My grandma is my hero. My grandma has been through so many unlucky events yet she still manages to be a happy, cheerful, amazing roll model. In 2005 my grandma, Carol, was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. Many people doubted weather or not she would be able to make it but I always knew I could count on her to pull through. Just like I had predicted, in 2007 she was deemed cancer free by her doctors. 🙂 Throughout all the chemo, stress, and pain my grandma was there for me and my siblings for everything. She has come to all my horseshows, concerts, dance recitals, family parties and much much more. I am beyond proud to call her my grandmother and I can only aspire to be as good of a person as she is.

My freshman year has taught me much about myself, others, and life in general. I thought this year was fun and can’t believe it’s almost over. It has flown by with blurs of stress, fun, laughs, friends , and sports. I am looking forward to summer but also thankful for the memories I have had this year. Between all the sports, friends, and schoolwork it has taught me a lot about myself. I am excited to see what the rest of highschool has in store for me and thankful for the great memories I’ve already had.

Book Report #5

Flowers in the Attic

Flowers in the Attic by V.C Andrews is a twisted book that keeps the reader on edge throughout the whole book. It is filled with drama, horror, tragedy and forbidden love. The author did a fantastic job in writing this book. It portrays a truly haunting story of 4 children and a crooked family. Once their father dies, the kids are forced to move in with their grandparents. But, it is nothing like they would have expected. The grandmother hits and verbally attacks the mother and children. She is a character made of steel showing no emotions what so ever.

This book is similar to a book I read earlier this year because they both illustrate dis functional families. The author wrote this book to tell a story and entertain the audience. The main idea of this book is very interesting and tells a story that I have never experienced in real life. Overall this is an excellent read that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

I am researching about competitive cheerleading. I love learning about cheerleading because it is interesting and fun. So far I have figured out where and when the first cheerleading competition was and I have seen video footage of it. The video was very interesting and fun. The next step I am taking in my passion project is to find out who preformed at the competition. This will help me to further my understanding about the origins of competitive cheerleading.

Ismene is a character foil because of the way that she uses Antigone’s rebellious characteristics to his advantage. Ismene is too scared to defy her father even though it’s the right thing to do. Ismene tries to tell Creon that she was just as responsible for what happened as Antigone is which is compleatly untrue. It is ironic that Antigone risks death to bury her brother because in the end Antigone passing from suicide. It is tragic that she decided to take her life becuase Creon came back to the tomb to save her only to find that she was already dead. The reason why Sophocles added Antigone’s self pity as she faced death was because he wanted to point out that although Antigone is extremely brave she is still human and it is only human that one becomes timid in the face of death. He simply had done it just as a way for the reader to realize that Antigone was still sad about death and therefore the reader should also be sad about her death. In the end of the story I think that Creon was a sympathetic character his sympathy came much too late. He gains the readers sympathy because just as he tries to do good everyone that he cares for and loves kills themselves due to his previous actions. Therefore he is still alive but has to face the burden of their deaths. He is left to deal with them even though they are entirely his fault. Karma is funny right? I do not believe he is the protagonist because of how he acted in the start of the short story.

Laurel Daneau has moved on to a new life, in a new town, but is still haunted by the memory of Hurricane Katrina destroying her family home and killing her mother and grandmother. Laurel’s new life is working out for her. With a new best friend, and new boyfriend and a spot on the school cheerleading squad. Yet Laurel is haunted by voices and memories from her past.
When T-Boom introduces Laurel to meth, she immediately gets addicted to the way it makes her feel, and how it has the power to erase the past even if it’s just for a little while. But as her friends and family slowly start to dwindle away, she becomes a shell of her self, and desperately wants to feel whole again. With help from an artist named Moses and her best friend, she’s slowly able to begin her life again with a fresh start.

The author did a great job in writing this book. It demonstrates compassion, love, but mostly overcoming obstacles. This book is similar to a book I read eairler this year because they both illustrate the effects of drugs. The author wrote this book to tell readers that you have to the power to overcome anything that’s thrown at you, it’s just up to you to do so. The main idea of this book is very interesting and tells a story that I have never experienced in real life. Overall this is an excellent read that will open your eyes to see what you’re truly capable of doing.

My feet sinking into the wet sand. The wind playing a song as it tickles my face. The warm water crashing as I breathe in the scent of flowers and citrus. This is heaven. My perfect place… Maui, Hawaii. On either side of me trees cascade over the empty shore. They provide shade against the hot sun even on a November day. The waters are as calm as I am. The light is so bright it feels like the flash of a professional camera. Everything around me seems so perfect. The birds lined up in beautiful shaped as the slice through the sky. The surplus of popping flowers and thousands of fish swimming around me. The coral reefs have been here for thousands of years before me and it is easy to see why they like it so much. The clouds drift lazily through the sky as I sink into the ocean.

Hawaii is a place no one could get sick of. Its beauty is so mesmerizing. Everything about it is relaxing. Its valleys, waterfalls, and glistening shores are only some of the reasons it’s a perfect place for me. It gives off energy so fresh and new that you could only feel to believe. Witnessing it feels like you’ve been given a new start. It’s impossible to not be happy when you’re surrounded by pure beauty and serenity. Hawaii is astonishing and is a place you must visit to believe.

Recently school has being very troubling for me. I don’t understand how teachers can assign us tests and quizzes for subjects that they never even taught us. For example, in World Geography I have a test on the provinces and landforms of Canada. It wouldn’t be so bad of our teacher actually bothered to teach it to us. He tells the class to do a worksheet on it and then gives us a 50 question test the next day. Not only is it annoying but it brings down my grade which I have worked very hard to maintain. Some might argue that we need to learn it at home but if that’s what we needed to do then what’s the point of coming to school? After school activity occupy my nights making it extremely challenging to find time to teach it to myself.

Another thing that bothers me about school is that if you don’t get good grades for one semester you basically ruin your GPA for the whole year. I know that getting an education is very important and it’s my top priority. But, we all make mistakes on tests and such, we’re only human! I know that there is nothing I can to do change that expect study harder so that is what I am going to do. After all, education is freedom.

Francesca Falato
Dear Senior,
Hello! My name is Francesca but my friends call me Fran. Before I begin this letter I’m going to tell you a little bit about myself. I have an older brother and an older sister. My brother, Joey, is a freshman and University of Illinois. My sister, whom you may know is a senior here at Palatine. Her name is Gina! My hobbies include hanging out with my friends, playing sports, cheering and horseback riding. Now that you know a little bit about me, I have a question to ask you.

If you could go back to freshman year and tell yourself one thing you wish you had known then what would it be? Time flies in highschool and people say highschool is the best four years of your life. I’m asking you this question because I intend on getting the most out of freshman year and my entire highschool experience. Hopefully, your answer will give me a heads up on something I should know or give me little piece of advice from someone more experienced than me. Thanks in advance for reading my letter and answering my question!

Sincerely yours,
Francesca Falato

A person in my life whom I can completely trust is my grandma, Coo-ee. I know that I can always turn to her when I’m in need of a second opinion. A piece of advice she has given me is that you always need something to look forward to in life. Wether it’s big or small having something to look forward to makes life worth living. This has influenced me to always look forward to happy things and set goals so that when I’m feeling down I think of them and they will assure me that it will get better. After all, what’s the point in keeping on if there’s nothing down the road to help make the journey easier?  

Ninth graders like the internet.

Ninth graders like to hangout with friends.

Ninth graders like chocolate.

Ninth graders like tumblr.

Ninth graders like watching movies.

Ninth graders like to cuddle.

Ninth graders like to eat lots of food.

Ninth graders like carnivals.

Ninth graders like summer.

Ninth graders like to have a good time.