1.  During today’s class preparing you for your next job or internship interview, we hopefully learned that interviewers look for specific qualities in job candidates.  Arguably, the most important is ‘character‘:  honesty, dependability and perseverance.   Please watch the amazing and inspirational story of Dewey Bezela in this video below.   This video only tells part of Mr Bezela’s story.  Wikipedia ‘Dewey Bezela’ for the rest of Mr Bezela’s incredible story.  After watching this video, please write a short paragraph describing your perception of Dewey Bezela’s brand and if Mr Bezala’s brand provides any life lessons for you to embrace about your ‘character’.   Thank you.

2.  Please read the profile of ‘Boss Tweed‘ in your “Quest For Success” textbook.  After reading the profile of ‘Boss Tweed‘, please compare and contrast Boss Tweed’s brand with Dewey Bezela’s brand.  As always, your description should be well written with perfect spelling, good grammar and punctuation and NO RUN-ON SENTENCES (in other words, please keep your sentences limited to one or two ideas or thoughts.)

3.  Please complete this assignment by Wednesday, April 6, 2016, anytime before but not after midnight.   Thank you.

4.  I will see you Thursday morning, April 7th, at 8:45am in the lobby of the school for our trip to the corporate offices of CVS Health in Woonsocket, Rhode Island.   Please make sure you BRING YOUR BUSINESS CARDS and be prepared to step out of your comfort zone to ask the CVS people you meet for their business cards.

5.  Here’s the rest of the Dewey Bezela story.  Reflect and enjoy.

‘thank you‘ has a major impact on your brand.  Here’s a thank you card sent by one member of our class to a person who did a favor for them.  The sender’s brand just increased in value in the eyes of the recipient.  As a result, the recipient will be ready to do additional favors for this sender.  Are you always saying ‘thank you‘ in the form of a card or note to those who are helping you along the way?

1.  During today’s class,

Hafzat reminded us of the importance of “the ask“.

Hafzat encouraged us to get out of our comfort zone to “respectfully ask for the job, the internship, even directions at Reagan Airport if you’re fortunate to be invited to the National Youth Leadership Forum this summer.  Your opportunities in life often start with ‘the ask’“.

2. Don’t forget the importance of “thank you”.  Anytime someone does something out of the ordinary for you whether it be a recommendation or a kind act, do the extraordinary by writing a ‘thank you’ note.  This acknowledgement will have a huge impact on the perception of your brand.

3.  For

those students interested in a paid summer internship at CVS Health,

please send me an email (scronin@twobolt) expressing your interest.  I will then compile a list to present to Mike Martel and his team at CVS with my recommendations.  Mike will then begin to schedule interviews for the applicants.   All interviews will be conducted at Hope High School.  Please remember to reflect on the brand you’ve been building this year and how it is perceived by those who recommend or interview you for jobs, internships and college acceptance.   And remember Hafzat’s advice about the importance of “the ask“.  I encourage you to reach out to Hafzat and Fernando for advice on the application and interview process.

5.  Please get your

2 permissions forms completed and returned to Mr Goodman by Tuesday,

March 22.  The first form is parental permission for our field trip to CVS Health corporate campus in Woonsocket, RI on April 7.  The second form is permission for a videographer to record your comments and opinions on our Life Skills program.  We are producing a video to inform Hope High School sophomores of the benefits and opportunities of the Life Skills program and encourage more companies to become involved in the Life Skills program with class visits, donations and paid internships.  I really do appreciate your willingness to be interviewed.  Future Hope High School Life Skills students will benefit from your willingness to help.  Thank  you.

6.  Read pages 1 through 39 in your new textbook, “A Quest For Success“.   Please tell me in a well written statement something in those pages which made you think, reflect or impressed you.

7.  Go to the personal network inventory on page 39 in “A Quest For Success“.  Please send me your answers to each of the 11 questions in the inventory.  Thank you.

8. Please have the #6 and #7 assignments listed above completed and sent to me electronically by midnight, Tuesday, March 29, 2016.

9.  Happy Easter!

1.   This is an activity about someone you read about in our  “The Future”   textbook.    Please answer the following questions below about Elon Musk.   Please make sure your sentences are well written with perfect spelling, good grammar, no run-on sentences (this means cramming too many ideas into one sentence) and good punctuation.  Thank you.  I look forward to reading your answers.

• who is Elon Musk?   (write no more than 2 sentences to answer this specific question)
• name 2 of his companies and the products these companies make.
• would you consider buying an Elon Musk made company product?  yes or no   If yes, identify the product and why you would buy it.  If no, explain why you wouldn’t buy any product made by an Elon Musk company.
• where does Elon Musk’s money come from?   How did he become so rich?    Please explain what he invested in which enabled him to become so wealthy. (He’s a billionaire!)
• Please explain what Elon Musk calls a “gigafactory“, what this “gigafactory” will produce and what benefits to you and I this “gigafactory” will provide.
• Please explain similarities between Elon Musk and Preston Tucker.  You have a story about Preston Tucker in your “Brand” textbook (The Development of the American Brand. page 107)
• Please explain one similarity between Elon Musk and Tony Stark, aka Iron Man.
• What is lithium and please explain why is it so important to one of Elon Musk’s products?
• Finally, I am interested in your opinion.  I am making an assumption you, like I, observe some redeeming qualities in Elon Musk.  Like any person, Musk has accomplishments and failures.  Please describe Elon Musk’s greatest quality or character trait.  A character trait is not an accomplishment; it’s an attitude.  For instance, ‘stick-to-it-iveness’ and ‘humility’ are traits.  Building a rocket is an accomplishment.  So what ‘trait’ do you most admire about him.  If you haven’t observed any redeeming quality or trait of Elon Musk, state “I don’t see any redeeming qualities or trait in Elon Musk”.   You may be right; but be prepared, I will challenge you to defend this observation.  Thank you.

Please send me your answers to my email address no later than 12am, Thursday, March 17th.   Thank you.

You made me proud today in class.  You presented yourselves very well to Mr Rivera and Mr Mercado.  Your brands continue to appreciate in value.  Thank you for being so conscientious about your brand development.

Here are two interesting videos about Tony Stark….. I mean, Elon Musk.