Golden Apple Award 2000; 19; Interview with Iris Garcia

7 -8 on May 20th and it'll air again after that if you do miss it, but I don't know when I don't know, but they're scheduled to repeat it a little bit now, but then where's the board? So did you pass? I can't. I hope we didn't rush it through it. Oh, we're gonna have Marla go over and finish the test for you. We couldn't get her to do it. We're all. Okay. First question is always the hardest. Please give me your name and spell it for us. Iris Garcia, I -R -I -S -G -A -R -C -I -A. And what grade are you in? 8th grade. 8th grade. Okay. Okay. Iris? How many? Oh, I'm sorry. That's somebody just chiming in with a question. Hey, how many? Tell me about your first performance when you did with the other young lady. It was a poem that we wrote in collaboration. We wrote it together. We took turns writing a line and it was in response to the movie Dead Poets Society. Why Dead Poets Society?

We watched it here in this class and we were analyzing it and writing responses to it. Okay. Great. What is it about Miss Scott's class that you think is unique? What is it that's so different that it stands out from other classes that you've taken? You have more freedom and you can express yourself in here. And that's a real change from other classes where it's all just the books and raising your hand. And right here you just talk and you learn. I notice you had a lot to say. Is this something you feel is very different? You haven't had a chance to express yourself in another area of your life or in other classes that makes it very different here? Well, in other classes you can't really give your opinion because they're not that type of class. They're just writing wrong answers and right here it's what you think it's not right or wrong.

And... Can you think of something Miss Scott has done for you personally? What is it about Miss Scott that just brought something out of you? Well, Miss Scott's more like a friend than a teacher and that's why she's very different, very deserving of this award. One time, one of my friends, which is in our class, needed wax for her braces because she had just gotten them. And Miss Scott went to the store and bought the wax brace for her. Yeah, I can honestly say I've never had a teacher buy me brace wax or floss or anything like that. What do you think is the most important thing that you're getting out of this class? I'm learning more about myself because right here we are exploring ourselves to through many ways. We're doing the six thinking

hats that you saw today. And we're doing our portfolio with the theme of beginnings and endings. And it really helps because I think that's what most teenagers are looking for, who they are. And this really helps me. When Miss Scott talks about finding your voice, what's she talking about? Just talking about how most kids are quiet and they don't speak up for themselves. And if you have your voice, you don't need anybody to defend you because you're there for you. And I am the person I'm most stressed in the world, so. Anything else you want to add about Miss Scott or about this class? Anything you feel I've missed? This is just bursting out to be said. You're going to write a poem about this after I'm done. You're standing up there next to people snapping their fingers. No,

that's something I'm kind of curious about. How does this beetnik... I'm completely... Yeah, but it's the word I'm missing completely. The beetnik style. What's that all about? I wasn't there when this came out, but Miss Scott introduced this to us. And it's just that the beetnik era makes you feel more comfortable. It's the dark audience and the fingers snap into your work. It makes you feel more in an environment which you trust more. And it's fun. And we're learning and having fun at the same time. And that's why it works. It's just a little surprising. I mean, the beetniks were even a little bit before my time. So they were like, how do you know about beetniks? Well, we started about them and I've heard about them before. We watched... I've watched movies

about them. I don't know if anybody else has but... We just... You just seem very at home as a beetnik with the hat of the style. Everything, you know. Wearing black. This is normal. It's just a style you're kind of coming accustomed to. Something to light. Something you'll carry with you after this. Yeah. It's normal for me. Even though I'm not as normal as most people believe normal has to be. But... Do you think you found your voice? Yeah. And how have you found it? How do you express it? What's your favorite way to express it? Holy tree. I like the right ones. And... Okay. Randy? No. Okay. Sure, absolutely. One thing that Irish has done was great. You jumped from one to the other in the same poem for instance.

That is neat. I've written the same poem in English and Spanish. And then the English poem is called Mimundo. And the Spanish poem is called Mero. Okay. That's pretty impressive. I wish I had heard that today. Well, thank you very much. You You You You You You You

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