Blog #2: Melissa Hart - Post #1

   The Power of Our Vote

    Hello everyone! As part of the curriculum for our public speaking course, SPC2608, here at Miami Dade College, we recently presented a theme project on elections and how important they are. All four groups emphasized a different significant topic: immigration policies, the economy, education policies, and the electorate and the election process. Talking about topics revolving around elections is essential because we, as a community, can make a difference with our votes. This is especially relevant now, with elections just around the corner. In this blog post, I will discuss some of the things mentioned in the presentations that stood out to me the most, as well as some of the things I liked about how my classmates presented, even though everyone did an amazing job.

    The first group to present was my group, Group 4. Our topic was immigration policies. Together, we discussed what immigration policies are, why they exist, how immigration affects countries, and much, much more. While investigating this topic, I was able to delve deeper into what immigration policies are, which are laws governing immigration that help regulate who can enter and remain in the country. I learned about why they exist, which is mainly to regulate immigration, reunite families, and address the United States' labor needs. Moreover, I understood that immigration has a large impact on the country through areas such as the economy, housing, and public services. As for the presenters, I really admired the way Brianna, our project manager, presented. She presented with a lot of confidence, which made the information stand out even more. She also brought up very interesting and significant points in our introduction and conclusion, such as mentioning the plaque on the Statue of Liberty and its connection to immigration, as well as its controversial nature, making sure to leave an impact. In addition, I felt that Phanuel's part was very informative, and the slides he created were very organized and easy to follow and look at. He explained things in a very interesting and understandable way.

    The second group to present, Group 3, focused on the topic of the economy. I learned about how the economy has changed from being mainly agricultural to one driven by industry, technology, services, and global trade. I was also able to examine in detail the idea that the economy is constantly shifting according to changes in technology, government policies, crises, and consumer behavior. A really interesting point brought up in this group's presentation was how a growing economy is not automatically an affordable one because housing and fuel costs can outpace pay, even when jobs are available. A presenter who really stood out to me was my brother, Matthew. He was very knowledgeable regarding the data surrounding the economy. He used clear terminology and statistics and was able to explain what they meant in a simple way, which made the presentation clearer and more engaging. Furthermore, Lillian's part in the presentation was very beneficial because she brought up what it meant to vote on different amendments and what you would be supporting or opposing by voting for them. This was very helpful in understanding the importance of voting when it comes to the economy. She also projected her voice very well and spoke in a manner that made me, as a viewer, feel interested and comfortable due to her tone of voice.

    Next, the third group to present, Group 2, talked about education policies. I was able to learn about the history and development of the U.S. education system, which was often run by religious groups in the 1600s and 1700s, when access to education heavily depended on location, wealth, and background. Nowadays, we have so much technology, educational standards, and new teaching methods that allow students to prepare for future opportunities. I really enjoyed how Cristopher presented, especially his use of a rhetorical question at the beginning, which I feel really caught my attention as well as the attention of others. He also made a very clear connection throughout his part of the presentation by introducing what was going to be discussed next and who would be presenting it. I think Jaquail also contributed a lot to the presentation's importance by bringing up how students' attention spans and performance have been steadily decreasing because of media use and things such as video games. I found his points to be very interesting and essential, which caught my attention and made me want to continue paying attention to the presentation. This interest grew even further when David discussed how test scores do not tell the whole story about a school's performance. This especially resonated with me because I have never agreed with the amount of weight given to test scores. I feel that a student's performance throughout their entire school journey is a better indicator. David was able to present this point in an intriguing way as well.

    Last but not least, Group 1 was assigned the topic of the electorate and the election process. Through this presentation, I was able to further educate myself on what the Electoral College is, how many electoral votes there are and how many are needed to win, and its original purpose. The Electoral College determines the winner of presidential elections, with each state receiving electoral votes based on its total number of representatives in Congress. There are 538 electoral votes, and a candidate generally needs 270 electoral votes to win the presidency. Its original purpose was to balance the influence of the people and the states. It also prevents Congress from directly selecting the president. The way Anael presented really kept me engaged. I found it useful and interesting that she brought up something she had heard about elections, which encouraged us to question it and, therefore, learn more about the topic. On top of that, Ariel also did an excellent job by mentioning a real-life example of a Capitol attack that happened on January 6, 2021. Not only did talking about this make the presentation more immersive, but we, as listeners, were also able to see the importance of understanding how this process works in real life, especially how critical a peaceful election process is. I also found her voice to be very powerful, which added emphasis to her points.

    In conclusion, through these presentations, I was able to gain a deeper understanding of these important topics, analyze them, and connect them to our current society. I feel that having us do this project was a great idea because we were all able to learn at least something new about some of the United States' most essential topics. Learning about immigration policies, the economy, education policies, and the electorate and the election process is vital because these topics help shape the world we live in today. Being able to connect these topics made the importance of voting even more apparent. Even though it does not always seem like it, your vote can make a difference, and that is why we should all work on educating ourselves to make the choice that will best support our current community. This is your sign to vote! We all have a voice, and it would be a waste not to use it.