In the August before my sophomore year of high school, a challenge emerged. My dad had passed away. Of course you would read that and automatically think about how that would affect me in many ways. However no one, not even myself, was aware of the many challenges that went with this.…
Monday- I am ready to stat week 4!! I like being in the office but I prefer being in the back. It entirely too much drama going on in here today. The woman training me is really on her last strike and she just seems to be getting on everyone nerves (including mines). I look forward to a better tomorrow.…
Four years ago, on a normal Thursday school night, I was sitting in my room doing my homework and my aunt came bursting into the door saying my brother was kidnapped. I did not want to believe what I heard and kept asking her to repeat herself. I ran outside of the house and screamed because my emotional pain became so hard that my stomach felt like it was tied in strong ropes and I was ripping apart, I was devastated because my only brother was gone, I didn’t know if I would ever see him again, I did not even have a chance to say goodbye. I was angry at myself, at the people that took him. Life seemed impossible to live during the days he was kidnapped. My family finally came up with the ransom the kidnapers were asking for and through a miracle…
Walking into the locker room about to get ready to go to our last football game of the season. I could smell the sweaty equipment from the kids who never take their pads home. The Hempfield Spartans 7th grade team would be ending their season 0-7 if we didn’t win today. As I was changing into my pads my friend mike walked in the room. I said “you ready for tonight”. “Heck yeah” replied Mike.…
Change. From the first breath inhaled to the last, we change hundreds, thousands, of millions of times throughout the entirety. These changes may not always be so obvious, whereas others are blaringly distinct. Change is inevitable, especially as the environment, technology, economy, and people develop. Us, human beings, we are flexible, able to adapt and survive. However, as we adapt to these changes, we can not let these changes compromise our beliefs and principles by which we abide and hold close to our hearts.…
My mother, “Regina Hopkins,” has been a positive influence in my life. She has raised 6 kids all by herself as well as earned a Bachelor’s degree in nursing from a City College in Gainesville, Florida. My mother has been through pretty much everything a person can go through outside of war and was still able to be there and provide for all 6 of her kids. In high school, my mother wanted to play football and couldn't because she was a girl and back-in-the-day women were not allowed to play football with the guys. However, she remained strong by raising 6 kids and independently took care of all of us on her own. My mother has several qualities that I would love to develop. The first quality she has is balance; she certainly knows how to make…
Success through struggle is a story of one young soldiers attempt at something great. Through the struggles that I endure in this story of my attempts of joining an elite military organization are a testament to Army Values and the warrior ethos. You will learn that even if you do not succeed at first you will find success in other avenues. This story is not for quitters it is for those who enjoy tales that show triumph of the mind, body, and spirit.…
Time is winding down and the past thirty nine weeks has been nothing short but amazing. It has been full of different emotions and feelings. From the stretching of the skin to the sudden movement I have never felt before. It was all a new experience, but the feeling was indescribable. After a restless night, the sunrise appeared before I knew it. The pain was unbearable, but after several hours and a couple of good pushes you were here. I was extremely exhausted, but the relief was absolutely amazing. At first sight I fell in love with you. Not for how you look, just for who you are. I never thought I could feel affection like this. What is this? Is this how it's assume to feel or even resemble? It's kind of insane how you, only one individual,…
Moving on is easy but what you leave behind is what makes it hard. Once you get to a certain age in your life you know you have to move on sometime. I know times are hard but you have to push yourself toward what you really want in life even if it means moving away from what you love.…
After all the ups and downs in my life none of those things stopped me in achieving my dreams in 2012 the year that I received my associates the most emotional moment in my life when I had walked and made my family proud of me. I know it doesn’t seem a lot to many people but to me was the beginning of a very successful life and making a difference in my life and many others. Not only I did this for myself but for my nephews (my brothers kids) to show them that it takes a lot of hard work to achieve for our dreams but anything is possible in life as long as we don’t give up, hopefully inspire them to go far in life. I want to make a change in my family’s lives and make things better for all of us.…
My grandparents tried to shield me from the dangers of the street, but it didn’t work. I remember one night my uncle was high on the drug “sherm” and broke into our house. My grandfather shot him, thankfully he didn’t kill him. I will never forget that night as long as I live for many reasons: 1) I was scared because I thought someone was going to kill us; 2) I never seen anyone shot before or that much blood; 3) I would never thought a parent would knowingly shoot their own child; 4) I couldn’t believe that my uncle would stoop so low and try to rob his own parents; 5) seeing my grandfather taken away in handcuffs and my uncle in a stretcher; 6) my grandmother screaming. My grandfather was never charged for the shooting.…
Throughout our lives there are many obstacles we have to face, some may shape us and some may scar us years onward. My story is a common one that countless people have faced that got in the form of disguise that isn’t always pretty. Approximately ten years ago when I was a regular third grader, when life seemed to be rosy and full of fairytales, that nothing can be worse than not having your favorite meal at lunch, I had a theatre performance that changed my life.…
You see the person who killed my parents wasn't finished just yet. When I turned ten, my brother was kidnapped. I didn't want to get into detail because afterwards he ended up dead, although me and my foster family were searching for him, only to find him dead in the parking lot.…
Every human struggles everyone has hardship. When I was young I began to notice that maybe it is hard to understand what other people struggle with. The start of a mundane life began as usual a bus ride to school, but today something else happened a flash of yellow a soundless luxury sports car zoomed bass by a Lamborghini. As the car passed by everyone looked at it with amazement as the never seen a car pass from this part of the street. I began to wonder when will I get one with imaginary job I will live the high life. The bus hits a bump on the road I am begging to rationalize who much work will it take to achieve greatness to struggle to overcome adversity.…
Ever since I was born, I was a military brat. Not knowing where to call home, or if any place could be home, I moved. I moved six times, four of those places were towns that nobody could think about. Germany, North Carolina, Alaska, North Carolina, Germany, and Alaska, yet no place to call home. May 22, 1999, my first day on this world; Kronach hospital had its first American baby in their hands, yet they acted like I was a different species. The only event I remember was when I was about one. While I was one, I grabbed everything in my reach, even a grill handle. As a baby, I did not know that the handle was moving, the grill top had smashed my thumb. Ever since that event, I now have a starfish mark on the side of my right thumb from where the stiches were.…