Humans of Ladue

"Outside of school my life is mostly basketball. I practice for two hours everyday and have been doing that for the past three months. I hope this year I can finally become the player I've been working hard to build."

“I like to code because I like problem solving. You basically give instructions to a computer and it follows them. Sometimes you make mistakes when you give out, and you have to find them. The fun part is seeing what you created come to life.”

"What I like about photography is I get to capture things that I think are nice or an important thing to remember. One of my favorite memories from photography class is when [Ms. Warner] took us outside for the petting zoo to take pictures of exotic animals that you normally want to be able to see. [My favorite photo is] one picture that I took of like a yellow flower on the greenhouse. It was early...

"Everything is happening at once and I'm overwhelmed by stress.  I hope we have another mental health day. I need more free time to get my life together. And school is not helping by having 7 finals."

"My senior year has honestly been pretty tough. Going from a 4 day week, waking up at 10am to a full week waking up at 6am has been really difficult for me. COVID also ruined my ability to focus at home so in order to get anything done I have to leave my house and sometimes that’s just not possible. I think we’re all struggling to keep up especially with the added stress of college, but I hope...

"Everybody wants Spiderman but they walk past Peter Parker everyday. I walk in the shadows. I’m an underdog. Everyone wants to see one person, but they get another person."

"[Right now] feels like my first year of high school, as last year was virtual. Overall, it’s been going well in-person. A little stressed for finals but I can’t wait for break!"

"I love swimming and diving because it's fun. You get to be with your teammates, and it's a team sport. However, it's also individual. You get to race against yourself, but you are getting better to contribute to your team. So swimming and diving feels both like an individual and team sport."

"I started rock climbing in 7th grade because I had just quit playing basketball and I was looking for a new sport to try. I immediately loved it and I continued to do it through high school. The rock climbing community is incredible and I have met so many amazing people there. In fact, I think my favorite part is the people I get to climb with and hang out with. I just love the whole sport so much."

"My favorite movie is Crazy Rich Asians.  I am crazy, asian, but not rich.  I don't specifically want to become rich but want to obtain something that does not have any limits.  I want freedom more than wealth."

"I have all of my classes really spaced out, so I don't have any two classes that are super hard on one day. But I'm still really stressed because I'm doing sports and other stuff outside of school as well. I've just been trying to take a little bit of time everyday to review. I'm in foods so we've already had our final, that was on Monday and it wasn't that bad. It's been a lot though. I think everyone...

"I’m on the swim team and play water polo. I had a preseason practice recently with my water polo team and it was very fun. I destroyed everybody in a scrimmage. I’m excited for the season and think we will be in the top four this year. Our coaches are coach Clay and coach Jagodzinski and my favorite person on the team is Raymond Hu."

"The biggest lesson I’ve learned at school is how to manage my time and take risks. I use a planner and coordinate with classmates and friends. [For taking risks there’s] joining new clubs and meeting new people. I joined football so far and will probably join more. I’m sad it’s ended; I’m preparing for next year through working out and training."

"Over thanksgiving break I celebrated thanksgiving with both sides of my family and my birthday. For my birthday I went to the creperie with some of my friends. And with my family I went to the foundry to celebrate. My favorite gift that I received was smiley face slippers. I also received lots of gifts that I can use in college next year."

"One of my happiest times at Ladue are any time I am just laughing and enjoying time with students and faculty together. A lot of times it happens with things like Link Crew, or Freshman Orientation, and days like Dance Marathon. It's just fun. There's also days in classes where we work really hard together but then we have fun days in class. That's really what school should be. We gotta find enjoyment...

"The soccer quarterfinal was 1 PM on Saturday at Mehlville high school. We won 2-0 which was not surprising to me. It was really exciting, especially when I scored the second goal. For the next game, we need to keep our solid defense performance shown during the Mehlville game."

"I like German class because German is easy to learn since it is somewhat similar to English. Herr Layher gives us fun activities during class usually. I chose to take German because my sisters took French and Spanish and I wanted to do something different. I’m planning on taking AP German next year because I want to get better at German and possibly go to Germany or Switzerland again someday."

"AP Psych with Mrs. Kaupp is one of the best classes I’ve ever taken. It’s so fun! It teaches you so many new things about human behavior. I highly recommend that people take this course. Love you, Mrs. Kaupp!

"I've been rock climbing for about 9 years now. One of the coolest parts about the sport is definitely the travel involved. I love getting to visit all of these unfamiliar cities and meet so many incredible people. As far as the future I'm not quite sure what's in store. I had never thought of professional climbing as anything more than a fantasy, but recent competitions have proved it to be a more...

"I like Ladue because we have a wide array of cultures. We have a diverse variety of teachers. We have a lot of options for the classes we take. Lastly, we have a lot of school spirt."

“I am staying in town for thanksgiving. My extended family is coming here so we can hang out with them. I will also probably hang out with friends. I am excited to go to my cousin's house for Thanksgiving dinner to continue our family tradition.”

"[What makes a good trip is that] it has to be a little bit hard, I have to be challenged in some way. Whether that be the reward of walking up a tall hill, getting through a gate at the airport. For me, it's about learning something new, that somehow my perceptions have been challenged about a place, people or a region of the world. I find it rewarding if I grow from the experience."

"Today when I was driving to school I saw Mrs. Curran driving in front of me and we were both listening to Taylor Swift. I was listening to "Holy Ground" on full blast. Recently I have only been listening to "Red" but Taylor's new version. My voice was getting better but then "Red" came on the radio and I screamed the whole song."

To the younger kids on the [football team], I would say to find your role. Everyone plays a part, whether you’re a starter or not, so find your place on the team, own up to it, and do everything you can to be the best at your role. And also have fun, people overlook that. Just have fun. Once I was an upperclassmen, I kind of knew what my position was in the program with the help of coaches. We ha...

"Homework is work after I get home. Teachers assign a lot of it, especially as the year goes on. My friends and I like to study together and do homework. It makes everything better and funner."

"If there is one thing I would like the school to change, it's that I would like the school lunches to be longer. Compared to last year and the year prior to COVID-19, lunches are significantly shorter. Sometimes I barely have any time to eat after finding a seat with my friends in the cafeteria. However, overall I'm glad to be back in-person even if lunches are shorter."

"You can’t take into consideration what people say as a bad thing. Take it and run with it but with a fine sort of grain; you can’t let everything go to your heart. If you hear someone who says something to you and it upsets you, you just have to realize sometimes people will say things they want to say but it’s not who you are. It kind of applies to even the small things — like if someone sa...

"My favorite class is Medical Interventions with Dr. Weltig. I like this course because it's very fun how we learn but also do projects. There's a combination of group work and individual assignments. Also, we have a fictional family that we have become invested in. It's fun to see how each unit applies to a person in the family."

"I like tennis. Tennis is fun. I played tennis yesterday. I saw other people playing too. Overall, I recommend anyone who has free time to go play tennis because it's amazing and if you are bored, it's a great way to pass time."

"I have a few things I think make Ladue amazing. The building itself is possibly the best high school in the country. Second, my fellow teachers are all amazing and supportive. Finally, the students of this school are phenomenal people and learners."

“I never thought I’d enjoy napping as much as I do now. When I was younger, I hated taking naps, and would always complain about it. Now, it’s one of the things I look forward to after a long day. As the rain falls and the cold, dreary weather brews on outside, wrapping oneself in a blanket and taking a long nap is a whole new happiness I didn’t enjoy until now.”

"I'm looking forward to the early release day this week––and it's gonna be a fun weekend with friends and projects and Halloween. So that's really fun. Some other plans I have for this weekend [include] practicing my instrument and getting college apps over with. It’s gonna be pretty great––I’m going to feel happy to get them over with."

“The dive season went really well, especially considering I just had back surgery. However, I wished I did a little better to break one of the school records, which was not out of reason. But, I never came close. At state, I am hoping to get top eight. I’m going to miss the sport and the supportive team next year. I hope the team continues to improve and succeed with new swimmers and divers.�...

“It's just the most amazing thing in the world. It's like a million monarch butterflies––I'll be honest, to have all my traditions senior year, it’s like 100 fairies. I mean, obviously, having COVID here is totally a change and stuff, but it's pretty cool that we get to experience everything that we have been able to experience in previous years, especially now that I'm a senior. It feels lik...

"I think fall is one of the prettiest seasons even though I am more of a big fan of cold weather. I like to take advantage of the pretty season by spending time outside. On Sunday, I went on a walk around Webster. I enjoyed looking at all of the fall leaves and the cute houses."

"I want to be an aerospace engineer, they design aircrafts, spacecrafts, middles and satellites. I really like the PLTW (Project Lead The Way) classes, and the subject as a whole is really interesting to me. I took intro to engineering last year and I'm taking principles of engineering right now. They've helped a lot with learning about the different types of engineers and what the profession is like...

A great moment in my life was when I got a 100% on an Advanced Chemistry test. I had studied so much for the test and dedicated so much time to study for it. When I saw the score that I had received, I just started crying. I was so happy that I couldn't believe it. I started pinching myself because I had thought that I was dreaming. That moment was a highlight, well the only highlight from Advanced...

"I feel overwhelmed. There's a lot to do on top of classes and homework and extracurriculars. I'm applying to four separate colleges. I really just want to turn in my applications and be done with them."

"Tennis is a very mindful sport. It requires a lot of thought and patience. Throughout the years I've been playing tennis, I've learned that patience is better than trying to get it done. It's fun, and I highly recommend everyone tries it!"

"Having a child was the best part of my life. I used to think that I would never want to be a stay-at-home mom. I was actually pretty judgy about people who were stay at home moms until I had my own kid. Now all I want to do is stay at home with [my own kid] and watch her do all the cute things that she does because she learns something new everyday. She’s hilarious. And I would just rather do that...

"My dad is one of my role models He's taught me a lot in and out of school. Music is a big part of my life and he's always played guitar and is a good singer and taught me how to play music — so I look up to him. My dad is a very strong person so he's taught me how to push through struggles and knowing how to handle difficult situations."

"Anyone who wants to improve [at soccer] needs to practice, whether it’s just 20 minutes on the ball every day or a few hour long practices a week. It is also helpful to talk to your coaches and ask them what they think could be improved. [If I had to give advice to my younger self as an athlete], I would tell myself to not be embarrassed to ask for help. I always found that if I was struggling ...

"I did 200 individual medley, 200 medley relay, 100 breaststroke and 200 free relay. It was Eureka’s senior night, but they weren’t the strongest team, so they purposely seeded their swimmers to swim some of the off events. But our swimmers swam events to do their best. One of the most interesting things is that it was a 40 minute drive back."

"I love the football community. I just started playing this year and I have made a huge difference in my knowledge and skill of the game, and i'm also I have made a lot of friends, especially older kids and guys on varsity because they are all really nice and helpful to me during practice. The coaches like to get things done during practice and it makes me work hard and get better."

"One of the biggest goals I've set for senior year is to limit my procrastination. Coming back from a relaxing year of online school, it has been challenging to manage all of my homework, college applications and extracurriculars. After getting home from tennis practice, all I really want to do is sleep, so it's hard to actually have motivation to work ahead. But with college deadlines coming up soon,...

"My favorite food is potatoes. This is because potatoes are really versatile. You can make a lot of things from potatoes. You can make mashed potatoes, french fries. You can pretty much do anything with potatoes, baked potatoes or potatoes skins. They are really just great."

"I am a freshman this year, and so far my favorite part of our school is the sports. I enjoy being part of the field hockey team. I also love going to football games and cheering on the team. And just being part of the sports community. I am excited to join the swim team and see what winter sports are like as well."

"I’m looking forward to making new friends and trying new activities. I definitely want to try soccer! I’m excited to play club volleyball, since I just finished my school volleyball season. I’m also part of clubs like UNICEF and Dance Marathon."

"Normally I'm not a huge fan of homecoming, I never have been, but this year was a lot of fun. It was much colder than I expected but the yummy snacks like pizza and pretzels made up for it. It was just different this year, maybe it was because we didn't have a homecoming last year, but everyone just seemed more excited. The music was good and everybody was dancing, it felt like an actual homecoming....

"Balancing school with giving the needed TLC (tender, love and care) to some many animals has always been a part of my routine. Everyday I come home and feed my five cats, do my boat loads of homework, and do the best I can to divide my attention evenly. But I've always had pets, so there really isn't much change. It's static in a shifting way, and life with about a dozen pets can be hectic. It leads...

"Yesterday we beat Lindbergh 2-1. It was exciting since we were losing at first but then we won. We also beat Clayton on Saturday. That was fun because they’re our rivals and it was their senior night."

"I came to Ladue during second semester of 2020 after winter break. It was definitely kind of challenging to find a new friend group and make friends. But overall, I had a good time with it. I eventually made new friends and it wasn't that hard. I have an easy time making friends. It wasn't that hard [working with new teachers and a new school] because I'm a good student. I feel like I fit in."

"I have a piano competition in November. I’m playing Chopin’s Waltz in Ab Major and Bernstein’s Birds. Birds is a contemporary piece so there’s less of a melody, which makes it difficult to add musicality. Also, I’m playing parts of this piece in non-traditional ways, for example, I will literally be banging on the piano. I’m excited for the competition but still a little nervous."...

"I guess I'm kind of excited, but also nervous for the game. Ever since I was a little girl I always dreamt of scoring a touchdown. Every Sunday in my house was football. My dad is a huge Patriots fan, because he's from Boston, and I relate to Tom Brady a lot. When I stepped onto the field on the first day of practice I knew that it was my time to shine."

“Coming back from virtual learning has been an unique turnaround. I’m used to seeing everyone on the computer and having more time to sleep, but now that I’m back in person, it’s really interesting and I’m happy that I’m able to enjoy my senior year with my friends. These days I’ve been really busy with schoolwork and clubs, but I’m really enjoying my final year in high school. If t...

"The best moment of my life was adopting my two kittens. Their names are Jiji and Kiki. The are domestic short haired cats which makes them even cuter. We'd been trying to find an open shelter for a while and ended up going to a random one and finding them. When I saw them, I knew they were the ones I wanted."

"Always remember the 'Stephen King prison movie thesis' of life.  Rule number one: cultivate a rich inner life that can withstand external pressures (Shawshank Redemption).  Rule number two: treat everyone as though it was their last day on each and act as though every day is your last (Green Mile). Take AP Euro."

"I started dance because I wanted to be just like my older sister, I didn't realize at the time that it would become one of my favorite things. It's difficult to juggle school and dance, and there have been so many nights where I'm doing homework in the studio's lobby while waiting for my next class because that was the only downtime I had, but I wouldn't change it for the world."

"Starting football as a freshman was scary at first but seniors and juniors who have been playing the game for a while gave me a helping hand and were with me when i was getting the hang of football."

"I sharpened my pencil in AP Environmental Science class. The pencil sharpener did not work well for me. It was a good sharpener actually, I lied. Or, it kind of didn't work because it was full because nobody decided to empty it out but then I couldn't even empty it out because I didn't know how it worked. But in the end I was able to sharpen my pencil in the end."

"I volunteered to help at a youth conference for high school students while in college. After being around the students for the entire weekend, I saw that high school students have the greatest potential to make a positive difference in the World. I changed my majors from Religious Studies and Psychology to Math and Physics Education. After 25+ years in education, I am even more convinced I was right."

"My favorite thing this year has been being able to see all my friends and teachers. But one of the most challenging was having to go to all my classes and not being able to nap in between them like online school. Although, I still like being in person a lot better."

"Horse back to me is important because it allows me to be with my friends while learning how to dedicated and driven to a passion of mine that I have loved for years. It keeps me physically fit and it is my own space for myself."

"The Ladue environment is very welcoming and I have had many different experiences within the wide diversity of students and the many activities open to us students"

"This is a lesson most people learn early on in their high school career, but this week just reinforced the lesson don't procrastinate. Yesterday I had a bunch of homework because I didn't do it on Monday because I was like, hey I have time. And then yesterday I was like wow, I have a lot. I'll probably continue doing that (procrastinating) though."

"It's nice to be back in school, with more semblance to a "normal" school year. Extracurriculars are back on and I'm excited to see where this year leads!"

"Generally, the school has been pretty good, especially with COVID this year. I really enjoy meeting my friends and engaging. I do speech and debate, but I also practice tennis with my other peers in school. It's been really fun! Speech and debate has been a great opportunity to meet friends and engage with other people."

"I am the president of the New to Ladue club. We help new students assimilate both socially and educationally into our high school. We're looking for more people who have been students at Ladue for more than a year in addition to new students. It is a super fun club that has low time commitments. Anyone is welcome to join!"

"The best thing that has happened to me is meeting my best friend Sami Strayhorn. We do everything together and she is a huge support system in my life, like a sister."

One of the best parts of JV football is the people that i'm around, I enjoy coming to practices so I can see all my friends. They also make us better everyday by pushing us and exposing the team to a lot of football so we can be the best as possible.

"My favorite part of life is sleeping. I like to sleep. Sleeping feels very nice."

"The happiest moments, plural, of my life were when my three children were born. Two of them were born at home, and one was born in Germany, and I got to be there. And that was just the greatest, the greatest thing to be able to experience and see that just coming out. And see that the family, your family, the people you love, there is more of them."

"This week is tech week for a show I'm in, so I have rehearsal from 5 to 8:30. We perform this weekend."

"I have a job at animal place called Kennelwood. I really enjoy working there because I want to work with animals in the future. I've always enjoyed science and animals. Ever since I was in fourth grade, I've known that I've wanted to be a vet. I've always pursued that career ever since then."

"Junior year has been really stressful, but I'm trying to manage. Sometimes all I do in a day is school, homework, and sleep. However, I recommend trying to keep up with everything. Everything is important, even if it's hard."

"Having some sort of normalcy has been exciting, and one of my favorite parts is getting to do extracurriculars like SAGE and Speech and Debate at school, instead of being behind a computer screen"

"The feeling once I leave the stage or field is my favorite. The energy and practice that leads to a performance all pays off in the end, Jessica Sachs says. I love everything about dance, but the feeling that I performed my best is my favorite."

"I've been taking all advanced classes and school work has been manageable. But with cross country and my other extracurriculars, school is going to be rough."

"When I first moved from Virginia to St. Louis in 2008 the first thing I did when I got familiar with was learn how to skate and St. Louis was different from Virginia because this is a hockey town with a big fan base. They don't have a pro hockey team or baseball team. Also when I moved here I realized most of the high schools in the area have club teams which I wanted to be a part of when I got olde...

"Pay attention to what makes you happy in life. If you're not paying attention then you're going to have funnel yourself into finding your life's passion some other way, but if you intentionally stop to think about what makes you happy at any given moment, that'll lead you in a good direction."

"My advice for freshmen is to walk on the right side of the hallways. Don't stop in the middle. It's really hard to walk when everyone gathers in the center. It's a challenge and I hope people keep that in mind. We're just trying to get to class and not be delayed."

"I just won the gold level Presidential Award, which is for doing around nine months of over 100 hours of charity work. I did it through the national charity league which is a mother-daughter organization. We’re partnered with different charity organizations and you can sign up for different places where they need people. I like volunteering at the diaper bank where you can wrap diapers. We’ve...

"Coming here to Ladue has been an interesting experience to say the least. I don't like the lunches because we only have 20 minutes, but I am excited to help with the costume design for the spring musical. I love love fashion and I also love theater so I'm excited to converge those two interests."

"One of the happiest moments of my life so far happened on a bus in the middle of nowhere. It was my first time at summer camp, camp Taumsauk, and I had been homesick the whole week. Then, the older campers decided to take a trip to the ice cream shop in a little town nearby. On the bus ride there I was still homesick, until I saw the most beautiful sunset out the bus window. It was a mix of orange,...

"I'm a junior at ladue and currently my hardest class is apush because there are a lot of notes and quizzes every week. The content is interesting but the homework is a lot. I like my teacher and my class. I'd recommend this class to anyone who enjoys history, but be prepared for hours of homework."

"It's probably from my mom. She says don't care about other peoples opinions and don't compare yourself to others because that comparison will kill you."

"Being a part of Laduettes has definitely had a positive impact on my time at this school. I get to attend all of the home football and basketball games, and it allows me to be more involved with the school. It's definitely a big time commitment, but the people I've met and the experiences have made it all worth it. My favorite memory would probably be getting to go to state with the football team...

"I'm taking my first AP class. It's AP Euro and has actually been easier than I expected. My teacher has helped us ease into the school year."

"Honestly, I think school this year is a lot better than I expected it to be! Seeing my friends in person everyday is amazing, and I'm able to learn a lot more instead of through a screen. I think last year when we are all online, it took a large toll on all of us. We should all be grateful that we are here in-person."

"I went to swim practice and I felt like drowning. And I'm sensitive to chlorine so my nose got really stuffy."

"Just live life to the fullest, I know that sounds really cliche but, most people wallow in their sadness and negative feelings when there’s so much more to life than silly drama in high school that you’re sad about."

"I do cross-country, so far the season has been pretty good. We've had a lot of success as coming back as a team now that COVID is winding down a bit. We still obviously have some precautions, but I've enjoyed seeing the guys again. One of our most recent races, we had a senior who had heat-related issues and had to lie down. He was actually one of many cases we've had this season. Now with things...

"School this year has been a lot better than last year. It feels good to be back in a semi-normal school setting rather than just being virtual. Academics are a little harder for last year but I’m glad we’re back in curriculums not modified for COVID...This year, I’m participating in speech and debate, and some clubs like SAGE and UNICEF. All the clubs I’m part of have in person meetings, which...

"Try to have fun once in a while. Don’t focus everything on school, try to also have a great social life. Recently, I started rowing, and I have met over forty girls on my team. When we went to Chicago, raced and got first, we were at the racecourse all day. We went out and raced, and then came in and just celebrated. It was the first time I won, so I felt very accomplished. Getting the medals with my team...

"The best part of this school year has been everyone being a person so I can see all my friends every day, and also being able to go to lunch with all my friends. And yeah, I just wanted to be back at school again."

"[The most influential interaction I had with a stranger] was when I was traveling. I met this woman who studied urban planning. She told me how sound could be like “pollution” within a community and I was like ‘oh my gosh, that makes so much sense.’ So now I try to be really be mindful of the sounds and vibes I bring into my room. And even in my life, I tried to use pleasant sounds and I ...

"Only spend your time on activities and classes that actively excite you! Make the most of your last year, don’t spend it on things you feel you have to do. I would also involve yourself in as many high school events as you can ⁠— homecoming, football games, powderpuff, fundraisers, etc. It’s your last year to do this stuff, so don’t write it off as stupid or lame ⁠— get involved and...

"My name is Aparneesh. The hardest thing I’m going through right now has to be the class ALC (Advanced Literature and Composition). It’s a very tough class. Right now we have to analyze the evidence and the closuresーwhich are very tough. ALC is hard mostly because I have to stay up late at night trying to get good grades. I think about how I could increase my grade in that class. [For students...

“Use the five year rule, if it’s not something that’s going to affect you five years down the line, don’t worry about it or let it discourage you.This is something I’ve really learned to apply recently as my grades in Math Analysis aren’t as good as I’m used to and I’m learning to accept it and keep working hard.”

"The hardest thing I've ever had to go through was probably my freshman year. I was adjusting to the new environment and had difficulty branching out to new people. It definitely taught me a lot; it shaped me into who I am today; it was a lot of character building and it taught me how to adjust to new situations. I'm much happier now, and for those going through similar times, I would advise you to...

“We would always go over to his house and go dirt bike riding and sometimes go out to dinner and lunch, actually the last time I saw him was at dinner. I was in Florida with my grandma, my mom, and a few of their friends. [My grandma] comes in bawling her eyes out and when I asked what was wrong, she told me I needed to go downstairs and talk to my mom. My mom grabs chairs and we head down to the ...

“The hardest thing I have ever had to do was telling my friends at villa that I was moving schools. I care so much about them so it really hurt when I told them that I won’t be going to school with them for the next 4 years. We’ve been through so much, so I know I will miss them more than anything! But I knew that even after I moved we would still stay in contact. And also try to stay as close...

“I would say the happiest moment in my life was probably winning state last year for football. It was a really good moment it was really nice and indescribable because everything happened so fast, I didn’t really know what was going on…The beginning of the game it was very nerve wracking because it was a big stage but it was also cool to be there. During the end of the game, when we were winning...

“The happiest moment of my life was when I made the Laduettes Dance Team. I put in a lot of effort in dancing and practice, to help me improve. And when I finally made the team, I was overloaded with joy. My biggest regret is taking Spanish III. It is so much work and my comprehension is really bad.”

“My life’s motto is life is 90 percent of what you perceive it. Say you are having a really bad day. You could choose to perceive it as a really bad day or you could just not think about it. You can perceive it as not that bad. You can start thinking about all of the kids in Africa who are enduring so much. My life isn’t that bad. Or all of the people who died in the holocaust so I shouldn�...

“There are a lot of happy moments in my life but there are two that stand out to me the most. My 15th birthday was really special because all of my family and friends were at the party and they were all there to support me. Another really happy moment for me was when I made the science olympiad competition team in eighth grade. I worked so hard all summer and was constantly studying. We even made it to na...

“Don’t procrastinate. I turned my TKAM essay to Ms. Upadhyay a month late and I got an 80 percent on it. I accidentally copied some notes down from my friends and turned it into Mr. Hill’s class last year. So he gave me a bad grade on them. Because I procrastinated till lunchtime.”

“Um, I would say…live your life. Don’t spend your time just sitting around. Don’t waste your days watching TV. Just go outside and see the world. And there’s so many things to do. I’ve had a lot of experiences, and I feel lucky to have experienced what I have. And now that I’ve seen these amazing parts of life it’s hard for me to just sit around and do nothing. I’m always pushing...

“Stay prepared, throughout your life since you never know when there's something that comes up. And then, when something comes up, if you're not prepared you're just, kind of mess. Yesterday I took a physics test. Physics is just a weird subject. And during that physics test, I was really sad because I did bad. So, overall I just think you should be very prepared and be able to face your obstacles...

“My best advice is that you should always try your best even if you fail. My sophomore year in my chemistry class I used to get really stressed out and freak out before the test, but I learned to calm myself down and really just try my best. I really have a lot of bad memories from my chemistry class sophomore year, especially with the tests. But after I would calm myself down and just really tak...

“Don’t have a lot of kids. Too many people in one house is hard. We have a big house but it feels small compared to normal. Children are the biggest issue you run into. My brothers play in my room a lot when I’m at school it messes with me, cause ya know OCD. Oh and they’ll go on my phone and text my friends. It’s like an everyday thing. Oh, it’s wonderful.”

"I'm only 16 years old, and I haven't really lived my life to the fullest. Yeah, I have really limited experience and I still have a lot to learn. I couldn't really pick one happiest moment because there could always be another. I mean, I've had happy experiences, but it's also incredibly difficult to pick just one. I have happy times with my family. Like, we go to national parks and I loved the time...

“The saddest moment of my life was when my grandfather died. It was two and a half years ago. I was on a camping trip and it was a Saturday night. I felt like someone was punching me in the gut, so I called my mom. And I talked and she said that it didn’t look like Pop is doing so good. We were staying at the campsite until 12:00 on Sunday. When I got home, I opened the door and my parents were bo...

“I play lacrosse all year round and it’s what I do every day after school,. It’s also what I want to do in college. I don’t like the amount of pressure that is put on me sometimes. Every once in a while I feel like I am expected to do more than I can in order to get a win and to prosper. It’s really important to me because everyone in my family plays lacrosse. It’s our family connectio...

“I was so happy when I caught that fade against Webster.  It took everything I had to get past my guy. I played football when I was a freshmen but then in my sophomore and junior year I didn’t play.  My mom didn’t want me to play because she thought it was too dangerous. I was kind of surprised when I was a starting receiver. I can’t wait for the next game the one after that because I am...

“I have been really disappointed because of my ankle.  I broke it in the JV football game on Monday. Now I can’t practice or play in the game Friday.  I am more angry than sad it's just really fun to play kick-off and punt return. I still come to the practices but it's really boring to sit on the sidelines and see everyone else play.  Hopefully I’ll heal up soon because I put in so much w...

"If something is not going my way, I would sit myself down and take a few deep breaths and think about what I should do to fix my problem at hand, and then I would use my resources like my parents or friends to help me solve my problem the best way I can."  

"I balance sports and school by always making sure I have enough time for homework and always putting school first no matter how big the game is. I always make sure I am doing all of my school work because once you fall behind that's when it gets hard to balance sports and school."  

“My biggest piece of advice would be to become someone that you would have looked up to when you were younger. I use that to live my life, making decisions I know will benefit me and things I am interested in and I know that will help me in the long run. Also just reflecting and thinking about how I can make new decisions that will improve on my old ones. This helps me stay driven, stay focused on...

[I wanted to start learning German] because of my family history. We had a bunch of family documents in German, and it was like a code to crack. I was an exchange student [in Germany] in high school, so I was gone for my junior year, and I got a degree in German and medical anthropology in college. It’s really useless. Yes, useless. I know. Then, I had a Fulbright and went to Germany for a year,...

“A big risk I’ve taken recently was deciding to take in an exchange student. It turned out very well. My exchange student and I became super close since he got here. I remember moments where we were just sitting and talking about random stuff and we were connecting on things I didn’t think we ever would be able to. I don’t think coming from different places brought us closer, but it’s just some...

“My biggest regret is last year the state swim meet I placed 4th going into the 100 back. Backstroke is my best stroke, so going into state I wasn’t too worried about that swim. I ended up swimming horribly because I wasn’t prepared for the event and because I blew it off. I placed 16th when I should have been able to podium and drop time. I didn’t know what place I had received right afte...

"My saddest moment was probably the week of September 11th. I lost two family members- not in September 11th, but they died that week. And I used to work for the state, and I was very scared to go to work. It was a sad week- like I couldn't get away from it. I couldn't really sleep, couldn't eat anything, and I actually found out I was pregnant with my daughter. It was just a very traumatic week: that...

“A lot of things motivate me to succeed — but the most important one is probably the people who I surround myself with. My teachers, my family, my friends — all people who impact me in a positive manner and encourage me to be the best I can be."

“I would say, it might seem stressful, but you gotta like go into it. You can’t let the feeling of being a high schooler get to you. Look up to the upperclassmen because they know their stuff. If an upperclassmen is like nice to you, you should always take advice from them. I made friends with Anna Fiacco. She is very sweet and nice and doesn’t look down at you like some seniors do. She answe...

“When I was in first grade, I found out that I was going to be moving from New York to St. Louis. At first when I found out, it was really hard for me because I knew that I would be having to leave behind my really good friends and my family. But now that I have lived here for many years, I have learned how to maintain my friendships with my friends back in New York and I have also made really gre...

"I choose to be a math teacher because I've always wanted to work with kids, especially at the high school level. I think that they are easier to relate to than a small child for me. I really loved it when I was in school myself. I think it's really cool to see all of the connections and patterns in the relationships that are made. I also know that math, not everyone loves. If I can even make one person...

"Mentally, the most challenging thing I've gone through is probably swimming a mile because it was really, like, it's such a long race and you're just, like, staring at the bottom of the pool while your entire body is giving out. You're overheating and your cap starts to slide off and you're losing consciousness. And you're just getting so tired and you can't stop. It's 66 laps of just nonstop death."

"So one time I was in preschool and I was with my friend and I decided that I wanted to give my sister's hamster a bath. I went in my bathroom and filled up my sink with water, and I gave it a bath and then I blow dryer it and thought it was sleeping and then I tucked it into my American girl doll bunk bed. I thought it was asleep. I thought I helped it, and then my mom came upstairs and was like,...

"The moment that I think was the worst moment in my life happened this past spring when my grandfather died, and I was very close with him. It affected me a lot differently than the rest of my family because my family was much more upset and scared that he was going to pass, but I really tried to look at it on the brighter side, and think, well, at least now we know that he's safe. Also, we were very...

"In Belize, with my family, we went on a really, really tough hike. It took like hours and then we were climbing forever. We finally reached a waterfall, and it was like so relaxing and cool and beautiful. It was really cool that we had done all of that and then to reach the ending, it was so rewarding. I guess that shows that if you work hard, you can be rewarded. One time I didn't follow that...

"The other day I got my script for Sweeney Todd and next week is 'Footloose' auditions. Tuesday starts auditions, Tuesday is dance, Wednesday is song and monologue, and Thursday is callbacks. The hardest part is not getting too stressed about it and focusing on school while doing all of the other theatre stuff at the same time. For auditions, you have to rehearse it, rehearse it, rehearse it. You have...

"What is the hardest experience I’ve ever had to deal with in my life? Hm. Learning how to become a parent. How to become a dad. It's a total learning experience. It’s the absolute most difficult thing I’ve ever had to do in my life, but the absolute most rewarding thing I’ve had in my life. The responsibility of trying to raise a human being to become a good person, you know, it’s...the...

"I teach Broadcast Technology I and II. I love it; I've done it ever since I was a kid in high school. I went to college for it and then decided that I wanted to be a teacher and share what I know with the young kids of today. This is my third career. I decided to go back to school after I was laid off of my job. I became a teacher and a coach, and I wanted to teach what I knew, which was broadcas...

“My husband and I are in a band. I’ve always loved music and I've always loved the idea of performing, but I was terrified. I had terrible stage fright for a long time, and I would periodically push myself out there but never really found a band home until I auditioned for the band that he was in. That’s how we met. It's really been a growth opportunity for me because now I rarely get nervou...

“Work towards your own goals even if other people don’t seem to support you.  After Calc BC, everyone in my life: my friends, my teachers, and my parents, they all told me ‘Don’t take Calc III. Don’t push yourself there.’  But I knew that my goal was to study math, so I knew it was a step in the right direction. And I did it anyway because my personal goal was more important than what my...

“Something that I regret doing was I did something bad and got my phone taking away. It happened about 2 weeks ago. I locked my brother out of the house because he was being mean to me. He was chasing me around with a knife so I locked him out and my mom took away my phone for doing that.”

“The most inspirational person I know is from Indiana. He knows the answer to every question. He gives his time and love to the people he cares about the most. He also thinks he is a ninja. The most inspirational person I know never gives up on anything. He wakes up at 5:00 am and asks me what I want for breakfast every morning at 6:00 am sharp. He greets me every morning and asks if the bedbugs...

" My biggest struggle right now is doing  work without my right hand. I broke my right hand a couple weeks ago, and it's been hard writing with out it. I can't wait until I take the cast off. "

"The grass is not always greener on the other side, and I feel like humans always have a tendency to think about what they don't have and what other people have. I think that comparing yourself to others, while it can be a good thing sometimes, I think it can be very negative and lead to sort of depressing thoughts. So, I think the best advice I'd give to someone is to be happy with who you are and...

"My greatest struggle in life is getting me to focus on what's most important in life. I'm always concentrated on materialistic things, although when I come to think of it family by far is one of the most important things to me.I never really realized it until certain moments, when you think about your limited time with your family.Which is why, that's one of my biggest struggles I have come by."  

"Getting up in the morning, just kidding, not really. I guess finding clothes that fit me and don't look so feminine. I don't wear tank tops, or swim in public pools because I'm self conscious. I don't even swim in my own pool at home, its been a year. I don't want to wear baggy clothes either though, its a struggle."

“The highlight of my high school year is going to homecoming, making memories with my friends that I’ll never forget and going to sport games with my friends. I think, going to homecoming is important because it’s something you only get to do a couple of times in your life, and each time can be a different experience. You can go with different people and make fun memories that will last for a...

I don't like to open up to people especially if I don't know them very well. I have never opened up to anyone in my life because I chose to not have secrets and if I did no will know. I don't trust anyone that much, even my own parents. I hate opening up to people so badly I would rather have no secrets them tell a person how I feel. Even someone who is really close to me I haven't opened up to them....

  "My biggest struggle right now would probably be trying to get everything organized between school, sports, work, friends, family and finding my identity. In high school we go through a lot of changes. We figure out what we want to do when we grow up and who we surround ourselves with. I say this because the people you're friends with now, reflect the people who you will be friends with in...

" I struggle with procrastination with homework, I just find it hard because as soon as I get home I take naps, and then once I wake up from the nap I just wanna get on my phone, so its kinds hard to get the power to do the homework. Pros is its a very good school, has a good education system, cons is like the students don't really interact with each other, like there certain groups. I want people...

"One of the people I've had the hardest time forgiving is still one of my best friends. In fourth grade we had some issues, that blew up in a way that really personally affected me, and affected her, and affected everybody that was involved.  It took a couple years for us to solve and get over everything that happened then."

  "Currently I hold down two jobs: one at the Ruth Park Golf Course, and the other at Spectrum E-Cycling, where I disassemble computers. Ideally, I'd like to monitor a YouTube community that helps me with any technology ideas. I recently made a subreddit for my YouTube, 'MCG Tech', and hopefully I can monetize my content and turn it into a side income."

"Playing tennis is the best way for me to decompress when I am stressed about school or anything else because I love to play sports, especially tennis. I always enjoy getting to compete, which eases my mind when it comes to stressful situations inside or outside of school. When I am playing tennis, I completely forget about my problems, and I feel like I am at total peace with myself. Regardless of...

"The biggest challenge for me is staying active on the waiver wire and not knowing when to pick up a player, knowing it'll put my waiver priority at the end. I like playing because it adds much incentive to the game when I watch too. I consider myself one of the best players in the Junior class."

“Things are going pretty good. I do very much (like working here).  This is my sixth year here and my 14th year working in the special school district. We support the kids.”