LMP 3 2021-22
End of Program Reflections May 17, 2022
What were the three most important lessons you learned from LMP? (life and hospitality)
Describe your most memorable experience in LMP.
What was your proudest or happiest moment in high school?
What were the challenges you had to overcome in high school?
What is your biggest regret during high school?
How has high school prepared you for college and career?
If you had to re-do high school, what is one major change you would make?
Who was your favorite guest speaker in the last three years of LMP?
What was your favorite ice breaker question? Explain.
What advice do you have for the incoming hospitality students?
Add your favorite photos from CO2022 website.
The three most important lessons that I have learned in LMP were to communicate well and effectively with others, accept rejection, and to always plan ahead. Communication is very important because without it, we would not understand each other. When we accept rejection, we accept criticism and allow for growth to happen. Without rejection, it will not allow us to work on the things we need to improve on, it is always to ensure growth and development in the future. Planning ahead keeps us from being lost, unorganized, and unprepared for life. Using your phone for your reminders app or even using a journal to plan your day is extremely important. It helps us stay on track and stress free.
My most memorable moment in high school would have to be the Ted Talk presentations. Being able to speak out loud to my classmates and other respected adults gave me courage and a sense of confidence in myself. This was something I have never done before, public speaking. The outcome of it all was nothing but positive.
Spending quality time with my friends would be one of happiest moments in high school. Everyday, it is always a new adventure with them. We're either laughing, making jokes, rapping, singing, or dancing. There is never a boring or dull moment when I am with them. They make this whole high school experience worth living.
A huge challenge that I had to overcome was online learning. Because of the covid-19 outbreak, our island was forced to shut down, which resulted in schools being online. This was a nightmare. I experienced severe learning loss, laziness, stress, depression, was uninterested, and unmotivated to do anything. Waking up felt more like a chore, rather than doing something I actually liked. It is something I hope to never experience again.
My biggest regret in high school was not taking advantage of the programs they offer to help you in college. I wish my mindset at the time was more future driven, which would allow me to research further into this topic. Unfortunately, I wasn't and it was too late. Now, the process may take a little longer, but hopefully I will eventually get there.
Personally, high school was a stepping stone into college and my career. I had to learn how to be independent and start doing things on my own. With this, college can be much easier. Of course, LMP has been a huge factor in prepping me for my future jobs/career. I've completed my resume, gained a bit of experience in dealing with guests and people, as well as working on myself.
If I had the chance to re-do high school, a major change I would make is to join sports. Over the last 4 years, I have not joined a single sport. I was okay in volleyball, but I could've been better. I was always too afraid of joining because of ride issues before, scared of getting injured, no support from my parents, and just being incapable to succeed in that sport. Sports would've helped me interact with more people, as well as staying active and fit.
My favorite guest speaker in the last three years would be Dr. Betances. Even before Dr. B spoke to us, Mr. Chong has already shown some of his work to us. He was such an insightful and inspirational man. The moment he spoke to us, all the attention shifted towards him. The voice projection, hand movements, and choice of words was extremely inspiring and captivating.
There were so many ice breakers over the last three years, that it makes it hard to choose a favorite. Each ice breaker has its own uniqueness that brings the class together. Some were playful, while other were deep. I enjoyed all of them. It definitely brought us together in a way and made our bond stronger. I will surely miss these ice breaker questions.
To the incoming hospitality students, I have a few advices for you. First, DO YOUR WORK! Try your best not to procrastinate because piling your work is not fun. You will have to do it eventually, if you want to pass. Second, no call no show is never okay! You must inform Mr. Chong if you are going to be absent or late to class, along with an excuse as to why. No call no show is a big no in his class and in the working field. Lastly, don't be afraid. High school is all about trying new things and exploring what you like and don't like. If you want to do something, GO FOR IT, you never know you might like it and succeed. However, if it doesn't go too well then that is okay. You learn and grow as you go.
Restaurant Project May 13, 2022
What? What was the project about? What was your role? The restaurant project consisted of prostart and lmp students working together to create, market, and advertise a restaurant. Prostart's job was to make the food choices, as well as come up with a theme of what they are cooking. In this case, they chose to prepare Chinese cuisines. Our job, lmp students, was to market and advertise this Chinese restaurant. We made the menu, flyer, created an Instagram page, researched about the Chinese cuisines, and we were in charge of serving the guests. My role was the host. Upon arrival, my task was to invite the panelist with warm, welcoming remarks. I also guided them to their seats and gave the menu.So What? What was the outcome of the project and service? What did you learn about marketing? Discuss your team's performance.The outcome of our project was positive. We received great feedback from the panelist, along with Mr. Chong. Two weeks before this project, we were assigned by Mr.Chong to research some ways to market and advertise a business/restaurant. Upon researching, I found that there are many great ways to market and advertise. Doing different kinds of advertisements can really help your business grow, whether that is through social media, press printing (newspapers), and street marketing. I feel that my team and I did extremely well on this project. We were organized, prepared, and professional. I am glad that we all put in the work and effort to make this successful. It surely left a big smile on the guests' face.
Now what? If you had to re-do this, what would you do differently to improve? Discuss what went well and what changes need to be made. If we had the chance to re-do this project, I would definitely prefer to have different room circumstances. In chef's room, it was very hot and I know that everyone in that room can feel it. There were also some of the prostart students who aren't in the kitchen cooking just there in their classroom. I would prefer it if it was only the prostart chefs, panelist, and the lmp students to be there. It was a bit too loud and people were just all over the place. As for our performance, we did well. The servers explained their cuisines nicely, as well as serving it on the table and putting it away. As the host, I made sure that I interacted with the guests in order to make them feel more comfortable. I don't think I would make any changes to our project. I am beyond grateful for my team and Mr. Chong in making this a successful restaurant project.
Classroom Environment Reflections April 7, 2022
Write your final reflection in two to three paragraphs on how you feel about your classroom environment. Topics to discuss: respect, openness, freedom to question, learning climate engagement and interaction, classroom cleanliness, compare and comment your current in-person class vs last year's online class, any suggestions for improvements, share about highlights of this year, and comment your honest level of effort and motivation (high to low).
This class has changed drastically for the better. From my sophomore year to now, I've grown to be the young women that I hoped to be. This class has helped me gain so much confidence over the last 2 years. I used to be so shy and hesitant to speak my mind to others. Even the slightest interaction with people would make me nervous. Thankfully, with the help of Mr. Chong and my classmates, I've now mastered the ability to be more open and comfortable with my people, as well as displaying great public speaking skills. Not only does this industry require human interaction, but it will surely help outside of that. Back in December, Mr. Chong assigned the idea of "Ted Talks," where we shared our adversity to our classmates and a few respected adults. This was one of my proudest moments, where I spoke with great strength, from my voice projection, to my attire, and my stance. This was the confidence I've built throughout my years in this class.
Something I will forever value in this class is the bond among my peers. From being shy sophomores who wouldn't talk to each other on the first day of school, to a bunch of close friends who will share the craziest stories to each other. We've all laughed and cried to each other in ways that I never imagined would happen. I thank Mr. Chong for this because he encouraged all of us to become close with one another, whether that was through ice breakers, activities, field trips, presentations, and overall just interactions with each other. I deeply value and will always cherish moments like these.
Overall, this class has been through a lot. Back in junior year, online classes took place and it was extremely stressful for mostly everyone. The inability to focus due to learning through a screen was exhausting, as well as the loss of motivation to do anything. Personally, I learn best through attending class and being taught face to face with my classmates. Nevertheless, we've overcome this adversity and that is all that matters. As we near the end of the school year, I tend to reflect on what has happened throughout the years, both good and bad memories. I will cherish all the laughs, cries, and adventures I've had with Mr. Chong and my peers. I wish for Mr. Chong to continue on being the excellent instructor that he is, and to help guide students for success, as he did with me.
Onra Moment April 7, 2022
Dr. B's article explains important key factors to prepare for life after high school. He further explains that we should all prepare for college, and he shares some tips on how to do so. Mentors, coaches, and guides (family members, friends) will be our best friends, for they will help us when we need it. They are here to help guide and assist us, as well as listen to our plans and also our struggles. Doing research in the field that you are planning to pursue is extremely crucial. Dr. B explains that we can do this by listening to TED talks, YouTube videos, or even read articles. Interviewing a successful college graduate about how to prepare for life after high school would also help. He talks about reading a memoir of someone who experienced the same adversity as you, who also paved way for change and healing to happen. In addition to this, reading a biography of a successful person who share the same future career as you is important. By doing this, you learn and reflect on their experience and apply to yours. Lastly, he explains the details of taking one of the first steps into college, which is the placement test at GCC or UOG. To prepare for this, we must ask for assistance from GCC or UOG on what we should study for in order to prepare us for the test.
Dr. B's presentation was more powerful and inspirational. From his voice projection, to his stance, the passionateness and seriousness of his teachings are there. His article is very much straightforward, whereas his presentation goes more in depth. For example, he talks more about his background and life, how we dropped out of high school and then having 2 degrees in Harvard, as well as writing 9 books. He talks more about education and how it will transform us for our future. Social capital was also mentioned. Overall, his presentation talks more about the points that were written in the article, as well as providing examples to help us.
There were many great life lessons during Dr. B's presentation, but only 2 of them stuck out to me the most. First, he says "Without education, you cannot transform yourself," I find this lesson to be true. Education is extremely important for our future goals and career, as it embeds the important and necessary information in our brains. In order to achieve this, I must attend school and learn at my very best. Lastly, the second lesson is to not be angry at your parents for not teaching you to become successful. My parents did not have the chance to finish college, nor go to one, but that should not stop me from doing so. It is MY responsibility to put in the work, to become the successful human being that I want to be. I should not blame my parents for being unable to teach me success, for they did not have it, but rather thank them for giving me life.
Mrs. Carol Cruz's GCC Presentation February 12, 2022
My class and I had the pleasure of hearing Mrs. Cruz's presentation about GCC and the hospitality industry. I learned many things from her presentation. Mrs. Cruz has shown us a line graph that projected the arrival of visitors throughout the years. Within those years, I learned about how and why the numbers increased and decreased. I learned that at one point, we hit one million visitors. Despite the pandemic, the hospitality industry continued to stay in business. It may not have been in the hotels, but it was through retraining their skills. Now, we are currently rebounding from the loss.
I also learned about GCC's environment and education. Did you know that you only take 2 classes a week? I was very surprised to hear that. GCC offers many programs to help you with just about anything. Their website is very informational, as well as easily accessible for incoming students, which makes things so much easier. They have a friendly environment, which I find very comforting. Overall, I enjoyed Mrs. Cruz's presentation and I am considering giving GCC a chance.
Freshmen Recruitment Reflections January 31, 2022
What? What is the freshmen recruitment all about? What was your role? How did you prepare for this? The freshmen recruitment is all about preparing a presentation that entails what our program consists of, as a way encouraging these freshman to join our hospitality program. I was a presenter, along with the other members of my group. Mr. Chong prepared a powerpoint presentation, while we took turns stating the information on the slides. We prepared by assigning each presenter a slide, and also practicing how we should enunciate our words and greetings. Attire was also crucial to this recruitment, as we wore our hospitality shirts to look organized and uniformed.
So what? What was the outcome of your presentations? Describe the audience's responses. How did you feel after you presented? How do you feel about your public speaking skills? What did you learned about marketing and promoting our program? What were the challenges in recruiting freshmen?
I believe my team and I did a great job at explaining what the hospitality program is all about. We spoke loudly, clearly, and proudly of our program. I feel as though my public speaking skills have improved compared to my freshman year, for I am less shy and more confident. However, our audience did not seem very enthusiastic nor interested. They were quiet and did not ask many questions, which I was bummed out. I was expecting a more interactive audience. This resulted in a little disappointment from me and my group mates, but we tried not to let it affect us too much. This was also a bit of a challenge, trying to maintain the energy and ensuring that they stay focused. Regardless of the difficulties, we still did a great job. I learned that marketing and promoting a program isn't quite easy, you need keep your audience engaged as well as trying to make it fun and enjoyable for everyone.Now what? If you were to re-do this, what would you do differently? What changes would you make? How do you ensure a successful presentation?If I were to do this differently, I would ask Mr.Chong to help us interact with the students more. With his help, it'll be more alive, since the teacher is talking. Another change would probably be to incorporate a small funny skit or of any sort just to make the presentation more lively and fun for the students. Having a mixture of seriousness and fun, as well as staying organized, great enunciation of words, and voice projection is a great tactic to ensure a successful presentation.
TED Talks Reflection December 13, 2021
On December 9, 2021, my class and I presented our TED Talks that are about overcoming adversities. My topic was about self acceptance. I spoke about my struggles and how I managed to move forward and overcome this adversity with the help of family, friends, and most importantly, myself. Days prior to this presentation date, I remembered staying up late at night and rehearsing in front of a mirror. Preparing my attire the night before was very important so that I wouldn't stress about it on the day of. I had written my whole essay on flashcards in case I forgot. In the end, I believe that I delivered this essay with my whole heart and for that I am extremely proud.
After my presentation, I felt relieved, like a huge weight on my shoulders have been lifted. I felt proud, for I have never done that before. All those sleepless nights and scratchy vocals, it was definitely worth it. Strength, courage, and confidence was an overall feeling after this victorious day.
As I reflect back on that day, there are some things that I would've done differently such as saying everything that I had prepared that day, but the nerves sort of got the best of me. This essay has given me the power and courage to share my story to those that struggle with this adversity too. I believe that helping these young teenagers are a big priority and shouldn't be left unnoticed. The panelists' feedback was inspirational. Hearing them talk about how proud they are and how much of a "giant" I was, according to Dr. Betances, strengthened my self esteem. Their positivity and empathy gave me the motivation and strength to move forward.
