coming of age
Jafr-Tayar Shabazz
10-12-13
Period 1
Interview Narrative Akil Shabazz is a 19 year old boy born on December 10, 1993, son of Malika Abdurrahman and Bilal Shabazz. Akil graduated class of 2010 at Miramar High School and is now attending Florida International University studying bio-medical engineering. Akil Shabazz was only 16 when he graduated from Miramar High School, and he was the youngest of his class. Yesterday I met with Akil to ask him about his experiences in high school that helped him come of age. Akil said that when he first entered high school he felt rather different and weird being the only 12 year old surrounded by many 14-18 year olds. He was in the International Baccalaureate and was trying his best to keep up with his studies. All his life Akil could pick up information from teachers and implement it into his mind without studying or taking notes. This strategy was working fine for Akil all the way up until his sophomore year. Suddenly Akil couldn’t retain the information anymore. Instead of getting A’s and B’s Akil was now getting C’s; and according to the Shabazz family getting below a B like getting a D. The Shabazz’s aren’t average so they don’t do average work. Blaming it on everything besides him, Akil kept on struggling getting grounded for bad grades, taken away from playing on the school soccer team. Finally Akil had a talk with his parents and his guidance counselor and he dropped out from IB. Akil says that this experience of dropping out of something and giving up gave him a reality check. It wasn’t that he couldn’t do the work it was just that he was too lazy. Now Akil is giving up spending time with his friends studying for big college exams. Instead of going to play soccer or skating Akil is now going to the library to study. Akil Shabazz worked very hard to get where he is now and is still working hard. Being my older brother I look up to Akil as a role model and so that I don’t make the same mistake he made. Unlike
10-12-13
Period 1
Interview Narrative Akil Shabazz is a 19 year old boy born on December 10, 1993, son of Malika Abdurrahman and Bilal Shabazz. Akil graduated class of 2010 at Miramar High School and is now attending Florida International University studying bio-medical engineering. Akil Shabazz was only 16 when he graduated from Miramar High School, and he was the youngest of his class. Yesterday I met with Akil to ask him about his experiences in high school that helped him come of age. Akil said that when he first entered high school he felt rather different and weird being the only 12 year old surrounded by many 14-18 year olds. He was in the International Baccalaureate and was trying his best to keep up with his studies. All his life Akil could pick up information from teachers and implement it into his mind without studying or taking notes. This strategy was working fine for Akil all the way up until his sophomore year. Suddenly Akil couldn’t retain the information anymore. Instead of getting A’s and B’s Akil was now getting C’s; and according to the Shabazz family getting below a B like getting a D. The Shabazz’s aren’t average so they don’t do average work. Blaming it on everything besides him, Akil kept on struggling getting grounded for bad grades, taken away from playing on the school soccer team. Finally Akil had a talk with his parents and his guidance counselor and he dropped out from IB. Akil says that this experience of dropping out of something and giving up gave him a reality check. It wasn’t that he couldn’t do the work it was just that he was too lazy. Now Akil is giving up spending time with his friends studying for big college exams. Instead of going to play soccer or skating Akil is now going to the library to study. Akil Shabazz worked very hard to get where he is now and is still working hard. Being my older brother I look up to Akil as a role model and so that I don’t make the same mistake he made. Unlike