DNA Replication Poem and Video

Note: Video Will be up Shortly!

In order for cells to reproduce

The DNA first has to be produced

By existing ones that are completely loose

5 simple steps will get the job done

So let’s get to the point and start with step one

 

 

Helicases come in and separate two strands

Who were once in love and did more than hold hands

Strand 1 and strand 2 are now all alone

As proteins attach to keep them in zone

This concludes step 1 and step 2

while step 3 will surely be amazing to you

The leading strand finds its perfect catch

cus DNA polymerase is clearly its match

It constantly moves from 5’ to 3’

A to T and G to C

Step 3 is now officially completed

Oh wait, no, should I say deleted?

no, no, no its continuous, so therefore its neither

As it makes DNA without having a seizure

So forget all this confusion

And make a hasty conclusion

that step 3 is never-ending

and step 4 is always trending

And while step 3 was quite a blast,

We’ll move to step 4

Finally, At Last!

Continuing to step 4 to follow the plan

Cus I bet y’all forgot bout the lagging strand

Okazaki fragments are suddenly appearing

through RNA primers and Polymerase mixing

So DNA is synthesized bit by bit

As step 5 comes in to combine all of it

The time has arrived

for step number 5

to begin its mission

to end the vision

The fragments are finally joined together as one

by DNA ligase, the best enzyme to some

And with that, the cycle begins again

As this poem sadly comes to an end

And yes I agree, it is hard to comprehend

but so is life my dear old friend

So enjoy your life and have lots of fun

With the creation of DNA of more than a ton.

For You, Nelson Mandela, A Legacy to Us All

 

A Chapel Speech for the Youth,  Recognizing Nelson Mandela

Goodmorning and welcome to the chapel. Thank you for being here. Enjoy.
 

Nelson Mandela. A powerful leader who led a great nation, fighting for equality, fighting against Apartheid, and fighting for freedom.

He battled against hatred responding with love. Born in a time where he felt trapped, his whole world watched and controlled by the “Afrikaaner” government. Born in a time when the blacks and coloureds were forced to carry around passes proving their identity as if they didn’t belong in their home country. Born in a time when they were treated like dirt , merely animals that had to be tamed. Forced to live in tin shacks like a dog in its cage.

A time when Appartheid, racial discrimination, and suffering within the black/coloured communities was at its worst. He was born in a time when South Africa needed to change. A humble leader to free a great nation was born.

Throughout his life, Mandela, an accomplished lawyer who later became a freedom fighter, suffered thousands of indignities. With every beating, every scar, and every chain that tied him up in bondage, his heart grew stronger, his determination soared, and his love for his people and his nation gave him the power to continue the fight.

Mandela once said, “ I will not leave South Africa, nor will I surrender. Only through hardship, sacrifice, and militant action can freedom be won. The struggle is my life. I will continue fighting for freedom until the end of my days.”

He later joined the African National Congress, a political party that battled against Appartheid, and became a prominent leader throughout the nation.

        Mandela and the other freedom-movement leaders that fought alongside him were sentenced to life in prison because the government felt threatened. Mandela found himself trapped in a cell, isolated from everyone else.

While in Prison at Robben Island, he showed his love by becoming friends with the guards there who spat in his face with hatred. He was forced to crush stones in the lime quarry. During the cold winter, he asked for longer pants for him and his comrades. When only he received them, he gave them back, refusing to wear them. He communicated with other prisoners on notes through toilet paper and in the bottom of food buckets, putting them on the rim of toilet seats for others to read. He was only allowed one letter and one 30 minute conversation with his wife every 6 months.

After 27 brutal years of torture, beatings, and minimal conversation with family, Mandela was finally freed. 4 years later, in 1994, Mandela became president and the long walk to freedom was over.

I respect Mandela not only because of his sacrifice for South Africa, but because of his humble nature and respect for all people. His strong belief in equality, his humble leadership, and the fact that he was willing to die for his nation shows true dedication. He encouraged thousands upon thousands of people to fight by his side, express their opinions, and convinced them that what they thought was impossible to be possible.

 

       He believed in civil and human rights, and that everyone had a right to vote and to be treated decently.

       He never wanted to be remembered as someone special or worshipped, all he wanted was freedom for all and knew that he could accomplish nothing on his own. His smile magnetized the nation and his ability to connect with everyone shows his kindheartedness. He only served 1 term (5 years) as president because he recognized the importance of opening opportunities for others to lead.

He respected the role of students too. A large part of the anti-appartheid movement was driven by students who were out on the streets protesting, and many died brutal deaths. They sacrificed their education to fight for freedom.

So, ask yourself what have you done or what will you do that will show your bravery, or willingness to sacrifice for the common good? There are lots of self-less activities that one could do to impact one’s life. You could volunteer at an orphanage, help out at an elementary school, or even do the dishes at home. On a grander scale, you could contribute towards changing  a policy that you strongly disagree with in school, your local community, or even the state, by leading a movement or signing a petition. You have the power to change the way things are. That can be Nelson Mandela’s legacy to us all.

“Sometimes,” Mandela said, “it falls upon a generation to be great. You can be that great generation. Let your greatness blossom.”

          I don’t want you to stand up, I don’t want you to clap, I just want you to take a moment of silence in respect for Mandela. As you do that, I will leave you with this video and the South African National Anthem. Rest in peace Nelson Mandela and may God bless your
soul.

GOD is good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K48-Li7lIfA

ISL Champions 2013

ISL CHAMPIONS 2013!!!

     Yesterday, Saturday November 9th, 2013, the Brooks Girls Varsity Soccer Team won the ISL championships against St. Paul's with a 2-0 victory. We (our team) marked history as the final whistle blew and the whole team ran with joy into the middle of the field. Joyous energy filled the crowd as we embraced each other with pride, happiness, and love. Throughout the game, we played with so much heart, desire, determination, and energy. Beautiful plays were made, the two goals that we scored were phenomenal, and it was overall one of our best games ever. 

     The last time the team (BGVS) won the ISL championship was in 2006, and the fact that my team won yesterday, on our home field, at my last home game, is truly a blessing. 

     The most meaningful moment to me was when a senior, who has been a starter on the team for the past  3 years and was out all season because of a knee injury, was sent into the game in the last two minutes. She was so happy, and it was wonderful watching her play the game she loves with the team she's so passionate about. Despite her inability to jump, and her somewhat lousy run because her knee had not been fully recovered, she was full of bliss.

My VIEW/ What the team means to me: 

     I love soccer, and I have loved soccer ever since I was  3 years old holding a soccer ball in a little striped strawberry dress that my mom bought me. Throughout my high school career, I have progressed up from JV to Varsity soccer, fell even more in love with the sport, and developed great friendships on my team. From belting out the lyrics to our favorite songs in the locker room to battling it out on the soccer field, the bond that our team shares is inseparable. We build each other up, constantly cheer each-other on, and try our best in practice. We have worked incredibly hard to get to where we are today, and all of our hard work, long practices, and infamous half-time speeches paid off. It was all worth it, and it is still hard to believe that we are the ISL champions, a goal we have had since preseason. It just goes to show that if you try your best in everything you do, your dream may be achieved  Just like mine was. I will never forget this team, the amazing memories that we have shared, the practices, the Chipotle challenge, the locker room insanity, and, of course, this unreal, unimaginable feeling. I love you guys and I wish you the best next year.

Me at the age of 3.

Representing #11 in an away game uniform.

#11 on our home field at a home game.

A Day in the Life of Cape Town, South Africa

The poor starving child stumbles to school
The surfer rides his old beaten board, the sound f the water crackles in his ears
as he catches a beautiful wave
The highschool-dropout wakes at dawn,
praying for life in a fearsome valley
The crazy ol' dog scavenges for food, as he races through the dirty, tin shacks
The tourist hikes up the acclaimed Table Mountain,
with a lavish Kodak hanging round his neck
The retired woman is resting on her balcony,
as she glances into the far-off horizon
The local fisherman sets sail at sunrise,
returning at night with his livewell full of bass
The newlywed couple stroll along Camps Bay,
a beach bustling with restaurants that have the best seafood in town
The native young woman prepares Pap for dinner,
on her small stove with her three other sisters
The Zulu boy plays soccer on the dirty uncut grass
with ten other kids who are all barefoot
The wealthy Afrikaaner sips wine in his estate
surrounded by vineyards stretching far into the hills
The giving teachers secretly hands new clothes to a student
The Xhosa Nanny cleans the grand empty house,
picking up toys that the children threw on the ground
The woman with HIV returns to the hospital
for a new supply of ARVs and her daily counseling session
The excited student goes clubbing on Long Street
plastered in makeup with a tight black dress
The local singer performs to a small gathered crowd
in Kirstenbosch Gardens, a stunning place booming with a variety of plant species
The middle-class mother strides down the stream
to the corner-shop, where she buys some ice cream
And when Nighttime creeps up and the stars come out,
The teenager sneaks out to attend a crazy party
The Nanny falls asleep on her cold, hard bed
with all five children in her little tin shack
The prostitute comes out, desperate for play
The retired woman rests in peace at last
The middle-class child dreams of a shiny, red pony
The hopeful policeman protects his neighbourhood
The wealthy Afrikaaner falls asleep in his suite
The smart little girl prays to God
And with that, the day comes to an end
As they are in me as much as I am in them
And together, we have produced another passing day
As I close my eyes and fly away.

Emily Dickinson STyle Poem

It is a dark, mysterious night

And the moon provides Great Light

As Silence fills the freezing cold air

 He listens with sincere care 

I wish to leave this dreadful place

And find the joy that once filled my soul

For my heart is trapped in a devilish heaven

And nothing but emptiness runs through my veins forever.

POEM 11

Two trees are lying side-by-side

 As murderous winds go by

lifeless, dead, and still they remain

While time moves on again

One was a gift from God,

an angel sent to earth

The other was a gift from hell

a safe haven for Nahash

One was full of sin

The other full of love

but once they intertwined Above

God turned them into One

So now IT watches over us

As life goes on Oblivous

to the Unseen Eyes that guides us

Towards Life everlasting.