Below, you will find samples of work from the 2002-2003 Human Relations classes.  There will be 3 sections this coming year and some new titles added to our portfolio.  Keep you eyes open for some of their work..

    Winston Churchill once said, "To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often." Coming from a man who was constantly tested by the events of WWII, Churchill proved he could adjust, adapt and change as necessary. He believed that change was vital, no matter the inconvenience.
     The story, Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson, is about four characters and how they react to change. There are those who accommodate to change easily, and those who take a very long time adjusting to new things.
If I were to classify myself into one of these categories, I would say I generally welcome change.  Welcoming change would make me the mouse, Sniff. Sniff uses a trail and error method, and uses his nose to smell the general direction of the cheese. Scurry, the other mouse, just races ahead.
    There are also two 'little people' in the story, who are the size of a mouse, but act as humans; their names are Hem and Haw. Hem and Haw have a difficult time adapting to change. I am usually a bit more cautious when something new is brought up. But I'm not all that different from Haw.
    Sometimes if a situation is puzzling, and even though I know what to do, I will be reluctant to change it. Such as the time I first got my own room. It was back in fifth grade, and I had shared a room with my older sister for as long as I could remember. My parents knew I wanted my own space so I would get the extra room as my bedroom. At first I was excited and glad to have my own place. After I got settled in, I noticed that things weren't as I expected. I never thought I would miss sharing a room with someone, but since that was all I had known it was difficult.  I tried everything I could to like being there, but it wasn’t working, and I began to wonder why not just move back. I would then tell myself just to give it time and soon it would get easier. All of that was simpler said than done, but in the long run things did improve. I am glad I was able to adapt, because who knows what things would be like if I still had to share a room!
    Throughout Who Moved My Cheese, one of the characters writes various sayings on a wall. Most of the writings are a reflection on what his experience with cheese has given him. One thing he writes is, "Adapt to change quickly; the quicker you let go of old cheese, the sooner you can enjoy new cheese. " The mice are able to change quickly and are able to enjoy their 'new cheese' sooner, while the little people aren't sure what to do and remain confused.
    Hem and Haw are probably afraid that by changing things will get worse. Sometimes in order to make things better; you have to risk what you already have. Samuel Johnson once said, "Change is not made without inconvenience, even from worse to better." Adjusting and adapting to new things is hard, but if you were to keep on going with things the same way they always were, what would you accomplish? Such as when Hem and Haw found out their cheese in Cheese Station C disappeared. Now that there wasn’t any cheese left, what was there to do? Sitting around and dreaming about new cheese wasn't going to help at all, but at the time it seemed most practical.
     The vast majority or high school students I talk to, say that their favorite memory from the Middle School was their 8th grade year. My 8th grade year was also one of the most fun year in school. I had a good group of friends, neat classes and various things to do. I had finally gained the self-confidence I had lacked the years before. With awards ranging from academics to music to volleyball, it had been a successful year.
    During the middle of the year, one of my friends told me she was moving, which was hard on my whole group. We decided to not dwell on it all the time, and would face it when the time came. We later learned that another of our friends, who we were just beginning to know also would be leaving. He had been a friend of our group, and the fact we were just getting to know him and he left was another gloomy thing to add to the list. Just when I thought things were going to settle down, another person I knew moved to Nevada. That was a shock to all of us, since it was very far away. He had also been friends with the other two that had left. This then effected our group tremendously. The changes with people going away were something I thought I could deal with, but later had a very difficult time. My parents picked Evansville because it was a nice place to raise kids, and they didn’t intend on moving. I didn’t expect anyone else I knew to move either, so some of it came as a surprise.
     My freshman year I was pretty unhappy and kept looking back and always wishing some day I would wake up and I would be back in 8th grade with the friends I used to have and all the experiences still there. I missed out on what was happening then, and although I do not regret any of it, I could have been a little more positive and welcomed new things. This really awakened in me the need to move on when things change. There is no point on dwelling on the past if it will not help now or in the future. It is instead important to look back and be glad that you are able to make the memories you did, instead of not at all.
     I like to listen to music and while I love Vivaldi and Mozart's work, I have a certain respect for Beethoven. As most people know Beethoven lost his hearing at about the age of 32. This was an immense change for him, as you might be able to tell in his music that he wrote around that period, most of which was gloomy and sort of depressive. To me Beethoven is a great inspiration. One of his most famous works 'Ode to Joy', was composed when his hearing was gone. With hard work and determination, he was able to remember back to what the pitches sounded like. This demonstrates one of the sayings Haw had written on the wall. "Change, move with the cheese." If things get tough, as they did for Beethoven, don’t give up. Keep going, move with the changes. Imagine if Beethoven had given up right away after his hearing began to worsen, we would be missing out on some great music.
     Whether it is the little things in life that change, such as a new routine or something big such as someone you love passing away, it is important to adjust to the different things that happen. Each event in life can teach you something if you are willing to learn from it. As Haw wrote, "Enjoy Change! Savor the adventure and taste of new change." There is so much out there that you could be kept from if you are not willing to change or try new things. If you have the opportunity take it, the only way things can improve is for them to be changed. It is also important not to over complicate things, instead, make your life simple. Change lies in you. As one president once put it, "Change is the law of life and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future."