Category: Uncategorized

I feel bad that there is only two days left in this program, i wish i had more time to get to know everyone better in this program but i’m really happy and thankful for the time i did have and the amazing people i met in this program. I like coming to these programs because i can become friends and bond with people in a way that i cant bond with people at school. with that i want to say that i can’t express enough gratitude or appreciation to all the mentors and most of all the students i met here in the program. Y’all some amazing people and it was very cool learning more about your cultures and your identities as natives and yea, thanks a lot. I appreciate y’all so much even if your somebody i haven’t said much although it doesn’t look like it but y’all make my day. thank you.

To my professors… These past two weeks have been absolutely amazing especially having your classes. Vicente Candonache… I have always known about the nepohuantzintzin but the way you introduced to me really shocked me and I enjoyed every second of your class. In the beginning I didn’t think you could do so much with the nepo but now I know how to add, subtract, divide, multiply and even do square roots because of the knowledge you brought to us in these past 2 weeks. I enjoyed all your stories and games you brought to us and I cant wait to be able to take the knowledge you shared with us and even share it with my school. I also would like to tell you how much I appreciate that you brought danza into our classes because Ienjoy doing danza, i have done it since 6th grade and doing it today brought me so much joy. Today was my last day sitting in those hard plastic chairs in that cold room but I will miss that room for it was always brightened up by the faces of everyone enjoying your class so much. So with this all I can say is thank you.

Shelva Paulse… I have to say I was rather scared of even the thought of college in the beginning of the pitzer program even at the end of my junior year. I had so much fear in my personal statement and even had no clue what I would write about. Well now… with the help of you i can say I cant wait to go to college and i cant wait to begin the process of it. Shelva thank you for all you have taught me and for helping me begin this process of heading towards college. I will never forget any of you 

Peace and love Christine 

Waking up to aztec dancing with Candonache was a energizing and amazing way to start the day! I am so grateful for the knowledge and wisdom he has shared with us all and everything he has done for us! It has been a real honor having him as our professor (aztec math and aztec dancing) and I have no words that can express my gratitude towards him. I will be sure to tell my family about the Nepohualtzintzin and all the knowledge it has brought me.

I am also so thankful for our writing professor Shelva! She has taught me so much about writing and creativity. I will defiantly be using the essay she helped us with as a reference later in life when I go to apply to the nursing program!

Genna and Gina have been beyond amazing. I just want to recognize all the hard work and dedication they have put into making our blogging and this whole program fun by taking pictures and such!

Hearing Gayle Ann Kelley speak again about her journey through life especially throughout the movie: Spirit Game- Pride of a Nation was memorizing. She is such a beautiful, strong, dedicated woman. It was a real honor to hear her speak again and to get to know more about her life struggles. I am so thankful she was able to come back! I will take the knowledge and inspiration she has shared with us back to my family and community at home! We need more people in the world like Gayle. She really is a one of a kind person and deeply appreciate her dedicating some of our time to come talk to us not once, but twice!

Overall, this program has been amazing! I will take all that I have learned her back to my community and family, sharing every little detail about the family I have had the privilege of being a part of! I’ll miss everyone so much! Don’t forget about me!

-Sylena

Today was a really fun day! I woke up really tired, I did not want to wake up at all. I knew we were going to have danza with Vicente and I didn’t want to move my legs. Something about him always motivates me to participate. We ended up doing danza for about 30 min or so. It was fun doing danza again so thank you Vicente for reminding about my culture. Then we had Shelva’s last class. It was really fun writing my essay, even though I kinda hate writing. Shelve makes it fun and she is just so nice. Sometimes she screams at us and she’s really scary, but she has to do what she has to do. She deserves all the respect possible so thank you Shelva for making me write an essay I wouldn’t of done. Then I had Vicente’s class, which is always my favorite. The Nepohualtzinzin is just so awesome to use. Im’a go back home and school to show everyone my knowledge. Today we played the board game patoli and it is really fun! Never knew our ancestors had such fun board games. I also have to keep in mind this game is sacred just like the Nepohualtzinzin. So I thank you again Vicente Candonache for showing and spreading your knowledge to this group and spending your time with us.

Today was pretty set back and chill . I didn’t do the aztec dance in the morning because i was still tired from the night before. I went to breakfast and then after we had our last writing workshop and common app with Shelva . I didn’t finish my writing peace but i’m very confident in what i did do. I can say my writing has improved over the course of these two weeks. I didn’t really like it at first and know that i have been doing it a lot i kinda like it. It makes me feel like expressing my feelings is fun. hahaha. We also had our last math session of the aztec math with vesenthe and it was really smooth, i kinda got the hang of it know, if we had more time in this program, i’m pretty sure i would have mastered it. Even though i struggled a lot in it, i’m going to miss it.After dinner we had a elder come in and talk to us about that movie we watched and then told us about her career and how she wanted to correct history by telling the truth. Right know i’m feeling calm and like i want to see my family. I miss them and love them, but theres only today and tommorrow so i’m trying to make the most of it. I have made so much friendships here and it almost makes me feel like there my family too. My mentor louda , i am truly grateful for, she makes time for my huetziline and Marrissa . I love my mentor!!! Louda if you read this i am thankful for you!!! And i’m going to miss you a lot!! Thanks for putting up with me and the others!!! You are such a strong , amazing, beautiful person inside and out!!! Hopefully i run into you in hawthorne hahah. Im going to miss you, you should come back . I am.

Today was a great but sad day. Today was our last day in writing with Shelva and aztec math with Candonache which made me sad because, I really enjoyed both of the classes. I’m going to miss writing because, I got to practice for writing my college personal statement and I got to see how scholarships work and how i can get to them. Math on the other hand was really fun I thought as math is one of my favorite subjects so to learn about the nepo was really interesting and I’m glad i got to have the honor to learn it with all my friends. I also would like to give a shout out to Shelva and Candonache for taking time out of their lives to come and teach us, I really enjoyed spending time with you guys and receiving the knowledge you gave us, so Thank You. 

Today we finished our last writing and Aztec math class. Both of these classes had huge impacts on me and will continue to help me in the future. Vicente Candonache is an amazing teacher, not only his teachings but also his way of teaching. He pays attention to the students and knows the best ways to get the lesson to stick. During class he has thought me so much about the Aztec calculator know as Nepohualtzintzin. Growing up I have learned the Nepo, the values and how to count. In two weeks, Vicente has taught me more advanced math such as multiplying, dividing, and finding the square root. I am excited to take this math back to my school and use it. In our last class with Shelve, we finished up our first draft for an essay we wrote for the common application. This is important to me because I am going to use this essay to apply to college. I would like to thank her for pointing me in the right direction for college. She also gave me a chance to speak in front of my peers here at the program about my experiences with scholarships. I appreciate everything she has done for us in the small time we were together.

Its my second to last day of blogging. I first want to Thank You to our wonderful and wise professors. Vicente and Shelva they were both the best at their jobs. I really enjoyed the Aztec math with Vicente it was something o really enjoyed and i was really into learning about. I learned how to divide, add, subtract, find square roots, and work on fractions. With Shelva i learned how to express more in my writing and use stronger vocabulary. I loved this class because soon I will be applying to college and will have to use all I  learned about writing and the common app.  I really also enjoyed all the guest speakers we had that educated us on useful things. I made some great connections through them and will be using my resources when I need help.

I had my final class with Candonache today. He taught me the esoteric art of preforming math on the Nepohualtzintzin. Candonache was my favorite teacher, not only because he so well illuminated the methods of Aztec math to me, but he provided me with wisdom pertaining to the beliefs of our people, and on how to improve my understanding of the world.

I also had my final class with Shelva today. I am very thankful for the consideration she had for all of us, concerning our futures and future colleges. Before I began attending Shelva’s classes I had no idea how to apply for scholarships, or even how to search for potential colleges, but because of her class I am now confident in these processes.

I appreciate the influential lessons of all the other I speakers, incredibly.

Thankyou Candonache, Shelva, and everyone else!

-Zaryn Prussia

there is a lot that i am taking from those classes. i have learned how to write a good essay to a college. i have learned that technology is not always correct. i will never forget any of the teachings and the knowledge that was given to me. i want to get to know more about the different cultures. i am sad that i have to leave but i am coming back next year.