Hargon 1

Molly Hargon

Bowyer

Expos 2nd

30 August 2016

Whats Next Writing Assignment

A basketball coach once told me, Aim higher incase you fall short. Not only did I take

that advice in a basketball frame of mind, but also in life. I push myself to dream big because in

case I fall short then I will still be on target. My dream has always been to continue to play

basketball into the next level and I would love to play for Pacific Union College. I have also

discovered that I have a passion for teaching and a true compassion for children. In my next

stage of life I aspire to play basketball at PUC and major in education. My dreams will then carry

me and softly place me into the rest of my life.

The tough times that my family and I have gone through has made me the person I am

today. In all started in 2012, my dad had pneumonia, my mom was in the hospital for 5 days

while they figured out that her gallbladder should be removed, my brother was diagnosed with

ewing sarcoma brain cancer, and ended with my dad having a mini stroke. We were constantly

in and out of the hospital while my brother went through chemo treatments, radiation, and shots

to bring back his red blood cells. To this day my brother suffers from seizures but gets stronger

and stronger every day. Although the past four years have been tough they are truly a blessing in

disguise because of the lessons that I have learned. I have learned to be thankful for what I have,

I have learned to stay cool in stressful situations, and mainly I have learned to live every day like
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it is my last and to dream big, because you never know when it is all going to be taken away

from you.

The rough times I went through with my family taught me to dream big and one of my

dreams is to become a teacher. When I was in 8th grade my brother-in-law had recommended I

take the Leadership class. My freshman year I walked in on the first day of school thinking,

What am I doing in this class?and was a little skeptical of what the class might bring. This

class changed my outlook and view on life. The teacher taught me more than I could ever write

in a book and inspired me to change people's lives one person at a time. I came away with more

confidence in myself and became a leader in my little world. I want to take what I have learned

from my teacher and pass it on to future generations so they can one day change the world and

make it a better place just as I have learned. My life challenges have shaped me into a strong,

confident, compassionate, and caring person who dreams of teaching these skills to my own class

full of students ready to blossom and become the best they can be.

Taking the Advanced Algebra 2 math class my sophomore year also taught me a big

lesson. All throughout the year I struggled but I never went in for extra help or guidance on the

rigorous course, instead I focused on the social aspects of school and extracurricular activities. I

passed the class with a 69% the first semester and a 79% the second. This was the worst grade I

have ever received in a class. It lowered my grade point average and I was devastated. I later

realized that I hadnt done anything to even help my grade or had not even done any extra

studying to boost my knowledge in advanced algebra 2. Up until that point school was a breeze

for me and I never studied or had to try much to get a decent grade. It made me realize that when

taking a more rigorous course I needed to apply myself. The next year I took Functional
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Analysis and Trigonometry which completely boosted my confidence and I walked away from

that class with a solid A. From this experience I have learned that in everything you do you must

give it your all. Once you learn this you can do anything. This year I am taking AP Statistics to

challenge myself in math and I believe I will pass the AP exam.

I grew up in a small town called Pollock Pines, where everybody knows everybody and

everybody knows everything about your life, but you learn to love it. My mother is a 3rd grade

teacher and I have been in her classroom since I was just an infant. I aspire to be an outstanding

teacher just like my mom and continue to make a difference in whatever community I end up in.

To reach my goal I wanted some hands on training. I have recently been volunteering to help

coach an 8th grade girls volleyball team and at the end of every year my mom lets me come into

her class and volunteer. When I am volunteering I love every minute of it. My favorite part is

when a student or athlete does not understand something and then all of the sudden it clicks for

them and they master it. I love to see their confidence glow. Changing the life of a child is a

great accomplishment that I will be proud of.

Overall, my life experiences have molded me for my next stage in life and what I plan to

do. My volunteering and leadership experience will help me with become an inspirational

teacher and influence generations to come. From failing Advanced Algebra 2 I have learned to

never give up and to work hard, because in the end it will pay off. I constantly refer to this lesson

when practicing basketball and that is what has gotten me to this point. Finally, my familys

rough times couldnt have prepared me better for lifes experiences and I will always remember

to live everyday like it is my last and to dream big.

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Word Count: 1,019