Noah's 1st Semester Presentation Page 2019

Welcome to my AYA Educational Institute demonstration page for the second semester of 2019. My name is Noah J. Alcantara and I’m 15 years old, I live in Columbus, Georgia and I’m in the 9th grade. I like to cook, draw, build, crack jokes, and do science experiments. This is my first year in AYA, though it is not my first experience with AYA.  My first semester at AYA has been a great experience. My teachers are an extension of my family as they are nice, helpful, and stern, especially with homework.  By becoming a student of AYA,  my village has expanded and my AYA family has made sure that my abilities to comprehend materials, find information, calculate accurately and strengthen my character.      Awesome Algebra Key learning: In class, we learned about like terms and how to identify them using the three rules.  The three rules are very useful when adding or subtracting like terms in math equations.  Most Difficult: Nothing was difficult to learn in this class because our teacher, Mama Evelyn,  is very good with her explanation of each particular concept.  I did, however, initially have a bit of a challenge submitting my assignments on MuKanda, our  Learning Management System, as it was new to me. Most Enjoyable: My most enjoyable lesson was when we covered number sets because it was the first our first creative expression ice-breaking assignment. Math is one of my favorite subjects and I like to make people laugh. So to combine both into one assignment, while working in a group, and receiving a passing grade and a Mo! was Epic!  My Best Work: Please Click here to watch my video ----->Three ways to identify Like terms   Melanin Mastery Key learning: My key learning is when we went over what is melanin and the properties of melanin. Melanin the pigment that gives humans their color of skin, eyes, and hair, but do you know that it has many other functions in the body? I cover that in my presentation below.  Most Difficult: Nothing was too difficult to learn in this class because our teachers are very good with their explanation of each particular subject in Melanin Mastery. Initially, remembering the process of making melanin beginning with Tyrosine and Tyrosinase was challenging. However, that difficulty was expunged when we as a class made a mind movie on the chemical process of making melanin. Most Enjoyable: My most enjoyable moments happen every day as I get to learn more and more about Melanin and how it helps me, my family, and Black people. Learning about the Black scientist and their discoveries about the powerful functions of melanin in our bodies and living organisms is inspiring.  When Baba Wekesa, who has been teaching this class for many years, learns something new from my classmates and I’s findings it makes me feel GREAT! When we find opposing statements on the same subject, I love knowing how to search for the truth and being able to read and comprehend scientific journals, case studies, and papers. I enjoy sharing this Melanin Mastery course with my mom and co-instructor, Mama Imani.  My Best Work: Please click the link to watch my video -----> Melanin: Composition and Function     Economic Conundrum Key learning: My key learning was when we read the book Collective Courage, which discussed how Mutual-aid and Benevolent societies were founded and established by Africans in American in the 18th, 19th, 20th centuries. I was very encouraged to learn that we,  African,  came out of captivity and together made these successful Black businesses that helped our community to bury their loved ones,  pay medical bills, and have access to life insurance.  Most Difficult: The most difficult experience was writing a 5-paragraph persuasive essay as I have not been writing longer essays like this regularly.  Though I enjoy talking, I am learning how to find my voice as a writer.  So getting back on the saddle as a writer was a bit rough, but since being in this class it has helped me polish my rusted writing pen. Most Enjoyable: My most enjoyable lesson is when we learned about different Black towns in America. These towns were successful and prosperous even though captivity was either in-affect or just ended for two reasons. The first reason these Black towns were successful and prosperous was because of smarts (both common and intellectually)  that the founders had and shared with their community. Trust and mutual dependence that the founders had in themselves, one another, and the community was the second reason these Black towns were successful and prosperous. What I like about this knowledge is the solutions to our community ills today and that if we begin to just apply the truths of smarts, trust, and mutual dependence into our relationships in our communities will be nicer, safer, and smarter than our current communities. My Best Work: Please click the link to watch my video ------> Consecutive Timeline Economic Conundrum    Economic Conundrum-Math Competition      Key learning: My key learning was when we covered word problems and solved them with algebraic expressions. To aide in our memorization of the expressions, we made a dictionary. Most Difficult: I was challenged when we had to research the CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions of two countries (Oman and the Central African Republic).  Though CAR was current, Oman emission data was 13 years old! Even though it was out-dated,  we used it anyway because it was most recent.  Most Enjoyable: My most enjoyable part of the class was when we opened class with a joke but not any kinda joke, my specialty is corny jokes. For me, it’s good to start class off with a joke because it generates good energy and vibrations for some(*cough* OLA *cough*). This good energy helps me learn better because it gets me in a good mood and ready to learn. Diasporic Spanish w/ a taste of Wolof Key Learning: My key learning was and is learning the Spanish Alphabet. The alphabet is a piece of the foundation and sets the tone for my classmates and me to understand how to pronounce most of the words in the Spanish language.  Most Difficult: I am having the most difficulty with my pronunciation. I am sad to say that I sound “American” when I speak Spanish. I know that with practice, practice and more practice I will lose my American tone as I become more fluent as a Spanish speaker.  Most enjoyable: The most enjoyable experience I had was when our class was given the opportunity to meet Black people from Spanish speaking countries like Mama and Baba. We learn about their culture and the way their educational systems. schools are set-up Here is some of my best work:     Teaser                                                        Telenovela                      Addae's and Iziah's Geography and Culture presentation                                                        Family Lore Key learning: My Key learning from this class is to give and receive stories. For example, if I tell a story on how I made my first dish and burnt it and my Mom listening and writing it down then my Mom may tell how she broke her mom’s favorite bowl while making her first dish. The ebb and flow of telling and listening to stories is a method that helps remember stories for myself and the person that I’m getting the stories from. Most difficult: The most difficult thing about gathering family lore was trying to write the stories down as they are being shared. I have learned that sometimes you just have to put your pen down and listen or just write down key points like names, dates so you can enjoy the moment.  I can’t write as fast as my family members talk but my speed and organization of my writing skills have improved since beginning to write down my family’s lore.