Michelle SaeternMy Pursuit of Happiness

Christopher Gardner: You got a dream, you gotta protect it. People can't do something themselves, they wanna tell you that you can't do it. You want something? Go get it. Period.

Declaration of Independence Thomas Jefferson

• Jefferson was born on April 13, 1743, in Albemarle County, Virginia.

• John Locke, Thomas Paine, Thomas Reid, and other documents such as the English Bill of Rights, the Dutch Oath of Abjuration, etc inspired Jefferson.

• Thomas Jefferson was the third president of the United States.

• Jefferson was a Jurist, diplomat, gardener, writer, inventor, architect, and negotiator of the Louisiana Purchase.

Pursuit of Happiness• Thomas Jefferson was the man who wrote these

words on the Declaration of Independence. However, this was derived from John Locke's ideas of “life, liberty, and property”

• “We hold these truths to be self evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”

• It's a play on words with John Locke's quote that man has certain human rights - among which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of property. "Property" sounded too crass for the founding fathers, though this is what they really meant in my opinion. Property was very important to the founding fathers, all of whom owned land or businesses. Locke was an English political philosopher writing at the time of the "Glorious Revolution" in 1688 England. His "Two Treatises of Government" published in 1689 became popular in America in the 1760s when Thomas Jefferson would have read them. Of course Jefferson was the primary author of America's Declaration of Independence in 1776 which included those famous words: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

My Pursuit Of Happiness

Calvine High School Unlike any ordinary school I’ve been to, Calvine High seems to be working out for

me. There are a couple reasons why. One reason would be because, here at this school there is a small amount of kids which means that the teachers can actually have more time to be able to explain to you step by step how to do things If I’m just not getting it, plus less childish drama. The teachers also seem to be more understanding and laid back. Being here with other students that need credits just as much as I do motivates me to get all my work done to graduate in time. When I was at Valley High the time went by really slow, that’s why I would always go and ditch with my friends. We thought we were cool, ditching school and getting caught stealing at target, trying to smoke, when we didn’t even know how. I was hanging around the wrong type of people. My mom then took me out of that school and switched me to Sac High. I did not like that school. I didn’t like the students there. They always seem to be trying to impress each other. Then I did SAVA and Elk Grove Charter. Those didn’t work either. I had to push my self to do my work and it was really hard. Especially not having a teacher to help you when you need help. But I’m glad my boyfriend introduced this school to me. I’m now catching up all my credits. Its so embarrassing taking freshman classes and have to make up the rest of high school the hard way! But I will succeed!!!!!!!!

Things I Like To Do I love getting out of the house and finding new, and

exciting things to do! I like to go to the malls! Galleria,Arden&Downtown. (I love shopping!) I like to put on make-up! I love summer time, I get to go to pool parties, and

travel to the beaches for a fun time in the sun! I like to go to the lakes and take out the jet skis and boat and have a BBQ out there. i love going to Hawaii.

I love winter for the rainy days. I get to cuddle with my boyfriend and watch movies, with hot chocolate and smores! Also I like to drive to Tahoe to go snow boarding or sledding down the little hills!

I like to help my mom out with her business. Telling people about the diet pills that she sells.

I love to worship our God! I like to watch my brothers and sister when I have time

because I don’t see them much and they always keep me busy.

I like to eat. I love food. Any type of food. I eat almost every hour.

I love to bake cupcakes and brownies. I like driving to sanfransisco and spending the day at

fisherman’s wharf and eating clam chowder! Mmmmm! Then drive up to the top of the mountain (twin peaks) and seeing a beautiful view of all the city lights! Even though its freezing!!!

There are so many other things I like to do!!

The Best Thing About Me

I’s say the best thing about me is that I’m friendly. I love meeting new people and having fun with them. I like to talk to people and see how their lives are and see what we have in common.

My Most Important Individual Right

Out of the 10 first amendments, I think the 1st one is the most important to me.

#1- Freedom of religion, or speech, of press, to assemble and petition.

This means that I can believe and worship what I want. I can say what ever I want to say and when ever, and I love talking! I like the way we have the freedom to petition too!

If I Ran For President…I would help schools out as much as I can

so that we wouldn’t have kids dropping out, ditching, and getting bad grades. I think high school should have lots of choices of classes. So I would give kids better choices on subjects that would interest them.

I would make the war stop. All these people are losing their lives fighting for something that will never have an end. And all the young kids that have to go to war, are losing their lives so young!

I would fix up the communities so there are fun things to do to keep kids away from making a gangs, smoking, &picking fights.

I would want to fix the economy but I don’t even know the first step to fixing it so we wouldn’t be in depression.

I would make sure every one is reusing, recycling and reducing so we can save the earth! So we can have a better place to live with out all these toxins and waste in the air.

Citizens Responsibilities Are…

To take care of their family.

Pay their bills on time.

Take care of their property.

Find a job and support them selves.

What We Can Do To Make The World A Better Place…

• --> Take steps against ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION:* Reduce, reuse, recycle, restore everything, in that order.* Insist on environmental justice. Whose neighborhoods are the dumps in?* Conserve water and make sure it is clean, and physically and financially accessible to everyone.* Choose heirloom or recycled jewelry to avoid the damage to earth and communities that mining can cause.

Take steps against HUNGER, FAMINE and HOMELESSNESS:* Build a home for someone who needs one.* Donate food from your pantry, party or garden to a shelter, food rescue agency or food bank near you.* Make free donations to agencies working in these areas.* Become a social entrepreneur and find creative ways to solve yourcommunity's problems

Take steps against POVERTY:* Insist on economic justice buy purchasing fair trade products.* Invest responsibly in socially-conscious businesses.* Support sustainable development which is one of many ways to actually END POVERTY.* Fund micro loans and help a family take care of itself in the long term **There so many other things to do to make the world a better place!

My Future

After I graduate I would love to move to Hawaii. Its such a beautiful place to be! I want to go to college with my boyfriend at Hawaii Pacific. I’m not quiet sure what for yet though. I wouldn’t mind being a marine biologist. I want a huge house on the shore of a beach. When I turn 25 I want to get married and have 3 kids. I want to travel around the world with my family. But I first have to get finished with high school.