Book by elijah confortola by Freestyle Academy

A Word to the Wise Elijah Confortola

Flower at a healthcare center

I dedicate this book to Mrs. Kobayashi. Rest in peace.

III

A self explanatory picture

Acknowlegements I would like to thank my teachers at Freestyle for their patience and support throughout the making of this book. They each took time to catch me up to speed when I was severely behind. They gave me the boosts I needed to stay afloat in the making of this massive project.

Table of Contents Preface

Introduction

George: A Firmly Rooted Man

Daphne: A Rose in the Rough

Pam: A Petal on the Pavement

Conclusion

Works Cited

Bio

Preface When I was assigned to do a documentary project, I was given an opportunity to shine light on something that is special to me. After heavy consideration, I decided that my topic should involve the elderly. They were a group in society that I felt was underrepresented, so I wanted to show that they are valuable and relevant. At the beginning, I was fairly behind. Because this project depended on the availability of other people, I was worried about finishing on time. By taking things one step at a time, I successfully finished everything that I needed to by the end of the project. To get material to work with, I interviewed three people over the age of sixty: George, Daphne, and Pam. In their interviews, they talked about their unique stories, useful advice, and interesting thoughts

regarding a topic that is timeless in importance - education. I used the answers from their interviews to write this book and create a website. Although this project was difficult, it was the most rewarding academic assignment that I have ever had. The ten-page research paper that I wrote, as my book text, was the longest piece of writing that I have made in my life. I never thought that I had the ability to organize as much information as I did in this paper. Not only did I grow as a writer, but also a producer of media. Watching both the book and website come to completion was quite a gratifying achievement. The book, particularly, contains sentiments from senior citizens that I will always cherish.

George Kobayashi, Daphne Chan, Pam Evans

Introduction

o some children, the typical elderly person is forgetful, aloof, and grouchy. These are just some of the qualities commonly used to portray older people in the media. Because children are exposed to this ageist stereotyping from an early age, there is a lasting effect on their malleable brains. The prejudice that stereotyping causes can manifest itself in many forms. One of the more common forms of ageism occurs when teens and young adults disregard the older generation. Some younger people view older people as a burden and think it is best that the elderly receive extensive care in a nursing home. Others have the less common belief that older ones should be able to contribute to society. Although older ones are rich in life experience, people oftentimes assume that once someone reaches their sixties or seventies, they are too old to be of any value to others around them. According Jared Diamond, a UCLA professor writing on the topic of society’s treatment of the elderly, “there's America’s Protestant work ethic, ‘which holds that if you’re no longer working, you’ve lost the main value that society places on you.’ Retirement also means losing social relationships, which, coupled with America’s high mobility, leaves many old people hundreds or even thousands of miles away from longtime friends and family” (qtd. in Lin). As people age, there is a tendency in our society to put them in a nursing home where they are socially isolated. Two of my interviewees, George Kobayashi and Pamela Evans, lived in rehabilitation centers. It was clear to me that, although they were well taken care of, they lacked the freedom they needed to be active members of society. Living in rather small quarters, they both were limited to activities around their hospitals’ properties. At

George’s rehabilitation center, I was told that the residents’ favorite pastime was watching The Price Is Right together. As I watched their expressionless faces take in the mildly entertaining game show, I knew something needed to change. Through neglect and isolation, younger people are socially mistreating the elderly. This harmful division between different age groups is depriving younger people of valuable wisdom. It is also causing many older people to feel unappreciated. The elderly’s priceless stories, advice, and opinions deserve to be brought to light. In an attempt to derive valuable sentiments from older ones in my own community, I asked my three interviewees about their stories and advice toward students. George, Daphne, and Pam each had unique and interesting responses to my questions. Throughout their interviews, there was a strong emphasis on the value of education. By listening to what senior citizens have to say, young students can receive valuable direction that they would not find anywhere else.

George: A Firmly Rooted Man

y first interview was with a man who had both a bold legacy and a kind soul. George Kobayashi, age 76, is a Japanese-American living in the Los Altos SubAcute and Rehabilitation Center. He was willing to do the interview despite losing his wife less than a week before I met with him. His answers were thorough; he talked about his past unsparingly and had priceless advice for younger people. He prided himself on his academia. Although him and his family came from humble beginnings, their lives unfolded to show a pattern of academic and secular success. George is a college-graduate, former librarian, and veteran. His life, full of excitement and diversity, is enviable and respectable. There are many reasons why George’s legacy should be preserved. Towards the end of his interview, he told me that the key takeaways for younger ones were the pursuit of education and the importance of having a tight knit family. Due to racial segregation, he was forced to live in an internment camp as a child. He spent two years at the Tule Lake internment camp in Northern California. The National Park Service says, “Tule Lake Segregation Center was the only internment camp designated as a ‘segregation center’” (“Tule Lake Unit...” in National Parks Service). This was, no doubt, an unpleasant environment to be brought up in. There was no diversity, so it could put him down. If I were interned for my race, I would not feel motivated to be something special when I grew up. After his time here, he spent another year at the Amache internment camp in Colorado. Despite missing grade school all the while, though, he ultimately became a U.C. Berkeley graduate. Seeing how he worked his way up to 5

getting a University of California degree allows us to derive useful insight for students who may not be at a high academic level, but are interested in advancing. He called his mother the “mastermind” behind getting him and all of his siblings into U.C.’s. To get them to an adequate level in school, she put all of them through junior college in Sacramento. This community college was not far from where they lived, so they took public transportation to get there. From Sacramento, George transferred to U.C. Berkeley for two years. The rest of his siblings also transferred to other U.C.’s and graduated. This string of academic success shows that, despite what some believe, it is not shameful for students to take advantage of the help that their community provides. I have noticed that many of my peers have developed a negative view of community college. George, however, had no complaints about his educational background. In fact, community college was what gave him the help he needed to graduate from a university as renowned and respected as U.C. Berkeley. George’s educational experience provides the youth with an opportunity to see how community college genuinely impacts you. This is valuable information among the mess of high school students’ opinions. George and his siblings did not only rely on help from their community, but also on support from their parents. In our interview, he told me, “I think education is primary. Thanks to my mother she got us through. Every time we’d graduated, she had a picture on the wall. It was her pride and joy” (Kobayashi). George spoke quite fondly of his mother, who took pride in seeing her children do well. She assisted them on their way to success and enjoyed seeing

them achieve it. One paper called Parent Involvement and Students’ Academic Achievement: A Meta-Analysis states, “Supervision has very low relationship with students’ academic achievement, whereas parents’ aspiration/expectation for their children’s educational achievement has the strongest relationship with students’ academic achievement” (Fan and Chen). This coincides with George’s situation. His mother’s high aspirations for him and his siblings led them to nice schools and admirable careers. This shows that, while the community helps youth to receive a proper education, parent’s expectations and positive support have a heavy influence on this as well. Being that they are the next generation of parents, it is important that the youth know this so that they can start thinking about how to raise up successful children. Upon graduating, George became a librarian, a teacher, and for a short time – a Marine. After acquiring a valuable U.C. Berkeley degree, he could have chased after purely secular pursuits. Instead, he gave back to a society that interned him and his family. By teaching and working as a librarian, he contributed to the academic growth of his community. His incredible story serves as a beneficial reminder to kids who are planning on receiving a higher education. What students do not often think about is whether they will use their college degrees selfishly or unselfishly. Going to college is becoming increasingly common. Vista College says, “These days, the United States has turned from being an economy that was once manufacturing-based, to one that is now knowledge-based, and the significance of a higher education today may be compared to what having a high school education back 40 years ago provided: more opportunity and better career options” (“The Importance of 7

Higher Education...” in Vista College). Students are expected to attain a higher education now more than ever. Since many students assume that they are going to college from an early age, they may not think about what they want to do with their degree. George exemplified the fulfillment that comes from dedicating yourself to your community. As he reflected on his life, he was overwhelmingly positive. His contagious smile was that of a man with pride. George’s accomplishments, energy, and advice should be considered gems by any student who is seeking a fulfilling life like his.

George Kobayashi

Daphne Chan: A Rose in the Rough W

hen walking through the quiet suburbs around Los Altos High School, one may stumble across the Chan house. Oftentimes, Arthur will be on the porch admiring his well kempt roses. Other times, his wife Daphne is out feeding birds in their front yard. Daphne and Arthur have always been my favorite neighbors in the Gemello neighborhood. I was very excited when I heard that Daphne was willing to do an interview with me. She is a poised woman with a sharp mind. Her calm demeanor masks her intense background. She was born in Burma, and later immigrated to the United States. Throughout her interesting life, she has acquired a fair share of general wisdom that can apply to any student. Daphne told me that she grew up fairly “well to do.” Her family had many nannies and servants. Life was going nicely for them until her country went to war. At only nine years old, Daphne and her eleven siblings had to evacuate from their home. In an effort to flee to India, her family caught one of the last planes that left Burma. Where I live, in the Silicon Valley, I have not experienced a state of disaster as devastating as that. Daphne comes from a generation that experienced more war than today’s younger generation. Despite going through a time that was this frightening, Daphne did not lose sight of her values. When I asked Daphne what values were instilled in her, she said, “Well, first thing was education; my father was a great believer in education. And, to do the best we could. Life would do good to us if we took care of ourselves and the people around us. That worked out well” (Chan). Much like George, Daphne’s most important 9

value in life is education. Her second belief, that she should take care of herself and the people around her, is a very simple ideology that also lines up with George’s lifestyle. George showed this by the jobs he chose to do for his community. Daphne, however, helped people in different way. Since her husband is Chinese and her children are of Chinese extract, they were experiencing hardship in Burma. In 1976, Daphne saw that her partially Chinese children would not be able to get into good schools or colleges. She decided to move to America in pursuit of a place where her family would be accepted. While it may have been difficult to leave the country she was born in, Daphne’s unselfish values are what determined her course of action. Today’s younger generation has multiple unselfish routes that they can take in life. There is the route that George took: taking care of your community by working a selfless job. Or, there it the route that Daphne took: sacrificing some personal desires for the greater good of your family. While most younger people are not yet parents, many of them will be eventually and it is important to think about the kind of life that both they and their future family will live. That is one reason that Daphne’s advice is so valuable. She advised using education to help, not only other people, but also yourself. Daphne’s opinion on the use of education shows that there should be a balance between these two things. Getting a well paying job may not be selfish if it is used to help family. With Daphne’s strong principles and sharp mind, it is no wonder why her work proceeded to call her back until she was nearly eighty years old. She is a fine example of someone who was balanced in caring for both herself and others. With her value of education

leading the way she lived and the way she raised her children, Daphne had what most people would consider a fulfilling life. While values vary from person to person, Daphne’s were very general and practical for virtually anyone. Living in such a balanced way is truly enviable. But whether you are selfish with the way you use your degree or not, the key takeaway from this interview was that you must acquire a good education in the first place. She told me, “Education is number one” (Chan). This information could be sobering to teens who are on the fence about higher education.

Pam: A Petal on the Pavement P

am is a sixty two year old residing in the Mountain View Healthcare Center. As she grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, she watched it go through many significant changes. These changes were amplified with by the booming invasion of the tech industry. During our interview, Pam reflected on her life as a kid. We compared some of the old fashioned values that were instilled in her, with modern values. She put quite a bit of thought into her answers, arriving at conclusions that could be useful for students. Her advice for students was not only beneficial, but also heartfelt. One change in the Bay Area that affected Pam personally, was the high cost of living. She sold a house eight years ago for $700,000 and it is now worth $2.5 million. Pam argued, “I feel like no one’s even going to be able to buy a house in the Bay Area. I mean like - if you go to college and get married, how are you going to buy a house here?” (Evans). Pam makes a valid point. Students may not have the ability to get a reliable job immediately after college. If the rent in the place where they want to live is going up, they may not be able to stay financially afloat. The Harvard Business Review reports, “No matter where students choose to go to college, once they’re actually on campus, they should chase after experiences—whether undergraduate research, study abroad, or internships—that will arm them with interpersonal skills” (Selingo). Some kids who get into good colleges may feel that they have already made it. It is important though, that students look for formative experiences in college to be prepared for their lives in the real world. As a student, I know 13

what is required of me to get into a good college, but I have no idea how to stay afloat once I am on my own. American high schools’ common emphasis on higher education is important, but it does not prepare students for the reality that awaits them. There is no mandatory class that tells students how to manage their lives after college. Due to their many successes and failures, older ones carry general wisdom that could greatly help students in high school or college. The Council of Graduate Schools argues, “Student loans are only one part of the financial picture for today’s students. But the growing number of students and families taking on debt to pay for higher education and the growing amount of that debt suggest that debt management skills must be a vital part of the education provided to U.S. undergraduate and graduate students” (“Why Is Financial...” in Council of Graduate Schools). While some younger ones may think that it is a waste of time, it may be beneficial to them to talk to older people about life after school. Gaining different perspectives on how other people dealt with finances and the stresses of independence could be useful to an inexperienced student. Another change Pam has seen, that expands beyond the Bay Area, is how people today are drifting away from family life. Pam says, “We all always sat down to dinner, 6 o’clock. That type of thing. It was family vacations all the time. It was rare, like the first 20 years of my life, that anybody got divorced. Now, everybody's parents are divorced. I’ve been divorced twice. It was just different” (Evans). For highschool students planning on using the institution of marriage to be a stay-at-home mom or dad - it may not be their

best bet. Divorce is at a higher rate than ever. Pam was a randomly chosen interviewee and she has been divorced twice. This shows that the need to be self-sufficient is even greater than it was in the past. It is clear, then, why George and Daphne’s views on education go hand in hand with Pam’s outlook on life. Today, higher education is almost institutionalized because of how necessary it is. Having a degree gives you the ability to pursue a more academic course of life, which from the interviews I have gathered, seems to go quite well. Pam’s thoughts were very valuable and timely for any young student.

Conclusion Much like a flower, older ones start to wither. This, though, does not erase their beautiful legacies. George Kobayashi, Daphne Chan, and Pamela Evans are incredible human beings. Their memory deserves to be preserved; their reflections offer invaluable advice for students and other young people. The shows a stark contrast between the negative qualities people often label them with, and how they truly are. They gave students an opportunity to gain the perspectives of intelligent, fulfilled people on the topic of education. This was a formative experience for me, and a useful resource for any student. The senior citizens in our society have proved to be an indispensable source of knowledge for the young. From this point forward, it is important that the youth have an open mind when talking to their elders, giving them the respect they deserve and receiving their necessary guidance.

Works Cited

Chan, Daphne. Personal Interview. 13 April 2018. Evans, Pam. Personal Interview. 22 April 2018. Lin, Judy. “Honor or Abandon: Societies' Treatment of Elderly Intrigues Scholar.” UCLA Newsroom, 7 Jan. 2010, newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/jared-diamond-on-aging-150571. Fan, Xitao, and Michael Chen. “Parental Involvement and Student's Academic Achievement: A Meta-Analysis.” Educational Psychology Review, 2001. Kobayashi, George. Personal Interview. 11 April 2018. Selingo, Jeffrey J. “Two-Thirds of College Grads Struggle to Launch Their Careers.” Harvard Business Review, 31 May 2016, hbr.org/2016/05/two-thirds-of-college-grads-struggle-to-launch-their-careers. “The Importance of Higher Education in the 21st Century.” Vista College, 16 Jan. 2018, www.vistacollege.edu/blog/resources/higher-education-in-the-21st-century/. “Tule Lake Unit, Part of WWII Valor in the Pacific National Monument California.” National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, www.nps.gov/nr/travel/cultural_diversity/tule_lake_unit_wwii_valor_in_the_ pacific_national_monument.html. “Why Is Financial Education Necessary for Today's Undergrads and Graduate Students?” Council of Graduate Schools, 2017, cgsnet.org/why-is-financial-education-necessary.

Elijah Confortola is a student at Los Altos High School. He was born and raised in Mountain View, California of the Silicon Valley.

A Word to the Wise Elijah Confortola