Examining the Core Concepts of Forensic Nursing

Examining the Core Concepts of Forensic Nursing Nursing is a profession which works on the core concepts of empathy, communication, caring, trust, advocacy, and leadership. Every area of nursing uses these concepts and beyond to provide care to clients at times when they need it the most. Forensic Nursing too uses these concepts; however, it places more concentration on scientific objectivity rather than patient support. This is not to say, that they to provide patient support, but it is the practice that by being objective in evidence collection, they ensure successful results in trauma investigations. Forensic Nursing is defined as the application of forensics with the biopsychosocial interventions of the registered nurse in the scientific investigation and treatment of trauma and/or death related medical-legal issues (Wecht, C.H., Rago, J.T., 2006). It used to be that forensic medical interventions including lifesaving interventions were withheld until a Forensic medical examiner (FME) until they arrived to the emergency department and had collected evidence (Pyrek, K., 2006). Often times, clients were even transferred to other cities which offered forensic clinical services, and even then no interventions could be provided so as not to disturb the forensic evidence (Pyrek, k., 2006). However, If a Forensic Nurse Examiner (FNE) is available at the clinical site, they are able to secure the important forensic evidence requiring timely recovery and preservation without withholding medical interventions, i.e. in sexual assault cases (pyrek, K. 2006). It was in 1991 that the American Society of Forensic Nurses first to recognized and accepted Forensic Nursing as a specialty (Bader, D.M, Gabriel, L.S.,). Then in 1992, 72 primary sexual assault nurse examiners formed the International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN) (International Association of Forensic Nurses, 2006). The aim of the IAFN was to promote the education of forensic nurses. In 1997 the IAFN went on to develop the Forensic Nursing Code of Ethics and the Scope and Standards of Nursing Practice (Bader, D.M, Gabriel, L.S., 2009). Forensic Nursing is a specialty that is still new and needs to continue developing so forensic nurses can provide the appropriate responses in trauma cases, provide a more holistic care to their clients, and advocate in an unbiased and scientifically objective manner. Where it has been that it is the emergency nurses who have been the first to come in contact with clients involved in trauma cases, emergency nurses are trained in the legal complexities that are characteristic of trauma cases, and who may not consult with the hospital legal team when such cases are presented, before going ahead and providing the necessary interventions that the client needs resulting in loss of critical evidence (pyrek, k., 2006). Forensic nurses can provide appropriate health care response in the event that they are presented with either a victim or a perpetrator of a traumatic case. They are trained in identifying injuries, their patterns, documenting statements and injuries through written and photographic accounts, and collecting and preserving physical evidence. Linda McCracken in the forensic nurses states that health care and the law often become enmeshed during critical moments when patient care supersedes the concern for social justice. (Pyrek, K., 2006). Most nurses and institutions are not trained to recognize the importance of physical evidence, so in the process of providing care to the patient, key physical evidence may be lost i.e. through discardment of victims clothing, or cleansing of the wounds. When most trauma cases are presented to the Emergency department, the Emergency nurse is most often the first person to see and talk to the patient, the first to know the situation, first to deal with the family, first to deal with the patient property, and as result first to deal with the specimen and evidence (pyrek, K., 2006). In these situations, the evidence and the manner and the time in which they are collected, saved, and documented can have an impact on the turn out in the analysis and legal proceedings (Ledray, L., 2010). Forensic nurses provide a more holistic care to their clients by including the forensic aspect within their care plan (Pyrek, k., 2006). A forensic nurse has many of the same role as any other registered nurse such as patient advocacy, however, they also have to fulfill they also work closely with the legal system, so they are active members of the investigation, are liaisons for law enforcement and facility staff, they identify, collect, and preserve the evidence, provide accurate documentation, and act as expert witnesses in courts (Bader, D.M., Gabriel, L.S., 2009). The forensic nurse practice models include sociology, criminology, clinical and criminal investigation, and education (Hammer, R.M., Pagliaro, E.M., 2006). The forensic nurse besides being an advocate for the client, is an advocate for truth and justice, and The first priority of a forensic nurse is to ensure the safety of the living victim and the dead victims body, collecting and preserving evidence from the body, performing a forensic examination with the intention of identifying and collecting evidence that may have transferred from the victim, collect evidence from without bias and without causing physical and psychological stress to the living or dead victim, and documenting all evidence (Bader, D.M., Gabriel, L.S., 2009). They are also responsible for conducting interviews on the victim, suspected victimizer, convicted victimizer; family, friends, and witnesses (Bader, D.M., Gabriel, L.S., 2009).They have to pay attention to collect any physical evidence i.e. dirt, and paint c hips, biological evidence i.e. saliva, and insects, and physical material i.e. fabric (Bader, D.M., Gabriel, L.S., 2009). Lastly the documentation which is perhaps the most important piece of evidence in an investigation should be accurate, descriptive, and without personal judgements. Forensic nurses have to be unbiased and scientifically objective. Forensic nurses dont come only in contact with victims of violence, but also with the victimizers. While many nurses when faced with a suspect or accused of a crime may be more concentrated on finding out why the suspected or accused perpetrator may have committed the act. While the question may be important, forgetting to concentrate on the evidence can be perilous. As forensic nurses they need to concentrate on what they are seeing, and what needs to be collected for the purposes of analysis. According to Janet Baber, MSN, FN, in the beginning forensic nursing was based on helping people in needNow forensic nursing has evolved to where we must compartmentalize our desire to nurture, console any nurse would do that because caring for and protecting human being is instinctive (pyrek, K., 2006). The advocacy component is not unique to forensic nursingthe forensic nurse cannot be get overtly involved in advocacy. This n urse must stay within an objective, scientific framework, because if a nurse allows advocacy to supersede concern about the evidence, he or she will become diverted from the purpose of forensic nursing (Pyrek, K., P. 29, 2006). Concentrating on the evidence will help more in uncovering the truth of the crime and revering justice than being embroiled in emotions of the case and the client. This is what will help the forensic nurse when it comes time for them to provide the evidence in court, where they are going to have prove that they were objective in their evidence collection and that they were not deterred and entangled in the circumstance of the case. In the book forensic nurse, Sharon Crowley, RN, MN, and California forensic examiner says that, What I do as a forensic nurse is going to be dissected in a court, or in a crime lab. Forensic nursing practice is mandated by science, and I dont have a problem with that because I see my advocacy come through science (Pyrek, K., P. 30, 2006). The reason behind the origin of forensic nursing was that forensic pathologists believed that pertinent legal questions were not being addressed, and inspite of resistance the specialty has grown significantly (Hammer, R.M., Pagliaro, E.M., 2006). As forensic nursing continues to grow, there will have to be increased interprofessional collaboration, communication, and sharing of information and knowledge to achieve justice. Currently, there are not many hospitals, clinics, if any, that have a forensic nurse in place, because not many institutions believe that it is necessary to have them, not to mention there is already a poor patient to nurse already. Some challenges that the specialty will face will probably include job opportunities, funding, education and training, professional development mandates, and continuing acknowledgment of importance and respect from other health care colleagues (Pyrek, K., 2006). Forensic nurses have to be self-directed, and be confident in their abili ties. I have been interested in forensic science for a long time, and took a full year course at University of Toronto as an elective about 3 years ago. We were introduced to different areas of forensics, but forensic nursing was not one of them. It was very interesting to research this topic and learn about the roles of forensic nurses. Having had done a placement in long term care, I have heard of many of elder abuse, and realize that the issue is probably not getting the attention it deserves. I like that forensic nurses extend the roles of registered nurses to include the forensic aspect in their care. I realize that it would be very challenging to pursue a career as a forensic nurse, and hope that it will continue to grow. Since its establishment, forensic nursing has gained a lot of attention, and continues to grow. A Forensic Nurse is important because they can provide an appropriate response in trauma cases, the appropriate response being, collecting, preserving and documenting the evidence. A Forensic nurses extends the role of a registered nurse by including the forensic aspect in their care plan. While as nurses we are trained to provide caring for our client is one of our primarily responsibility, in forensic nursing, the evidence and documentation take the priority because without them, it is hard to prove legitimacy in court cases. Lastly, they fufill their roles in a manner that is unbiased and scientifically objective. The whole purpose of forensic nurses is to aid their law enforcement and forensic science colleagues in analyzing the evidence, and to do that, it must be important that they take out their emotions about the victim, victimizer, and case, to collect what they see without bias and utmost objectivity to ensure justice. Forensic nursing is a speciality that face many challenges in its growth mainly in terms of job opportunities, especially in todays clients where institutions hardly are able to keep a good nurse to client ratio, it will probably be hard to establish the need for forensic nurses, however, until there is a high profile case that increases concentration on forensic nursing, they will just have to be more self-directed in their career (pyrek, K., 2006).

Shrinking Middle class Essay -- essays papers

Shrinking Middle class The Incredibly Shrinking Middle Class I never thought I would find so much information on the incredibly shrinking middle class until I searched around for it on the Internet. In the United States, the middle class is put into a strange socioeconomic category. Although it is not easily defined everyone believes they belong in that class. I guess what you can do is look at it in two different ways. First ask the question â€Å"What percent of all income is distributed to the middle class at any time,† then think about â€Å"How many families obtain enough income to achieve a middle class standard of living at any point of time.† Basically these are two ways of approaching the middle class called either the percentile approach or the class share approach. What comes into my mind when thinking on how to categorize those people that belong in the middle class, I look at such things as education, race, family, income, gender and how many people are in your household. I look at it as those people who are making between $40,000 and about $85,000 to be in the middle class while the next step would be the upper middle class and then to the upper class. Maybe I am wrong here, but like I said before, everyone wants to have that â€Å"I am middle class† attitude. The most recent Census Bureau survey data shows that the share of households with incomes of $75,000 or more has doubled in the past 24 years. Other studies, however, discover that more people who depart the middle class move down than up, at least temporarily. The most often cited cause of the decline of the middle class in the United States is stagnant wages. Between 1955 and 1970, real wages adjusted and inflation rose by an average of 2.5 percent per year. Between 1971 and 1994, the average growth of real wages was 0.3 percent a year. The stagnation of wages has been especially noticeable to middle-class people, who rely very much on the money they make at their jobs. Recessions seem to hit higher income households much harder, which sends them down to the middle class. Middle-income households may or may not be more likely than higher-income households to qualify for unemployment compensation when jobs are scarce. But those who do are more likely than high-income households to receive benefits that replace a greater share of their regular wages, which helps them maintai... ...ocess. Data generated by the Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Federal Reserve and other nonpartisan sources oppose claims commonly made. For example, data from such agencies show that differences in family income largely reflect differences in how many members of a family actually work and how hard they work. Americans in all income groups have prospered, or have failed to prosper, together. Gains by upper-income Americans have not come at the expense of middle or lower-income Americans. Nor has anyone else gained in those periods when higher-income families have lost ground. The best era in recent history for middle-income and lower-income American families was the Reagan era, which lasted from 1982 to 1989. During that period, middle-class families saw their real incomes grow by an average of 12.6 percent, while lower income families saw an average increase in real earnings of 12.9 percent. The wealth inequality debate should focus on what public policies will aid the accumulation of wealth by more, not fewer, American families. The first step American’s need to make toward transforming our consumer culture is to understand it better.

Prescience, Genetic Memory, and Personal Identity in Frank Herberts Dune Trilogy :: Frank Herbert Dune

Prescience, Genetic Memory, and Personal Identity in Frank Herbert's Dune Trilogy "Any road followed precisely to its end leads precisely nowhere.   Climb the mountain just a little bit to test that it's a mountain.   From the top of the mountain, you cannot see the mountain"(Herbert, Dune 68). –Bene Gesserit Proverb Ben Bova begins his liner notes on Frank Herbert Reads his God Emperor of Dune (Excerpts) by stating that "All truly great art shares this characteristic: the more you study it, the more it reveals" (Herbert).   Although it refers specifically to the fourth book in the Dune Chronicles, his statement also applies to the trilogy that precedes it–Dune, Dune Messiah, and Children of Dune.   Herbert's "polyphonic" work contains themes on so many levels (ecology, politics, war, philosophy, religion, and technology, just to name a few), that it soon becomes difficult to separate one from the other.   The topic of human awareness, however, takes on a specific tone and special level of importance above all the others.   Whether looking at the Bene Gesserit sisterhood and their political intrigues and planning, or the Mentat's historical role as the human computer 1 , filing away and analyzing countless bits of data, human awareness somehow always becomes a focus.   Even in th e economics of the work, where the "coin of the realm," the spice melange, is able not only to extend human life, but also to open up both past and future to the properly prepared mind, does this theme become evident. With all of his attention on the awareness of humanity, however, Herbert had more common and more difficult questions on his mind.   By creating a character, Paul Atreides, who is able to see not only into the future, but also into the past lives that made up his long list of ancestors, the questions of personal and societal identity are brought forward.   These powers, which Herbert refers to as "prescience" and "genetic memory," respectively, give Paul so much knowledge that he is no longer able to function as an individual.   He finds himself limited to certain actions because he knows the outcomes.   Once on top of the mountain, so to speak, he can no longer see where he stands.   In turn, Paul's son Leto II and daughter Ghanima, as well as his sister Alia, are also forced to deal with the issues of such knowledge in the entirely different light of "Abomination," a condition that befalls those whose inherited memories are unearthed before they are born.

Snowboarding Physics :: Snowboard Sport

Snowboard Composition The typical snowboard is designed to face the toughest conditions in any climate, even though it's use is mainly during the winter. In general, a snowboard is composed of several layers to attain a durable, yet light structure. Making the surfaces of a snowboard with a minimal friction coefficient is essential in the snowboard manufacturing industry. Like its various, eye-catching graphic designs, each and every snowboard has a unique layer structure. The two most basic yet important layers of a snowboard are the core (4) and the P-Tex/base layer (10). The core is usually made of birch wood; it is ideal for its lightweight, rigid, and flexible characteristics. Advances in core technology in recent years allowed the snowboard to become more maneuverable and portable. Hollow aluminum cells with walls in the shape of honeycombs are a breakthrough in snowboard core construction. With this type of core layer the snowboard retains its rigidity, but reduces its weight drastically. Another alternative to the wood core is a foam injected core. Foam can be injected electronically - to any cell size, thus allowing variability in rigidity. The P-Tex layer is named after the company that patented the material used for the layer. It is a special type of polyethylene plastic that allows the board to have a minimal friction coefficient when sliding down snow-covered ground, creating a "slippery" feeling. This plastic was designed to absorb wax for conditioning and extended life. A steel ring (7) serves two purposes: it protects the sides of the snowboard and puts maximum force into the snow for optimum maneuverability. The graphic layer (2) is a printed layer of fiberglass giving the snowboard an appealing design. There are literally millions of different snowboards with a unique graphic on them, but snowboard consumers may have a custom image printed on their snowboard. Multiple layers of fiberglass are usually glued on the immediate sides of the core for increased durability. A protective coating lines the top of the snowboard to protect scuffing and minor scratching on the graphics layer Different types of layers are arrangements in each type of core. Type A shows a foam core, with a large rubber sidewall (6). Type B represents the common wood core layer layout with additional protective layering. Type C shows that the aluminum honeycomb core is similar to the wood core structure, since nearly the same kinds of material are used. Snowboarding Physics :: Snowboard Sport Snowboard Composition The typical snowboard is designed to face the toughest conditions in any climate, even though it's use is mainly during the winter. In general, a snowboard is composed of several layers to attain a durable, yet light structure. Making the surfaces of a snowboard with a minimal friction coefficient is essential in the snowboard manufacturing industry. Like its various, eye-catching graphic designs, each and every snowboard has a unique layer structure. The two most basic yet important layers of a snowboard are the core (4) and the P-Tex/base layer (10). The core is usually made of birch wood; it is ideal for its lightweight, rigid, and flexible characteristics. Advances in core technology in recent years allowed the snowboard to become more maneuverable and portable. Hollow aluminum cells with walls in the shape of honeycombs are a breakthrough in snowboard core construction. With this type of core layer the snowboard retains its rigidity, but reduces its weight drastically. Another alternative to the wood core is a foam injected core. Foam can be injected electronically - to any cell size, thus allowing variability in rigidity. The P-Tex layer is named after the company that patented the material used for the layer. It is a special type of polyethylene plastic that allows the board to have a minimal friction coefficient when sliding down snow-covered ground, creating a "slippery" feeling. This plastic was designed to absorb wax for conditioning and extended life. A steel ring (7) serves two purposes: it protects the sides of the snowboard and puts maximum force into the snow for optimum maneuverability. The graphic layer (2) is a printed layer of fiberglass giving the snowboard an appealing design. There are literally millions of different snowboards with a unique graphic on them, but snowboard consumers may have a custom image printed on their snowboard. Multiple layers of fiberglass are usually glued on the immediate sides of the core for increased durability. A protective coating lines the top of the snowboard to protect scuffing and minor scratching on the graphics layer Different types of layers are arrangements in each type of core. Type A shows a foam core, with a large rubber sidewall (6). Type B represents the common wood core layer layout with additional protective layering. Type C shows that the aluminum honeycomb core is similar to the wood core structure, since nearly the same kinds of material are used.

William Shakespeares Hamlet Essay -- William Shakespeare Hamlet Essay

William Shakespeare's Hamlet Hamlet has been praised and revered for centuries as one of William Shakespeare's best known and most popular tragedies. Based on its popularity, critics alike have taken various viewpoints and theories in order to explain Hamlet's actions throughout the play. The psychoanalytic point of view is one of the most famous positions taken on Hamlet.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Psychoanalytic criticism is a type of literary criticism that analyzes and classifies many of the forms of psychoanalysis in the interpretation of literature. As the Concise Oxford Dictionary defines psychoanalysis, as a form of therapy that is concluced ‘by investigating the interaction of conscious and unconscious elements in the mind' (Barry 96). One of the most popularized psychoanalysts of all time was Sigmund Freud. His theories on repression most directly parallel to Hamlet's actions in the play. This theory states that "much of what lies in the unconscious mind has been put there by consciousness, which acts as a censor, driving underground unconscious or conscious thoughts or instincts that it deems unacceptable. Censored materials often involve infantile sexual desires" (Murfin ). These unconscious desires are seen in dreams, in language, in creative activity, and in neurotic behavior (Murfin ).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This theory of repression also is directly correlated to Freud's Oedipus complex. The Oedipus complex deals with Infantile sexuality as well, by explaining that sexuality starts at infancy with the relationship of the infant with the mother, not at puberty. The Oedipus complex assesses that the infant has the desire to discard the father and become the sexual companion of the mother (Barry 97).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In analyzing Hamlet, the Oedipus Complex is clearly apparent to the reader. As a child, Hamlet always expressed the warmest fondness and affection for his mother. This adoration contained elements of disguised erotic quality, especially seen in the bed chamber scene with his mother. The Queen's sensual nature and her passionate fondness of her son are two traits that show her relationship with Hamlet goes beyond the normal mother-sun relationship. Nonetheless though, Hamlet finds a love interest in Ophelia. His feelings for Ophelia are never discussed fully in the play, but it is evident to the reader that at one time he loved her because of the hurt he feels whe... ... of looking at Hamlet's actions. Freud and other theorists were able to take the play and analyze it scene by scene, giving a more in-depth meaning to the actions of the characters. In a sense, Shakespeare wrote two plays in one; one play dealing with a tragedy, leaving the stage with many corpses; the other standing the test of time, in a captivating exploration into an unconscious world of the unknown.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Works Cited   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Adelman, Janet. "Man and Wife is One Flesh:" Hamlet and the Confrontation with the Maternal Body. Hamlet. Ed. Susanne L. Wofford. Boston: Bedford Books of St. Martin's Press, 1994. Barry, Peter. Beginning Theory. New York: Manchester University Press. 1995.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jones, Ernest. "Ernest Jones: Hamlet and Oedipus." N. pag. Online. Worldwide web. 21 May 2000. Available at: http://click.go2net.com/adpopup?site=hm&shape=noshape&border=1&area=DIR.EDU.HIGHER&sizerepopup=1&hname=UNKNOWN   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Murfin, Ross C. "Psychoanalytic Criticism in Hamlet." Hamlet. Ed. Susanne L. Wofford. Boston: Bedford Books of St. Martin's Press, 1994.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Shakespear, William. Hamlet. Ed. Susanne L. Wofford. Boston: Bedford Books of St. Martin's Press, 1994.

UCD Workplace Issue

Although this can be a great advantage due to the unique perspective hat people from different backgrounds bring, it can also be detrimental as well to a certain degree. This may become an issue because individuals may sometimes prefer to speak in their own native language which can lead to other colleagues feeling ostracizes. My company is composed of non-Loris Individuals that come from different nationalities. The nationals span from Argentinean, Spanish, American, and Chinese. This creates a melting pot where our Ideas are reflective from the culture that we were brought up in.However, when my colleagues are conversing with each other, hey will often tend to speak Spanish whether It Is talking about a topic related to the company or Just friendly chitchat. Since the rest of the colleagues don't speak Spanish, we end up feeling as If we are missing out on something. However, I have to admit that I am also guilty of this as well too certain degree. Since I can speak Mandarin, I wil l sometimes converse with my Chinese colleague In Mandarin. However, we do not talk about work related topics.Rather, we converse about how our weekend went and talk about our hobbles. However, this can make other leagues feel left out who are going out to lunch with us because they are not able to communicate with us because they do not speak Mandarin. There was an Instance where my Chinese colleague and I spoke Mandarin during lunch and a colleague seemed to be confused and felt left out because she was unable to participate In the conversation due to her not knowing Mandarin. After that Incident, I became much more aware of not excluding Individuals through language.One way to solve the Issue of language boundaries Is to Implement a new many policy that dictates that employees can only speak English during working hours. However, during lunch hours, employees are free to speak their own language to their own discretion. This would allow transparency during the work hours and ensu re that all the employees In the company do not feel left out. Since lunch hours are a time where employees can do their own personal actively, speaking their own language would be appropriate.Using English as a standard would be the most logical option because English Is one of the most popular languages and Is regarded s the business of language. Also, many Europeans have an Intermediate level of English which makes communicating with other nonetheless easier whereas It Is not so efficient the other way around. Although this may Infringe on the rights of as a whole to become more collective and create a more transparent environment. Although there are drastic options such as only allowing English during the entire time at work, this is detrimental to the company as a whole.When companies allow only one language to be spoken at all times, this creates an almost dictatorship like ultra. If an English only rule was implemented in America, it may not be such a big issue but since this company is located in Europe where many different languages are being spoken, this would cause uproar. Furthermore, since English may not be the mother tongue of some employees, this may risk miscommunication which can lead to time and money wasted. Although a company with employees from different nationalities may bring different perspectives, language may sometimes become a deterrent towards the objectives of the company.This is due to people feeling left UT of conversations because they do not know the language. By implanting a policy where only English can be spoken during working hours with the exception of lunch hours, this will prevent alienation. Critics may point out that this infringes on the rights of individuals, but this new policy would foster a sense of community within the company. Although this policy would potentially be difficult to enforce due to employees feeling as if they're being coerced into a foreign language, it is imperative that companies do what is bes t for the objective of the company.

Grade graduation speech

You know, I never expected to be standing up here but here I m, giving this speech and probably doing a terrible Job at It because If you couldn't tell, I'm pretty nervous. But thanks to NAMES, It pushed me out of my comfort zone and onto this stage In front of all you wonderful people. Succeeding from middle school Is no easy task, looking back It surprises me that I even made It this far. A famous author, Theodore Roosevelt, once said, â€Å"A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car; but If he has a collage education he may steal the whole rally road. Even though we have a while to get a collage education, we've made It here, to the end of 8th grade. Just like a rail road the train has to be set on a good track, just like our education. So far for this 8th grade class, our tracks have been fantastic ever since we first started our journey. Our first stop was 6th grade. New building, new people, and it were a whole new environment. New fears emerged and I reme mber feeling like a fish out of the sea.The year went by and our next stop was 7th grade, which the teachers have been preparing us for. We came back much more confident than the year before. We looked down at the 6th graders and asked ourselves, â€Å"Were we that short just last year? And by the end of 7th grade, we were on our way to 8th grade. The year started off at a sprint and it seems to have left many of us still trying to catch our breath but 8th grade is also the year we start becoming independent and learn to let go of our guardian's hands.From the moment we stepped foot into this building till the moment we walk out, this Journey has definitely been an unforgettable one for all of us. On this Journey, we have laughed, we have cried, we have argued, we have learned, and we are about to enter into another mile of our journey in a new place. Some of us will go one way, and others another, but at the ND of the Journey we will always have the memories of here, of this schoo l, the memories of our NAMES pride and traditions.As we say goodbye on the last day we sit together as NAMES students, we reflect on what has happened the past 3 years, but also look forward to yet another Journey coming up, high school. 8th grade graduation speech By Maintain-Tastes have been able to accomplish this much without their help. So today, in honor of all am, giving this speech and probably doing a terrible Job at it because if you couldn't tell, I'm pretty nervous. But thanks to NAMES, it pushed me out of my comfort zone and onto this stage in front of all you wonderful people.Succeeding from middle school is no easy task, looking back it surprises me that I even made it this far. A famous steal from a freight car; but if he has a collage education he may steal the whole rail road. † Even though we have a while to get a collage education, we've made it here, to the end of 8th grade. Just like a rail road the train has to be set on a good track, Just since we first started our Journey. Our first stop was 6th grade. New building, new we that short Just last year? † And by the end of 7th grade, we were on our way to 8th