Section 1: Initial Letter
Heading into sophomore year of high school is a lot different than heading into high school as a freshman. For more I know more people and I have much more responsibility. If I mess up I can’t just say it’s because I am a freshman that is learning. This responsibility also means more freedom and more memories. My theme for this year is, behind the scenes is where the action really happens. Instead of always being so stressed about the outcome of everything we do in leadership, I want to enjoy the process. For example, during freshman year all of the freshmen were up at 2am working on the finishing touches of the homecoming float. I remember being so stressed and worried that the student body wouldn’t appreciate it, I took some of the fun out of those memories. This year I want to focus on all the behind the scene work we do because those are the memories that I will never forget. I won’t remember who loved what we produced, I won’t remember who didn’t like what we produced in leadership, but I will remember all the hard work leadership puts in behind the scenes of everything accuracy. The student body only sees our product, and people will always have something negative to say, but I’m not going to let that define my high school experience. Focusing on everything that goes on behind the scenes leads to more bonds being built, and a better overall high school experience. This year for homecoming I want to cherish all the weird little moments we have because high school will go by so incredibly fast. The memories of the weird moments are what keep me going on my darker days. I know this year is going to be stressful with Leadership, volleyball, soccer, and dance but the weird little moments that happen behind the scenes are what really count at the end of the day.
Section 2: Favorite Quotes Part 1
“Your time is limited, don’t waste it living someone else's life”
I personally find this quote very powerful and relevant to high school students. In highschool there is always unnecessary drama and it's very easy to get caught up in it. Hating someone or having a grudge against someone takes so much energy. If we get sucked into other people's lives, we stop living our own lives. I relate this quote very much. Before I moved to Ripon, I had a rough time trying to “fit in”. For some reason I became obsessed with other people's opinions and started to try and become like them. This was the biggest mistake I ever made. I got so sucked into trying to be like someone else that I lost my sense of purpose in life. Once I finally realized that, I also realized that I had wasted so much of my life trying to live for other people. Once I escaped from the mentality of living for others, I became so much more content with my life. I was finally doing things that made me happy and so far life has been filled with so much more laughter and memorable moments.
“If you want to see the rainbow you have to put up with the rain” -Dolly Parton
Life is filled with ups and downs.The reason I love this quote so much is because it’s a reality check. It reminds me that even when I am at my lowest moment in life, there will be a way I can get back up and see that rainbow. It’s sometimes very hard to remember that there will be a way out of even the lowest holes. Reading this quote also reminds me of all the good moments in my life. It reminds me of another quote that says, “You only know you’ve been high when you’re feeling low.” Sometimes we don’t appreciate the rainbows in our life enough. When we have magical rainbows in our lives, they must eventually fade leading to more rain. But during the hardest time I like to remember what it was like when I was at my highest point. This motivates me to get make up there and not stay in my hole. At the lowest points I often think of everything I have in my life, and how some kids would die to have what I have. In a way I feel like I would be disappointing myself if I didn’t at least try to find that rainbow after the heaviest rains.
“Either you play the game, or you are a pawn in someone else's game” -Bhupinderjit Grewal (My dad)
This is a quote that I have been hearing for my entire life and I believe that it has helped me get through the roughest patches in my life. Everytime my day would day this way, it would be for one purpose, to remind me that I have the power to control my own life. When I was younger, I was very much naive and easily influenced/ manipulated by other people. This was not a good trait to have. This allowed other people to very easily take advantage of me. I didn’t have a sense of purpose in my life and I let people just push me around like a pawn on a chess board. Once I started making decisions for myself, I started playing my own game. I didn’t let other people tell me what I could and could not do because I knew that the only person that could dictate my life was me. I knew that I had the power to choose what would happen in my life. I’m not saying that all of the things that I have done in my life have been incredibly perfect, but I always knew that I did those things to myself and I had the power to fix it. Taking control of your life is the most freeing feeling you will ever experience.
I personally find this quote very powerful and relevant to high school students. In highschool there is always unnecessary drama and it's very easy to get caught up in it. Hating someone or having a grudge against someone takes so much energy. If we get sucked into other people's lives, we stop living our own lives. I relate this quote very much. Before I moved to Ripon, I had a rough time trying to “fit in”. For some reason I became obsessed with other people's opinions and started to try and become like them. This was the biggest mistake I ever made. I got so sucked into trying to be like someone else that I lost my sense of purpose in life. Once I finally realized that, I also realized that I had wasted so much of my life trying to live for other people. Once I escaped from the mentality of living for others, I became so much more content with my life. I was finally doing things that made me happy and so far life has been filled with so much more laughter and memorable moments.
“If you want to see the rainbow you have to put up with the rain” -Dolly Parton
Life is filled with ups and downs.The reason I love this quote so much is because it’s a reality check. It reminds me that even when I am at my lowest moment in life, there will be a way I can get back up and see that rainbow. It’s sometimes very hard to remember that there will be a way out of even the lowest holes. Reading this quote also reminds me of all the good moments in my life. It reminds me of another quote that says, “You only know you’ve been high when you’re feeling low.” Sometimes we don’t appreciate the rainbows in our life enough. When we have magical rainbows in our lives, they must eventually fade leading to more rain. But during the hardest time I like to remember what it was like when I was at my highest point. This motivates me to get make up there and not stay in my hole. At the lowest points I often think of everything I have in my life, and how some kids would die to have what I have. In a way I feel like I would be disappointing myself if I didn’t at least try to find that rainbow after the heaviest rains.
“Either you play the game, or you are a pawn in someone else's game” -Bhupinderjit Grewal (My dad)
This is a quote that I have been hearing for my entire life and I believe that it has helped me get through the roughest patches in my life. Everytime my day would day this way, it would be for one purpose, to remind me that I have the power to control my own life. When I was younger, I was very much naive and easily influenced/ manipulated by other people. This was not a good trait to have. This allowed other people to very easily take advantage of me. I didn’t have a sense of purpose in my life and I let people just push me around like a pawn on a chess board. Once I started making decisions for myself, I started playing my own game. I didn’t let other people tell me what I could and could not do because I knew that the only person that could dictate my life was me. I knew that I had the power to choose what would happen in my life. I’m not saying that all of the things that I have done in my life have been incredibly perfect, but I always knew that I did those things to myself and I had the power to fix it. Taking control of your life is the most freeing feeling you will ever experience.
Section 3: Quotes part 2
“All these little steps will add up in the end”-DHIMAN
When I first saw this quote I was drawn to it. At first, I wasn’t too sure as to why I was drawn to it but I then realized that it is because of how broad it was. There are so many ways that this quote can add up to so many different aspects of my life. In leadership specifically, I have changed and grown in so many ways. At the beginning of the year I felt as if I had to get everything done at one. I would be worried if something was not working out, or if something was taking longer than expected. However, throughout this year I have learned that in the end the small steps will always add up. A good example of this during this year would have to be during Homecoming. Sometimes it’s really hard to trust the process but I had to learn to have faith in myself and my team in order for anything to be executed well. During our lip sync for homecoming it was especially difficult to trust the process. Dealing with so many sophomores is a difficult process on its own, but getting them to complete a choreographed dance was a whole other beast. Teaching the dance itself was a very slow process but in the end the small steps did add up and our lip sync turned out great.
I have learned that leading with patience is one of the most important things. No matter how strong a class may be, or how well they may get along with each other, there will always be times of conflict and frustration. That’s where being patient comes in. Patience with my peers this year has led to less stress overall. Instead of turning a molehill into a mountain, I have observed that having patience in empathy results in a well oiled machine. Not only have I learned to have patience with my team, but I have also learned to have patience with myself. Getting frustrated with myself gets me nowhere. As I mentioned before, I have a hard time trusting the process but I have been working on that and I truly believe that I have gotten better at it and in turn grown as a leader.
When I first saw this quote I was drawn to it. At first, I wasn’t too sure as to why I was drawn to it but I then realized that it is because of how broad it was. There are so many ways that this quote can add up to so many different aspects of my life. In leadership specifically, I have changed and grown in so many ways. At the beginning of the year I felt as if I had to get everything done at one. I would be worried if something was not working out, or if something was taking longer than expected. However, throughout this year I have learned that in the end the small steps will always add up. A good example of this during this year would have to be during Homecoming. Sometimes it’s really hard to trust the process but I had to learn to have faith in myself and my team in order for anything to be executed well. During our lip sync for homecoming it was especially difficult to trust the process. Dealing with so many sophomores is a difficult process on its own, but getting them to complete a choreographed dance was a whole other beast. Teaching the dance itself was a very slow process but in the end the small steps did add up and our lip sync turned out great.
I have learned that leading with patience is one of the most important things. No matter how strong a class may be, or how well they may get along with each other, there will always be times of conflict and frustration. That’s where being patient comes in. Patience with my peers this year has led to less stress overall. Instead of turning a molehill into a mountain, I have observed that having patience in empathy results in a well oiled machine. Not only have I learned to have patience with my team, but I have also learned to have patience with myself. Getting frustrated with myself gets me nowhere. As I mentioned before, I have a hard time trusting the process but I have been working on that and I truly believe that I have gotten better at it and in turn grown as a leader.
section 4: Goals part 1
Leadership Goals:
This year in leadership I am a renaissance and link crew coordinator. In my position I want to be able to improve and revamp the renaissance program. It’s a very difficult and expensive process and something needs to change. So, this year I want to work with my team to make it the best I possibly can so that it will be easier for next year's crew, whoever that may be. Another goal I have is to form a close bond with my mentorship buddy. My mentorship partner this year is Heaven and so far it's going great, but we are definitely not as close as I am with some other people in the program. The leadership program only works well when everyone within the program works like a well oiled machine. In order to do this, I have to make strong connections with everyone around me.
Short Term Goals:
One of the short term goals I have is time management. I mentioned this topic in my life a lot because it is a genuine struggle. Right now in my life I have so many things going on. I have school, volleyball, leadership, and dance all going on at the same time. So far, this year has been a lot harder than freshman year. I am taking all of the more challenging classes this year and with that comes a lot of work and responsibilities. Teachers layer on the homework each and everyday and most of the time I have one day to complete said assignment. This is sometimes very difficult for me. For example, the first home volleyball game I had a ton of homework, but I couldn’t have gotten any of it done. This is because while freshmen were playing, we were warming up to play and after I played, I had to referee for varsity. I didn't even have 10 minutes of spare time to get a head start on homework. I got home at eleven and still had 4 hours of homework. This caused me to stay up very late and wake up very late. I don’t want many moments like that this year because they stress me out and don’t allow me to achieve my full potential everyday. So this year I really want to focus on staying on top of everything.
My second goal is to do well in all of my classes. I manage a lot of things and am taking a lot of hard classes this year so I don’t want to slip up. I want to stay on top of my grades now, because I know if I get a good start to the year, it will be easier in the long run. Everything I do now will affect my future and I don’t want mine to be bad. If I do well in my classes I know I will have my fundamentals down and will have some wiggle room. Getting through this year and passing all my classes is extremely important.
Long Term Goals
To me, a very important goal I have for the rest of my life is to build meaningful relationships. I know that life is not going to be a straight line and there are going to be many bumps, but along that road I want people to support me. In my darkest times, the only thing that helps me get through are the people around me. But, in order for this to continue to happen, I must build solid relationships. For example, I want to be friends with people who wanted to be friends with me even when I was at my lowest. Those are the friends that I know will always be there for me. Right now I have a close knit circle of friends. I know that will change overtime, but whatever those changes may be, I want to make sure I am only letting good and supportive people into my life. I know life is going to be stressful and I don’t need additional stress from other people.
My second goal is to always stay true to myself. Every single society tries to throw people in different directions. High school right now is a very good example of that, but it’s not the only place I have experienced it. Society always tries to confine us into a box and label us but I never want to change because society has. It’s hard to stay true to yourself, especially when everyone around you is constantly changing, but I was raised to believe that the opinions of others don’t matter. Your true friends are the ones that stay with you and don’t change for other people. I always want to remain true to myself.
This year in leadership I am a renaissance and link crew coordinator. In my position I want to be able to improve and revamp the renaissance program. It’s a very difficult and expensive process and something needs to change. So, this year I want to work with my team to make it the best I possibly can so that it will be easier for next year's crew, whoever that may be. Another goal I have is to form a close bond with my mentorship buddy. My mentorship partner this year is Heaven and so far it's going great, but we are definitely not as close as I am with some other people in the program. The leadership program only works well when everyone within the program works like a well oiled machine. In order to do this, I have to make strong connections with everyone around me.
Short Term Goals:
One of the short term goals I have is time management. I mentioned this topic in my life a lot because it is a genuine struggle. Right now in my life I have so many things going on. I have school, volleyball, leadership, and dance all going on at the same time. So far, this year has been a lot harder than freshman year. I am taking all of the more challenging classes this year and with that comes a lot of work and responsibilities. Teachers layer on the homework each and everyday and most of the time I have one day to complete said assignment. This is sometimes very difficult for me. For example, the first home volleyball game I had a ton of homework, but I couldn’t have gotten any of it done. This is because while freshmen were playing, we were warming up to play and after I played, I had to referee for varsity. I didn't even have 10 minutes of spare time to get a head start on homework. I got home at eleven and still had 4 hours of homework. This caused me to stay up very late and wake up very late. I don’t want many moments like that this year because they stress me out and don’t allow me to achieve my full potential everyday. So this year I really want to focus on staying on top of everything.
My second goal is to do well in all of my classes. I manage a lot of things and am taking a lot of hard classes this year so I don’t want to slip up. I want to stay on top of my grades now, because I know if I get a good start to the year, it will be easier in the long run. Everything I do now will affect my future and I don’t want mine to be bad. If I do well in my classes I know I will have my fundamentals down and will have some wiggle room. Getting through this year and passing all my classes is extremely important.
Long Term Goals
To me, a very important goal I have for the rest of my life is to build meaningful relationships. I know that life is not going to be a straight line and there are going to be many bumps, but along that road I want people to support me. In my darkest times, the only thing that helps me get through are the people around me. But, in order for this to continue to happen, I must build solid relationships. For example, I want to be friends with people who wanted to be friends with me even when I was at my lowest. Those are the friends that I know will always be there for me. Right now I have a close knit circle of friends. I know that will change overtime, but whatever those changes may be, I want to make sure I am only letting good and supportive people into my life. I know life is going to be stressful and I don’t need additional stress from other people.
My second goal is to always stay true to myself. Every single society tries to throw people in different directions. High school right now is a very good example of that, but it’s not the only place I have experienced it. Society always tries to confine us into a box and label us but I never want to change because society has. It’s hard to stay true to yourself, especially when everyone around you is constantly changing, but I was raised to believe that the opinions of others don’t matter. Your true friends are the ones that stay with you and don’t change for other people. I always want to remain true to myself.
Section 5: Goals part 2
Leadership Goals Reflection:
At the beginning of the year I made two leadership goals. My first goal was to be able to revamp the renaissance program. I was not able to reach this goal however that does not mean that efforts were not made in order to get closer to reaching this goal. At the beginning of the year we had a couple of meetings in which we discussed the future of the renaissance program. Although these meetings were meant to make improvements to the renaissance program, the only thing that happened at this meeting was that the problems were restated. Overall, the entire renaissance program was put on hold but hopefully improvements can be made to it next year. My second leadership goal was to create better bonds with those in the program. For this one I can truly say that I have tried to go out of my comfort zone and talk to people in leadership that I wouldn’t have before. I made efforts to be someone the freshmen could come to if they needed help as well as reaching out to other people in the program. Freshman year I was kind of more reserved and I tried to break that habit this year. Being close with those I work with allows us to get our best work done. It has also created a safe space for me. I know that there are people in this program that I could trust with my life and I am so thankful for that.
Short Term Goals Reflection:
Looking back at my short term goals I smiled a little because I have truly realized how much I have grown. In my original write up I sound so frantic and stressed. This was due to the fact that Sophomore year was a lot harder than Freshman year and I was so overwhelmed. To help with this, I made the goal to improve with time management skills. I have improved with time management so much since the beginning of the year. I have adjusted to the workload of a Sophomore. Instead of stressing myself out and worrying that I won’t have enough time to accomplish certain tasks, I have learned to take everything one step at a time. Doing that has also allowed me to get ahead and in turn being even less stressed than before.
My second short term goal was to do well in all my classes. I remember being so terrified of failing my classes because the workload was so overwhelming. I don’t quite know if it’s because I have gotten used to the workload, but I have gotten so used to managing each of my classes. As of right now I am doing well in almost all of my classes. There is only one class that I am not doing as well as I hoped for. AP World History has been an extremely demanding course this year. Currently I have a high B in the course which seems fine to most but to me I know I can do better. Other than that class I have really surprised myself in my other classes. I thought that my workload would drag down my grades but I have actually been keeping up in my classes. I hope I can continue this for the rest of the year as it is almost over.
Long term goals reflection
One of my long term goals was to build solid relationships for the rest of my life. I believe that this year I have made great strides to help myself reach this goal. Because this goal is long term, I can’t speak for the rest of my life, but I am pleased in the place I am in with most of my relationships right now. One of the most important things to me is building strong relationships. This year has been much more difficult than last year. The relationships I have built have helped me get through the stressful times. I have learned that some people just aren’t worth devoting my time to. Others however have kept me anchored this year and have really helped me see that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.My other long term goal is to always stay true to myself. Being true to myself has been a struggle in past years as there are so many different people and environments that I have encountered that have changed me. But, something I have learned over these past few months is that our friends and environment shape us and add to our character, but it is us that is in charge of choosing who we surround ourselves with. I have learned to not hang out with people who want to change me, instead I hang out with people whose energy I feed off of and who eventually help me become a better person. Overall I have been true to myself and I will always try my best to remain true to myself.
At the beginning of the year I made two leadership goals. My first goal was to be able to revamp the renaissance program. I was not able to reach this goal however that does not mean that efforts were not made in order to get closer to reaching this goal. At the beginning of the year we had a couple of meetings in which we discussed the future of the renaissance program. Although these meetings were meant to make improvements to the renaissance program, the only thing that happened at this meeting was that the problems were restated. Overall, the entire renaissance program was put on hold but hopefully improvements can be made to it next year. My second leadership goal was to create better bonds with those in the program. For this one I can truly say that I have tried to go out of my comfort zone and talk to people in leadership that I wouldn’t have before. I made efforts to be someone the freshmen could come to if they needed help as well as reaching out to other people in the program. Freshman year I was kind of more reserved and I tried to break that habit this year. Being close with those I work with allows us to get our best work done. It has also created a safe space for me. I know that there are people in this program that I could trust with my life and I am so thankful for that.
Short Term Goals Reflection:
Looking back at my short term goals I smiled a little because I have truly realized how much I have grown. In my original write up I sound so frantic and stressed. This was due to the fact that Sophomore year was a lot harder than Freshman year and I was so overwhelmed. To help with this, I made the goal to improve with time management skills. I have improved with time management so much since the beginning of the year. I have adjusted to the workload of a Sophomore. Instead of stressing myself out and worrying that I won’t have enough time to accomplish certain tasks, I have learned to take everything one step at a time. Doing that has also allowed me to get ahead and in turn being even less stressed than before.
My second short term goal was to do well in all my classes. I remember being so terrified of failing my classes because the workload was so overwhelming. I don’t quite know if it’s because I have gotten used to the workload, but I have gotten so used to managing each of my classes. As of right now I am doing well in almost all of my classes. There is only one class that I am not doing as well as I hoped for. AP World History has been an extremely demanding course this year. Currently I have a high B in the course which seems fine to most but to me I know I can do better. Other than that class I have really surprised myself in my other classes. I thought that my workload would drag down my grades but I have actually been keeping up in my classes. I hope I can continue this for the rest of the year as it is almost over.
Long term goals reflection
One of my long term goals was to build solid relationships for the rest of my life. I believe that this year I have made great strides to help myself reach this goal. Because this goal is long term, I can’t speak for the rest of my life, but I am pleased in the place I am in with most of my relationships right now. One of the most important things to me is building strong relationships. This year has been much more difficult than last year. The relationships I have built have helped me get through the stressful times. I have learned that some people just aren’t worth devoting my time to. Others however have kept me anchored this year and have really helped me see that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.My other long term goal is to always stay true to myself. Being true to myself has been a struggle in past years as there are so many different people and environments that I have encountered that have changed me. But, something I have learned over these past few months is that our friends and environment shape us and add to our character, but it is us that is in charge of choosing who we surround ourselves with. I have learned to not hang out with people who want to change me, instead I hang out with people whose energy I feed off of and who eventually help me become a better person. Overall I have been true to myself and I will always try my best to remain true to myself.
SECTION 6: People MAGAZINE cover
SECTION 7: people MAGAZINE article
Sofia Grewal is a Sophomore at Ripon High School for the 2022-2023 academic year. Sofia is involved with many things in her school. Currently, Sofia is a part of the volleyball program at Ripon high school and is undefeated. With only a couple games left in the season, Sofia hopes to remain undefeated. After volleyball season ends, Sofia hopes to play for the soccer program at Ripon high school. Sofia has been doing soccer for a very long time and hopes to continue. Another program Sofia is really proud to be a part of is the leadership program. This is her second year in leadership and she hopes to continue through all four years. She is a renaissance and link crew coordinator and was able to take part in Freshman orientation. As a part of leadership, Sofia also was able to assist her class in running homecoming.
Sofia is also really involved with other things like dance outside of school. Sofia has been dancing for five years and loves to do so. She competed in her first ever competition along with her first ever senior dance competition this past year. At her first competition Sofia and her team were able to bring home the first place trophy and at her senior competition, she was able to bring home the third place trophy. With being involved in so many things comes a lot of responsibility. Everything is so time consuming so she has to be smart with how she uses her time. Time management is something Sofia had improved greatly on from last year and she hopes to get even better at managing time as things get more and more busy.
In the future, Sofia hopes to become a pediatrician and help kids when they need it. Sofia has always had a passion for helping younger children. She has a brother that is 7 years younger than her, but he is still her best friend. Taking care of him constantly has made Sofia realize that she wants to make an impact on as many kids as she can. She strives everyday in her academics to make sure she is set for her future. Sofia’s mom is a great role model in her life and someone she looks forward to. She came to America through marriage, and worked incredibly hard to become a nurse in America. She has been working in the emergency room for a long time and went back to school to become a nurse practitioner. Sofia hopes to one day work just as hard and become a pediatrician.
Sofia is also really involved with other things like dance outside of school. Sofia has been dancing for five years and loves to do so. She competed in her first ever competition along with her first ever senior dance competition this past year. At her first competition Sofia and her team were able to bring home the first place trophy and at her senior competition, she was able to bring home the third place trophy. With being involved in so many things comes a lot of responsibility. Everything is so time consuming so she has to be smart with how she uses her time. Time management is something Sofia had improved greatly on from last year and she hopes to get even better at managing time as things get more and more busy.
In the future, Sofia hopes to become a pediatrician and help kids when they need it. Sofia has always had a passion for helping younger children. She has a brother that is 7 years younger than her, but he is still her best friend. Taking care of him constantly has made Sofia realize that she wants to make an impact on as many kids as she can. She strives everyday in her academics to make sure she is set for her future. Sofia’s mom is a great role model in her life and someone she looks forward to. She came to America through marriage, and worked incredibly hard to become a nurse in America. She has been working in the emergency room for a long time and went back to school to become a nurse practitioner. Sofia hopes to one day work just as hard and become a pediatrician.
SECTION 8: Role model
A role model in my life is my sister Gia. Without her, I would not be able to keep going everyday. She has literally been with me since day one and I don’t know what I would do without her. During volleyball season, I was struggling to stay on top of all the work I had, and I wouldn’t have kept up with everything if it weren’t for Gia. Gia constantly reminded me of everything I needed to do and even went out of her way to make sure I got all the help I needed. She is always so busy, but she still manages to stay on top of everything, and not only does she accomplish all her tasks, she also does them extremely well. She always does more than what is asked of her and always strives for the best. On top of that she is honestly such a fun person to be around. Some people think that it’s not that different to be a twin, but I couldn’t disagree more. If I was not a twin, my built in emotional support system would be gone. Without Gia, my good days would be bad, and my bad days would be worse. I always look up to Gia and aspire to be more like her. She doesn't let anyone else’s actions hurt her or alter her success. Without Gia, I can confidently say that I wouldn’t be who I am today. I wouldn’t be so confident in trying new things, but because I know that I have someone who has my back, I never have to worry about being alone.
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SECTION 9: Inner animal
This year for my inner animal I decided to take multiple quizzes and I got one common result, an owl. At first I could see why I would be an animal, but as I glanced more at the traits I truly realized why I am an owl. One of the traits of an owl is a creature with great integrity. Integrity is defined by one's quality of being kind and having high moral standards. In my opinion, Being kind is one of the most important character traits a person can possess. Every single person has their own life, and I don’t always know what is going on in everyone's life so I try to be kind to everyone because small actions can go a long way. I also possess very high morals and standards that I have learned as I have grown to never drop for anyone. I stay true to myself and never let other people be a bad influence on me. Another characteristic an owl possesses is being logical. Something I do a lot is that I use my head more than I use my heart. In certain aspects I will most definitely use my heart in some areas but most of the time my head overpowers my heart. Everytime I am put in a new situation or environment I think with my head before I input my heart in the situation. Finally, the last important characteristic of an owl is that they are conscious of everything around them. I always try to take into account what other people may be going on around me and I try my best to make sure I don’t say or do something that may make their life worse. Of course, I don’t always do what is best for everyone, there are times when I do things that hurt others without knowing it but most of the time I try to be aware of those people around me.
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SECTION 10: The best things about me
SECTION 11: The impact of sound and words
I've always been the kind of girl
That hid my face So afraid to tell the world What I've got to say But I have this dream right inside of me I'm gonna let it show, it's time To let you know, to let you know This is real, this is me I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be, now Gonna let the light shine on me Now I've found who I am There's no way to hold it in No more hiding who I want to be This is me Do you know what it's like to feel so in the dark? To dream about a life where you're the shining star Even though it seems like it's too far away I have to believe in myself, it's the only way This is real, This is me I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be, now Gonna let the light shine on me Now I've found who I am There's no way to hold it in No more hiding who I want to be This is me You're the voice I hear inside my head The reason that I'm singing I need to find you, I gotta find you You're the missing piece I need The song inside of me I need to find you, I gotta find you This is real, this is me I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be, now Gonna let the light shine on me Now I've found who I am There's no way to hold it in No more hiding who I want to be, yeah This is me You're the missing piece I need The song inside of me You're the voice I hear inside my head (this is me, yeah) The reason that I'm singing Now I've found, who I am There's no way to hold it in No more hiding who I want to be This is me |
The song that I chose is This Is Me by Demi Lovato. This song may seem a little cheesy to some people but to me, the message really gets through. I was the new girl in Ripon for a while and that made me feel like I had to be more reserved than everyone else. Even though freshman year I felt like I had to be more on the quiet side. This year, I truly found myself and found myself a safe and reliable support system. I have connected with so many new people in just this semester alone and I am never going back to thinking that I should remain silent. I have really begun to find my voice and talk about things that I care about instead of just standing back and watching other people. There is a huge difference for 7th grade to present day, and it was all for the better.
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SECTION 12: Homecoming activities PHOTO GALLERY
SECTION 13: What i like best about being a member of leadership
This year in leadership has honestly gone by so fast and I have already made so many memories. There have been times that I was on the verge of having a mental breakdown, but there were also those moments where my stomach hurt from laughing so much. The best part of this year is honestly my sophomore class team. They are such amazing goofballs. We can always have fun together and get work done at the same time which is the best thing in the entire world. One of my favorite memories this year has been the lip sync practices we have had this year. For homecoming, everyone came over to my house and we all learned the lip sync which was so much fun. There were many laughs that day indeed. We all learned so much about each other as well as became so close with each other. Seeing our hard work pay off at the rally really made it all worth it. It was such a good experience the first time and it has been for this time during winterfest as well. Another one of my favorite memories was getting to decorate for winter formal with my sophomore class. It was just the sophomore class, plus Mrs. Ochoa, that was there. We were all just vibing with music and having fun along the way. We had a few dance parties along the way and it was honestly just so much fun. Getting to see the room filled at the end was one of my favorite parts because all the months of hard work were to make that one night special and it was for a lot of people. My last but not least favorite memory has been just decorating for homecoming as a whole. I just felt that it was so much more different than last year and I mean that in a good way. We all work so well together and we have fun with each other. During homecoming we put in a lot of effort into everything and I definitely think that it paid off. Although we did not get second as we hoped it was still a really fun experience. We got first and second place for most of our decorations and that is a huge step up from last year which made this memory all the more sweet!
SECTION 14: A reflection of a peer in leadership
There are so many great people in the leadership program and each and everyone of them are amazing but I have chosen to do my reflection on Alizeh. I am so glad that she decided to do leadership this year and I am even more ecstatic that I get to work with her everyday. Alizeh is such a kind soul but that doesn't mean that she can’t take charge when she needs to. She always keeps me on my toes and makes it so easy for me to work with her. Alizeh is always on top of everything and she is always sending me reminders which are so helpful. I can go on and on about Alizeh for days. She always gives everything we plan 110 percent and always adds the extra spice that we need. Another thing is that she is so incredibly organized. Alizeh has so much on her plate with everything she is involved in and yet she still manages to keep everything organized and doesn’t forget anything. I haven’t been able to be in class very often because of soccer and she is always getting me caught up on everything. Alizeh is truly like the glue of our group. What makes it even more crazy is that this is her first year in the program. I still can’t wrap my head around it because she just seems so experienced. One more thing I love about Alizeh is that she always fills me with energy. She always has a good attitude and a super bright smile that is very contagious. Overall, I love Alizeh so much! I love working with her and it is the biggest honor that I get to work with her each and every day!
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SECTION 15: rhs photo gallery
SECTION 16: What I love to do
I am involved in many things and have tried many activities throughout my life. However, the one activity I really find joy in is dance. When I enter the dance studio, I can let all my worries subside. If I am having a bad day, I can always count on dance to cheer me up. Yes it can be hard and stressful at times but it is worth it in the end. Another reason I love dance so much is because of the connections I have made through it. The people I dance with have become my closest friends through and through. Sometimes it is crazy to think that I never would have met them if it wasn’t for dance. The dance studio burning down was a really big shock to me. It meant that I couldn’t dance and that I had no idea when I would be able to again. Thankfully, the studio has recently opened up one again and I am so glad it did. Dancing is so much more than just learning a couple of moves to a song. Instead it’s feeling the music and living in the moment of the song. With dance running back up again hopefully I can get back into the full swing of things as soon as possible!
SECTION 17: Letter to parents
Dear Mama and Papa,
Where do I even begin? It is often hard for me to put into words how much I truly appreciate you. One of the biggest impacts you have made in my life stems from the quality time you like to spend with all of us. Both of you have very tight schedules and work 12 hours or more a day, so I really appreciate the time you both take out of your night to spend time with us. Growing up I always thought that eating dinner with your family every night was a normal thing, until I figured out that so many kids just eat dinner in their rooms where they are alone. From occasion to occasion I would get mad at both of you for “making” me eat dinner with everyone because it took so long, but now I know the value of eating together. As you two have always said, a family that eats together, stays together. I have heard that phrase for as long as I can remember and I have learned to appreciate it more and more with each day that comes. I will forever be grateful for your efforts of making our family so close, thank you sooo much.
However, that is not the only thing I am grateful for. I am also grateful for how much you support me in everything that I choose to pursue. Whether that be academically or not, both of you are always interested in hearing about my experiences and helping me out when times get rough. Even though both of you did not entirely grow up here, you both make the effort to understand what I’m going through and I really appreciate that. There aren’t enough words I can use to express how incredibly grateful I am to call both of you my parents. You both have worked countless hours in order to provide me with the life that you both wished for when you were younger. Sometimes I easily take what I have for granted and this letter is just reminding me how fortunate I really am.
Finally, thank you for being my parents. You don’t try to act like you’re one of my friends and I honestly really appreciate that. I appreciate that you raised me to be respectful and responsible because a lot of kids my age simply aren’t. You were willing to discipline me when needed, and that’s what really helped me become the person I am today. I’m not perfect and I’m still learning,but both of you are the reason that I am where I am today. So once again, thank you! I love you both!
Love, Sofia
Where do I even begin? It is often hard for me to put into words how much I truly appreciate you. One of the biggest impacts you have made in my life stems from the quality time you like to spend with all of us. Both of you have very tight schedules and work 12 hours or more a day, so I really appreciate the time you both take out of your night to spend time with us. Growing up I always thought that eating dinner with your family every night was a normal thing, until I figured out that so many kids just eat dinner in their rooms where they are alone. From occasion to occasion I would get mad at both of you for “making” me eat dinner with everyone because it took so long, but now I know the value of eating together. As you two have always said, a family that eats together, stays together. I have heard that phrase for as long as I can remember and I have learned to appreciate it more and more with each day that comes. I will forever be grateful for your efforts of making our family so close, thank you sooo much.
However, that is not the only thing I am grateful for. I am also grateful for how much you support me in everything that I choose to pursue. Whether that be academically or not, both of you are always interested in hearing about my experiences and helping me out when times get rough. Even though both of you did not entirely grow up here, you both make the effort to understand what I’m going through and I really appreciate that. There aren’t enough words I can use to express how incredibly grateful I am to call both of you my parents. You both have worked countless hours in order to provide me with the life that you both wished for when you were younger. Sometimes I easily take what I have for granted and this letter is just reminding me how fortunate I really am.
Finally, thank you for being my parents. You don’t try to act like you’re one of my friends and I honestly really appreciate that. I appreciate that you raised me to be respectful and responsible because a lot of kids my age simply aren’t. You were willing to discipline me when needed, and that’s what really helped me become the person I am today. I’m not perfect and I’m still learning,but both of you are the reason that I am where I am today. So once again, thank you! I love you both!
Love, Sofia
SECTION 18: Your true legacy- GENERAL Advice
Dear future Renaissance and Link Crew Coordinators,
Rylee, Kiely, and Ximena, first off congratulations to all three of you for being selected as the 2023-2024 Renaissance and Link Crew team! I am so excited that all three of you are the ones to replace me and my team next year! As far as advice goes, my biggest piece of advice would be to work as a team. Renaissance can involve various tasks and often they are very tedious. For example, one of your first tasks is going to be making name tags for the incoming freshmen. There are a lot of freshmen so this process can take so much time if only one of you does it. I would recommend meeting up and doing it together, it could even be a bonding experience to help you to get to know your team better. You three will also be in charge of trying to revamp the renaissance program for the upcoming school year, so working as a team in that aspect is key. When working as a team, it is super important that you communicate with each other. Small details of events can get lost so make sure you are going over everything. Another thing I wish that I would have done this year is to actually go to the teacher and ask their opinions on who should be students of the month. Often we sent out emails to teachers asking for their thoughts but we only got one response back throughout the year. Going to ask them in person will be so much more efficient and you’ll also have a variety of people that you will be able to recognize. Another big thing about the job is doing little extra things. The job itself is pretty straightforward but it’s the little things that will make you a great commissioner. Something extra that me and my team did was draft emails to teachers about study buddy nights and things like that. You don’t have to do this but it makes Morty’s job so much easier. Finally, a big thing about being a renaissance and link crew coordinator is being able to fill out paperwork. Throughout the year you will be required to fill out various forms of paperwork and you need to be able to do so without relying on others to do it for you. The paperwork itself isn’t too difficult and if you need any help at all, you will have a class full of people to help. With that being said, I think that you will all find that being a renaissance and link crew coordinator is a very fun job, you have your fair share of work to do but then again you aren’t overwhelmed by too much work. Just remember to always stay patient with one another and have fun! I wish the best of luck to all of you!
Love, Sofia Grewal
Rylee, Kiely, and Ximena, first off congratulations to all three of you for being selected as the 2023-2024 Renaissance and Link Crew team! I am so excited that all three of you are the ones to replace me and my team next year! As far as advice goes, my biggest piece of advice would be to work as a team. Renaissance can involve various tasks and often they are very tedious. For example, one of your first tasks is going to be making name tags for the incoming freshmen. There are a lot of freshmen so this process can take so much time if only one of you does it. I would recommend meeting up and doing it together, it could even be a bonding experience to help you to get to know your team better. You three will also be in charge of trying to revamp the renaissance program for the upcoming school year, so working as a team in that aspect is key. When working as a team, it is super important that you communicate with each other. Small details of events can get lost so make sure you are going over everything. Another thing I wish that I would have done this year is to actually go to the teacher and ask their opinions on who should be students of the month. Often we sent out emails to teachers asking for their thoughts but we only got one response back throughout the year. Going to ask them in person will be so much more efficient and you’ll also have a variety of people that you will be able to recognize. Another big thing about the job is doing little extra things. The job itself is pretty straightforward but it’s the little things that will make you a great commissioner. Something extra that me and my team did was draft emails to teachers about study buddy nights and things like that. You don’t have to do this but it makes Morty’s job so much easier. Finally, a big thing about being a renaissance and link crew coordinator is being able to fill out paperwork. Throughout the year you will be required to fill out various forms of paperwork and you need to be able to do so without relying on others to do it for you. The paperwork itself isn’t too difficult and if you need any help at all, you will have a class full of people to help. With that being said, I think that you will all find that being a renaissance and link crew coordinator is a very fun job, you have your fair share of work to do but then again you aren’t overwhelmed by too much work. Just remember to always stay patient with one another and have fun! I wish the best of luck to all of you!
Love, Sofia Grewal
'SECTION 19: Do's and don'ts list
Do's:
Do: Have a meeting regularly
Do: Split the work. One person should not be doing everything
Do: Have students of the month picked out in advance so you can conduct an interview
Do: Have all social media done in advance
Do: Get all POs turned in early
Do: Follow up with the teacher when emailing them
Do: Send out reminders to link crew leaders
Do: Split up the work when writing name tags as it is a very tedious process
Do: Double check all publicity
Do: Use workdays effectively
Don'ts
Don't: Wait last minute to do student of the month
Don't: Make one person do all the work
Don't: Forget to take pictures and document everything
Don't: Stay off task in class, more work will be given otherwise
Don't: Assume teachers will always respond to your emails
Don't: Assume that Morty knows what event you are planning especially the details
Don't: Procrastinate
Don't: Leave the journal blank, they add up to a lot of points in the end
Do: Have a meeting regularly
Do: Split the work. One person should not be doing everything
Do: Have students of the month picked out in advance so you can conduct an interview
Do: Have all social media done in advance
Do: Get all POs turned in early
Do: Follow up with the teacher when emailing them
Do: Send out reminders to link crew leaders
Do: Split up the work when writing name tags as it is a very tedious process
Do: Double check all publicity
Do: Use workdays effectively
Don'ts
Don't: Wait last minute to do student of the month
Don't: Make one person do all the work
Don't: Forget to take pictures and document everything
Don't: Stay off task in class, more work will be given otherwise
Don't: Assume teachers will always respond to your emails
Don't: Assume that Morty knows what event you are planning especially the details
Don't: Procrastinate
Don't: Leave the journal blank, they add up to a lot of points in the end
SECTION 20: Contact list
Music
Sounds in Motion
Phone: (209) 522-5999
Website: https://www.soundsinmotiondj.com/
Email: [email protected]
Address: 931 10th Street, Modesto, CA 95354
Photography
Leonard Photography
Phone: (209) 824- 0204
Website: https://www.leonardphoto.com
Address: 300 E. Yosemite Ave Suite 101, Manteca, CA 95336
Decoration
Events 22
Phone: (209) 552- 5969
Website: https://events22.com
Adress: 202 E Main St, Ripon, CA 95366
Sounds in Motion
Phone: (209) 522-5999
Website: https://www.soundsinmotiondj.com/
Email: [email protected]
Address: 931 10th Street, Modesto, CA 95354
Photography
Leonard Photography
Phone: (209) 824- 0204
Website: https://www.leonardphoto.com
Address: 300 E. Yosemite Ave Suite 101, Manteca, CA 95336
Decoration
Events 22
Phone: (209) 552- 5969
Website: https://events22.com
Adress: 202 E Main St, Ripon, CA 95366
SECTION 21: The PROFESSIONAL
Two things that we do in the leadership program that encompasses professionalism are Mock Interviews and our websites. In terms of Mock Interviews, they occur during the second semester of the school year. You start by choosing a profession. This profession is one that you are interested in and may consider actually applying for in the future. Once a job is selected, a professional is found to have an interview with. Before the interview can occur, many things must first occur. First and foremost a resume and cover letter must be made. This is to simulate what it would be like to apply for an actual job. These resumes and cover letters are then posted to our professional website for the individual who is interviewing us to find. Before going into the interview it is important to have some background knowledge about said company/individual. This is important in this process because you want to be able to know how you can benefit said company and bring something new to the table. This is my second year doing Mock Interviews. My first year, I got the pleasure of interviewing with Dr. Redula. He gave me so much feedback and was able to answer my questions. WIth him, the interview felt like more of a conversation and he really helped to ease my nerves.
The next professional thing we do is make our very own websites. These websites are made through weebly. Each student is responsible for creating their own website as well as maintaining it throughout the year. We start each year with a theme for our website as well as writing a letter to ourselves. The theme should encompass your purpose for the year as well as what you intend on improving. This theme differs every year. The purpose of the letter is to share our hopes for the coming year. After summer, each leader is rested and ready to start the new year. We all write a letter stating what we are looking forward to for the rest of the school year. We also reflect on what works and what doesn’t in order to have a better year than the previous. Those are only a couple of things that the portfolio encompasses. Throughout the year more and more is added on to the portfolio. By the end of the year the website serves as a reminder of everything that you have accomplished. The website has been really helpful to me because I have been able to look back at my comments for improvement and it has helped me grow as a leader.
The next professional thing we do is make our very own websites. These websites are made through weebly. Each student is responsible for creating their own website as well as maintaining it throughout the year. We start each year with a theme for our website as well as writing a letter to ourselves. The theme should encompass your purpose for the year as well as what you intend on improving. This theme differs every year. The purpose of the letter is to share our hopes for the coming year. After summer, each leader is rested and ready to start the new year. We all write a letter stating what we are looking forward to for the rest of the school year. We also reflect on what works and what doesn’t in order to have a better year than the previous. Those are only a couple of things that the portfolio encompasses. Throughout the year more and more is added on to the portfolio. By the end of the year the website serves as a reminder of everything that you have accomplished. The website has been really helpful to me because I have been able to look back at my comments for improvement and it has helped me grow as a leader.
SECTION 22: Change
Throughout this year in leadership there have been many great moments but at the same time there have also been those challenging moments. In the beginning of the year I knew for sure that I wanted to change some of my old habits as they were only bringing me down. While I was able to fix some old habits of mine, I noticed that there were other areas that I needed improvements in as well. This makes sense because no one is a perfect leader, but one can always improve. Something that I struggled with this year was biting off more than I could chew. Over the course of my school years I honestly feel as if I have gotten worse with this. Each year of high school especially gets harder and harder. This year I played two sports for the school as well as going dance outside the school. There are so many things that I am committed to and I just can’t give every single thing 100%. This also affects those around me because I will get frustrated with them. An example of this was when there would be people who didn’t show up to days of decorating. When I show up to everything it makes me frustrated that some don’t do the same. But, I also have to remember that people have other commitments as well and that they spend all of their free time during weeks like homecoming helping with decoration. Another example of me getting frustrated is when I put so much effort into something and then not having the result I was expecting. This has to do with the fact that I put all my energy into making sure decorations look good but when I get results that aren’t what I expect I get upset. This frustration is fueled by the fact that I don’t have enough hours in the day to accomplish everything I need and when I spend lots of time on something I obviously want it to have a better outcome.
Something that I have been doing to ease my frustration is trying the Spencer method. If possible, I try to complete my work as soon as I get it. This prevents things from piling up and it gives me time for other things. Doing this also allows me to be a little bit less stressed. When I am less stressed I am able to control my frustration and therefore I don’t take it out on my peers. I still struggle with overloading myself with too many things but throughout the course of this year I have gotten better at it, and I am always working to improve.
Something that I have been doing to ease my frustration is trying the Spencer method. If possible, I try to complete my work as soon as I get it. This prevents things from piling up and it gives me time for other things. Doing this also allows me to be a little bit less stressed. When I am less stressed I am able to control my frustration and therefore I don’t take it out on my peers. I still struggle with overloading myself with too many things but throughout the course of this year I have gotten better at it, and I am always working to improve.
SECTION 23: Ideal leader
There are many qualities that an ideal leader may encompass that vary from multiple different genres. One of the biggest categories is work ethic. The ideal leader must encompass a strong work ethic. A strong work ethic consists of being able to work diligently even when those around you aren’t. It’s very easy to lose motivation to work when those around you aren’t working but a good leader must rise above this. No matter how loud or quiet a space is, a strong leader should be able to continue to work hard. Another thing that comes to mind when thinking of a strong work ethic is being able to meet deadlines. That’s something that is super important in this class but in life as well. The purpose of deadlines is to make progress as shown in said project and to make sure the said project is executed efficiently. In the Ripon High Leadership program Morty sets a lot of deadlines that need to be met as no late work is accepted. That may seem rough at times but that’s the reality of the world. Along with meeting deadlines, the work must be good quality. With many things being due some people often slip into the habit of not completing an assignment to its full potential. The ideal leader should be able to utilize an assignment to improve themselves as a leader and in order to do that, an assignment should be done to its full potential.
Behavior in the program comes in many forms. First, the ideal leader should always be supportive and welcoming of their peers. A leadership class can only function well if they are a well oiled machine. In order for this to happen we must treat each other with respect and kindness. The ideal leader should not make people feel like they are left out because not one person is behind something great, there is always a team in the shadows. Going along with that, an ideal leader must be able to communicate. Communication is a must in the Ripon High Leadership program as well as in life. Without effective communication nothing can be accomplished well. There is no such thing as over communicating because even the sharpest minds can be forgetful. Overall the ideal leader is someone who works hard even when others don’t and is always willing to put forth their best effort.
Behavior in the program comes in many forms. First, the ideal leader should always be supportive and welcoming of their peers. A leadership class can only function well if they are a well oiled machine. In order for this to happen we must treat each other with respect and kindness. The ideal leader should not make people feel like they are left out because not one person is behind something great, there is always a team in the shadows. Going along with that, an ideal leader must be able to communicate. Communication is a must in the Ripon High Leadership program as well as in life. Without effective communication nothing can be accomplished well. There is no such thing as over communicating because even the sharpest minds can be forgetful. Overall the ideal leader is someone who works hard even when others don’t and is always willing to put forth their best effort.
Multiple Pages
Leadership Procedure Form
Quarterly Evaluation
Purchase Order
ASB Budget
ASB Report
Minutes
Social Media Post