What to Do If Youre Placed on Academic Probation

What to Do If Youre Placed on Academic Probation Being placed on academic probation while in college is serious business. You may have known it was coming, you may have had no idea it was coming- but now that its here, its time to sit up and pay attention. What Exactly Is Academic Probation? Academic probation can mean various things at different colleges and universities. Usually, however, it means that your academic performance (either in a series of classes or through your GPA) is not strong enough for you to be making acceptable progress toward your degree. Consequently, if you dont improve, you may be asked (translation: required) to leave the college. Learn the Specifics of Your Probation Just like schools can have different definitions of academic probation, students can have different terms for their academic probation. Read the fine print of your warning letter and make sure you understand everything thats in there. How do you need to change your academic standing? To what? By when? What happens if you dont do so- will you need to leave the college? Leave just the residence hall? Not be eligible for financial aid? Get Help No matter how confident you felt, clearly something did not work out if youre on academic probation. Check in with people for help: your academic advisor, your professors, a tutor, other students in the class, and anyone else you can utilize as a resource. Sure, it may be awkward to ask for help, but doing is almost certainly less awkward than having to leave college before you had planned to. Keep Getting Help Lets say you reach out for help, get a tutor, and work, work, work to study for your next chemistry test- which you promptly ace. Your confidence goes up and you start to feel like you may not need as much help as you thought you did. Be extra careful not to let yourself fall into your old patterns- you know, the ones that got you into academic probation in the first place- and to stick with getting help throughout the term. Prioritize Your Other Commitments If youre placed on academic probation, youll need to do a serious assessment of your other commitments. Passing your classes now becomes your number one priority (as it should have been from the beginning). Be honest with yourself about your other commitments in college and, as hard as it may be, cut out as much as you need to in order to make sure your academics are getting the time and attention they deserve. After all, you cant be involved in all you want to do if youre not allowed back in school next semester. Make a list of what you need to do (like working) versus what you want to do (like being heavily involved in your Greeks social planning committee) and make some changes as needed.

Kerosene in Diesel Engine Question

Kerosene in Diesel Engine Question Scott, you are right, we had discussed the clear liquid shortening and I thought I had stayed away from it until I saw the cubies. Yesterday, I went back to my supplier and commented about the mixing of Clear Liquid Oil and Clear Liquid Shortening. Undoubtedly, the grill cook was not aware the oil had been mixed until I saw it on the cubies and so Ive been told they have a new supplier and it will be only Clear Liquid Oil. I have asked them to keep the empty cubies for me, so I can use them for storage, etc. I will wait and see what happens. The kero I had mentioned mixing with my biodiesel is considered highway kero with taxes paid on it at the pump. In N.C. all of our kero is dyed, as well as off road diesel. Our DOT will spot check big rigs, but so far I havent heard of them checking small diesels. However, I never use dyed fuel in my pickup. Next door in S.C. all of the fuel is cheaper due to our state taxes being lower so the kero is actually cheaper than their diesel. Our kero is higher than our diesel and the diesel is 20 to 40 cents higher per gallon than our unleaded. Several years ago, I had an Olds with a GM diesel (converted gasoline to diesel) and the book allowed me to use 10 percent gasoline during the winter to keep the diesel from gelling. Do you think that would be wise to use gasoline in biodiesel during the winter? My friend that I was splitting the oil with has backed out of using SVO I think mainly due to the mods he would have to do to his truck. Anyway, he left me with some literature he had pulled off the internet about using SVO and unleaded gasoline. Im thinking that would be a great way to blow an engine or at least coke it pretty heavily in a short time. Looks like there is a little of everything on the net. Have a great day. Tom Hey Tom,As long as you can get highway kero, and its cheaper, go ahead and run it with a mixture of at least B20 to keep the lubricity up. Kerosene is often used as a thinning (viscosity reducing) agent to help prevent diesel (middle distillate grade #2) and biodiesel fuel gelling in cold weather, but it does reduce the fuels lubricity as well. Since biodiesel has a very high level of lubricity, the reduction from mixing with kerosene is minimal. With regular petro diesel, care must be taken to avoid over-thinning. To avoid this problem, most fuel distribution centers carry winter diesel (light distillate grade #1) for delivery to fueling stations in cold climates. Diesel engines, however, are remarkably tolerant of fuel formulations and can run on just about any low volatility oil based fuel, but of course that doesnt mean they should or that it is even legal (tax wise) or beneficial to do so. While the engines themselves (pistons and valves) are more or less indifferent to fuel types, the emissions and injection controls on modern clean diesel engines would likely be damaged by using any fuel other than ULSD or B5. For illustration purposes only, following is a (mostly complete) list of fuels that can be burned in a diesel engine: Diesel #1 Diesel #2 Diesel #4 ULSD (Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel) Biodiesel (from B5 to B100) Kerosene Home heating oil Civil jet fuel (Jet A-1, Jet A, Jet B) Military jet fuel(JP-4,JP-5,JP-8) SVO (Straight Vegetable And this is interesting- your fuel prices in the Carolinas are different than ours further north. In central PA as of 05-20-08: No, the E85 price is not a typo. Ethanol based fuel has been about a buck a gallon cheaper for the last several years. Ive been experimenting with varying percentages of E85 in my gasoline powered 5.7-liter 1994 Chevy Silverado. A story about my results as well as doing a full conversion to E85 is in the plans. Which brings me to your question about running a gasoline and SVO (straight vegetable oil) mixture in a diesel. I would steer clear for the very reasons you mentioned as well as others from horror stories Ive heard. Diesels are compression ignition engines designed for dense, low volatility oil based fuels (diesel, biodiesel and kerosene). Gasoline style engines are spark ignited and require light and highly volatile fuels (gasoline, alcohol and E85). It doesnt take a stretch of the imagination to understand that an improperly-mixed amount of gasoline and vegetable oil (too much gasoline) could easily prematurely ignite (detonate) and destroy a diesel engines pistons and/or va lvetrain. Reciprocally, Ive heard stories of mixtures with too much veggie oil gumming up and clogging filters, pumps and injectors. In my opinion, there are only two safe methods to run vegetable oil in a diesel engine: Use properly manufactured biodiesel, or install a conversion kit that heats (thus reducing viscosity) the SVO before introduction to the fuel pump and injectors. As always, Tom, thanks for the great comments and questions. Best,Scott

The reflective letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The reflective letter - Essay Example The assignments you provided were a great basis of information which has enabled me to refer to when drafting my papers. By reading my peer’s papers I gained a lot of knowledge because of the many different topics under discussion. I realized that I am good peer responder than I thought. I am now able to find errors in the writings of other people. The peer responses I received enabled me to correct my papers as I took all the advice and used it to improve my paper. I get the feeling that my peers are my audience and their responses are helpful to me as I understand my paper. When I chose to write about breaking up with my childhood girlfriend it was difficult for me, but it also helped me psychologically as sharing of feelings reduces the emotional hurt. I have learnt to accept the break up and move on. I overcame a lot of emotional feelings to be able to write a paper that enabled me to understand the situation and also help my audience to understand. I used my personal information and researched information. I used my personal experience to break up the information. It was not easy to come up with a final draft paper as I had to write many drafts. Every draft had a new concept to my paper. Even my classmates wrote different drafts to come up with a final draft. This enabled us to combine our ideas and put them together. My research on the internet, library, and personal interview enabled me to understand what I really wanted for my paper.my focus was clear as I worked on every draft. My research was an eye opener to new information. The research helped me understand my break up and be able to integrate it to my audience. I realized that this class helped me to improve my writing skills. These skills will be of great help at present and in future. Although I am not a perfect writer I believe I am a descent writer. I am now able to approach any writing assignments with an open mind. Computer classes were very helpful to me. The chat room

Vision Statement Comparison Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Vision Statement Comparison - Assignment Example A vision statement goes hand in hand with the mission statement and the values that a given company seeks to entrench and move forward. The Vision statement outlines what goals the company seeks to achieve whereas the mission statement says clearly, what pathways to follow to achieve the goals. The values stand for the principles that the organization seeks to impart and entrench in its workers. The Ford Corporation is the largest carmaker in the USA for many centuries. Its mission statement is â€Å"To become the worlds leading consumer company for automotive products and services†. The statement is to the point and has the main objective and goal that Ford seeks to achieve. By reading the statement, one can truly tell what it is that the Ford Corporation has entrenched in its mission as well as daily activities, which is to become the company of choice in the automotive industry. The Starbucks Coffee House is one of the leading coffee companies in the world with branches worldwide. Its Vision statement states that â€Å"Share great coffee with our friends and help make the world a little better†.   In the statement, we can learn that the focus for the company is to use its product offering that is coffee to see to it that the world becomes better by taking and using their product. In addition, the Vision statement can be interpreted to depict that their product is a good way to unwind as well as foster relations with others. Harvard University is one of the world’s best universities churning out professionals and leaders at a high rate. The Vision statement for Harvard University is that â€Å"Harvard strives to create knowledge, to open the minds of students to that knowledge, and to enable students to take best advantage of their educational opportunities† The Stanford University vision has overtime changed. Initially the Vision statement was â€Å"Become the Harvard of the West† which later evolved overtime to read â€Å"provide quality services

Early years education Essay Example for Free

Early years education Essay 1.1 Summarise entitlement and provision for early year’s education There are many different types of early year’s provision which has been funded by the government for early years education. All three and four year olds are entitled to 15 hours of free early year’s education entitlement per week across the 38 weeks of the annual year. Theirs are five different settings where Parents can choose to give their child for their Free EY Entitlement they are: †¢Pre-school playgroup-. It is an early childhood program in which children combine learning/education with play and it is an organization that is provided by fully trained and qualified staff †¢Private Day nursery- A facility provided for the care and learning for children from the birth to 5 they are usually run by a business or a private organisation and are not linked with the government. †¢Child-minder (who belongs to a registered child-minder network)-child minders are self-employed providing the care for children in their own homes , they offer full time or part time places or flexible arrangements. Child minders are registered with the Ofsted and are inspected in accordance with the Ofsted procedures and regulations to ensure that he child-minder is providing and safe and suitable environment for the children. †¢Maintained nursery school- is a school for children between the age of 3 and 5. It is run by fully qualified and trained to staff who encourage and supervise education play and learning rather than just providing childcare. It is part of early childhood education. †¢Nursery or reception class in a primary or independent school -Nursery schools provide a more direct and structured education for early years children aged 3 to 5 Some may be part of an independent school for older age groupseg infant and primary schools. Reception classes are run by a qualified teacher. 1.3 Explain the post 16 options for young people and adults.

HPV & Cervical Cancer Essay -- HPV Cancer, Cervical Cancer

HPV & Cervical Cancer - What Every Woman Should Know   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I was eighteen years old when I had my first abnormal pap smear. I received a call from my OB/GYN's office and was informed that I had the Human Papilloma Virus show up on my pap smear. This was the first pap smear I had ever had, and I was terrified. The news got worse. I researched this virus and learned that it was actually a sexually transmitted disease that could either cause cervical cancer, or genital warts! I didn’t understand, I had been with my boyfriend for five years and he was my first partner. How could I have contracted a sexually transmitted disease?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I had a biopsy done to test my cervix for cancer. The results were normal, and I was told I would need to have a pap smear done every three months. I followed the doctor’s orders, and within six months had a normal pap smear. At that point, I was nineteen years old. Things resolved and my annual pap smears were normal. That was up until a year ago.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Once again, I had an abnormal pap smear. This time however, I was 30. The same procedure was followed, another biopsy of the cervix. This showed no invasive cancer. Three months later I had yet another abnormal reading. This time the results were worse. I was puzzled, and I didn’t understand why after eleven years my problem came back. After researching the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and cervical cancer, I finally found the answers to my questions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Boston Women’s Health Book Collective, authors of Our Bodies, Ourselves indicates that cervical cancer is the second most common cancer of all women, and the most common cancer in younger women. Women between the ages of 35-55 are the highest group diagnosed. This type of cancer has been linked to the HPV virus. Other risk factors of cervical cancer include the younger your age of your first sexual experience, and the number of sexual partners one has. (634).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cervical cancer can be prevented and treated early by finding pre-cancerous cell changes within the cervix. These cell changes can be found during routine pap smear exams. A pap smear is an exam where a medical instrument called a speculum is inserted into the vagina. The provider then collects cells from the cervix by gently swabbing i... ...;  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I am angry at myself for not being more careful when I was younger. Although I was not promiscuous, and I did participate in safe sex with my first boyfriend - I learned the hard way that it only takes one time of unprotected sex to contract HPV. Now, eleven years later I am paying the price for my carelessness. It is my hope that women will learn the seriousness of HPV before they become infected and suffer the consequences for a lifetime.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Bibliography American Cancer Society. â€Å"What Causes Cancer of the Cervix?† 22 Aug 05.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.cancer.org Beers, Mark H. MD., Berkow, Robert MD., and Bogin, Robert M. MD. eds. The   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Merck Manual of Medical Information. New York: Pocket Books, 1997. Boston Women’s Health Book Collective, The. Our Bodies, Ourselves - A New   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Edition for a New Era. New York: Touchstone, 2005. United States. Center for Disease Control. STD Facts - Human Papilloma Virus   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  HPV). Washington: 2005. 22 Aug 05.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.cdc.gov/std/HPV/STDFact-HPV.htm

A Review of the Research Study

The study is a mixed theoretical-empirical study regarding bystander intervention. It is theoretical in the sense that it applies known concepts of the bystander effect and helping mechanisms.It is however dominantly empirical since it bases its findings and method on observations of actual circumstances. It attempts to reproduce actual situations through a controlled experimental environment wherein limited variables are introduced and measured by the researchers.The experiment presumes to manifest high external validity in the sense that the situation presented could likely occur in actual real-life scenarios. Even the theory behind the research has been observed to happen in actual crimes or situations. In fact, this same research resulted from a crime effected in New York wherein witnesses failed to give aid to the victim.Thus, if variables were adequately isolated and conclusions logically inferred, the results of such experiment would be highly valid externally. The problem her ein lies in the low levels of construct validity. Albeit the generalizability of the theories in question, it is questionable whether the appropriate instruments of measurement were in place.The results of the experiment discussed the effect of group number, sex, and educational background on bystander intervention. However only one of these factors was adequately represented, that of group number. Bystander intervention was in practice representative only of the presence of unobservable or unperceived bystanders, as differentiated in the study’s literature.The effect of bystander presence with regard to perceived and observable bystanders could not have been measured by the researchers as all the bystanders they had planted in the experiment with the participant were unobservable, as they were supposedly in different rooms.The factor sex was discussed whenever the participant’s sex was different from that of the perceived group member or members, particularly the diff erence when there was a potential male volunteer in the group. However, the research design shows a large inequality in the number of male and female participants. Further, the research shown to back up the discussion had not been previously discussed to ground the relevance of the effect of sex in helping as to that of the actual study.In other words, there was no previous discussion as to the intent of the researchers to measure such factor, giving the impression that the discussion was inserted only after the results of the experiment had come in – an unreliable and bias-prone practice in research. Further, the factor regarding the medical background of a potential volunteer and other group member was likewise not discussed until the results portion of the paper.The failure to distribute this factor to the three observed group sizes may also have presented disparity in the data gathered. There was also a lengthy discussion in the results regarding the avoidant-avoidant nat ure of the conflict that emerged in participants who did not intervene in the emergency presented. This is highly speculative in nature and is largely unsupported by self-reports presented in the research paper. In fact, there wasn’t even any previous research presented to ground the arguments made.There seems to be high internal validity as the research adequately described the means of measuring intervention and gave data and computations regarding the measurements obtained. There was also adequate presentation of the commutations of the participation of the respondents.Further, there was also a note regarding participants who had been dropped and for what reason this had been done.   Despite what would have been expected given the high external validity of the concept being studied, the results of this experiment show low external validity. The situation presented shows a bystander who has previous knowledge regarding the situation of the victim of the emergency.The byst ander thus has knowledge of the nature of the emergency and the cause of the same. Furthermore, the previous rounds of discussion that the participants had engaged in regarding their college experiences establishes a semblance of relationship between them. The mere fact that they are in the same research environment for a psychological experiment already creates a level of relation between the participant and the victim.This may not be and often is not the case with actual situations wherein the bystander effect is observed. In many of these situations the participant is not related to the victim and there is no knowledge regarding the situation unfolding – except for certain circumstances where the extremist nature of the emergency could not be mistaken for any other situation. Overall, the research proves to be high in internal validity, low in construct validity, and low in external validity.Based on existing literature regarding this topic, the research presented informat ion consistent with findings of other researchers. An increase in group size has been found to have a minimizing effect on bystander intervention.The findings, such as in the murder case presented as the ratio for the research in question, display this finding in practice. It   should be bourne in mind however that in spite of the correct conclusion of the research hypothesis, the other results should not be taken at face value, nor should the procedure employed by the researchers by reproduced without thorough analysis of the accurate representation of variables.ReferenceDarley, J. M., & Latane, B. (1968). Bystander intervention in emergencies: Diffusion of responsibility. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 8 (4), 377-383.

Online Grade Evaluation System Essay

In the absence of internal processes for evaluating instructors’ teaching abilities, most colleges and universities put the responsibility on students. But is this fair to faculty? After all, a whiff of conflict of interest hangs over the whole proceeding. Students might grade a professor poorly as payback for a bad grade, for example. Conversely, students might give great reviews to instructors who dole out A’s like Halloween candy. Or they might not even bother to respond. Now, with more and more institutions moving their course evaluations online, the question is whether technology will compound these concerns or resolve them. Early research suggests that faculty may actually benefit from the move online. Jessica Wode, an academic research analyst with the Office of Evaluation and Assessment at Columbia College Chicago (IL), performed a review of the academic literature on online course-evaluation assessments last spring. Her conclusion: Worries that students with grudges are the most likely to fill out online forms are unfounded. You actually find the opposite,† explains Wode. â€Å"Either there is no effect or the students who did poorly in the class probably aren’t even going to bother evaluating the course. â€Å" Indeed, there are indications that online evaluation systems may actually suppress participation among poor performers. In her unpublished dissertation at James Madison University (VA) in 2009, researcher Cassandra Jones found that class performance played a role in determining which students filled out an online evaluation: Students who received higher grades in a class were more likely to fill out a survey. As a result, noted Jones in her paper, â€Å"course-evaluation ratings could be artificially inflated because students with lower grades are not participating in the online course-evaluation process. † It would not be difficult to find a host of faculty members who would disagree strongly with these findings. And there is some question about the reliability of statistical analysis of online evaluations, given the low participation rates for many online systems. Indeed, anemic participation levels may be the single biggest issue facing online evaluations. At schools that simply ask their students to fill out online class evaluations, a typical response rate is around 50 percent, according to â€Å"Response Rates in Online Teaching Evaluation Systems,† a 2009 report by James Kulik of the Office of Evaluations and Examinations at the University of Michigan. In contrast, the typical response rate for paper-based evaluations is around 66 percent, and often much higher.

38814718 Wk8 Laura Martin REPORT Essay

38814718 Wk8 Laura Martin REPORT Essay 38814718 Wk8 Laura Martin REPORT Essay FINS3625 APPLIED CORPORATE FINANCE Case Study Written Report Week 8 Valuation: Laura Martin Name Student Number % Contribution Signature Karen Chan z3242429 20 Yifeng Chen (Nino) z3283995 20 Tony Richardson z3253113 20 Weitao Wu (Tony) z3284666 20 Wendy (Wenyu) Yan z3241580 20 Multiples versus DCF analysis Multiples analysis is simple to understand and apply. The inputs for the multiple are publicly available, though are vulnerable to accounting manipulation. Also, it is difficult to obtain a truly comparable large sample of firms. Multiples analysis is backward-looking, reliant on historical/current data to obtain multiples. It reflects relative value rather than the intrinsic value which DCF valuation produces. DCF analysis generates an intrinsic value as it relies on data specific to the firm. DCF analysis factors in time value of money, and thus is a forward-looking measure. However, there is uncertainty in forecasting future revenues, especially for private firms and those firms that produce little or no cash flows. Assumptions of multiples analysis General assumptions of multiples analysis are that the other firms in the industry are comparable to the firm being valued. The market, on average, prices these firms correctly, but makes errors on the pricing of individual stocks. Exhibit 2 shows a selection of comparable firms, assuming that these firms have the same growth, risk and return as Cox Communications. There is also the assumption that financial fundamentals such as EBITDA are defined identically in all firms, with the same accounting methods and reporting periods. Exhibit 5 assumes a positive linear relationship between ROIC and the multiple Adjusted Enterprise Value/Average Invested Capital. Regression analysis and traditional multiples analysis – similarities and differences The two analyses both predict the underlying value of the firm. Also, both regression and multiples analyses reflect the past. The future value of the firm is obtained using historical inputs. Both analyses assume that firms in the same industry are comparable. Traditional multiples analysis is more arithmetic in its approach. It is based on finding the average multiple among comparable firms, and then applying it to the firm’s fundamentals. How accurate the valuation is depends on the degree of comparability of the firms in the industry. Regression analysis produces a statistical regression line of each comparable firm’s multiple against the fundamentals that affect the value of the multiple. The R-squared of the regression indicates how well that multiple works in the sector. After running the regression and establishing the multiple, then it is applied to fundamentals in order to arrive at a firm valuation price. Interpretation of regression results Martin’s regression results produced a higher share price of $50 (see A1), indicating that shares were currently undervalued and so Cox Communications does have growth potential. Martin’s heavy reliance on the projection of the ROIC value is troubling. The 0.8% seems to be an arbitrary numerical projection. Any inaccuracy in this projection would result in a misleading outcome. R-squared is 70%. The percentage variation in ROIC cannot be totally explained by the variation in Adj. EV/Ave. Invested Capital. However, it does tell us that ROICs are a substantive prediction of value. The linear relationship between ROIC and the multiple in the regression shows there is a strong relationship. Martin’s DCF analysis Martin’s weighted cost of equity is 10.5%. We have calculated the cost of equity to be 13.61% (see A2) using a levered beta and a risk premium calculated over a longer historical period. Using the synthetic rating method, after-tax cost of debt is 4.51% (see A3), which is close to Martin’s estimate. Thus, with a WACC of 12.53% the stock price becomes a more conservative $41.70 (see A4). Martin’s projected EBITDA growth of 16% seems high since her

Root and Butt Rot Tree Disease Management

Root and Butt Rot Tree Disease Management Root and butt rot is one of the most common forms of tree disease affecting hardwoods. Many fungi are capable of causing root rots and some cause considerable decay of the butts of trees as well. Root rots are more common on older trees or trees which have sustained root or basal injury. Root rots thrive on poor soil conditions. Trees with extensive root rot are less able to tolerate extreme weather conditions like extended droughts, long periods of heavy rain, or unusually high temperatures. Recognition Trees with root and butt rots (the one of most concern is Armillaria root disease) typically have combinations of crown dieback, loss and/or discoloration of foliage, and a generally unhealthy appearance. Internally, diseased roots exhibit patterns of discoloration and decay. Diseased trees can live for years without symptoms but, more commonly, trees with extensive root rot decline and eventually die in several years. Conks (fruiting bodies) at or near the base of declining trees are indicators of root rot. Prevention You can only control root diseases in trees by prevention. Prevent root diseases by avoiding root damage and wounds to the lower trunks of trees. When planting trees in areas where trees have previously died of root disease, remove old stumps and roots to reduce local fungus spread. Consider soil sterilization with an appropriate pesticide such as methyl bromide or vapam according to local conditions and state and federal regulations. Contact you county extension agent for specific information. Control Effective treatments for curing established root diseases in trees are unknown. Sometimes careful crown reduction by pruning and fertilization can prolong the life of diseased trees by reducing the transpirational demand on ailing root systems and promoting overall tree vigor.

Henry Armstrong Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Henry Armstrong - Research Paper Example At one of the Hollywood Legion Fights, in front of a crowd that represented the Hollywood celebrities of the era, he managed an impressive knock-out, leading acting legends Ruby Keeler and Al Jolson to decide to underwrite his contract, putting him in the care of Eddie Meade. This pushed his rising star higher and he was able to develop a career that made him a legend. By the end of his life, he had racked up an impressive list of accomplishments in boxing, but had also become a minister, sharing the word with a devoted flock. Henry Armstrong was born in Columbus, Mississippi on December 12, 1912 under the name Henry Jackson Jr. When he was five years old, his family moved to Papin Street in the South Side of St Louis where the neighborhood was rough and fighting was the only way to survive. His parents were Henry and America Jackson, providing him a racial heritage of African American, Irish and Native American on his father‘s side with his mother being an Iroquois Native Amer ican (Armstrong 16). When he was sixteen years old, Henry graduated from Vashan High School in St Louis, reading an original poem during the ceremony for which he was the valedictorian (Broeg 61: Early 70). His grandmother wanted Henry to become a minister, but the depression had left his family in hard times with his father’s health being compromised by rheumatoid arthritis. Henry was working as a railroad gandy dancer to help his family make ends meet when, as urban legend tells the story, he was struck by a newspaper that flattened against his face. When he pulled the paper off of his face, he read the headline â€Å"Cuba’s Kid Chocolate just won 10,000 in a fight!† (Boeg 61). When he ran home, he told his grandmother, a woman who had been a slave and had the privilege of seeing Abraham Lincoln during her lifetime, understood his dream and encouraged him to follow it. In 1932, then Henry Jackson wanted to try out for the Olympics, but his former pro experienc e excluded him from that privilege. Therefore, he took his trainer Harry Armstrong’s last name, in order to hide his previous experience in professional boxing (Sugar 6). After he lost by decision to Johnny Hines at the 1932 Olympic trials, he went ahead and fully turned professional. Because he was singing cheerfully most of the time he was working out, his first ring name was Melody Jackson, under which he fought in Pennsylvania, but his skill would later put that nickname to rest. As an amateur, he boxed 62 matches and won 58. His first professional bout was on July 27, 1931, but he was knocked out after three rounds. He was nineteen years old when he began his professional career, and while his first fight was a hard lesson, he persevered, working his craft until he was unstoppable. However, he had to pay his dues in club circuit in Los Angeles. During that time, the circuit was corrupt and fights were won, lost or set at a draw according to the desires of the owners. The refore, Armstrong was forced to face fixed fights and to play along until he could prove himself. When he finally proved himself, actors Ruby Keeler and Al Jolson were backing his contract and he would have a real shot at winning fights through his own skill. It wasn’t until 1936 that his career really took off, despite his record which reflected a fighter who was hard to beat. As a boxer, Armstrong was a powerhouse, approaching his bouts like a strategic leader, his theory of controlling the match based upon his