Primary Artifact 1- News Report

I chose to do some digging on the internet to find out more about the heroin problem that has aroused in the Cincinnati area over the last couple of years. I came across a Fox19 news report from 2012 that I felt would be very persuasive if incorporated into my final project. The news report was about how a woman named Michelle Conda, a professional pianist who taught at the University of Cincinnati, was driving home on a scooter and got hit by a car because the driver had fallen asleep due to a heroin overdose. It discussed how heroin is a big problem because the prescription drugs are becoming harder to access and they are more expensive. Since heroin gives you the same high as the abused prescription drugs (oxycodone, etc.), it is becoming the new drug of choice. Then after doing further research and finding more recent data, I discovered that on July 3^rd, 2013 the Hamilton Fire Department responded to 18 drug overdose calls and five heroin overdoses in the course of two weeks. I will use these statistics in my project to strengthen my argument because I am hoping that this data surprises the average reader and then I can use that to build my case as to why there must be more actions taken to prevent heroin from spreading to more people. I need to keep searching for even more information as to where the heroin trend started and I need to begin setting up interviews to get expert information to solidify my case.


http://www.fox19.com/story/18894860/heroin-becomes-big-problem-in-cincinnati-northen-ky
http://www.fox19.com/story/22749186/18-heroin-overdoses-reported-over-last-2-weeks-in-hamilton-ohio

Topic Proposal

When I was in my sophomore year of high school, I unfortunately had to move from my home in Chicago, Illinois to Cincinnati, Ohio due to my mom's job transfer. I was greatly upset when I learned this news because I had never heard of this strange place and I could only see a negative outcome. Once I finally became a part of the Loveland community, a suburb north of the city, it changed my views on the new environment because I felt like I was accepted and I found a great deal support amongst my fellow peers. From an outsiders perspective, Loveland is a growing and populous place full of smiling faces where you can ride on the bike trail through the city or grab some ice cream with friends down at the Whippy Dip. A problem that is not seen upon first glance is the fact Loveland is fighting a war on heroin. Heroin has slowly become a worsening problem amongst young adults who are usually in their early to mid 20's. I decided to make this documentary on the growing problem in order to draw attention to it and hopefully spark a drive for change in this downhill trend because I feel that Loveland has so much potential to keep prospering if this problem is to be handled. I would like to try to learn where this problem emerged from, what preventative actions are being done to stop this dilemma, and how can we learn from past instances of heroin problems in other cities to approach this issue in the best way.

Hi, My name is Heather Burns and I am a current freshman at the University of Kentucky. I plan to get my degree in Bio-Chemistry and apply to medical school. I would like to pursue a career in cosmetic plastic surgery. My sister and I even have a plan to eventually open a practice together! I am the oldest of 3 siblings, so I am used to being my mom's secondhand and pretty much making sure everything gets done. I have a long distance boyfriend named Tylor, who lives in Cincinnati and is in the process of join the Army to become a Physician's Assistant. I have a learning disorder that I am currently getting retested for because I tend to take a little extra longer to finish assignments and exams. I have a passion for horseback riding and I wish I had the time to pursue it on the side, but I plan to in the future. I also love to dedicate my extra time to volunteering because I find it is only right for me to give what I can to others around me in need. I hope to get involved in student government as well because I regret not try it in high school! I expect to be challenged to strengthen my speaking skills.