4. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is widely regarded as one of the best books of the 20 th century. It appears on the curriculum of many high school and some college English departments. Even though some may argue its place in current literary studies, no one can argue it deals with themes still relevant today: anger, racism, and social injustice.

6. When I was a child, there were times in my life when I was both the victim and the bully. In almost every instance, the bullying took place at school. We were secretive; almost no one knew the bullying was taking place except for the bully, the victim, and a few onlookers. If you were being bullied and you told someone, you were a snitch and the bullying got worse. If you were the bully, the most you ever got was a slap on the wrist and a “Don’t do it again” from administration. Today, part of my job is to stop bullying is I see it happening and to assist those who have been bullied. There are much deeper consequences than there used to be, however, there are some who say punishments for bullies aren’t severe enough.

7. Mr. Bradley, an English teacher at Stevens High School in Rapid City, SD, said, “Every time I turn around, I see a student on a cell phone. It gets to the point where I just want to smash them. The cell phones, not the students,” he added with a smile. Nationwide, the issue of cell phone usage in school continues to be an issue staff and administration tackle on a daily basis.

8. 75% of New year’s resolutions involve an individual making a commitment to lose weight. However, of that 75%, 80% are broken in the first two weeks of the new year. People feel the need to wait for a specific day to change their lives for the better, but weight loss isn’t going to magically begin on January 1 st. Losing weight and keeping it off requires time, commitment, and the assistance of others.

9. What is MLA format? Why do we have to use it? Why do we have to learn it? Why is it even important anyway? These are questions you often hear students ask when told they need to use this particular format. While it may not be readily apparent, there is a specific purpose for MLA formatting that spans many genres of work and subject areas of study.