My life from Jeremy Aparicio to SGT. II/F.T.O Aparicio.

I was born in East Los Angeles at White Memorial Hospital. In the beginning of my childhood, from 1-5 years old. I grew up in Ontario California in a 4 bedroom house, shortly after being moved into a apartment in North Hollywood. My parents hired a nanny named Rosa who always took care of me because my parents were always working and didn't have much time to spend with me. Rosa had been taking care of me since i can remember. Spending lots of time with Rosa made me learn lots of Spanish. In fact i predominantly spook spanish, but over the years, my spanish deteriorated. My parents held back speaking spanish to me after moving into where i currently live now in Tujunga, CA. My nanny, immediately after moving to Tujunga, was let go because my mom had lost her job and was able to take care of me. By this time i was starting kindergarten. Kindergarten were the good old days. Play, eat, and a sprinkle of learning was the life! Then 1st grade came around very quick, and i began to hate school. Homework just wasn't my niche. My parents finally decided to take me to a daycare center. The babysitters very name scared me, Lucy. At first she was a sweet Armenian woman that cooked the best food in town. I blame her for my childhood obesity. Through the elementary years, she became nastier. She yelled at me and even pulled my ears. I told my parents but they never believed me until finally my little brother sister told my parents about what Lucy had done to them. Middle school came along  and i would have to say were the worst/best years. I was picked on and made fun of because of my short size, but the bright side was i had a couple of friends that i knew because of an outside activity that i did and still continue to do. (but i will not mention). Growing up to be a middle schooler, my brother had become a Deputy for the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department and had inspired me. Watching my father pin the gold star onto my brother's chest over the tan uniform made me want to become a police officer. A police officer seemed more appealing to me. I always told my mom what i wanted to become in life. In the seventh grade my mom received a letter in the mail regarding magnet schools and brief descriptions of the programs LAUSD had to offer. I was set to go to my home school, Verdugo Hills High School no questions asked. My mom happened to look through it and later showed me a Police Academy Magnet school that caught my attention. There were a couple schools, the closest Academy was Monroe High School Police Academy, in North Hills. I was desperate to go. In the 8th grade i made my decision and wanted to attend James Monroe High School. Before 8th grade graduation i began to realize, what about my friends? I begged my mom over and over again to not let me go to Monroe. She told me repeatedly that the papers had been submitted and there was no going back. I was very upset. Middle School was gone in a flash, and here came high school. The first day of high school was horrible. I knew no one and was alone the whole day. It went on for weeks. I wanted to leave. In short, a girl introduced herself to me as Lilian and i began to make many friends. Next thing i knew, i had forgotten about Verdugo and realized this was the choice for me. My mom asked me later my freshman year if i wanted to go back to verdugo and I quickly replied "NO!". She smiled and i never heard her ask me that again. I attended all four years and graduated as a SGT II and F.T.O (Freshman Training Officer). I am proud of my accomplishments and want to further my education and become a police officer with the LAPD.

Getting the Grade

We all know studying isn't as fun as hanging out with friends, or watching a movie. But why do we still complain about our grade? I can remember countless times trying to weasel my way out of why my report card had a huge "F" next to a class or two. "But I do my H.W. mom! I swear!" I would say sometimes. But my famous lines, which eventually lead my parents to believe that it was me who was lying, "The teacher doesn’t like me all lie, no one can say they don't, no one is perfect. Yet, we all know what we need to do to get an "A” in a class, but many of us don’t like the very word "STUDYING". It’s like trying to force a baby to eat vegetables. A baby swings its arms around, and splatters the spoonful of slimy greenness all across the floor. We don't like it! Even though we wish we could just naturally grasp information like all the brainiacs in the world. But think about it. Brainiacs have to study too. They have to read, and write to expand their knowledge and expertise. No one is literally born with a science book in his or her hand dancing around like a cartoon character and talking like Bill Gates. We all have to work at it. Even if it’s something we like to do. But if a subject interests us then of course we will be successful in that area. Studying isn’t fun, but to get to the fun part, the part that interests a person, we need to get through the ugly parts. Nothing in this world is given to anyone on a silver platter. We have to work hard it. Getting through the hard parts is going to be hard, nobody said it wasn’t. Everyone learns at there own pace. We all grasp things differently. Not one person is the same as another, and not everyone is good at everything. People may not study because they lack of will or motivation to pick up a book and begin to learn things and break the limit line and excel in school. We don’t know who we truly are until we make ourselves it. No one puts a limit on what you can study and learner; you the student do that to yourself. Making time to study is something nobody likes to add to his or her agenda. Laziness can be another reason why students like to study. They would much rather mope around, sleep in bed, and text the night away. I wish I could say studying is fun, but I would be lying. I’m just trying to be a good person. Studying is the key to success. Pick up a textbook and read the letters, and ideas printed on the pages. Despite how tedious it is to open up a book, it will pay off in the near future. 

Today's society wants to hire employees that have college degrees. Are people without a degree higher than a high school diploma more intelligent?

We all know a college degree is what most jobs require all their applicants to show proof of when applying for a position. For instance, the requirements to join the Los Angeles Police department many years ago only required a high school diploma. Nowadays the LAPD requires  applicants to have a minimum requirement of an A.A. degree or above, preferably above to increase pay and make your way up the ranks (Police officer I, II, II, Sergeant, etc.) an easier task in the department. But should an applicant with a college degree really have more of an advantage than another person without a bachelors in criminal justice? In some respects yes and no. The proof is there, you have a bachelors in whatever it is you studied. But because you know the textbooks, ace all the tests, and study really make an advantage on your part that you will do your job? Do experiences which life puts us through give us a "degree"? If a person thinks he or she knows everything about a subject because of a degree really make them any better than a high-school educated adult? We all know tests need to be taken throughout life to place us in the right classes or right position in the work place. Should a person not be able to take a test for a job only because he or she doesn't have a degree? Example: A Marine from the United States Marine Corps has been with the military branch for 10 years, lets call him Marine 1. He joined the Marines right out of high school with no intentions of obtaining a degree. Marine 1 has gone through 4 rotations to Iraq and Afghanistan.  He has proud fully ranked his way up to a Sergeant II. A Sergeant is usually in charge of a squad, ranging between 6 and 8 Marines. They go out and do there missions as a team. So apparently this Marine has lots of experience. Now another Marine, named Marine 2, has never stepped foot onto the field, so therefore has no experience with combat. But Marine 2 went to college and has a degree as a field technician and graduated top of his class. Marine 2, because of his degree can rank up to lieutenant, which is higher than a Sergeant  II. A lieutenant has more responsibilities and leads people into the right direction where to go in and out of missions safely as in what routes would be safer to take. Marine 1, also wants to rank up but cannot because Marine 2 has taken the spot. Who would have done a better job? Most likely Marine 1 because of his knowledge of war and how it works. This can apply to any job. Just because a person has credentials, doesn't mean he may be better fit to do a job more correctly or as correctly than a person with experience.