Q: What school did you come from?

A:  Rahkeem- McClymonds High school in Oakland.

A: Gilbert- Arvin High School in Arvin.

Q: Did you want to come to a new school?

A:  Rahkeem-It didn’t really matter because I don’t care about changing schools, and I like meeting new people, but I don’t like being the lonely new guy.

A: Gilbert- Kind of but not really because I had friends at my old school.

Q: Which school do you like better?

A: Rahkeem- McClymonds is a lot less confusing because it’s easier to get to my classes.

A: Gilbert-Since I am brand new here, I still like Arvin better.  Maybe when I get used to COHS and have some good friends, I will feel more comfortable here.

Q: How are the students here treating you?

A: Rahkeem- Good.  It’s really heart-warming how welcoming all the ladies have been here.  Especially all the kids in my first period class.

A: Gilbert- So far everyone’s been nice.  People talk to me in class and people are not rude to me during lunch and passing periods.

Q: What is your opinion on the school?

A: Rahkeem-It’s cool because … I can’t really explain why, but this school is just “da business”, ya know what I’m sayin?

A: Gilbert- The campus is too small so that makes it feel crowded, at least compared to my old school which was a lot more spread out.

Q: Do you wish you were still at your old school?

A: Rahkeem- No, because my old school was getting boring because there was only 11th and 12th graders going there, because they were shutting down the school, so we were going to be the last graduating class. 

A: Gilbert- Yeah, because I miss my old friends.  That’s really the only reason.

Q: As a new student, how do you feel about the rules?

A: Rahkeem- The rules are fair.  They’re not really that strict, and they make sense.

A: Gilbert- They’re strict, but not really that strict.  I mean, they try to make it seem like it’s so strict here, but the rules are pretty much the same as my old school.

Q: Have you made any friends?

A: Rahkeem- Yeah, Anisse Broadway is a really cool chick.  She doesn’t ask me for change, and she always has candy, but she is pretty stingy with the candy.

A: Gilbert: Yes, Felicia from my Algebra II class.

Q: What are your goals for this year?

A: Rahkeem- Get good grades and graduate on time.

A: Gilbert- Make more friends.

Q: What are your goals in life?

A: Rahkeem- Graduate college, become a kinesieologist, and have a lot of money and cars.

A: Gilbert- Graduate high school and go to college.  After that, I would like to pursue a career as an architect.

Q: What do you do in your free time?

A: Rahkeem- I like to play sports such as basketball.  I also like to watch TV.

A: Gilbert- Texting my friends back in Arvin and going on myspace.

Q: What is your greatest fear?

A: Rahkeem- Failure.  I just don’t want to a failure to society because that doesn’t feel good and I don’t want to be a bum.

A: Gilbert- Dying a horrible death, like being murdered in my sleep.

Q: On what occasion do you lie?

A: Rahkeem- When I’m about to get in trouble and toward annoying people.

A: Gilbert- When I don’t want to say the truth and I’m talking to someone I don’t respect.

Q: Which words or phrases do you most over use?

A: Rahkeem- WTF

A: Gilbert- They are all curse words so I really can’t say.

Q: If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

A: Rahkeem- My name because I hate it because it’s Muslim.  I would like to be named … anything else.

A: Gilbert- I would like to be taller, like 5′8″ would be good.

Q: What is your most treasured possession?

A: Rahkeem- My son because that’s my seed.

A: Gilbert- My cell phone because it’s my communication link to the people in Arvin.

Q: What do you most value in a friend?

A: Rahkeem- Honesty.

A: Gilbert- Honesty.

Q: Who are your heroes in real life?

A: Rahkeem- I don’t really have any heroes just yet, because no one really registers as a hero on my radar, but maybe someday I will find one.

A: Gilbert- Easy E because I like his music. 

I found out a number of things about Rahkeem and Gilbert that allowed me to get to know them better. Rahkeem and Gilbert are really nice people, so if you see them around campus, don’t forget to say hello.

What’s you favorite color? Why?

 My favorite color is pink because it is amazing!

 What is your favorite animal? Why?

 Wolves because they are powerful and sexy.

 What is your favorite TV show?

 SpongeBob Squarepants.

 What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? Why?

 Coffee because it is not too sweet.

 What is your favorite place?

 Any rose garden, because they’re beautiful.

On what occasion do you lie?

 Either to protect my friends or avoid trouble.

 It you could acquire any talent, what would it be?

 I would want to be able to play the piano so I can express myself musically.

 What do you think is most important in a relationship?

 Communication and honesty because a lot of relationships fail without these qualities.

 What are your goals career-wise?

 I just want to be successful because I don’t want to be a failure.

 Who do you look up to most? Why?

 I look up most to my great aunt Helen because she is an intelligent, independent, feisty woman.

 During this interview, I found out that Eleanor is a bubbly social person and she seems very easy to get along with.  Perhaps we are not so different after all!

What is your favorite genre of music?

   Rap is my favorite kind of music.

Who is your favorite artist and why?

   Tupac, R.I.P., because he is so relevant to human emotions in all the lyrics he spits. He created some of the world’s best raps.

What do you like to do outside of school?

  I like to play basketball and chill outside of school. 

Who is your hero and why?

   My hero is my dad because he has been through so much.

Have you ever done anything in your life that you regret and if so what was it?

   I regret earning B’s instead of A’s.

What is the most memorable thing in your life?

   The most memorable thing I ever did was the day I ran 10 miles.

Do you have a boyfriend/girlfriend and if not what do you look for in a boy/girl?

I look for a deep, delicious personality. Someone with whom I can have deep conversations. They have    to be understanding and contain beauty both inward and outward.

What are your future goals?

   My future goal is to become a successful developer and help Afghanistan.

Where are you from?

   I am from Afghanistan.

What is your favorite thing to eat?

  My favorite thing to eat is Afghani food, rice and chicken.

While interviewing Ahmad I found him quite interesting and easy going. He is a really nice guy and I hope to become good friends with him in the future.

What is your favorite kind of music?

-I like to listen to different kinds of music but most of all I enjoy listening  to Hip Hop and R&B.

How can you characterize your personality?

- I am crazy and I like to have a good time.

What do you like to do on your free time?

- I like to hang out with my friends on my free time.

What are your future goals?

I want to go to college and to be successful in my life.

Who is your favorite actor? Why?

- Densel Washington, because he play very realistic.

From whom do you ask for a piece of advice when you need?

-I ask for a piece of advice my best friend Lexie Martin.

Why do you trust this person?

- I trust her because we have a lot in common.

Can you tell a situation when this person really helped you?

-Yes, she helped me a lot when I broke up with my ex boyfriend.

What do you like about Cosumnes Oaks?

-I like that everyone in this school gets along.

Who is the person you admire and why?

-I admire my grandmother because she raised me when I was younger, when I lived in San Francisco. She taught me how to chase after my goals. My grandmother was always there for me to comfort and support me.

This interview helped me a lot to discover something new about a friend. It showed me that every person  has  its own problems and try to overcome them.

What is your favorite food?

My favorite food is chicken.

What is your favorite animal?

My favorite animal is a tiger.

Where are you from?

I am from Columbus, Ohio.

What is your ethnicity?

I am African American.

What is something a lot of people might not know about you?

They might not know that I play all kinds of instruments and I love music.

Have you ever done drugs, and if so what? Yes, weed.

Are you a virgin? What do you look for in the opposite sex?

No, I like their physical features.

What is your favorite movie?

My favorite movie is Friday.

Are your parents still together?

No they are not.

What is a goal you have?

My goal is to become a music produce and sell my beats.

Michiah is a very interesting person. He is extremely similar to me.  I enjoyed interviewing him.

What is you favorite color?

My favorite color is yellow.

Have you ever done things you regret?

Yes I do things all the time that I regret.

What do you like to do other than play sports?

I like being goofy with friends, making people laugh and dancing.

Are you more than what you appear to be (football player)?

Yes I am I am very sensitive and outgoing.

Are you planning to play football forever?

No I plan on playing basketball forever

What are the things you would like to accomplish before graduating high school?

I plan on getting a 4.0 and being friends with everyone.

What is your favorite TV show?

My favorite TV show is naruto.

If you could tell me one thing about yourself that you would never think of telling me what would it be?

I’m always telling myself am great.

What do you love about basketball?

Everything. I feel like I’m on a cloud nine when I play. It’s like making love you know.    It’s awesome.

If you had one wish what would it be?

To go to the NBA and dominate then retire to Japan and become a ninja.

What is your personality?

My personality is beast mode. Basically on his best

Stefan: Okay, so introduce yourself,  what is your name, age, grade level and gender?

Kevin: Kevin Foster, 16 years old, 11th grade, and I’m a male… I think.

Stefan: Okay, let me start this interview off with this question: are there any significant events that occurred in the past that may have altered your present beliefs, behaviors, and mannerisms? Could you describe the events? When did it happen, who did it involve, why was this so significant to you?

Kevin:  Hmm…. Let me think for a moment…  Yes… Spirit West Coast in freshman year. I guess you could say I realized what it mean to be a Christian. It changed the way I saw the world and showed me how I should live my life. My pastor and close friends from school. I still talk to them til this day.

Stefan: How are you a different person now, as opposed to the person you were in the past?

Kevin: Well… I have become more in tune with myself, gained more knowledge, basically I became wiser.

Stefan: Are there any behaviors, mannerisms, or beliefs that you can describe as defining of who you are as a person?

Kevin: I would say that fact that I am indeed a Christian. Hm.. defining of me as a person? I like to think a lot, read, and listen to music. That’s my favorite!

Stefan: In your own words, describe happiness, what triggers it? What diminishes it?

Kevin: Triggers it? Succeeding, myself succeeding, others succeeding, basically just seeing people happy. Diminishes? Hmm.. that would be people taking things for granted, people not really living life to the fullest, basically negative people, which is strange because I know quite a few. And happiness? Hm.. Happiness is… Fun? I don’t know.. being content with what you got. Just basically.. I guess everyone’s still looking for happiness.

Stefan: How have other people affected you in your life? What role do they play?

Kevin: They help me through tough situations, they help me up. Always good to have someone to talk to. Also they sometimes influence my decisions.

Stefan: Who are you? What are you? Think deeply about this question, I don’t want a superficial answer.

Kevin: Hm… I am… I don’t know… I guess I’m still looking for that answer myself.

Stefan: What do you believe is your purpose, your role on this Earth?

Kevin: To repopulate. Ahahaha, hm… I’m still searching for that answer.

Stefan:  Could you please summarize yourself as a human being?

Kevin: How so?

Stefan: That’s open for you.

Kevin: I am an individual in a world of copycats, but I’m different.

Stefan: How so?

Kevin: The way I think is different.

Stefan: How?

Kevin: I guess I think deeply about everything, I turn everything into a deep process, whether it be a simple or a difficult situation.

Stefan: Finally, to conclude our interview, could you give me a quote that encapsulates you, perhaps maybe even defines you?

Kevin: Hm… Encapsulates and defines me… “I got 99 problems, and they all bi-” Ha-ha, let me think… “Stay true,” by me, myself and I, or maybe Nike. That defines me.

So, through the bustling, busy, and barbaric chaos of the lunch period, this interview came about. The questions I asked didn’t seem to be simple, nor was asking the questions themselves. I was glad that Kevin was so cooperative throughout the interview, being able to search within himself for the answer and projecting it back towards me. At the end of this interview, I thought about what would happen if someone asked me these exact same questions, if someone had tried to get me to dig deep down beyond my own psychological barriers and sought after the answers for someone else and perhaps even myself.

Q: What is your name?

A: Sam Westfall

Q: What is one thing you look for in a guy?

A: if he can make me laugh, personality, humor

Q: What is your favorite color?

A: Green

Q: What are your parent’s expectations from you? Is it hard to live up to?

A: Their expectations are college and doing my best. It can be hard to live up to at times

Q: What is your favorite Movie?

A: The Sandlot/ Coach Carter

Q: What is you r most embarrassing moment?

A: Each time I’ve ever walked into a wall or fallen for no reason

Q: Who is your favorite actor?

A:  Will Smith

Q: If you had one wish what would it be?

A: to fix whatever has been broken

Q: Who is your role-model?

A: friends

Q: If you could change one thing in your life what would it be?

A: expectations

I learned a lot about this girl. Even though I didn’t know this girl we had so much in common. We both have parents who accept us to go to college. We both realize parents expectations can be hard to live up to. Our embarrassing moments are exactly the same.

Nellie:  What’s your full name?

Laura: Laura Ramirez. I don’t have a middle name.

Nellie:  Where are you from?

Laura:  Sacramento California

Nellie:  What’s your favorite place to be at?

Laura:  in my very comfortable bed in my room.

Nellie:  How is the relationship whit your family?

Laura:  I don’t really have a good relationship whit my family, but I’m really close to my little brother.

Nellie:  What is your nationality?

Laura:  I am MEXICAN!!

Nellie: Have you ever had a life or death experience?

Laura:  Ooh yes! When I was 5 years old I almost drowned and my older brother Manolo had to rescue me

Nellie:  What is your favorite kind of food?

Laura: I absolutely love Mexican food.

Nellie: Have you been above the influence for the last couple of months?

Laura: N/A haha.

Nellie: Have you ever broken a body part?

Laura:  Yes! I have broken my ankle and my finger.

Nellie: What’s a life change experience that you had?

Laura: one of my life changing experience is when I became a godmother.