Still We Rise #3

In the final part of this book, Miles Corwin answers the readers question, "what will happen to the students?" The students dont all graduate, and have a happy life, they still face challenges as the end of the school year creeps up. The students who are in AP classes must take the AP exam. They have one problem, Miss Little has went AWOL on her students leaving them unprepared to take an exam, with many multiple choice, and essays. The students ask themselves many questions regarding the exam but theres no one to answer them. What shall they do? Dont take the test, and miss the chance of a scholorship? Or, take it hoping they at least get a 3, even though they arent prepared?


The students get a surpirse a few weeks before the exam, Miss Little returns, but they believe she is too late. How can she go over a semesters worth of teachings, in 3 weeks? When it is time to take the exam, mant students are nervous but put those tentions behind them in order to pass the text. Many breeze right through it while others are distracted by the outside studnets, and the voices booming throught the intercom. Several students will not take the AP exam, including Olivia, whom is still in jail, with bad news on the way. Olivia, who worked hard all her life, will not go to the college of her choice, or any college at all due to her criminal records. Olivia, Miss Little, and Mr. Braxton all are devistated, because they were all standing behind her, hoping she would make it.


The end of the school year is here, AP exams have been taken, and the pressure has been lifted off of students shoulders. Miss Little is not sure if she will return to Crenshaw or teach at a new school. Graduation and Prom are approaching. Prom being first, students are preparing themselves, looking the best they can. Some cant afford a $300 dress, but they all still look stunning. Students who would have dropped out, or couldnt afford prom is there. Toya is even there, in a nice dress, happy that she stayed in school, and is enjoying the nite. But where is Miss Little students ask around. When Little does arrive students are happy, and can now enjoy the rest of there nite.


If someone where to walk the halls of Crenshaw, they would think that it is a terrible place to recieve and education, but if they were to walk into the AP classes, and see the determinded students they would be amazed. Miles Corwin did an excellent job at portraying the lives of these 12 remarkable students onto paper. All these students went through struggles just to see graduation. Little, the teacher who never backed down, has lots of respect for her students, and her students respect her much more. With the closing of there highschool year they have all learned alot from her, and she has learned from them. All her students thank her on their final day in her class. On graduation day, Danielle, a student who was in Miss Little's class is the valecdictorian. She speaks powerfully into all the hearts of her classmates, the parents but most of all Miss Little. Danielle's final words " Remember the past, Cherish the present, Conquer the future", were inspiring words to her classmates, but also to me, the reader. "And Still We Rise', was a phenominal book.



Application: You being in highschool, in an AP class, taking the AP exam in the future, would you be upset with your teacher if she went through the same thing as Miss Little did?



Application: By us attending King Drew, a well kept school, with problems here and there, do you believe that the same things that happened with the Crenshaw students happen at King Drew?

Still We Rise #2

The students here at Crenshaw all have struggles. Some may show there struggle on there face, while others keep them bottled inside. Miles Corwin uses description to describe in detail the struggles of the students in the Gifted Program. Olivia, a smart, determined young women, that was abused in her childood. School was Olivias only get away from this abuse by her mother. Sadi, an ex-gangbanger, who was an excellent student, but the streets took him, and changed his life. It took getting arrested to change is life back onto the right path. Toya, similar to Olivia, went thru something no child should. From getting raped at the pure age of 3, and getting abused by her Step Father. Toya and her younger sister also has to live with the heavy burden of the death of their mother. These students all excell in school, but these students also carry the world on their shoulders, due to the society they live in, and the everyday challenges they must face.


Clarification: Why does Miss Little have so much hatred towards Mama Moultrie?

Clarification: Did the councelor Mr. Braxton go through similar things, thats why he cares so much for his students who have problems?

Application: If you were in the same gifted program with the same students mentioned in the book, but did not have family struggles, or internal struggles, would you feel sorry for those students?

#1 Blog "And Still We Rise"

How do students survive the mean streets of La? Its either gang or death, but no, these 12 students went for the books. Miles Corwin, author of “And Still We Rise”, describes the lives of 12 inner city students. Corwin goes deep into there every day lives to see how they live, and interact with the world around. These students are not oridinary students, but students who are gifted, and excel in the classroom. These students try there best to maintain there high grades, and social status, while also dogging the mean streets of South Central-La. The streets are their worst enemy, with gangs, and stray bullets distracting them. They are no longer afraid to die, but afraid to live but they strive to continue in order to have a future. Miles Corwin tells about adversities they face in home, on the streets and in school. The reached outside there minds for a better life through education and the determination they had within.

Clarification: How do students who live in rural areas find a comfort zone besides the streets?
Application: Can the community that kids live in help them in school, and the world around them?