It was Halloween night at around 11:00 p.m. when my perspective on life changed forever. A few of my friends and I were on the way to a party walking on the gap between the sidewalk and the road. We were laughing while strolling down the road when everything went black. The first thing I remember after I woke up was a sharp and lasting pain in my right leg. My heart started racing and i didn’t remember anything. A sense of confusion overwhelmed me because I strangely didn’t know what happened. The next thing I remember was hearing the nurse check my vitals and notify the doctor that I was awake. When the doctor arrived I pelted him with questions. “What happened to me?”, I asked. “How did I get here?” He then informed me that I was hit by a car and am most likely suffering from ligament damage in my knee. He told me that my injury was serious but not life threatening. Immediately, I felt relieved. A chill ran through my body. The idea of being hit by a car was extremely frightening to me. I couldn’t stop thinking about what could have happened or how much more I could have been injured. Though my friends were at the hospital, they were not allowed to see me because they are not a family member. This made my experience even more traumatic than it already was. I felt alone. I was also suffering from Retrograde Amnesia. This occurs when your brain subconsciously forgets traumatic events to prevent future stress. This natural reaction actually helped me throughout the process because it allowed me to move on and stop thinking about what could have happened. By the next morning, my parents had arrived which made me feel a lot better. They met with my doctors as the talked about next steps. I immediately got a CT scan that revealed my torn ACL, MCL, and Meniscus. Though my recovery will undoubtedly be challenging, I thank my lucky stars every day that I walked out of the hospital with my life.
Hurt, confused, angry- these were some of Andrea Munoz’s feelings as her mother told her they would be moving from Miami to Ft. Lauderdale. Although it is only a twenty-minute drive from Miami, to a 6th grader that felt like the end of the world. Andrea could not comprehend how her mom expected her to leave all of her friends, school, neighbors and her grandparents in Miami, to start a new life somewhere else. She remembers blaming her mother a lot during that time, because her feelings were too strong for her to handle that young, so it became her only outlet. Her mother was starting a new job in Ft. Lauderdale, but also was moving to solidify her relationship with her boyfriend. Andrea felt angry because she felt dragged along to this new relationship, which ended up surprising her in the end. She was reluctant to attend a new school and make new friends, because at the time she truly believed her 6th grade friends were her true life-long friends. Now it may sound ridiculous, but if small changes can be very stressful for children, all these changes added up placed extreme stress on Andrea. These changes while she wanted them to be bad because of how angry she felt at the time, just ended up showing her how right it actually was. She made so many friends at her new school, which followed her into high school. Those friends are still her support system to this day, even hundreds of miles away, while her middle school friends never really reached out. Her grandparents living in Miami became less of a problem the more she grew up because she could see them whenever, and kept up their relationship even while living in Ft. Lauderdale. Her father was never a deciding factor, nor did he add to the stress of living in different places because she never connected with him after her parents split up. Once she remembers being angry about her step-father today, she regrets it. She has a great relationship with him and the only word to describe him is “Awesome”, because he not only makes her mom happy but also cares for Andrea and her sister and makes her dreams possible. Her mother and step-father are actually getting married soon, so it really proved that their love was worth the move and adjustments.
I opened the front door and was immediately greeted by my dog, Red, wagging his tail. I shut the door and put the mail down on the front table. Looking at the clock in the kitchen, I groaned because it was only 2 p.m. Florida State University is releasing their acceptance letters today at 5 p.m. The agony is killing me. I walked upstairs and laid back on my bed, texting Abby. Abby is my best friend outside of my Charter high school, I have known her since I was 3. On the other hand, in another chat, I was texting my friend from school, Caroline, about the acceptance letters coming out and she is nervous too because she also applied. I heard Red start barking at the door, announcing that my parents are home. It is now 4:30 and I am getting more nervous by the minute. I open my laptop and log onto Florida State University’s website. After taking forever to load, I patiently wait until 5:00 p.m. to reload the page. Nothing happens. At 5:01 I tried again. Immediately, the war chant played through my computer speakers and my parents ran into my room. “Did you get in, Sweetheart?” My mom joyfully exclaimed. “I did!” I squealed, “I’m going to Florida State!” I texted Abby right away to let her know. She was so happy for me. Knowing that Caroline applied too, I texted her asking if she looked yet. She simply replied that she has not looked. Knowing Caroline and her personality, I know that she was waiting at her computer just like I was. Figuring out that she must not have gotten in, I decided to let the topic go because I did not want to tell my friend that I got in if she did not. The rest of the night was so much fun. My mom took me and Abby to dinner to the Cheesecake factory after I cheered at the school basketball game. On Monday, we went back to school and everyone was talking about who got in to Florida State. I did not tell anybody except my parents, Abby, and my English teacher that helped me with my application. We were sitting in class and my teacher stands up in front of everyone to start the class. “Also, want to give a big congratulation to Sam for getting into FSU!” The class started clapping and more people announced that they got in too. At the end of class, Caroline came up to me and said, “I am happy that you got in, but I would have rather found out from you and not our teacher.” I explained to her that I didn’t want her to feel bad because I had a feeling she didn’t get in when she kept avoiding it. Turns out, I was right. I apologized for not telling her right away. And we had lunch together as always.
When the parents of Charles decided to leave their home in his hands for a couple of unsupervised days, there was only one thing that could happen. And that one thing is a party. Most people in high school would not think of a freshmen throwing a banger. But that is exactly what he did. This was definitely a crazy party. If you have ever seen the movie project X it was something along the lines of that. Kids from all classes and schools showed up to get lit at Charles party of freshmen year of high school. Even upperclassmen and kids from other schools had decided to show up and have a good time. Charles friend blew up his address sending it to everyone they knew and little did they know that almost everyone would actually show up. One of the craziest things that people could remember is Charles deciding to jump off his roof into the pool below. It was all fun and games until the neighborhood security guard arrived at his front door to deliver some unwelcome news. The security guard was done with letting all the kids in the gates and he could obviously tell that there was a party going on and that his parents where out of town. What was even worse was that he was going to call his parent and let them know what was going on. This is where charles had to to come clean and admit that he had people over. Luckily for him he had a awesome grandfather that actually came over and helped him clean up the house before his parents got home. They were able to clean everything up except for one sign that angered his father again after the fact. In terms of the house the party was a success because nothing was broken. The only thing that needed fixed was the door that fell off its hinges. Unfortunately for charles he was grounded for his whole summer break and wasn't allowed to do anything for the longest time. Which begs the question, was it worth it?
When Mitchell was about to begin his high school years he had no idea it would turn out totally different than expected. He began his high school career at a school named Terra for engineering. Although Mitchell thought this school would be a good fit because of his aspirations to be an engineer it turned out to be the opposite of what he had wanted. Mitchell didn't fit in with the kids at Terra because they were all so focused on engineering and really weren't fun at all. Another problem was a psycho teacher that Mitchell encountered. She had a very misconstrued grading system, and often gave very complex homework. Mitchell also began to learn when attending Terra that he absolutely hated math. It was clear that Mitchell was not in the right spot. It was time for a switch. When Mitchell switched high schools after his sophomore year he decided to attend Palmetto Bay High School. He had also convinced his childhood friends that were still his best friends to leave their strict preppy school and join him. Everything was starting to work out for Mitchell when he switched schools. No insanely hard math, no annoying teachers, and he could now spend all day with his best friends. During his junior year he hung out with mostly his lifelong friends from middle school, but this changed when senior year began. When senior year began everyone at Palmetto Bay began to start hanging out with each other including Mitchell's friend group. Mitchell's house would be the place where people would usually go to hangout. One time he had a graduation party that he invited his friends to, but the whole school ended up coming. Mitchell's parents were ok with this, they were laid back and cool. The switching of high schools for Mitchell was an important time in his life. He figured out his real interests from what he believed they were before. When beginning high school he thought he was going to be an engineer someday, but he found new hobbies when switching schools like animation and rock music. The switching of high schools for Mitchell was definitely one of his greatests decisions.
For Nick Granberry becoming a life guard was a dream job. He loved the beach and was able to be close with friends and hang out with them on the beach on really slow days. In his local town, Melbourne FL, he didn’t really have any busy days and most days were a breeze. At the age of seventeen this job was amazing and he had nothing too serious to worry about except for a few instances. All until one stormy day, the beach was closed but he was still working just to make sure no one was on the beach putting themselves in danger. He received a call that someone was spotted on the beach and this is when he gets into action. Him and a few others get on their off-road vehicles and headed down the beach to where the people where supposedly spotted. Once they arrived Nick spotted a man in his late thirties laying on the ground having a heart attack. Springing into action Nick had started to preform CPR on the man while the other lifeguards called for medical assistance and assessed the area. Nick at this moment knew that someone’s life was in his hands and that this was no joke. After a while he was able to keep the man alive and the paramedics were able to take over. However, there was another person out at sea while this was all happening and with the huge six-foot waves, the life guards were unable to find the other person before he went under. This person sadly died and Nick was a part of the crew that had to search for his body. This was done by forming a line and swimming to the bottom of the ocean trying to find the missing person. After a while the body eventually washed ashore and was confirmed dead. This is an experience Nick will never forget in how serious his job really meant, and as a young seventeen-year-old he was glad he was able to successfully carry out his duty as a lifeguard.
After taking two years of Health Science classes and one semester of a Certified Nurse Assistant course, the day was finally here. I would take the written portion of the test first. As soon as I submitted the test it would tell me if I passed. I was nervous to click submit, so I had the proctor do it for me. A huge green pass was written on the screen. I squealed and got so excited, but it was not over yet. I still had to take the skills portion. This part of the test was going to be more difficult. Before every portion of the test I would have to remember to wash my hands, and even though I knew to do this, I was scared that I would be so nervous that I would forget. Thankfully, I remembered and was able to also pass the skills section. The proctor handed me my score, and I started crying as soon as I found out that I passed. All my hard work had finally paid off. However, this was only the beginning. My next real challenge would be facing my first day as a CNA. When I arrived at the nursing home, I was greeted by my teacher. She instructed me to take the vitals of the patients. I was expecting this, but what I was not expecting was for her to tell me to go check to see if one of the patients was dead. This took me for a whim and made for a very weird memory of my first day as a CNA. My next adventure as a CNA took place at the hospital. I figured this setting would be a little a bit more my speed, but instead I encountered two contact isolation patients and a patient in restraints. This made it very difficult for me to take their vitals. However, after figuring out how to properly address them, I conquered the rest of my day with ease. I felt very proud of myself and all that I had accomplished. With the experiences I know have, I feel like I will be able to successfully address any patient that comes my way.
Walking down the dark and quiet streets of Zurich, Switzerland, my hunger grew almost painful. It had been hours since I last ate. The thought of a McDonald’s cheeseburger was stuck in my mind and caused my mouth to water. The closest restaurant was still a couple miles away but I was determined to satisfy my hunger. As I made the turn on to the next street in the corner of my eye I saw a struggle between a man and woman. He ripped her leather purse from her and she fell to the ground. He then turned around to escape. As he saw my friends and I moving towards him, he bolted towards the other direction. I took off to chase after him. He turned around the corner and headed to the train station. Staying close behind him, I shouted “drop the bag” but he would not comply. He hopped over the turnstyles and onto a train and I followed closely. Bumping into people and shoving people out of his way, he made is way to the back exit of the train and got off on the first stop. I sprinted to the exit and got off exactly where he did. He was nowhere to be found. I felt defeated and as if I failed the women who I was trying to help. My head dropped in disappointment, but a few yards from next to a pillar laid the women's purse. I picked it up and relished in my victory against this robber. I returned to the site of the robbery and found the woman who the purse belonged to. I felt satisfied handing it to her, and she was grateful for what I had done for her. She thanked me for my bravery and was even nice enough to buy me the burger from McDonald’s that I had been craving. My buddies and I walked home that night, with a warm satisfying feeling. Was that the McDouble with cheese that caused this sensation? Possibly, but I believe that it was the fulfilling feeling of doing the right thing, and helping someone in need.
We woke up at early this morning to grab the boat, because today is the first day of scallop season. Every year on the last Saturday of June people from all around go out to catch scallops. The day started normally as we drove out of bay heading towards the spot me and my dad always went to. I jumped in the water with just my mask, fins, and a bag to hold the scallops in. Looking through the sea grass I found scallop after scallop. I continued to forage until a large black shadow was cast from above me. I looked up and say a massive stingray swimming past; it must have been almost 200 hundred pounds. I looked closer and saw eels swimming with the ray; similar to the relationship between remoras and sharks. I admired the sting ray but continued scalloping. I had caught around 20 when I noticed a flash in the corner of my eye. I turned around and saw a reef shark eating one of the eels that had trailed off the manta. Usually sharks are easy to deal with when I’m spear fishing as I can just jab them in the nose with the tip of my gun. However, due to the situation I was in I started to panic. I started to swim back to the boat while keeping my eye on the shark, as I grew closer to the boat I saw the reef shark start dashing towards me. Now I began to rapidly swim as I tried to escape however, the shark grew closer and closer until I felt my fin kick its nose and then I heard a crunch. I reached the boat and jumped in super speed out of the water, I examined myself looking to see if the shark had hit me. Luckily only my fin was damaged, as the shark had taken a half of in its jaws. I told my dad on the boat what had happened, and we decided to go to a different spot before we called it a day. In the end we caught a lot of great scallops and I gained a great story to tell about my experience with a reef shark.
When I asked Thomas about a cool event in his life that left an impression on him he immediately thought of the time his friends and himself got the whole senior and high school class at his school together to have a party in the middle of his golf course. The story goes as this: His friends (In reference to his neighborhood) would always say I bet there’s a hole on this golf course that no one can see from the main road. After some investigated they were right and discovered the now infamous hole four. They immediately began planning a big scheme they wanted to assemble a big group of friends and have a party and hang out on the course they eventually found the perfect opportunity. This was at the biggest football game of the year when the majority of the student body was present. They began starting chants of hole four throughout the game and once they told everyone the neighborhood the majority of students knew it was on. As soon as the game was over all the students went to the golf course and hole four and the rest of the night is history. But Thomas will never forget the hordes of people asking him for the code to enter the gate and the sheer numbers of people that showed up to the hole. Once residents in the neighborhood took notice of the loud music and other kids on the course late at night the cops were alerted. Thomas and his friends knew that they could not be present, so they ran from the course and were scolded by neighbors during their escape. But they did not care because they accomplished what they set out to do assemble the student body and throw a crazy party. Even though the methods of the party were a bit unconventional they all will never forget the party for the rest of their lives. Thomas said that is definitely one of his favorite and most memorable moments from high school. He hopes that students won’t continue the tradition on however.
While sitting in class with only a month left of his sophomore year of high school, Christian realized that summer was rapidly approaching and that he had nothing planned for his three-month vacation. He quickly began thinking of options, however, nothing exciting came to mind. Later that day, Christian went to lunch with one of his best friends, Christian told him about his summer vacation dilemma and his friend immediately responded with an idea that Christian should join him at a beginner’s surf camp in Costa Rica. Christian loved the idea, and before you know it, the two friends were on a plane to Costa Rica. Once they arrived in Costa Rica, they were welcomed by the camp instructors and shuttled to the small houses they would be staying in. Christian described the small houses as shacks that were located promptly on the beach they would be surfing on, they were so close to the shore that the crashing waves pushed water as close as ten feet from the shacks. Christian was nervous for the first day of surfing, after all he had never touched a surf board, he didn’t know what to expect. The day had finally come and the counselors woke the students up at the crack of dawn, the beach was filled with surfers just moments after. Christian grabbed a board and headed straight for the ocean where he was met by an instructor. The first day felt impossible, Christian couldn’t stand up on the board, his body began to ache from the many times he fell. His first day woes didn’t discourage him, he woke up at sun rise every day in order to practice the craft of surfing. After the first week, Christian was getting that hang of it, and it was about time, the heavy and constant crashing waves were taking a toll on his endurance. At the end of the two weeks, Christian was sad to leave what he referred to as “paradise”, however, he was grateful to learn a new craft and as hobby that he still enjoys to this day. Growing up traveling the world, Christian has had many life-changing and unique experiences, however, he claims that the two-week-long surf camp he attended in Costa Rica takes the cake as most memorable.
The excitement rushed through his body as he began to board the plane. Ellis, whose love for travel is compared to no other, and is quite an understatement, could not possibly wait any longer for what lied ahead: his thirteenth birthday trip to Bosnia. He had already traveled to numerous countries before, yet he knew Bosnia was a like a new world. Its breathtaking setting, surrounded by mountains, the forest, the hillside, the sea, the city, and a combination of his favorite environments all put together in one. So, as he imagined he world he was about to enter, the unforgettable birthday awaiting celebration, little did he know that what actually lied ahead would change his perspective forever. Finally, he had arrived. Thirteen-year-old him rushed off the plane to the adventure which awaited. While in Bosnia with his family, he toured the historical and cultural monuments, conversed with the locals, observed the society surrounding him, and immersed himself in the culture. Yet one particular aspect stood out uniquely among the unfamiliarity and extravagance: the suffering the country experienced after war. To a thirteen-year-old kid, he knew he would love swimming in the sea, going on excursions, hiking through the mountains, exploring the city, yet he never did it cross his mind the wars and challenges Bosnia has faced since time began. Although the country is full of limitless possibility and beauty, there is a stain which exudes pride and strength among all the mountains and hills. Ellis could see, he could feel the pain both Bosnia and its people had endured through wartime- this changed him. While the buildings stood tall, proud, and culturally beautiful, they carried battle and hardship in the stone and bricks they were built on. He felt the difficulty civilians fought with as we walked among the hills and roads of the countryside. All these emotions rushed to him faster than the adrenaline he carried onto the plane. This urged his desire to not only enjoy himself for his birthday in Bosnia, but to learn about the history and civilians of Bosnia. What did he admire more than beauty that surrounded him and the celebration of his birthday? He admired the strength and power of the country which suffered great wars, battled intensity, yet exists with pride, exquisiteness, and potential.
As a young child growing up, your home life is all you know. You never seek to step out of those boundaries because what more could the world have to offer than all the happiness that already exists in your own life. But, things change and lives go on. The act of leaving your childhood home is something that completely uproots you and challenges you, and it is something Ana Omura had to go through at the ripe age of thirteen. She had the privilege of being raised in Brazil, a country that she still holds dear to her heart to this very day. She came from a large town that was embedded in the rich nature and culture of Brazil, the kind of town where everyone knew everyone and the comfort of your grandparent’s house is only a few steps away. Her parents had split up years prior, and her mother fell in love with an American man who sought to make them all a family and start a new life together in the United States. Many teens would’ve rebelled against this move, but Ana was actually pleased to start her eighth grade year at small private middle school in Winter Haven, Florida. The language barrier was the least of her concerns, as she was already fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. She quickly adapted to her new life, making friends and forming bonds instantly. While the miles from her home were far and wide, she always remained close by visiting Brazil to see her father twice a year who lives in Rio with his wife and her younger step-sister. This has allowed her the opportunity to thrive in her new home while still maintaining contact with her Brazilian roots. The integration of her schooling here went by smoothly, with her friends following along with her throughout high school and now college. Since her acceptance to Florida State, Ana was accompanied by the solace of several of her hometown friends and is even living with her best friend in their own apartment. In the face of an international move, Ana was able to quickly overcome any obstacles and focus on her future. She is studying to become a plastic surgeon, and is definitely not one to let anything get in her way.
It was the opening night of the show. Lexi was in the 5th grade, cast as the lead Ida, in the musical Honk. Honk was a musical adaptation of the story The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen. Lexi was Ida, the ugly ducklings mother. She was secretly happy that the boy who was cast as Ida’s husband Drake, was the boy she had a crush on. Lexi said she never felt any sort of stage fright when in groups on stage, but during solos it was different. Lexi got very shy and uncomfortable during solos, and in this show, she had three. Before Lexi and the boy, she had a crush on were about to go on stage, the boy kept telling her “you got this,” “you’re going to do great.” The positive affirmation from him was just enough to give her the confidence she needed to perform. They all went on stage and did everything perfectly. After a few scenes had passed, it was time for Lexi’s first solo. As the solo begins she starts off singing perfectly, but then during the middle she completely forgot one of the lyrics and took around ten seconds to catch her place and continue singing. When she gets off stage she is completely down, beating herself up over her mistake. Her characters husband Drake quickly approaches her off stage and begins to help her get out of that negative mindset. He tells her to forget about the mistake because thinking about it will only make it worse. “You got this, don’t let this one mistake overwhelm you and cause you to make more mistakes. Just think positively.” He greatly helped Lexi and by the time her next solo was up she was ready. The new-found confidence he helped her achieve showed in her performance and the audience responded with enormous applause. When it was finally time for the last solo, Lexi was more than prepared. It went very similar to the second one but with almost more applause. Sitting in the spotlight, it was a very humbling experience as Lexi thought about the situation. This moment would forever be ingrained in her mind.
Barreling down the road, here comes the snarling beast. Horns primed, attack stance ready to take off and attack at the slightest notion. Some fall victim to the beasts grasp and crumble. Others prevail. Dalton felt worthy of the beast's challenge that night. He climbed atop the beast and fired him up. Rage steamed at its nostrils. Explosions running through it's head, the beast was off. Charging down the road. Thrashing at Dalton's every whim, the beast struggled to break free. Dalton was too much. He had done it. He had tamed the beast. Searching for any possible sign of escape, the beast was unruly. It's master was careful to command him graciously for he knew of his true potential. Some say the stars aligned for the beast that day. The beast was able to clutch upon a taste of freedom. Dalton, curious to witness the beast's full potential foolishly revved him up. The beast whipped and snapped along the sides of his cage. Seizing an opportunity to an escape the beast attempted to divert his way through the forest. Along the other side he clashed into a concrete barrier of despair. Shit. Dalton knew what he had done. He knew the consequences of his misuse could only be met with suffering. It was his responsibility to heal his captive. Desperately searching for
Anxiousness and excitement swept over young Gabby. The bright colors of the television danced in front of her, capturing her every thought, other than the thought she kept quietly in the back of her mind. “I have to keep an ear out,” she thought. “I can’t let him catch us.” However intense the thought was at that moment; she was brought back to what was in front of her as the television called out to her and her sister. “Hi. I’m Dylan Sprouse, and you’re watching Disney channel,” said the young blond boy, as he waved a colorful wand around the screen to form Mickey Mouse ears. Giddy joy washed over Gabby once more as the show picked up again from the commercial break. Whatever his personal or political opinions, Gabby knew her father would not appreciate Disney Channel being played in his house. The full extent of the prejudice never quite made sense to Gabby then. The shows were bright, colorful and funny. How could anyone dislike it? Gabby had no time to ponder this however, as the laugh track consumed her full attention. Her and her sister’s laughter, along with the dialogue filled the room and created a distracting air around them. The simple act of sneaking around their father to watch what would later be considered silly kid’s shows, had created a bond between the sisters. A secret they could share with each other, something only then knew. Their contentment had not lasted long. Gabby’s heart skipped a beat when she heard the unmistakable sound of her father’s footsteps growing closer to them… closer to catching them. Without missing a beat Gabby and her sister both dove for the remote, with Gabby getting there first. She quickly hit the “back” button, illuminating the television with some nickelodeon show that has been forgotten with time. Gabby’s father entered the room not a moment too soon, as Gabby had returned to her previous comfortable position and greeted her father with the most innocent looking smile she could muster. His eye twinkled for a moment and Gabby wondered if he knew what they were up to. “Just checking on you two,” He said slowly, almost suspiciously. “How’s it going in here?” “Good!” Gabby and her sister exclaimed almost simultaneously. Their father raised an eyebrow. “Alright. Well, let me know if you need anything,” He said as he turned around and left the room. The suspicious look twinkled in his eye again as he looked back once more before closing the door. The girls waited in silence until they believed it safe to turn the channel back to Disney. Gabby wondered if he had known the whole time what they were doing, but once again, the thought was drowned out by a laugh track.
Hi my names Chase Kobylarz and I have performed in live music concerts around the country. Out of all the musical performances there will always be one that will stick out; it wasn't the largest concert I performed in but it was the most memorable. It was a stormy evening and pouring outside like no other. I hid my clarinet under my shirt as I ran into the auditorium to keep it dry. I was performing a duet with a pianist and myself on clarinet. We have practiced and mastered our piece for weeks on end for this night yet I still had the butter flies. It was time, The giant red curtains swung open and our cue was given. Our performance was going great and the crowd was loving it when something completely unexpected happened; out of nowhere all the power in the building cut out. The pianist couldn't read the music and stopped playing and I couldn't see my music sheet either but that didn’t stop me. I had memorized my entire piece and kept playing through the darkness. I couldn't see the crowd and the crowd couldn't see me. The second I finished playing the crowd, still in the dark, went insane. It was the best feeling in the world and words could not describe my feelings. After the concert everyone was coming up to me telling me how amazing what I did was. I have performed in larger concert halls than this one but hands down this will always be my favorite performance of my life.
It was a beautiful sunny Sunday morning in Miami. Maxx was at his dad’s house and was woken up by his little brothers cries. He heard his stepmom and father shuffle down the hall to go pick up their tearful son. Most days Maxx felt no urgency to get up and go, but today was Sunday, his favorite day of the week. He didn’t get to see his dad every day because most of the time he resided at his mom’s, but every Sunday he and his dad loaded up their dirt bikes into the truck and brought it to the track. Though he was young, Maxx was quite skilled at dirt biking. He was proud of his skill but very humble at the same time. His dad had helped him train and he had actually medaled a few times in competitions. On the way to the track Maxx and his dad were jamming out and laughing together. Maxx was antsy in his seat waiting to get there and get on his bike. His dad unloaded the bikes and Maxx set off. He was racing around, going up and down mounds and cutting corners. His adrenaline was pumping on full blast and his heart was racing. Feeling a bit ambitious, Maxx decided to go off the big ramp. He sped as fast as his bike would take him and launched off. His dad yelled after him as he flew. Maxx could hear his yelling, but paid little attention to it as the wind blew through his hair, his stomach was in his ears and he rapidly started to decline. The ground was coming up fast and Maxx’s ambition was gone. He felt his body clench up and the wheel smacked the ground. For less than a heartbeat Maxx thought he had landed it. Then his bike bounced up again and he felt his body and the bike flip. He landed first, and the bike landed right on his leg. A shooting pain went up his leg. He could feel every nerve on fire all at once and let out a scream. His dad ran over yelling and grabbed his arm, “Are you okay? Why would you do that?” Maxx felt the blood rush to his face and just pointed at his leg. As his dad lifted the bike Maxx couldn’t look down, fearful of what he had done to his shin. His dad scoffed and said, “Pshh, you’re fine. Walk it off”. Maxx looked down and saw nothing. No blood, no bone protruding from his busted leg, nothing. So he pushed off the ground and stood. To his amazement nothing was wrong with his leg except a big bruise. His dad walked the bike to the car and Maxx followed, his head down.
She flies through town without a care on her mind. She recognizes everything so well that she pays little attention to her surroundings. The last thing on her mind was watching for signs. she didn’t think to look up and acknowledge speed limit signs. She knew them by heart for she had flown down this street many times before. She never thought it would be held against her. And then what she least expected came into view from her rearview mirrors. Her heart comes to a sudden stop when she sees the lights. She had grown up being very familiar with them. Up to this day, they’ve never been directed towards her. She has never been in this side of the situation. Her heart begins to race again. She fears the consequence. Not only the legal consequences but more so the consequences that will come from her father. He had warned her so many times. He knew what it was to catch someone speeding and have to ticket them. Her father would hope that she, out of everyone, would know better. Her father was a police officer. When she told the cop who stopped her for speeding this detail about her life, let her off the hook without a ticket. The only consequence was a phone call to her father explaining what happened. Probably worse than the ticket itself.
Part one: She knew that Dad would let her go on vacation with her boyfriend and his family. Laura had her Dad wrapped around her finger, and she knew if she presented this the right way he would allow her to go on the trip. Unfortunately, she ended up having to drive separately in her Dad's big, white work van, this being his only request. Reluctantly she set off on her trip, driving a grueling 9 hours to Miami from her home in Atlanta. Time became a blur as the trees changed color and the air felt warmer, as Laura continued her drive down the Florida Turnpike. Unfortunately, she didn't realize the speed at which she was keeping constant and she cruised straight into the Everglades, unaware of the vast decrease in the designated speed limit posted. In the distance, Laura spotted what resembled a police car and immediately slammed on her brakes, attempting to slow down before it was too late. She passed the spot at which the Officer's car was parked, breathing a sigh of relief as she did not catch any glimpse of a red or blue light in her rear view mirrors. However, before she could relish in successfully avoiding the enforcement of the law, the office pulled out of his spot. Small drops of sweat began to fall from Laura's forehead, as he began following her down the highway. As she headed towards her exit and the now familiar presence of the police car greeted her in the mirror, she knew she wasn't getting away with this one. "My dad's gonna kill me...", "Oh my god, I don't even have the car registration or anything", "I hate this stupid, white van!!" Thoughts began to race through Laura's mind, and sure enough lights flashed in her eyes accompanied with the sound you never want directed at you. Tears burned in her eyes as she slowed to pull over on the side of the road, having no idea what was going to happen. The officer got out of his car, and apprehensively approached the van, "Put your hands where I can see them", he declared. And with that, Laura burst into tears throwing her hands in the air, feelings mixed with terror and confusion at what was going on. Two more squad cars came into view, this time being fully decked out SUV's, swiftly pulled up to the scene beside the first, this setting Laura off the edge. Holding back loud, sniffling sobs with all her might, she stepped out of the vehicle per the officer's following orders. The policemen searched her Dad's van, as Laura stood to the side shaking with fear unable to stop the flood of tears streaming down her face. After what seemed like a lifetime and a half, the officers concluded that there was nothing to find in the vehicle. Turning to Laura, the first officer finally said, "Young lady, do you realize the speed I clocked you at? I'm going to need your license and registration, you were going 95 miles per hour in a 35 mile per hour zone!".
Part two: With this, fear of not just the police officers met her as her Dad popped in her head... "Oh my gosh what am I going to tell him, I screwed up" she thought. She was granted permission to go back in the car and retrieve her license and registration, although she felt the officers presence and their eyes on her every move. She grabbed her license from her wallet and proceeded to "look" for the registration. Laura kept up this act for a solid 3 minutes tearing apart the van pretending to look for the car registration she knew wasn't there. Finally she looked up and with a strained cry, she told the officer she had no idea where it could be, explaining her father's line of work. "He wouldn't let me go to Miami unless I drove myself and I don't have my own car, and my Dad made me drive his work van. And it's so big and I'm not used to driving it. And my dad always has to switch out registrations because of his business. Please don't tell my dad.", she exclaimed finally drawing a breath. "Alright young lady, just calm down alright. Now don't move, I'll be back", the Officer said as he walked back to his squad car. Laura sat in the car, deflated as ever. Never in a million years would she have expected this to happen. She was in the middle of planning her long speech explaining to her dad what happened, when the officer spoke and abruptly stopped her train of thought. "Here's what I'm gonna do. I could've have given you a $600 ticket and taken you to jail with me right here for the speed you were going. However, I'm going to cut you a break today and write you a warning citation for not wearing your seatbelt.", the Officer explained. Suddenly Laura could see the light at the end of the tunnel, the world wasn't coming to a fatal end! She quickly nodded thanking the Officer repeatedly, with fresh tears trickling from her eyes from relief. The Officer finished the paperwork necessary and bid Laura a good day, heeding a warning to drive the speed limit! After waiting for the three squad cars to peel away, she fastened her seat belt (of course), turned the key in the ignition, switched the gear into drive and slowly pulled back onto the road and continued her journey onward. And in the end, that small bump Laura came across in the road on that sunny day in the Everglades was never discovered by her parents. However she knew, she would never ever forget.
It was Halloween night at around 11:00 p.m. when my perspective on life changed forever.
ReplyDeleteA few of my friends and I were on the way to a party walking on the gap between the sidewalk and the road. We were laughing while strolling down the road when everything went black. The first thing I remember after I woke up was a sharp and lasting pain in my right leg. My heart started racing and i didn’t remember anything. A sense of confusion overwhelmed me because I strangely didn’t know what happened. The next thing I remember was hearing the nurse check my vitals and notify the doctor that I was awake.
When the doctor arrived I pelted him with questions. “What happened to me?”, I asked. “How did I get here?” He then informed me that I was hit by a car and am most likely suffering from ligament damage in my knee. He told me that my injury was serious but not life threatening. Immediately, I felt relieved.
A chill ran through my body. The idea of being hit by a car was extremely frightening to me. I couldn’t stop thinking about what could have happened or how much more I could have been injured.
Though my friends were at the hospital, they were not allowed to see me because they are not a family member. This made my experience even more traumatic than it already was. I felt alone.
I was also suffering from Retrograde Amnesia. This occurs when your brain subconsciously forgets traumatic events to prevent future stress. This natural reaction actually helped me throughout the process because it allowed me to move on and stop thinking about what could have happened.
By the next morning, my parents had arrived which made me feel a lot better. They met with my doctors as the talked about next steps. I immediately got a CT scan that revealed my torn ACL, MCL, and Meniscus. Though my recovery will undoubtedly be challenging, I thank my lucky stars every day that I walked out of the hospital with my life.
Hurt, confused, angry- these were some of Andrea Munoz’s feelings as her mother told her they would be moving from Miami to Ft. Lauderdale. Although it is only a twenty-minute drive from Miami, to a 6th grader that felt like the end of the world. Andrea could not comprehend how her mom expected her to leave all of her friends, school, neighbors and her grandparents in Miami, to start a new life somewhere else. She remembers blaming her mother a lot during that time, because her feelings were too strong for her to handle that young, so it became her only outlet. Her mother was starting a new job in Ft. Lauderdale, but also was moving to solidify her relationship with her boyfriend. Andrea felt angry because she felt dragged along to this new relationship, which ended up surprising her in the end. She was reluctant to attend a new school and make new friends, because at the time she truly believed her 6th grade friends were her true life-long friends. Now it may sound ridiculous, but if small changes can be very stressful for children, all these changes added up placed extreme stress on Andrea. These changes while she wanted them to be bad because of how angry she felt at the time, just ended up showing her how right it actually was. She made so many friends at her new school, which followed her into high school. Those friends are still her support system to this day, even hundreds of miles away, while her middle school friends never really reached out. Her grandparents living in Miami became less of a problem the more she grew up because she could see them whenever, and kept up their relationship even while living in Ft. Lauderdale. Her father was never a deciding factor, nor did he add to the stress of living in different places because she never connected with him after her parents split up. Once she remembers being angry about her step-father today, she regrets it. She has a great relationship with him and the only word to describe him is “Awesome”, because he not only makes her mom happy but also cares for Andrea and her sister and makes her dreams possible. Her mother and step-father are actually getting married soon, so it really proved that their love was worth the move and adjustments.
ReplyDeleteI opened the front door and was immediately greeted by my dog, Red, wagging his tail. I shut the door and put the mail down on the front table. Looking at the clock in the kitchen, I groaned because it was only 2 p.m. Florida State University is releasing their acceptance letters today at 5 p.m. The agony is killing me. I walked upstairs and laid back on my bed, texting Abby. Abby is my best friend outside of my Charter high school, I have known her since I was 3. On the other hand, in another chat, I was texting my friend from school, Caroline, about the acceptance letters coming out and she is nervous too because she also applied. I heard Red start barking at the door, announcing that my parents are home. It is now 4:30 and I am getting more nervous by the minute. I open my laptop and log onto Florida State University’s website. After taking forever to load, I patiently wait until 5:00 p.m. to reload the page. Nothing happens. At 5:01 I tried again. Immediately, the war chant played through my computer speakers and my parents ran into my room. “Did you get in, Sweetheart?” My mom joyfully exclaimed. “I did!” I squealed, “I’m going to Florida State!”
ReplyDeleteI texted Abby right away to let her know. She was so happy for me. Knowing that Caroline applied too, I texted her asking if she looked yet. She simply replied that she has not looked. Knowing Caroline and her personality, I know that she was waiting at her computer just like I was. Figuring out that she must not have gotten in, I decided to let the topic go because I did not want to tell my friend that I got in if she did not. The rest of the night was so much fun. My mom took me and Abby to dinner to the Cheesecake factory after I cheered at the school basketball game. On Monday, we went back to school and everyone was talking about who got in to Florida State. I did not tell anybody except my parents, Abby, and my English teacher that helped me with my application. We were sitting in class and my teacher stands up in front of everyone to start the class. “Also, want to give a big congratulation to Sam for getting into FSU!” The class started clapping and more people announced that they got in too. At the end of class, Caroline came up to me and said, “I am happy that you got in, but I would have rather found out from you and not our teacher.” I explained to her that I didn’t want her to feel bad because I had a feeling she didn’t get in when she kept avoiding it. Turns out, I was right. I apologized for not telling her right away. And we had lunch together as always.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWhen the parents of Charles decided to leave their home in his hands for a couple of unsupervised days, there was only one thing that could happen. And that one thing is a party. Most people in high school would not think of a freshmen throwing a banger. But that is exactly what he did. This was definitely a crazy party. If you have ever seen the movie project X it was something along the lines of that. Kids from all classes and schools showed up to get lit at Charles party of freshmen year of high school. Even upperclassmen and kids from other schools had decided to show up and have a good time. Charles friend blew up his address sending it to everyone they knew and little did they know that almost everyone would actually show up. One of the craziest things that people could remember is Charles deciding to jump off his roof into the pool below.
ReplyDeleteIt was all fun and games until the neighborhood security guard arrived at his front door to deliver some unwelcome news. The security guard was done with letting all the kids in the gates and he could obviously tell that there was a party going on and that his parents where out of town. What was even worse was that he was going to call his parent and let them know what was going on. This is where charles had to to come clean and admit that he had people over.
Luckily for him he had a awesome grandfather that actually came over and helped him clean up the house before his parents got home. They were able to clean everything up except for one sign that angered his father again after the fact. In terms of the house the party was a success because nothing was broken. The only thing that needed fixed was the door that fell off its hinges. Unfortunately for charles he was grounded for his whole summer break and wasn't allowed to do anything for the longest time. Which begs the question, was it worth it?
When Mitchell was about to begin his high school years he had no idea it would turn out totally different than expected. He began his high school career at a school named Terra for engineering. Although Mitchell thought this school would be a good fit because of his aspirations to be an engineer it turned out to be the opposite of what he had wanted. Mitchell didn't fit in with the kids at Terra because they were all so focused on engineering and really weren't fun at all. Another problem was a psycho teacher that Mitchell encountered. She had a very misconstrued grading system, and often gave very complex homework. Mitchell also began to learn when attending Terra that he absolutely hated math. It was clear that Mitchell was not in the right spot. It was time for a switch.
ReplyDeleteWhen Mitchell switched high schools after his sophomore year he decided to attend Palmetto Bay High School. He had also convinced his childhood friends that were still his best friends to leave their strict preppy school and join him. Everything was starting to work out for Mitchell when he switched schools. No insanely hard math, no annoying teachers, and he could now spend all day with his best friends. During his junior year he hung out with mostly his lifelong friends from middle school, but this changed when senior year began.
When senior year began everyone at Palmetto Bay began to start hanging out with each other including Mitchell's friend group. Mitchell's house would be the place where people would usually go to hangout. One time he had a graduation party that he invited his friends to, but the whole school ended up coming. Mitchell's parents were ok with this, they were laid back and cool.
The switching of high schools for Mitchell was an important time in his life. He figured out his real interests from what he believed they were before. When beginning high school he thought he was going to be an engineer someday, but he found new hobbies when switching schools like animation and rock music. The switching of high schools for Mitchell was definitely one of his greatests decisions.
A Life Changing Event for a Young Life Guard
ReplyDeleteFor Nick Granberry becoming a life guard was a dream job. He loved the beach and was able to be close with friends and hang out with them on the beach on really slow days. In his local town, Melbourne FL, he didn’t really have any busy days and most days were a breeze. At the age of seventeen this job was amazing and he had nothing too serious to worry about except for a few instances. All until one stormy day, the beach was closed but he was still working just to make sure no one was on the beach putting themselves in danger. He received a call that someone was spotted on the beach and this is when he gets into action. Him and a few others get on their off-road vehicles and headed down the beach to where the people where supposedly spotted. Once they arrived Nick spotted a man in his late thirties laying on the ground having a heart attack. Springing into action Nick had started to preform CPR on the man while the other lifeguards called for medical assistance and assessed the area. Nick at this moment knew that someone’s life was in his hands and that this was no joke. After a while he was able to keep the man alive and the paramedics were able to take over. However, there was another person out at sea while this was all happening and with the huge six-foot waves, the life guards were unable to find the other person before he went under. This person sadly died and Nick was a part of the crew that had to search for his body. This was done by forming a line and swimming to the bottom of the ocean trying to find the missing person. After a while the body eventually washed ashore and was confirmed dead. This is an experience Nick will never forget in how serious his job really meant, and as a young seventeen-year-old he was glad he was able to successfully carry out his duty as a lifeguard.
After taking two years of Health Science classes and one semester of a Certified Nurse Assistant course, the day was finally here. I would take the written portion of the test first. As soon as I submitted the test it would tell me if I passed. I was nervous to click submit, so I had the proctor do it for me. A huge green pass was written on the screen. I squealed and got so excited, but it was not over yet. I still had to take the skills portion. This part of the test was going to be more difficult. Before every portion of the test I would have to remember to wash my hands, and even though I knew to do this, I was scared that I would be so nervous that I would forget. Thankfully, I remembered and was able to also pass the skills section. The proctor handed me my score, and I started crying as soon as I found out that I passed. All my hard work had finally paid off. However, this was only the beginning. My next real challenge would be facing my first day as a CNA. When I arrived at the nursing home, I was greeted by my teacher. She instructed me to take the vitals of the patients. I was expecting this, but what I was not expecting was for her to tell me to go check to see if one of the patients was dead. This took me for a whim and made for a very weird memory of my first day as a CNA. My next adventure as a CNA took place at the hospital. I figured this setting would be a little a bit more my speed, but instead I encountered two contact isolation patients and a patient in restraints. This made it very difficult for me to take their vitals. However, after figuring out how to properly address them, I conquered the rest of my day with ease. I felt very proud of myself and all that I had accomplished. With the experiences I know have, I feel like I will be able to successfully address any patient that comes my way.
ReplyDeleteWalking down the dark and quiet streets of Zurich, Switzerland, my hunger grew almost painful. It had been hours since I last ate. The thought of a McDonald’s cheeseburger was stuck in my mind and caused my mouth to water. The closest restaurant was still a couple miles away but I was determined to satisfy my hunger. As I made the turn on to the next street in the corner of my eye I saw a struggle between a man and woman. He ripped her leather purse from her and she fell to the ground. He then turned around to escape. As he saw my friends and I moving towards him, he bolted towards the other direction. I took off to chase after him. He turned around the corner and headed to the train station. Staying close behind him, I shouted “drop the bag” but he would not comply. He hopped over the turnstyles and onto a train and I followed closely. Bumping into people and shoving people out of his way, he made is way to the back exit of the train and got off on the first stop. I sprinted to the exit and got off exactly where he did. He was nowhere to be found. I felt defeated and as if I failed the women who I was trying to help. My head dropped in disappointment, but a few yards from next to a pillar laid the women's purse. I picked it up and relished in my victory against this robber. I returned to the site of the robbery and found the woman who the purse belonged to. I felt satisfied handing it to her, and she was grateful for what I had done for her. She thanked me for my bravery and was even nice enough to buy me the burger from McDonald’s that I had been craving. My buddies and I walked home that night, with a warm satisfying feeling. Was that the McDouble with cheese that caused this sensation? Possibly, but I believe that it was the fulfilling feeling of doing the right thing, and helping someone in need.
ReplyDeleteWe woke up at early this morning to grab the boat, because today is the first day of scallop season. Every year on the last Saturday of June people from all around go out to catch scallops. The day started normally as we drove out of bay heading towards the spot me and my dad always went to. I jumped in the water with just my mask, fins, and a bag to hold the scallops in. Looking through the sea grass I found scallop after scallop. I continued to forage until a large black shadow was cast from above me. I looked up and say a massive stingray swimming past; it must have been almost 200 hundred pounds. I looked closer and saw eels swimming with the ray; similar to the relationship between remoras and sharks. I admired the sting ray but continued scalloping. I had caught around 20 when I noticed a flash in the corner of my eye. I turned around and saw a reef shark eating one of the eels that had trailed off the manta. Usually sharks are easy to deal with when I’m spear fishing as I can just jab them in the nose with the tip of my gun. However, due to the situation I was in I started to panic. I started to swim back to the boat while keeping my eye on the shark, as I grew closer to the boat I saw the reef shark start dashing towards me. Now I began to rapidly swim as I tried to escape however, the shark grew closer and closer until I felt my fin kick its nose and then I heard a crunch. I reached the boat and jumped in super speed out of the water, I examined myself looking to see if the shark had hit me. Luckily only my fin was damaged, as the shark had taken a half of in its jaws. I told my dad on the boat what had happened, and we decided to go to a different spot before we called it a day. In the end we caught a lot of great scallops and I gained a great story to tell about my experience with a reef shark.
ReplyDeleteWhen I asked Thomas about a cool event in his life that left an impression on him he immediately thought of the time his friends and himself got the whole senior and high school class at his school together to have a party in the middle of his golf course. The story goes as this: His friends (In reference to his neighborhood) would always say I bet there’s a hole on this golf course that no one can see from the main road. After some investigated they were right and discovered the now infamous hole four. They immediately began planning a big scheme they wanted to assemble a big group of friends and have a party and hang out on the course they eventually found the perfect opportunity. This was at the biggest football game of the year when the majority of the student body was present. They began starting chants of hole four throughout the game and once they told everyone the neighborhood the majority of students knew it was on. As soon as the game was over all the students went to the golf course and hole four and the rest of the night is history. But Thomas will never forget the hordes of people asking him for the code to enter the gate and the sheer numbers of people that showed up to the hole. Once residents in the neighborhood took notice of the loud music and other kids on the course late at night the cops were alerted. Thomas and his friends knew that they could not be present, so they ran from the course and were scolded by neighbors during their escape. But they did not care because they accomplished what they set out to do assemble the student body and throw a crazy party. Even though the methods of the party were a bit unconventional they all will never forget the party for the rest of their lives. Thomas said that is definitely one of his favorite and most memorable moments from high school. He hopes that students won’t continue the tradition on however.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWhile sitting in class with only a month left of his sophomore year of high school, Christian realized that summer was rapidly approaching and that he had nothing planned for his three-month vacation. He quickly began thinking of options, however, nothing exciting came to mind. Later that day, Christian went to lunch with one of his best friends, Christian told him about his summer vacation dilemma and his friend immediately responded with an idea that Christian should join him at a beginner’s surf camp in Costa Rica. Christian loved the idea, and before you know it, the two friends were on a plane to Costa Rica.
ReplyDeleteOnce they arrived in Costa Rica, they were welcomed by the camp instructors and shuttled to the small houses they would be staying in. Christian described the small houses as shacks that were located promptly on the beach they would be surfing on, they were so close to the shore that the crashing waves pushed water as close as ten feet from the shacks. Christian was nervous for the first day of surfing, after all he had never touched a surf board, he didn’t know what to expect.
The day had finally come and the counselors woke the students up at the crack of dawn, the beach was filled with surfers just moments after. Christian grabbed a board and headed straight for the ocean where he was met by an instructor. The first day felt impossible, Christian couldn’t stand up on the board, his body began to ache from the many times he fell. His first day woes didn’t discourage him, he woke up at sun rise every day in order to practice the craft of surfing. After the first week, Christian was getting that hang of it, and it was about time, the heavy and constant crashing waves were taking a toll on his endurance.
At the end of the two weeks, Christian was sad to leave what he referred to as “paradise”, however, he was grateful to learn a new craft and as hobby that he still enjoys to this day. Growing up traveling the world, Christian has had many life-changing and unique experiences, however, he claims that the two-week-long surf camp he attended in Costa Rica takes the cake as most memorable.
The excitement rushed through his body as he began to board the plane. Ellis, whose love for travel is compared to no other, and is quite an understatement, could not possibly wait any longer for what lied ahead: his thirteenth birthday trip to Bosnia. He had already traveled to numerous countries before, yet he knew Bosnia was a like a new world. Its breathtaking setting, surrounded by mountains, the forest, the hillside, the sea, the city, and a combination of his favorite environments all put together in one. So, as he imagined he world he was about to enter, the unforgettable birthday awaiting celebration, little did he know that what actually lied ahead would change his perspective forever. Finally, he had arrived. Thirteen-year-old him rushed off the plane to the adventure which awaited. While in Bosnia with his family, he toured the historical and cultural monuments, conversed with the locals, observed the society surrounding him, and immersed himself in the culture. Yet one particular aspect stood out uniquely among the unfamiliarity and extravagance: the suffering the country experienced after war. To a thirteen-year-old kid, he knew he would love swimming in the sea, going on excursions, hiking through the mountains, exploring the city, yet he never did it cross his mind the wars and challenges Bosnia has faced since time began. Although the country is full of limitless possibility and beauty, there is a stain which exudes pride and strength among all the mountains and hills. Ellis could see, he could feel the pain both Bosnia and its people had endured through wartime- this changed him. While the buildings stood tall, proud, and culturally beautiful, they carried battle and hardship in the stone and bricks they were built on. He felt the difficulty civilians fought with as we walked among the hills and roads of the countryside. All these emotions rushed to him faster than the adrenaline he carried onto the plane. This urged his desire to not only enjoy himself for his birthday in Bosnia, but to learn about the history and civilians of Bosnia. What did he admire more than beauty that surrounded him and the celebration of his birthday? He admired the strength and power of the country which suffered great wars, battled intensity, yet exists with pride, exquisiteness, and potential.
ReplyDeleteAs a young child growing up, your home life is all you know. You never seek to step out of those boundaries because what more could the world have to offer than all the happiness that already exists in your own life. But, things change and lives go on. The act of leaving your childhood home is something that completely uproots you and challenges you, and it is something Ana Omura had to go through at the ripe age of thirteen. She had the privilege of being raised in Brazil, a country that she still holds dear to her heart to this very day. She came from a large town that was embedded in the rich nature and culture of Brazil, the kind of town where everyone knew everyone and the comfort of your grandparent’s house is only a few steps away. Her parents had split up years prior, and her mother fell in love with an American man who sought to make them all a family and start a new life together in the United States. Many teens would’ve rebelled against this move, but Ana was actually pleased to start her eighth grade year at small private middle school in Winter Haven, Florida. The language barrier was the least of her concerns, as she was already fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. She quickly adapted to her new life, making friends and forming bonds instantly. While the miles from her home were far and wide, she always remained close by visiting Brazil to see her father twice a year who lives in Rio with his wife and her younger step-sister. This has allowed her the opportunity to thrive in her new home while still maintaining contact with her Brazilian roots. The integration of her schooling here went by smoothly, with her friends following along with her throughout high school and now college. Since her acceptance to Florida State, Ana was accompanied by the solace of several of her hometown friends and is even living with her best friend in their own apartment. In the face of an international move, Ana was able to quickly overcome any obstacles and focus on her future. She is studying to become a plastic surgeon, and is definitely not one to let anything get in her way.
ReplyDeleteIt was the opening night of the show. Lexi was in the 5th grade, cast as the lead Ida, in the musical Honk. Honk was a musical adaptation of the story The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen. Lexi was Ida, the ugly ducklings mother. She was secretly happy that the boy who was cast as Ida’s husband Drake, was the boy she had a crush on. Lexi said she never felt any sort of stage fright when in groups on stage, but during solos it was different. Lexi got very shy and uncomfortable during solos, and in this show, she had three. Before Lexi and the boy, she had a crush on were about to go on stage, the boy kept telling her “you got this,” “you’re going to do great.” The positive affirmation from him was just enough to give her the confidence she needed to perform. They all went on stage and did everything perfectly. After a few scenes had passed, it was time for Lexi’s first solo. As the solo begins she starts off singing perfectly, but then during the middle she completely forgot one of the lyrics and took around ten seconds to catch her place and continue singing. When she gets off stage she is completely down, beating herself up over her mistake. Her characters husband Drake quickly approaches her off stage and begins to help her get out of that negative mindset. He tells her to forget about the mistake because thinking about it will only make it worse. “You got this, don’t let this one mistake overwhelm you and cause you to make more mistakes. Just think positively.” He greatly helped Lexi and by the time her next solo was up she was ready. The new-found confidence he helped her achieve showed in her performance and the audience responded with enormous applause. When it was finally time for the last solo, Lexi was more than prepared. It went very similar to the second one but with almost more applause. Sitting in the spotlight, it was a very humbling experience as Lexi thought about the situation. This moment would forever be ingrained in her mind.
ReplyDeleteBarreling down the road, here comes the snarling beast. Horns primed, attack stance ready to take off and attack at the slightest notion. Some fall victim to the beasts grasp and crumble. Others prevail. Dalton felt worthy of the beast's challenge that night. He climbed atop the beast and fired him up. Rage steamed at its nostrils. Explosions running through it's head, the beast was off. Charging down the road. Thrashing at Dalton's every whim, the beast struggled to break free. Dalton was too much. He had done it.
ReplyDeleteHe had tamed the beast.
Searching for any possible sign of escape, the beast was unruly. It's master was careful to command him graciously for he knew of his true potential. Some say the stars aligned for the beast that day. The beast was able to clutch upon a taste of freedom. Dalton, curious to witness the beast's full potential foolishly revved him up. The beast whipped and snapped along the sides of his cage. Seizing an opportunity to an escape the beast attempted to divert his way through the forest. Along the other side he clashed into a concrete barrier of despair.
Shit.
Dalton knew what he had done. He knew the consequences of his misuse could only be met with suffering. It was his responsibility to heal his captive. Desperately searching for
Anxiousness and excitement swept over young Gabby. The bright colors of the television danced in front of her, capturing her every thought, other than the thought she kept quietly in the back of her mind.
ReplyDelete“I have to keep an ear out,” she thought. “I can’t let him catch us.” However intense the thought was at that moment; she was brought back to what was in front of her as the television called out to her and her sister.
“Hi. I’m Dylan Sprouse, and you’re watching Disney channel,” said the young blond boy, as he waved a colorful wand around the screen to form Mickey Mouse ears. Giddy joy washed over Gabby once more as the show picked up again from the commercial break. Whatever his personal or political opinions, Gabby knew her father would not appreciate Disney Channel being played in his house. The full extent of the prejudice never quite made sense to Gabby then. The shows were bright, colorful and funny. How could anyone dislike it? Gabby had no time to ponder this however, as the laugh track consumed her full attention. Her and her sister’s laughter, along with the dialogue filled the room and created a distracting air around them. The simple act of sneaking around their father to watch what would later be considered silly kid’s shows, had created a bond between the sisters. A secret they could share with each other, something only then knew.
Their contentment had not lasted long. Gabby’s heart skipped a beat when she heard the unmistakable sound of her father’s footsteps growing closer to them… closer to catching them. Without missing a beat Gabby and her sister both dove for the remote, with Gabby getting there first. She quickly hit the “back” button, illuminating the television with some nickelodeon show that has been forgotten with time. Gabby’s father entered the room not a moment too soon, as Gabby had returned to her previous comfortable position and greeted her father with the most innocent looking smile she could muster. His eye twinkled for a moment and Gabby wondered if he knew what they were up to.
“Just checking on you two,” He said slowly, almost suspiciously. “How’s it going in here?”
“Good!” Gabby and her sister exclaimed almost simultaneously. Their father raised an eyebrow.
“Alright. Well, let me know if you need anything,” He said as he turned around and left the room. The suspicious look twinkled in his eye again as he looked back once more before closing the door. The girls waited in silence until they believed it safe to turn the channel back to Disney. Gabby wondered if he had known the whole time what they were doing, but once again, the thought was drowned out by a laugh track.
Hi my names Chase Kobylarz and I have performed in live music concerts around the country. Out of all the musical performances there will always be one that will stick out; it wasn't the largest concert I performed in but it was the most memorable. It was a stormy evening and pouring outside like no other. I hid my clarinet under my shirt as I ran into the auditorium to keep it dry. I was performing a duet with a pianist and myself on clarinet. We have practiced and mastered our piece for weeks on end for this night yet I still had the butter flies. It was time, The giant red curtains swung open and our cue was given. Our performance was going great and the crowd was loving it when something completely unexpected happened; out of nowhere all the power in the building cut out. The pianist couldn't read the music and stopped playing and I couldn't see my music sheet either but that didn’t stop me. I had memorized my entire piece and kept playing through the darkness. I couldn't see the crowd and the crowd couldn't see me. The second I finished playing the crowd, still in the dark, went insane. It was the best feeling in the world and words could not describe my feelings. After the concert everyone was coming up to me telling me how amazing what I did was. I have performed in larger concert halls than this one but hands down this will always be my favorite performance of my life.
ReplyDeleteIt was a beautiful sunny Sunday morning in Miami. Maxx was at his dad’s house and was woken up by his little brothers cries. He heard his stepmom and father shuffle down the hall to go pick up their tearful son. Most days Maxx felt no urgency to get up and go, but today was Sunday, his favorite day of the week. He didn’t get to see his dad every day because most of the time he resided at his mom’s, but every Sunday he and his dad loaded up their dirt bikes into the truck and brought it to the track. Though he was young, Maxx was quite skilled at dirt biking. He was proud of his skill but very humble at the same time. His dad had helped him train and he had actually medaled a few times in competitions. On the way to the track Maxx and his dad were jamming out and laughing together. Maxx was antsy in his seat waiting to get there and get on his bike. His dad unloaded the bikes and Maxx set off. He was racing around, going up and down mounds and cutting corners. His adrenaline was pumping on full blast and his heart was racing. Feeling a bit ambitious, Maxx decided to go off the big ramp. He sped as fast as his bike would take him and launched off. His dad yelled after him as he flew. Maxx could hear his yelling, but paid little attention to it as the wind blew through his hair, his stomach was in his ears and he rapidly started to decline. The ground was coming up fast and Maxx’s ambition was gone. He felt his body clench up and the wheel smacked the ground. For less than a heartbeat Maxx thought he had landed it. Then his bike bounced up again and he felt his body and the bike flip. He landed first, and the bike landed right on his leg. A shooting pain went up his leg. He could feel every nerve on fire all at once and let out a scream. His dad ran over yelling and grabbed his arm, “Are you okay? Why would you do that?” Maxx felt the blood rush to his face and just pointed at his leg. As his dad lifted the bike Maxx couldn’t look down, fearful of what he had done to his shin. His dad scoffed and said, “Pshh, you’re fine. Walk it off”. Maxx looked down and saw nothing. No blood, no bone protruding from his busted leg, nothing. So he pushed off the ground and stood. To his amazement nothing was wrong with his leg except a big bruise. His dad walked the bike to the car and Maxx followed, his head down.
ReplyDeleteShe flies through town without a care on her mind. She recognizes everything so well that she pays little attention to her surroundings. The last thing on her mind was watching for signs. she didn’t think to look up and acknowledge speed limit signs. She knew them by heart for she had flown down this street many times before. She never thought it would be held against her. And then what she least expected came into view from her rearview mirrors. Her heart comes to a sudden stop when she sees the lights. She had grown up being very familiar with them. Up to this day, they’ve never been directed towards her. She has never been in this side of the situation. Her heart begins to race again. She fears the consequence. Not only the legal consequences but more so the consequences that will come from her father. He had warned her so many times. He knew what it was to catch someone speeding and have to ticket them. Her father would hope that she, out of everyone, would know better. Her father was a police officer. When she told the cop who stopped her for speeding this detail about her life, let her off the hook without a ticket. The only consequence was a phone call to her father explaining what happened. Probably worse than the ticket itself.
ReplyDeletePart one:
ReplyDeleteShe knew that Dad would let her go on vacation with her boyfriend and his family. Laura had her Dad wrapped around her finger, and she knew if she presented this the right way he would allow her to go on the trip. Unfortunately, she ended up having to drive separately in her Dad's big, white work van, this being his only request. Reluctantly she set off on her trip, driving a grueling 9 hours to Miami from her home in Atlanta. Time became a blur as the trees changed color and the air felt warmer, as Laura continued her drive down the Florida Turnpike. Unfortunately, she didn't realize the speed at which she was keeping constant and she cruised straight into the Everglades, unaware of the vast decrease in the designated speed limit posted. In the distance, Laura spotted what resembled a police car and immediately slammed on her brakes, attempting to slow down before it was too late. She passed the spot at which the Officer's car was parked, breathing a sigh of relief as she did not catch any glimpse of a red or blue light in her rear view mirrors. However, before she could relish in successfully avoiding the enforcement of the law, the office pulled out of his spot. Small drops of sweat began to fall from Laura's forehead, as he began following her down the highway. As she headed towards her exit and the now familiar presence of the police car greeted her in the mirror, she knew she wasn't getting away with this one. "My dad's gonna kill me...", "Oh my god, I don't even have the car registration or anything", "I hate this stupid, white van!!" Thoughts began to race through Laura's mind, and sure enough lights flashed in her eyes accompanied with the sound you never want directed at you. Tears burned in her eyes as she slowed to pull over on the side of the road, having no idea what was going to happen. The officer got out of his car, and apprehensively approached the van, "Put your hands where I can see them", he declared. And with that, Laura burst into tears throwing her hands in the air, feelings mixed with terror and confusion at what was going on. Two more squad cars came into view, this time being fully decked out SUV's, swiftly pulled up to the scene beside the first, this setting Laura off the edge. Holding back loud, sniffling sobs with all her might, she stepped out of the vehicle per the officer's following orders. The policemen searched her Dad's van, as Laura stood to the side shaking with fear unable to stop the flood of tears streaming down her face. After what seemed like a lifetime and a half, the officers concluded that there was nothing to find in the vehicle. Turning to Laura, the first officer finally said, "Young lady, do you realize the speed I clocked you at? I'm going to need your license and registration, you were going 95 miles per hour in a 35 mile per hour zone!".
Part two:
ReplyDeleteWith this, fear of not just the police officers met her as her Dad popped in her head... "Oh my gosh what am I going to tell him, I screwed up" she thought. She was granted permission to go back in the car and retrieve her license and registration, although she felt the officers presence and their eyes on her every move. She grabbed her license from her wallet and proceeded to "look" for the registration. Laura kept up this act for a solid 3 minutes tearing apart the van pretending to look for the car registration she knew wasn't there. Finally she looked up and with a strained cry, she told the officer she had no idea where it could be, explaining her father's line of work. "He wouldn't let me go to Miami unless I drove myself and I don't have my own car, and my Dad made me drive his work van. And it's so big and I'm not used to driving it. And my dad always has to switch out registrations because of his business. Please don't tell my dad.", she exclaimed finally drawing a breath. "Alright young lady, just calm down alright. Now don't move, I'll be back", the Officer said as he walked back to his squad car. Laura sat in the car, deflated as ever. Never in a million years would she have expected this to happen. She was in the middle of planning her long speech explaining to her dad what happened, when the officer spoke and abruptly stopped her train of thought. "Here's what I'm gonna do. I could've have given you a $600 ticket and taken you to jail with me right here for the speed you were going. However, I'm going to cut you a break today and write you a warning citation for not wearing your seatbelt.", the Officer explained. Suddenly Laura could see the light at the end of the tunnel, the world wasn't coming to a fatal end! She quickly nodded thanking the Officer repeatedly, with fresh tears trickling from her eyes from relief. The Officer finished the paperwork necessary and bid Laura a good day, heeding a warning to drive the speed limit! After waiting for the three squad cars to peel away, she fastened her seat belt (of course), turned the key in the ignition, switched the gear into drive and slowly pulled back onto the road and continued her journey onward. And in the end, that small bump Laura came across in the road on that sunny day in the Everglades was never discovered by her parents. However she knew, she would never ever forget.