Be Creative. Act Out. Serve Everyone.

Reflection 19: The whole idea. 

Reflection 17: Captain and follower.  

I don't know why  I didn't do this earlier, but this year for soccer at least taught me a lot of lessons. Being the unspoken "captain" of year made it really hard to work with my team.  As you had seen before I had struggled in the summer to get the girls to work hard, at that scared me big time.  As my senior year, being here since a freshman I felt that I had the most responsibility to my team.  And I know that my coach relied on me as not only a player but a leader heavily.  But I didn't have just one team, although I was a captain for my high school team I was a brand new player for my club team and they were expecting a lot from me too, especially when they were the top team in the state.  Let me tell you, it was a lot to juggle on my plate during the summer, trying to get the high school girls ready for what was to come but also make sure I was ready to play at a high level and give as much as I could to my club team.  It was the week before try outs where I rolled my ankle during a week long camp with my club team.  I rested it, iced it elevated it, and made sure to take care of it for tryouts for the high school season.  It felt almost 100% during try outs so I worked my hardest,encouraging the underclassman around us whether it was passing, running, or playing in a game. I kept the girls focused.  And for the most part, all of the returners were positive as well.  No name calling or complaining when something wasn't done right.  The girls were setting examples.  In hindsight I think its because they all wanted a captains spot but I truly meant everything I said to the girls during tryouts.  I wanted them to succeed, being "captain" that is all you want for your team.  But as the year progressed when my coach said there would be no captains.  So my dream for the past three years literally shattered.  The other girls were mad too, they wanted their share of the power but at the same time if I had gotten all of the authority it would've been too much for the other seniors and my coach and I both knew the negative energy would start again.  But even with the captain spot shot away, the atmosphere of the team was diminishing.  And although I didn't have a title I didn't want our team to go down hill like it had every year before.  And by that time in the season my ankle was getting worse and worse.  But I wanted to serve my team, I knew they needed me.  Until one day I couldn't do it anymore, I went to the doctor, got and MRI and was put in a boot for a month.  Not only did effect my high school team but my club team as well.  Being a newcomer on a team, you have to work hard to earn respect and I didn't get a chance to do that in the four months of our season due to injury.  Nonetheless I went to every high school and club practice rain, cold, and sunny.  Went to every soccer game, encouraged the team, took stats, whatever I could.  KEEP THE SHIP RUNNING. But it was getting too sour, to much for me to take a grasp on by myself, there was obviously a division in our team due to a running snafu which some claimed one group cheated and the other group claimed that group cheated.  By senior night most of the seniors were done, we had two girls quit the soccer team by the last quarter of the season.  And it felt like I had failed my team as a "leader".  I had tried to do so much preparation for them before the season and tried to keep motivated but my actions were not enough because there was never a buy in from the others.  I didn't even get to play in my own senior game.  Which, was the most devastating thing I've ever missed in my high school.  The one game dedicated to just me and the other seniors.  But I ended my year winning the "Captains Award" and thought that maybe after all I had done in high school, even if our season created too much chaos, it left some of the underclassman with the determination to do better next year and keep working.  There was one point right in the beginning of the season where we were a family, we wanted redemption that is why we put it on our hands, because we wanted to show we were one unit.  And maybe from all that I have done in the four years one or two will step up next year and do amazing things, and impact the people after them.

Reflection 16: Stand Up To Cancer's 2nd Annual Beardathon. 

By far my biggest project taken up this summer was my senior pick up sessions.  First I was asked to get the seniors together and create a pick up game situation where we could have some girls come out and we'd hop on the turf and play from 10:00-11:30.  It turned out being me as the main organizer.  So much for teamwork… I emailed all of the returning teammates, took off every tuesday and thursday, and I told them what to bring.  The first session was a huge success we had 10 girls come out and we played 5 v 5 until 11:30.  But after that first session, attendance really went down due to vacations and lack of rides.  But I didn't stop, I kept emailing all of the girls telling them there was a session and that I would be happy if they came.  There was one week in early July where I had to be out of town due to York College Soccer Camp. And I asked another senior to cover the session, she agreed and we were set.  I came to the Thursday session and asked the other girl who was there how it went.  She had been upset because no one had showed up to the session.  The senior that wanted to lead so bad in the past claimed she "forgot and had a dentist appointment." I apologized, I was pretty angry that I was the only one really committed, I had tried to give these girls as many opportunities as possible, but instead, one of the "leaders" decided she had something better to do and didn't notify anyone.  But as I said earlier, I kept moving on.  The numbers really only came to three to five a session.  Not enough to play, just enough to do skills.  I liked the smaller numbers, we worked more on technical aspects, and it was really fun to me.  The girls I worked with really reacted well to do it.  I plan on telling coach to do it every once and a while just when the girls want to brush on the skills.  SInce two girls responded so well, why wouldn't twenty?  And rounding the last three weeks, we had almost eight girls show up at one Tuesday sessions.  Unluckily it had been all of the talkers.  I noticed as soon as we started playing, that girls were sitting around and talking instead of playing.  I told them to get a water break thinking that it would be easy for them to re group after wards.  They all sat on the field and began to converse with one another, and when i asked them to get up and play only two really stood up.  I didn't know what to do.  Some of the strongest personalities were there and it was hard to override them.  Even when I tried multiple times.  I went home pissed off, and angry.  I had worked so hard for these girls this summer, making sure that they would have extra opportunities and they just pooped on them and laughed them off.  not worried about if it would make them better or not.  Something about me and soccer is that I just want to play and win.  I work hard because I love it and it is something I want to do for the rest of my life so I get upset when I try my hardest and get disrespected.  I really wanted to cancel the rest of the sessions because I was so stressed out but my mom really told me to keep going.  A few days later it was reported back to me that a lot of the girls thought the sessions were pointless and that they would get more out of the gym, the same girls who refused to get up and work hard.  In anger I sent out an email, copying all the players, parents, and coaches.  I got a lot of great responses from the parents, because they knew I had been trying so hard to help their girls out in the long run.  After the email, every session left went out without fail.  And although it wasn't the most perfect experience, I knew that I had helped some the girls in a way.  And it gave me a warm feeling in my heart.  At the end of the day, i'm here for the team.  I carry them, I love them, and I work for them. If someone walks out with a little more passion then they walked in with, I've done my job.  Could I have done some things better? Yes, I could have warme them up faster, I could done more variety of drills, and focused on team runs.  There were a billion and 5 things I could have done better,but there were also a billion things I could've done worse and I think I really helped out a few girls get comfortable with team.  So yes to me, this was still a success after all of the struggle it took.  

Although I'm not the most epic tree hugger out there I definitely think littering is one of the most disgusting things I've ever seen.. Who wants to walk by a street and see all of this trash scattered about.  One thing I never get to do for vacation is go to the beach.  Beaches are the most exciting places I could go to.  I love the sand and the salty water, I love sea shells and watching the kids prancing around on the hot sand.  I love the the boardwalk and all the little shops down the line.  And although Sandy Point isn't ocean city.  It's close enough for me to feel just like I do at an actual beach.  Spending the day with my mom, and my boyfriend Luke on a slightly cloudy but perfect day.  And just like every beautiful beach, there is always one person who tries to ruin the fun and beauty. Someone behind us decided it was a good idea to leave their foil wrappers in the sand.  Eventually the wind blew and as it made it's way into the water my mind flashed with sick dolphins or a sad polar bear commercial and I jumped up from my chair and ran it down before it hit the bay.  I started to scream about how inconsiderate people were and how they didn't care about the environment or how the poor fish suffered.  They probably thought i was a crazy girl on drugs but I didn't care.  I do not like littering at all, I don't want more pollution, especially when it is that preventable.  And i was angry that people would be that stupid to just drop it into the sand and let it fly away in the wind.  And although I only had one pice of trash who's to say that none of the people around me were surprised and influenced by my crazy actions.  It would touch my heart if someone is thinking about that crazy girl who wanted to stop pollution and stopping trash from getting in the ocean.  I know I'm crazy, but I'm glad I might have saved a few fishes from getting sick. And possibly touched a few hearts with my crazy antics. 

These had to be uploaded to youtube into two parts! 

Part One: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfsfhLu831U

Part Two: 

Reflection #10 

Reflection Number 9:

2nd meeting of Stand Up to Cancer 

I've gotten pretty used to running meetings after the first one but I was not ready for this last meeting, The good things that came out of it: 

Our Fundraiser to sell pins 

Charity Dodgeball Tournament

Serious members 

Our supervisor left me in charge for the meeting, so I got to run it. One good thing is we got about 10 more members almost filling the classroom, but what happens when you mix a group chatty kids with one girl in charge? 

Mayhem. 

No one listened when we tried to get out ideas across, and the boys became obnoxious.  As time went on we only got half of the points we wanted to get through because a certain group of boys wouldn't shut up during the meeting.  Half of the members ended up having to leave, due to prior ib commitments.  The only people who were left? The boys.  I spent 15 minutes yelling at them for coming to my meeting and not respecting me.  After, we continued with our meeting, came up with great ideas and finished our meeting I got many apologies, much appreciated.

Reflection 8: February 25th 2013 

A few weeks ago I cam up with the idea to make a binder of letters to send to Sandy Hook elementary after the tragic shooting.  I was really excited to give my idea to the IB 11th graders because: 

I know these kids very well and know they have a good heart to write these letters 

I wasn't only creating a CAS opportunity but helping out other kids if they needed one 

I was very passionate about this issue, kids in general actually.  I knew that if personally happened to me I would want support to and to know that other people supported us.  

The thing that makes me upset is that when I told some of my fellow people about my idea they thought it was stupid and idiotic.  They made fun of my idea and didn't want to do it.  They said "How can we write letters to them, they've been bombarded with all of this media, why do you think they want more?"  I was severely hurt and outraged, it isn't about how you think they're feeling, that's pretty selfish, it's about being selfless.  A lot of them brought their personal views into it, saying they wouldn't want that binder of letters because they've been harassed so much.  And although they might of had a lot of media and a lot of attention it never hurts to keep on supporting. 

But for every opinion that didn't support my idea there were five more kids eager to write letters.  And they turned them into Mr. Rackley and they are still coming.  And for all those kids that did, a tremendous thank you has to be granted.  I read all of the letters a was so touched by them, these kids put in their personal stories and how they hope that everyone of those kids involved knows that they care about them.  At first I had regretted the idea of creating this plan but after getting and reading the letters I was so happy to have given it out to my fellow classmates.  Every letter said they same thing in different ways and only IB 11 could have written it the way they did. 

Thursday February 7th 2013 

Reflection 6: To the children of Sandy Hook 

if this does not work it should work with this link 

Reflection 5: APPROVED!!! 

Alright, this is definitely been the most rigorous and time consuming reflection I've ever had...yet.   I first approached Mrs.Quinn on how I would start a club.  Which was then forwarded to Mrs. Schumer, which was then never really answered.  I had found such a great foundation called Stand Up To Cancer, which is basically a foundation that raises money to continue with research against cancer.  It would be a great way to incorporate teen examples and worldly issues  Not only was I touched by the personal stories, I was driven to start a club at school to increase awareness about what a lot of people really go through when diagnosed with cancer.  I immediately went to a teacher who I find very relatable ( although sometimes lazy) Mr.Brady.  He agreed to help me with the club although he said everything would be mostly ran by me, he was just going to be there to supervise.  I began to fill out the application that had to be turned in through the foundation so we could be the "official" club and use the foundation's name.  As easy as that form was, I noticed with my busy soccer schedule that I would not be able to run this club by myself, I asked for the help of one more IB student Monique Jackson.  We turned the paper into the office so that Mr.Yore could approve the group.  That was the week before Thanksgiving break.  After break I checked in various times trying to see if the application had been signed.  Week after week my paper was pushed aside and I didn't get it back.  Finally two weeks ago I had a meeting with Mr.Yore where he gladly approved the club, saying it was a great idea to raise awareness, only to find that Mrs.Carter had lost the application.  I had to reprint it and bring it in the next day for Mr.Yore to sign.  Out of this whole process, administration putting me off for weeks and then losing the paper didn't really make me a happy camper, something I was passionate about that I wanted to start right away wasn't going as fast as I hoped.  I had to wait and wait and wait and it drove me insane.  I guess I learned that with all the papers signed, I had to realize that Mr. Yore is a busy man.  And even though I'm busy, he can't do everything right away. * 

*side note: talking to Mr.Yore is actually really nerve wracking,  I have never had to go and have a formal meeting by myself with any principal.  I've never been in trouble or had an issues that needed to be addressed.  I figured out that I have to become a better public-speaker especially in front of authority.  It scares me to think of talking to a principal and messing up what I want to say, and I think if I keep practicing it will come with ease eventually.  

So, after a few long headache filled weeks the paper was scanned back into my computer and sent off the Stand Up Cancer Foundation.  A few days later I was emailed back by a woman named Bree Bowman, saying that our club has been APPROVED. I stuck with relief and also an overwhelming happiness.  I finally felt that I was going to do something great at my school, and that kids would be interested in it as well.  Even though I still have to set up a phone call with Bree, I hope to have the first meeting at the end of January and build the base of a club that not only will raise money and awareness but will be a long going club.  

Reflection 4- November 28th 2012 

MONEY MONEY MONEY! 

Reflection Number 3 

Saturday November 3rd. 

Cleaning up around the church.