My Best

Quality
 A Waterways Project

My Best
Publication
Richard Spiegel

Quality
Barbara Fisher
co-directors
Thomas Perry
administrative assistant

Max Mendes, site teacher

Susan Greco, principal

NYC Vocational Training Center

Richard Organisciak, Superintendent

Alternative, Adult and Continuing Education,
Schools and Programs

May, 2003
Funded by the Empire State Partnership,
NYS Council on the Arts
and Learn and Serve America
 Celestine Payne
Omega

You are the omega of my heart,

the foundation of my conception of love.
When I think of what a young man should be
it’s you that I first think of.

You will never fully understand

how deeply my heart feels for you.
I worry that we’ll grow apart
and I’ll end up losing you.

You bring me to climax without sex.

And you do it all with regal grace.
You are my heart in human form,
an immortal friend I could never replace.

October 2001

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 Celestine Payne
Ain’t Nothing Like the Sight of You

Ain’t nothing like the sight of you.

My life is dark, but I see the light in you.
I hope my goal of getting you is achievable.
Receiving you would be the best thing that could
ever happen, ‘cause when you’re close by
I feel the magic working its wonders.
You make me hot like Florida summers.
This ain’t no game like ‘Super Mario Bros.’
My heart was scared by one of my loves
when I was younger, but now I’m older,
brushing stuff like that off my shoulder.
You got me open. My pose is frozen when
you move in a sexy motion.
You mace me with your love potion.
How I’m blinded by one of the finest Shorties
I’ve seen in a while.
Shorty, love your style
Shorty, I love your smile.

written March 2002

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 Celestine Payne
Prisoners of Fate

As the lines between reality and fantasy relate,

as prisoners of life we often contemplate,
where do we go after we pass away?
Another park paradise of cold and hate?
Or another dream of noncontrolling fate?
The evil spirits that walk amongst my shadows
can make me envision my own grave.
Someone, somewhere, has plotted my death,
and even I can’t take charge of my last breath.
It hurts to be robbed of your soul and pride,
knowing that one day you must die.

I’m tired of hearing Masons saying God loves us.

Or seeing money that says “In God we trust.”
If He is truly perfect then why is death a must?
I mourn so deep for my mom’s heart,
but pain and suffering were destined
from the start.

So little time with so much to say.

Give me an answer, someone. Why should I
pray?

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Sometimes life isn’t fair, ‘cause I cry and they
stare.
Teardrops fall with a hard and confusing glare.

Why is it that all good moments must come to an

end?
Why is it that enemies were once friends?
Why must we say, “Amen,” to this life
of struggle,
entrapped in a demon’s body, my angel has
a muzzle.
Even though I’m confused and crazed
I often think about the end of my days.

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 Celestine Payne
Fallen Star

They could never understand

what you set out to do,
instead they chose to ridicule you.
When you got weak
they loved the sight
of your dimming
and flickering starlight.
How could they understand what was so intricate?
To be loved by so many, so intimate.
They wanted to see your lifeless corpse.
This way you could not alter the course
of ignorance that they have set
to make my people forget
what they have done for much too long—
to just forget and carry on.
I had loved you forever because of who you are.
And now I mourn my fallen star.

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 Celestine Payne
And Tomorrow

Today is filled with anger

fueled with building hate
scared of being outcast
afraid of common fate.
Today is built on tragedy
which no one wants to face
nightmares to humanity
morally disgraced.
Tonight is filled with rage
violence in the air,
children bred with ruthlessness
because no one at home cares.
Tonight I lay my head down
but the pressure never stops
gnawing at my sanity
content when I am dropped.
But, tomorrow I see change,
a chance to build anew,
on spiritual intent of heart
and ideals based on truth.
And, tomorrow I wake with a second wind
and strong because of pride
to know I fought with all my heart to
keep me dream alive.
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 Joseph Torres
I think my best quality
is my ability to be a patient person.
I can take a lot of stuff from people
and still be calm.
There are days that everything bugs me,
but who do you know that doesn’t
have one of those days?
A lot of times my patience saved me
from trouble that I really didn’t need.
Not a lot of people are patient.
So that is why it is my best quality.

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 Clara Reyes
Why I’m In The VTC

The reasons why I’m in the VTC program are

many, but I could just write a few down.
In my regular high school I was not doing the
right thing. I decided to get away from that
school.
I could progress on my own. I knew I was
not going to graduate on time, so I decided to go
for a program with job training. So when I fin-
ish, I will leave with my diploma and work experi-
ence.

Tyree Griffin

I’m in the VTC because I was chasing

females like dogs chase their tails. I used to
never really interest myself in school. This may
be because I thought that school wasn’t helping.
But I was wrong. Towards the end of my
high school career I knew I dug myself a grave.
And it’s my job to dig myself back out. That’s
why I am here in the VTC.

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 Jennifer Guilbert

I’m in the VTC to follow my goals. I’m here

to get my GED, but that’s not the only reason.
I’m also here to learn as much as I can.
I want a lot for my life, and this is the start.
So those are some of the reasons I’m in the
VTC. I hope VTC can help me as much as I need
to be helped.

Lisa Rodriguez

I’m in the VTC program because I was kicked

out of high school. I was kicked out because I
never used to go to class.
My guidance counselor told me about VTC.
She told me it would be better for me to get my
high school diploma with VTC.

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 Luis Castillo

Someone who has made a strong impression

on me would be my mother, because she has
taught me everything I know about life. And I
am still learning from her.
She has also made an impression on me
because
I have learned from her that even though
you are going through hard times you have to
keep on trying because eventually you will bounce
back up.

Jason Hayes

The person who has made a big impression on

my is my father. Even though he doesn’t live
with my sister or me, he still finds time to spend
time with us.
He has never neglected or forgotten about
his children like other men do. He gets a lot of
love and respect for that

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 Tyra Hedrington

I would do a lot of things as a parent

differently from the way I was brought up.
First, I would let my children have
a little bit more freedom.
I would let them
hang with friends,
go to parties,
and basically live teenage life.
I wouldn’t force them into a religion
when they reach a certain age.
I would give them a chance
to grow up with their peers.

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 Tyra Hedrington

I think it is very important

to set goals in life.
If you don’t set goals
then you won’t know
what to do in the future.
A goal that is very important to me
is to pass the GED test.
If I pass this test
then I will be in better shape
to become a pediatrician.

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 Tyra Hedrington

The thing I like best about NYC

is being able to get around
without an adult driving you.
I also like how there is always
something to do, because
the city never sleeps.

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 Tyra Hedrington

Just this past Saturday

I used self control.
Some friends and I
were at a party.
We were walking around
to see who was there.
While we were walking
I accidentally bumped into a girl.
Before I could turn around and say sorry
her friend swung on me and missed.
My first impression was to swing back,
but something in my head showed me
all the consequences if I did.
So I didn’t.
After the party the girl got jumped.

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 Tyra Hedrington

Five years from now I see myself hopefully

graduated from a 4 year college. I see myself
living independently with a good job in order to
pay my bills.
I won’t have any children, but I may have a
boyfriend on the side.
I’ll probably be doing a lot of sightseeing,
visiting family members and going to plenty of
clubs. I’ll be getting ready to go to medical
school and settle down.

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 Tyra Hedrington

A hard time I got through was when my

mother was sick and had to be hospitalized. This
was a hard time for me because my father had
to be at work. I had to take my sisters to and
from school. Afterwards I would have to take
them to my aunt’s house so that they could eat.
The reason why this was a hard time for me
was because this was a few years ago. I had to
be responsible for my sisters while I was learn-
ing to be responsible for myself.

Tyra Hedrington

My dream job is to be a pediatrician. When

I was young I always had a thing for doctors.
Their stethoscopes always interested me and I
loved helping people get well.
I also love working and being around children.
So I figured the best way I could fulfill this was
by putting them both together and it came out
to be a pediatrician.
I hope that one day I can live my dream and
finally become a pediatrician.

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 Jorge Marmol

My inner voice speaks to me in two different

ways depending on what the situation is. When I
am in a good mood and someone tries to argue
or fight with me, my inner voice would calm
me down.
For example, two weeks ago, while at work,
my boss came screaming at me. So my inner
voice was telling me just keep cool and talk back
softly in a friendly manner. So when he was
done I started speaking and excusing myself
from the problem he brought upon me.
The second way is when I am in a bad mood
or having a bad day. When one of these days
happens to come along, my inner voice just tells
me mean things and I always speak with a tough
guy attitude.
For instance, just last week a co-worker of
mine tried to act tough with me on one of those
bad days. All I did was tell him off and by that
I mean I told him mean things. But later on I
came back and apologized.

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 Jorge Marmol

A time I used self-control was about two

weeks ago while at work. One of my co-workers
got kind of smart with me and started acting
extremely out of proportion. What I did was
tell him to chill out and walked away.
Throughout the whole ordeal I was pretty
calm. I never got out of my place. By this I
mean I never stooped down to his level. I main-
tained my cool and did what was best for me and
for my job.

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 Jorge Marmol

If someone, if anyone, has made an impres-

sion on me in my young life, it would have to be
my lovely mother. My mother has managed to
make such an impression by leading me and my
two siblings to a better life. By this I mean
helping and pushing us to continue our education.
With my mother’s advice and my own will I
have decided to finish my high school education.
Thus, making myself a smarter, brighter young
man and making my beautiful mother happy to
have a son like me.
Everything I am today I owe to my mother.
She has been there every step of the way. She
has been more than a mother to me. By this I
mean she also had to take on the role of being a
father.
It must be tough to bring up your kids with-
out the love of a father, but I really don’t think
it matters as long as you have a mother like
mine.

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 William Ballard

There was a change in my life. It was hard

because I stopped hanging out with my friends.
They were doing things I never experienced.
They were smoking, drinking and gambling.
The people I knew for about 7 years I could-
n’t hang out with. I changed my life around a lot.
I’ve never smoked or drank. Imagine if I was
still hanging out with them!

William Ballard

My inner voice is calming.

It’s relaxing and talks gently.
It’s funny, but it’s a nice thing to have.
My inner voice puts my schedule together
and gives me different ideas about females.

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 William Ballard

A hard time I got through

was when my grandfather passed away.
It was in the middle of the school year
when I was taking exams.
Everyone in my family was sad for a while.
It really hurt my mom and it affected me also.
Things were difficult for us,
but we took it a step at a time.

William Ballard

It’s important to set goals.

It puts your mind on paths to success.
A goal is something to achieve
like the ending line in a race.
My goal is to pass the GED
and go to college right afterwards.
My goal is set and will be achieved.

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 Vanessa Ramirez

There was one time in the eighth grade

when I used self-control.
I’ve used self-control many times,
but this is one situation
which I could never forget.

It was February 12, 1998,

and I was on my way home
from taking my graduation pictures.
In an area where
there weren’t many people
two girls bumped me on my shoulder
and then another girl came
and punched me in my face.
I was so mad I could spit fire.
I wanted to kick her in her stomach.
But instead I ran to some cops on bikes
that were one block away.

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 Jennifer Rippel

My best quality is being able to present

myself in a respectful way; and also to have
respect for the people around me.
I feel this is true because I was brought up
to have respect for everyone. I feel respect is
the most important part of someone’s personali-
ty. Without giving respect, you can’t get
respect.

Trystan Bragg

My goal which is important to me

is passing my GED.
That’s really what
I would like
to accomplish first.
Then I would like
to attend John Jay College.
Once I get there
I would be on my way
to being on the police force.

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