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Sometimes you not going to be good at everything and some things you going to be good at and every things not for you just because you doing it

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Sometimes you not going to be good at everything and some things you going to be good at and every things not for you just because you doing it

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Markell

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By learning that she should maybe do something that she's good at instead

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By learning that she should maybe do something that she's good at instead

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Markell

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This remind me of a time i was hooping with this kid that didin't know how to hoop and was getting alot of hate comments and getting talked about because he didn't know how to hoop and not gonna lie I felt bad for bro bro

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This remind me of a time i was hooping with this kid that didin't know how to hoop and was getting alot of hate comments and getting talked about because he didn't know how to hoop and not gonna lie I felt bad for bro bro

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Markell

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" I was taking a lot of abuse from the black girls for not turning the rope harder and fast enough." 

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" I was taking a lot of abuse from the black girls for not turning the rope harder and fast enough." 

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This reminds me of a time I played basketball with my friends. They got upset because I missed a shot and we lost the game. It makes me think about that time because of the problem she receives because of the expectations the black girls had.

- Jahmire

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Sometimes things aren't meant for you.  It could be a bad or good thing but you have to move on. 

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Sometimes things aren't meant for you.  It could be a bad or good thing but you have to move on. 

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- jahmire

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I think that from Elena's experience she learns life isn't always going to be fair. 

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I think that from Elena's experience she learns life isn't always going to be fair. 

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- Jahmire

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She exerienced that its hard to fit in with high standard kids

mariona

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Feelings towards your own rejection may be more sincere than a collective loss.

Iryn

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being rejected is okay , you have to be able to just move on from it and find something better .

mariona

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'since i had turned fourteen, my mother had been more vigilant than ever'. i relate so much because ever since i turned 14 my mom started to worry about a lot, especially when i started highschool. - ariah

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The author is informing the reader with reality

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The author is informing the reader with reality

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Rejection and personal and collective tragedies are something that happens to all of us. - Cristina

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she experienced that its hard to fit in with high standard kids

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she experienced that its hard to fit in with high standard kids

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Elana had learned that life was sometimes unfair. Dywane

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Elana had learned that life was sometimes unfair. Dywane

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After experiencing rejection multiple times, she starts to realize that she will not always get everything. -
Nada

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Elena learns that the world can discriminate people for no reason - kenzie

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Elena learns that the world can discriminate people for no reason - kenzie

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Love isn't always the most important thing to be focusing on. -sophie

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their saying that rejection is okay , just to learn how to bounce back from it .

sheayla

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I think the author is trying to say, It's okay to get rejected as long as you know who you are that's all that matters. - Kalina

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That everything happens for a reason
Cheri

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"I was taking a lot of abuse from the black girls for not turning the rope harder and fast enough."

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"I was taking a lot of abuse from the black girls for not turning the rope harder and fast enough."

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I relate to that sentence because its not easy trying to fit in with others who friend standards are higher then they deserve.

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she experienced that life isn't really far .

-sheayla

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Elena experienced that she could'nt always be  happy

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they didn't like the fact of being rejected. Dywane

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they didn't like the fact of being rejected. Dywane

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“Hey, Skinny Bones, pump it, girl. Ain’t you got no energy today?”

You or someone shouldn’t judge somebody based on how they are built and look because that person can be hurt by it or may overreact. Just because they are different from you doesn’t mean you could be rude to them in any way without getting to know them first. It’s just messed up if you REALLY think about it.
- Nada

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From what she's experienced so far, she can learn that not everyone is your friend and everyone is different. She can learn that some people don't have as much empathy as others and won't be as sympathetic as others.                                                            

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From what she's experienced so far, she can learn that not everyone is your friend and everyone is different. She can learn that some people don't have as much empathy as others and won't be as sympathetic as others.                                                            

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She is forced to grow up by learning that in most parts of your life you'll be alone and have to be your own friend, and that's OK. You don't need to have friends and if you want some, make sure they're nice to you and treat you with respect.
Cheri

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The world is a prejudiced place, full of bigotry and rejection.
- Spencer

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That rejection is a thing in this world
-Gerik

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Elena experienced that she couldn't always be happy

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Elena experienced that she couldn't always be happy

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She is overwhelmed for her innocence in believing that she and Eugene could develop a relationship with one another despite the racial prejudice that pervades their daily life. This loss of innocence marks a painful part of Elena's transition from childhood to adulthood.
-Gerik

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I think that Elena learned that life can be pretty mean and unfair to you sometimes, with how she was constantly being bullied in school and also how she wasn't able to be with the guy she liked. I also think that she was kinda forced to grow up because of her facing the reality of rejection and being an outcast in school. When Elena was rejected, I think she partly matured by learning that everything doesn’t always end up perfect and things can’t always go your way. And for Elena, being rejected by Eugenes mother may have been a somewhat eye-opening experience to realizing that she is faced with prejudice and just isn’t treated right by other people because of her race. -sophie

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Elena learns that sometimes life isn't always happy and she has to adapt to her enviornment. Quinten

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Rejection is a form of prejudice against another. 

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Rejection is a form of prejudice against another. 

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-Michelle/Kalia

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From her experiences, Elena has learned that not everything is going to be on her side. At school she is lonely and struggles to fit in with other girls. However, she has a crush on a boy whose mother had rejected the thought of the two being together. Compared to the death of President Kennedy, Elena’s mother is more concerned about the news rather than her own daughter. Elena then realizes that she will have to overcome her feelings since no one was able to that day.

-Michelle/Kalia

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“ The other girls picked up the “pork chop” and made it into a refrain: pork chop , pork chop, did you eat your pork chop?” 

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“ The other girls picked up the “pork chop” and made it into a refrain: pork chop , pork chop, did you eat your pork chop?” 

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This reminded me of a time when I was at lunch last year  where my Puerto rican friends were referring to themselves as pork chops because they eat pork chops a lot .
kenzie

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I hope Elena learned to always be strong no matter what. Even though she’s still somewhat young she’s going through things that aren’t easy. Like love, rejection, realization, and even death. Experiencing these kinds of things so young sort of does force you to mature in some kind of way. Having so much love/connection to a person you barely talk to is basically torture. Wanting to talk to them 24/7 when you’re not allowed to be in a relationship or are too scared to speak. Being forced to suck up rejection because if you speak about it someone will say “you should’ve seen it coming” or “you shouldn’t have got your hopes up in the first place.” Realizing you’re probably never going to be good enough because you’re different or not cool like everybody else. It makes you overthink about yourself and how you carry yourself wondering if you should change to get others to like you. Last but not least, death. It’s not an easy thing to go through especially at a young age. It makes you realize and understand the beauty that there is in life. It can also lead you to living a better life to your fullest and appreciate/love the people and life that surrounds us.   -Cristina

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"The chill was doing to me what it always did; entering my bones, making me cry, humiliating me." Paragraph 5

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"The chill was doing to me what it always did; entering my bones, making me cry, humiliating me." Paragraph 5

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I strongly connect with this excerpt in specific because as a kid I was bullied quite frequently by friends for being too skinny, so I can agree with Elena as far as being picked on for being the way I am
Cheri

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Prejudice, rejection, and judgement will always exist in our world. - Adam

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“President Kennedy was a saint to these people. In fact, soon his photograph would be hung alongside the Sacred Heart and over the spiritist altars that many women kept in their apartments. He would become part of the hierarchy of martyrs they prayed to for favors that only one who had died for a cause would understand. “ -pg. 1 (Cofer)
This just made me think of religion and gods, and how people see and worship them. In El building, JFK is being treated as one of their own gods that they worship and pray to. His photo was being hung over many altars and places of worship, just like how people maybe hang photos of Jesus in their places of worship. You can tell that they truly did see him as a great person who was well respected. -Sophie

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The experiences Elena has experienced has taught her to not jump into things so easily. An example of this is when she thought there was a connection between her and Eugene, but there wasn’t because they never talked before. I think she had to learn to mature more because her family moved around so she had to adapt to the environment often. Also, she had to get over the president passing away and the Eugene issue, so she really had to adjust to getting over them. Another reason she had to grow up was because I think she couldn’t just sorrow over these two events, while the whole building was doing that as well.  - Kalina

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“There was only one source of beauty and light for me that school year. The only thing I had anticipated at the start of the semester. That was seeing Eugene.” (paragraph 6)

As a teenager in highschool, love is in the air. I’ve had experience with crushes myself, and my friends claim that I get a bit too delusional. If I make eye contact with my crush for even a second, I will be ranting about it all day to my friends. The highlight of going to school is having someone to crush on!
-Michelle/Kalia

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“You are forgetting who you are, Niña. 19I have seen you staring down at that boy’s house. You are heading for humiliation and pain.” My mother said this in Spanish and in a resigned tone that surprised me, as if she had no intention of stopping me from “heading for humiliation and pain.” I started for the door. She sat in front of the TV holding a white handkerchief to her face.

- sheayla

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“But after meeting Eugene I began to think of the present more than of the future.”
(Area 120)

This sentence actually reminded me of myself. When I start talking to someone new I always think about the future more than the present. I think about what our relationship could be like more than it is right now and it can change a lot - Cristina

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Elena learns that she lives in a world full of prejudices- such as different cultural backgrounds, rejection, and understanding her own emotions. Her own personal events lead her into understanding the complex world that she lives in and the complex relationships that come throughout the way. These experiences bring her into the rite of passage where she will become more mature and aware of relationships.  - Adam

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Cofer Judith. “Most of all, I wanted to sit at the kitchen table with Eugene like two adults, like the old man and his wife had done, maybe drink some coffee and talk about books. (paragraph 5).” American History.

Sometimes, I believe that to every person, there’s at least one person who’s had their eyes on someone and came up with dreams. For example, when being in love with someone, your thoughts sometimes could be, “I want to grow old with them and live together.” It could be a small thing that you two could do, but a big cherish-able moment. - Adam

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There was only one source of beauty and light for me that school year. The only thing I had anticipated at the start of the semester.

Text to self

Last year  I was so excited for the school year to start. I kept telling myself that I had to live that year up cause it was my last year there.

-Gerik

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“I was ready for rejection, snobbery, the worst.” (paragraph 9)
This quote brings up memories of me being scared to go up to people. I would feel like I’m afraid of talking because what if someone doesn’t like me, or I mess up at talking. Also sometimes I fear people because sometimes they're scary.  - Kalina

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Even though Elena was getting bullied before, after her interaction with Eugene's mom it made her realize the world she's truly living in. When the president died, she didn't feel the effects of it until she talked to Eugene's mom.

Iryn

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“Since I had turned fourteen… my mother had been more vigilant than ever. She acted as if I was going to go crazy or explode or something if she didn’t watch me and nag me all the time…” (Cofer 10)

text to self
Since I'm fourteen, my mother and I have the same relationship as Elena and her mother. Even though I do understand her policing me like how Elena's mother was, I was more accepting of her suggestions.
Iryn