P ALUMNI TALKS
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Mathis 2006
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Who are you? 20??
by
Dania 2015
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Who are you? 20??
2018 “P” ALUMNI TALKS
by Michelle Mathis-Arslan 2006
Our next speaker is someone that current P-villians may recognize. Michelle Mathis has been around this school year observing Mr P’s class as it is a college requirement for her to do so since she is studying to become a high school social science teacher. What a crazy woman she is, right?
Mathis, as P simply calls her, has spent more time in P7 as an alumni than even the famous Kevan Romero. You can read Mathis’ random ramblings in the Great Comeback Lines of P-ville Book which King P has Alumni write in when they return for P-ville visits. Over the years, Mathis has done quite a bit and has lots of interesting things to say, if you engage her. Mathis eventually went on to get a Bachelor’s degree studying international relations with a focus on the Middle East in Washington DC, where she also interned for a member of Congress. Years ago (in 2011, to be precise), Mathis gave a P Alumni talk on that strange and unique experience working for a member of Congress.
Bored with Torrance and America, Mathis drifted overseas for several years and settled in such interesting places as Lebanon and Turkey. Eventually she married a Kurdish dude from Turkey and returned to the USA, where she hopes to begin a crazy career as a crazy teacher like crazy Mr P.
Mathis is a beautifully nervous natured creature of the planet who loves to think and not live the boring life that so many do. So it is a great honor to have her here not to help Mr P with grading or setting up a crazy Space Race lesson but to talk to you about her experience at Cal State Long Beach and ...
2) What is the name of your talk?
by Edmund Yong 2000
Our next speaker is ...(Clap!)
3) Debunking College Myths (and some tips)
by Dania Fadawi 2015
Our next speaker is ...(Clap!)
4) What is the name of your talk?
by Alex Chavarria 2009
Our next speaker is… (Clap!)
2017 “P” ALUMNI TALKS
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Lauren Stowe 2011
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Kevan Behan 2007
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Kavita Kapur 2001
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Michelle Mathis-Arslan 2006
by Lauren Stowe 2011
P-ville Hall of Famer Lauren Stowe frequented P-Ville around 2011-2013 as a P2 World History student, Supreme Council Member and later an elder and Philosopher Queen (TA) before moving beyond the Land of the West.
Stowe, as King P simply referred to her, was a regular at P7. She would participate in discussions to resolve the latest P-ville problems. Also, in the spirit of Nick’s Lange and Nick Quan, Stowe paid attention to the nuisances of P’s power pts and class calendar and thus could provide assistance to update such things for King P while he worked on other matters during P7. Yet, P7 was NOT only work. There were P Cinema showing like Koyaanisqatsi (Stowe’s favorite and a film she always tells P to keep showing each year). In P7, there was much philosophical discussion that Stowe always seemed to be around for. Whether it was with current P-villians or when P Alumni who came back to talk to King P. Stowe, like Shingo this year, was smart enough to simply listen to P talk to the P Alumni. Often times, Stowe would hear P talk with random P Alumni who would randomly show up to P7 and chat with King P. Those mind-bending conversations were all over the place. Yet, some topics had a profound impact on Stowe whether she realized it or not. The Period 7 chats about other cultures and how much one could learn from traveling echoed in Stowe’s head. It was no wonder, upon going away to college, that Stowe came back to tell King P she was going abroad to study in Italy. When she returned from Italy and stopped by P7, King P noticed something about Stowe’s eyes. She was infected with something P was quite familiar with. Stowe was infected with the Travel Bug. She had been out traveling and did NOT want to come back. She wanted to keep going.
In a way, Stowe has kept up the travel. She has squeezed traveling in between visiting her family in Torrance and going to college in Washington State. More recently, this past year Stowe had the privilege to travel and do a semester at sea. Today she is here to talk about that unique experience and what she learned from it. Give a nice warm welcome back to an old P7 regular and world traveler Lauren Stowe (Clap!)
by Kevan Behan 2007
Kevan Behan, like all of us here, is unique. Yet, Kevan’s unique connection to P-ville is worth sharing. (PAUSE) Kevan has no connection. (PAUSE) He was never in Mr P’s class. Thus, he has no connection. Well, not really… but sort of. You see...Kevan was scheduled to be in King P’s World History class 10 years ago back in 2007.
His mother who has worked at West High for years helping students with special needs was looking forward to her youngest son, Kevan being in P’s World History Class. Mrs Behan, Kevan’s mom, is one of very few adults who actually sat thru all of King P’s lessons while assisting a student with special needs back in like 2004. Mrs Behan liked P’s class and P liked having her around as she gave great help and added fun snarky Irish-like comments much as Mr Welch would do during his class visits.
But back to 2007… that was the year Mr P took a year “ON”, not off, but “ON” and traveled around the world. Mrs Behan shocked and bitter would say to Mr P half-joking and half with intentions of guilt to P, “You cant go get lost in Siberia! What are you going to do out there? You can travel after my son’s been in your class.” Of course, P didnt listen. Long story short, P traveled that year and Kevan and P’s path did NOT cross until a few years ago. Mrs Behan was telling P what her son was up to with his interesting educational job. P invited Kevan to P7 a while back. In rapid conversation, P and Kevan dove deep into philosophical discussion about school, learning, technology, Neil Postman, the power of ideas, and making change for the better.
And now amidst a quarter life-like crisis, Kevan is here to share with you some of his ideas about learning. So give it up for a unique guy with unique ideas… the unique Kevan Behan. (Clap and Cheer!)
by Kavita Kapur 2001
Hey, you little teenagers out there. Our next speaker is old. She comes from the prehistoric time when there was no P-ville yet. Yes, it was the Prehistoric time known as the Nader Era. Kavita Kapur was in Mr P’s 2001 AP American History class. Today Kavita is closer in age to Mr P than she is with P’s current students. Wow! That is old. Actually, being old is a relative term. Kavita is actually quite young and full of life.
King P likens Kavita to a bird. She is always flying about to various parts of the world and doing interesting things. With a background as a lawyer, Kavita has flown to such places as the Dominican Republic where she worked for the United Nations as an international immigrant rights lawyer. She also volunteered last year in Greece to help with the refugee crisis. When she is NOT traveling far off in the world, Kavita pops back into Torrance to visit her family. Yet, she is never here too long before she is off flying like a bird to some interesting part of the world.
Mr P is really honored to keep in touch with former students like Kavita who are among P’s first students. Kavita comes from an awesome cluster of former students which include Most Radical Nerds Graham Oleson and Nick Nader of Nader’s Island. It has been a total joy watching young students turn into such awesome adults. Whether over breakfast at Rex’s Cafe in San Pedro or a visit to Reading Wednesday, Mr P thoroughly enjoys having philosophical chats and getting life updates from former students like Kavita. Yes, you young teenagers can also come to Reading Wednesday one day when you get old and transform into a cool adult like Kavita.
With so so much to talk about and so little time, Kavita has flown into P7 today to talk to you about privilege and opportunity. Having been to various parts of the planet and seeing and experiencing such things firsthand, Kavita knows what she is talking about. So, sit back, listen, ponder and enjoy. But first, let’s give a big round of applause for an old great… clap it up for Kavita Kapur! (Clap and Cheer!)
4) Books are Our Friends
by Michelle Mathis-Arslan 2006
Our next speaker is someone that current P-villians may recognize. Michelle Mathis has been around this school year observing Mr P’s class as it is a college requirement for her to do so since she is studying to become a high school social science teacher. What a crazy woman she is, right? Who would want to become a high school social science teacher since all the kids are taking online classes these days?
Mathis, as P simply calls her, has spent more time in P7 as an alumni than even the famous Kevan Romero. You can read Mathis’ random ramblings in the Great Comeback Lines of P-ville Book which King P has Alumni write in when they return for P-ville visits. Over the years, Mathis has done quite a bit and has lots of interesting things to say, if you engage her. Mathis eventually went on to get a Bachelor’s degree studying international relations with a focus on the Middle East in Washington DC, where she also interned for a member of Congress. Years ago (in 2011, to be precise), Mathis gave a P Alumni talk on that strange and unique experience working for a member of Congress.
Bored with Torrance and America, Mathis drifted overseas for several years and settled in such interesting places as Lebanon and Turkey. Eventually she married a Kurdish dude from Turkey and returned to the USA, where she hopes to begin a crazy career as a crazy teacher like crazy Mr P.
Mathis is a beautifully nervous natured creature of the planet who loves to think and not live the boring life that so many do. So it is a great honor to have her here not to help Mr P with grading or setting up a crazy Space Race lesson but to just talk to you all about a friend. Mathis recently went to Korea (and did NOT want to come back). There… Mathis was amazed by the futuristic and functionality of large cities with REAL public transport and health care. Mathis also met a friend there. She would like to introduce you all to that friend. So let’s give a huge applause to Mathis and her friend (Clap!)