Page 1: The Initial Letter
Entering my sophomore year of high school, I’m amazed at how the time has flown by, even if for only a year. Covid-19 has brought me so much insight in many aspects of my life, including my purpose in life, how I can achieve my goals and dreams, how I can be my best self, how to live to my fullest potential, and so on. Although so much death, sadness, and depression has struck the world since the pandemic first started, a lot of us are better of mentally than when we entered it.
For my thoughts and expectations entering the year, I can only hope that this year, in terms of events, can be big enough like past years without Covid-19. Dances, rallies, and football games are the pinnacle of teenage life and happiness, and this year our program can really shine given the chance the said events happen. With this group of individuals, we have so much ability, skill, and potential to set up events that can only shock the student body. We have so many hard working and creative people in our class that I personally believe this year, with events, will top previous years by a mile. Academically this year will be harder than the last but I believe that it will be much more fun since I know many more people entering the year in my classes. I hope to personally find much more success in academics due to much better planning. Last year, although satisfactory with all A’s and a 5 on the AP exam, I didn't feel like I was doing enough to reach my full potential. Over this summer I have been overly productive in preparation for the school year ahead, especially with AP World History in which I pre read the book and took full notes so during the year my time wouldn’t be wasted taking notes but rather fully understanding the material. So, during the school year, I hope to achieve those A’s with more understanding and less stress.
I believe that these expectations and thoughts mostly come from the gaining of trust in myself and my leadership family over last school year. Last year I got to meet so many new talented people, which had never happened before. I was suddenly immersed into this environment in which I grew to ultimately love. I have learned to trust everyone in leadership and that is why I have so high of expectations for myself and of leadership this year. I know what we can do with our fullest potential and I really only hope the best for each class even when there is a competition.
Lastly, experience and life skills is what I want to get out of this program, because it will benefit me more in future years than any other class besides AP biology. Regarding classes outside of my potential future major for college/profession, no other class will give back to me like leadership will. Even with me only being in person in the class for ½ of a semester, it gave me so much helpful information that clearly topples any other classes combined. English honors won’t teach me how to write a resume and cover letter, it won’t teach me how to interview. Hopefully for 2 more years I can be in this program because the life skills and experience on how to time manage, communicate, and so many other skills are literally priceless and are so worth it, and it will seriously help me and set me up for success in my future. As a quick example, leadership, along with personal relationships, has potentially given me an internship for a UCSF assistant professor with her own business for next summer (summer of 2022). There is no way in a million years I would get that opportunity without leadership skills/experience, and I am so grateful for that.
Page 2: Favorite Quotes
Section 2: Favorite Quotes
These four quotes I find a relation to because I can parallel them to things I see in day-to-day life. To start, the quote by Julius Caesar represents people who only see leadership for the end result; they ignore all of the hard work and dedication we have put in and only based their opinion on us by our output or things that are out of our control. This can also relate to my life because no matter how hard it is (unless literally impossible with no options) I will do it no matter what. If a job needs to be done, and even if it is out of my comfort zone, I will get it done. If I want something done, I will work 24/7 to reach it. This leads into the second quote, which is that someone’s greatness is established through credibility in whatever field they are in, whether it be sports, academics, or anything else. I have a hard time respecting people academically because they don’t put in the effort yet ask for homework help. Sure, sometimes they literally had no time and are running on 2 hours of sleep, but the majority of the time they are being lazy and are playing video games. I work hard each and every day, working 4+ hours every day on homework, studying, or leadership, and go to bed early for my health because I want my dream job that bad. It doesn’t matter if I am bored out of my mind, as long as I end up getting my dream job, it will all be worth it. The third quote I have repeated to others, not word for word but the concept, multiple times when they are complaining. Luck is a nonexistent thing that only pulls towards the people “who need it the most” AKA the lazy people. If someone thinks luck or hopes that something will fix or they will do well on a test magically that is completely foolish because that is not how life works. If you put in the work, plan ahead, and stay organized you wouldn’t be wishing upon the gods to help you remember, and I have a lack of sympathy for people who do it. Lastly, happiness is not a concrete thing but rather something you can create and destroy in seconds. Happiness is a feeling that we can control and alter if we have the willpower to do so. For example, you get a 100% on a test for a really hard course, like an AP. You will be exhilarated, happy that your hard work paid off. But the teacher comes in and reports to the class that he/she graded it wrong and needs to redo it, and you end up getting an 85% instead. From the viewpoint of extreme happiness to possibly sadness and anger are all controlled from your mind. You can still forge a good ending out of the 85% because you now can learn how to become better at that area with help front the teacher. If the teacher didn’t regrade it, and later on during the AP exams you get the same question, answer it wrong, and think it is right, you will be screwed. Having optimism and a good mindset will fly you ever towards your dreams and goals, you just have to control it.
Page 3: Quotes Pt. 2
“We are always exactly where we are supposed to be for our inner growth. The important thing is to remember that we are in the right place even in difficult times. This way we will suffer less and enjoy our personal journey more.” ― Diana-Maria Georgescu, The Unstoppable Thirst: El Camino de Santiago de Compostela An Alchemic Path Towards The Inner Self
This quote is very important to me because I believe that this quote embodies my year so far. I believe that self-growth was one of the most important factors in this year, and although it wasn’t my main focus of my school year, it quickly turned into the main drive. I found myself to improve various parts of my existence; I wasn’t content. To add to this improvement streak, losing my election added fuel to the fire (I wasn’t too mad at losing, I was rather angry with what I could have done better). I believe from that point forward I really took my life in a very positive direction; I really honed in on what I needed to do. First was my body, through weight lifting and gaining muscle mass and weight. Second was through track; I was and currently am working my butt off each and every day to improve my times and my physical shape. Third, efficiency through my work. I have really discovered that I stress myself out by going on my phone; if I was on my phone for 30 minutes then working vs. finishing the work then going on my phone made life much easier and less pressure on me. The last thing came through Avery and the other senior’s experiences in college applications and acceptances/results. I need to create and build myself up for senior year and so far, up until this point, that I am doing dental opportunities that I need for my future.
Page 4: Goals
Leadership Goals:
Short Term Life Goals:
Long Term Life Goals:
Page 5: Goals Pt. 2
Short term:
- Solid friend group
- Win elections + 5 on APWH
Long term:
- Self-confidence
- Get into college of dreams
Life long:
- Be self-sustaining mentally
- Foster deep connections for decades + achieve dream job
I believe that I have made greater strides in these goals, but some self-realization has really helped with the direction of these goals too. Short term goals: a solid friend group, winning elections and a 5 on APWH. I don’t have a solid friend group, I lost my election, and I believe I will get a 5 on APWH as of now. What I really realized within this is that I don’t really need a solid friend group at least in high school because not everyone is good; everyone is different and diverse but if they don’t follow my morals and goals in life there is no reason to worsen my life just to have more friends. Losing my election, seen in portfolio part 3, I learned a lot from losing this election along with my self improvement goals. Long term: Self-confidence, get into the college of dreams. First, I believe that having self confidence comes from improving yourself and putting in the work to not stay the same each and every day, and I do believe that my confidence has definitely improved. College is really a gray area as of now because of what has happened this year, but I am trying my best to improve my resume as best I can to improve my chances. Life long: be self-sustaining mentally and to foster deep connections for decades and achieve my dream job. To be self-sustaining mentally I believe is in the same category as confidence because it all depends how much work you are putting in each and every day to improve yourself. To foster deep connections for decades and achieve my dream job I believe really ramp up as college rolls around, so I can really judge how well I am in that progress.
Page 6: Magazine Cover
Entering my sophomore year of high school, I’m amazed at how the time has flown by, even if for only a year. Covid-19 has brought me so much insight in many aspects of my life, including my purpose in life, how I can achieve my goals and dreams, how I can be my best self, how to live to my fullest potential, and so on. Although so much death, sadness, and depression has struck the world since the pandemic first started, a lot of us are better of mentally than when we entered it.
For my thoughts and expectations entering the year, I can only hope that this year, in terms of events, can be big enough like past years without Covid-19. Dances, rallies, and football games are the pinnacle of teenage life and happiness, and this year our program can really shine given the chance the said events happen. With this group of individuals, we have so much ability, skill, and potential to set up events that can only shock the student body. We have so many hard working and creative people in our class that I personally believe this year, with events, will top previous years by a mile. Academically this year will be harder than the last but I believe that it will be much more fun since I know many more people entering the year in my classes. I hope to personally find much more success in academics due to much better planning. Last year, although satisfactory with all A’s and a 5 on the AP exam, I didn't feel like I was doing enough to reach my full potential. Over this summer I have been overly productive in preparation for the school year ahead, especially with AP World History in which I pre read the book and took full notes so during the year my time wouldn’t be wasted taking notes but rather fully understanding the material. So, during the school year, I hope to achieve those A’s with more understanding and less stress.
I believe that these expectations and thoughts mostly come from the gaining of trust in myself and my leadership family over last school year. Last year I got to meet so many new talented people, which had never happened before. I was suddenly immersed into this environment in which I grew to ultimately love. I have learned to trust everyone in leadership and that is why I have so high of expectations for myself and of leadership this year. I know what we can do with our fullest potential and I really only hope the best for each class even when there is a competition.
Lastly, experience and life skills is what I want to get out of this program, because it will benefit me more in future years than any other class besides AP biology. Regarding classes outside of my potential future major for college/profession, no other class will give back to me like leadership will. Even with me only being in person in the class for ½ of a semester, it gave me so much helpful information that clearly topples any other classes combined. English honors won’t teach me how to write a resume and cover letter, it won’t teach me how to interview. Hopefully for 2 more years I can be in this program because the life skills and experience on how to time manage, communicate, and so many other skills are literally priceless and are so worth it, and it will seriously help me and set me up for success in my future. As a quick example, leadership, along with personal relationships, has potentially given me an internship for a UCSF assistant professor with her own business for next summer (summer of 2022). There is no way in a million years I would get that opportunity without leadership skills/experience, and I am so grateful for that.
Page 2: Favorite Quotes
Section 2: Favorite Quotes
- “It is easier to find men who will volunteer to die than to find those who are willing to endure pain with patience.” - Julius Caesar
- “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit” – Aristotle
- Luck always seems to be against the man who depends on it. – Anonymous
- “Happiness is not an ideal of reason but of imagination” – Immanuel Kant
These four quotes I find a relation to because I can parallel them to things I see in day-to-day life. To start, the quote by Julius Caesar represents people who only see leadership for the end result; they ignore all of the hard work and dedication we have put in and only based their opinion on us by our output or things that are out of our control. This can also relate to my life because no matter how hard it is (unless literally impossible with no options) I will do it no matter what. If a job needs to be done, and even if it is out of my comfort zone, I will get it done. If I want something done, I will work 24/7 to reach it. This leads into the second quote, which is that someone’s greatness is established through credibility in whatever field they are in, whether it be sports, academics, or anything else. I have a hard time respecting people academically because they don’t put in the effort yet ask for homework help. Sure, sometimes they literally had no time and are running on 2 hours of sleep, but the majority of the time they are being lazy and are playing video games. I work hard each and every day, working 4+ hours every day on homework, studying, or leadership, and go to bed early for my health because I want my dream job that bad. It doesn’t matter if I am bored out of my mind, as long as I end up getting my dream job, it will all be worth it. The third quote I have repeated to others, not word for word but the concept, multiple times when they are complaining. Luck is a nonexistent thing that only pulls towards the people “who need it the most” AKA the lazy people. If someone thinks luck or hopes that something will fix or they will do well on a test magically that is completely foolish because that is not how life works. If you put in the work, plan ahead, and stay organized you wouldn’t be wishing upon the gods to help you remember, and I have a lack of sympathy for people who do it. Lastly, happiness is not a concrete thing but rather something you can create and destroy in seconds. Happiness is a feeling that we can control and alter if we have the willpower to do so. For example, you get a 100% on a test for a really hard course, like an AP. You will be exhilarated, happy that your hard work paid off. But the teacher comes in and reports to the class that he/she graded it wrong and needs to redo it, and you end up getting an 85% instead. From the viewpoint of extreme happiness to possibly sadness and anger are all controlled from your mind. You can still forge a good ending out of the 85% because you now can learn how to become better at that area with help front the teacher. If the teacher didn’t regrade it, and later on during the AP exams you get the same question, answer it wrong, and think it is right, you will be screwed. Having optimism and a good mindset will fly you ever towards your dreams and goals, you just have to control it.
Page 3: Quotes Pt. 2
“We are always exactly where we are supposed to be for our inner growth. The important thing is to remember that we are in the right place even in difficult times. This way we will suffer less and enjoy our personal journey more.” ― Diana-Maria Georgescu, The Unstoppable Thirst: El Camino de Santiago de Compostela An Alchemic Path Towards The Inner Self
This quote is very important to me because I believe that this quote embodies my year so far. I believe that self-growth was one of the most important factors in this year, and although it wasn’t my main focus of my school year, it quickly turned into the main drive. I found myself to improve various parts of my existence; I wasn’t content. To add to this improvement streak, losing my election added fuel to the fire (I wasn’t too mad at losing, I was rather angry with what I could have done better). I believe from that point forward I really took my life in a very positive direction; I really honed in on what I needed to do. First was my body, through weight lifting and gaining muscle mass and weight. Second was through track; I was and currently am working my butt off each and every day to improve my times and my physical shape. Third, efficiency through my work. I have really discovered that I stress myself out by going on my phone; if I was on my phone for 30 minutes then working vs. finishing the work then going on my phone made life much easier and less pressure on me. The last thing came through Avery and the other senior’s experiences in college applications and acceptances/results. I need to create and build myself up for senior year and so far, up until this point, that I am doing dental opportunities that I need for my future.
Page 4: Goals
Leadership Goals:
- Use what I have learned last year and put on a great Homecoming, Winter Formal, Winterfest, and overall events.
- Work as hard as I can through actions to prove and achieve Junior Class Administrative Assistant in February.
Short Term Life Goals:
- Get 3 internships for dental/orthodontics before freshman year college.
- Work as hard as I can academically, be active in sports/clubs, and overall have a good resume for college and hopefully get into a UC or Standford.
Long Term Life Goals:
- Become an orthodontist in a good city/life in a good neighborhood.
- Find peace in my life after establishing a job (wife, kids, no debt, etc.)
Page 5: Goals Pt. 2
Short term:
- Solid friend group
- Win elections + 5 on APWH
Long term:
- Self-confidence
- Get into college of dreams
Life long:
- Be self-sustaining mentally
- Foster deep connections for decades + achieve dream job
I believe that I have made greater strides in these goals, but some self-realization has really helped with the direction of these goals too. Short term goals: a solid friend group, winning elections and a 5 on APWH. I don’t have a solid friend group, I lost my election, and I believe I will get a 5 on APWH as of now. What I really realized within this is that I don’t really need a solid friend group at least in high school because not everyone is good; everyone is different and diverse but if they don’t follow my morals and goals in life there is no reason to worsen my life just to have more friends. Losing my election, seen in portfolio part 3, I learned a lot from losing this election along with my self improvement goals. Long term: Self-confidence, get into the college of dreams. First, I believe that having self confidence comes from improving yourself and putting in the work to not stay the same each and every day, and I do believe that my confidence has definitely improved. College is really a gray area as of now because of what has happened this year, but I am trying my best to improve my resume as best I can to improve my chances. Life long: be self-sustaining mentally and to foster deep connections for decades and achieve my dream job. To be self-sustaining mentally I believe is in the same category as confidence because it all depends how much work you are putting in each and every day to improve yourself. To foster deep connections for decades and achieve my dream job I believe really ramp up as college rolls around, so I can really judge how well I am in that progress.
Page 6: Magazine Cover
Page 7: Magazine Article
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Reaching For the Stars
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By: Ripon High School
Spencer Redula is a sophomore at Ripon high school and has the position of Sophomore Class Administrative Assistant in the leadership class. We interviewed Spencer Redula on the 2nd of October, 2021, and these were his two key takeaways from his year so far.
1. Do not Take Everything Personally; People Love to See Your Downfall
We asked the question, “Spencer, what are the two most important attributes you have to have to be in leadership?” He told us, “Well, if I had to make sure one thing that had to be in your skillset, it would be to not take everything your peers or people around you say personally. This question has many different layers to it, and I will try to dissect it the best I can. I first need to bring up the point that there are many instances, majority even, that you do need to take personal responsibility and figure out either solutions immediately or take note for the next event/activity. As an example, the only main constructive criticism I have gotten about our float was the back sign needing to face the sides or some other component of the trailer to face the sides for a better view for the watchers. I completely agree with their point, and I will definitely take note the next time we do this to not make the same mistake. Going further with this point, most adults and non-rude individuals want to see you succeed, and you should always take it most of the time. Getting onto my main point, most rude people or people that don’t care will always find something to blame you on or make fun of the event, no matter how much work was put into it. Personally, I can always sense in their words if they are trying to help or trying to make fun of the event, and accordingly I either take away or forget about their comment because in the long run, their comment should not affect you at all or make you change how you are.” He summarized his point with the statement that most people your age, fearful of your success and hoping of your failure, will always try to bring you down with them, and it is your choice whether or not to stay successful or fall with them.
2. Communication is the Key to Success
He followed the prior statement with a summary for communication: you have to make sure communication is thorough, precise, and on time to make sure events happen successfully. He recalls the day of the night rally, during the 4th period. He had been informed that people have been unnecessarily kicked out of the dance without our knowledge, and there was a lack of communication. He says that the whole scenario could have been prevented if a foundation of communication was established and stricter rules on if you were or weren’t going to be in it were created, and that was his fault as well as the other officers. After realizing the breach of communication, throughout the poster creation, window decoration, and float creation, he and the other sophomores in the class had excellent communication with each other and they were really proud of our results, even if the judging did not correlate with his opinion on the placing. He sums it up with last year’s core principle: fail forward. If you mess up or make a mistake, learn from it, and fix it the next time. People are not robots and as long as you realize your mistakes and correct them, you have done nothing wrong long term.
Page 8: Role Model
Someone I see as my role model and has really been a positive influence on my life is Sr. Saenz. Although not really recognized by this school, he is seriously a person I am truly indebted for all of the happiness he has given me. Especially coming back to a full in person school year, it has definitely been so much more stressful than freshman year. Yet, his class along with 2 others make school so fun. I don’t have to worry about homework, studying, or anything else, I am just present in that class. All of the dancing, music, and learning is really fun, especially since it is a new language. I think this stems from Avery’s great experience in his class 2 years ago along with having friends in that class to make it very fun. I don’t know if he fully understands how much I appreciate him, so later in the year I am likely to do something for him during teacher appreciation week because he honestly deserves it. He is so patient when teaching, something I don’t have when people don’t listen at all and don’t care for the class. He cares so much for his students’ success and I can really see that in his work. He is always excited in class and wants everyone to fully master the language; his pay doesn’t reflect how much he deserves and I want him to know that. In addition to all of this, he has 2 children and is a great father to him all while balancing teaching and going to student events. He is an overall amazing teacher and I am going to miss him when I graduate.
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Reaching For the Stars
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By: Ripon High School
Spencer Redula is a sophomore at Ripon high school and has the position of Sophomore Class Administrative Assistant in the leadership class. We interviewed Spencer Redula on the 2nd of October, 2021, and these were his two key takeaways from his year so far.
1. Do not Take Everything Personally; People Love to See Your Downfall
We asked the question, “Spencer, what are the two most important attributes you have to have to be in leadership?” He told us, “Well, if I had to make sure one thing that had to be in your skillset, it would be to not take everything your peers or people around you say personally. This question has many different layers to it, and I will try to dissect it the best I can. I first need to bring up the point that there are many instances, majority even, that you do need to take personal responsibility and figure out either solutions immediately or take note for the next event/activity. As an example, the only main constructive criticism I have gotten about our float was the back sign needing to face the sides or some other component of the trailer to face the sides for a better view for the watchers. I completely agree with their point, and I will definitely take note the next time we do this to not make the same mistake. Going further with this point, most adults and non-rude individuals want to see you succeed, and you should always take it most of the time. Getting onto my main point, most rude people or people that don’t care will always find something to blame you on or make fun of the event, no matter how much work was put into it. Personally, I can always sense in their words if they are trying to help or trying to make fun of the event, and accordingly I either take away or forget about their comment because in the long run, their comment should not affect you at all or make you change how you are.” He summarized his point with the statement that most people your age, fearful of your success and hoping of your failure, will always try to bring you down with them, and it is your choice whether or not to stay successful or fall with them.
2. Communication is the Key to Success
He followed the prior statement with a summary for communication: you have to make sure communication is thorough, precise, and on time to make sure events happen successfully. He recalls the day of the night rally, during the 4th period. He had been informed that people have been unnecessarily kicked out of the dance without our knowledge, and there was a lack of communication. He says that the whole scenario could have been prevented if a foundation of communication was established and stricter rules on if you were or weren’t going to be in it were created, and that was his fault as well as the other officers. After realizing the breach of communication, throughout the poster creation, window decoration, and float creation, he and the other sophomores in the class had excellent communication with each other and they were really proud of our results, even if the judging did not correlate with his opinion on the placing. He sums it up with last year’s core principle: fail forward. If you mess up or make a mistake, learn from it, and fix it the next time. People are not robots and as long as you realize your mistakes and correct them, you have done nothing wrong long term.
Page 8: Role Model
Someone I see as my role model and has really been a positive influence on my life is Sr. Saenz. Although not really recognized by this school, he is seriously a person I am truly indebted for all of the happiness he has given me. Especially coming back to a full in person school year, it has definitely been so much more stressful than freshman year. Yet, his class along with 2 others make school so fun. I don’t have to worry about homework, studying, or anything else, I am just present in that class. All of the dancing, music, and learning is really fun, especially since it is a new language. I think this stems from Avery’s great experience in his class 2 years ago along with having friends in that class to make it very fun. I don’t know if he fully understands how much I appreciate him, so later in the year I am likely to do something for him during teacher appreciation week because he honestly deserves it. He is so patient when teaching, something I don’t have when people don’t listen at all and don’t care for the class. He cares so much for his students’ success and I can really see that in his work. He is always excited in class and wants everyone to fully master the language; his pay doesn’t reflect how much he deserves and I want him to know that. In addition to all of this, he has 2 children and is a great father to him all while balancing teaching and going to student events. He is an overall amazing teacher and I am going to miss him when I graduate.
Page 9: The Inner Animal
The animal that describes my personality is the kangaroo. This animal represents me not because of its standoff nature, but rather because of how it treats its children in its pouch. Although harsh, I truly only care about the special people in my life and nothing else. This includes friends, family, and pets. Now, why am I like this? The reason comes from my own philosophy of high school; I will let no one, and I mean no one, ruin my high school experience no matter who they are or where they come from. I won’t ruin my own reputation for others, I won’t give homework to the slackers. I can recognize those who work hard towards their goal and befriend them, because I know that most people out here are only at RHS to scrape by and be a no-life; so why should I care about them? Like the kangaroo, the people in my pouch I will care for, help out, and defend them no matter the cause (granted death scenarios are different). Even if it appears obvious to other people I could care less, because they will go nowhere in life with a negative attitude, no work ethic, and being lazy. I am fully prepared for hell or high water for them, because I would sacrifice myself (to an extent) for their greater good. Like a kangaroo, I will nurture those who I call my own because I love to see success in those I trust and love to see their hard work pay off. Even if I won’t see or talk to them in 20 years, I can see the potential they have and want to push them to their greatest self everyday of the week until we graduate.
The animal that describes my personality is the kangaroo. This animal represents me not because of its standoff nature, but rather because of how it treats its children in its pouch. Although harsh, I truly only care about the special people in my life and nothing else. This includes friends, family, and pets. Now, why am I like this? The reason comes from my own philosophy of high school; I will let no one, and I mean no one, ruin my high school experience no matter who they are or where they come from. I won’t ruin my own reputation for others, I won’t give homework to the slackers. I can recognize those who work hard towards their goal and befriend them, because I know that most people out here are only at RHS to scrape by and be a no-life; so why should I care about them? Like the kangaroo, the people in my pouch I will care for, help out, and defend them no matter the cause (granted death scenarios are different). Even if it appears obvious to other people I could care less, because they will go nowhere in life with a negative attitude, no work ethic, and being lazy. I am fully prepared for hell or high water for them, because I would sacrifice myself (to an extent) for their greater good. Like a kangaroo, I will nurture those who I call my own because I love to see success in those I trust and love to see their hard work pay off. Even if I won’t see or talk to them in 20 years, I can see the potential they have and want to push them to their greatest self everyday of the week until we graduate.
Page 10: The Best Things About Me
Page 11: The Impact of Sound & Words
Chamber of Reflection by Mac DeMarco
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Spend some time away
Getting ready for the day you're born again
Spend some time alone
Understand that soon you'll run with better men
Alone again
Alone again
Alone again
Alone again
Alone
No use looking out
It's within that brings that lonely feeling
Understand that when you leave here, you'll be clear
Among the better men
Alone again
Alone again
Alone again
Alone again
Alone
Alone again
Alone again
Alone again
Alone
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Life can be very frustrating, especially with everything that has happened in recent times. I believe that this song demonstrates who I am because of the recurring theme of being by myself; it is not that there are no outlets to go to, no support, but because of personal thoughts. No matter what route you take, each action you make, in the end you are always “alone again.” You fully only have yourself to rely on, only have yourself to change who you are, only have yourself for all of your problems. You control your life, you control your actions, you are the only factor that you are 100% certain will be actually happening. I embraced this especially this year because life is a long road if you play it well, but I will always have myself. No matter how many people break my heart, how many people die around me, how many people leave and join me, I will stay constant, so striving for contentness within oneself is truly the only thing valuable.
Chamber of Reflection by Mac DeMarco
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Spend some time away
Getting ready for the day you're born again
Spend some time alone
Understand that soon you'll run with better men
Alone again
Alone again
Alone again
Alone again
Alone
No use looking out
It's within that brings that lonely feeling
Understand that when you leave here, you'll be clear
Among the better men
Alone again
Alone again
Alone again
Alone again
Alone
Alone again
Alone again
Alone again
Alone
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Life can be very frustrating, especially with everything that has happened in recent times. I believe that this song demonstrates who I am because of the recurring theme of being by myself; it is not that there are no outlets to go to, no support, but because of personal thoughts. No matter what route you take, each action you make, in the end you are always “alone again.” You fully only have yourself to rely on, only have yourself to change who you are, only have yourself for all of your problems. You control your life, you control your actions, you are the only factor that you are 100% certain will be actually happening. I embraced this especially this year because life is a long road if you play it well, but I will always have myself. No matter how many people break my heart, how many people die around me, how many people leave and join me, I will stay constant, so striving for contentness within oneself is truly the only thing valuable.
Page 12: Homecoming Activities Photo Gallery
Page 14: What I Like Best About Being a Member of Leadership
If I had to choose 3 best memories or moments in leadership this year, they would be: the back to school dance, Homecoming in its entirety, and at large the lunches in Morty’s office.
The back to school dance was really an amazing memory because the fun wasn’t just with friends outside of leadership; everyone just enjoyed themselves for those 3 hours. I remember being in the mosh then seeing Naomi, Anthony, and Emma. They pulled me in, we started going crazy, and it was just an amazing bonding experience for everyone I was with. In addition, setting up was very fun, going back and forth just talking with some people and I really enjoyed that. Setting down also has a memory to it as it was the first time my ears got blown out and my hearing was muffled. I was picking up trash and practically yelling to talk to people, and the memories were honestly amazing.
Next, Homecoming this year was a flurry of things going on. Favorite memories include: Working at Ava B.’s house, getting talked to by Morty, lip-sync dance, poster looking trash, and much more. A distinct memory that I have is when we were at Ava B.’s house midway through Homecoming. It was me, Jenna S., Devin, Payton, Kylee, and Allie. We were painting part of the float and we decided to try to arm wrestle. I ended up arm wrestling Jenna twice, Devin once, and Devin ended up chickening out of arm wrestling Jenna for some odd reason. Another memory to accompany this would be when we, as an idea, tried to drill 2 wood pallets together (me, Jenna, Devin). It was a crazy experience, no one got hurt, and we were laughing for at least 30 minutes about it.
Lastly, eating lunch in Morty’s office is one of my favorite memories because the things that go down there are just hilarious. Best people to be in there: Abby T, Bryan, Derek, Naomi, Devin, or Avery for a couple of moments. Although most of the time I am just getting homework done, it is so funny sometimes what goes down in there and I never miss the opportunity to be in there when people I listed above are there.
If I had to choose 3 best memories or moments in leadership this year, they would be: the back to school dance, Homecoming in its entirety, and at large the lunches in Morty’s office.
The back to school dance was really an amazing memory because the fun wasn’t just with friends outside of leadership; everyone just enjoyed themselves for those 3 hours. I remember being in the mosh then seeing Naomi, Anthony, and Emma. They pulled me in, we started going crazy, and it was just an amazing bonding experience for everyone I was with. In addition, setting up was very fun, going back and forth just talking with some people and I really enjoyed that. Setting down also has a memory to it as it was the first time my ears got blown out and my hearing was muffled. I was picking up trash and practically yelling to talk to people, and the memories were honestly amazing.
Next, Homecoming this year was a flurry of things going on. Favorite memories include: Working at Ava B.’s house, getting talked to by Morty, lip-sync dance, poster looking trash, and much more. A distinct memory that I have is when we were at Ava B.’s house midway through Homecoming. It was me, Jenna S., Devin, Payton, Kylee, and Allie. We were painting part of the float and we decided to try to arm wrestle. I ended up arm wrestling Jenna twice, Devin once, and Devin ended up chickening out of arm wrestling Jenna for some odd reason. Another memory to accompany this would be when we, as an idea, tried to drill 2 wood pallets together (me, Jenna, Devin). It was a crazy experience, no one got hurt, and we were laughing for at least 30 minutes about it.
Lastly, eating lunch in Morty’s office is one of my favorite memories because the things that go down there are just hilarious. Best people to be in there: Abby T, Bryan, Derek, Naomi, Devin, or Avery for a couple of moments. Although most of the time I am just getting homework done, it is so funny sometimes what goes down in there and I never miss the opportunity to be in there when people I listed above are there.
Page 15: A Reflection of a Peer in Leadership
The relationship that I have with Kylee is not one sided; we are always there for one another and although most times I am there for her, the moments with her where she helps me I can’t express how grateful I am for her. A time where Kylee helped me was during Winter Formal. Despite everything she had to do, despite her time commitments, she found time to personally help me with anything I had questions on. When I didn’t know what to do, she gave me something plausible to do within my own skill. Whenever I was stuck thinking about creative ideas, she would make time to bounce ideas off of her to help me out. During this event, she really showcased her leadership to me, and although we did end up having some problems, we fixed them and the event was an overall success. Although this moment pertains to me, there have been many times where she has helped other people. She is such a selfless person and puts other people before her, even sometimes when it is unhealthy, because she truly cares about the people around her. |
Page 16: RHS Pride Photo Gallery
Page 18:What I love to do...
I really don’t have too many hobbies outside of school; the main ones I can think of are: track, the gym, and watching shows. Track is such a great hobby not only for the physical benefits but also for the social and mental aspects. Track really pushes you to be the absolute best that you can be. Your brain constantly keeps telling you to give up over and over again but you continue and push through even when you want to throw up or your legs are on fire. Second, the gym is a great place where I can push myself physically and have some “alone time” to myself even though I go to a public gym. Even though I am sweating and working out hard, it is such a therapeutic experience. Over the course of months, I can see my progress through photos and body weight and it is a great positive indicator to show the fruits of my labor. Last, watching shows like anime or Netflix I find great joy in. Although I don’t do it that often for long periods of time, taking some time for myself really helps me during tough times. I really enjoy watching shows and it relaxes me a lot.
I really don’t have too many hobbies outside of school; the main ones I can think of are: track, the gym, and watching shows. Track is such a great hobby not only for the physical benefits but also for the social and mental aspects. Track really pushes you to be the absolute best that you can be. Your brain constantly keeps telling you to give up over and over again but you continue and push through even when you want to throw up or your legs are on fire. Second, the gym is a great place where I can push myself physically and have some “alone time” to myself even though I go to a public gym. Even though I am sweating and working out hard, it is such a therapeutic experience. Over the course of months, I can see my progress through photos and body weight and it is a great positive indicator to show the fruits of my labor. Last, watching shows like anime or Netflix I find great joy in. Although I don’t do it that often for long periods of time, taking some time for myself really helps me during tough times. I really enjoy watching shows and it relaxes me a lot.
Page 19: Letter to Parents
Dear Mom and Dad,
Thank you so much for what you have done for me and for Avery throughout our entire lives and what you will continue to do for us. You have really set us up for success; although you repeat over and over the lines of “don’t be poor” or things of the sort, there really is no reason why we can’t be successful by the way we live our lives. Any food or thing we want within reason we can have. Our college - paid for. You pay for our cars and insurance. We don’t have to think about anything but academics and succeeding in life, and you really have given us a 1 in over a million opportunity in this life. I could not be more grateful for the situation that I am in, and I work each and every day to try to compensate for the debt I have accumulated to you. You make great sacrifices for our greater good and you do things most parents don’t do to make sure we succeed. You push us to greatness and only want the best for us, and I am very thankful for that and proud to be your son. Thank you for being amazing parents and people to be around.
Love,
Spencer
Dear Mom and Dad,
Thank you so much for what you have done for me and for Avery throughout our entire lives and what you will continue to do for us. You have really set us up for success; although you repeat over and over the lines of “don’t be poor” or things of the sort, there really is no reason why we can’t be successful by the way we live our lives. Any food or thing we want within reason we can have. Our college - paid for. You pay for our cars and insurance. We don’t have to think about anything but academics and succeeding in life, and you really have given us a 1 in over a million opportunity in this life. I could not be more grateful for the situation that I am in, and I work each and every day to try to compensate for the debt I have accumulated to you. You make great sacrifices for our greater good and you do things most parents don’t do to make sure we succeed. You push us to greatness and only want the best for us, and I am very thankful for that and proud to be your son. Thank you for being amazing parents and people to be around.
Love,
Spencer
Page 20: Your True Legacy
Dear Gia Grewal,
The officer position of administrative assistant is one that requires a lot of time-management, organziation, communication, and hard work. Just to do a quick overview of the things that I do in this position, it is: all paperwork (POs, most of the time procedure forms, announcement forms, dance procedure forms, etc), managing the budget and everything with expenditures, as well as minutes with the class. I believe that I can trust you in making sure that you do your job throughout the year. Starting chronologically, orientation and club rush aren’t that big of a deal as long as you communicate and make sure you have all of your decoration supplies for the tables ahead of time. What we did as an officer team this year was ordering general decorations for our class color so that we could use them throughout the year and in the years following; it was only about $80 and we will continue to use it next year and senior year. Homecoming you just have to be constantly working on all of the forms everyday even if it is only for 10-20 minutes, and whenever you have POs (both purple and white) take photos of them for proof. For Winter Formal, you just have to be organized, stay ahead with orders and planning, and communicate as a team; I believe your team will do great and the paperwork is a very small component of it. Lastly, Winterfest as you know is a toned down version of Homecoming so it is applicable there. Wish you the best of luck for you and your officer team.
Dear Gia Grewal,
The officer position of administrative assistant is one that requires a lot of time-management, organziation, communication, and hard work. Just to do a quick overview of the things that I do in this position, it is: all paperwork (POs, most of the time procedure forms, announcement forms, dance procedure forms, etc), managing the budget and everything with expenditures, as well as minutes with the class. I believe that I can trust you in making sure that you do your job throughout the year. Starting chronologically, orientation and club rush aren’t that big of a deal as long as you communicate and make sure you have all of your decoration supplies for the tables ahead of time. What we did as an officer team this year was ordering general decorations for our class color so that we could use them throughout the year and in the years following; it was only about $80 and we will continue to use it next year and senior year. Homecoming you just have to be constantly working on all of the forms everyday even if it is only for 10-20 minutes, and whenever you have POs (both purple and white) take photos of them for proof. For Winter Formal, you just have to be organized, stay ahead with orders and planning, and communicate as a team; I believe your team will do great and the paperwork is a very small component of it. Lastly, Winterfest as you know is a toned down version of Homecoming so it is applicable there. Wish you the best of luck for you and your officer team.
Page 21: Do's and Don'ts List
Do’s
Do’s
- Communicate even if it seems small
- Have everything planned out weeks in advance if possible
- Stay organized in paperwork, checking POs, and work together as best you can
- Have fun with the year and your team
- Open mindset to become better personally in all areas of your life as well as your team’s performance
- Assume that people know the info you do
- Rush last minute and procrastinate
- Blindly do things, especially if you are not 100% sure they will work out
- Overstress the events and their outcomes, not everything will be perfect
- Never think your results will become better as time goes on
Page 22: The Contact List
Contact #1: Events 22
Contact #2: Dr. Brian K. Hutto (Modesto Oral Surgery)
Contact #3: Dr. Sean F. Mullins
Contact #4: Dr. Brad Pezoldt
Contact #5: Ann Pendleton
Contact #1: Events 22
- (209) 552-5969
- 202 E Main St, Ripon, CA 95366
- No email address
Contact #2: Dr. Brian K. Hutto (Modesto Oral Surgery)
- (209) 522-5238
- 1213 Coffee Rd, Modesto, CA 95355
- [email protected]
Contact #3: Dr. Sean F. Mullins
- (209) 521-2566
- 1316 Coffee Rd B-4, Modesto, CA 95355
- No email address
Contact #4: Dr. Brad Pezoldt
- (209) 524-8381
- 1316 Coffee Rd #D10, Modesto, CA 95355
- No email address, pezoldtorthodontics.com
Contact #5: Ann Pendleton
- (209) 541-4020
- 301 N Acacia Ave, Ripon, CA 95366
- [email protected]
Page 24: The Professional
Two aspects that were discussed this year that have grown me as a leader would be a letter to someone you would like to thank as well as book study as a whole. First, the activity where we had to thank someone in a letter and then we were “surprised” when we actually had to call them or talk to them and thank them was one of the most important events for me because it emphasized self love. Without knowing, I wrote the letter to myself, and obviously I couldn’t call myself, but the letter itself was very genuine. I wrote what I truly felt and I keep it in my AP World History binder everyday. The second aspect in this year with a lot of discussion was the book study. I really enjoy doing this book slowly because it gives time to think about each chapter and how it can impact your life. Topics such as de-stressing your life, forgetting about bad things, or letting go of blasting out at someone really help the class and myself as a whole. One big thing, as presented in the title, is to really forget the small things in life that aren’t worth your time. It is much better to spend your time on things that actually matter to you.
Page 25: Change
This year has really been a year to enjoy but also a year to remember as a year for personal change within me. Throughout the span of only a handful of months, I believe that my maturity, professionalism, work ethic, time management, responsibility, dependability, reliability, and many other attributes have significantly gotten better. A key note about this year is learning from everything that I do, even if I do succeed. Everything has something to take away from it, and believing otherwise is blindness to progress. I have really switched the way that I work now; of course I still have my google spreadsheet but after Winter Break as well as this past summer, I really have realized how little work we have throughout Freshman year and Sophomore year. Sure it was a change within the amount of work, but even with a plethora of events that we didn’t have last year, you can still manage it if you alter your lifestyle that isn’t helping you. As an example, most people have 2 or more hours on their phone each and every day. Taking away 30 minutes for messages and while taking a dump, you are wasting more than an hour and a half worth of time to work. When people say they don’t have time to do something, it is because they procrastinate, sit on Tiktok, and do nothing. Adding on to that, that is also why I don’t play video games anymore. I have progressed as a leader that video games are nothing more than a waste of time unless you are playing with many friends who are physically around you. Going onto the next topic, a time of frustration I had with myself was during Winter Break with how much time I was wasting on my phone. As I have said previously, I was wasting my time on Tiktok, CoC, and Instagram. Whenever I did work I would instinctively grab my phone and start scrolling mid session of homework, and it was frankly a toxic and negative trait to have. As a result, I moved Tik Tok off of my front screen so I have to search it up to get to it and whenever I grab my phone I have to immediately put it down and face it downwards on silence to get back to work, and I am really proud of myself for putting myself in order. Last, a positive change that would be implemented in the classroom that I believe would help out the class would be an almost rat line to call people out for not doing their work or messing around and it frustrating them while being anonymous. This would allow for the situation to be resolved positively and with another change in the elections system to account for how well we have done throughout our leadership career would make the class more accurate to the leaders that put in the work and don’t slack off 99% of the time.
Two aspects that were discussed this year that have grown me as a leader would be a letter to someone you would like to thank as well as book study as a whole. First, the activity where we had to thank someone in a letter and then we were “surprised” when we actually had to call them or talk to them and thank them was one of the most important events for me because it emphasized self love. Without knowing, I wrote the letter to myself, and obviously I couldn’t call myself, but the letter itself was very genuine. I wrote what I truly felt and I keep it in my AP World History binder everyday. The second aspect in this year with a lot of discussion was the book study. I really enjoy doing this book slowly because it gives time to think about each chapter and how it can impact your life. Topics such as de-stressing your life, forgetting about bad things, or letting go of blasting out at someone really help the class and myself as a whole. One big thing, as presented in the title, is to really forget the small things in life that aren’t worth your time. It is much better to spend your time on things that actually matter to you.
Page 25: Change
This year has really been a year to enjoy but also a year to remember as a year for personal change within me. Throughout the span of only a handful of months, I believe that my maturity, professionalism, work ethic, time management, responsibility, dependability, reliability, and many other attributes have significantly gotten better. A key note about this year is learning from everything that I do, even if I do succeed. Everything has something to take away from it, and believing otherwise is blindness to progress. I have really switched the way that I work now; of course I still have my google spreadsheet but after Winter Break as well as this past summer, I really have realized how little work we have throughout Freshman year and Sophomore year. Sure it was a change within the amount of work, but even with a plethora of events that we didn’t have last year, you can still manage it if you alter your lifestyle that isn’t helping you. As an example, most people have 2 or more hours on their phone each and every day. Taking away 30 minutes for messages and while taking a dump, you are wasting more than an hour and a half worth of time to work. When people say they don’t have time to do something, it is because they procrastinate, sit on Tiktok, and do nothing. Adding on to that, that is also why I don’t play video games anymore. I have progressed as a leader that video games are nothing more than a waste of time unless you are playing with many friends who are physically around you. Going onto the next topic, a time of frustration I had with myself was during Winter Break with how much time I was wasting on my phone. As I have said previously, I was wasting my time on Tiktok, CoC, and Instagram. Whenever I did work I would instinctively grab my phone and start scrolling mid session of homework, and it was frankly a toxic and negative trait to have. As a result, I moved Tik Tok off of my front screen so I have to search it up to get to it and whenever I grab my phone I have to immediately put it down and face it downwards on silence to get back to work, and I am really proud of myself for putting myself in order. Last, a positive change that would be implemented in the classroom that I believe would help out the class would be an almost rat line to call people out for not doing their work or messing around and it frustrating them while being anonymous. This would allow for the situation to be resolved positively and with another change in the elections system to account for how well we have done throughout our leadership career would make the class more accurate to the leaders that put in the work and don’t slack off 99% of the time.
Page 26: The Ideal Leader
An ideal leader in my words is someone who dedicates their time “taking it personally”. What I mean by this is that it is someone who only really cares about their growth (talking about in high school) over anything, but still stays kind to others that deserve it and have their respect. In class, they pay attention, ask questions when they are confused, and always help out people if their time permits. Planning and preparing events aren’t always a breeze, so when they do plan it out, they are very methodical and prepared for everything. They get things before they are due, always check up on things that need to be done, puts in work everyday, communicates well, and always takes something away from their events once it is done. Homework is a no brainer; you turn in your work before it is due or right on time, always diligent in work, and is efficient and time manages the work to make it sustainable for themselves.
An ideal leader in my words is someone who dedicates their time “taking it personally”. What I mean by this is that it is someone who only really cares about their growth (talking about in high school) over anything, but still stays kind to others that deserve it and have their respect. In class, they pay attention, ask questions when they are confused, and always help out people if their time permits. Planning and preparing events aren’t always a breeze, so when they do plan it out, they are very methodical and prepared for everything. They get things before they are due, always check up on things that need to be done, puts in work everyday, communicates well, and always takes something away from their events once it is done. Homework is a no brainer; you turn in your work before it is due or right on time, always diligent in work, and is efficient and time manages the work to make it sustainable for themselves.
Page 27: You
Improvement
Improvement
Final Portfolio (Cumulative)
#1: Procedure Form
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#2: Evaluation by AD and ASB President
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#3: Purchase Order
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#4: Class Budget
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#5: ASB Formal Report
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#6: Minutes
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#7: Social Media Post
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