Seniors: Your Last Writing Assignment (due Friday, May 17) & worth ten points
Dead Poet's Society Testament
This is your last writing assignment. If you would rather that I NOT post your response, then you must turn in a paper copy before the end of school on Friday.
All of the prompts require at least 250 words of response. That's not asking too much, is it, at this time of the year? All of the prompts are inspired by the Dead Poets Society movie.
I am looking forward to the last words of wisdom that you'll impart at S-Ville.
"Sucking the marrow out of life doesn't mean choking on the bone"
I cannot grade you on your opinion.
You will be graded on your clarity of expression and your ability to support your opinion using specific ideas and examples.
Choose any one lower case "letter" as a writing prompt. NOT one in each Part!! Just any ONE!
Part 1 People Can Change (minimum of 250 words)
a. Give me an example of how your opinion about something or someone changed as a result of changing YOUR point of view.
b. For you, what's the most "different" school or extra-curricular activity in which you've participated during your high school career, one that you would have never imagined yourself doing in a few years ago?
c. What person in the Class of 2013 has undergone the most positive change during his or her four years at St. Mark's? You need NOT mention a name.
Part 2 Institutions Can Change
d. What pages from what text that you had in high school what you like to rip out?
e. What's the most different, yet most powerful/significant high school class (period, activity, etc.) in which you took part?
f. What one thing would you change about St. Mark's to improve the school that would not change the basic educational and philosophical fabric of the school (e.g. in Welton, Charly wanted to admit girls)?
g. How can St. Mark's best discipline its students in order to promote proper behavior?
Part 3 "These are the things we stay alive for "
h. Words ARE important. What are the nicest words that someone ever said to you? Explain. Please, be able to quote, at least partially, these words.
i. What are the last words to live by that you wrote to yourself in a journal or otherwise?
j. How does your favorite song, band, singer etc. affect you (emotionally or rationally or both) in an important way?
Part 4 Poetry as Inspiration
k. write about any one of the works below, all found in the Dead Poets Society movie, praising or criticizing it for its meaning or merit. No Pritchard scale ratings, though.
O
me! O life!
O
me! O life! of the questions of these recurring.
Of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities fill'd with the foolish.
Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?)
Of eyes that vainly crave the light, of the objects mean, of the struggle ever renew'd.
Of the poor results of all, of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me,
Of the empty and useless years of the rest, with the rest me intertwined,
The question, O me! so sad, recurring -- What good amid these, O me, O life?
Answer That you are here--that life exists and identity,
That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.
Of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities fill'd with the foolish.
Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?)
Of eyes that vainly crave the light, of the objects mean, of the struggle ever renew'd.
Of the poor results of all, of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me,
Of the empty and useless years of the rest, with the rest me intertwined,
The question, O me! so sad, recurring -- What good amid these, O me, O life?
Answer That you are here--that life exists and identity,
That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.
An Excerpt from
"Walden"
by Henry David Thoreau
posted by JTF @ 8:49 PM
54 comments
54 Comments:
CJ Vincelette
B. The most “different” extra-curricular activity that I participated during my high school career is taking part in the Blue Gold Buddy System. Before high school the only activities I did and could see myself doing what playing sports. Outside of school I did not want to join a club or stay at school any longer than I had to, but instead, I wanted to play baseball and soccer. Baseball was really important to me and I devoted most of my free time to baseball games and practices. Most of my life revolved around baseball until I stopped playing it sophomore year. I gained a large amount of free time and didn’t know what to do with myself. I played more soccer but still felt like I had too much free time. I like staying busy and the idea to join a club by my parents intrigued me. It had never come across my mind to join a club but I wanted to give it a shot and see for myself if I like it. I always heard kids talking about the Blue Gold Club so I joined it. This was one of my best high school decisions because I was able to give back to my community, make new friends, and strengthen friendships that I previously had. The smiles on our buddies’ faces when we threw them parties are indescribable. I will never forget the bonds I made with my buddy and friends. In 8th grade all I wanted to be was an athlete, but as I matured I came across a much better after school activity than sports, the Blue Gold Buddy System.
h. I do not always pay attention to the compliments or nice words people tell me. Most of the time, I brush off the words and go along with my day, and then maybe remember them later. The nicest words that I will never forget are at times I am told that someone is proud of me. Whether it is from my coach, mom, dad, or even teachers it all means the same to me. To be told that someone is proud of me means that someone has acknowledged the hard work and heart I put into something that I truly care about. This mostly only happens during soccer games. After a tough game and I try to put all I have into the whole eighty minutes, it is a great relief to hear “great game, I’m proud of you” from a coach as I am walking off the field and onto the sidelines. Or when I think I played as well as I could, but I am unsure of how I actually played and I walk off the field to see my dad and his first words to me are “you played with all your heart, I’m very proud of you”, mean the world to me. It shows that someone is really watching the way I play, not counting the goals or assist I am involved in, but paying attention to me trying to make a difference in something that I love.
J. One of my favorite songs is “If You’re Going Through Hell,” by Rodney Atkins. No matter how upset I am, this song can always cheer me up. It talks about how no matter what you’re going through, you need to keep going and persevere on. You can’t let one little setback get you down, you have to move onto your next endeavor. The chorus, my personal favorite part of the song, proclaims, “If you're going through hell, Keep on going, don't slow down, If you're scared, don't show it, You might get out, Before the devil even knows you're there.” When things go wrong, and you feel as if you are at your lowest point, keep on moving and you will make it through. Whenever I am at a low point in my life, I blast this song in my car while driving down i-95 with all of my windows down. I do not know what it is about blasting that song that makes me feel so much better. The lyrics are relatable, and the beat really lifts your mood. If this song was not a country song, I do not know if it would have the same affect on me. I personally love country music, and almost all of their “upbeat” songs know how to cheer me up. This song just happens to have both relatable lyrics and a catchy beat. There is one verse towards the end of the song that is particularly uplifting. It proclaims, “But the good news, Is there's angels everywhere out on the street, Holding out a hand to pull you back up on your feet.” I think this verse adds hope to the song. The whole song goes on about “keeping on going,” but never really assures you how you are going to do it until now. It assures you that you will not have to face the battle alone, that there are loved ones waiting to “pull you back up on your feet.”
b) The most "different" extra-circular activity I participate in while in high school is Odyssey of the Mind. I never imagined myself joining odyssey because I thought it was for "smart people" and something that involved extra schoolwork. But I was msitaken; odyssey is one of my best memories from high school. At the beginning of my senior year I knew I wanted to join a club that I had never joined before. I had no idea what odyssey was, so I decided to check it out. After learning about the main concepts I thought, "Woah, this may actually be a lot of fun." Using my imagination to come up with crazy and funny stories seemed like a lot of fun to me. I wish I had joined a few years sooner because I had a blast this year. I became close friends with people I never thought I would become friends with. And I get the amazing opportunity to travel to Michigan State University to compete against and meet young adults from all over the world! Odyssey of the Mind has has allowed me to think more creatively about problems that I face in my everyday life, which will be a great help to me in college. And I even learned a few things about building sets and designing costumes. The major lesson that odyssey has taught me is: engage yourself in activities that you enjoy, it should not matter how "popular" that activity is, because sometimes the most "popular" activities turn out to be the least enjoyable. Just do what makes you happy and do not worry about what others think. Odyssey of the Mind has been a truly eye-opening opportunity and I am extremely glad I put my name down on that sign-up sheet a year ago.
I’d like to rip out most of the literature we read in British Literature my junior year, but one book in particular which I found unbearable was Beowolf. I feel like we read it for most of the year, it wasn’t in normal English, and I found even the spark notes were hard to get through. I also don’t think dragon slaying and old English will ever be apart of my future. I think one of my most powerful activities was varsity lacrosse as a sophomore. I didn’t play a lot and at first, and it drove me crazy. But as the season went along I learned a lot, and realized it’s not always about being a star player but sometimes it’s more important to be part of a team. Everyone on the team has a role and my time would come to play. It may seem stupid to practice to be a lacrosse player just to be a cheerleader when it came to games but ultimately looking back it taught me a lot. Recently, I think St. Mark’s discipline is becoming too strict. Our behavior is proper 95% of the time. I think the last couple days when students are known to do “senior pranks,” the school should just let the fun happen. Ketchup on the school president isn’t an assassination, its just ketchup. Some of the memories we make will stick with us forever, so why not make them hilarious? School shouldn’t be all fun and games but sucking all the fun out of school makes it an unpleasant place.
f. If I had to change one thing about St. Mark’s High school it would have to be the amount of freedom they give their students. I think that students having more freedom would make them want to brag about their school. Obviously the freedom would have to be limited to certain rules for safety, but restricting the way we dress completely and wearing badges is ridiculous. Wearing different types of clothes represents the type of person you are. It shows people how you are unique and differ from you classmates. I do think uniforms are convenient, but giving a detention for wearing a undershirt that has letters on it under a white polo is ridiculous! Giving kids a little freedom helps them express themselves in different ways. Why would you want to look at the same exact thing every single day? Other than the detentions for uniform, there are other unnecessary disciplinary actions that take place. Food and drink in the academic wing is one of these. Many people get sick and do not go see a doctor. A kid could be constantly coughing, but can’t drink water because he’ll get a demerit. These are the types of rules that make people start to hate this school. Kids of these days put everything they hate on social network sites and then younger kids get the wrong impression about the school. You see how much love other students share for their school because they are allowed to wear different uniforms, they are able to plan trips, they are able to make different games, and they are able to have their wants met without some excuse!
One thing I would change about St. Mark's to improve the school that would not change the basic educational and philosophical fabric of the school would be both discipline actions and the freedom given to students by the administration. The administration needs to re-think some of the rules they have put in the handbook.
For instance, rules regarding dress code, demerits, and the freedom given to students. This past year, I received a detention for not wearing a belt while in fall dress code. Petty things like that should be ignored and overlooked by the teachers. Also, they should have certain standards for their demerit system. Some teachers are demerit Nazis while others could care less. The administration must also give students more freedom. With more freedom, students tend to enjoy the school much more. For example, lets students plan school events with more freedom. The teachers are not giving our students the ability to express themselves because most of their ideas are usually shot down. These changes may in return help improve our school.
I would change multiple things about St. Mark’s that I think are bad for the students. There are too many petty rules that have no beneficial aspects for the students. The first is being punished for coming late. In October my dad let me sleep in twice and go in to school late. The first was because I had SATs the next day and my dad wanted me to catch up on my sleep. The second was because I was sick and needed it to help my recovery because I had football and I was struggiling through the week. Because I had no doctor’s note for either of these lates I received a detention. The rule makes it seem like the school is punishing their students for coming late instead of not coming at all.
Also students should receive more freedom to plan school events and to express themselves. The school’s that are considered the best in the state (Tower Hill, Friends, and Sanford for instance) have a large amount of freedom. They also have better relationships with their teachers because they have no reason to act out.
Some rules regarding dress code should also be taken away. The fact that I cant wear the shoes I want when I’m nearing adulthood is ridiculous. I understand the no sneaker rule but certain shoes aren’t allowed and there is no point to that. The top button rule is the stupidest rule I’ve ever heard of. If I feel uncomfortable buttoning my top button and it gives me a headache then I shouldn’t have to button it.
Part 3:Letter i: I really wanted to make my senior quote meaningful. I wanted to make it something that really describes me and basically sums up my 4 years here at Saint Mark’s High School. I found the perfect quote, and that is the quote I will use for this blog. “If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn’t lead anywhere.” This was said by a man named Frank A. Clark. Even though I have no idea who that is, I already know that this quote was meant to be read by my eyes. If I had to come up with a quote that best describes my “last words to live by,” this is the one I would choose. To me, this is probably the most truthful thing I have ever read. From getting in a car accident , all the way to losing friends- I’ve had a tough year and I don’t really know if many people knew that about me. Either way, I wanted to express myself and leave with those words of advice. I hope someone else reads that quote and gets the same positive reaction that I get every single time I re-read it. Right when you think you can’t handle any more negativity in your life, just know that it does lead to something. In the end, there is always fate. Everything happens for a reason. There is no such thing as a path with no obstacles. Life is one long path of hardships, and a test to see how we deal with them.
1. b. For me the most different activity that I have participated in throughout high school has been dance team. I played volleyball all throughout grade school as well as a club team. When entering St. Marks I went to tryouts and got asked to join the jv tryouts. I was so excited but I have always enjoyed dance. I did not start dancing when I was a child like many other girls my age have, so it is hard to compete with girls who have danced their whole lives. Band camp was the same week as the volleyball tryouts, so I had to make a decision about whether or not I wanted to continue to play volleyball, or join the dance team. I decided to talk to Ms. Strocko and apologized letting her know that I had taken an interest in dance team and would not be able to finish out the tryouts. Joining the dance team is by far the best decision I have ever made in high school. It has such a tremendous impact on my life. I have met girls that I know for certain will be lifelong friends and that brings me such happiness. When I told my dad, who had also coached me through volleyball, that I was joining dance team and becoming a part of the band, shock was written all over his face as well as my mother's. I am so grateful for my parents because they have been the most wonderful and involved band parents, from attending every football game to working every concession, they have been great. I will miss dance team more than anything.
2. e. The most influential class that I feel I have taken part in would have to be Mr. Patch's acting class. I took his class my freshman and sophomore year because I have always wanted to be in shows, and a part of theater. I don't think Mr. Patch will ever realize the impact his class had on me personally. I was very shy entering his class. The first time I had to go on stage was probably one of the scariest things I ever had to do. It was so easy for me to become embarrassed and he made me push through that, and for that I am so thankful.
3. h. "I admire you," or "you inspire me," are the nicest things to hear. To be told by someone that you have made an impact on them is such a great compliment. This just shows that this person saying these things, holds you in a place of respect. They have paid close attention to some aspect of your being and truly appreciate it. When I heard someone say these words to me it made me feel special in a way that I knew whatever I had been doing in that moment of time, was right. I was being seen as an example or as inspiration for someone. It definitely makes you feel good about yourself in the respect that someone has noticed a positive aspect about you.
Tyler Dennis - Part 1 Letter b
When I was growing up the first sport I tried and liked was baseball. I played
little league all the way up to high school. I also played basketball when I was in grade school from about fifth grade to eighth grade. When I got to high school I imagined myself playing basketball and baseball all four years of high school. But much was about to change. Freshman year I went out for the basketball team. I made it through the first cut, but I was made aware there was going to be one more cut before the team was finalized. The day came. When it came down to it me and another player were the ones cut. In spring I went out for the freshman baseball team. I made the team and played that season. Sophomore year came around and I decided not to try out for the basketball team, but I did decide to go out for the baseball team again. Cuts were made and I made it through. There was going to be one more cut to finalize the jv team. The day came. I was the last one cut off the jv baseball team. Junior year came around and I decided not to try out for any sports team. My year of high school was finally here and I was not doing any sport that I thought I would be doing. Instead, I was thinking about going out for the golf team. I ended up going out for the golf team, not getting cut and playing the whole season through.
There are several books from my high school years that I would love to tear the pages out of. If I had to pick just one it would probably be the pages from my economics book. All year I struggled to understand what was going on in that class. I normally can study really hard for something and be able to understand it before the test but for this class that didn’t happen once. I would go to class and just zone out because I understand the individual words but they didn’t make sense all put together in a sentence. When I would read the book the words stopped making sense and my mind would wander, one, because it was just that boring to me, and two, because no matter how much I read or how hard I studied it was never going to make sense. As the year went on I could barely tolerate being in that class because it was forty-one minutes of complete confusion. Every chapter I would try and start with a positive state of mind and be so sure that this chapter was going to be different and I was going to do everything in my power to understand what we were learning. I would take my book home begin reading and realize that there was no hope, it was just never going to make sense. The chapters were always so long, there were endless pages of notes, and not a single bit of it made sense. It would probably feel really good to just take all the pages that have to do with economics that I looked at and studied this year and just rip them all in half. On the bright side I never have to go to that class again. And hopefully I never have to take an economics class in college!
e. The most inspirational class I have taken at St. Marks has to be Mrs. Mattick's Chem 2 class. I am not a science person, and never will be. I hated Chemistry when I first took it. Yet, during this class I learned to like Chemistry, because instead of concentrating on homework and diagrams, we actually experienced the topics, learning how they were used in real life and applied to us. By the end of the year, I can say I recall more knowledge in that class than any other class I have taken at St.Marks.
PART 1 A:One of the extra-curricular activities that I have done was cheerleading. I always thought that cheerleaders were spoiled little brats that just shook their pom poms, yelled and annoyed fans at games, were snotty, and caked on the makeup to try to get silly high school jocks to notice them. No one really respected them and treated them like a sport because according to the handbook, cheerleading was not considered one. Junior year, I needed to find a way to be more involved in the school. My best friend decided to try out for cheerleading and asked if I would do it with her because of my past dance experience. I agreed, thinking it would just be a joke. To my surprise it was much harder then it looked! Suddenly, my point of view changed because instead of just watching on the sidelines and agreeing with the comments of my peers, I was actually doing it! I was throwing people up in the air like it was my job. I highly suggest to everyone that has a negative outlook on something to look at it from another point of view. It can drastically change the way you look at things. From this experience, I have learned to look at all strange and abnormal things in a new perspective. Looking at these things may actually open up a whole new world of opportunities for me when I go to college. I am thankful for this eye opening experience and I wouldn’t change it for the world!
The most different, yet most powerful/significant high school class that I took was Mr.DiGennaro English class. I took his class freshman year and junior year. When I was freshman he took his class to outside and discussed about homework assignments just because he wanted to make the day special like the movie ‘Dead Poets Society’. We circled around and he asked random questions to each one of us. He did not do that often but sometimes, so it made my brain fresh with clean air. I was really uncomfortable with my English at that time, therefore, I was nervous every English class. However, outside class made me calm with nature. Junior year, he made ‘life lesson Friday’ which was the day he gave us life lesson. He gave us life lesson such as why we should not drink and drive, how to ask prom to girl if you were man and how to refuse it nicely if you were a girl and you did not like him. Sometimes he talked about the topic to make us laugh, but some topics were serious and helpful for our lives. I and my class always waited for Friday and those lessons made my day every Friday. It was very different with other ordinary English class. At that time I was more comfortable with my English than freshman year, so as other student I also thought English is boring class. Accordingly, his extraordinary class changed me excited and my bias toward English class. It was very valuable experience and memory.
H. Words are important. Sometimes they can be meaningless, but there are times where they just impact you whole-heartedly. I grew up in a catholic practicing house. Therefore, my parents raised me in catholic groups. As I became a teen, my parents put me into a youth group. It wasn’t a big change for me because I already knew a lot of the people and knew the basics of what I would be learning in this youth group. There comes a point where you feel like you’ve learned everything and that nothing can change you as a person just because it becomes part of you. As I progressed in my youth journey, new opportunities arose such as serving newer members. There was a member who had a hard time prior to joining my youth group. Her best friend committed suicide due to bullying and she confided to me to tell this secret with. Even though I didn’t know how to handle it, I just gave her advice and shared my stories of my struggles. After we became a little closer she said to me, “Thank you.” At first I didn’t know what that meant but then she started talking about how she was so confused why her friend committed and how she just felt so down. But because of my support and the support of the rest of the youth group, she “found something to be happy about again.” She also talked about why she doesn’t know why God put her through that until she found this stable environment. The part that impacted me the most, though, was when she told me “despite everything, God gave me strong people like you to help me become strong, too.” It was shocking to hear because I don’t think of myself as a strong person but that comment made me want to be strong. And until this day, I try to be the strong role model that tries to help others. Even though it may not be easy, it’s worth it.
h. The nicest words that someone has ever said to me would be the senior speech that Coach Dee wrote for me. I joined Spirit Explosion two years ago. At my cheerleading banquet Dee writes and reads a speech to each Senior in the program. When it came to the time for Dee to read my speech I wasn’t sure what to expect of it. I was nervous, anxious, and worried that she wouldn’t have anything to really say about me since I hadn’t been at the gym for long. Little did I know that I would be wrong. Dee started my speech of by saying, “Every once in a while, a young lady leaves a mark on coaches as well as most everyone that has come in contact with her.” I lost it. I bit my lip to try to hold the tears back. The room was silent as she continued to read it. She had the nicest things to say to me that I had never heard from anyone in my life. She truly touched my heart with every word that came out of her mouth. In my head I thought that I went through the past two years without much notice. But I was wrong again. She saw everything that I thought no one would see in me. She said, “Heather became a force for the team with unwavering leadership, commitment, dedication, and positivity with her team.” Every word that she said left a smile on my face. She has truly touched my heart and I will never forget that speech. I will always read it when I am having a rough time or just needed a smile. It was the nicest thing that anyone has ever said to me.
Part 3: H.
Words. Something we all use every single day. Many people don’t realize the significance one statement can have on another human being. One of my favorite quotes is from J.K. Rowling, writing as Albus Dumbledore (Harry Potter Series), “Words are, in my opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic. Capable of both inflicting injury, and remedying it.” Harsh or ill-spoken words can ruin a person’s entire day, but a simple compliment can raise their spirits. One of the nicest things that has ever been said to me was not by one person, but rather a whole group. That group would be my senior class. And it was only two simple words that they gifted me with that told me I was doing something right. My fellow classmates voted me as Most Inspiring for Senior Class Superlatives. To have been given this title in itself was something to be grateful and thankful for. I have always driven to be someone that people can look up to, and I work hard so that one person may see how hard I’ve worked and admire me for it. I didn’t ask my fellow classmates to vote for me, they did it because they saw me as worthy of that role. I wear the T-shirt proudly, though some may say that it is insignificant. Those two words written on that shirt mean more to me than anyone will ever know. I will spend the rest of me years proving that I am, and will continue to be, worthy of the honor they have bestowed upon me.
One of my favorite songs is Friends Forever, by Vitamin C. This is one of my favorites because my class sang this song at our eighth grade graduation from St. John the Beloved. Every time that I listen to this song, I think of the class of 2009 at St. John’s. The song reminds me of all the great friendships that I made there, all the great teachers that I had who prepared me for high school, and all the great memories that I will cherish forever. As graduation is approaching for St. Mark’s, this song also comes to mind. Part of the song says, “And if you got something that you need to say you better say it right now ‘cause you don't have another day.” We only have a few days left, so we should say what we want, to whom we want because we never know when we will see some people again. My favorite part of the song is. “As we go on, we remember all the times we had together and as our lives change, come whatever we will still be friends forever.” Throughout St. Mark’s High School, I made friendships that will last a lifetime. I have great memories of times spent with my new friends, extracurricular activities, and sports. I had a great time in high school and it is hard to believe that it is almost over. Even though most people are going separate ways, we will always be the class of 2013.
“You are the prettiest, most beautiful, smart, funny, caring girl I have ever known, and I know you will find something to make you happy and someone who cares for you even more than I do.” This was a text I received last summer, and the day I received it, I “screenshot”-ed it and saved it forever. Now whenever I am having a bad day, I scroll through my pictures and look for that text. Many people probably think that saying this in person would have made this much more meaningful, but those people were not in the situation I was in. I was having a tough week (or month), and at this point, his cheesy run-on was the only positive thing I had in my life. I was not having boy issues, even though it may sound like I was. I was not complaining about stereotypical teen angsty-drama. I was just tired of putting effort into things that seemed hopeless. I was tired of putting my all into everything without getting recognized. I was tired of being over-looked, and he made me realize that I have someone who cares about me. I have someone who would care if I was not here. He treated me so well, and he was one of my best friends for a while. Thinking back, I guess I never really thanked him properly for how he changed my life that summer. Without him, I cannot even imagine what I would have become. Over the last couple of months, we’ve been drifting apart, but I will always love him. I hope he knows that.
I am going to write about a person that I think has undergone a positive change over the past four years. I remember walking into my freshman theology class and seeing this person. When I first saw him, I thought he was going to be a mean person since he always kept to himself and looked intimidating. I always thought that he was going to be the class “bully”, but boy was I wrong. The moment I heard him speak, my opinion started to change. He seemed like a very nice person by the way he talked because he was very soft spoken. He started out as an intimidating person to me, but I was trying to keep an open mind and give him a chance. As the years went on, I saw him open up and come out of his shell. He changed in appearance and attitude, for the better. Throughout the years, we started talking more and more. I am so glad I got to know him. He is now one of the friendliest guys in our class, and everyone loves him. I always see him stopping to talk to someone in the hallway, both students and teachers. I’m so glad that he came out of his shell. This person turned out to be a star athlete and has had many great opportunities because of his athletic skills. Getting to know him taught me that you really shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. I originally had a negative opinion about him, but that changed over time. He turned out to be a wonderful person and a great, hard working student. I wish I would have gotten to know him sooner because now he is one of my best friends, and I know I can trust him with my life. I hope that our relationship continues well into the future, so I can get to know him even better.
One of the "different" extra-curricular activities in which I've participated in school that I never imaged myself doing would have to be Blue-Gold. All throughout grade school I saw mentally challenged kids. There were about 4 classes in my grade school for kids with disabilities. I always saw them just there and just though they were different from me, so I never bothered to talk to them or really acknowledge them. I never saw myself joining a club like that. I just saw my self playing football in high school. Football was the most important thing to me when I was in grade school. That's all I did. I knew that in high school I would want to just lift weights year round and give myself the best shot I could to play college ball. During my freshman and sophomore year, I saw a lot of my friends join Blue-Gold, but I never had much interest. Junior year was when it changed. My little cousin was diagnosed with autism. I didn't see him as different. He was my little cousin. I remember how happy he was when my brother and I would just hang out with him. So I decided to join Blue-Gold. Now I have my buddy, Lake, who is 9 years old. Not only did I join Blue-Gold, but I was also chosen to represent our school in the Blue-Gold Football game. Going to some of their events this year, I just realized that wow, all of those kids in grade school were really just the same as us. I regret never taking the chance to talk to them and getting to know them. That is why I think that joining Blue-Gold was the most different thing I did in high school.
My overall view on life has changed since I first entered the doors at saint marks as a little naive freshman in 2009. I entered the school with a “clean slate” and thought I could start over and recreate myself. I was worried about other’s thoughts and opinions about myself and I conformed into the ways I thought I would most be liked by those around me. I believe being liked and having the most friends was the most important thing. I look back on the way I thought and acted then and I laugh to myself. I am so much different now. Now I live in a completely different mindset then I did freshmen year. Now I live for myself and for those I care about around me. I constantly catch myself asking, “If I died today, what have I done for someone who cannot repay me?” I’ve learned that through my 18 years of life, I have somehow impacted at least one other person around me for the better. This is what keeps me going. I get the most satisfaction out of helping those around me. Unfortunately, I feel that sometimes people around me forget this and only focus on foolish and selfish things. I feel that they may still have my old mindset and live to be “cool.” That will only get you so far in life. I am truly glad I have moved on from that stage in my life and have learned that there are more important things to work towards and to be proud of. This I am grateful for.
For me, the most “different” school or extra-curricular activity I have participated in during my high school career would have to be Z-club. I didn’t know much about it except for that it was an all girl’s organization that went out into the community doing service to others. Back in freshmen year, I wanted nothing to do with service hours or volunteering my time to help others. I wanted to do what I wanted to do. I never thought twice about helping others in a positive way. I felt as though it would be a waste of time and I wouldn’t want to be apart of it after the first meeting. I was immature and too wrapped up in what other people thought of me. I felt as though volunteering wouldn’t make me “cool” anymore. After my mom forced me to join sophomore year, I realized it was one of the greatest decisions I have ever made. It has helped me to mature both mentally and spiritually. I have helped so many people through nursing home visits, making shoe boxes filled with toys for poor children, participating in the breast cancer walk, making posters to hang on the walls supporting women, etc. Z-club is definitely one of the best clubs for girls to join at St. Mark’s and I would encourage all girls to join. It makes you feel amazing knowing you are able to go out and make a difference in another person’s life. Although it is an all girl’s organization, I would suggest making a Z-club for boys as well. This would allow there to be more hands to help those in need.
The one thing I would change about St. Mark’s to improve the school would be access to more students. The students are primarily from upper middle class families of white background. Additionally, most of the students are Christians and the majority Catholics. As a Catholic school, the chances of significantly changing the Christian/non-Christian mix is somewhat limited. However, there may be solutions to the economic imbalance at the school. Tuition prices continue to rise, leaving a smaller and wealthier pool of students. This bias towards the wealthy will continue unless additional scholarships and financial aid are made available. The result is a student body that is primarily Caucasian. The downside of such a homogeneous class is a lack of diversity, resulting in students less prepared to navigate a world that is extremely diverse in ethnicity, religion, economic class, and thought. The world is becoming more diverse as populations change and access to the internet continues to reach the farthest corners of the globe. Some creative thinking and more extensive fundraising are necessary to correct the economic imbalance at St. Mark’s. Perhaps by lowering the tuition or keeping it flat year over year, additional students could enroll at the school. This would result in larger class sizes and more revenue for the school. So in summary, if there was one thing I would change about St. Mark’s, it would be better access to students from different backgrounds.
Part 1, Letter b:
Four years ago when I entered St Marks as a freshman, I had no idea what was in store for me. I did not know what classes I would pick to take, I did not know what grades I would get, I did not know who my friend would be, and I did not know what clubs and activities I would be involved in. The most well known and repeated phrase of freshman year is without a doubt “Get Involved!”. Each and every student heard it first from their parents, then from their teachers, and finally from the administrators and upperclassmen. At first, I was reluctant to get involved in any club or sport, but one certain teacher quickly introduced me to a special extra-curricular activity. This activity was Odyssey of the Mind, and this teacher was Ms. Hopkins. As my teacher for Intro to Business freshman year, she saw something in me that she believed belonged in Odyssey. I took her advice and recommendation, and joined the team. I was intimidated and shy at first because I was outnumbered by upperclassmen, but soon those feelings disappeared. I quickly grew to love being a part of Odyssey. I never imagined myself being a part of a club like this that included crazy costumes, acting, creative problem solving, and skit writing. In my first state competition, I was surprised, yet proud of myself for wearing an insane homemade costume, acting in front of a large audience and speaking loudly and clearly with a French accent in a performance. Odyssey of the Mind is definitely a different club and it requires the right creative and dedicated mind in its participants. Never in a million years would I have pictured myself in such a club, but now as a senior about to graduate, I would not have had it any other way. Odyssey of the Mind changed my high school career, and I am grateful to be a part of such a wonderful program.
Thank you Mr. Fiorelli for everything you have taught me both this year and sophomore year. It has been a great experience!
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D. In high school we are all preparing for the future. Something many ask themselves in several of our classes is why will I never need this in my future. I personally would rip several pages out of my math text books throughout these four years. I often think to my self why will I need to know the log of a certain number or the arithmetic sequence of another. I get extremely frustrated because not till these last few weeks in high school did I learn about how interest works. I understand that everyone is not going to college for the same career path, but I wish that we could each specialize what we need to know for our own personal career paths. If we spent more time learning the things we need to then we could learn more and be more specialized in our own fields. As Mr. Keating explained to the boys that they don't need to know the Prichard scale but they need to be themselves and seize the day. If I was going to be a poet maybe I would need to Prichard scale in my studies, but I'm not going to be a poet, I'm going into the Hotel and Restaurant field. I find that maybe I could have skipped over the things I don't need I would be more prepared with the things I do need in the future.
Part 1-B
I have probably already written about this topic before, but it is something that I am proud of myself for doing and shocked that I actually did it. I wasn’t very involved my first two years at St Marks and I realized that I was missing out on something that mostly everyone else was involved in. Sports. So there I was on the first day of senior year and heard a girl on the team talking about cheerleading and how they could use another girl. I seized that opportunity very quickly because I had admired the cheerleaders all through high school. I’ve always wanted to be one but always thought it was too late to join and that I wasn’t good enough. As shown in the movie Dead Poets Society, “Carpe Diem” encouraged the boys to step out of their comfort zone and try new things. Me trying out for cheerleading was like Neil auditioning for the play. It was something different that I had never done before, but have always wanted to. I would have never imagined myself doing cheer probably even that day before I heard about tryouts. My decision was so impulsive and sudden and I’m surprised I actually followed through. I barely knew any girls on the team and knew absolutely nothing about cheer. Putting myself out there and getting the guts to just get up there and try was hard to do but I remained confident and proved my worth to the team. Some may think that the team would have just taken anybody, and that may even be true. But I like to think that I deserved that spot and worked hard for it. I became an important part of the routine as a back spot for every stunt and earned my spot on the team. In the end, I’m so glad I decided to try something new and I would encourage anyone who would like to try something new-whether a club, sport, or activity- to just do it. Carpe Diem.
e.) Surprisingly, the most influential class I have ever taken at Saint Mark’s is my senior math class. I have never done well in math and was always put in the lowest classes. When I came into Saint Mark’s I was placed into phase three math classes and eventually had to move down to phase two. I think that half of the problem was that I never liked math and the other half was the person teaching it. This year, my math class was advanced functions taught by Ms. Strocko. This is the class that made me realize I don’t hate math, I just hated the way I was taught. If you have never had the privilege of being taught by Ms. Strocko then I feel bad for you. She is a great teacher who truly cares about you succeeding. She connects with you on a professional and personal level, sometimes acting like a friend while being a teacher. I will truly miss her and the impact she has made on me. This year I received a 93 for my fourth quarter grade. I have NEVER gotten an A in math before. It really goes to show how much teachers can influence your performance in the class. I will try to never forget some of the things I was taught and the lessons I learned. Hopefully they will help me succeed not only in my future academic career, but in the real world as well.
d) If I could rip out pages from any text that I read in high school I would rip out every single page in the book The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I am not saying this simply because it was a summer reading book that I was forced to read. In all honesty it was probably the only summer reading book that I didn’t like. In most books that I read there is usually a portion of pages in the beginning that I struggle to get through, but I always do just that. With this book I struggled from cover to cover. Throughout the duration of the book I had to continuously read, re-read, and often read sections a third time because they were so confusing. I believe it took me over a month in the summer to finish this book. When I finally did finish I was left clueless. I was confused as to what had happened in the story because I was trying so hard to understand the language that was used. To try and get a grasp on the plot of the book, I researched it online. Only after reading about the book online did I realize that Dr. Jekll and Mr. Hyde were the same person. This is the main reason that I would completely eliminate this book. The language used and the events that take place in the book are way too vague to be understood. I am all for leaving some things to the reader’s imagination, much like Hemingway’s Iceberg Theory, but leaving too much to the reader’s imagination hinders their ability to understand the book.
h. Everyone receives compliments and I am no different. I actually enjoy them very much, despite rarely wanting to be put in the spotlight or as the center of attention. The typical compliments and nice words are still very dear to me, "you're pretty", "you're really funny", "you're so sweet", "you're hair looks nice", etc. are always a great thing to be told, especially when you least expect it. It is very difficult to pick the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me, but one of the most meaningful ones has been a genuine "You made my day." This seems a bit cliché, but it really is a sweet sentiment. To truly be told this puts the biggest smile on my face because it is usually something small I did that meant a lot to a person, and it turned their day around. These words also mean a lot to me because it is usually linked to laughter, specifically my laugh. It is a bit different, but I never realized the impact it could have on a person until a friend who was having a bad day said something to make me laugh and they burst out laughing too, and later told me, "You made my day." After seeing them at a low point and having it be turned around because of some small action of mine, I would say this is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.
The most different, yet most powerful classes I have taken at St. Mark’s are Mrs. Mattick’s Honors Chemistry 2 and Honors Physics. I came into her class the first day of junior year absolutely hating science in general. I walk in and see Mrs. Mattick and give her the rundown of myself stating “I’m a handful, I promise you,” and having her reply, “Oh this should be fun!” Now, Mrs. Mattick is a kind of woman anyone can respect. She is a straight forward, tough love, braniac who still manages to give off the expression of a sweet little science teacher. I’ve always viewed her as somewhat of a second mother to be honest. She would never baby anyone by treating us like adults and would push only as hard as we were willing to try. Mrs. Mattick was one of the very few teachers I have ever had that didn’t just brush me off to the side because I was a goof. She saw I had an opinion for everything and a curiosity for learning that she would not just let pass her by. It’s just hard to put into words what this woman means to me. She just cared about me in a sense that no other teacher has. Mrs. Mattick just never gives up on anyone, really. In her class, I never felt like I was being lectured, but more a class discussion about topics ranging from math, science, politics, history, religion, and family. You just didn’t feel any judgment when you had a comment. She seemed like a walking computer. One of her most respectable qualities is that even with her knowledge on literally EVERYTHING; she would share everything she had with you and give all of her knowledge back. If you had a personal problem, she just seemed to understand. She’s the type of person I want to give $1,000,000 to, just to pay her back a fraction of everything she’s given to me. Today was my last day that I’ll be able to enjoy Mrs. Mattick’s presence in my life every day, and when that bell rang and I walked out of that classroom, I cried like a baby. If Mrs. Mattick left me with anything, it’s how to treat people, she’s a saint. I hope to one day make an impact on someone like she has done to me. I can’t explain it, she just cared for me more on such a personal level and has touched my life so much, I’m just going to miss her more than anything else at St. Mark’s.
Instead of focusing on one person, I decided to focus on my entire class.
I have noticed that, throughout the course of the senior school year, that everyone in my grade has gotten more social. My fellow students are more inclined to smile and be cheerful, possibly due to the fact that we are the top class, we have no one to look down upon us, and we have everyone else so that they can look up to us. We feel important, and we are important. We are comfortable with the teachers and they like us. (I am, of course, excusing any incidences that occur within or outside the school after this blog has been posted) senior year is the year that people notice the most changes in others because they see the final product of the school years. We remember freshman year as the year that most students were socially awkward, slowly drifting into each of their social clique once they found out what that clique was, while also deciding what they wanted to focus on; some, like myself, were only focused on school, rather then friendship, others were focused on how many friends they could make, and others were focused on both. We were looked down on by everyone, and had to deal with it. As we advanced through the years, we were excited as sophomores, getting to be looked up to by freshmen, and once we beat the juniors in the pep rally, they where stuck with the knowledge of their defeat. As juniors we were on par with the seniors, then surpassed them as we won the pep rally. All of these culminated during our senior year.
Being a girl, it is easy for your opinion about things to change. For example, what you think about your friends having a boyfriend is one of the opinions that my friends and I have, but can quickly change. This personally happened to me this year. Speaking from a first hand experience, I can say that at the beginning of the year, my best friend and I used to say that boyfriends are stupid. We would say that everyone is always so attached to their boyfriend or girlfriends that they loose all of their real friends. All of my friends would get into a relationship and act like they completely forgot we were even friends. They would always ask to hangout on the weekend, but when it came down to it, they would never answer or say that they already made plans with their boyfriend. Later on in the year, the tables turned and my opinion about this changed. I basically got into a relationship and started to loose some of the friends that I always hung out with on the weekends; however, at the same time i gained a friend. I lost some friends but gained a friend who is always there and who always cares about me no matter what. My opinion about this changed because for once I was happy. I finally understood what it was like to be on the other side of things, and quickly realized that my opinion about relationships changed. I tried my hardest to balance my relationship and my friends. After meeting someone who made me happy, I realized that relationships aren't stupid, they are about being happy, and that is what I was. I was finally happy, with both my relationship and my friends. It is weird to say that your opinion about something can change so quickly. Until you experience both sides of something, you should not be strongly opinionated about it. Overall, I came to realize that my opinion about relationships had changed from the beginning of the year because I was finally happy and found the perfect balance.
j. My favorite band would have to be the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Their songs inspire a cool and comfortable mood that can relax me on even the most nerve racking days. The songs Snow, Dani California, Under the Bridge, and Can’t Stop all can help me fall asleep fast or slow down during a hectic day. Throughout the years I have changed my taste in music drastically. At first I would listen to anything on the radio, and then I started to gravitate to a harder metal phase. I then started listening to the more modern rock mixed with old school rock-and-roll. As High school came around 93.3 WMMR became my daily station in the car to and from school. All throughout these years one band was in my playlist every time I created a new one: The RHCP. I fell in love with the smooth riffs and fast paced vocals that were brought out through the speakers, on my ears or in my car. On an emotional level, the RHCP work wonders on my mood. During some of the most intense game days I will take a half hour and just relax to the RHCP music. Whenever I listen to music I look for certain styles that match up with the same styles as the RHCP. I love the bass lines, the fast paced vocals that seem almost like rap, and the great drumming continuous in the background. Although I have a changing taste in music, the Red Hot Chili Peppers will always be a great choice for me.
H. The nicest thing someone has ever said to me comes from my father. It is something he says time and time again. The words are “to whom much is given; much is expected.” These words come from the Bible and mean a lot to me. The quote has been the theme of my life and affects me in every decision I make. Though I've picked these words to drive everything I do, they do not just pertain to me. I am also guided by the teaching that everyone is created equal. So if I've been given a lot, then everyone else has been too; therefore, a lot is expected of everyone. Yet, while this is true, the words were directed at me and hearing these words from my father shows that he cares and believes in me. With his support, the world is mine. He makes me believe in myself. To be honest that’s the reason I’ve been successful in high school. Whenever I go through a tough time in school, my father is always there to help me out, and at the end of ever speech he gives me about working hard he ends with the quote “to whom much is expected.” Then when he leaves the room, I’m motivated to get back to work. This is why the quote is the nicest thing someone has ever said to me. It is a combination of the words, the meaning, and the person who says it. These three factors create the theme of my life and the reason I do everything I do.
My most memorable class was gym class of my freshmen year. My gym class was separated by boys and girls. Everyday the boys would have to do their running and warm ups and then their pushups. Us girls on the other hand had a new gym teacher that year and she was kind of a hippie. Every day we went outside and cleaned up the local neighborhoods, climbed trees or played nature leadership building skills. These activities united us as a class and made school more enjoyable. Gym became the class we could not wait to have. Our teacher did not teach us the fundamentals of baseball or bowling but she taught us to think independently and help the world around us.She always stressed the importance of giving back to nature and helping those who help us. Even if those that helped us were plants. This class was unlike anything we ever had experienced or expected. One time we were all sitting up in this huge tree talkng about our home life and one of the quieter girls of the group started to cry. In the beginning of the year we would have felt so awkward asking her what was wrong but Miss Lamborn helped us grow so close that we immediately asked her whats wrong. The girl went on to tell us about how that summer her mom had died and that she was so worried about starting high school. She said that this class helped make each day a little easier. It was like this for all of us. This class taught us valuable lessons while giving us a release from the world.
I.
I always say to people “I don’t want to regret a thing in my life.” I want to do and see everything the world has to offer. I don’t want to say no to something just because I’m scared of it. I want to say yes to something new and dangerous, something that will make me happy. I don’t care if I’ll regret it later in life because in that moment, I was happy; I was doing something I freely choose. When I get old I don’t want to look back on my life and think about all the things I didn’t do. I want to have crazy nights, sure maybe I’ll regret it when I’m sitting in police station but when I get older, I’ll look back and laugh. I’ll say how stupid I was but it would be a memory I wouldn’t want to change because that experience somehow shaped me into the person I am. However, I would never do something immoral or stupid. I wouldn’t go rob a bank because my friends said it’d be fun or jump into a car with a drunk driver. I want to have fun in life but I’m not going to be stupid about it. Life is too short to be worrying about what’s going to come next. I guess what I’m trying to say is play too rough, laugh too hard and love too deeply. Live in the moment and think about the consequences later. Live fast die young.
H. The nicest words that anyone has ever said to me would have to be something a friend told me after leaving the country and knowing we may not ever see each other again. These words were, “I just want to say you were a shining light during my stay here and for this I wish you all the best wherever, whenever. I hope you have the greatest life. Don’t go cheap on it. Do whatever you want and everything will go awesome for you.” These words have encouraged me throughout my college application process and I even wrote my college application essay based off of these very words. Being told you are someone’s shining light is touching. It just made me smile the first time I read the message. Words are important and they can make or break anyone’s day. Just a little pick me up from a friend can lighten your whole mood. This message was the little push that I had needed over the summer when I was starting my college searching and be confident in knowing that I will find a career one day, maybe not now, but eventually because if I want things to go well for me they will. As long as I try my best and am the shining light that I was to a friend in the rest of my life, I can and will be a success. This message gave me a newfound attitude because I finally got to understand the way others see me. The other night at my senior swim team banquet, another friend said something quite similar and I was shocked at some of the things that were said. My friend said such sweet things about me. I cannot remember the exact speech but I do remember that she said how nice I was to her at her first high school practice and it made me smile knowing that she remembered.
H. In my past four years at St. Mark's I have learned many valuable life lessons. One lesson that I always tried to live by is that actions speak louder than words. This is one of the phrases that stuck with me through my whole high school career. Every time I had the opportunity to make a bad choice I would try and take a different path. When my friends were at wild parties, I was working out or doing something that was productive. I focused on my academics and was also able to balance sports and other activities in my free time. These actions have shaped me into the man I have become today. However, I have come to the realization that words have had an impact on me as much as my actions have. Sometimes listening to someone else is the best option to truly get a message across. Whether it has been my parents telling me to not go to a party, or my friends giving me advice, the importance of words have helped me get to were I am today. It is nice to get satisfaction from your peers and family when you do something that positively impacts your life. After the sports banquet, my father said, "I am so proud of the man that you have become", it almost brought tears to my eyes. That statement coming from my dad is awesome; because it shows that he notices and cares about me. He realizes all the hard work and effort I put into becoming the man I am today. Even though words can be used negatively, Positive words can go a long way and make a difference in someone's life for the better.
I don’t think I took one person seriously when they told me that my four years at St. Mark’s would go by so quickly. During the anticipation of senior year, I was searching for a memorable quote to leave under my final picture in my final yearbook. I searched for some words to live by. After a long time trying to find a quote, I came across one that made me think. Theodore Roosevelt said, “In any situation, the best thing you can do is the right thing; the next best thing you can do is the wrong thing; and the worst thing you can do is nothing.” To me, this is honestly a very valid statement. Life can and will be crazy, throwing curveballs when unexpected. Then, life gives you choices. Go left or right, go out with these friends or those friends, or something more deep like, what am I doing? Where am I headed? What do I want to do for the rest of my life? I guess that’s life’s gimmick: choices. Ultimately, I think that people need to make choices on their own. Yes, It’s good to hear other’s views and thoughts, but when it comes down to it, you need to make the decisions on your own. Trust that very first gut feeling when you’re deciding something, chances are, that’s your own “GPS” telling you what you should do. I think if I could go back to the very first day of my freshman year and tell myself this quote, things would be different. I would’ve done more. I wouldn’t have let chances and opportunities slip by. Roosevelt knew what he was talking about, that feeling that you get when you realize that you let something by without doing anything is terrible. It bugs you, wishing you could just go back and do something different. So in life, there will be ups and downs, just know that you always have a voice and a choice. It’s up to you how you handle your ups and downs. Doing the right thing is the best and the next best thing is the wrong thing, just don’t make the worst choice and do nothing.
If there was one thing that could change at St. Mark’s without deferring from educational studies and religion, it would be the price of food in the cafeteria. We are only in high school. Most of us do not have jobs and those that do may not pay enough to keep up with the rising costs of everything these days. I know that some students are paid for by their parents but an average month for a student can cost somewhere around $250 and an average can be around $8. A cheesesteak last year cost about $3.25 and in the span of one year it jumped to about $3.75. A .50 cent increase is a lot of money in the long run. I fail to understand how a school that is legally required to have access to food is so expensive. When parents who go to work early and can not make their child a lunch or when a child wakes up early and does not have time to make a lunch, the cost of buying in school can add up. Sometimes parents work such full weeks that they may not have time to go grocery shopping and buy lunch supplies and they rely on the food from the school to feed their child. I just think that in this day and age food should be a no hassle, cheaper thing that people do not need to worry about so much. I know that I am one of the lucky few that my mother has time to go to the grocery store to buy me food and make me a bagged lunch but I see plenty of other students every day buying food. I just think that it is unfair.
Part 1 B
The most different experience in high school that I’ve had is mock trial. When I was younger, I wanted to distance myself from interest in the law and anything law-related as possible. I wanted to rebel, to be different. That was all I was concerned about. If you had asked me in eighth grade if I thought I’d be in mock trial, I would have said you were crazy. It was just something that was not in my cards, or so I thought. My father had coached the St. Mark’s mock trial team in the ‘90s during the team’s “glory years,” and that was enough of a reason for me not to do it. But before I knew it, I was persuaded, and I was at the first meeting. It was a huge thrill doing it, and I was having a blast. It was like a sport, only it was your brain that was being exercised. I played the part of a witness, because honestly, I wasn’t quite sure I was ready for the pressure of a lawyer role. We had a small team; only 12 people were on the team my freshman year. By the time my junior year came, it was down to 10. But somehow, we managed to win the State Championship and get to the National competition. That year, I won an Outstanding Witness award at Nationals (one of only ten selected in the nation), and the following year I was honored to be named one of the three captains of the team. It was a privilege to serve in that capacity. While we didn’t get to Nationals this year (instead getting second), the experience that this team had (which contained 23 people) will certainly be etched in my mind.
In a world full of not-so nice people, it is amazing to hear something genuinely nice from someone when it is completely unexpected. The nicest thing someone has ever said to me is that I was the friend they were looking for in high school. To impact someone’s life in such a positive way that they feel they should say something like that is an amazing feeling. It is hard to believe the actions you do every day both, positive and negative, impact those around you whether you know it or not. Hearing those words has forever changed my outlook on life and how I want the world to view how I am as a person. I try to keep a smile on my face and remember that even the smallest of gestures can affect someone’s life in the biggest way. I always want to live my life to never let down the person who said this to me and to also have others feel the same way about their lives. By impacting just one person’s life for the better our world could become a more peaceful and accepting place. Words truly are a powerful thing in life. Good or bad, they can truly sway how someone feels about life. Whether the person who said these words to me realizes it or not, they have changed my life forever and I will never forget their kindness. Their simple sentence made all the difference in the world for me and I owe them a lot of thanks for that.
JBS
The most different but most inspiring/ powerful class I took at st.marks was death and dying with mr.ingrum. Never would I expect to take the course Death and Dying because who likes learning about death? Well as soon as mr. Ingrum started lecturing he had my attention. It was so interesting and he made death seem so much less complicated. He also made it seem a lot less scary because he taught us about near death experiences, and that.is when someone dies but comes back to life. He told us that they all met God when they went to Heaven and how peaceful it was. There were so many exciting and amazing things that Mr.ingrum taught us. Mostly powerful things that were sad but some that left me with hope for the after life. This is why this class was the most different but powerful class I took at st. Marks.
B. The most "different" school or extra-curricular activity in which I've participated during my high school career, one that I would have never imagined myself doing in a few years ago wasn’t necessarily a program ran by the school. Instead this program was run through my football team and by my coach. Our Coach, Coach Wilson, would make everyone one on the team volunteer once or twice a year every football season to go help feed the homeless at a church in the city of Wilmington. It was called our Breakfast Mission. Everyone feels sorry for the homeless and would love to help anyway they can but sometimes people don’t want to actually face them and see what they really looked like. Unfortunately I used to be one of those people and very judgmental. Every time I worked I would stay in the kitchen and clean the dishes just so I couldn’t face the people. But one time I decided to serve them and my whole perspective changed. I always understood how someone less fortunate than me would love to have equal amount of stuff as me or just a nice hot meal. When I would bring them there food, their faces would bright up and they just couldn’t wait to dig into their plate. I just made me feel for them and it would hurt me to say no to those who asked for seconds. The Breakfast Mission memories will always stay with me and I’m glad it changed me as a person to become a better person. Now I just love to help others in any way I can.
B. St. Mark’s offers what seems to be an endless amount of extra-curricular activities that include both sports and clubs. The most “different” activity that I participated in was when I joined the crew team my sophomore year. Crew was something really different for me and I would have never considered joining if it wasn’t for my best friend. First of all, crew is a sport. At that time in my life, I had already tried a variety of sports in my past and never really like any of them. In fact, as an overweight teenager, I wasn’t really all that excited when the words “exercise” or “gym” came up. I was a very work-oriented student. I thought of myself as purely academic and not at all “sporty”. However, there were two things that drew me into the sport: 1) my best friend and 2) no try-outs. No try-outs meant that anyone could do it, even someone like me. I have to say that I experienced my most embarrassing and vulnerable moments at the boathouse that year and because of that, I consider rowing to be one of my greatest accomplishments. In the beginning, I hated everything. I couldn’t keep up with everyone else on runs, I had the lowest erg score, I was short and I was fat ( which isn’t a good thing when all you wear are spandex and unitards). But no matter what, I dragged myself to practice every single day. Even though I sucked in comparison to everyone else, we were a small team so I was always in the boat, and I really loved being on the water and in the boat. As time went on, I saw myself improving little by little. I had the opportunity to quit when many of my fellow team members quit but I didn’t. My reasons for being on the team changed in one season. Now, I rowed for myself. I wanted to be able to say that in high school I did participate in sports and I stuck with it. I wanted to push myself further and change my lifestyle to be healthier. I went from just participating the fall season to going to winter conditioning to returning for the spring season. At our final race of the spring season, my boat won third place at regionals in New Jersey. This really was the highlight of my year. All my hard work and persistence along paid off when I was able to pull my weight of the boat and do my part in helping our boat win third place that day. It was also the day I realized that I had reached my goal of playing a sport and sticking to it for an entire year and knew that it was now my time to leave the team. My coach and I both knew that I wasn’t exactly the best rower in the boathouse. When I told him that I wouldn’t be returning in the fall, he tried to convince me to stay and, even though I didn’t, he told me that he respected me for not giving up during the year. This really was the greatest compliment that I had ever received. For my coach to acknowledge me for reaching such a difficult and personal goal meant the world to me. Now, I do think of myself as “sporty” even though I don’t do a sport any more and I don’t cringe when I hear the word “exercise”. Now, I embrace the word exercise and try to do it everyday so that I can become healthy and fit all because of my experience in crew. The fact that it was “different” and out of my comfort zone had such a life changing impact on my life and I am very grateful and proud that I took the chance and did not just let it slip by.
E. The most different but significant class period I've ever had was a 41 minute free period I had for the first semester of my senior year. I had an entire period to sit and talk with some of my close friends. Some conversations would be incredibly in-depth, and others would be somewhat pointless. The conversations would put us all in a good mood nonetheless. The 41 minute free played as a recess for us. It was a time where we could unwind and talk about anything we chose to. I would come to that free with stresses and problems, and I would leave it with great advice and weight off my shoulders. It was almost a therapy session. My friends in the free period were my psychiatrists. They helped me through a lot.
K. I find the “I went to the woods” opening paragraph to be the most meaningful and inspirational to me. This speech gives a much more in depth perspective of the saying “sucking the marrow of life.” It even almost explains how to suck the marrow of life. You need to take life and fully examine it from every aspect. You have to “drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms.” The most commonly asked question upon men is “what is the meaning of life?” and basically what is the purpose of everything. Man has a never-ending desire to discover what their true purpose in this world is. We all need to discover what our life is and what it consists of. To me, this speech inspires one to give a deeper insight into what they are doing in life, what they have done in life, and are they truly living. I find it amazing as to how in such a small paragraph, the words can be so deep and full of meaning. Every line of the paragraph leaves the reader/listener in a state of question. Though they question the significance of their lives, readers like me are left inspired. When I am finished reading the speech I am inspired to do more with myself, to be more. I feel the need to go out into the world and to seize the day. I feel the need to “suck the marrow of life” and to be all that I can in the short time that I have.
F. IF i had to change something about st.marks it would be some of the rules that we have. Some of the rules are good while others are just dumb and pointless. i don't think that 3 lates should be a detention. I think welcoming is just stupid all together. Through the years ive been at st.marks the rules have increased and the amount of people that actually want to be there has decreased. The school needs to be more lenient with cell phones because i think not being able to use it is more of a distraction then actually using it during classes. I think the rules shouldnt be inforced so much. teachers are so caught up in making sure every rule is followed that they are paying less attention to the actual education part which is only hurting the students learning, its not helping it at all.
IN CASE MY EMAIL DIDN'T SEND THROUGH IM POSTING AGAIN:
In part three “words are important letter H is what I chose to write about. Words are truly important and can actually change a persons attitude. For me it is not what one person has said, it is what many of my friends have said. Many of my friends have looked at me and told me how “strong” of a person I am or how inspirational I am. I don’t in my opinion think I am a strong person, I think I am surviving in the situation that I was given in life. However I trust what my friends say and it really does make everything a little easier for me. When people call me strong I truly do take it to heart and it helps me get through the day knowing that people think i'm an inspiration. Knowing that people have looked at me and recognized the difficult situation I have been placed in does give me comfort. Especially on my down days to remember that all these people wrote in my year book that I am strong, or have personally told me they look up to me really gives me a boost sometimes. I will definitely carry everything that my friends have told me to college. I will always remember them telling me I am strong, when I’m down especially when I am with a lot of strangers. Because next year I will be living with a stranger who has no idea my life or anything really about me, so it will be so helpful to have those words with me.
There are several quotes that I like to live by. The simplest of them all is, “I refuse to sink.” I even have a tattoo of this quote on my side. This quote is short, but to the point. It also holds a deep meaning to me. It reminds me that I have had the strength to push through everything life has thrown at me and that I should always make sure to find the strength to move forward. Nothing in life should ever cause you to sink and give up. Another one of my favorite quotes to live by is, “Mistakes are a part of being human. Appreciate your mistakes for what they are: precious life lessons that can only be learned the hard way.” Making mistakes is a normal part of growing up, but I think people often forget that. People are constantly making judgments of one another based on a silly mistake that happened. Everyone makes their own mistakes and I do not believe anyone should be judged from that. I make sure to think positively about the mistakes I have made in my life because thinking negatively will only make you sad. I have had the habit of dwelling on the past, which is what caused me to suffer more than I should have. Instead of dwelling on the past, I now look into my mistakes and see them as lessons. I do not think I would be who I am today if it weren’t for some of the big mistakes I have made.
The most different school activity in which I participated in during my high school career would probably be Blue Gold. Before I started high school I never even thought about joining any clubs or anything. My main focus was just sports, track specifically. At Holy Angels, my elementary school, we never even really had any clubs offered to us. So then when I started St. Mark’s freshman year and heard all my friends talking about it and all the upper-class men too so I just decided to join. Why not right? What could possibly be bad about hanging out with your friends, meeting new people, and meeting and hanging out with our buddies? Joining that club was one of the best ideas I had all of high school. Through the club I’ve met so many new people, got to play with buddies, and really see how what may be a little gesture on my part really make a difference for the buddies. Going to the events Blue Gold sponsors really made a difference to each and every person in Blue Gold too. Being apart of the club taught me so many valuable lessons that I cannot only use for Blue Gold but can use in everyday life too. In elementary school all I ever wanted to do in high school was be a star athlete, and even though I may not have done that at all, or even come close, becoming a member of the Blue Gold System was much more of an honor then I ever could have expected.
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