When asked to write about a childhood experience most people think of the time they lost their first tooth when they were 6, or about the time they started school when they were 5, however, I’m going to write about summer. It wasn’t just any summer it was the summer that I went to the lake with my Dad and Papa. I was about 4 and couldn’t be any more excited about what was going to happen…
I remember day after day going to swimming lessons in the summer of 2002 at the Mount Vernon pool. Almost every day I walked by the ladder that seemed to go on forever. I used to sit on the pools edge and watch the older kids do flips and other cool tricks off of the high dive. Many times I had gotten half way up the ladder but couldn't bring myself to go all the way up. For a seven year old going off the high dive was like a right of passage and a way to be seen as "cool" in the eyes of the older kids. Today I will be telling you about the first time a braved the high dive.…
As I stood on the board, I imagined myself soaring through the air, picturing every move I made until sliding into the water as perfectly as possible. I competed as a Springboard Diver for six years. Diving helped me discover and further explore the nature behind what motivates me and keeps me mental strong and capable, which is now an immense aspect of who I am. Although I am no longer a Springboard Diver, it still influences aspects of my everyday life. Diving is unique in how it is more mentally taxing than it is physically.…
“Whistle! Point! Clear the Pool!” is a phrase that completely dominates my life. For the past two summers I have been blessed worked as a lifeguard for AMS Pools. This year I was lucky enough to compete in the lifeguard Olympics in my area within the company. Lifeguard Olympics are an organized set of events and relays where we compete to show off, which team has the best overall lifeguarding skills and techniques. Each event has some type of scenario in which the lifeguard has to rescue the Guest In Distress (GID) and the lifeguards are ranked by time and points can be lost if improper procedures or techniques are displayed to the judge(s) and on top of that only the top three teams in each event will receive points. And the whole scenario must last no longer than three minutes.…
I have heard recent news of Erik Davis leaving the TC Teens ministry. I know he is missed. He did an amazing job with the service he performed at TC, and it was a privilege serving under him. Erik was awesome about reaching out to members of the church to have the opportunity to serve Christ's youth in TC Teens. Erik and Ally made me feel so welcome while serving in this ministry and I have longed for it ever since I left the Charlotte area this fall. While serving in Teens, Erik granted me the chance to not only serve with the 6th grade girls, but plan activities and icebreakers for all of the teens, help with events and servant leader functions. He saw my passion and potential within the sixth grade girls small group and the way I helped facilitate the group with ways to break down the week's sermon or lesson to a "easier" and more relate-able interpretation for…
The University of California, Merced’s Men’s Basketball team was so enthusiastic, as well as full of energy that humid Saturday morning as they prepared for an extraordinary adventure at Lake Yosemite. Each player greets Dr. Boggs, also thanking him for taking his time off from work in the health center to take them to the lake. Dr. Boggs, feeling warm-hearted and comforted, appreciated the well-mannered basketball players and cannot wait to get out in the lake. “I have brought my boat out here today so you guys can get the full lake experience, but I need to go over some safety procedures. I also need to explain to you all what exactly we will be doing today.”-Dr. Boggs.…
Bethany Hamilton was 13 year old amateur surfers. She had the determination of being a pro surfer. Then one day Bethany was attacked by a tiger shark causing her to lose her arm. She was rushed to the hospital where they stopped the bleeding. She had to learn everything with only one arm. Bethany is resilient because she is determind, confident, and she not going to let nobody or anything stop her.…
Summer to me is the season of fun; the season where kids get to be outside play all day long because the day is illuminated by the sun almost until eight at night. I got to play all day and it was even better when my cousins came over, I especially enjoyed this season when I was little. I have four other cousins that are about my age so you can imagine how chaotic it was with six kids from ages six to ten years old being together. As all kids we looked for adventure with our imagination, we invented games, and our parents taught us games they played when they were younger. One game that especially stood out was a game called “hoyitos” or “little holes”.…
I frantically went down to lane 4 for my 400 IM relay. I had a lot of pressure on me because I am the last person swimming. Pressure to score points for my team weighed heavy on my mind. Little butterflies in my stomach tried to tell me that I was afraid. Stepping onto the block, I anxiously waited for my teammate to touch the wall.…
Personally, my desire to observe classes at Puyallup Cascade Christian are a direct reflection of God’s will in my life. I am a born-again Christian and…
Two days. Two days was how long the break between training for track, and training for cross country started. As a team our goal was to have the top 12 guys run 500 miles each, which at the time seemed to be an unreasonable goal. However Coach Hampton was confident that this was a reachable goal and encouraged not only the top 12 guys, but the the JV guys as well, to join in and train with the top 12.This was the summer of 2016, I had just had track state and made it to finals for the 4x8 only to get my relay disqualified because I cut into the inside lanes of the track before the cut off line. This had been our goal all season, make it to state, get to finals, and see what happens. Causing my relay to get disqualified is one my worst moments…
Something I wanted to do this summer was sleep more. If I would have slept more I would’ve been happier. I also wish I could have spent the night at my aunts and uncles house more. I wish I could’ve tanned more also. I wish I could’ve played, hiked and swam more.…
How could I have known when I dressed her in those cute butterfly tights and put her hair into two pigtails that I would never see her again? We walked to the park stopped for some ice cream at the stand right in front of the Empire State Building the one with the cute drawings on the sides that look like something Elizabeth would have drawn. She kept pulling at my hand, wanting to walk ahead, but I would not let her. I remember how the wind felt as if it was going to blow us away. I held onto her extra tight hoping that she would not fly away as if she was some piece of paper. We were at the park for about an hour when my phone rang and I looked down for just a few minutes. I’ve seen plenty of other parents do it.…
Have you ever wanted to take a long walk on the beach alone? Well, I have when I was four years old. I stayed in a white motel called, "The Atlantis" off the shore of old Orchard Beach, Maine. This is what happened. Being a normal four-year-olds, I took a nap on the red floral printed comforter. When my parents finally had decided to take a nap, I had just woken up. So, I didn't want to just fall back asleep, I decided to leave. I jumped out of bed and unlocked the door as quietly as possible, but it still had squea want to just fall back asleep, I decided to leave. I jumped out of bed and unlocked the door as quietly as possible, but it still had a "squeakk" just a little bit though. Then I kept the door open and walked down the damp wooden…
“Graduation, the hush-hush magic time of frills and gifts and congratulations and diplomas.” You weren’t lying when you said that Maya Angelou. May 19th, 2013 I had dreamt of that day for almost four years. I know I can’t be the only person who feel this way. I remember it as if it was just yesterday. So many different emotions going through my mind all at once. Happiness, Sadness, I felt relieved because it was almost over but at the same time I felt anxious and overly excited to just leave and go far away. 389 seniors were going to walk across the stage and receive their diplomas. After all, our class had the biggest percentage of graduates who were actually…