These three images all capture the tragic aftermath of Hurricane Sandy it’s detrimental effect it left on Seaside Heights New Jersey.

 Photographs. November 4th. Restore the Shore Projects. Facebook.com/RestoretheShoreprojects/photos. 02. 18 2013.

This image shows that the Restore the Shore project has raised another $100,000 to help with Sandy relief. 

Photographs. November 4th. Restore the Shore Projects. Facebook.com/RestoretheShoreprojects/photos. 02. 18 2013.

Toms River, New Jersey to me is the best place on Earth; it’s the place I’ve called home for twenty-one years, and there’s no other place I’d rather be. In the summertime you can always find me on 7th Avenue in Seaside Park. There’s nothing better than that first day of summer when I’m able to put my beach chair in the trunk of my car and drive down to the island. Those first few weeks when I can sit with my feet in the sand before schools let out and tourists flock to their rented beach homes is the best time to take in the all of the wonders of the beach; when I can smell the salty air of the ocean and embrace the feeling of the hot sun on my skin. 

Four months ago all of that changed when everything I loved about Toms River and Seaside was put on the forefront of a devastating hurricane. I couldn’t help but feel guilty that I wasn’t home trying to help with relief efforts. It was hard realizing that as much as I wanted to participate and help in any way I could, I had to put all my faith into my community. I had to believe in everything they were doing to help, and I couldn’t be more proud of the things that they did. That hurricane showed me how much New Jersey truly means to me, and all of the amazing people in it. In a time of pure desperation locals helped other locals, they put their needs behind them and worked to keep those around them in high spirits. 

I was able to witness an example of this a few weeks ago when my mom and I took a drive down to Seaside Heights. My heart felt heavy as we drove down streets of debris, but at one point we came across a street where two neighbors were helping each other clean their homes. It was at that moment that I realized how important community was. I applauded the people on the news who were in horrible situations, and still pushed forward, putting other people ahead of themselves. The unsung heroes of the aftermath of the hurricane are the people that make up a community, the ones who help others not for recognition, but because that’s what people do when they're a part of something. 

New Jersey has been called a lot of things, but what people don’t know is that behind our loud mouths and reckless driving, there is a big heart. Hurricane Sandy may have destroyed a part of my home, but it reinforced the love that all New Jerseyians have for each other, and what we're willing to do for one another. I’m proud of where I live and the people who surround me. The people in my community have and continue to demonstrate that no matter what happens, we can get through anything. As businesses rebuild, and families recuperate, a bond is forming that unites us all together. After everything that has happened it has only made us stronger, and I couldn’t be happier to call New Jersey my home. 

Purpose: To express emotion without the feeling of sadness. 
The main purpose behind my This I believe essay is to express all of the things that I have no talked about for some time now. I have never experienced anything like Hurricane Sandy before and it made me realize a lot about myself that I've been afraid to share. The essay has helped me get through a hard time by realizing that good things come from the worst of times. 

Audience: Majority of females and my professor. 
A majority of my audience lives in some area of New Jersey and was affected in some way by the hurricane, therefore they can relate to the things that I am saying. I want my audience to empathize with mine as well as many other situations, but not feel bad afterwards. This essay is not to evoke pain or suffering from the victims of Sandy, but more so to show hope and progress. At the end of this I want my audience to feel hopeful that Toms River and every other area affected by Sandy will make a full recovery. 

Strategies: 
Rhetoric Appeals:
Ethos: My essay establishes that I have grown up in Toms River and spent my entire life living there. This demonstrates my credibility in that I understood first hand how horrible the devastation of Sandy was, and how important community was in my towns recovery. 
Pathos: My audience can relate to my essay because a majority of them live in New Jersey and are aware of how detrimental the storm was to different parts of the state. 
Tone: Hopeful, yet realistic. I want my audience to look forward to the future instead of dwelling on the past. 
Accessibility: My audio is shown above my slideshow for my audience to access in any way they want. 
Design: The color of the font will be black and centered on the page just as previous posts. The design will be bold and dominant. 
Arrangement: My audio will come first, then my slideshow, and then my paper.  


Technological Choices: I used SoundCloud for the audio piece of my presentation. I would like to implement sound into the background; however, I'm not really sure how to do that. 
Presentation Choices: I would like to read my paper out loud (I hate hearing the sound of my voice) with the lights off while the slideshow plays behind me, with the sound of the ocean implemented into the slideshow. 
A Plan for Completion: I currently need to finish my slideshow because there a few more pictures I want to include and I don't feel that they are in the right order just yet. My final draft of my paper is done, now I just to need to find a way to add the sound of the ocean into the slideshow.
A Plan for Testing:  A roommate of mine lives in LBI and can relate on a deeper level to my essay. I plan to have her read it and provide suggestions of anything I may have missed. She will also go through my slideshow.