The Definition of Class

 First off, if you should know anything about me, it’s that I have an unnatural obsession with Audrey Hepburn.  If you were to walk in my room, one would see something relevant to Audrey any place you turned.  I discovered her as a little girl after I saw “My Fair Lady” and instantly fell in love.  I was infatuated with her voice, her face, her mannerisms and her entire ambiance.  I then made it my goal to learn everything I could about her and watch every movie she had even been in.  I’m still working on that list, but I’ve done plenty of homework to gain knowledge of the woman whom I consider to be the epitome of grace and eloquence.  When you have someone you admire, are you afraid to find out more information about them because they might not live up to your expectations?  Well when it came to Audrey, she exceeded my expectations.  I’ll explain:

Audrey’s biggest aspiration in life was to become a prima ballerina.  She dedicated much of her early life to dance, even during the middle of World War II when she helped with the resistance.  After the war, Audrey continued to dance and was able to become a part of film productions.  Her dream of becoming the best ballerina was not within reach because of her height but that never stopped up her from trying. Audrey was soon discovered by the famous French novelist Colette, who cast her as the star of the Broadway play, “Gigi”.  After that, a star was born. 

 

How great is that?  Despite her flaw for dancing she kept going on a dream that could not be, and discovered a new dream.  After her success on Broadway she was cast as the main character in the film, “Roman Holiday”, which got her even more coverage as an actress because she won an Academy Award for it.  From then on out, Audrey made her way into Hollywood with flying colors.  She went on to be in movies such as Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Sabrina, Funny Face, Charade, My Fair Lady, and much more. 

Here’s what I really love about Audrey – she changed the face of celebrities (in my humble opinion).  For one thing, she revolutionized the idea of sex appeal, which is pretty amazing considering Marilyn Monroe was her competition.  She also had this innate need to love.  Love everything and everyone.  During the making of the movie Green Mansions, Audrey’s character had to interact quite a bit with a fawn named Pippin.  So to bond with her better, Audrey decided to take the fawn home with her.  Also to the grocery store and some parties, and possibly other places.  If that doesn’t express compassion, I don’t know what does. 

 

Audrey left a great influence on this world.  She believed in giving back to the world as much as possible.  She was a huge advocate for UNICEF and contributed to it quite a bit in her retired years.  You can read more about that here.  She also believed in being happy.  That is what she strived for everyday.  She left behind a legacy that we can make this world a better, more wholesome place…and that legacy is true.  She didn’t pose a good person to have a better place in the spotlight; she simply was a good person.  

 -Lauren Pennington

Getting Inspired

Everyone has someone or something that inspires them. If they don’t, they ought to find one. It may seem easy to be “original,” but you have to know yourself and your influences in order to know what you are going for.

I like to think of myself as being pretty original. Doesn’t everyone?  That doesn’t mean that I don’t aspire to be like someone, though. In fact, there are four people, all very different, whom I adore and wish to be like.

The first of these people is Audrey Hepburn. I must give my roommate credit for introducing me to Audrey. (Thanks, Lauren!)  She is a recent love of mine, but I don’t know how I could have ever missed her. Audrey is beautiful, classy, and fun. Looking through her photos, you can see her inner beauty radiating, no matter how old she gets. She has a tender heart for animals, which is something I value most of all, considering how my life revolves around animal rescue.

I love this sweet photo of Audrey and her deer.

Ellen DeGeneres is the second person on my list of inspiration. Ellen gets a lot of bad attention for being a lesbian, but look at her.

  (No, really, look at her!)

She does not care what others think. She lives by a philosophy of being happy and enjoying life, which I respect to the highest degree. She is caring and devoted to helping others, whether they are famous or not. In my opinion, Ellen should be everyone’s role model. Ellen also has a huge compassion for animals, and she makes it well known. For someone so popular, Ellen does fame right.

This is a link one of my favorite episodes of Ellen. She is talking with actress Kaley Cuoco about her rescued pitbulls enjoying a hot tub. It is too funny! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2gXjuAorDk

My third role model is someone less well-known, but equally important. Her name is Ellie Laks. She founded the Gentle Barn. The Gentle Barn is a sanctuary where mistreated animals go. They are rescued and cared for as they rehabilitate. The coolest part, however, is that every day of the week different people can come love on the animals. These visitors range from handicap children to at-risk youth. Anyone who needs a little compassion from a furry friend is welcome.

 I find the Gentle Barn to be a magical place. I wrote Ellie Laks to tell her what an inspiration she is to me, and she sent me a hand-written letter back, telling me that I was a hero to her. Nothing could mean more to me. To learn more about The Gentle Barn go to www.thegentlebarn.org

Look, here is Ellie from the Gentle Barn with Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, Portia. Of course they are friends!

Finally, I come to my most personal role model. My grandmother, Carol Dean Keys, is the most inspirational person in my life. She has never treated anyone with anything less than a heart full of love, and the devotion that she has put into our family is incomparable. My grandmother is my most valued treasure, and I could not respect someone more. I want to give the same amount of love and care to people as my grandmother does.

So, why are these role models so vital, you ask? Why are any role models “vital,” for that matter?

I am my own person, but without guidance, I could follow a misleading path. Seeing the way that these women have influenced so many people inspires me. Because of the respect I have for these four women, I hope to grow into a classy, happy, beautiful, loving, and compassionate (especially towards animals) woman, just like them. 

--Kelsey Keys

Montessori Children's House of Fort Worth

I went and toured the Montessori Children’s House in Fort Worth yesterday. I was definitely impressed. That’s an understatement. For those of you who don’t know what the Montessori Children’s House is, it’s a school dedicated to a different approach at learning: hands on learning.

            From walking in, you wouldn’t be able to tell that it’s a school. It’s a small house in the middle of a neighborhood, but once you walk in, you can see that they have five buildings and over and acre of land in the back. The learning tools they give to the children are much different than the tools given in a conventional elementary school. The Montessori Children’s House doesn’t believe standardized testing. They believe in creative learning and a self-paced movement. However, that’s not to say that the children are lazy. It seemed to me that almost every child wanted to participate. Their children are reading by the time they are 5 years old. Now, I work with children and many of my second graders, who are 7 years old, can’t read.

            Interested? Check out their website and schedule a tour. http://mchfw.com/

--Adam Moron

My Experience at Montessori Children's House of Fort Worth

Most people are skeptical when first introduced to the Montessori methodology of teaching. Before visiting Montessori Children’s House in Fort Worth, I was too because I was unfamiliar with the concept and how it could benefit children more than a public or private school education. However, after I saw what Montessori Children’s House had to offer its students, teachers and their families, I was convinced that Montessori’s alternative teaching method helps students reach high academic achievements.

The front entrance of the MCH of Fort Worth

I was concerned when I researched Montessori because when I Googled images of the “school,” all I saw was a house on a neighborhood street. The school is in a house, but the backyard is spacious and offers more room for academics. After talking to the administrators, I could tell that the teachers and students have a very strong relationship because they treat one another as family, probably because they form and nurture relationships with their students from a very young age.

The environment was not typical of any school I had seen before because this was the first “alternative” school I had ever visited. The tools that the students have to develop their creativity and intelligence is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. I feel like that is what sets Montessori apart from traditional school; they teach their students to think and see things differently.

Overall, I was impressed with Montessori Children’s House. The website does not do the Montessori method nor MCH justice in showing a potential students and parents what it is all about, so I would strongly suggest a tour of the school to get a realistic feeling of the Montessori educational environment.  

-Jessica Edwards