Graduation!

So as you know... I like to write, I'm not a very good write in my opinion.  But I know that I can totally write.

World famous poet, William Butler Yeats once said, “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” All my life, until this year, I always felt that education was more like a pail filled with stones that I was forced to carry.  In thirteen years of schooling, I’ve been to 10 different schools.  The longest I’ve been in the same school is three consecutive years. (3^rd-5^th and 9^th-11^th grades) I never really made close friends because I always was on the move to different schools.  Being switched to so many schools made it hard to establish close friendships.  I also feel it’s hard for me to make friends because I’m the youngest child of 10, so I grew up on my own and grew used to being alone.  If I would have known that I would be able to stay at a school, I would be much more comfortable with the students and I wouldn’t have pushed away from so many things.  I would have been more involved in school, sports, and after school activities; all of which help you make friends.  This added many heavy stones to my pail.

You may be wondering why I’ve been to so many schools?  My answer is:  I didn’t fit in, I wanted to be home, I wanted to be independent, and I didn’t understand the value of education.

From pre-school through 5^th grade, my mother picked my schools.  Pre-school and first grade, I was with my siblings.  In 6^th grade to now, I picked what I wanted to do for school.  When I was going into 9^th grade, I picked Minnesota Virtual High school Academy which is an online school.  I loved being home all the time and sleeping in until 11:00 or so.  But it wasn’t all the best for me because no one was home to make sure I was doing my school work.  I was working for three days tops at about 45 minuets a day.  I was suppose to be on a five days a week schedule.  I could pick any five days.  I also was supposed to work for six hours each time.  So, as you can see, I was only doing my school work for two-and a half hours weekly, tops.  When I was only working a couple hours a week freshman year, it caused me to fail the first and second semester. It wasn’t just because of the little I did, it was also because I didn’t care if I passed or not, I also didn’t care about school.  I got brainwashed by others saying I wouldn’t graduate so I let that get the best of me.  When I finished freshman year, I did the online school again and because I failed every class but gym, I kept getting told I wouldn’t graduate and I was determined to prove them wrong.  I began logging onto my online school daily but I wasn’t doing my work everyday.  I would contact my teachers and then be done.  That year, I passed two classes: gym and health.  I was proud because I had thought that I wouldn’t even pass one class.  More stones were added to my pail.

The summer going into my junior year, I was going to start at *school name* High School but I was offered a babysitting job.  I moved in with the family for the entire school year and I had to do one more year of online schooling.  During that time, I passed all my classes but one and a few stones were removed from my pail!  After junior year, I moved in with my dad so I could go to *School name* High School.  When I made the decision, my mom pretty much told me it was a waste of time because I wouldn’t graduate, let alone, on time.  A few more stones were added to my pail.

When I started to set up my classes at *insert school name*, I had 14.75 credits and I would need 24 to graduate.  According to my mom, it is impossible to make up the credits, I’ve had to crack down on my school work and find support through the school.  My parents have told me that I wouldn’t graduate.  My mom even expected me to drop out at age 16.  I am now 18 and still in school proving my parents wrong!  It is one of the best feelings ever!  I needed to prove to my mom that I could do it and that I’m not a drop out.  I decided to rid my pail of those stones!

And, I am proud to say, I am on track to graduate in the summer of 2014!  I’ve been working hard and earned A’s and B’s!  I was told by my guidance counselor that I will be her first student to graduate on time after being so far behind!  However, I couldn’t have done it without her and all my amazing teachers at HS.  It’s been a struggle at times, but through the support of others and my determination, I will be able to graduate on time!  Once I was rid of my pail of stones, a fire was lit in me!  I will continue to work hard to keep the fire going.  It took a while for me to realize the value of education but once the fire was lit, there is not putting it out.

My story I will be using for a public speaking activity.

So with that being said.. I have 19.something credits as of March 19th, 2014.  So coming from 14.75.  And hearing what my expectations I had given myself from the start of time.  To what the teachers had given me to now is amazing!!