Memoir

      I still remember that vacation like it was yesterday. I remember a specific day though, one in fourteen, that really impacted me. After that day, I had a whole new look on life, a whole new perspective. I felt refreshed and renewed, like a different person in some ways. But getting to that day proved to be an interesting challenge.
    We had just arrived at the Atlanta, GA airport. We spent a few nights at my grandpa Dan’s house. We did a little sight-seeing at the Georgia Aquarium. After that, we drove down to Florida. The next day we planned to go sailing. I wasn’t sure about this sailing trip. I had never been on a sailboat and from Hollywood’s view, they were prone to sinking. The sailboat belonged to my uncle. It was equipped with beds, counters, a stove, bathroom, etc...
    I stepped onboard and in a few minutes, I was already enjoying myself. It was so beautiful. My uncle drove the sailboat to a remote island that he had accidently come upon. There were a few other boats there too. The sailboat had to stay far away from the surrounding shallow water of the island. I remember my uncle saying, “We gotta use the dingy!”
    On the beach, we saw all kinds of wildlife. We saw stingray swimming, jellyfish, dolphins, etc... I even found a sand dollar. This one was unique though, because most of the time, people find the dried out dead ones. I found one that was alive and well. It was brown. I turned it over and over in my hand, studying the intricate details that were carved into it. It had tiny hairs or tentacles, thousands of them, on it’s underside.
    The water was crystal clear. Fish were coming to shore and would brush past your feet in the water. That’s when my appreciation for creation came. I know before this vacation, I had taken creation and wildlife for granted. Being from a country home, I always see birds, rabbits, squirrels and chickens in my backyard all the time. There are so many things that I took for granted.
    Can you imagine if all the animals and plants in the world totally disappeared or were wiped out? Earth would look like a desolate ghost-town. I became so thankful for creation and more important, my family. We had so much fun on the sailboat grilling on the docks with a security guard (long story but his name was Richard).
    I decided that when I got back to Minnesota, I was going to try to be more thankful for the things we sometimes forget in our everyday lives. I love being outdoors and stay very busy currently at home with chores. We have tons of animals (including a dog, 3 cats, and around 90 chickens).
    People have tons of influence on each individual’s life. The people in my life, thankfully, have positively influenced me. They are mostly all Christians, therefore, I have grown in my Christian faith steadily through the years. My trip to my uncle’s sailboat in Florida influenced me on my views of people and creation. I have gained positive knowledge of how I should be aware and thankful for them. I really don’t know what I would do without my family.
    On my way back from my trip, we had some difficulties. Our flights were delayed due to mechanical issues. It took forever to actually get off the ground. God really tested my patience when we had to spend the whole day in the airport in Kansas City (in future trips, we wil avoid that place). In that situation, I had lots of time to think about the sights and parts of nature I had seen.
    I think I was greatly inflenced by my trip. I developed an awareness for the life around me. I had tons of fun on my trip and my family has grown a little closer with it. I hope when people read this, they, themselves, take away a whole new meaning of creation and family. The bottom line is this: Life here on Earth is short, so let’s make it worth it.

Memoir Essay

      I still remember that vacation like it was yesterday. I remember a specific day though, one in fourteen, that really impacted me. After that day, I had a whole new look on life, a whole new perspective. I felt refreshed and renewed, like a different person in some ways. But getting to that day proved to be an interesting challenge.
    We had just arrived at the Atlanta, GA airport. We spent a few nights at my grandpa Dan’s house. We did a little sight-seeing at the Georgia Aquarium. After that, we drove down to Florida. The next day we planned to go sailing. I wasn’t sure about this sailing trip. I had never been on a sailboat and from Hollywood’s view, they were prone to sinking. The sailboat belonged to my uncle. It was equipped with beds, counters, a stove, bathroom, etc...
    I stepped onboard and in a few minutes, I was already enjoying myself. It was so beautiful. My uncle drove the sailboat to a remote island that he had accidently come upon. There were a few other boats there too. The sailboat had to stay far away from the surrounding shallow water of the island. I remember my uncle saying, “We gotta use the dingy!”
    On the beach, we saw all kinds of wildlife. We saw stingray swimming, jellyfish, dolphins, etc... I even found a sand dollar. This one was unique though, because most of the time, people find the dried out dead ones. I found one that was alive and well. It was brown. I turned it over and over in my hand, studying the intricate details that were carved into it. It had tiny hairs or tentacles, thousands of them, on it’s underside.
    The water was crystal clear. Fish were coming to shore and would brush past your feet in the water. That’s when my appreciation for creation came. I know before this vacation, I had taken creation and wildlife for granted. Being from a country home, I always see birds, rabbits, squirrels and chickens in my backyard all the time. There are so many things that I took for granted.
    Can you imagine if all the animals and plants in the world totally disappeared or were wiped out? Earth would look like a desolate ghost-town. I became so thankful for creation and more important, my family. We had so much fun on the sailboat grilling on the docks with a security guard (long story but his name was Richard).
    I decided that when I got back to Minnesota, I was going to try to be more thankful for the things we sometimes forget in our everyday lives. I love being outdoors and stay very busy currently at home with chores. We have tons of animals (including a dog, 3 cats, and around 90 chickens).
    People have tons of influence on each individual’s life. The people in my life, thankfully, have positively influenced me. They are mostly all Christians, therefore I have grown in my Christian faith steadily through the years. My trip to my uncle’s sailboat in Florida influenced me on my views of people and creation. I have gained positive knowledge of how I should be aware and thankful for them. I really don’t know what I would do without my family.
    On my way back from my trip, we had some difficulties in getting back. Our flights were delayed due to mechanical issues. It took forever to actually get off the ground. God really tested my patience when we had to spend the whole day in the airport in Kansas City (in future trips, we wil avoid that place). In that situation, I had lots of time to think about the sights and parts of nature I had seen.
    I think I was greatly inflenced by my trip. I developed an awareness for the life around me. I had tons of fun on my trip and my family has grown a little closer with it. I hope when people read this, they, themselves, take away a whole new meaning of creation and family. The bottom line is this: Life here on Earth is short, so let’s make it worth it.

Any Topic Essay

    Internet Use: Harm or Good?

    The internet always leaves people thinking: “the internet; does it do more harm than good?” Many parents say no, yet kids need it to a  certain extent for school work. While the internet does have many good facts for educational purposes, what about media? Does media do more harm than good?
    The internet is full of bad things. From pictures to posts on Facebook, if you aren’t careful, it can leave you in a load of trouble. Kids today have access to pretty much anything. Not a lot of parents block websites anymore; “trusting” their kids not to allow any harmful material to reach their eyes. Don’t get me wrong, most kids are trustworthy, but what about the few that aren’t?
    Facebook, email, etc... can lead to many problems. Kids can tease, pick on, and bully others with more confidence on the internet than in real life, face to face. Through the internet, these mean comments can travel through the grapevine like a wildfire. So in this way, the internet can hurt and harm other people. Even celebrities get bad rap because of some lie that the media posted all over the internet. Another reason the internet is harmful is because of how much time it consumes in our life. Kids, even parents, spend hours staring at a computer screen for no reason other than to “facebook” or play games. Meanwhile, these hours could have been spent more wisely on hanging out with friends face to face, or going outside to get some of that good “ole fresh air.”
    The internet can damage social relationships. In extreme cases, people become addicted to internet use and they don’t develop any much needed friendships, or don’t attend any social events.  People need to develop some sort of relationships, it is scientifically proven that in order to exist, people need some sort of “friend” type figures in their life.
    On the other hand, the internet does have some benefits. A lot of times I find myself in the computer lab searching up topics to write about. Often essays, reports, etc... require a lot of researching and definition-searching that is more efficiently done by using the internet.  Internet can help us learn about topics that we never would have learned about if not for the internet. Many people don’t think about this, but the internet can be a safe way to make transactions using money from your bank accounts without actually having to physically withdraw and add.
    Internet is also a huge benefit for stores. Stores can use the internet to advertise and sell products. With online transactions, online shopping is easy and simple. Products can be shipped right to your door.
    Internet is also good for long distance communications. If, for instance, your cousins live a long way away, you can keep up-to-date and talk with them daily using the internets wide variety of online chatting methods. Another use no one really thinks about is being able to see things that you wouldn’t be able to see in person. For instance, you can search the Mona Lisa and be able to view it without taking a huge trip across the world.
    Overall, there are many benefits to using the internet for schoolwork purposes. Outside of schoolwork and research though, using the computer can create problems. Today, young people spend too much time staring at screens. They should be out with friends, talking face to face, or just outside tanning. The internet has changed the lives of the twenty-first century forever but I hope we don’t let it totally control our lives. The internet is man’s ultimate tool for everyday life.

Celebration Essay

By Megan
   
    One of the important people in my life is my mom. I have known her my whole life and she still surprises me. My mom is a remarkable woman who is very smart, wise, and overall inspirational.
    My mom, you must know, loves 80’s music. She loves to sing and dance around the house, sometimes using the vacuum cleaner as a microphone. At first, I used to be quite embarrassed by this. The more I realized it, though, she is a fun Mom. If she didn’t do the quirky stuff she does, my life would be really boring. I especially need her when I bring home algebra homework that I don’t understand. She’s very smart.
    Once I came home with my friend, Nicky, and we came into the kitchen to find my mom on the phone dancing and mouthing the words to an 80’s song. After she turned around, she stopped dancing and mouthed “sorry” to our confused looks. I thought it was funny and I tease her about it to this day.
    My mom has had a rough life. She didn’t really spend more than one year at the same school. Her father was in the air force and they moved around a lot. She has lived in a few European countries like Germany, and she has been to almost all 50 states. This was hard for her because she never really made a lot of friends and when she did, she would move the next year and not really see them again. She couldn’t even graduate in the school she wanted to. Her parents got divorced when she was about my age. It was very hard on her. She didn’t really know Christ that well.
    Once I was in the grocery store and I heard a song playing. My mom looked really upset. She said, “Do you hear this song?” I nodded and she replied, “I don’t like this song.” I expected her to go on but she didn’t so I asked her why she didn’t like it. To this day, I will never forget her answer; “I don’t like this song because this song was the first song I heard after my parents got divorced and every time I hear it, I relive that day.” Then she cut the conversation short and we walked in silence. I felt horrible. I complain everyday on how “bad” my life is. I really don’t know how good I have it. Through all this chaos in my mom’s childhood, she hung out with the right people and they guided her toward a better life with Christ. She went to church a little more often, and grew into a full out Christian. I don’t know how she does it. If I were her, I would have blamed God for the problems and divorce. I don’t know if I could forgive my parents completely for all the pain they would’ve caused me. She is so patient, kind, smart, and full of good spiritual fruits. She is a wonderful role model for me. She makes me want to be a more fun, loving, and caring adult.
    In the future, I hope to be just like my mom. Although she might not know it, I hope to gather the courage someday and be able to tell her what an awesome parent she is. I will never forget my mother and the life lessons she taught me. This is why my mother inspires me.

Track and Cross Country Running

    Have you ever wondered what the difference was between track and cross country running? Many are unaware of the vast differences and similarities between these two popular sports. While track and cross country are quite similar, there are some things that set them apart, creating two fun and unique sports.
    Track and cross country running have been popular sports, each with it’s own, unique strategies and training methods. Although they sound similar, track and cross country can be very different.
    One of the simpler of the two sports is track. Track is not only running, as some may think, it also includes a variety of field events like shotput, discus, long jump, and high jump. In the running events, a runner sprints or jogs in a circle of a total 400 meters. The track is made of tire rubber to make it a little softer for the athletes.  Runners use lanes, normally there is a total of 8,  that runners must stay in (depending on the event) or else they are disqualified. Other than relays, track is mostly an independent sport.
    Cross country is a sport that takes total commitment. Cross country is a sport in which runners jog a course mapped out around a certain geological area. The average length of an average cross country track for a high school athlete is around 3 miles. The runners go through all sorts of terrain, such as valleys, mountains, forests, and etc. Runners in this sport set themselves at a slower pace to avoid dying out  towards the finish. Cross country is known more as a team sport because all the athletes train together (from the same school) and can run with their teammates.
    The similarities between these two sports are very interesting. Both sports involve a lot of running, whether it’s multiple 100 meter sprints or daily 3 mile jogs. Much practice is needed to be successful in the events you compete in, so practice is a “must.”  Before both of the sports, coaches should and do require a lot of stretching.     Stretching should be done before practice and before events that the runners will compete in to keep their muscles warm and ready. In either of the two sports, athletes can lift weights to build muscle and gain endurance. Of course, both events in both of the sports, are started by a gunshot. Both of the sports require athletes to spend hours training, whether running or weightlifting, and both sports build good relationships between friends and the teams become like family.
    If you happen to run cross country and are looking for another sport in your future, I would recommend track. Track is a fun sport that helps you gain more social smarts. Cross country and track are so similar, that many athletes choose to do both and love them both equally. Of course, if you like to run long distances and prefer not to do any sprints, then I would definitely recommend cross country for you. So, while they are quite different, each sport has it’s own way to train and equip students to compete in running or field events.

Laptops vs. Ipads

    While iPads have many uses, laptops are victorious when it comes to efficiency. For example, have you ever noticed how hard it is to type on an iPad? The keyboard is smaller than the average laptop. The keys have no bumps to indicate the placement of your hands therefore making it harder to tell if you are typing and have correct hand position.
    Laptops are very sturdy and durable, whereas the iPad is easier to crack, chip, or break. In almost every case, the laptops can do anything the iPad can. iPads are just seen as “new technology” and a “must have.” Depending on the model, laptops are generally cheaper than your “state-of-the-art” iPad. Furthermore, laptops have a longer battery life, especially in the long run. 
    In my own experience, my iPod isn’t that old. It’s in perfect working condition except the battery life is quite short. iPads have excellent battery life at first, but as time goes on, battery life reduces drastically. Yes, iPads may be the newest model and the new “thing.” (I mean who wouldn’t want a free iPad?) But overall, buying an iPad over a laptop just isn’t a smart choice. You name it: music, pictures, skype, games, internet, etc..., all can be done with a laptop. When you carry around an iPad, you have to buy a  thick, heavy case in order to cover the delicate screen. If you accidentally drop it, it’s more likely to have a crack across the screen. With laptops, the ingenious idea of covering the screen inside the fold is effective. You drop a closed laptop, one of the last things you worry about is the screen. You’ll probably first look for damage on the outside.
    Your average iPad can cost anywhere from $500-$830. Laptops usually range between $450-$900. This means that your average laptop can cost way less than an iPad unless you get a fancier model. Think about it. Your average laptop cheaper (depending on the model) than an iPad. Don’t forget that laptops consist of a longer battery life, easier for typing, and contain much more memory than iPads. They generally run the same size, whether width or length, and are just as lightweight as any iPad! So I ask again, why would anyone buy an iPad over a laptop? Laptops are just as accessible and efficient as any iPad could ever be. 
    Overall, I believe you’ll agree with me that laptops are the ultimate tool in modern society. In the coming years, days, or hours, I challenge you to use both a laptop and an iPad and monitor the benefits of both. In the end, laptops will always have a longer list of benefits. I encourage all iPad users to buy a laptop. I believe laptops are the key to future school notes and tests. Imagine how much easier it would be to turn on your laptop and type your notes and answers to a quiz than to open a notebook and hand write them? Laptops would save so much time and make the school experience more enjoyable. No more cramps, no more hand stretches, no more sore arms, Laptops are the answer.