them, national consciousness, however, they do not examine the fact that some of them do not even speak the Greek (Triantafyllidoy ump; Veikou, 2002). One of the most important factors of the construction of Greeks national consciousness was the fact that many Orthodox Greeks lived in some other places which some centuries ago were under the control of Greece and made Greeks believe that these lands should be one day controlled by Greece again, helping Greeks Orthodoxs to be integrated with their homeland, this is, what is called in Greece ‘Great Idea’(Triantafyllidoy ump; Veikou, 2002). It is obvious, that these reasons, guide Greeks to have positive attitudes towards Pontic Greeks. We are able to assume that a better reception is granted to Pontic Greeks when they come to Greece, and their acceptance in Greek society is secured, due to their ‘Greekness’(Triantafyllidoy ump; Veikou, 2002), as a result, it is obvious that their Greek roots make it easier to be integrated in Greek society, this better integration of Pontic Greek renders us capable of understanding that Pontic Greek students have more chances to have a better school performance than the other immigrant students. However, their Greek roots, it is not the only reason which give them the opportunity to have a better school performance, the next section, explores another reason, which promotes their better educational attainment, this reason is the fact that Greece’s society is characterized by xenophobic and racist beliefs. Xenophobia and Racism in Greece Immigration helps the receiving countries to develop their economies, however, sometimes in many countries there are negative attitudes against immigrants (Card, Dustmann, ump; Preston, 2005). In Greece, a research which was conducted by Anna Triantafullidou and Andoni Mikraki has shown that Greeks since 1995 have not xenophobic attitudes against immigrants, moreover, the 31% of Greece’s population believed that immigrant’s rights should be more extended and only the 4% of the total population had negative attitudes against immigrants (Triantafyllidou ump; Mikrakis, 1995). However, the high rates of immigration this decade, has triggered the xenophobic and sometimes racist attitudes in Greek society, people nowadays in Greece believe that immigrants increase the rates of unemployment and criminality and very often these stereotypes are guided by the media, moreover as we have mentioned before, Greek society is a homogenized society and Greeks believe that the mass immigration will have an effect on Greece’s homogeneity (Hatziprokopiou, 2005). On the other hand, it is quite difficult, to give an explanation, to the growth of xenophobia and racism in this country, however, these attitudes become more and more frequent, this is clear, if we consider the institutional racism which is very usual, in the police stations, the maiority of policemen in Greece tend to believe that immigrants are criminals (Hatziprokopiou, 2005). Moreover, racist attitudes, are a daily phenomenon, even in Greek TV series, there are racist attitudes, for instance, they show immigrants in some ways, such as, criminals, prostitutes, or domestic servants, with this way, there is a reproduction of stereotypes and xenophobia (Hatziprokopiou, 2005). However, these attitudes are very usual, in global history, because when there are a lot of social problems in a society, people try to find a weak social group to blame for these problems (Fenton, 1984), and Greece nowadays has a lot of roblems, due to the social changes due to immigration (Triantafyllidoy ump; Veikou, 2002), and the economic recession. As a result, there is a growth of racist and xenophobic attitudes. Moreover, these racist beliefs are very common in Greek schools, very often Greek students have negative attitudes towards immigrant students, their perception often is guided by their classmate’s country of origin, some specific immigrant groups especially Albania ns are faced xenophobic attitudes and stereotypes even in classrooms (Dimakos ump; Tasiopoulou, 2010). Of course, we cannot characterize Greek society, as a racist society, because it has been observed, that when there is a contact between Greeks and immigrants, there is a development of interpersonal relationships, and friendships, it is obvious that, that media, social problems and Greece’s immigrations policy promote the racist attitudes towards immigrants (Hatziprokopiou, 2005). It is obvious, that the reproduction of the racist beliefs and stereotypes have an effect on school performance. As we have mentioned before, a better reception is granted to Pontic Greeks due to their ‘Greekness’(Triantafyllidoy ump; Veikou, 2002), as a result, Pontic Greeks students do not have to face racist stereotypes in education, this issue, help us to understand that they have more chances to have a better school performance than the other immigrant students. Of course, Greece’s homogeneity and racist attitudes towards immigrants, are not the only reasons which have an effect on school performance, the next section is about another important reason which guides the differences in school performance, this is the school curriculum. How to cite Immigration: Racism and Greece, Papers

How I Became A Butterfly free essay sample

On August 6, 1991, I began my journey as a potential butterfly. During my early â€Å"egg† years I was always unsure of everything; what I waned to do, where I wanted to go and basically anything else that had a choice involved. I was always the different one throughout my whole life; like a butterfly in a sea of moths. For example, if everyone else wanted vanilla I would most likely pick strawberry. In preschool, how ironic it was that I was put in the butterfly group. Since the beginning of my school days, I was labeled the quiet one, the one who is eager to please. If anybody needed something and I had it, I would let him or her have it just because that is the way I was raised. As an egg my future was still unpredictable I could take the road more traveled like my classmates and become a moth; or I could take the road less traveled and become a butterfly. We will write a custom essay sample on How I Became A Butterfly or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page As of my egg years, my future is still uncertain. When I evolved into a caterpillar, I already knew I was different. Somehow, everybody else noticed it too, because they picked on me for it. Throughout the first grade, I was scared to raise my hand because the other kids called me a teacher’s pet, a suck up, a smarty-pants, and many other names I have chosen to forget. Until I was put in the Mentally Gifted (MG) class in second grade, I thought it was bad to be smart. For the most part, I was an outcast and a bookworm I did my work and played rope by myself at recess. In the second grade I met Jordan she became my best friend we did everything together; we would trade sandwiches at lunchtime and we even went to MG together. Halfway through the second grade we were placed in accelerated courses, which means you get to go to the third grade class for a couple of hours every day, we were so happy. In third grade, I had to move I never saw Jordan again. It hurt but when I got to my new school there was this girl named Candice sh e always helped me through rough times. She would tell the other people to leave me alone. We became the best of friends. Towards the end of fourth grade, she found a new group of friends and this separation pushed me into the shell I retained all the way through middle school. In middle school my â€Å"cocoon† only grew thicker. In middle school, peer pressure was at its peak. Every other day somebody was trying to persuade you to do something like drugs, theft, or whatever it was they liked to do. These four years became my trial and error years. I did some dumb stuff to push my boundaries, I did not do any thing like drugs, but I missed my curfew a couple times just to see how far I could go without getting in trouble. During my fifth grade year, I was jumped repeatedly just because I did not want to give the other students the answers to my homework or my test. I was constantly put down and my self-esteem, what was left, was depleting quickly. I was pushed so far away I barely had any friends in school. In sixth grade, I met Dumar he was supposedly the coolest guy in school, we were cool and we chilled a few times this supposedly kept everybody from messing with me. Life was cool I could walk through the halls without getting jumped life could n ot get any better. Then Dumar was arrested and sent to juvenile hall and somebody new took over his position as the coolest person in school. The new guy was not really into chilling with people that were cool with his enemy so now I was back to being jumped on a daily basis. In fifth and sixth grade when life got rough I would take refuge in the after school program office or the nurses office. Therefore, when the new person took over I went back to my hiding spots. I thought I could hide there until I graduated, but unfortunately in seventh grade they turned the after school room into a room for the special education students. It was during these years I took more refuge in MG then I did any other years. I had friends, people who looked up to me, for an hour every Tuesday. I would read to the special education students and when they sat there and listened, I felt so proud of myself that is how I knew I really was growing. When I started high school I knew it was to time to break free from my shell. In ninth grade, I realized that all the time I was growing up what my mom said was right. She always told me not to worry what everybody is saying; if they are talking, they are going to do it anyway and to let them waste their breath. I have always been told that I have a magnetic personality but in high school, I finally got to see it for myself. Slowly but surely, I found some friends. In ninth grade, I only had one friend and she was cool but I wanted more friends, so I went and got some but they were sheisty. I finally figured that the more friends I have the more of my business that is out in the streets. When I joined the Unique Imperial Perfections (U.I.P) drill team in ninth grade, I started chipping away at the shell that ensconced me. In tenth grade when I joined a dance group, the Green Dragons, another layer of my shell fell away. When I move through the halls now I will not walk with my head down, if you look closely you can see the pride that twinkles in my eye. In eleventh grade, I finally broke free of that last layer. I am now a full-grown butterfly and I am ready to migrate wherever the wind shall take me.