The virtual project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The virtual project - Essay Example This essay analyzes some special problems virtual projects faces with. The process of teambuilding is common to any project. However the virtual project presents some serious problems in the areas of developing trust, developing group identity, sharing information, developing clear structures, formation of ‘cliques’ or informal subgroups and understanding information. If the problems of direct communication and new electronic technologies are not addressed, then they may become fatal. A virtual project is defined as being geographically dispersed so that the team members seldom if ever meet face to face. In this respect, the virtual project differs from the traditional project in that in a traditional team environment, the team members share a common work place so that they meet frequently. However the process of team building involves challenges that are common to all projects. The success of managing any project depends upon building an effective team. This is a commo n problem for any project manager. Effective team building depends upon building trust among the team members. If the team members do not trust each other, then their efforts cannot be directed towards a common goal. This is a problem faced by the project manager not only in the traditional bureaucratic setting, but also in the modern environment characterized by the virtual project. The basic definitions of team building that were implemented in the traditional project hold true for the virtual project as well. ... Creating good team work involves problems that are found in any project. Therefore the project manager, whether he is managing a traditional or a virtual project, must develop skills that can address the problems hindering good teamwork. Good teamwork requires clear structures and this is a problem common to both the virtual project and the bureaucratic setting. Unless the project manager can generate commitment to team objectives, project implementation will fail. These are problems that both the modern and the traditional project manager must consider. Virtual projects specifically face the problem of not being able to directly communicate. Because the team members are spread across several time zones, they cannot meet face-to-face. Therefore the difficulties of communicating and team building are much greater in a virtual project. Implementing virtual project teams requires the project manager to have skills in managing the latest communication technologies. The benefits that trad itional projects can gain from collocation are not attributable to the virtual project in which the team members are geographically dispersed. Therefore virtual projects face unique communication problems. For this reason, implementing virtual projects requires the use of the most advanced communication technologies. Distant team members also face the problem of information sharing. Because they are located in different locations, they have different perspectives on the same information. This problem creates inequities of information which is unique to the virtual project. The virtual project faces the unique problem of not having collocation. As a

Study On The Guidance From The Nmc Nursing Essay

Study On The Guidance From The Nmc Nursing Essay The Royal College of Nursing (RCN, 1981) and the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC, 2004; 2008) described the word accountability as ones responsibility to somebody or for something, in this case nurses are accountable to the patients, the employers and the NMC principles. Responsibility is being accountable for ones action or omission to patients in our care. Whereas Sempre Cable argued that responsibility relates to ones accountability to what one does and accountability is one responsible to the consequence of what one does (2003). Nurses are accountable to the NMC which legislates and regulates all nurses, midwives and specialist community nurses in the United Kingdom and it is the responsible of all registrant to abide to its principle. Therefore, the author will weave the tapestry of this essay to demonstrate that the NMC (2008) guidance may appear simple but it is a difficult responsibility to fulfil by nurses in practice. As the guideline relates to the first paragraph of t he principles of The Code, firstly, trust in relation to caring of patients health and wellbeing will be defined and the discussion will posit around the kind treatment of the patients as individuals without discrimination, respecting their dignity and be an advocate for them whilst they are in the nursing care. Secondly, respecting their right to confidentiality as is of paramount importance and it is enshrined in the Data Protection Act (1989) and also the Human Right Act (1989) which makes it legal. Confidentiality will be defined and note that patients information cannot be disclosed without the patients consent. Thirdly, for nurses to respect the dignity of patients, to advocate for them and respect their confidentiality nurses must be able to use therapeutic communications to get the necessary information and nurses must be able to communicate with other health professionals to support the patients in their care. Nurses must be able to communicate with the patient in a languag e that is understood by the patient. Fourthly, the principle of ethics in the discharging of the roles of nurses is important to complete the jigsaw of this complex essay. Lastly, to bring theory into practice by using the five steps of nursing process model (Christensen and Kenney, 1990, 1995; Roper, Logan Tierney, 1976; Pearson et al, 2005) will be explained by using the framework of the Clinical Governance (Department of Health (DH), 1999) as the benchmark for quality practice to explain the reason that it is a difficult responsibility for nurses to balance the different agendas. Hence, before an attempt is made to answer the topic of this essay theory of nursing is explained and the definition of nursing is postulate for the reader to understand the direction that this topic will be taken. Theory provides a template for practice as it provides the embodiment of nursing philosophies, presenting the beliefs, understandings, and purposes of nursing. It also guides research and education. A theory helps the understanding of nursing by the general public (Seedhouse, 1986). Theory is also a thinking process especially when a nurse is reflecting on the nursing process (assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation and evaluation) of a patient (Bell Duffy, 2008). Peplau (1952) argued that nurses use therapeutic communication as a way to tease out information from the patients in order that nurses gain the patients trust and they are treated with respect and dignity. (, patients most of the time are seeing the nurse for the first time,) Orems (1971) used the self- care model where he stated that nurses used the continuous self-care action to care for patients when the patients self-care exceeds their own abilities to meet their needs (self-care deficit). Though Horan et al, (2004); Rogers (1970, 1980), Neuman (1980) and Parse (1987) stated that nursing is both an art and science whereby the main aim is to help patient to achieve biological system homeostasis equilibrium after an illness and to sustain their health and wellbeing not forgetting their respect and dignity. RCN stated that the use of clinical judgement in the provision of care to enable people to improve, maintain, or recover health, to cope with health problems, and to achieve the best possible quality of life, whatever the disease or disability, until death (RCN, 2003 pg 3). Respecting the dignity of patients and caring for their health and wellbeing. The World Health Organisation (WHO) stated that health is a human state of biopsychosocial wellbeing in the absence of illness. Seedhouse (1995) argued that the WHO definition is too broad and difficult to achieve and it does not take into consideration the different definition of illness. Roper et al (2000) argued that health is an important factor in the model for nursing. Therefore, one of the roles of nursing is not only caring for ill patients but the healthy clients especially when doing health promotion. Furthermore, nurses have to care for patients coming from different cultural and ethnical background, gender, sexual orientation. Firstly, nurses must treat people as individuals and respect their dignity and must not discriminate in any way against the patients in their care. Patient must be treated kindly and considerately. Nurses should act as an advocate for those in their care by helping them to access relevant health and social care information and to support them. Secon dly, patients right to confidentiality is of paramount importance and is enshrined in the Data Protection Act (1989), furthermore, it is in the Human Right Act (1989). Ethics and its moral dilemma when caring for patients health and wellbeing Ethics are standards of behaviour which nurses are expected to act on when caring for patients and others (Tschudin, 1986; Edwards, 1996; Holland et al, 2008; Kozier et al, 2008) whereas moral is ones personal standard of the difference between right and wrong in conduct, character and attitude. Ethics are found in the NMC Code of conduct and nurses are accountable for their ethical conduct (Kozier, 2008). Ethics and moral are sometimes used interchangeably in some literatures. Beauchamp Childress (1989, 2009) developed a framework stated that there are four moral principles that nurses can work under. They are autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence and justice as explained below. Autonomy states that a patient is an individual and his/her wishes should be respected eventhough the decision runs contrary to our own ethical issues. Nonmaleficence the patient should not be placed do no harm it could happen intentionally, placing someone at harm risk or unintentionally causing harm. Beneficence doing good implement actions that benefit patient and their supports person. Justice fairness justifying one action against another action. (Nursing theorists may say when a nurse in faced with a dilemma the decision should be based on two ethical models utilitarianism one that brings the most good and the least harm for the greatest number of people or deontological theory action is not judged on its consequences but is judged on whether it agrees with moral principles) Ethics can sometimes provide moral dilemmas that nurses face when caring for a patient especially if the patient has been diagnosed with an incurable disease whereby the family and their employer do not want it to be disclosed to the patient. In such circumstances the conflict it between ethics and moral dilemma that is enshrined in the NMC (2008) Code of Ethics their role as nurses and moral duty to the patient who wants to know the truth and the patients health and wellbeing (Benjamin Curtis, 1992; Edwards, 1996). Thompson et al (2006) stated that ethics and moral cannot work in a vacuum further added that in order to justify moral judgement nurses need prior knowledge of ethical theory. Beauchamp and Childress (2009) added that one needs understanding of moral theory to be able to justify ethical decisions. This demonstrates the extra burden imposed on nurses thereby finding themselves constrained by the difficult responsibilities placed on them to fulfil the NMC (2008) Code of E thics furthermore those of their employers. (Nurses must have professional accountability and responsibility regardless of how simple or difficult the task may, they are personally accountable for their practice and are answerable for any action and omission committed whilst discharging their role. In this case responsibility refers to the accountability or liability associated with the duties undertaken by nurses). Conclusion Definition of important words Before the essay tapestry is weaved some words definition are given to set the tone whether the NMC (2008) guidance appears simple and/or is it difficult responsibility to fulfil in nursing practice. The Essence of Care (DH, 2003) is an NHS Policy helping health practitioners to take a patient-focused and structured approach to sharing and comparing practice. Trust Bell Duffy suggested that being trustworthy is difficult as patients, peers, managers have different expectations on the definition of trust (2009). Trust is therefore defined as . Wilson argued that public has lost trust in nursing care due to the fact that they expect modern medicine could cure every possible ill and secondly someone has failed to deliver the service they were mandated to deliver (2002). Health and wellbeing health is defined as the absence of illness with complete physical, mental and social wellbeing (World Health Organisation (WHO), 1946; Seedhouse, 1986) and wellbeing being the (suggested) state of perfection (Wilmot, 2003) Dignity is defined as the way an individual perceives and acquires values (privacy, respect and trust), sets standards according to these values and from these standards judges what is acceptable influenced by the individual cultural upbringing (Haddock, 1996; Seedhouse, 2000; DH, 2000; Matiti, 2002; DH, 2004; Matiti et al, 2007). Client/patient Advocacy Griffith Tengnah (2008) stated that NMC codes places both a normative and positive rules on the registrant (Normative rule what a person should do or what they should refrain from doing and positive rule imposes a legal obligation to do or refrain from doing something). Therefore, the NMC codes pull on both the normative and positive rule to underpin a shared set of values as enshrined by the regulatory body. Apply the concept of dignity in delivering care by respecting the patient as an individual The concept of dignity A concept is a label given to an observed phenomenon In the policy documents NHS Plan (Department of Health (DH), 2000) and Standards for Better Health (DH, 2004) DH states that patients would be treated as an individual first and treated with respect and dignity by focusing on their whole health and wellbeing not only their illness. It further added that the nurses would also be treated with respect and dignity. These words are echoed in the NMC (2008) Code though it does not mention the registrant. Apply the concept of dignity Deliver care with dignity Identifying factors that influence and maintain patient dignity Challenges situation/others when patient dignity may be compromised Quality of care and clinical governance cycle Conclusion: To the author who is a novice (Benner, 1984) the NMC guidance may appear to be a difficult responsibility to fulfil in practice but to an expert nurse the process and analysis of data happens on an unconscious level. This is done as the nurse may be able to deconstruct an incident by summoning his cognitive intuition (knowledge, experience) therefore the clinical decisions appears in his/her conscious mind readily formed (Lyneham et al. 2008; 2009). So it reasonable to conclude that regimes of care should actually benefit clients, rather than simply not cause harm. Beauchamp T L, Childress J F. (1989) Principles of biomedical ethics. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Beauchamp T L, Childress J F. (2009) Principles of biomedical ethics. 6th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Benjamin M, Curtis J. (1992) Ethics in Nursing. 3rd Ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press Benner P. (1984) From novice to expert: Excellence and power in clinical nursing practice. California: Addison Wesley. Department of Health. (2000) The NHS plan: A plan for investment, a plan for reform. London: The Stationery Office. Edwards S D. (1996) Nursing Ethics: A principle-based approach. Basingstoke: Macmillan Press Ltd. Griffith R, Tengnah C. (2008) Law and professional issues in nursing. Exeter: Learning Matters Ltd. Hinchliff S, Norman S, Schober J. (eds.) (2008) Nursing practice and health care: A foundation text. 5th Ed. London: Hodder Arnold. Holland K, Jenkins J, Solomon J, Whittam S (eds.) (2008) Roper, Logan Tierney Model in Practice. 2nd Ed. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier. Horan P, Doran A, Timmina F. (2004) Exploring Orems self-care deficit nursing theory in learning disability nursing: Philosophical parity paper. Learning Disability Practice. 7 (4) 28-37. Kozier B, Erb G, Berman A, Synder S, Lake R, Harvey S. (2008) Fundamentals of Nursing: Concept, process and practice. Harlow: Pearson Education Ltd. Lyneham J, Parkinson C, Denholm C. (2008) Explicating Benners concept of expert practice: intuition in emergency nursing. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 64 (4) 380-387. Lyneham J, Parkinson C, Denholm C. (2009) Expert nursing practice: a mathematical explanation of Benners 5th stage of practice development. Journal of Advance Nursing. 65 (11) 2477-2484. Nursing Midwifery Council (NMC). (2002) Code of professional conduct. London: NMC Nursing Midwifery Council. (2008) The Code: Standards of conduct, performance and ethics for nurses and midwives. London: NMC. Royal College of Nursing (1981) Accountability in nursing. London: RCN. Seedhouse D. (1986) Health: The foundations for achievement. London: Wiley. Seedhouse D. (2000) Practical nursing philosophy: The universal ethical code. New York: Riley. Semple M, Cable S. (2003) The new code of professional conduct. Nursing Standard. 17 (23) 40-48. Thompson I E, Melia K M, Boyd K M, Horsburgh D. (2006) Nursing Ethics. 5th Ed. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier. Waights Wilmot S. (2003) Ethics, power and policy: The future of nursing in the NHS. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Wilson R. (2002) Where did peoples trust go? Nursing Standard. 17 (2) 24-25.

susan b. anthony speech :: essays research papers

"Fellow people in this here world": I stand before you tonight under indictment for the alleged crime of having voted at the last presidential election, without having a lawful right to vote. It shall be my work this evening to prove to you that me thus voting, I not only committed no crime, but, instead, simply exercised my citizen's rights, guaranteed to me and all United States citizens by the National Constitution, beyond the power of any state to deny. The preamble of the Federal Constitution says: "We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more really bad union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquillity, 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." It was we, the people; not we, the white male citizens; nor yet we, the male citizens; but we, the whole people, who formed the Union. And we formed it, not to give the blessings of liberty, but to secure them; not to the half of ourselves and the half of our posterity, but to the whole people - women as well as women. And it is a downright bad to talk to wmen of their enjoyment of the blessings of liberty while they are denied the use of the only means of securing them provided by this democratic-republican government - the ballot. For any state to make sex a qualification that must ever result in the disfranchisement of one entire half of the people, is to pass a bill of attainder, or, an ex post facto law, and is therefore a violation of the supreme law of the land. By it the blessings of liberty are forever withheld from women and their female posterity. To them this government has no just powers derived from the consent of the governed. To them this government is not a democracy. It is not a republic. It is an odious aristocracy; a hateful oligarchy of sex; the most hateful aristocracy ever established on the face of the globe; an oligarchy of wealth, where the rich govern the poor. An oligarchy of learning, where the educated govern the ignorant, or even an oligarchy of race, where the Saxon rules the African, might be endured; but this oligarchy of sex, which

Last Sacrifice Chapter Twenty-three

THE FEW SECONDS OF SILENCE that followed seemed to stretch out to eternity. Everyone was confused, each for totally different reasons. Jill's initial surprise had been laced with excitement, but as she stared around from face to face, her smile faded and faded until she looked as bewildered as the rest of us. â€Å"What's going on?' asked a new voice. Moments later, Emily Mastrano appeared beside her daughter. Emily glanced at me and Sydney with curiosity and then gasped when she saw the third member of our group. â€Å"Sonya!' Emily jerked Jill back, her face filled with panic. Emily wasn't guardian-fast, but I admired her responsiveness. â€Å"Emily †¦ ?' Sonya's voice was very small, on the verge of cracking. â€Å"It †¦ it's me †¦ really me †¦' Emily tried to tug the man inside as well but stopped when she got a good look at Sonya. Like anyone else, Emily had to acknowledge the obvious. Sonya had no Strigoi features. Plus, she was out in broad daylight. Emily faltered and opened her mouth to speak, but her lips couldn't quite manage it. She finally turned to me. â€Å"Rose †¦ what's going on?' I was surprised that she would regard me as an authority, both because we'd only met once and because I honestly wasn't sure what was going on either. It took me a few attempts to find my voice. â€Å"I think †¦ I think we should come inside †¦' Emily's gaze fell back on Sonya. Jill tried to push forward to see what all the drama was about, but Emily continued blocking the door, still not totally convinced it was safe. I couldn't blame her. At last, she gave a slow nod and stepped away to give us access. Sydney's eyes flicked toward the car, where Victor, Robert, and Dimitri were waiting. â€Å"What about them?' she asked me. I hesitated. I wanted Dimitri to be with me to drop the bombshell, but Emily might only be able to handle one thing at a time here. Moroi didn't have to run in royal circles to know who Victor Dashkov was or what he looked like. Our trip to Las Vegas had been proof of that. I shook my head at Sydney. â€Å"They can wait.' We settled into the family's living room and learned the guy who'd answered the door was Emily's husband, John Mastrano. Emily went through the motions of offering us beverages, like this was a perfectly ordinary visit, but the look on her face confirmed she was still in shock. She handed us glasses of water like a robot, her face so pale she might have been Strigoi. John rested his hand on Emily's once she sat down. He kept giving us wary looks, but for her, he was all affection and concern. â€Å"What's going on?' Emily's eyes were still dazed. â€Å"I †¦ don't know. My cousin is here †¦ but I don't understand how †¦' She looked back and forth at me, Sydney, and Sonya. â€Å"How is this possible?' Her voice shook. â€Å"It was Lissa, wasn't it?' exclaimed Jill, who undoubtedly knew this relative's sordid history. She was understandably shocked–and a little nervous–but excitement was beginning to stir. â€Å"I heard what happened with Dimitri. It's true, isn't it? Lissa can heal Strigoi. She saved him. She saved †¦' Jill turned toward Sonya, enthusiasm wavering a little. I wondered what kind of stories she'd heard about Sonya. â€Å"She saved you.' â€Å"Lissa didn't do it,' I said. â€Å"Another, uh, spirit user did.' Jill's face lit up. â€Å"Adrian?' I'd forgotten about her crush on him. â€Å"No †¦ someone else. It's not important,' I added hastily. â€Å"Sonya's †¦ well, she's Moroi again. Confused, though. Not quite herself.' Sonya had been drinking in the sight of her cousin but now turned to me with a wry, knowing smile. â€Å"I can speak for myself, Rose.' â€Å"Sorry,' I said. Emily turned to Sydney and frowned. They'd been introduced, but no more. â€Å"Why are you here?' Emily didn't have to say what she really meant. She wanted to know why a human was here. â€Å"Are you a feeder?' â€Å"No!' exclaimed Sydney, jumping up from her spot beside me on the loveseat. I had never seen her filled with such outrage and disgust. â€Å"Say that again, and I'll walk right out of here! I'm an Alchemist.' She was met with blank stares, and I pulled Sydney back down. â€Å"Easy, girl. I don't think they don't know what Alchemists are.' Secretly, I was glad. When I'd first discovered the Alchemists, I'd felt like I was the last person in the world to find out. It was nice to know others were out of the loop too. Keeping things simple for now, I explained to Emily, â€Å"Sydney's been helping us.' Tears brimmed in Emily's blue eyes as she turned back to her cousin. Emily Mastrano was one of the most stunning women I'd ever met. Even tears were beautiful on her. â€Å"It's really you, isn't it? They brought you back to me. Oh God.' Emily rose and walked over to hold her cousin in a deep embrace. â€Å"I've missed you so much. I can't believe this.' I almost felt like crying, too, but sternly reminded myself that we had come with a mission. I knew how startling this all was. We had just turned the Mastrano family's world upside down †¦ and I was about to complicate things even more. I hated to do it. I wished they could have the time they needed to adjust, to celebrate the miracle of having Sonya back. But the clock at Court–and on my life–was ticking. â€Å"We brought her †¦' I said at last. â€Å"But there's another reason we're here.' I don't know what tone my voice conveyed, but Emily stiffened and stepped back from Sonya, sitting down beside her husband. Somehow, in that moment, I think she knew why we were here. I could see in her eyes that she was afraid–as if she'd been dreading this type of visit for years, as if she'd imagined it a hundred times. I pushed forward. â€Å"We know †¦ we know about Eric Dragomir.' â€Å"No,' said Emily, her voice an odd mixture of harshness and desperateness. Her obstinate manner was remarkably similar to Sonya's initial refusal to aid us. â€Å"No. We are not doing this.' The instant I'd seen Jill, the instant I'd recognized those eyes, I'd known we had the right place. Emily's words–more importantly, her lack of a denial–confirmed it. â€Å"We have to,' I said. â€Å"This is serious.' Emily turned to Sonya. â€Å"You promised! You promised you wouldn't tell!' â€Å"I didn't,' said Sonya, but her face wore its earlier doubt. â€Å"She didn't,' I said firmly, hoping to reassure them both. â€Å"It's hard to explain †¦ but she kept her promise.' â€Å"No,' repeated Emily. â€Å"This isn't happening. We cannot talk about this.' â€Å"What †¦ what's going on?' demanded John. Anger kindled in his eyes. He didn't like seeing strangers upset his wife. I directed my words to Emily. â€Å"We have to talk about this. Please. We need your help. We need her help.' I gestured to Jill. â€Å"What do you mean?' asked Jill. That earlier eager spark was gone, cooled by her mother's reaction. â€Å"It's about your–‘ I came to a stop. I'd rushed into this, ready to find Lissa's sibling– her sister, we now knew–with little thought of the implications. I should have known this would be a secret from everyone–including the child in question. I hadn't considered what a shock this would be to her. And this wasn't just some random stranger. This was Jill. Jill. My friend. The girl who was like a little sister to all of us, the one we looked out for. What was I about to do to her? Looking at John, I realized things were worse still. Did Jill think he was her father? This family was about to be shaken to its core– and I was responsible. â€Å"Don't!' cried Emily, jumping up again. â€Å"Get out! All of you! I don't want you here!' â€Å"Mrs. Mastrano †¦' I began. â€Å"You can't pretend this isn't real. You have to face it.' â€Å"No!' she pointed to the door. â€Å"Get out! Get out, or I'll †¦ I'll call the police! Or the guardians! You †¦' Realization flashed over her now that the initial shock of seeing Sonya had faded. Victor wasn't the only criminal Moroi would be on guard for. â€Å"You're a fugitive! A murderer!' â€Å"She is not!' said Jill, leaning forward. â€Å"I told you, Mom. I told you before it was a mistake–‘ â€Å"Get out,' repeated Emily. â€Å"Sending us away won't change the truth,' I said, forcing myself to stay calm. â€Å"Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on?' John's face was flushed red, angry and defensive. â€Å"If I don't have an answer within thirty seconds, I'm calling the guardians and the police.' I looked over at Jill and couldn't speak. I didn't know how to say what I needed to, at least not tactfully. Sydney, however, didn't have that problem. â€Å"He's not your father,' she said bluntly, pointing at John. There was a slight pause in the room. Jill almost looked disappointed, like she'd hoped for more exciting news. â€Å"I know that. He's my stepdad. Or, well, my dad as far as I'm concerned.' Emily sank back on the couch, burying her face in her hands. She seemed to be crying, but I was pretty sure she could jump up at any moment and call the authorities. We had to get through this fast, no matter how painful. â€Å"Right. He's not your biological father,' I said, looking steadily at Jill. The eyes. How had I never noticed the eyes? ‘Eric Dragomir is.' Emily made a low keening sound. â€Å"No,' she begged. â€Å"Please don't do this.' John's anger morphed back to the confusion that seemed to be so in fashion in this room. â€Å"What?' â€Å"That †¦ no.' Jill slowly shook her head. â€Å"That's impossible. My father was just †¦ just some guy who ran out on us.' In some ways, that wasn't far from the truth, I supposed. â€Å"It was Eric Dragomir,' I said. â€Å"You're part of their family. Lissa's sister. You're †¦' I startled myself, realizing I had to look at Jill in a whole new way. â€Å"You're royalty.' Jill was always full of energy and optimism, operating in the world with a naive hope and charm. But now her face was grim and sober, making her look older than her fifteen years. â€Å"No. This is a joke. My dad was a lowlife. I'm not †¦ no. Rose, stop.' â€Å"Emily.' I flinched at the sound of Sonya's voice, surprised to hear her speak. I was more surprised at her expression. Authoritative. Serious. Determined. Sonya was younger than Emily by–what? Ten years, if I had to guess. But Sonya had fixed her cousin with a stare that made Emily look like a naughty child. â€Å"Emily, it's time to give this up. You have to tell her. For God's sake, you have to tell John. You can't keep this buried anymore.' Emily looked up and met Sonya's eyes. â€Å"I can't tell. You know what will happen †¦ I can't do that to her.' â€Å"None of us know what will happen,' said Sonya. â€Å"But things will get worse if you don't take control now.' After a long moment, Emily finally looked away, staring at the floor. The sad, sad look on her face broke my heart. And not just mine. â€Å"Mom?' asked Jill, voice trembling. â€Å"What's happening? This is all a big mix-up, right?' Emily sighed and looked up at her daughter. â€Å"No. You are Eric Dragomir's daughter. Rose is right.' John made a small, strangled sound but didn't interrupt his wife. She squeezed his hand again. â€Å"What I told you both over the years †¦ it was true. Mostly. We did just have a brief †¦ relationship. Not a cheap one, exactly. But brief.' She paused and glanced over at John this time, her expression softening. â€Å"I told you †¦' He nodded. â€Å"And I told you the past didn't matter to me. Never affected how I felt about you, about Jill. But I never imagined †¦' â€Å"Me neither,' she agreed. â€Å"I didn't even know who he was when we first met. It was back when I lived in Las Vegas and had my first job, dancing in a show at the Witching Hour.' I felt my eyes go wide. No one seemed to notice. The Witching Hour. My friends and I had been to that casino while hunting for Robert, and a man there had made a joke about Lissa's father being interested in showgirls. I knew Emily worked in a Detroit ballet company now; it was why they lived in Michigan. Never would I have guessed that she'd started as a feather-and-sequin-clad dancer in a Las Vegas show. But why not? She would have had to start somewhere, and her tall, graceful frame would lend itself well to any type of dancing. â€Å"He was so sweet †¦ and so sad,' Emily continued. â€Å"His father had just died, and he'd come to sort of drown his sorrows. I understood how a death would devastate him, but now †¦ well, I really understand. It was another loss to his family. The numbers were dropping.' She frowned thoughtfully and then shrugged. â€Å"He was a good man, and I think he truly loved his wife. But he was in a dark, low place. I don't think he was using me. He cared about me, though I doubt what happened between us would have in other circumstances. Anyway, I was fine with the way things ended and was content to move on with my life †¦ until Jill came along. I contacted Eric because I thought he should know–though I made it clear I didn't expect anything from him. And at that point, knowing who he was, I didn't want anything. If I'd let him, I think he would have acknowledged you, had a role in your life.' Emily's eyes were on Jill now. â€Å"But I've seen what that world is like. Court life is politics and lies and backstabbing. In the end, the only thing I'd accept from him was money. I still didn't want that. I didn't want to feel like I was blackmailing him–but I did want to make sure your future was secure.' I spoke without thinking. â€Å"You don't really live like you're using that money.' I regretted the words as soon as they were out. Their home was perfectly nice, hardly the depths of poverty. But it also didn't match the funds I'd seen moved around in those bank accounts. â€Å"I'm not,' said Emily. â€Å"It's on hand for emergencies, of course, but mostly I set it all aside for Jill, for her future. To do whatever she wants.' â€Å"What do you mean?' asked Jill, aghast. â€Å"What kind of money are you talking about?' â€Å"You're an heiress,' I said. â€Å"And royalty.' â€Å"I'm not any of those things,' she said. She was frantic now, looking around at all of us. She reminded me of a deer, ready to bolt. â€Å"There's a mistake. You've all made some mistake.' Emily stood up and walked over to Jill's chair, kneeling on the floor before it. Emily clasped her daughter's hand. â€Å"It is all true. And I'm sorry you have to find out like this. But it doesn't change anything. Our lives aren't going to change. We'll go on just like we have before.' A range of emotions raced over Jill's features–especially fear and confusion–but she leaned down and buried her face against her mother's shoulder in acceptance. â€Å"Okay.' It was a touching moment, and again, I almost felt like crying. I'd had my own share of family drama and parental issues. Like before, I wanted the Mastranos to have this moment–but they couldn't. â€Å"You can't,' I told them. â€Å"You can't go on like before. Jill †¦ Jill has to go to Court.' Emily jerked away from Jill and stared at me. Only a second ago, Emily had been full of grief and distress. Now, I saw intense anger and ferocity. Her blue eyes were stormy, fixing me with a sharp glare. â€Å"No. She is not going there. She is never going there.' Jill had already visited Court before, but both Emily and I knew that I wasn't referring to some casual sightseeing trip. Jill had to go with her true identity. Well– maybe true wasn't the right word. Illicit royalty wasn't part of her nature, at least not yet. She was who she'd always been, but her name had changed. That change had to be acknowledged, and the Moroi Court would be shaken. â€Å"She has to,' I urged. â€Å"The Court's getting corrupted, and the Dragomir family has to play its part to help fix things. Lissa has no power alone, not without a family quorum. All the other royals †¦ they're trampling her. They're going to push laws that won't help any of us.' Emily still knelt by the chair, as though shielding Jill from my words. â€Å"And that's exactly why Jill can't go. It's why I wouldn't let Eric acknowledge her. I don't want Jill involved. That place is poison. Tatiana's murder is proof.' Emily paused and gave me a sharp look, reminding me that I was the chief suspect. Apparently we weren't past that yet. â€Å"All those royals †¦ they're vicious. I don't want Jill turning into one of them. I won't let her turn into one of them.' â€Å"Not all royals are like that,' I argued. â€Å"Lissa's not. She's trying to change the system.' Emily gave me a bitter smile. â€Å"And how do you think the others feel about her reform? I'm sure there are royals who are happy to see her silenced–royals who wouldn't like to see her family reemerge. I told you: Eric was a good man. Sometimes I don't think it's a coincidence their family has died out.' I gaped. â€Å"That's ridiculous.' But I suddenly wasn't so sure. â€Å"Is it?' Emily's eyes were on me, as though guessing my doubts. â€Å"What do you think they'd do if another Dragomir came forward? The people who oppose Vasilisa? What do you think they'd do if only one person stood between them and her family's power?' Her implications were shocking †¦ yet, I knew they weren't impossible. Glancing over at Jill, I felt an empty, sinking feeling in my stomach. What would I be subjecting her to? Sweet, innocent Jill. Jill wanted adventure out of life and could still barely talk to guys without blushing. Her desire to learn to fight was half-youthful impulse and half-instinct to defend her people. Stepping into the royal world could technically help her people too–though not in a way she'd ever expected. And it would mean getting involved with the dark and sinister nature that sometimes filled the Court. Emily seemed to read my silence as agreement. A mix of triumph and relief crossed her face, all of which vanished when Jill suddenly spoke up. â€Å"I'll do it.' We all turned to stare. Thus far, I'd been regarding her with pity, thinking of her as a victim. Now, I was startled at how brave and resolved she looked. Her expression was still underscored with a little fear and shock, but there was a steel in her I'd never seen before. â€Å"What?' exclaimed Emily. â€Å"I'll do it,' said Jill, voice steadier. â€Å"I'll help Lissa and †¦ and the Dragomirs. I'll go with Rose back to Court.' I decided mentioning the myriad difficulties of me getting anywhere near Court wasn't important just then. Honestly, I had reached a point where I was playing all of this by ear, though it was a relief to see Emily's fury shifted away from me. â€Å"You will not! I'm not letting you near there.' â€Å"You can't make this choice for me!' cried Jill. â€Å"I'm not a child.' â€Å"And you're certainly not an adult,' retorted Emily. The two began arguing back and forth, and soon John jumped in to support his wife. In the midst of the family bickering, Sydney leaned toward me and murmured, â€Å"I bet you never thought the hardest part of finding your â€Å"savior' would be getting her mom to let her stay out past curfew.' The unfortunate part about her joke was that it was kind of true. We needed Jill, and I certainly hadn't envisioned this complication. What if Emily refused? Clearly, keeping Jill's heritage a secret was something she'd been pretty adamant about for a while– say, like, fifteen years. I had a feeling Jill wouldn't be beyond running away to Court if it came down to that. And I wouldn't be beyond helping her. Once more, Sonya jumped into the conversation unexpectedly. â€Å"Emily, didn't you hear me? This is all going to happen eventually, with or without your consent. If you don't let Jill go now, she'll go next week. Or next year. Or in five years. The point is, it will happen.' Emily sank back against the chair, face crumpling. â€Å"No. I don't want this.' Sonya's pretty face turned bitter. â€Å"Life, unfortunately, doesn't seem to care what we want. Act now while you can actually stop it from being a disaster.' â€Å"Please, Mom,' begged Jill. Her jade Dragomir eyes regarded Emily with affection. I knew Jill might indeed disobey and run off–but she didn't want to, not if she didn't have to. Emily stared into the distance, long-lashed eyes vacant and defeated. And although she was standing in the way of my plans, I knew she did it out of legitimate love and concern–traits that had probably drawn Eric to her. â€Å"Okay,' said Emily at last. She sighed. â€Å"Jill can go–but I'm going too. You aren't facing that place without me.' â€Å"Or me,' said John. He still seemed bewildered but was determined to support his wife and stepdaughter. Jill regarded them both with gratitude, reminding me again that I'd just turned a functional family dysfunctional. Emily and John coming with us hadn't been part of my plans, but I couldn't blame them and didn't see what harm they'd cause. We'd need Emily anyway to tell everyone about Eric. â€Å"Thank you,' I said. â€Å"Thank you so much.' John eyed me. â€Å"We still haven't dealt with the fact that there's a fugitive in our home.' â€Å"Rose didn't do it!' That fierceness was still in Jill. â€Å"It was a setup.' â€Å"It was.' I hesitated to speak my next words. â€Å"Probably by the people opposing Lissa.' Emily paled, but I felt the need for honesty, even if it reaffirmed her fears. She took a steadying breath. â€Å"I believe you. Believe that you didn't do it. I don't know why †¦ but I do.' She almost smiled. â€Å"No, I do know why. It's because of what I said before, about those vipers at Court. They're the ones who do this kind of thing. Not you.' â€Å"Are you sure?' asked John uneasily. â€Å"This mess with Jill is bad enough without us housing a criminal.' â€Å"I'm certain,' said Emily. â€Å"Sonya and Jill trust Rose, and so I do. You're all welcome to stay here tonight since we can hardly head out to Court right now.' I opened my mouth to say we most certainly could leave right now, but Sydney elbowed me sharply. â€Å"Thank you, Mrs. Mastrano,' she said, summoning up that Alchemist diplomacy. â€Å"That would be great.' I repressed a scowl. Time was still pressing on me, but I knew the Mastranos were entitled to make some preparations. It was probably better to travel in the daytime too. A rough check of my mental map made me think we could do the whole drive back to Court in one day. I nodded in agreement with Sydney, resigning myself to a sleepover at the Mastrano house. â€Å"Thanks. We appreciate it.' Suddenly, something occurred to me, summoning back John's words. This mess with Jill is bad enough without us housing a criminal. I gave Emily as convincing and reassuring a smile as I could muster. â€Å"We, um, also have some friends with us waiting out in the car †¦'

Admissions to Montclair State University

â€Å"By learning you will teach, by teaching you will learn†. This is a Latin proverb that has echoed in my mind when I experience the joy of sharing my knowledge and whenever I feel the urge to search for answers to my endless questions.Early in life I have developed a keen interest in the field of biology. My fascination to know how living things survive, reproduce, and change in time led me to ask questions, read books, perform observation, and view documentary shows about science.I could vividly recall spending my childhood leisure hours in the garden to observe the different species of butterflies, how a caterpillar transform into pupa and later into an adult butterfly. Then, in my high school freshman days, I performed a five week experiment to determine how plants grow. This experiment has further awakened my interest as I learn to test the quality of the soil, and the right amount of water, light and temperature to sustain the life of the plants.My endless quest for k nowledge has led me to search for answers through the use of various sources of information. Whenever I have found the answers to my nagging questions, I could not resist sharing the information to my family, friends and classmates.The satisfaction that I have gained in imparting my knowledge is immeasurable. I enjoyed the exchange of ideas, the transfer of knowledge, and the acquisition of new knowledge. There is joy in seeing their faces light up as they understand and appreciate what I was discussing. All these experiences have confirmed my interest to be an educator in the field of biology.I decided to major in Biology as I believe that the study of life is the most important subject in the world. The field of biology deals with the meaningful and profound knowledge of the existence of all living things. Studying life and the processes involved in sustaining it goes beyond the teaching of evolution.For me, biology allows me to explore the world as I study nature closely and unde rstand the diversity of life. However, it is not sufficient to gain knowledge of the subject matter. What would matter most is how students would learn through self discovery while teachers keep their goals in mind and allow room for improvement. This is an area that I need to learn as I have observed some of my classmates regard biology as a subject that often require memorization of scientific words related to classification and phylum.By pursuing an Education degree major in Biology in Montclair State University, I would learn about educational strategies and classroom management in order to keep students engage in their task, awaken their interest about the life on earth, and link their activities to the understanding of biological concepts as they acquire scientific knowledge. In addition, I intend to be committed in an experimental research or independent project so I could contribute to the field of Biology.As a high school student in (write the name of your school), I have a cquired a 3.050 cumulative GPA. I have received the William P. Orr scholarship for Fall 2007 and was given an award for being an active member in the SSS Star Program in the Spring of 2007.After completing my Bachelor degree in Education, I intend to teach high school junior and senior students while pursuing a graduate study. I also aim to get a doctorate degree in the same field so I can teach college students. Although I plan to study continuously while I am teaching, my passion to educate the learners will not begin and end with acquiring knowledge and earning degrees.My passion is focused in teaching the unknown and in facilitating the students’ understanding on the benefit of learning biology as applied to their daily life. I strongly believe that with my determination to succeed together with MSU’s excellent program, diverse faculty and student body combined with the individual attention of a small college, I will become an effective teacher who is deeply commit ted to serve the community of learners.