Assignment 1: Megan Meadors

My name is Megan Meadors. My goal for this school year is to pass all of my AP exams, continue to be involved in the theater, and to audition for GSA. During the summer vacation I went on an exchange to Deauville, France with the Lexington Sister Cities for three weeks. It’s really difficult to choose the most meaningful moment of the exchange, but I would have to say it’s between the day me and my correspondent spent exploring Trouville sur mer (the city where I stayed) and when I was with a bunch of family friends and they asked me to sing for them. On that same note, if I had any superpower, I would want to be able to teleport because I want to travel the world, and being able to teleport I could travel where I want when I want. I really enjoy musical theatre and although I don’t think I’ll be a star on Broadway by any means, I like to listen to Broadway Cast Recordings, so here is a link to the Cast Recording of Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STzIIYf3iS0&list=PL8SjdpmZomAqWqlYj-JTTPxuyyyET8FdM. Also, here’s a picture from France that I took at the Louvre and its probably one of my favorite pictures

Assignment 8- Andrew Rogers

Fears: unprotected heights, drowning, disappointing my parents, failing in life

Annoyances: My dad chewing, people not using car signals, 

Accomplishments: good brother, I'm not dead yet

Confusions: Thinking about forever, deep convoluted thoughts 

Sorrows: never played soccer when I was younger, abortions

Dreams: roller coaster designer, a professional soccer player, teaching a class on the Columbian exchange

Idiosyncrasies: excessive knowledge about historical disasters

Risks: Will ride all roller coasters, Skydive, 

Beloved Possessions: Beyblades (then), my closest friends (now)

Problems: Procrastination, Becoming easily distracted when doing homework

Being raised in the Church I've been taught a lot about heaven and God. One thing that both of them have in common is that they last forever. The concept of forever has blown my mind ever since I was young. I've literally never gotten my head around it. As humans, everything we do is bound by the constraints of time, so envisioning something that exists outside the realm of time, kind of breaks our minds. This is one of those ideas that I feel that not many people think about because it seems futile to waste time on something that we feel isn't necessary to think of, due to our existence based on time. But it is interesting to see how our brains try to comprehend concepts that are beyond our own and worthwhile to further our own knowledge. I have sat down on occasions and thought about it, and I encourage that you try it as well, and get lost in the ever-swirling complexity of forever. 

Assignment 7--Eli Wrinn

My aspiration is to become well, schooled in almost every area--a renaissance man if you will. This is partly why I chose the liberal arts academy over the other STEM programs I was accepted into. I'm sure you can see this through my blog posts, I touch politics, philosophy, science, and art. (Mainly because you made me but I'm interested in the stuff as well) I also want to be well schooled in history, because one of my favorite things to do is find continuities between the subjects and history can provide the perspective to do so. I do not require a lot from my college, I have been rather irked by the college process and do not feel that it selects students effectively and objectively, so I am strongly considering attending UK to save time and money. Despite this, my preferred college follows the following criteria, "big school small city or small school big city or even big school small city." I do not want to be in the middle of nowhere, I think being in the middle of an active society would be an important part of the education. Colleges I am looking at like this are Chicago University, Johns Hopkins, and Brown. These schools also provide opportunities to continue my career in either basketball or baseball. If I get a well-rounded education from a place like these, I could take a job in any area while still being able to study and be familiar with other areas for personal work and thought. Keeping my options open is very important to me.   

Assignment Five: Elizabeth Piper

You usually don't find me watching TV. As often as I can you will find me watching a nightly game of Jeopardy. Other than that I do not watch much TV. I think it is because I am often busy doing something else around the house or I am just simply not at home. I would much rather listen to music than watch TV.

I think TV could possibly be a good source of entertainment for some but I find most of the shows especially the reality shows to be inane and a waste of time. I'm sure people have something better to do than watch other people make bad decisions and start drama. I do not find that entertaining in the slightest. However, the news and documentaries of historical shows are great. I feel that TV is absolutely necessary so people can see the news and they can stay informed on current events. I also believe it is a good educational tool in some cases. Even though, there are many advertisements on TV I think that they are necessary so the general population knows what products are out there and it is an effective way of reaching the masses.

I think that there being so much emphasis on the Emmy's compared to the Nobel Prizes are bad. However, I don't think that is ever going to change. Frankly, people just do not care about the next new science concept they want to see people in fancy clothes living the life of luxury. Although that is terrible it is the truth. In today's world it is all about pop culture and celebrities living the lavish lifestyle. In some way I think that many people want to embody these celebrities and live as luxurious as they do. They aspire to this and that's why the Emmy's are so popular. It gives everyone a taste and a glimpse into the "high life".

Assignment Seven: Elizabeth Piper

College. The prospect that I will be attending to college in two years seems impossible. It is even scary. College is often talked about around my family and school. I have started to look into colleges and my dream college would be the University of Pennsylvania. I want to go into a business major and the Wharton School of Business is one of the top business schools in the country. I am very excited to be able to make my own study schedules in college and just go to the campuses library and just sit down and study. I am also excited about all of the diverse clubs and organizations that college offers. There are activities for just about everyone which is a very exciting prospect. You can explore your interests and really find what best fits you. I feel that in college everything you put into it is what you're gonna get out of it. I am thrilled to start the learning process in college and how independent it is. The University of Pennsylvania is the perfect college of me because it is in the heart of Philadelphia which is a beautiful historic city and the opportunities on campus are so diverse. I believe that the education I get there will be one of the best possible educations I could get and it will be well worth going there when it comes time to start looking for a job and finding my career for life.

Assignment 6--Eli Wrinn

As you may learn from my previous blog posts, I like to think on philosophical subjects a lot. I would join Philosophy Club if I didn't have Baseball or Basketball 6 days a week. It has really been difficult to approach this assignment, so I will just list areas I think about a lot.

Politics: My mentality at this point is "Just as a corrupt king cannot be trusted to lead people, an uninformed public cannot be trusted to know its best self-interests." This is not just coming from a bitter HRC supporter, I realize it was inevitable for an unqualified joke to take office. And unlike some people that share my views, I don't now respect "moderate" people of the other party, because "it could be so much worse." The situation we are in now is their doing. Their de-funding of education and creating the muse of "grassroots" character culminated in the previous election. However, I believe that situation was inevitable as well; if large corporations are given any influence to the source of power at all, they will use it to benefit themselves until the government becomes dysfunctional. However, I believe that situation is inevitable as well--there will always be greedy people. I am still thinking of my solution to this dilemma, maybe it is a technocracy. (It isn't a movie where everything goes wrong, it would be well-executed)

Technology: If anyone says they miss the good old days, the good old days had someone who missed the good old days. And this repeats until the dawn of man, and then to the dawn of life. I believe the advancement of technology is only evolution, just in a different form. Just like any evolution, it is effective as well as inevitable. Therefore, we should embrace it and see how far it takes us. If humans are like they are described in The Matrix as "a virus," why don't we spread and overtake whatever left us clueless and alone.

Aliens: I do not believe aliens exist, our story of evolution happened about as fast as possible and the odds seem insurmountable. But I believe they should and will with our help. There are many different life forms that can survive in space and I'm sure they can be made to reproduce on other planets, starting their own process of evolution. Like I said before, let's spread our virus.

Origins: I believe the quantum theory of the Big Bang is the most viable. Under it, it is completely possible for an explosion like such to occur, and we are simply living on the debris of the explosion. I believe, like any explosion, it will die down and all matter will decay in a ridiculous amount of years. 

Assignment 8- Brennan Cegelka

Fears: Family Shame, Baseball
Annoyances: My Brother, Ignorance
Accomplishments: Grades, Happiness
Confusions: Religion
Sorrows: Baseball, Inner Drive
Dreams: Success and Fulfillment
Idiosyncrasies: unknown
Risks: Living in a far unknown place, a month off-grid
Beloved Possessions, Now and Then: Video Games (Then) My CD collection (Now)
Problems: Organization

 Someone is always working harder. Someone is always more talented. Someone is always going to be better. This is the reality in anything competitive. When I’m sound asleep at 5:30AM, there is someone doing pushups in their room or hitting off the tee in a warehouse. I have to work tirelessly to get my arm velocity to 80 MPH, yet some people can through into the 90’s with little to no effort. I could do all the 6:30 A.M. workouts I want; there’s going to be somebody somewhere working harder. What’s my biggest fear? That someone’s better. All I can do is play to the best of my abilities and work as hard as possible. That’s all any of us are capable of. If I come to grips with these facts of competitiveness, I believe that I will overcome this fear. Until then, you know where to find me at 6:30 A.M.

Assignment 8-

Fears- heights, growing up, losing people close to me
Annoyances- pretentious people, oblivious people
Accomplishments- building computer,
Confusions- religion
Sorrows- appearance, weight, sweatiness
Dreams- moving out
Idiosyncracies- nerd, PC games
Risks- climbing across log (scraped up leg)
Beloved Possessions- Stuffed Winnie the Pooh (then), shelf of trinkets (now)
Problems-Time Management

One of the more recent developments to me has been my extremely sweaty body. I sweat a LOT. I purchase shirts that have darker tint so that when I do sweat, you can't see that I have because of the color of my shirt. It happens all the time. One minute I'll just be sitting at my desk, perfectly normal, the next, I'll be covered in sweat head to toe, my shirt stained from all the sweat. Some days I can literally feel the sweat running down my body in the gap between my shirt and my body. It grosses me out, and definitely embarrasses me. People mention it to me all the time, as if I don't know I'm a sweaty mess. Band helps, since everyone outside gets sweaty with me. But, I still get my shirt drenched a LOT faster than everyone else, which doesn't help my case much. In the long run, I'm sure the issue will resolve itself, but for now, it's making my life a living hell.

Assignment 7- Brennan Cegelka

“Best four years of my life, I mean besides these years.” Wow, thanks Mom and Dad. If I had a dollar for every time I heard that, I could pay for college debt free right now. I am not making this up, just this morning my dad talked about ANOTHER college story from his time at UCSB. I guess I should be thanking him. After all, my parents met in college, and if not for UCSB I wouldn’t be alive.

 UCSB or University of California Santa Barbra, is a liberal arts college right on the pacific ocean. My mom and dad met in college. So to me, college is this wondrous place where the best years of my life are to be. As a result, I am ecstatic about these next years to come. I enjoy the sciences as well as film. So, I hope to go to a school that provides a good education in both of those fields. One of the schools that provides this is USC or University of Southern California. This school is on the other side of the county which is a daunting thought. However, all of my extended family lives in California so I wouldn’t be too far from family. Not only does this university provide the academic enrichment desired, it also has the athletics. Sports have always been important in my family, and I want to go to a school that values sports the same way I cherish it.

Assignment 6- Brennan Cegelka

I LOVE movies. I could (and have) sit down for hours on end on FX TNT etc. and watch movies all day regardless of the health risks. The directors ability to shoot the most elaborate fight scenes, or to slow down and really capture the scenery of the film. I love every bit of it. The actors ability to convey certain emotions that will get the audience to root for or against you. To cry with an actor or cheer with an actor.

 But Brennan, What is your favorite aspect of a film? I’m glad you asked. Such a difficult question with so many potential answers. My favorite aspect of movies is the music. You see the only thing that rivals my interest in movies is my passion for music. From 70’s Eagles all the way to Lil Pump and everything in between. I even play the guitar a little myself. But I digress. The music of a movie is drastically underrated in creating a certain emotion in an audience. The ability to bring an audience into shock, joy, misery, heavily depends on the right music, the right song. There is such a satisfaction in walking out of a theatre and saying “Wow.” That’s what I want to do. Make an audience say “Wow” after stepping out of a theatre.

Assignment 5- Brennan Cegelka

Wednesday nights. I love Wednesday nights. My family and I gather around the television to see our three shows: The Goldbergs, Modern Family, and Blackish. These nights are my favorite not only because of these three great modern sitcoms, but also because our family together. It is so challenging for us all to find time to be together, with all of us being so busy, but we manage.

 My Mother and I particularly enjoy The Goldbergs. Our family agrees that Beverly Goldberg (The mother of the show) shows strong parallels with my mother. We laugh along for the hour as we skip through commercials because we always start late. It’s a good time to relax in the middle day of the week. And afterward we talk about what we enjoyed and what we took away from each episode. It defiantly is not your typical family dinner, but it is for us every Wednesday night at 8PM eastern/7PM central.

 That’s the beauty of television. It brings people together. I may not have been alive at the time, but the days of M.A.S.H. or Seinfeld where the entire country would, for only a brief moment, be on pause and united.

Assignment 4- Brennan Cegelka

A deeply held belief in my family is that politics in our nation is good and that many politicians are simple trying to do right by their constituents. Oh gosh this one is gonna get political. Why can’t I just stick to sports?

 My dad was a lawyer. Graduated from University of Kentucky Law School and passed the BAR exam on his 1st attempt. (He LOVES to mention that). He practiced law for several years, then moved to California work for Susan Davis as her campaign advisor and advisor once she won her re-election as a congressman. He had a 1st hand experience of working with a congressman to see our democracy at work.

 These idea that our government is fair and comprehensive is a strong belief in my household. However, as the recent election was filled with turmoil and distrust, I found myself having doubts of the greatness of this democracy. How can such a great democracy lead to such an ugly election. Filled with personal attacks and the ideas of corrupted politicians. Was my own father a corrupted politician. I wasn’t sure what to make of it.

 My dad wasn’t corrupted, he is just a man trying to make this nation and this city better. I knew deep down that’s all these two presidential candidates wanted too. To make this nation better. My willingness to challenge what was previously believed made it possible for me to see each side. I’m not going to say our nation is perfect, which I know it isn’t. But I’m now sure the majority of our government local, state, and federal level, is filled with people like my father, who wish to see the lives of American’s continue to improve.

Assignment 3- Brennan Cegelka

 Culture Shock.
 This is quite an experience. Culture shock to me is when you enter a new place, new people, and you feel like an Alien who just arrived in another world. That is how I felt when I moved from San Diego California to Lexington Kentucky. “Kentucky?” Where is Kentucky? That was my 1st question to my parents. As a kid in California, (the center of the universe to many) where the only season is Sunny, and the idea of a cold day is 65 degrees, I was filled with wonder when I 1st saw snow. I was no longer in the metropolitan of a 2 million plus city on the border of Mexico. I was in a quaint town that valued horses, Bourbon, and basketball. These strange people said “Y’all” and “Ain’t” in almost every sentence. I felt uncomfortable at times, but thats life: Uncomfortable. Fast forward to being a Junior. I’ve come to love the University of Kentucky and Big Blue Nation. And, I now proudly consider myself a Kentuckian, with John Calipari as our president and Bourbon as our currency.

I learned to be more open to people with different backgrounds and how said backgrounds shape them. I came from what is at times considered the liberal capital of America, to a place where Mich McConnell, the Senate Republican Leader, hails from our great State. I’ve had the pleasure to meet conservatives whose opinions I would’ve never been exposed to or understood in California. One of the strengths of living in California and Kentucky is my ability to see 1st hand, the reasoning behind people’s point of view and how they came to their conclusion based on their upbringing. There is a fair deal of ignorance on both sides of the political spectrum. But my ability to understand each side has enriched my educational environment for the better.

Assignment Six: Elizabeth Piper

Last year for AP Seminar in the first seminar we were tasked with writing an essay using a stimulus packet that everyone was given. The main topic of the stimulus packet was poverty. I have always been interested in current issues facing the world today and I strongly believe in helping the cause to fight off poverty and hunger. I decided to write my research paper about the psychological effects of poverty on the brain. I am also interested in psychology and I figured that this would be a perfect match. I really enjoyed the freedom we got with this assignment. I also like the restrictions we got as well. I am not a fan of being told exactly what to do but I also like have boundaries and parameters. Total freedom and independence is not my cup of tea. Through doing research for this topic I learned many new facts and I was surprised about some of the information I had learned. Through research I learned that the effects of poverty started at a very young age and it can lead into adulthood as well. Before going into this project I knew poverty couldn't be good for the brain but, I couldn't even begin to fathom how deep the effects go. It completely changed my perspective on poverty. Now my want to help diminish the poverty level has deepened. Now I believe we should focus on the children and helping them to get out of poverty. That way we can break the cycle and future generations will flourish.

Assignment 8 Breanna Bradley

My biggest fear is public speaking. The most annoying thing in my life is my three brothers. My accomplishments are beating tomb raider three times, doing well on my AP exams this far in high school, and doing well in school in general. I'm constantly confused by my bothers, because teenage boys often say very stupid things. My uncle is fighting cancer, and Donald Trump is our president. I once had a dream that i had to eat glass, but my dreams for the future are to major in zoology at Michigan State. My idiosyncrasies would be biting my nails, and listening to the same song on repeat for two days straight. My biggest risk was living away from my parents over the summer when i got my job, but i really enjoyed it and it payed off. My most beloved possession is a Ms. Piggy toy from my uncle before he passed away. Most of my problems come from my procrastination (which is why I'm writing this the day it's due). 

The first time I ever spent more than a day or two away from my parents was when I got a job in Michigan, a ten hour drive from my house. I often felt homesick, I wanted to go home, I wanted to quit. Not that my job was hard or I didn't enjoy it. I really liked it and I still work there during the summer. But I was scared to be away from my parents for that long. I learned I could be independent. I learned I could take care of myself. I learned that I still need my parents not necessarily because I need to be taken care of, but for companionship, love, and support. I knew I would always need my parents, but I didn't always have to be with them.

Assignment 2- Brennan Cegelka

These are some of the books I’ve read over the past year.
1. “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten” by Robert Fulghum. This book is fantastic. The simplicity of the ideas with the complexities they come with in modern society is fascinating. I love the structure of the book, each chapter a different story. It makes it an easy book to re-read because there are a few passages I particularly like such as “ChickenFried Steak” “Crayolas”
2. “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding. Piggy! When I initially read this book in the 8th grade, I had nightmares of being on a plane and crashing on an island. This was one of the 1st books I analyzed in depth. And out of curiosity, I re-read this book to see if I would pick up on more than I did initially. Overall, a great book of the decaying of society.
3. “The Lost Hero” Rich Riordon
4. “The Outsiders” S.E. Hinton. Stay Golden Ponyboy.

Assignment 1- Brennan Cegelka

Hi everyone! I’m William Brennan Cegelka, but my parents have always called me Brennan.
Personally, I spend a lot of time outside. I play baseball here at Henry Clay and I hope to be an integral part in our teams success this year. I play second base for the team and occasionally relief pitch. I love to play baseball and I hope that I continue to play it for long time. I would also like to go camping for the weekend this year. Academically, I would like to continue to improve upon my 3.9 unweighted GPA. I am taking 5 AP classes this year and I hope to balance my personal and academic life outside of school. When I was at HOBY (Hugh O’Bryan Youth Leadership) Kentucky, I was so invigorated by the end of the seminar that I started going out and making a real difference in the community. My family and I now donate toys to the children’s hospital once a month. If I could have any superpower, I would choose the power to teleport. I’m just now being able to drive on my own, but for the longest time I was always running late to places. My parents are constantly driving my brother and I across Lexington, and as a result I always found myself rushed.
 As I touched on earlier, I love sports. Unfortunately for me, my sports teams don’t always love me back. I’m a San Diego sports fan. I lived there for a significant chunk of my life. But, the Padres are terrible every year, and my beloved Chargers have moved to L.A. So, to keep up on my tragic teams, I go to espn.com.

Assignment 5--Eli Wrinn

I enjoy watching television very much. I do not believe that it is a waste of time because more than anything, it is a form of art. (The television featured in the Emmys at least) I am very cautious about making analogies like this, but it is the same as listening to music or reading a book, however it may require less work from the audience to digest. I believe that the only problem with TV watching is the commercials, which I detail more in depth in blog post number 4, but they are malicious in their intent and cause more problems in the society than benefits--paying for TV. My top 5 favorite TV shows are as follows:
5. FAMILY GUY: A great show that I think really pioneered a hilariously original idea: Admittance that the plot is lacking at the expense of funnier jokes. And by funnier I mean gut-busting. A few jokes may cross "the line" of offensiveness, but I believe that the show also makes some strong political points as well. I have been watching this show since my parents would let me.

4. RICK AND MORTY: I wish I could put this higher on my list, but so little has actually come out at the overall story arc of the series hasn't even been revealed. However, in the little that exists, I have found an amazingly high level of entertainment. I love how many philosophical areas it covers it a light way. I love how I think deeply every episode while crying laughing. The idea of Rick Sanchez being the nihilistic god of the multiverse has actually affected my thinking on everyday subjects. I also like how it is similar to Family Guy in that it purposely under develops parts of the plot to focus on what really matters. The show has only gotten better, which is very promising.

3. IMPRACTICAL JOKERS: This one seems odd, however I truly believe it is number 3 on my list. I'm sure you think it is annoying and loud and stupid and not funny, and I don't usually enjoy things like this. First of all, I found it during season 1 when what they were doing was exceptionally reckless and daring. Also, I believe it appeals more to teens because they fear public embarrassment more. I wish those four bums could keep doing it forever.

2. THE OFFICE: I know that everyone would put this high on their list, and that is for a reason, it is an amazing show. I have laughed countless times watching and re-watching it and it is ridiculous how funny Michael Scott is, like it is scary. If you skip to any part of the series, (with him in it) I guarantee you are within three minutes of a belly laugh at his hands. There is a charming plot line to accompany him, but he truly is a genius.

1. COSMOS: A SPACETIME ODYSSEY WITH NEIL DeGRASSE TYSON: This is a non-fiction series about the field of astrophysics. It spans from the experimental areas such as evolution to the great theoretical areas such as the merging the quantum theory and the theory of relativity. It truly captivated me and fostered my love of that type of science today. Nothing else to say.

Assignment 8: Ben Sanner

Fears: Armed Maniacs, Serial Killers, mediocrity, spiders, torture, onions(allergic)

Annoyances: Slow talkers, ignorant people, large ego'd people, time wasters, taxes, loud eaters,

Accomplishments: not a total failure

Confusions: rain drops vs snow falls, credit card interest rates, Stonehenge

Sorrows:  inactivity due to procrastination

Dreams: Graduate with honors, make family proud

Idiosyncrasies: refusing to speak to any ne of Cowboys fandom

Risks: Bungee Jumping, Flying a Plane

Beloved Possessions, Now and Then: Then: Legos, Wii, $20, Now: Phone, Car, Drum set, job

Problems: too high of metabolism( I can literally eat 5 bags of chips then go run 2 miles)

            Flying a plane. Most people think it is hard, but it is a lot easier than you think. I first flew a plane when my parents signed me up for a summer camp when I was twelve. The camp consisted of learning the basic ins and outs of flying a Cessna 172. All of the learning led to a flying lesson at the end of the camp. This experience was awesome. Since this time I have gone back and even had flying lessons with an instructor from Western Kentucky University. I have probably logged about 12 hours of flying within the past few years. I do not plan to become a pilot as my main career, but at some point I would like to get my license and own my own personal plane. If my parents had not signed me up for that camp so many years ago I probably would not have found this new passion of mine

Assignment 7- Conner Holt

My ideal college experience would be one that consisted of both ways to keep me at the college and one that provided the education I payed for. I'd like to major in something involving Chemistry, so the school would have to have a decent sciences program, but I'd also still like to play with the band, or in some sort of symphonic orchestra. I would also thoroughly enjoy some sort of extracurricular program involving music making, such as DJing or forming a band.

Assignment Four: Elizabeth Piper

When I was around 10 my sister had a baby. She was my first niece. When I first found out the news I was shocked. My sister wasn't married and she had just begun college. Throughout my life I had always been told that you must be married first before you had kids. That was the traditional and accepted way. However, when my family learned that my sister was pregnant and unmarried they congratulated her and was excited about the baby on the way. I was confused. Why were they so happy when she was clearly not following the traditional path?
I pondered this question for a while and I was still not happy that my sister that I was supposed to look up to made the decision to have a child unmarried. But nine months later we all went to the hospital. I held my niece for the first time and I fell in love. I knew she was a part of the family. From that moment on I knew that no matter what the circumstances if the child will be loved and well taken care of anything is possible and everything will turn out okay.

Assignment 6- Conner Holt

This January, my appendix burst. I was stuck in the hospital for 2 weeks, and missed the entire month of January. This of course, affected my school work, as it began to pile up from not being at school. The entire second semester was a complete mess for me personally, as I was trying to catch up while at the same time learning normally with the rest of my classmates. I only managed to catch up successfully in 4 of my 6 classes, which at the time was a huge accomplishment for me. Looking back, I could have done a better job managing my time and keeping a schedule, but the past is the past, and I'm glad I went through that experience now. It gave me an example of what NOT to do in that type of situation.

Assignment Eight: Elizabeth Piper

Fears: snakes, rejection, getting in trouble
Annoyances: slow walkers, stray marks on paper, stupid questions
Accomplishments: GSE, my organizational skills
Confusion: the meaning life
Sorrows: procrastination
Dreams: graduating college with honors
Idiosyncrasies: I make lists for everything
Risks: whitewater rafting
Beloved possessions: my dog, Pixie
Problems: poverty, orphans

The bell rings. Everyone gathers their things and files out of the classroom. Many are on their way to the class where they will sit for an hour and learn about Polyatomic Ions, John Adam's Presidency or any other various educational topic. While others stop at their locker or stop for a quick bathroom break. Wherever you are going everyone gets exactly five minutes to get to where they need to be. While some people, like me, scurry their way to class as quick as they can, others like to take their sweet time. Now this can be a nuisance for anyone walking in the hallways. Often, groups form and take up the entire expanse of the hallway and just sit there to chat, blocking the way for other people to get by. They sit there and cackle and tell stupid jokes as loud and as obnoxiously as they can. Often, I will try to scoot by them and go unnoticed but, it never fails that someone will step in my path and block me. This can be very annoying for those of us who are just trying to get to class. As annoying as these groups are the worst are the people who are in fact walking to some destination but if they were a racing a snail, the snail would win. They are often too busy talking or on their phone to walk at a reasonable pace. It is very hard to get around them through the crowded and narrow hallways. The slow walker is what I consider to be one of the most annoying things that can ever occur.

assignment 6 Breanna Bradley

Aliens. Outer Space. I love learning, mostly about things "out of this world". I find space interesting mainly because of how little we know about a seemingly endless void. this endless void the the floating rock we live on called earth is fascinating, i would love to learn more about it. there are so many unanswered questions. Where does space end? If it is seemingly endless dis it logical to believe in aliens? How quickly can our technology advance to further learn more? My interest in space would be cool to pursue as a career, but it isn't a passion just an interest.

Assignment 7: Ben Sanner

Having passed my drivers test last Friday I am now starting to grasp how I am quickly am growing up. Next up: College. With college I want to first and foremost get the most out of the education I'm paying for. I want to be in an environment with many clubs to solute my interest, and I would like ample opportunity to meet people and develop relationships. Even in a perfect world these things would be hard to maintain and I realize that. Realistically I want college to be me figuring out the world and having a chance to let the world figure me out too.

assignment 5 Breanna Bradley

People watch TV because life is boring. TV serves as an escape from reality into a funnier, awesomer, world. TV is a break from this boring, mundane world we call home. At least that's why I watch TV. I like The Office, Parks and Recreation, Star Trek, and House. I think TV has many pros and cons, it brings people together, it can make people less social, its a good source of entertainment, it wastes time. it is good entertainment, like I said it's an escape, to a world unlike any other. And obviously TV can be a way for advertisements to make an appearance in our daily lives, but advertisements would still exist without TV. TV is an inane waste of time, but a good one. Everyone needs a break sometime, some people like reading, some people like TV.

Assignment 8- Sam Underwood

I dream to one day be referred to as Dr. Underwood. Ever since I was a little kid, I've been curious about how the body worked. As a little girl I told myself that I wanted to be a nurse. Growing up I realized that my skill set was better fitting to that of a doctor. I have and have always had a love for learning and a love for science. A dream of mine is to be a doctor. I've considered many specialities over the years (all of them are so exciting!!) I'm stuck between forensic pathology (because of my love for true crime) and being an OB/GYN (because who wouldn't want to help bring life into this world??) Now that I’m in high school, I’ve taken Human Anatomy and I’m currently in AP Bio. I’ve found both classes really interesting and satisfying to the curiosity of how the body functions.

Assignment 8 Luke Taylor

Fears: Failure
Annoyances: When things don't go as planned
Accomplishments: I made half  way though high school
Confusions: The opposite sex
Sorrows: The world not getting along
Dreams: success
Idiosyncrasies:eating popcorn and orange juice (is that weird?)
Risks: Track and Field
Beloved Passions: Phone, sketch book, piano
Problems: I have a hard time getting started with work, procrastination/time management

If I had a middle name, it would be procrastination. I have a schedule, I hate when things don't go according to plan, so tell me why do I procrastinate a lot? For example, every time I get a project in school or homework I map out exactly when, where, and how I am going to complete the assignment, but things never go according to plan. I believe part of the reason I don't get stuff done when I'm supposed to is because I get distracted very easily. The clock will read 9:00 and I'll get a text message on my phone, so I'll check it. Then while I'm responding I'll get an instagram notification and go check it out, then the notification will lead me to stalking instagram. I look up at the clock after watching a vine compilation on youtube and the clock reads 10:30 and I've made zero progress on my work which aggravates me so much. So recently I've been turning off my phone, hiding it in the car outside, and then tell my parents not to unlock the car until I've done all my work. So far it's been working and I've only had a break down twice.

assignment 4 Breanna Bradley

My dad is very conservative, I have two older brothers so I have always hear arguing about some of my father's deeply held beliefs. There are many issues that I used to trust my dad about, and believed whatever he did  not because I couldn't think for myself, but because I didn't want to question his reasoning. One issue I no longer agree with my dad is combat units. My dad believes that men and women should be separated in combat or infantry units, I however disagree. my opinion changed due to an argument between one of my older brothers and my dad. My brother made the point separate but equal isn't equal. My brother made many valid points that my dad disagreed with, but I realized I agreed with my brother more than my dad.

Assignment 7 Luke Taylor

I have so many feelings about college. The first that come to mind is that I'm getting older and closer to becoming an adult, that means more responsibility which is kinda upsetting. I love being a kid I know the adult world can be a cruel place once reality sets in. That's why I enjoy being a youth where my dreams have no end. But college is also exciting to me because I can finally narrow my studies into things that interest me. The ideal college for me is one that I can study the career that interests me and I belong in (either architecture, graphic design, or computer science I haven't narrowed yet lol). The right school for me is the one that's not going to put me into a lot of debt to learn, I don't need that stress in my young adult life, but really, the school needs to have a creative atmosphere that I feel like I can strive in.

Assignment 5- Conner Holt

In my opinion, TV does provide a good form of entertainment, as it's one of the "big three" forms of entertainment. Those three being TV, movies, and the internet.

I only watch television for laughs. Crude humor, slapstick comedy, and funny reactions are some of the only reasons I watch TV. I do indulge in the occasional drama, more recently I re-watched Breaking Bad. But, shows like American Dad, Archer, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine will always be some of my favorite shows ever, simply because of the slapstick comedy and life-lessons that come out of these characters.

That's right, I said life lessons. During most episodes of say American Dad, the writers try to draw in some sort of theme from the ridiculous plot. Take for example the Christmas special from 2012(?). In it, Stan somehow manages to piss Santa Claus off, and him and his family must take up arms to defend Stan, as Santa's elves pursue. The idea of unity as a family is explored throughout the episode, as most of it takes place with the family together instead of in their groups that they're in in most of the episodes.

Assignment 3 Breanna Bradley

Over the summer I work on a small island in Michigan. The island is a huge tourist attraction, and people travel from all over the world. i worked in a grocery store stocking shelves, while working there I meet people from all over the world including Jamaica, the Philippines, and Russia. Some of my coworkers told me about their culture. I liked learning how different cultures are and how similar they can be. I also babysit over the summer many children had different cultures, it was interesting to see how cultural ideas are ingrained at such a young age.

Assignment 4- Conner Holt

My family has always been somewhat religious, specifically my mother. I was also aligned with this system of faith for a while, but more recently I have begun to question those beliefs, and more specifically why one believes in a faith.

Religion has always been a touchy subject for me, seeing as I grew up in the church. I've begun to make a name for myself, seeing as I am a part of my youth group's leadership "committee" known as PA. Since Band started, I haven't been attending these meetings, and I haven't gained or lost anything from going. I just don't understand the idea of being put on the earth for a purpose, let alone this life of ours just being an overly complicated test of faith. Maybe I'm a simpleton with no idea of the future, but these things recently just aren't clicking.

I have yet to inform anyone in my family or my church of my "new" beliefs, but seeing as one of them is in this hour I'm sure he'll read this and inform everyone of my ideals.

Assignment 3- Conner Holt

I have two things that have changed my perspective about life, those being driving and Marching Band

Let me start with the latter. Marching Band has changed my life for the better, and taught me a lot of life lessons along the way. I'm a lot better at arriving on time now, seeing as being on time might as well be arriving late. The band starts warming up once the time reaches the set time for rehearsal to start, so arriving at the school at the time listed does more harm than good. 

Driving has re-enforced the idea that repetition does in fact make you better at something. Currently I have around 30 hours logged under my learner's permit, which is half of the required 60 hours necessary to take the driving test. I can feel myself becoming a better driver each time I get behind the wheel, as I become more attentive and aware of my surroundings. Driving around town also gives me an excuse to go do things that normally my parents wouldn't just drive me to go do, like get coffee or go out to eat. 


 

Assignment 2 Breanna Bradley

In the last year I read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee (for the third time), and the Teenage Brain by Frances E. Jensen, and Amy Ellis Nutt. I started the Harry Potter series because Erica, my best friend, loves them and really wanted me to read them, they are great books that i would encourage everyone to read. After the AP Seminar exam we read The Great Gatsby as a class, this is easily one of my favorite books. I read To Kill a Mockingbird for the third time, (once in eighth grade, and once in freshman year are the first two time I read it), this is a classic and also one of my favorite books. the Teenage Brain was assigned to read over the summer, and even though i found it interesting I don't know that I would recommend it.

assignment one Breanna Bradley

My name is Breanna, I have three brothers, three dogs and a cat. My favorite T.V. shows are The Office, Parks and Recreation, Star Trek Enterprise, and House. I like listening to any kind of music. My favorite song is probably Dani California by Red Hot Chili Peppers. My favorite game is Tomb Raider, I also like Injustice 2 and Battlefield. This year I would like to get straight A's and pass my AP exams, I’m in five AP classes, AP Biology is my AP elective. Over the summer I get a job in Michigan, the most meaningful part of my summer, was my grandfather teaching me to drive, because we are both very busy, but he still made time to help me. If I could have any super power it would be to talk to animals because dogs are amazing. I want to major in zoology at Michigan State.

Assignment 4--Eli Wrinn

This question is one that I have considered for a very long time. In fact, the feeling I probably despise most is feeling as if I have been fed ideas that are predetermined by some other group intending to benefit from it. Now you may think that because of this, I may be some sort of conspiracy theorist cynic who can be really annoying. However, I try to avoid this as well because thinking like a cynic is as inaccurate as an easily fooled, uneducated, mass consumer. Anything of this nature is a spectrum, the middle of which contains the most truthful or enlightening characteristics. However, I find the modern citizen more on the side of the spectrum of the corporate fool than the conspiracy theorist. Therefore, currently, more questions about our notions taken for granted need to be raised than the ones we question to be antagonistic or narcissistic. One area I question greatly is how much corporate advertisements have affected our daily notions, my parents have subscribed to many of these, and sometimes look to me to help clarify the truth. For example, my mom always believed that milk was very important (and still mostly does) until I found that it's health benefits have been mostly fabricated by the dairy industry's advertising through their funding of "studies" showing that it is necessary to one's everyday diet. Also, she subscribed to buying "low-fat" foodstuffs until I enlightened her to the fact that fat is a scapegoat made by the sugar industry to hide the fact that sugar is the real culprit for obesity and other health detriments. These are some food examples, however there are many others. Another is that the government could do our taxes for us except that big companies such as Turbo Tax lobby them to require citizens to do them, and therefore paying the service to do their taxes for them. I urged my mom to stop using Tax Act, however I realized that she alone could not spark a revolution. If I had time to elaborate on all of these misconceptions, I would. I also see a lot of misconceptions similar to these stem from religion, and I try avoid falling victim to these as well. If people try to paint me as a cynic, (mainly my frustrated parents) I restate the point of cynicism being a spectrum made earlier and point out that there is middle ground between being a "sheep" and a jaded skeptic, and I reinforce where she stands on the spectrum. I also point out that she is making a slippery slope argument about my credibility.

Assignment 8: Anne Nombe

Fears: Failure, Humiliation

Annoyances: People with no manners

Accomplishments: Good grades & AP test scores, awards for things

Confusions: Art

Sorrows: Death, poverty, people in unfortunate conditions

Dreams: Creating a clinic for minorities, joining Doctors Without Borders, finding peace in myself

Idiosyncrasies: OCD

Risks: I'm not a rebel sorry

Beloved Possessions, Now and Then: Laptop

Problems: Managing stress, getting motivated, sticking with a long-term plan

You ever feel like no matter how many things you get done, there's always something to worry about? Like even if you finish all your assignments on time, there's something looming in the background that's not immediately an issue, but bugs you anyway.

That's how I feel constantly, and I'm not sure if I just love to stress myself out or I'm doing too many things at once. I'll be real - at one time I'm sure I thought I could do everything. I thought I could simultaneously be a writer, a singer, a viola player, a doctor, a dancer, a teacher, and the list goes on and on and on. Right now I'm only managing to be a student and a viola player, but that's hectic in and of itself.

But I want to learn how to deal with it. I need to learn how to get over it. I know I'm not the only person in the world who has stress, and that mine certainly isn't as great as some people's. The thought stops me from complaining as much.

Sometimes, it's better to stop whining and just take things into your own hands.

Assignment 7: Anne Nombe

I'm terrified of college. I know that's not something most high schoolers would say, and especially not Academy students, but I'll go ahead and put it out there. I'm afraid because this is what will shape me into a career I'll do (presumably) for the rest of my life. I understand that "there are other chances" and if I don't choose a major that interests me I can "always switch," but with a family that's pressuring me to go into an occupation I don't feel any passion for, I'm not so sure. 

What I dread is the "you should have listened to us." If I go with what I want to do and end up failing, I've no doubt my parents would explain that they were right and I should've just followed what they said to me before. 

Despite this, I'm excited beyond words to get a taste of independence. What I want in my college experience is to learn how to be my own person. I don't want my parents or anyone else to dictate my life—I want to shape it myself. I want a college environment that makes me proud of my major. I don't care for super fancy ivy leagues (believe me, that dream died a long time ago) but I do want to go to a respectable college that can help me to grow academically and individually. If I can find all of those things in a college, plus some money for tuition, that would be enough. 

Assignment 3--Eli Wrinn

As any child grows older, their perspective on the world changes through different experiences and lessons learned as they increase. The same has applied to my growth and education as an individual, however, a few specific events in my lifetime can be pointed to as especially important to this process. The first came when I was eight years old. When I was younger and my voice was unbroken, I sang soprano in my church choir. One year, I traveled with my mom, who was in the choir as well, to Ely England to sing in a 1000 year old cathedral for a week's worth of church services. Additionally, the Saturday we had off, we drove to the near Cambridge, where I even punted down the river Cam. Of course, when anyone goes to another country, they experience culture shock in seeing the differences between there and their homeland. I expected this going into the trip except, I was actually struck by the great similarity between England and the United States. It made me realize how much of our country's culture really is derived from England's. The other major experience in cultivating my global perspective was the taking of AP World History last year. Already a subject I was greatly interested in, World History captivated me and put most things I take for granted about my current life for granted in perspective. I worked hard throughout the course and scored a personal best 4 on the AP exam.

Assignment 6: Ben Sanner

Lately as applying for college has come to the forefront, I have been thinking about my future a lot. Mostly about what I want my career choice  to be. I could go for something that will pay well and is high demand like being a doctor or engineer. But those things really do not interest me as others do. What I would like to pursue is a career in sports management, as it has always been a dream of mine to be the GM or General Manager of a team. To do this you have to start low on the ladder and work your way up slowly,  I know that this is not likely my future career choice as  I do have a somewhat interest in engineering, and even if I were to pursue it there would be a very high chance of failure.

Assignment 5: Ben Sanner

When I was younger I used to watch T.V. all the time as I believe it was a strategy executed by my parents in an attempt to keep me still for a period of time. These days, not so much. I usually watch T.V. for three reasons. 1. To watch my favorite sports team play. 2. To watch my favorite T.V. shows etc. Game of Thrones, Hawaii Five-o, The Office. Or 3. I am soooooo extremely bored that I must drag myself to stay still on my couch to watch a meaningless program to pass the time. If reasons one and two are done I do not see the point in sitting still as I could be outside, hanging with friends or doing homework That is my hot take on T.V.

Assignment 4: Ben Sanner

I've always believed that dogs have been better than cats. Dogs are the most loyal animal while cats will abandon you for their own good. Growing up my family always has at least two dogs at a time (3 currently) and I've loved it. I love my dogs with all that I do, and I have been trained to dislike cats. Because of this I had a bias of cats as I headed out to Arizona (In previous blogs) on a visit to my Aunt and Uncle.  In Arizona I had an awakening to the fact that cats are just as lovable as dogs and my predisposition was wrong, I also found out that cats are in fact much smarter than dogs, as well as they have much better instincts. While still on my love for cats I returned home with the attempt to convince my parents that our family should get a cat. I went in with a plan to convince them how great cats are, but the impending result was a quick and brief shooting down of my plan.

Assignment 3: Ben Sanner

Reading the prompt made me think straight to the summer where I volunteered at Bethany Christian mission. Bethany is located at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains in Western Wolfe county. In Bethany they lack basic needs such as running water and heating/cooling system. When we arrived we started making little food packages to send to the families, while we also put on free events such as bingo and a festival. Seeing all of this and how appreciative they were throughout the whole thing gave made me realize what all we take for granted and how much we waste. My church continues to go to Bethany each summer, and I look forward to go again.

Assignment 8- Doug Vaughan

Fears: Dying, warewolves
Annoyances: How sugar isn't healthy, my brothers
Accomplishments: Survived 17 years of life
Confusions: I get confused with words ofen
Sorrows: I eat a lot and get distracted easily
Dreams: Have some sort of a legacy
Idiosyncrasies: Has fun
Risks: Maybe skydive once
Beloved Passions: Sleeping, eating, hanging with my friends.
Problems: Has trouble with reading and comprehension (so this class is a challenging for me but I can do it)

I have a fear of werewolves but, it didn't come from a scary movie or a popular thriller like Twilight it came from the movie Wallace and Grommet and the Warerabbit. Before I saw that movie Warewolves went that scary to me but, that movie was scary for little six year old me it was a little bunny that turned into a vegetable murder as he ate everyone vegetables in the town. The bunny was so cute and innocent that is what probably scared me most. I remember have a nightmare that night as the Warerabibt ate me thinking I was a carrot. This traumatic experience wouldn't be forgot. When ever I herd the word Warewolf it spooked me with my past overall intensifying my fears of Warewovles. From then on almost anytime I had a bad dream outdoors there was always a Warewolf. All this from a stupid cute bunny in a movie.

Assignment 7- Doug Vaughan

My utopia college would be one that will maximize what I get out of college academically and socially. I would love a college that would challenge me a bit academically. But I would also love some experience in my education like internships opportunities that way when I leave I'll have something more than a degree to apply to jobs. I would also love a social atmosphere that will be fun and helpful. This college would set me up to meet new people that I hope will impact my life as well as an academic course that will set up my occupation that I will make a living from.

Assignment Eight – Jessica Ewing

Fears: Abandonment, outer space

Annoyances: Being interrupted continuously, slackers, people who think they're better than everyone else, disorganization, carelessness, stupid grammatical/spelling errors

Accomplishments: All-A student, role in the school play, increasing my vocal range, learning how to play guitar, being a good sister

Confusions: The obliviousness and carelessness of people

Sorrows: Mental illness, weight, self-image

Dreams: Travel the world, see Paul McCartney in concert

Idiosyncrasies: unknown

Risks: Skydiving, backpacking around the world

Beloved Possessions, Now and Then:

Problems: Time management, procrastination (redundant?)


Outer space is one of those things that I honestly don't understand how more people are deathly terrified of it. I can't think straight when the topic of space in brought up in conversation. It's this vast, expansive, endless, gravity-less void of nothing but masses of fiery gas and black holes. Space just keeps going on forever. We don't know where it ends. Not to mention the black holes, which are pockets of space where light doesn't exist because there's so much gravity. No thank you. Just thinking of outer space makes me nauseous and uncomfortable. I'm good to stay on Earth, thank you very much.

Assignment 7- Sam Underwood

What I wish to get out of my college education is to be prepared to enter into medical school. It has been a dream of mine since childhood to be a doctor, so I hope that my undergraduate year help me be ready for that time in my life. I prefer smaller class sizes and enjoy close-knit communities, so a smaller college would seem to be a better option for me. I plan to major in Biology or Biochemistry so a school with good programs in those subjects would be nice. A school with good exposure to lab experience opportunities and internships would be nice. I would like to find a college that is near a city so I am able to work and hangout in a city environment. I also would like to find a college near West Virginia and Kentucky because that is where my family lives and don’t want to move too far away from home in my undergraduate years.

Assignment 6- Sam Underwood

One topic that has been very near and dear to my heart for while is the treatment of sexual abuse victims in third world countries. Many countries don't acknowledge the need for women's healthcare because of their misogynistic centered societies. When I get older I want to study to be an OB/GYN because I find the study of women's health and sexual health both interesting and I see the need for healthcare to be provided in that field. I also can see myself taking women's studies classes in college because of my feminist beliefs. I always think there will be more to learn on the topic and want to be better educated on the subject. For my annotated bibliography project for this class chose topics surrounding sexual abuse in third world countries to the need of sanitary supplies for women in both America and third world countries. I strongly believe that every women should have easy access to the health care (and products) they need.

Assignment 5- Sam Underwood

I have never been one to really enjoy watching TV. I always think about what else I could be doing with my time and figure it would be more productive and healthier for my mind and body than sitting in front of a screen for 30 minutes to an hour. Another point to be made is that I don't have any time to relax and watch TV. For four months of sophomore year, I hadn't logged into Hulu or Netflix once. This was a product of me being too busy for pass times like watching television. When I do have time to sit down for a show, however, I watch some pretty trashy reality tv. My usual go-to on a needed night in is Rupaul's Drag Race. The show details a competition amongst drag queens to beat each other out of the show and win the title of top drag queen, I find it very enjoyable.

Assignment 4- Sam Underwood

A concept that I have grown to reject in my later teens is that of beauty standards teenage girls are held to. Girls are expected to be pretty above anything else, before their personality or intelligence.

At the start of high school, I was dressing and acting like how I thought a teenage girl should instead of making decisions because it was what I truly wanted. As I have gotten early I have began to adopt an attitude of doing more things for me and caring less about what others think. Examples of this are me not wearing makeup because I find it uncomfortable and prefer more natural beauty (not discounting those who enjoy makeup- right on!) I have also found myself to dress more comfortably and wear items of clothing that are for my enjoyment rather than for the purpose of looking pretty to others. These changes I have made to my outlook on life have benefited my overall happiness.

Assignment Seven – Jessica Ewing

When I'm ever asked where I want to go to college, I quickly change the subject. In my college plans, the school of my undergraduate career is the one thing that I don't know.

Any other question I can easily answer. Major? Doubling in psychology pre-med and history. Location? Out-of-state that offers both of my desired majors. Med school? University of Pittsburgh, due to their phenomenal psychiatry program (it's said to be the best in the country).

But my undergraduate college? I have very little idea of where I want to go. At this point, the school that gives me the most money for me to go there is the school I'll be going to, since I want to be leaving college with as little debt as possible.

That's sad, isn't it? How college has become so astronomically expensive that we have to base our decisions on the cost of our education. Would you rather spend $45,000 a year at your dream school or less than $20,000 at a school you dislike but have more scholarships for? I have a $10,000 annual scholarship to Georgetown College, but that's the only reason the school's on my college list. Other than that, I really don't care about Georgetown. I know it's not the school for me, but they're giving me money, so I have to consider it, don't I?

Assignment 3- Sam Underwood

The racial and cultural diversity in my high school is disproportionate. A good majority of the students that attend Henry Clay High School are white and come from middle to upper class families. This environment doesn't provide much for education on the other cultures or races.I haven’t learned about other cultures or races because I have been surrounded by the same types of people all of my life in school. I have learned about the french culture through my studies of their language in French 1-3. I have also learned about French through meeting my friend's french exchange students that visited Lexington this summer. I learned a lot about the French’s health habits: such as smoking and drinking more from what my friends’ had experienced in being in France themselves. So in conclusion, I learned about French culture and haven’t learned much about other cultures from my educational environment due to the lack of diversity.

Assignment Six – Jessica Ewing

I've got so many interests, so I'm just going to name the first few I can think of:


1. I adore psychology. More specifically, psychiatry. Learning how the brain works, how people socially respond to different stimulants and scenarios, how people affect others, and how medicine treats diseases of the mind. It's been a passion of mine for as long as I've known about the subject. I've studied psychology on my own for years, learning bits and pieces of information about different disorders, medicines, cognitive treatments, and so on and so forth. Mental illness specifically and the treatment of it has always been a fascinating subject to study for me.


2. History. The study of the decisions of people over the course of the existence of the world, that's how I see history. What did the Bolsheviks do when they were discontent with the Tsar Nicholas II and his way of governing Russia (especially during World War I)? They forced the Tsar to abdicate the throne, stormed the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, and took over the country.


3. Theatre. Acting puts me in the shoes of someone who I'm not, but who I become as a part of a larger story. Building sets, adjusting lights, and setting music are also incredibly fun for me. Every aspect of the theatre world, honestly, has become a passion of mine over the last few years.

Assignment 2- Sam Underwood

Some of the notable books I have read in the past year are:

1. Catcher In The Rye by: J.D Salinger
This was the book I brought along with me to vacation. I thoroughly enjoyed Salinger's sarcastic tone while sticking my toes in the sand. Catcher In The Rye was captivating start to finish and is working it's way to being one of my favorite books.

2. Men Explain Things to Me by: Rebecca Solnit
Solnitt puts misogynists in their place with her writing. She clearly explains how destructive a misogynistic society full of rape culture can be, and how America can prevent that.

3. The Mother of All Questions by: Rebecca Solnit
I picked up the sequel to her published essays after really enjoying the first book. Solnit's writing beautifully shows both "sides" to the arguments for and against feminism.

4. The Book Thief by: Markus Zusak
This book is one of my all time favorite books. I re-read it over spring break. I find the author's choice of point of view for the narrator in this book absolutely captivating.

Assignment 1- Sam Underwood

My name is Sam Underwood. Some of my definable traits are my love for dogs, vegetarian cuisine, and feminist values. I used to play volleyball in the position as setter, the role for short people, for four years. During high school, I became more involved in theater. I absolutely adore theater and have previously been in Henry Clay's shows The Jungle Book, And Then There Were None, The Canterbury Tales, Beauty and The Beast, and have been cast for the current fall play. Outside of academics and theatre, I work at Stella's Kentucky Deli. I really enjoy working there because of the good community of employees and free pie (mainly the free pie.) Another notable fact about myself is that I love The Beatles. Sadly, the most notable moment of my summer was getting my wisdom teeth out (not a fun experience and I feel absolutely no change in my wisdom.)

https://raphahouse.org/

Assignment 6: Anne Nombe

Does having ovaries really mean I'm doomed by society? Will my future employer take one look at me, ascertain I'm a female, and knock off a few bucks for me but not my co-worker Steve? So I might get a non-traditional job, so I might get a ladder and climb to the top, so I might grab a hammer and shatter the sturdy, glass plafond looming above me, but will I have to pay an insurmountable fee for the ceiling I broke? 

I sought to answer these questions last year in Seminar class. At first, I saw it as an easy topic that was clear cut—women earned less just because they were women. 

However, my research took my thoughts on a very different turn. I was completely invested, reading arguments from both sides about the "gender tax" and learning more than I had ever known before about inequalities in the workplace. I found it was useless to hold onto previous biases in the face of all these shocking statistics. Sure, there was a clear discrepancy between genders, but the reason why wasn't just because they were women. This experience really taught me how our society view women's roles in work and how girls are oftentimes pressured or influenced into the lower paying jobs by their surroundings. I learned a lot of valuable information that I still think about to this day. 

Assignment 8: Maggie Anderson

Fears: Too many to name. Everything. A short list: snakes, spiders, demons, possessed dolls, nightmares, public humiliation, the dark, messing up.
Annoyances: People talking over me, people (my parents) moving my stuff.
Accomplishments: Good grades, some academic honors.
Confusions: Science, life.
Sorrows: The state of the world, my life when I'm tired and emotional.
Dreams: A happy life with a ton of books.
Idiosyncrasies: My parents claim I have many, but I choose not to believe this.
Risks: I don't really take them (see fears).
Beloved Possessions: Phone, books, silver dresser set, dollhouse.
Problems: Procrastination, my numerous fears.

One of my greatest challenges in life is my problem with irrational fear. Most people have moments of irrational fear, in the dark house, for example, when they hear a noise. But mine reach an insane level. The worst parts are the supernatural ones, such as possessed dolls, demons, and other evil entities, which most people grow out of by now. Logically, I have, but that doesn't stop me from fearing the dark house. I have to cover my ears and close my eyes when the trailer for a horror movie comes on, because I know that when an image gets into my head, it will come back when I'm lying in bed in the dark at night (I also have some insomnia, which would be less of a problem if my mind didn't use that time to think up everything that doesn't exist and convince me that is does and is in my dark room as we speak (think?)). I also kind of hate my mind because it is afraid of all these non things when there are real scary things to worry about, like the future. I have considered the theory that a complete and all-encompassing focus on the nonexistent fears is my subconscious' way of protecting me from my real fears. It's working, but I'm not happy about it. At least I could rationalize the others.

Assignment 7: Maggie Anderson

My thoughts on college are only slightly firmer than my thoughts on my life after college. In other words, they're all over the place and change often. Though I know what I enjoy doing now (sort of) I don't know how to translate that into a major or career. My main concern is inability to find a good career from my education. I do know what my goals are in college to some extent: learn as much as possible in as large a range as possible. I want to continue taking classes in almost every subject, as well as more obscure classes. This priority has helped me narrow down my options (see Assignment 6). Study abroad is also important to me, but I am rethinking this as I look into how it will affect my life. But as of right now, I want to go to Ireland junior year. Not only will these increase my satisfaction with my education, it will allow for more future options, which matter more to me than they probably should at this point, but I lay awake worried a lot, and my future is a big part of that.

My ideal college experience is also full of contradictions. I want to leave my general area, but I'm terrified of being away from home. I am afraid this fear will paralyze me and never let me leave a 30 mile radius, so I want to go away to break that tether, but I don't know how happy I'll be far away, and I won't know until it's too late. My college's size is another point of confusion. I think a smaller college might be best for me, and I have looked into many colleges I like that are smaller, but I have an image in my mind of college and I think if it has the same number of students as Henry Clay, it just won't feel like real college.

Assignment 8: Katie Chen

Fears: the ocean, death, losing loved ones
Annoyances: borrowing a pencil and not giving it back, messiness, rudeness
Accomplishments: decent grades, being a good sister (I hope)
Confusions: why the world is such a terrible place, why are some people awful
Sorrows: the world is a terrible place
Dreams: travel the world
Idiosyncrasies: unknown
Risks: traveling
Beloved possessions then and now: phone, old pictures
Problems: time management, money

I hate the ocean. It's a scary place. It's not that I'm afraid of drowning, I can swim just fine. But hearing stories of people getting caught in the undertow absolutely scare me. I think watching Jaws as a child has added to a fear of the ocean.
Not only is the ocean a scary place, I find it disgusting. It's nature's bathroom. I would rather not swim around fish waste. Safe to say, I'm not the biggest fan of the beach either. People everywhere, getting sand all over your things, and possible stepping on sharp shells? No thank you. Even this past summer in France, we frequently visited the beach, and it wasn't my favorite time. It was always overcrowded, and there were sharp, broken fragments of shells scattered everywhere (it was like walking on glass). In contrast to what it's like in the movies, I don't find the beach relaxing at all. The incessant squawking of seagulls and yelling children don't exactly scream "relaxing" to me.

Assignment 2- Conner Holt

I'd like to preface this post by saying that I'm not a heavy reader, I only read when the article I'm reading is especially interesting to me.

The Teenage Brain- While this was a required reading over the summer, I found myself enjoying this more than I thought I would. Finding the way things work intrigues me, and this book especially delves deep into the developing mind of a teenager.

Watchmen and V for Vendetta- I'm including these two in the same bullet because they were written by the same author. Both of these are some of my favorite books, even though they are comic book compendiums. They both tackle a heavy social issue, in a very gritty and noir-esc style.

The Hobbit- I re-read this recently, as I purchased it for a group-read project in the 6th grade. The novel is fantastic, as I remembered it being.