World View and Citizenship Essay -- Citizenship

The Preamble to the United States Constitution states: â€Å"We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution for the United States of America† (U.S. Const. pmbl.). While the United States Constitution was created in order to form a more perfect union, it is up to us, as citizens of the United States, to uphold all that has been established within this union. In order to do that, we all must fulfill our responsibilities as citizens. For me, citizenship is an entitlement that everyone is obliged to uphold; therefore, I try to follow through on my responsibilities as a citizen of my community, country, and world. Being a citizen of the United States has many responsibilities, and it is my duty to follow through with these responsibilities. In order to do this, I must employ my rights and act dutifully. To fulfill my responsibilities as a citizen, there are many things that I do. First, I exercise my right to vote. This right to vote is one that requires me to pay attention to my government, for a citizen’s time and attention to the government is necessary in order for a democracy to function properly. Furthermore, I make sure to obey the laws that the government has created. These laws play an important role in upholding the ideals that were stated in the Preamble of the United States Constitution. Finally, another important responsibility that I oblige to as a United States citizen is paying my taxes. Taxes allow this country to function successfully; therefore, it is important for me to fulf... ... a good citizen, to do more than your share under it is noble† (â€Å"Betterworld.net†). In order for me to enjoy the privileges that I have been given through citizenship, I must honor my contract with society by putting citizenship first. If I continue to take part in community service and to treat others in the same manner that I desire to be treated, I can continue to honor my contract with society while remaining a good citizen of my community, country, and world. Works Cited "Better World Quotes - Citizenship." BetterWorld.net - The BetterWorld Factory. Web. 17 Jan. 2011. . Franklin, Benjamin. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. New York: Dover Publications, 1996. Print. Palmer, Parker J. Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2000. Print.

Political Parties of 1800s Essay

The Democratic and Republican Parties can trace their roots back to the 1800s, but some of the most interesting stories in American political history spring from parties which enjoyed flashes of glory before fading away for good. The extinct political parties of the 1800s include organizations which were successful enough to put candidates in the White House. And there were also others that were just doomed to inevitable obscurity. Here is a listing of some significant political parties who are no longer with us, in roughly chronological order: Federalist Party The Federalist Party is considered the first American political party. It advocated a strong national government, and prominent Federalists included John Adams and Alexander Hamilton. The Federalists did not build a sustaining party apparatus, and the party’s defeat in the election of 1800 led to its decline. It essentially ceased to be a national party after 1816. (Jeffersonian) Republican Party The Jeffersonian Republican Party, which, of course, supported Thomas Jefferson in the election of 1800, was formed in opposition to the Federalists. The Jeffersonians tended to be more egalitarian than the Federalists. Following Jefferson’s two terms in office, James Madison won the presidency on the Republican ticket in 1808 and 1812, followed by James Monroe in 1816 and 1820. The Jeffersonian Republican Party then faded away. The party was not a forerunner of the present day Republican Party. At times it was even called a name which seems contradictory today, the Democratic-Republican Party. National Republican Party The National Republican Party supported John Quincy Adams in his unsuccessful bid for reelection in 1828 (there had been no party designations in the election of 1824). The party also supported Henry Clay in 1832. The general theme of the National Republican Party was opposition to Andrew Jackson and his policies. The National Republicans generally joined the Whig Party in 1834. The National Republican Party was not a forerunner of the Republican Party, which formed in the mid-1850s. Anti-Masonic Party The Anti-Masonic Party formed in upstate New York in the late 1820s, following the mysterious death of a member of the masonic order, William Morgan. It was believed that Morgan was killed before he could reveal secrets about the masons and their suspected influence in American politics. The party, while seemingly based on conspiracy theory, gained adherents. And the Anti-Masonic Party actually held the first national political convention in America. Its convention in 1831 nominated William Wirt as its presidential candidate in 1832. Wirt was an odd choice, having once been a mason. And while his candidacy was not successful, he did carry one state, Vermont, in the electoral college. Part of the appeal of the Anti-Masonic Party was its fiery opposition to Andrew Jackson, who happened to be a mason. The Anti-Masonic Party faded into obscurity by 1836 and its members drifted into the Whig Party, which also opposed the policies of Andrew Jackson. Whig Party The Whig Party was formed to oppose Andrew Jackson’s policies and came together in 1834. The party took its name from a British political party which had opposed the King, as the American Whigs said they were opposing  Ã¢â‚¬Å"King Andrew.† The Whigs candidate in 1836, William Henry Harrison, lost to the Democrat Martin Van Buren. But Harrison, with his log cabin and hard cider campaign of 1840, won the presidency (though he would only serve for a month). The Whigs remained a major party throughout the 1840s, winning the White House again with Zachary Taylor in 1848. But the party splintered, mainly over the issue of slavery. Some Whigs joined the Know-Nothing Party, and others, most notably Abraham Lincoln, joined the new Republican party in the 1850s. Liberty Party The Liberty Party was organized in 1839 by anti-slavery activists who wanted to take the abolitionist movement and make it a political movement. As most leading abolitionists were adamant about being outside politics, this was a novel concept. The party ran a presidential ticket in 1840 and 1844, with James G. Birney, a former slaveholder from Kentucky as their candidate. The Liberty Party drew meager numbers, garnering only two percent of the popular vote in 1844. It has been speculated that the Liberty Party was responsible for splitting the anti-slavery vote in New York state in 1844, thereby denying the state’s electoral vote to Henry Clay, the Whig candidate and assuring the election of the slave-owning James Knox Polk. But that assumes Clay would have drawn all the votes cast for the Liberty Party. Free-Soil Party The Free-Soil Party came into being in 1848, and was organized to oppose the spread of slavery. The party’s candidate for president in 1848 was former president Martin Van Buren. Zachary Taylor of the Whig Party won the 1848 presidential election, but the Free-Soil Party did elect two senators and 14 members of the House of  Representatives. The motto of the Free-Soil Party was â€Å"Free Soil, Free Speech, Free Labor and Free Men.† After Van Buren’s defeat in 1848 the party faded and members were eventually absorbed into the Republican Party when it formed in the 1850s. The Know-Nothing Party The Know-Nothing Party emerged in the late 1840s as a reaction to immigration to America. After some success in local elections with campaigns rife with bigotry, former president Millard Fillmore ran as the Know-Nothing candidate for president in 1856. Fillmore’s campaign was a disaster and the party soon dissolved. Greenback Party The Greenback Party was organized at a national convention held in Cleveland, Ohio in 1875. The formation of the party was prompted by difficult economic decisions, and the party advocated the issuing of paper money not backed by gold. Farmers and workers were the party’s natural constituency. The Greenbacks ran presidential candidates in 1876, 1880, and 1884, all of whom were unsuccessful. When economic conditions improved, the Greenback Party faded into history.

Evaluate and Use Information and Communications Technology Essay

The purpose of this essay is to research a technological toy, I focused on Bee Bots, which I use in my setting, evaluate and critically analyse the effectiveness of that toy in promoting children’s learning. Later I will demonstrate my personal use of ICT and a record of use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) over a period of one month as a professional role in promoting children’s development in my setting. Finally, I will reflect on my tracking sheet and identify the opportunity to develop ICT in communication with parents. According to Siraj-Blatchford, Whitebread (2003) in supporting children in their development of an early understanding of ICT we are concerned to support them in learning about a wide range of products that are used to manipulate, store, retrieve, transmit or receive information not only computers. Most of the ICT applications that we are familiar with today are put to use in electronic products such as telephones, audio and video, CD player, recorders, computers, television. I am going to focus on a programmable toy – Bee Bot. I chose that particular piece of ICT toy as we use it quite often in our setting. Bee Bot is a bright and a colourful and multi-sensory programmable floor robot, suitable for use in Early Years. According to Morgan, Siraj-Blatchford (2009) the use of programmable toys in early years educational settings is based upon the constructionist teaching approach, which is underpinned by the idea that learning can happen most effectively when people are actively engaged with doing and making things in the real world and was first developed by Papert, in 1993. Bee Bot â€Å"enable young children to learn through play about control and directional language and provides a perfect ‘hands on’ introduction to robotics† (Sprainger, 2007). Sturdy construction and colourful, easy-to-operate design is a perfect tool for teaching alphabet, number recognition, fine motor skills by using the directional buttons, and social skills such as turn taking. Direction keys are used to enter up to forty commands which send Bee Bot forward, back, left and right. Pressing the green ‘Go’ button starts the toy on its way. â€Å" Bee Bot blinks and beeps at the conclusion of each command to allow children to follow Bee Bot through the program they have entered and then confirms its competition with lights and sound† (Terapine Software, no date). It works on rough or smooth surfaces and is small enough to be used on a table (Inclusive Technology, no date). Bee Bot moves in 6†steps and 90 degree turns and compact size as well as durable material make Bee Bot child and classroom friendly. Bee Bot is equally adaptable to home and school environment, it can be use both indoor and outdoor and operates on three AA batteries (Interactive Learning in the Early Phase, No date). In 2005, Bee Bot was awarded a Gold Award at the Practical Pre-School Award in London and in 2006 Bee Bot was a winner of an Education Resources Award in the Primary ICT category awarded by The British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA), (TTS: Educational Supplies for Schools, Nurseries & Childminders , No date). After an initial introduction to the toy Bee Bot help children to engage in playful exploratory activity which allows for numerous opportunities such as self-initiated activity, which provide opportunities for quality adult-child and child-child interactions (Siraj-Blatchford, Whitebread, 2003). According to Light and Butterworth, activities requiring ‘joint attention’ and which involve ‘children learning to share’ provide a better cognitive challenge for young children than activities were they work alone† (Developmentally Appropriate Technology in Early Childhood, No date). Learning with the Bee Bot is a highly social experience and support communication and social skill development, children learn about negotiating, taking turns, sharing and peer work. The Bee Bot has the capacity to support children to develop a broad range of essential skills across curriculum and the only limit is the practitioner and children imagination. It is available with across curriculum mats to enhance children learning in all area of their development, therefore in my work place we adapt the mats that we already have in our setting and I still feel that we did not use its full potential. So far we used Bee Bot with Alphabet mat, and alphabet flash cards to extend children letter sound recognition and oral language development for children with English as an Additional Language (EAL) to support their listening and recalling skills. Number and shape mat is used to expand children mathematical skills such as counting, number recognition, positional language, shape recognition. Road mat is used to develop children orientation as they need to manipulate, orientate, track and rotate the Bee Bot as well as road safety skills. Using a Bee Bot also introduce the children to a range of science skills as they interpret design challenges, generate possible solutions, make plans, test and evaluate and modifying the program were necessary (Sprainger, 2007). I founded as well as a number of eachers around the world (see teachers reviews in Appendix C) that Bee Bot are good value for money (manufacture instruction enclose in Appendix B) and the only disadvantage I can find is that after each activity program needs to be cleared in order to reprogrammed again. Although, it is clear that ICT should be used ‘to develop skills across all six areas of learning’ it is the ‘Knowledge and Understanding of the World ’ strand alone in the guidance that makes direct reference to ICT usage. â€Å"It is clear that young children are computer†¦ literate at an early age† (Keating, 2007, pg. 126). According to DATEC (No date) any application introduced to children in order to develop understanding and experience of ICT should not just be enjoyable, although this is important but more importantly should be educationally effective. Children need a variety of applications which encourage a range of development, including creativity, self-expression and language. From analysing my tracking sheet which recorded the use of ICT in my setting (details in Appendix A) I must admit that I was quite impressed with the amount of ICT equipment we use with children each day without even realising. From the tracking sheet I understood how important modelling and collaborative play is in Early Years. Programmable toys and many screen based applications offer the possibility of collaboration but adult intervention is frequently needed to gain the most from the ICT ‘equipment’. According to the UK Effective Provision of Preschool Education (EPPE) (Sylva et al, 2004), and Researching Effective Pedagogy in Early Childhood (REPEY) (Siraj-Blatchford et al, 2002) studies have found that the most effective foundation stage settings combined the provision of free play opportunities with more focused group work involving adult instruction. This approach appears to be most desirable model to promote ICT and I must proudly admitted that we are focusing on small group activities to meet all children’s needs, especially with EAL children. The relationship between cognitive strategies and language development is currently regarded as central to understanding children’s difficulties developing language as a first or additional language. Skinner emphasizes the roles of imitation, repetition, reward and reinforcement in formal language teaching situation (Lewis, Norwich, 2005). Adult-child interactions that involved some elements of ‘sustained shared thinking’ were especially valuable in terms of children’s early learning† (Siraj-Blatchford, and Siraj-Blatchford, No date). Activities I have provided for the children in my setting are differentiated according to their interest, age and learning style and were â€Å"targeted at learner’s educational needs and stage of understanding† (Hurst, 1997, pg. 82), as according to Miller, Devereoux (2004, pg155) â€Å"children need to be able to experiment, repeat activities in variety of ways and have some control over a pace of what they are doing†¦ ollaborate with adult and each other and share their discoveries and triumphs†. Furthermore, the work of Bruner and Vygotsky suggests that â€Å"we actually come to understand what it is we think through talk† (Moyles, 1995). â€Å"Bruner showed that children need to be reminded of previous experience†¦ by pictures, books†¦ he called this ‘iconic thinking’, he also felt that role of adult was important†¦ as†¦ adult provides support as children develop their competence and confidence† (Tassoni, H uccker, 2005, pg. 31). I believe that according to North, McKeown, (2005, pg. 72) â€Å"ICT meets all learners styles as it â€Å"lets pupils learn by looking, listening and doing†. â€Å"Although the evidence on gender differences in attitudes towards computer-related activities, levels of participation with computers,†¦ it appears that girls perform just as well as boys when they engage with computer-based learning† ( Bancroft, Carr, 1998, pg. 104) and it has been proved in my setting that girls get involved as equally often and well in ICT related equipment as boys. From my tracking I also realised that we are meeting entire requirement as Every Child Matter (2008) suggested relating to observation, assessment, planning, key person by using ICT equipments such as cameras, video recorder, Interactive White Board (IWB) and Fronter – School Blackboard (explained deeply in Appendix D), which is available through London Managed Learning Environment (MLE) (Ealing Grid for Learning, No date) and all the staff have been given training on it. Children from key stage one and two are able to access Fronter from home and share their school life with their parents. In the sector I work in – Early Years Foundation Stage parents are given individual logins and passwords to be able to track what is happening in our nursery each term, check any events that are taking place in school but in my opinion working with parents in relation of ICT is an area that needs improving. I discovered three main issues that must be improved in my opinion to develop a better communication and build better relationship with our parents. First of all, I must mention that even though as a school staff we have opportunities for professional development and ICT â€Å"supporting learning† (Teaching and Learning, No date). Training are usually organised by our school ICT co-ordinator. Insets quite frequently and I recognise myself as being a computer literate person thus we must consider that not all of our parents â€Å"can present barrier† (Plowman, Stephen, 2003, pg. 160) and perhaps school could extend ‘children Fronter club’ for ‘parents Fronter club’ to help parents overcome that barrier as â€Å"home school link and parents involvement is therefore a component of effective school† (Curriculum Guidance, 2001). Secondly, the language barrier could be one of the reasons why parents are not so keen on using our School Blackboard. To overcome this barrier after having an Inset with my manager we decided that the school news letter both in electronic form and hard copy could be translated in the most common spoken languages in our school, such as Tamil, Somali, Arabic and Farsi. As a Foundation Stage Practitioners we all agree that when â€Å"parents, teachers and children collaborate towards the same goals it leads to the improved academic performance of children† (Curriculum Guidance, 2001). Lastly, in my opinion the main issue could be, as the school is situated in low-income industrial area, that not all household might have an access to the computer. According to Morgan, Siraj-Blatchford (2009) research evidence has shown that the efforts of parents and preschools can make a considerable difference to children’s future educational achievements regardless of their socio-economic background and current national policy initiatives aim is to close the gap in educational achievement for children from disadvantaged background. â€Å"One of the ways in which this commitment has manifested itself has been in the Government’s three hundred million pounds Home Access project which provides computers and internet access to families to enhance learning at home† (Morgan, Siraj-Blatchford , 2009, pg. 13). Our school received the funding three years ago and designed the ‘parent computer room’ which was very popular at the begging but now seems to be forgotten. I think it is a good time to bring up that issue during the Inset to make use of that room again. When talking about ICT I must mention about a â€Å"number of queries and concerns regarding health and safety issues and other risks, which may be associated with technology routinely used by young children (Morgan, Siraj-Blatchford, 2009, pg. 39) , such as using electricity . Our children are thought not to â€Å"investigate or play with any equipment that uses mains electricity† (Creary, 2002, pg. 4) and all sockets are protected with socket protector to eliminate any hazards. According to Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) Portable Appliance Testing (PAT Testing and Portable Appliance, No date) is required once a year and our school has passed one two weeks ago. It is important that while children learn about ICT they also learn how to manage their own space and select the right tools when sitting at the computer. According to Morgan, Siraj-Blatchford (2009) it is therefore advisable that the regular use of any computer application by three years old child should not be longer than ten to twenty minutes. Young children, parents and practitioners are using ICT in novel and creative ways† (Morgan, Siraj-Blatchford, 2009, pg. 40) and it is important to use all available ICT equipment safely. Our school leaders with ICT co-ordinator â€Å"consider the issue of e-safety† (E-safety, No date) and drew Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) (See Appendix E). According to Every Child Matter (2008), suitable premises, environment and equipment our outdoor and indoor spaces, furniture, equipment and toys are safe as they are checked on regular basis and school is monitored by CCTV camera and locked.

Mentoring Program Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Mentoring Program - Research Proposal Example So, first of all, it seems necessary to define what particular outcomes we should expect from implementing an own mentoring program. One of the most significant is, I believe, developing a high performing team of professionals. Since team work is an essential part of our operations, it is important that our employees understand and accept this principle. Especially important it is because we cannot provide each with a mentor. Therefore, the first task to be accomplished while designing our mentoring program is choosing which particular people will be directly participating in the program. 2.1.1. 360 Degree Evaluation For this purpose I suggest to conduct a 360 degree evaluation: The 360 Degree Feedback System has recently experienced a wide spread among the organization wishing to improve and enhance their performance measuring systems. This particular method involves getting a feedback on an employee’s performance not only from a supervisor, as we do now, but also from four to eight peers, reports, colleagues or customers. In most cases the system also requires an employee oneself to assess own performance in an individual assessment (Heatfield, 2008). So, in addition to giving the manager an opportunity to get a wide range perspective on the employee’s performance, this system enables the supervisor to understand how the employee’s performance is viewed by others – that is to base evaluation not only on own perception, but on other’s opinions as well.

Vetoing of Jobs in America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Vetoing of Jobs in America - Essay Example Public polls have recently indicated that a majority of people support the project although there is still a great percentage of Americans opposing the entire project. Most of the supporters reason that the project will have numerous benefits to America. On the other hand, some Americans have aired their environmental and safety concerns about the project. According to the current economic state, it is evident that America needs more jobs. In addition, gas and fuel prices have been on the rise in the recent past. These are the factors that should convict the president to approve the southern and northern legs of the projects. The expedition of the TransCanada pipeline project has the potential of opening up job opportunities for the American people. It is clear that unemployment rates have been on the rise in the recent past. It is critical for the government to give attention to any project that I likely to improve the current situation. Statistics reveal that there are a great numb er of unemployed Americans despite their education level. An opportunity that is likely to create more than 250000 jobs is not something to disapprove. This is the reason why majority of American feel that the project should receive approval (Minicucc 1). The postponing of the approval of the consideration of the northern leg of the project until 2013 is disheartening to many Americans who were looking forward to the new jobs that the project will bring. The issues that led to the postponing of the crucial decision revolve around environmental and safety issues. Since America has other major pipelines, it is worthwhile to examine the risks posed by the existing pipelines. Understanding of such risks will enable the government to indulge into the project with more safety caution rather than let it go completely. According to the Energy Information Administration, the Trans Alaska pipeline is a classical example of a pipeline constructed with relevant safety measures put into place to minimize potential effects to both the environment and people. Reliable sources reveal that the spill rates of oil have decreased immensely in the recent past. These statistics imply that the TransCanada pipeline project is viable and should receive approval. According to the Oil Information Service, it is a time when fuel and gas prices are rising at an alarming rate, it is critical for the government to analyze the possible effect of the keystone pipeline to the gas prices. It is evident that the pipeline will be tapping more fuel into the country and them increasing supply is likely to bring the prices down. Although many people are afraid that different hubs along the pipeline will have the capacity to readjust prices and raise them, their fears are unwarranted because the effect will be minimal. America is suffering and approval of the project will be a great relief in the current hard economic times. The white house relented from approving the northern leg of the project beca use of the short notice on which it had to make the decision. According to white house reports, there was no adequate time to analyze and assess the risks of the project and address all the environmental concerns. However, Trans Canada already has in place environmental regulations that can be of potential use to assess whether the project is worth a trial (Trans Canada corporation 1). America has the appropriate guidelines that should enable it to weigh out the potential of the pipeline. Bearing in mind that pipeline transport poses the

Economic Opportunities Available for African American Women Essay

Economic Opportunities Available for African American Women - Essay Example Both males and females of African ancestry often face discrimination in different aspects of their lives, ranging from educational opportunities to provision of healthcare services and employment in the labor market. Extensive research has been conducted to shed more light on various impacts of racial and gender discrimination, such as low self-esteem, poor performance of students at schools and employees at the workplace, as well as and low economic growth and development. Blacks also have greater health issues such as prolonged depression, increased suicides, more AIDS and a reduced sense of personal achievement, along with a much higher death rate for many of the leading causes of premature demise (Williams 2001). Many research studies have also been conducted to determine the best possible solutions to solve problems related to these effects of discrimination. However, very little research has ever been conducted to determine how racial and gender discrimination has adversely aff ected the economic capabilities of African-American women. With this in mind, this research study hypothesizes that gender and race are the major sources of discrimination and have the most difficult effects on the economic capabilities of African-American women. ... A new aim of recent research studies by economists studying the labor market has been to determine the implications of racial discrimination for victims and other members of that particular race. For example, racial discrimination against African-Americans is known to reduce possibilities of employment in many multinational organizations. Furthermore, previous studies have found that discrimination mostly results from gender differences, amongst other factors. However, these past research studies have failed to determine the various effects of racial and gender discrimination on economic opportunities available to African-American women. Therefore, there is a great need to study the adverse effects of discrimination on economic opportunities available to African-American women. Sellers and Shelton (2008) argue that African-American women are at greater risk of gender discrimination due to social stereotypes, unequal income distribution, limited rights to productive inputs, such as cr edit facilities or financial loans, property ownership, and management of earned income as well as other race-related biases. By definition, racial discrimination refers to an act of maltreating an individual or a group of individuals based on their race. For example, an African-American woman may not be warmly welcomed in activities of a local church that is dominated by white Americans due to her skin color. Puhl et al.’s (2008) definition of racial discrimination usually includes distinction, restriction, or preference of an individual based on his or her skin color, race, or ethnic origin. This paper aims to examine what the effects of discrimination based on gender and race is like for

The life of the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin Essay

The life of the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Essay Example Milwaukee has deep personal meaning to me as a home and as a place to visit with my family. I greatly adore Milwaukee known for its aromatic smell of malt in old-fashioned beer. With unique and distinct legacies handed down from generation to generation, it is no wonder that Milwaukee is literally translated as â€Å"the good land†, as it has benefitted me, my family and friends.What really is good about Milwaukee? Being considered home to more than 600,000 residents from diverse cultural and ethnic orientations, Milwaukee has supported diversity in culture from historical times. Although Native American Indians were known to rule the city, Germans were famous as the greatest immigrants, and have significantly influenced local culture through food and architectural edifices, the passage of time coupled with the sheer hospitality of the population encouraged people from Europe, Asia and from Mexico to assimilate into traditional American culture. We get the chance to watch most anticipated games of Milwaukee Brewers. The entire ballpark manifests grandeur and magnificence in the elegant design of the ballpark with a fan-shaped roof that houses four levels of fully packed highly charged and enthusiastic fans. Every game seen from Miller Park is a unique and memorable experience with minute details that are retained in my faculty forever. Sharing each experience with loved ones is a reflection of genuine respect for patronizing Miller Park as it forms part of my personal growth and development.... My family, friends and guests anticipate the end of winter through the melting of the snow in May – signaling the start of an almost five-month fun marathon, celebrating an array of activities ranging from attending musical concerts in beautifully designed stages across the festival grounds. We never miss attending the plethora of performing popular bands while sipping Milwaukee’s famous Schlitz and looking forward to having another serving of fish fry. Enjoying all that good stuff in the company of love ones and friends would never beat this experience. I would only fear that October is fast approaching and the frivolities are about to end. When all the merriment of Summerfest have concluded, I actually have other choices to visit, together with family members and peers in an array of contemporary and rustic works of art from any of the famous museums: the Art Museum in North Art Museum Drive, the Public Museum at West Wells Street, or the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum at Wisconsin Avenue. We all get to enjoy viewing extraordinary and exemplary designs in architectural structures and unconventional forms of arts. The futuristic houses constructed within the Art Museum and covered with a uniquely designed movable wings made to control the lighting and temperature within the building. My special and personal favorite is visiting the Public Museum where spectators never cease to recall the collection of butterflies at the Puelicher Butterfly Wing. Hundreds of beautifully colored butterflies in full splendor spread their intricately designed wings. I had the opportunity to see rare and even exotic species that are not found roaming in