We often talked about the importance of addressing the quality of our educational system and how it is the sure way to address increasing poverty in our country. Thanks to the generosity of the Armory Foundation and many other foundations and corporations, ACP is a highly sought after-school program designed to help NY middle school and high school students to realize their potential. Read more on the role of business in collective social impact. This could be a great SAT prompt!

"It always seems impossible until it's done." - Nelson Mandela

Lesson: Nothing is ever impossible, even if it often feels that way. If you give up too soon, you will never know if you could have actually achieved your dream.

Quote of the Day

"I am stronger because of the hard times, wiser because of my mistakes, and happier because I have known sadness." ~ Alisson Vogel

Help with Grammar of Khan Academy!

 Khan Academy has updated their Grammar section.  I've made a list of their grammar sections with links to EnglishGrammar101.com sections that will help you study for them.  Take a look:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tB7VWpMhIGP4_TQ6JxoN9kPcScIH7TN5nMTpO_pH3pA/edit?usp=sharing

Overstatements

Listen to these sentences:

"The Romans always loved their state."

"Everyone loves mint ice cream."

"All Greeks hated outsiders."

"In teaching his philosophy to others, Socrates never gave answers but only questioned people."

"No one likes getting muddy."

These sentences include overstatement.

"Do not overstate. When you overstate, readers will be instantly on guard, and everything that has preceded your overstatement as well as everything that follows it will be suspect in their minds because they have lost confidence in your judgment or your poise. Overstatement is one of the common faults. A single overstatement, wherever or however it occurs, diminishes the whole, and a single carefree superlative has the power to destroy, for readers, the object of your enthusiasm."

— William Strunk Jr. & E.B. White, The Elements of Style, 1979

In other words:
When you overstate, you accidentally exaggerate what you are trying to say.  Your message can get lost.  Readers will lose their faith in your message.  Even one little overstatement can ruin your piece of writing.

Listen to these sentences:

"The Romans always loved their state." is better as "Many Romans loved their state."

"Everyone loves mint ice cream." is better as "Lots of people love mint ice cream."

"All Greeks hated outsiders." is better as "Many Greeks hated outsiders."

"In teaching his philosophy to others, Socrates never gave answers but only questioned people." is better as "In teaching his philosophy to others, Socrates frequently questioned people. He often avoided giving clear answers."

"No one likes getting muddy." is better as "Most people don't like getting muddy."

Sources:
http://www.usu.edu/markdamen/WritingGuide/03overst.htm

HAPPINESS

Happiness is rarely simple, but it's easier when you stay grateful.