Taken Aback

After sitting in the computer lab numerous times for at least an hour each time, I have became very familiar with how cold it gets in here...but, more importantly, I have became more confident on my paper.  I have found out things about Steve Wilkos that I never knew before.  I thought that I admired his bravery before I started this project, but after researching I more than just "admire" his bravery and courage.  I am taken aback about how brave he really is.  He served as a Marine which is a big part of why I admire his bravery so much.  Marines often come back home with PTSD or post traumatic stress disorder, and although Steve may have dealt with this when he came back home, he was still willing to put that aside and reach out to people to better their lives. If that right there doesn't show how strong, brave, determined and courageous he is then I don't know what does!

Another video of Steve Wilko's work

click here to see an incredible video..

Click here to watch an incredible video of a young woman addicted to heroin, and what Steve Wilkos does to help her

Finally Over the Stump!

For awhile I was stumped on where to go with my Role Models project/presentation.  I was having troubles finding sources, but after meeting with Professor LaRocque I feel better about it.  I found an interview of Steve Wilkos and Professor and I also brainstormed and figured out it would be interesting to mention a few other people who help people through the media and compare them to how Steve Wilkos goes about helping people.  I've decided to talk about Oprah and Steve Irwin.  They have both influenced people through the media, but in completely different ways.

Steve Wilkos Reaching Out

Steve Wilkos doing what he does best-comforting a person he barely even knows just because they need the comfort.

The Steve Wilkos Show: Official Site

http://www.stevewilkos.com/

The site posted above will allow you to understand the concept of his show.  It will also give you a little more information about who Steve Wilkos is as a person; his biography is under the "bios" tab.

Enjoy!

Switching Role Model from Rick McClintock to Steve Wilkos!

After thinking this over, I decided it might be more interesting for me to do my paper on someone I don't know as personally.  Rick McClintock was a math teacher I had.  Although I do find him to be a role model, I think it will be more interesting to do my paper on someone the world knows more about- Steve Wilkos.  Personally, I find him to be strong, brave, and committed which are definitely three traits I look up to.  Steve does something I would love to do, he does something I would like to one day be able to do.  I would love to meet him and for one day, help him be somebody's hero.

    For those of you who don't know who I'm talking about, I'll explain myself a little more.  Steve Wilkos was once a body guard on the Jerry Springer Show.  From there, he decided to host his own show known as "The Steve Wilkos Show." Within each episode, he is answering to someone's calling.  Every time he has someone on the show, he is helping someone who has called him asking him for help.  He has helped drug addicts go to rehab (he pays for them to do so) to better themselves, and to better their lives.  He has helped broken families make amends and find each other again.  He has helped people find their parents, whether it's a seven year old looking for their dad, or a thirty year old looking for their mom.  He has helped put what he refers to as "monsters" (child molesters, rapists, etc) in jail, or prison.  At the same time, he's keeping in mind who is right and who is wrong.  When someone is in the wrong, he is not afraid to tell them how he feels.  When someone is in the right, he is comforting and understanding.  He is also a retired cop which is another reason why I look up to him.  Although sometimes I would like to think cops can be a pain in my butt, cops are heroes.  Cops do nothing but keep everyone in this world safe, or at least try to.

Research Project Progress

My Role Model

When this assignment first came up, when I first heard the term “role model,” I automatically thought of my mother. I admire my mother and look up to her in many ways. After reading John Waters “Role Models” I thought more about who a role model is to me.  I started to think about how he mentioned that in many circumstances, our role models have opposite traits than us.  While thinking this over, one person came to mind.  My math teacher from my junior year of high school.  Mr. McClintock; Rick McClintock.  The hardest, but softest person I’ve ever met in my life.  Here is why I look at him as a role model to myself:

Smart/Witty:

-Quick comebacks in all situations

-Incredible math skills

*math teacher in Ticonderoga High School for 10+ years

*teaches AP stats, trig, algebra 2/math b

-Great common sense

-Keeps up with what’s going on in the world

-Always thinks things through/finds reasoning for everything/he can back everything he says up somehow, some way

Determined/Committed:

-Gets his work done without wasting any time

-Makes sure everyone knows when he’s available

-Has work ready for anyone who needs it up to two weeks in advance

-Gets to the school an hour before it starts if anyone needs to go in for extra help

-Will help get a tutor, or will tutor you himself if you need it

-Has review sessions towards the end of the year almost every day after school or before school to make sure students are prepared

-Understanding if you’re having personal problems

-Hard on you at first, but if you go in for extra help he softens up

-Jokes around with students when he feels the need to (ex: “If you want to do well in this class, I love food.”)

Strong/Hard:

-Hard on students the first couple of weeks to get them going

-Doesn’t show his soft side when work needs to be done

-Doesn’t cut you any slack if you make up excuses as to why your homework isn’t done, or why you don’t know how to do a problem on the homework

-Strict on how your work is done (his way or no way, basically)

-Keeps you up on your feet, always (no slouching allowed in his classroom!)