Inferential and Descriptive Statistics - 2154 Words

Before we continue the discussion about the basic descriptive data elements that are needed to answer the question I previously posed, it is important to understand what we mean by descriptive statistics. Descriptive statistics describe the features of the data collected. In other words, descriptive statistics describe â€Å"what† the data looks like, but it does not tell you why or how data elements interact or influence one another. Descriptive statistics provide a defender with summaries about the data collected and these summaries may be either quantitative or visual. Quantitative descriptive statistics are the sum of data points that are usually reported as total numbers or averages in a report. For example, defender offices can use descriptive statistics to determine the total of open felony cases per attorney in one year or say that on average they had x number of open cases in the last two years. These are considered to be summaries of caseloads that describe the data collected but it does not tell you if a certain variable (number of cases opened in this example) has an influence (or is correlated) with the final outcome of a case. When we say that a variable is correlated we mean that the knowledge of a certain variable (caseload numbers) can allow you to consistently predict the action of another (final dispositional outcomes). For example, if you mix two hydrogen and one oxygen (H20), you get water. We know that every time you have the interaction of theseShow MoreRelatedDescriptive and Inferential Statistics1122 Words   |  5 PagesRunning head: DESCRIPTIVE AND INFERENTIAL STATISTICS 1 Descriptive and Inferential Statistics DESCRIPTIVE AND INFERENTIAL STATISTICS 2 Descriptive and Inferential Statistics Descriptive and inferential statistics are incredibly similar forms of research testing within psychology. Each seeks to analyze, describe, and possibly predict a population’s behavior. As with psychology itself, statistical analysis within psychology began as a philosophy (Goodwin, 2008). This philosophy quicklyRead MoreDescriptive and Inferential Statistics699 Words   |  3 PagesWhen faced with an analysis of a situation which deals with a population, an analyzer will incorporate both descriptive and inferential statistics to evaluate his or her results and create a credible conclusion. Descriptive statistics provides information focused on an immediate group of data. After defining what needs to be analyzed, the descriptive statistics will help the analyzer abridge the data to a more meaningful and comprehendible form, which will then provide patterns in his or her researchRead MoreDescriptive and Inferential Statistics955 Words   |  4 PagesDescriptive and Inferential Statistics Statistical methods in psychology have two main branches, which are descriptive and inferential. They each play a major part in the data that is collected for research and other studies. This paper will show the functions of statistics, how descriptive and inferential statistics are defined and the relationship between the two. Statistics is a necessary tool in psychology. It provides data for research studies as well as providing background information andRead MoreDescriptive and Inferential Statistics2333 Words   |  9 Pagesï » ¿Descriptive and inferential statistics can describe data with remarkable precision and accuracy. Statistical analysis can also involve much time and effort, and therefore an understanding of the proper structure of descriptive and inferential statistics is crucial before expensive investments of time and resources are wasted because data is not collected using proper methods. Many surveys are reported every day in business, government and the media that are questionable because data was not collectedRead MoreDescriptive and Inferential Statistics Paper1139 Words   |  5 PagesDescriptive and Inferential Statistics Paper PSY 315 Descriptive and Inferential Statistics Whether doing original research or conducting literature reviews, one must conclude what a powerful and versatile tool statistics are in the hands of researchers. From basic statistics such as data description, to using complex statistical methods to foresee future patterns or strengthen scientific claims about current climates, the role of statistics in research cannot be taken lightly and is essentialRead MoreUse of Descriptive Statistics over Inferential Statistics659 Words   |  3 PagesQ1. When would you use descriptive over inferential statistics? Provide a specific scenario and explain your rationale. Descriptive statistics is the term given to the analysis of data that helps describe, show or summarize data in a meaningful way such that, for example, patterns might emerge from the data (Understanding descriptive and inferential statistics, 2012, Laerd). Examples of descriptive statistics include an analysis of central tendency (the position of most members of the group inRead MoreAdvantages And Disadvantages Of Descriptive And Inferential Statistics932 Words   |  4 PagesDescriptive and Inferential Statistics Statistics has been a form of research for many years. There are several professions that depend on statistics to help their research to grow and flourish within society. Professions like psychology and medicine often use some sort of statistics to help them better understand their work. There are two types of statistics that are used often in research. There is descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. Throughout this paper, I hope to explain the distinctRead More1. What Are Descriptive Statistics and How Do They Differ from Inferential Statistics?1000 Words   |  4 Pagesare descriptive statistics and how do they differ from inferential statistics? INTRODUCTION Statistical procedures can be divided into two major categories: descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. Typically, in most research conducted on groups of people, you will use both descriptive and inferential statistics to analyse your results and draw conclusions. So what are descriptive and inferential statistics? And what are their differences?We have seen that descriptive statistics provideRead MoreDescriptive and Inferentail Statistics Essay889 Words   |  4 PagesDescriptive and Inferential Statistics Paper Descriptive and Inferential Statistics Paper Statistics are used for descriptive purposes, and can be helpful in understanding a large amount of information, such as crime rates. Using statistics to record and analyze information, helps to solve problems, back up the solution to the problems, and eliminate some of the guess work. In Psychology there has to be a variable or variables to be organized, measured, and expressed as quantities. InformationRead MoreUnderstanding Business Research Terms and Concepts: Part 2 Essay914 Words   |  4 PagesApril 18, 2016 Dr. Linda F Florence Understanding Business Research Terms and Concepts: Part 2 Descriptive statistics Descriptive statistics suggests a straightforward quantitative outline of a data-set which has been gathered. It helps us comprehend the experimentation or data-set in-detail and tells people concerning the mandatory details that help show the data perceptively. Descriptive statistics, we just convey exactly what the data reveals and tell us. Most of the statistical averages and

Common Courtesy by A Day To Remember free essay sample

Common Courtesy Album Review The Pop-punk band of Ocala Florida,A Day To Remember(ADTR), released their 7th studio album on October 8th, 2013. This album, Common Courtesy, was long anticipated by fans, including myself, for many reasons. The â€Å"theme† of the album is never giving up and dealing with all the â€Å"crap† that life throws at you, and when people judge you, hurt you, or neglect you, as long as you stay true to your dreams and yourself you will prevail. The songs City Of Ocala. Right Back At It Again, Dead And Buried, Best Of Me, Sometimes You’re The Hammer Sometimes You’re The Nail, and Violence (Enough Is Enough) best demonstrate a strong emphasis on the â€Å"theme.† The First half of the album is mostly hard-core, fast beats and melodies. Best Of Me best shows the fast paced, dirty side of the band in this album. The second half of the album is a more slower side but still great nonetheless, it has one or two acoustic songs that reflect the softer side of AD TR. We will write a custom essay sample on Common Courtesy by A Day To Remember or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page With both sides of the album it feels like you’re part of the bands’ personal issues that they write about. The sequence at which the album would go is: knowing where you came from, putting up with others that doubt you, giving in to temptation and eventually fighting the haters, and after the fight thinking over what happened and realizing that fighting wasnt the right route to take to resolve this. My personal favorite song on the album is Sometime You’re The Hammer Sometimes You’re The Nail, the fast-paced guitar riffs with the edgy voice of Jeremy make for a great song. If I was to rate the album I would probably give it eight out of ten, mostly cause I am not that impressed with the slower songs,but that’s just me. I encourage everyone, whether you are into pop-punk or not, to listen to this album with an open mind and try to find something you like in it. You can buy this album for $8 at Target, Best Buy, or on Itunes.

Treatment for Depression a Critical Evaluation of the Effects of Social Support on Depression free essay sample

Social support can be defined as: â€Å"information leading the subject to believe that he is cared for and loved, esteemed, and a member of a network of mutual obligations† (Cobb, 1976, p. 1). It is useful to note that there are many diverse types of social support that can be both beneficial and/or detrimental to the recovery from depression (Arditte amp; Joorman, 2011; Blais amp; Renshaw, 2012; Dolokin, Panzarella, Fernandez, Alloy, amp; Cascardi, 2004; Grav, Hellzen, amp; Romild, 2011; Marroquin, 2011). This essay will cover the topics of the benefits of social support on depression, and how one goes about seeking and receiving ocial support. It will also discuss the role of gender in social support, and finally it will talk about some different types of social support that can be used. There is overwhelming amounts of research that substantiate the fact that social support helps to ameliorate depression. Having a clear support structure significantly reduces depressive ep isodes, and decreases the chance of having depression re-occur (Lin, Ye amp; Ensel, 1999). We will write a custom essay sample on Treatment for Depression: a Critical Evaluation of the Effects of Social Support on Depression or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Lin, Ye and Ensel discussed certain steps a person can take to help gain adequate social support, such as joining a community project, or helping in volunteer work. Participating in events that involve being around others enhances a feeling of belongingness. Which they express in their research can facilitate the creation of binding relationships with others, thus helping to create a practical social support network. Their study also found a correlation between people who had intimate relationships with others, and a decrease in depressive moods. They also note the relationship between the amount of contact, or support a depressed person receives per week has a dramatic effect in reducing their symptoms. It is interesting to note that persons who have a greater perception of social support feel less depressive symptoms over time, whereas people thinking they are lacking adequate social support state an increase in depressive symptoms (Lin, Ye amp; Ensel, 1999; Cohen amp; Wills, 1985; Gladstone, Parker, Malhi amp; Wilhelm, 2007). The need for social support varies significantly across genders (Cheng, 1999). For instance, Cheng notes that men report to having a lower need for support than woman. Her study found that males reported to being more self-reliant and independent, and thus wanting to solve the problems they are facing alone. This could potentially explain the reason that they need less social support than woman. Her study found that people with more feminine characteristics report a decrease in depressive moods when they receive more social support. In addition to looking at the quantity in which males and females wish to receive social support, it would be beneficial to understand the two types of social support that is applicable to gender. Firstly, emotional support, which can consist of hugging, pats on the back, listening, and empathising (Grav, Hellzen amp; Romild, 2011). The second form of social support that Grav, Hellzen and Romild investigated was tangible support, which can include: helping the depressed person with their physical responsibilities, cooking a meal, buying groceries, brainstorming and help with problem solving. Woman who suffer from depression reported needing more emotional support to help overcome their depression, whereas men identify with needing more tangible support (Grav, Hellzen amp; Romild, 2011). Another specific type of social support which has been studied recently is Adaptive Inferential Feedback (AIF) as found in a study conducted by Dobkin, Panzarella, Fernandez, Alloy and Cascardi (2004). This information was further supported by Panzarella, Alloy and Whitehouse (2006). Both studies explain that adaptive inferential feedback involves giving positive feedback to a depressed person regarding their stressful life event to help them avoid depressive thinking. Panzarella et al. (2004) states that helping the person curve their thinking in a positive direction helps buffer the affects of the depression. To put it simply, the supporter is giving positive praise for things the person did well, while not focusing on any negative aspects. It could be argued that this method employs a tendency to trivialize problems and that by only focusing on the positives, the negative aspects of the persons life will not be appropriately dealt with leading to greater problems further down the road. For this reason it may be best to use this type of support in tandem with the method outlined below. The use of another specific type of social support that can be used when a person with depression does not have an adequate support network at their disposal is Emotion Regulation   (Arditte amp; Joorman, 2011). Arditte and Joorman investigated the impact of emotion regulation strategies on depression. In their research, they focused their study on different subtypes of emotion regulation which could be beneficial to ameliorating depression. Their research found that cognitive reappraisal and ruminative reflection could be used as helpful tool when battling depression. They explain that cognitive reappraisal is a tool whereby a person would re-interpret a stressful life event in a way that softens its psychological impact from a negative way to a more positive way. For example, if a person suffering from depression is informed that their partner wants to leave the relationship, they could use cognitive reappraisal and think about the situation in a more positive way, â€Å"I will find someone who is going to be better for me anyway. †Ã‚   Arditte amp; Joorman (2011) go on to explain that reflection can be used as a positive or negative emotion regulation trategy. They found that when a person reflects inwards at one’s self, focusing on positive aspects, that would be considered ruminative reflection, which is a key strategy in reducing depression. However, if the depressed person is focusing on the negative aspects, that is considered ruminative brooding; this type of emotion regulation will be detrimental to recovery from depression. With this data collected, we have more of an understanding about how social support helps to ameliorate depression and are able to conclude that social support is a helpful tool in conquering depression. Specific determining factors, with regards to types of support, who, and when support is received can be found to be instrumental in accounting for it’s effects (Grav, Hellzen amp; Romild, 2011). While depression is no doubt a complex phenomena, and it can be argued that social support alone will not be able to concur the issue, but when used in conjunction with other treatment methods, it is certainly an invaluable tool. References: Arditte, K. A. , Joorman, J. (2011). Emotion regulation in depression: Re? ection predicts recovery from a major depressive episode. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 35, 356-543. Blais, R. K. , Renshaw, K. D. (2012). The association of biological and psychological attributions for depression with social support seeking intentions in individuals with depressive symptoms. Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies, 40, 605-617. Cheng, C. (1999). Gender-role differences in susceptibility to the influence of support availability on depression. Journal of Personality, 67(3), 439-467. Cobb, S. (1976). Social support as a moderator of life stress. Psychosomatic Medicine, 38(4), 300-314. Cohen, S. Wills, T. A. (1985). Stress, social support, and the buffering hypothesis. Psychological Bulletin, 98(2), 310-357. Dobkin, R. D. , Panzarella, C. , Fernandez, J. , Alloy, L. B. , amp; Cascardi, M. (2004). Adaptive inferential feedback, depressonogenic inferences, and depressed mood: A labratory study of the expanded hopelessness theory of depression. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 28(4), 487-509. Gladstone, G. L. , Parker, G. B. , Malh i, G. S. , Wilhelm, K. A. (2007). Feeling unsupported? An investigation of depressed patients perceptions. Journal of Affective Disorders, 103, 147-157. Grav, S. , Hellzen, O. , Romild, U. (2011). Association between social support and depression in the general population: the HUNT study, a cross-sectional study. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 21, 111-120. Lin, N. , Ye, X. , amp; Ensel, W. M. (1999). Social support and depressed mood: A structural analysis. Jounal of Health and Social Behavior, 40(4), 344-359. Marroquin, B. (2011). Interpersonal emotion regulation as a mechanism for social support in depression. Clinical Psychology Review, 31, 1276-1290. Panzarella, C. , Alloy, L. B. , Whitehouse, W. G. (2006). Expanded hopelessness theory of depression: On the mechanisms by which social support protects against depression. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 30, 307-333. Strange, J. P. , Boccia, A. S. , Shapero, B. G. , Molz, A. R. , Flynn, M. , Matt, L. M. , Alloy, L. B. (2013). Emotion regulation characteristics and cognitive vulnerabilities interact to predict depressive symptoms in individuals at risk for bipolar disorder: A prospective behavioural high-risk study. Cognition and Emotion, 27(1), 63-84.

21 Unprofessional Habits That Will Keep You From Getting The Job

21 Unprofessional Habits That Will Keep You From Getting The Job We all have our bad habits. And the world of getting and holding down a job is hard enough without them seeping in to sabotage us. Here are 21 of the most unprofessional habits you should break to make sure your job-getting (or keeping) is never in jeopardy. 1. SloppinessDon’t let careless grammar or spelling mistakes affect your future. Proofread everything you do- from your resume to your performance review. You don’t want your  work thrown out before it’s even read!2. Lack of PreparationDo your homework, particularly for the job interview. Show you are self-starting enough to realize what preparation is appropriate and necessary to get the job done. Getting this right shows you understand the responsibilities involved in everything you sign up for.3. Trying too Hard to Get AttentionLet your resume stand out because of its content and your merits, not because of fancy formatting or fonts- or worse, colorful paper.4. Your Vices (Right Pre-Interview)Smoking and drinking may seem innocuous to you, but your interviewer (and your boss) will be able to smell both on you, and neither show you in a favorable light.5. Bad HygieneJust shower before every job interview. Just do. And probably also before every shift you work.6. LatenessLateness is a very bad habit in general, but before a job interview it can be a death knell. Plan to be 15 minutes early; the worst case scenario will leave you time to pee and check your appearance before walking in.7. TextingWhile you’re waiting for your interview (you’re early! good job!), do your best not to spend that extra time texting. This makes you look bored. Try a magazine instead- or a company brochure.8. Public GroomingGrooming is important, but keep it to the restroom. Don’t touch up your makeup or comb your hair- or worse, put on deodorant- in public or in the waiting room.9. OverpackingLeave your latte, your water bottle, your gym bag, and maybe even your telephone in your car. Wa lk in with your resume, your portfolio, and perhaps a briefcase, but nothing else.10. Overly Casual AttireDressing down is never a good idea. Dress for the job you want- not the one you have, or even the one you’re applying for. This can be tricky; the last thing you want to do is err too far on the side of formal, but do try to strike the balance (or risk looking unprofessional).11. Speaking Before You ThinkFrom the moment you walk in and introduce yourself to the receptionist, you need to be careful what you say. Every word out of your mouth in the interview process will be judged- and should be. Speak accordingly.12. InformalityThis doesn’t mean being super cordial and speaking like Shakespeare. But it does mean not leading with â€Å"Yo!† when your interviewer introduces herself.13. A Bad AttitudeAvoid arrogance, project self-confidence, and do not, whatever you do, bad mouth former employers, companies, or your former boss. Stay positive and get a positive reaction.14. TMIYou’re there to convince the company you’re the perfect person for that job. You want to give them a sense of who you are, but there is a line. Don’t cross it and veer too far into oversharing.15. ShynessHumility is great. And arrogance is awful. But do try your best to mask your shyness and timidity. You don’t want anyone thinking you’re too meek and won’t be able to contribute effectively to the team.16. CursingJust don’t. There is no place for swear words or foul language in the interview- or in the workplace.17. InterruptingWhatever you have to say can wait. Let your interviewer at least finish their sentence first before you speak.18. FibbingEven a little embellishing here and there is unwise. Chances are, your interviewer will look into your background and you will get caught. That’s the job lost. Stick to the facts, but present them at their best.19. Bad Body LanguageIt’s important to say the right thing, but even if you do, you could still derail the proceedings with hostile, bored, or shifty body language. Don’t forget what your hands, head, and legs are doing while you’re speaking.20. OvereagernessNo matter how much you want the job- and it is important to convey that- do your best not to appear too eager. I.e., don’t ask â€Å"So did I get the job?† or â€Å"Did I do okay?†21. Lack of GraciousnessFollow up. Write a thank you note immediately after your interview– handwritten if possible. Even if you don’t think it went well, it’s important to be gracious and say thank you like a grown up.

Feminism in Jurisprudence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Feminism in Jurisprudence - Essay Example However recent theories and critical legal studies have highlighted the patriarchal elements in jurisprudence – the law itself is male, because the separation of the State and the extent of legal relief is conditioned by the separateness of the individual, a principle which is flawed in the case of women who are connected human beings. Therefore the framework of law and jurisprudence must be modified to reflect a more multicultural, multiracial and multiethnic framework in order to incorporate more voices, so that the law can serve to effectively address the needs of individuals in accordance with the circumstances. The most influential feminists are MacKinnon and Gilligan, whose theories have largely shaped female attack on existing jurisprudence. Catherine McKinnon’s crusade began with pornography, which she sought to ban. What worked against her struggle to ban pornography however, was the existence of the First Amendment right to freedom of speech and expression. But MacKinnon appealed to the Zoning Commission in Minneapolis on the issue of pornography as follows: Catherine MacKinnon pressed for the curtailment of certain First Amendment rights through censorship, reflecting what has now become a widely debated feminist view of restriction of the rights to free speech and expression in such areas as pornography. In her view, presently it is certain powerful groups who are the only ones with the right to free speech and whose voices are heard, over and above the women and minority groups who have â€Å"been silenced by their powerlessness†2, therefore the role of Government and of jurisprudence cannot continue to be biased in favor of the powerful groups, rather the function of jurisprudence is to empower the minorities and the women. Thus, it may be seen that her views rise in opposition to the model of total

Co-workers spending too much time on personal devices or social Research Paper

Co-workers spending too much time on personal devices or social networks, leading to distractions in the office - Research Paper Example This paper includes a discussion on some of the ways these devices and social networking websites lead to distractions in offices. The paper also includes a discussion on the ways the use of these devices and social networks can be limited in offices. Introduction In today's faced paced world, the use of technology has become a need for every individual from any field of life. Students, businesspersons, and employees all make use of different types of technologies to carry out their personal and professional activities. However, sometimes use of these technologies at places where they should not be used leads to problems. For example, use of mobile phones and other personal devices at work lead to distractions in offices when people use these devices for personal matters instead of focusing on work and assigned job responsibilities. It has become a critical need for managers and employers to develop and implement such policies at workplaces, which should be able to bring down the use of personal devices at offices. Let us discuss some of the ways personal devices and social networks used by colleagues lead to distractions in offices. Impact of Personal Devices The impact of the use of personal devices, such as, mobile phones, laptops, and disc players in offices is never positive on the efficiency level of employees. The reason is that the use of such devices at workplaces deviate the attention and focus of colleagues away from their job responsibilities, which not only results in decreasing their efficiency level but also shifts down the company’s level of productivity. Companies are at risk of losing millions of dollars each year through decreased level of employee productivity caused by digital distractions (Anderson 1). Some colleagues make personal calls while sitting in their offices because of which they cannot perform their required official tasks within time. For example, if a customer representative officer starts making a long personal call wh ile sitting in office, he/she will not be in the position to focus properly towards the incoming official calls in that time. The result in such cases is late delivery of work to managers or customers. Similarly, some colleagues use laptops in offices for purposes other than the official ones. The result is again delayed completion of assigned tasks. Moreover, some colleagues like to hear songs at workplace using headphones. This also results in distracting their attention away from work. The use of personal devices at work can also lead to severe accidents at the workplace. A number of cases have occurred in the last few years where a minor distraction from official task because of cell phone or other personal devices have resulted in severe workplace accidents. For example, an incident occurred in California in 2007 where an employee responsible for operating the sugarcane-chopping machine in a mill cut his left hand because he put his hand within the choppers unintentionally bein g busy in a personal call while operating the machine. This is just a single case out of many where little distractions have caused major injuries to employees. Such cases speak strongly in favor of putting a complete ban on the use of personal devices at the workplace. Impact of Social Networks The impact of using social networking websites, such as, Facebook or Twitter in offices is also not positive on the efficiency and attention of

The Brick Tower †a Speech by Justin Hudson Essay Example for Free

The Brick Tower — a Speech by Justin Hudson Essay Ladies and gentlemen, family, faculty and my fellow classmates of the class of 2010, before I begin I would like to thank those teachers who chose this modest speech among the outstanding collection of speeches written by my highly competent peers. I would also like to thank all the people who have expressed their support for me and their anticipation for this speech. To be told â€Å"You are the best person in the grade to give this speech†, or some variation of that statement, more than once is truly humbling, and you all are either the most polite people I know, or the kindest people I know. It is a great honor to give this address, and I promise I do not take it lightly. I have chosen every word quite carefully because I am fully aware of the responsibility you all have bestowed upon me. Today, I stand before you as a personification of conflictedness. I find myself on this podium experiencing numerous warring emotions, and I am certain many of you here empathize with me on that point. Firstly, and perhaps most obviously, I am filled with a great sense of happiness and accomplishment. My peers and I have put much effort for the last six years—a third of our lives thus far—into being able to stand here today and say that we’ve earned the right to stand here. It was by no means easy, and there were many times when I thought I would not reach this finish line. But those struggles have only made this moment sweeter. The people who are on this stage survived four years of Latin, or 8th grade swim class, or English with Ms. D’Amico, or BC Calculus, or the 25% rule, and I think all of us can take some pride in that. Yet, my ambivalence on this day stems from the very fact that this ceremony is the end of an arduous journey. While I am ready to continue my academic endeavors, knowing that Hunter has thoroughly prepared me for them, I am also filled with a deep sense of anxiety and sadness. Hunter has been my second home for the last six years, and it has bordered on becoming my first home. Between my time diligently taking notes in the classroom, playing Chinese Poker in the hallway, taking a nap in the G. O. office, frantically rehearsing for a cultural show or theater production in the auditorium, cheering for an undefeated basketball team in the gymnasium, or simply sitting outside on the senior steps, istening to a boom box and enjoying nice weather in the courtyard, Hunter has truly become a sanctuary for me. My life has revolved around the fourstory brick building that stands on East 94th Street and Park Avenue, and Hunter’s intimate class size means that I have become as connected to the people of this school as I have to the building itself. It may sound disingenuous to say that I will miss each and every one of you, but all of you in some small way have shaped me into the person I am today, so I thank you all for that. Of course, the comfort that I have attained at Hunter makes this departure a rather anxious one, but with anxiety comes excitement, and the end of this journey signifies the start of a brand new one. As I leave behind the warmth that I have experienced at Hunter to enter a vastly new and quite frightening terrain, I can only help but think back to the last time I was in this situation, as a fresh-faced, wide-eyed twelve-year old entering the foreboding, windowless Brick Prison for the first time. Every aspect of my life since that point has been overwhelmingly positive, so all my fears about what lies ahead are slightly tamed by the idea that I will at least come close to experiencing in my future what I have already experienced at Hunter. However, ladies and gentlemen, more than happiness, relief, fear or sadness, I feel a very strong emotion that I cannot ignore today. More than anything else, today I feel guilty. I feel guilty because I don’t deserve any of this. And neither do any of you. We received an outstanding education at no charge based solely on our performance on a test we took when we were eleven year olds, or four year olds. We received superior teachers and additional resources based on our status as â€Å"gifted†, while kids who naturally needed those resources much more than us wallowed in the mire of a broken system. And now, we stand on the precipice of our lives, in control of our lives, based purely and simply on luck and circumstance. If you truly believe that the demographics of Hunter represent the distribution of intelligence in this city, then you must believe that the Upper West Side, Bayside and Flushing are intrinsically more intelligent than the South Bronx, Bedford-Stuyvesant and Washington Heights, and I refuse to accept that. It is certainly not Hunter’s fault that socioeconomic factors inhibit the educational opportunities of some children from birth, and in some ways I forgive colleges and universities that are forced to review eighteen year-olds, the end results of a broken system. But, we are talking about eleven year-olds. Four year-olds. We are deciding children’s fates before they even had a chance. We are playing God, and we are losing. Kids are losing the opportunity to go to college or obtain a career, because no one taught them long division or colors. Hunter is perpetuating a system in which children, who contain unbridled and untapped intellect and creativity, are discarded like refuse. And we have the audacity to say they deserved it, because we’re smarter than them. As students, we throw around empty platitudes like â€Å"deserve† and â€Å"earn†, most likely because it makes us feel better about ourselves. However, it simply isn’t the case. I know for a fact that I did not work as hard as I possibly could have, and I think the same is true for everyone on this stage. Nevertheless, people who work much harder than we ever could imagine will never have the opportunities that lie in front of us. I apologize if this is not the speech you wanted to hear, but you will have the rest of your lives to celebrate your accomplishments. I apologize if I have not inspired you, or uplifted you, but we have failed to inspire and uplift an entire generation of children. That being said, let me make it very clear that I am not giving anyone here a moral lecture, for I am as complicit in the system we are a part of as anyone else in this room. If anything, I only make these remarks to further emphasize how much Hunter has meant to me, because I am acutely aware of where I would be now without it. As recipients of fortune, we more than anyone else should be able to understand and respect what our high school experience has meant to us, and has done for us. My guilt ultimately stems from my awareness of the academic, social, emotional and psychological tools that Hunter has blessed us with. Therefore, I believe the best way to assuage this guilt is to use those fortuitous tools to not only better myself, but also improve the society that surrounds us outside these oh, so narrow walls. I do not know the capacity in which I will be able to make this world a better and more just place, but I strongly believe that education is the most effective means of creating social improvement, which is precisely why this is a battle we cannot concede. My experiences at Hunter have left me with one final emotion; the last sentiment I will share with you today is hope. I hope that I will use the tools that Hunter has given me as a means to provide opportunities to others, not out of a sense of paternalistic philanthropy, but out of a sense of duty to give to other people what Hunter has given to me. I also hope that you all will do the same, in whatever way you see fit. Even more so, I hope that in the near future, education itself will not be a privilege for the few in this world. I hope that a quality education will not be a privilege for the few in this country. I hope that the Hunter community will descend from its ivory tower made of brick, and distribute its tools evenly to the mass of humanity that is the City of New York. I hope that, despite its problems, Hunter can prove to be the rule, and not the exception, to what can exist as a school. Finally, I hope from the bottom of my heart that omeday a class speaker can stand on this podium and look into an audience of his closest and dearest friends whom he never would have met without Hunter and whom he’ll never forget, an audience of faculty members he has a deep respect and admiration for, an audience of family members who have supported him throughout his entire life without asking for anything in return. I hope this child can stand on this very stage, look at the most important people in his life, and feel happy, sad, relieved, scared, accomplished or whatever his heart desires, without feeling guilty about a damn thing. Thank you for your time.