Your Malala Moment
Malala had a moment in her life that changed her life and it is one that she could never forget. A watershed moment of awareness that shapes ones thinking could be witnessing an event, learning a once secret fact, a funeral, discovering a talent, falling in love, or realizing that we as humans are frail mortal beings: life is precious. What is one of the moments in your life that can not be erased from your memory; a moment that revealed to you a significant truth about yourself.
This assignment is to be written on my WFG blog for all of us to read on by class on Friday for
A B D and E period classes. It is to be on the blog by Saturday for F period class. One great paragraph will be enough, but write more if you desire. Be ready to speak about your moment in class.
Remember this blog can be read by anyone in the world. You are writing for an audience that is much bigger than your teacher.
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ReplyDeleteI love the Yankees
ReplyDeleteMy Malala moment was when my parents separated and I was given the opportunity to live with my grandparents.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was about five years old my parents separated, meaning they were never married and it’s not a divorce, just simply “broke-up”. My dad lived with his parents, my grandparents, for a while. My mom on the other hand got her own apartment and began a better life. I would see both my parents all the time; however, I would see my dad more because he was under the same roof as I was. Being at my grandparent’s house was a completely new twist on my life. I had started into private school, and piano lessons, and sports, and so many other things that I could not even imagine. This change my life forever, and I could not thank my grandparents more for what they have done for me over the past 13 years.
- Haleigh
I remember my Malala moment like it was yesterday. Although, when I tell the story of what happened to me, I often refer to it as my moment of impact. I believe everyone has an experience that changes his or her life in some way, whether it is drastic or very small. So, here is my moment of impact, the moment that changed my life forever.
ReplyDeleteIt was May of 2011, Mother’s Day, I had a lacrosse game, per usual. My whole family came to watch me play, including my Mother who had said that watching my lacrosse game was her perfect idea of a great Mother’s Day. I was excited for the game to start, but that enthusiasm is the only memory I have from that day. Onlookers, teammates, and the most important person, my Mother, retold the rest of the game to me.
Halfway through the game I got into a bad collision, I went head on into a group of three girls and three sticks. They said it looked like I had ran into a brick wall. I was unconscious for a while, when I finally woke up I was surrounded by paramedics who were all very close to me but not touching my body. I had absolutely no idea what was going on, I couldn’t feel anything, I couldn’t speak, and I couldn’t see much; I guess I could explain the sensation as numbness. As I was laying there I heard my parents talking to the paramedics, the only sentence I could really make out from the conversation was, “No, we can’t move her yet, I’m sorry but she’s blue from the neck down and can’t feel anything, we think she’s paralyzed”. My Mother burst into tears, I continued to feel the numbness but now thoughts raced through my head. Although it was a traumatic experience, I learned a very important life lesson while lying on that cold, hard grass field. As I watched my poor Mom cry on her special day I thought to myself, “I may not ever be able to move again, but I’m still here…I’m still alive”. I ended up damaging my spine, fracturing my neck, and having a severe concussion, but to this day, no matter what I go through, I remind myself how lucky I am to be alive.
- Emily Czajkowski, D Period
My Malala moment was after the Sandy Hook shooting. At the time of the shooting I was in my public school that was only 15 minutes away from the school. I realized that the effect of ones action could dramatically impact a person, community, state and even an entire nation. They had us on locked down and hiding in closet where no one could talk, for up to 2 hours. Whether it’s someone stealing from a store or kill/injure up to 28 innocent children/teachers, they will have some kind of impact on others. People start to put up bars on the store windows or having police officers stationed outside their school. The choices one makes will always impact the lives of others no matter the level of the crime or the corruption they expressed.
ReplyDelete-Lewis Grassie
As I have developed through the years side by side with a society and generation of compassionate human beings, I can't help but place the reasoning for my Malala moment happening in the hands of others. If it weren't for the love and care that I received from the people closest to me during the toughest years of my life, my identity would be one that is not recognized as my own. Words flood into my mind, making my body tremble convulsively with fear. "She's only 12....No, we haven't figured out why she can't walk... Her body is cold, nothing seems to warm her up..." My heart sank. Hearing a trained professional proclaim they are unsure of what is causing your near paralytic state leads to a feeling of heat flush through your body, shortly after you experience a knot deep in your stomach that resembles being torn apart from the inside out. As I lay in the hospital bed, staring at the ceiling, people hustled and bustled around me hooking me up to machines, medicine, and my IV drip. I figured out through all of this that it really does take a disaster to create a miracle, and though I thought the bulk of the lesson came with learning how to walk again, deal with constant pain due to my newly diagnosed CRPS (a chronic pain condition that has no cure), or the bullying that came along with being in a wheelchair, I realized the true lesson to be learned was what my family showed. Their compassion and loyalty to me through the whole ordeal was what made it a learning experience. They showed me that sometimes when things seem at their worst, the best thing you can do is be at their side. I suffered a severe depression after the diagnosis and injury, but I was able to push through it because my family cared. When I was bullied, my mother showed a tremendous amount of compassion when she went into my school and taught the kids about my disease so I wouldn't be tormented anymore. This moment where I noticed that compassion, loyalty, and caring was truly what helped me service through the pain, helped me form my identity and would be forever remember as my Malala moment.
ReplyDelete-Kay Humes
My Malala moment was when I was in 8th grade playing basketball in the championship game. Our team had been together for three years and we had never made it this far into the playoffs. The game was close throughout the entire game and it was coming to the end of the fourth quarter. We were down by one with only eleven seconds remaining as my teammate inbounded me the ball. I dribbled down the court hoping to take the lead on the last shot. As I passed half court one of my other teammates cut to the foul line, in which I made a quick decision to pass to him. Unfortunately, the ball never got to him. My pass was deflected off of one of the other players hand and tipped into the opponents arms. We ended up losing the game and I had never been more annoyed with myself before. This may have been a terrible moment at the time but it was a great moment for me in the long run. I learned that one small mistake or decision can change the outcome of something dramatically. I also learned to learn my the past. I will never make a quick decision at such a pivotal moment again after learning from my past faults.
ReplyDelete-Trevor Berry
The moment that affected my life significantly was the opportunity to come and study in the United States of America. This opportunity gave me a different view on life. In Zimbabwe I come from a community that is not accepting of gay marriage and non-Christians. Coming to the United States changed the way I think about gay marriage and religion. A society like Berkshire which contrasts my community in Zimbabwe has taught me to accept people for who they are and now I feel more empowered and I have managed to convince some people in my community to learn to accept people no matter what their sexual or religious affiliation might be.
ReplyDeleteAnother Kushaina
My Malala moment was this past month when I had leg surgery. My leg had been bothering me for over three months and it seemed to never get better. After dozens of doctors misdiagnosing my injury my family and I finally came across one special doctor who finally found the problem. He diagnosed me with a "Sports herina". As a result of this injury I also tore my hip flexor, groin and several stomach muscles. The moment that changed my life for ever was when I woke up in the hospital after my procedure. I started to look at life in a whole new light. Yes, It wasn't a life threatening injury but it affected my soccer ability which means more than anything to me. As I was sitting in the hospital bed unable to walk, eat or go or shower by myself I told myself that I would do everything humanly possible to come back better and stronger than ever. Being unable to walk made me also realize that manny people live this way every day of their lives! The thoughts I had during this day will stay with me for the rest of my life, but most importantly will impact the rest of it.
ReplyDeleteNoah Abrams
My Malala moment was when my father, at the age of 39, came home on hospice due to liver failure. It is a touchy subject. One that makes everyone react differently. We all process the pain that accompanies the loss of a loved one in different ways, at different speeds. There is no wrong way or right way to grieve. It is a process of learning how to instill the spirit of the gone into the brightness of our lives. Being only 13 years of age at the time, it was very difficult to see my family go through such a traumatic experience. But through this experience I gained an understanding that the trauma digs a huge hole in you so you can hold more love and light. MY father passing away changed my life dramatically, but it opened my eyes to the fact that you have to be bigger than yourself. Helping those around you can be one of the most satisfying feelings in the world. When i was at my lowest, there were those who held their hand out to help me, why not do the same for those who need help? Although the pain was very damaging, it opened my eyes to a world in which helping others who are in need, may be the best thing one can do in order to overcome traumatic situations.
ReplyDeleteJimmy Coyle
The moment that changed my life was when my grandparents from my mothers side flew up to visit from Florida one year. During their stay, my grandpa misstepped going to his bedroom and fell down an entire flight of stairs, breaking his neck and his vertebrae. Before this moment, I treated him very differently than I do today. Before he was just my 80 year old grandpa, who walked and talked slowly, repeating story after story. After the accident I realized how my time with him is precious, and I should take advantage of any moment I have with him. This was such a great decision, because through this I started listening to his stories and learned all about my history. My grandpa came here from Germany and had serious struggles living here during WWII. His family basically had nothing, and he was beaten up every day. But once he grew up he became a very successful doctor and raised my mom and her 5 siblings. Just listening to his stories made me see him so differently, and gave me so much more respect for him. This moment also just made me realize what I was missing when I wasn’t listening, and how important that is.
ReplyDeleteMary Corcoran, D Period
My Malala moment was coming to Berkshire. Before Berkshire life was extremely simple and relaxed. I went to school came home and just played until it was dark out. Didn’t do any studying and school was easy. I figured everything in my life would just fall perfectly into place. I never thought about college or my future I just had fun in the moment. Now life is hectic, always something to do or complete. Now I’m focusing about the next four or five years of my life rather then enjoying the moment. School and athletics are so competitive now I have to work as hard as I can to just keep up with the pack. Coming to Berkshire showed me that if you really want something you have to put a tremendous amount of work and effort into it to even have a chance at getting it.
ReplyDeleteSpencer Cookson
My Malala moment was the tragic and early death of my close uncle in 2010. This was the first time anyone who was significantly close to my family and I had passed, and the first time I came to wrestle with the concept of mortality. Everyone in my family is very close, and I knew my uncle very well. He was only 51 years of age, and had outlived both of my grandparents. The event of my uncles passing was devastating to my entire family. When he died, I was confronted for the first time in my life with the reality of my own mortality as well as the mortality of those around me. I realized that life is not infinite, and at some point every life has to come to an end. Being there at his funeral with the mentally scarring image of my whole family reduced to oceans of tears, and being faced with the reality that my uncle was truly gone forever gave me a new perspective on the value of life that I had not had before. I was faced with the concept of mortality, and the thought that no one's life is forever. I came to recognize the value of your time here on earth, and the value of the time you have with those around you whom you care about. No life is forever, and I had never understood how easily it can be taken away. After that tragic event, I had come to comprehend the importance of living in every minute you have here on earth, and every minute you have with those you care about.
ReplyDelete-Alex DeChellis
My Malala moment was when I travelled to France to put on a show with both German and French students for the seventieth anniversary of D-Day. As amazing of an experience as it sounds, and it was, it was also the most difficult stretch of my life so far. Arduous auditions started in October and consisted a lot of an understanding of World War Two and warning of the difficulty of this project. For eight ugly months we practiced and conquered three different shows, learned of our Norman host families, memorized lines, packed, and learned a bit of French and German before our flight. We immediately hit the ground running with eleven-hour rehearsals and limited English. I am a terrible French student and dancer so dancing on the hardwood floors of an old French auditorium and living in household of no English was taking a toll on me mentally and physically. Along with that was mystery meat to come home to and incessant pressure from my director to push and work harder. Then, before we knew it, we were sometimes doing three shows a day, once with over a thousand spectators. Luckily, we did a lot of other trips to build our understanding of the war. My greatest memory was visiting the German Cemetery in Normandy with sixteen German students. A few even saw relatives on the gravestones and there was no shortage of Bahrs. An American student with us had a German last name, and her grandfather landed on the same beach that a German girl’s grandfather was killed at June 6th, 1944. I learned a few things about humanity there and what our instincts can do. We, as I observed, are conquerors and we will conquer whatever we seem fit. We also do some very ugly things in the process, the director of a Museum dedicated to the invasion and the peace possible after it showed us a tree where, as a young boy, he saw a dead American soldier hanging by a parachute. Our rehearsals and spirit were definitely ugly, and we did conquer, but we didn’t conquer each other, we owned and reigned above the mistakes that an unlucky group of men made over seventy years ago through compassion and understanding.
ReplyDelete-Peter Bahr
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ReplyDeleteMy Malala moment happened when I was 7. My mom, sister and I were moving to Massachusetts to be closer to home and my dad was meeting us in a couple weeks. Days, weeks and months went by and then I realized he wasn't coming. I didn't really know what was going on and I didn't talk to him much but the adult gossip revealed the news. My parents were getting a divorce. I didn't want to think about a life without my real dad but I'd been living with my mom for so long that I didn't care that he wasn't around. Without a father figure at a young age I learned to do things by myself faster than other kids. I helped my mom clean around the house but I was so young that I didn't even really help. I learned what respect was. I learned how to speak my mind about things I didn't like and I knew when to shut my mouth. I became very independent at school and walked to my own beat. Even though my parents divorce was sad at the time it made me become a more independent person and taught me a lot early on in my childhood. This has changed my life significantly and it still continues too.
ReplyDelete-Taylor Rathbun
My Malala moment was when I embarked on an exchange year to attend Berkshire School. Coming to Berkshire gave me a new sense of what it meant to work hard. Even though school hasn't quite really started yet, I can already feel that this year is going to challenge me in ways I have never been challenged before. Before Berkshire, I used to just go to school, come back home and either spend my day just relaxing or hanging out with my friends. Now, I always just seem to be on the run, either because I’m rushing to get homework done or sometimes literally, when I’m running to classes. I have the feeling that I am forced to learn to manage my time more efficiently here, at least, I hope so, otherwise things could get complicated.
ReplyDeleteSomething else I realized was how unappreciative I was of of the things I have, how I took the things that most deserve my gratitude for granted.
- Alden Weiss, A Period
My Malala moment is coming to Berkshire School. Before I came to Berkshire School, I went to public school and everything was pretty easy. I went to classes, and then went back home to do homework. Didn't really have to try hard and still did really good. But then I found out I got accepted to Berkshire School and was excited and nervous. Everything was going to change, the way I interpreted life, the way I go about with life, and most importantly, leaving my family. Even though it was a great change, it didn't mean it would affect me from succeeding in life. Malala had a huge setback and that was when she got shot in the head. That didn't stop her though! After her recovery she got right back to her goal, on helping girls back in her country get education. Same with me, I battled through the first week and just started working harder, and facing the hard obstacles in life with my chin high.
ReplyDelete-Brian Rodriguez
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ReplyDeleteMy Malala moment was when I attended a camp at West point school for upcoming kids that are interested in the school. This is my Moment because while at camp they taught me little things that we always think about but in a whole new way that we haven't thought about them before. The first was discipline. They said that in order to be successful in any aspect of life you half to keep and maintain good discipline. I learned that in combat navy seals are so discipline and so tough that if ordered to that will with no hesitation let themselves die just so a mission can come out victorious. This to me was really inspiring because discipline in the minds of these officers is a measure of life and death sometimes. I never looked at discipline like this until I attended this camp. Another thing was pretty cool was how they taught us how to stay awake for two days. Not really a life altering moment but they taught us how to do things that most people would think are impossible but actually very doable. The next thing we learned was how to respect men of a higher power and how to respect the enemy. There is a lot more to respect than one thinks. Respect means you half to respect even the enemy that is trying to kill you. I learned that if a man surrenders he is not to be killed because that means he respects you as better than him. He is telling you that your to good for him and he cannot fight so he surrender's. The things they taught me while in some ways harsh were things that i will take with me through the rest of my life which is why this is my Malala moment. These are valuable things that are good to know whether you are a military person or not
ReplyDelete-Brandon Malarney
My whole life I have been hoping for a brother, step brother half brother anything. They could be older or younger all I wanted was a brother to keep me company and do the same things that I do. I always hoped that they would be able to attend the same school as I did so I could either show him around or he could show me around. We would be able to play football together and learn new skills. Just last summer on my dad’s side of the family Cooper was born on July 2nd, 2013. Cooper is my half brother now. When he was brought into this life it made me realize of all the differences and exciting possibilities to come in the future. At the age of 16 I finally had a little brother that I could help throughout his life. One of the first things I thought of when he was born was what he would be like in 16 years time and the idea of having a little brother 16 years younger than you. This is an amazing opportunity and I cant wait to see what the future holds.
ReplyDelete- Jack Harrison
My Malala moment was the tragic and early death of my close uncle in 2010. This was the first time anyone who was significantly close to my family and I had passed, and the first time I came to wrestle with the concept of mortality. Everyone in my family is very close, and I knew my uncle very well. He was only 51 years of age, and had outlived both of my grandparents. The event of my uncles passing was devastating to my entire family. When he died, I was confronted for the first time in my life with the reality of my own mortality as well as the mortality of those around me. I realized that life is not infinite, and at some point every life has to come to an end. Being there at his funeral with the mentally scarring image of my whole family reduced to oceans of tears, and being faced with the reality that my uncle was truly gone forever gave me a new perspective on the value of life that I had not had before. I was faced with the concept of mortality, and the thought that no one's life is forever. I came to recognize the value of your time here on earth, and the value of the time you have with those around you whom you care about. No life is forever, and I had never understood how easily it can be taken away. After that tragic event, I had come to comprehend the importance of living in every minute you have here on earth, and every minute you have with those you care about.
ReplyDeleteAlex
A moment that stuck in my head and changed my way of thinking such as Malala’s memories of her shooting is the day my dog died. The day before second grade my dog past away. I remember every moment of that day because it was the first time I had ever experienced a loss. The memories are very vivid in my head of that day but I have no recollection of day’s prior. This moment opened up my eyes that death is really going to happen. It also made me very thankful that I haven’t had to experience this pain. Experiencing this loss made brought me to the realization that I was a lot more scared of death than I thought. My dog dying was a very tragic and memorable moment in my life that made me come to the understanding that death is real and everyone is going to have to experience more than once in their lives.
ReplyDelete-Katherine Frick
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ReplyDeleteMy Malala moment came when my grandfather was put into the hospital after having a heart attack. I have been fortunate not to have any deaths in my family. This was a life changing moment for me because it was the first time in my life in which i had to really worry about someone close to me. I dont believe this incedent was nearly as bad as Malala but the one thing i believe our incedents had in common was our family. Both my family and Malalas family did whatever it took to make sure the person hurt was put in the best well being. Lastly the one message i took from this was sometimes you dont get to spend a lot of time with the people you love so when youre with them make sure you charish that time.
ReplyDeleteMatt Koopman
My Malala moment was coming to Berkshire. Coming to Berkshire as a new sophomore wasn't the easiest thing to adjust to. Before coming to Berkshire and realizing what an amazing place it is, I was very against attending this school and if it wasn't for my parents convincing me to give Berkshire a try, I would not be where i am today. My brother had gone to Salisbury boarding school, and listening to him complain about things at Salisbury made me very skeptical on coming to Berkshire. As i settled into this new environment sophomore year, i started to meet so many great people and try new things that i would have never done if i had stayed in Pittsburgh. Within the first week, my opinion of this school already began changing into a better one. Berkshire challenged me to do and to try new things that changed my view of this school and made me realize what an amazing place this is. After only a month, i knew i had made the right decision on coming here and realized how lucky i am to get the opportunity to attend a school like this. Even though i was against coming here at first, the people and surroundings at Berkshire changed my opinion of this school so fast. Taking the risk to come to a new school knowing absolutely no one, sounded like worst possible idea until you actually take that risk and I'm glad I did.
ReplyDelete-Cam Robinson
One thing we as humans can't control is time. It flies by and slips through the hands of those who cannot grasp its value. Unfortunately, I was one of those people until the end of my sophomore year. Beginning with seventh grade, I filled the shoes of a typical middle school girl. Excited to become apart of the older world, socializing was my main concern. I desperately wanted to be welcomed on to the girls varsity soccer team as the youngest in the school. Surprisingly, the wish i hooked on a shooting star one night was carried out and I was granted a position on the team. My acceptance stuck me like the needle of a shot, and the popularity fed me like liquid adrenalin. For four years, I had the arrogance, I had the older boyfriend and I had the popularity, but i didn't have a care in the world for my education. That all drained out of me in a matter of seconds after I witnessed my father shed tears of utter disappointment and indignity when reading my report card at the end of sophomore year. I could feel a hurdle catch my foot and slam me on my face. Not a word came out of his mouth for the next week, and I couldn't handle the hulking weight on my shoulders. That moment of emptiness I felt when my own father couldn't fathom my failures over the years changed me for the better. It made me realize how valuable my education really is. Because of that, I ended up on stage for every quarter of my Junior year, and will remain until I graduate to pursue my success further in life.
ReplyDelete-Melody Barros
My Malala moment that changed my life was when my grandma moved away. When I was six years old I could always look forward to visiting her on Sunday for a big family dinner. When she babysat me, she always had different crafts and activities for me to do. Between making crafts, reading books and going to the park, Grandma and I became very close. Unfortunately as I grew older and become increasingly busy, Sunday’s dinners became nonexistent. I didn’t realize that as I was growing older, consequently so was my Grandma. It became unsafe for her to live alone and my family was too busy to give her proper assistance. It was then decided that she would move to Switzerland, where she would live closer to family. Even though it was for her well-being, it was hard to say goodbye to someone who made such an impact in my childhood. She is now suffering from Alzheimer’s, and it is becoming a very real possibility that soon she won’t remember those times we shared. This experience taught me to cherish the time you have with someone and live in the moment, because even memories don’t last forever.
ReplyDelete-Jamie Ernst
My Malala moment was this summer when I went to Fiji for two weeks with kids I didn't know. The majority of our time was spent in the SomoSomo Village on a remote island. The village was small and everyone knew each other. Some of the Fijians knew decent English while others did not know any at all. However, language did not stop us Americans the the Fijians from getting along and communicating with one another. Although I brought my cell phone as a way to contact my parents, there was no service on the island. Not once did I wish I had my phone to check Facebook or Instagram. I was captured by the feel of everyone on the island. At night we slept in tents and the Fijian children often put on a show for us after we ate dinner. One night, the village men made a ginormous bonfire on the beach. The children all got up and singed and danced. They taught us their songs and we sing and danced with them. There is no opportunity for a job on the island, so men often worked outside, and the women would weave. One day, our group of 13 kids were split up into groups of three or four. The Fijian women were going to teach us how to weave. Three women sat on a beautiful weaved blanket on the floor. They had palm fronds in the hands and what they were doing with their hands was unbelievable. The woman taught Teddy, Cat, and me to weave a bracelet. A man came over and brought us each a pinwheel he made from leaves. It was windy that day so the fan was blowing in the wind. It was a Saturday, so some local children also accompanied us. They blew the pinwheel and some even ran around with them. A couple kids even tried to teach us how to make one. It was then when I realized how simple life was there. They did not have electricity or cell phones or TV. Children entertained themselves by going outdoors and collecting coconuts or playing soccer. The village did not have what we have in the United States, and, yet, they were so content. Their lives we so uncomplicated. The experience in Fiji really opened my eyes to see what we take for granted and how you can still be happy with the simplest things in life.
ReplyDelete-Ali Duryea
My Malala moment was my freshman year at Berkshire. It was the fall parents weekend and I was sitting at my desk in Biology and my parents were on the other side of the room listening to a lecture by Mr. Dalton. All of a sudden I had a hot flash and asked to go get a drink of water, and on my walk over I passed out and hit my head on the floor resulting in a huge gash over my right eyebrow. Although blood was dripping down my face, in the confusion I was still determined to get some water. Before I made it to the fountain I sat down on a bench while I got weird looks from people inside one of the classrooms. Someone had called the trainer and before I knew it my gash was covered and I was on my way to the hospital. After getting 22 stitches in my head the nurse came into the room and told me I had a rare heart condition called a bicuspid aortic valve. This would restrict some activities for the rest of my life such as not being able to lift more than my body weight and not being able to play contact sports for many months. this cut my soccer season short and stopped me from playing in the upcoming hockey season. This is something that I will have to watch for the rest of my life and has taught me never to take anything for granted, especially your health.
ReplyDeleteJim Streett
My Malala moment was last year when I decided to leave my home country, Somaliland, and come to the United States to go to school. I had no idea what I was getting myself into until I came to Berkshire School last year as a sophomore. Everything felt different when I came here. I didn't know anyone. I kept thinking about home, but I knew I won’t go home anytime soon because of my visa, so that even made things harder. It was my first time that I left home and travel to other country. It is been one of the hardest and best decisions that I ever made. This is life time opportunity that I got, so I never regret and never will regret my decision to come here. It is been little over a year now, and I didn't go back to home at all. It is been really hard, and I miss my family and friends more than anything, but I still try to make the best out the situation here. America has been great to me so far, so I am forever grateful that I was lucky enough to come to Berkshire School.
ReplyDeleteMaria Ahmed
My Malala moment happened just about a year ago. We had just played Taft in a night game and my mom came up to watch. My mom came to every single game last year, making saturday the day of the week I looked forward to most. She came no matter where the game was and no matter what time it was. She drove an hour and a half every week to come and see me play. She's truly is my biggest fan.
ReplyDeleteAfter the game we sat around and talked for an hour just catching up on the week we had. When it came time to say goodbye I made sure she was awake and had some coffee with her for the ride home. Later that night I was sitting in my room playing video games with some friends when my phone began to ring. It was my mom and she hadn't made it home yet. My first thought was that she must be stuck in traffic and calling to let me know so that I wouldn't worry. Much to my surprise, I was wrong. She told me that she had been hit by a drunk driver and spun off the road and slammed into a guard rail. She assured me that she was ok and told me someone else had seen the entire thing. They had taken down the drunk drivers license plate so that the police could catch them too. In that moment I was frozen with fear, disbelief and this feeling of suffocation. I never thought that something like this could ever happen to my mom. The person who I loved more than anything in the world. I consider this my Malala moment because even though I was terrified and assumed the worst, my mom was ok and I realized that the universe works in very mysterious and unusual ways. Sometimes it even scares you half to death, but out of it comes a greater understanding of what matters most to you in life, what you value most and hold closest to your heart.
Grayson Keith, B Period
This is amazing
DeleteMy Malala moment was when my grandmother died from cancer during my freshmen fall at Berkshire. She was over 80 years old and had already had cancer five times before so I was not as much shocked, as I was hurt. Whenever I saw my grandmother her face lit up like it was the best part of her week and made me feel great. When my mom called me to tell me I was devastated I would never again see her face light up the way it did when I went to visit her. This made me realize that I needed to treasure every moment I have with the people closest to me because even though they’re here today tomorrow they could be gone forever.
ReplyDeleteWill MacClarence
My Malala moment was during seventh grade at my old school. I was bullied by two people over the same period of time who called themselves my friends. We were friends the year before when both of them were new to the school and I reached out to them. All of a sudden they changed and started being mean and unfriendly towards me. There was a guy and a girl. The girl would call me named over the internet and slam me into lockers. But she would be nice to me one day, then bully me the next, just to get me off guard. The guy would abuse me physically and emotionally. He would push me into lockers and grab my shoulders and dig his nails into my skin and rip my skin. He would grow out his nails and rarely would cut them just to hurt me. He also would say awful things online and in messages. This guy also ended up turning my best friend at the time against me and convinced her to not be nice to me as well. Both of these people bullying me led to me cutting myself. I didn't like to do it but I felt like there was no other way to get through this. I finally had the courage to tell my mom and she found someone for me to talk to about it. I got better and found ways to get through the rest of the school year and try and decrease the awful things they would do to me. I also told the head of my middle school so that it would stop completely. From then on, I realized that no one ever has to go through times like these alone. There is always someone to talk to and another option then hurting yourself.
ReplyDelete- Annie Love
Eliza Griffin
ReplyDeleteSeptember 5, 2014
Constitution Law
My Malala Moment
My Malala moment was two years ago when I became aware of how important my mom is to me. In September of 2012, my parents told my sister and I, that my father was moving out, and that they would be living separately for a while. A while became two years. Through out those years, the relationship between my mother, my sister, and I strengthened. We were all going through a rough time, and as a result, turned to each other to lean on for support. At this point in time, I became aware that my mom was my best friend. She was there for me when I needed to cry, when I needed to laugh, and when I needed a hug. She did not let my sister and I focus on how different life was going to be without my father being around everyday, but instead talked about the exciting trips and adventures we were going to take as three free girls. My mom is my rock, and without her by my side in the last two years, I do not know what I would have done.
My Malala moment was when I was climbing and camping in the Adirondacks. I was on a weeklong trip and it had been raining for five days straight. On the sixth day it was raining for half the day. Right as we reached the summit of the mountain the sun came out. That was when I realized my love in the wilderness. It was one of my most memorable moments. The next summer I backpacked and sea kayaked through Alaska. It also got me into rock climbing which is something I pursue heavily now. Now all I want to do is be in the wilderness. It just makes me realize that if I never did that camping in the Adirondacks I would not have tried many of the activities that I enjoy today.
ReplyDeleteBen Lang
My Malala moment occurred on my first day setting foot under Mt. Everett as a student. It was September 2012, and I was about to embark on freshman orientation here at Berkshire. I distinctly remember Mr. Maher giving a speech to the new students in Allen. On the podium, (which is still there) there is a brass Berkshire seal that glistened in the spotlight as he spoke. As I gazed into the metal, a wave of nostalgia swept over me, as I recounted all of the late nights and tough conversations that led to this day, this moment. I remembered being so stressed over school in the fall of 8th grade, and writing those seemingly endless application essays, proofreading every word so that the admissions office would take notice. At that moment, it seemed so strange to me that this place that I had read about and researched relentlessly was suddenly my home for the next four years. To this very day, I remember this moment as the day that I truly began the next stage of my life.
ReplyDelete-Henry Thomas
My Malala moment was when I failed to make the top lacrosse team for my age. Before then I had been on the top team for the past 4 years so I figured I didn't need to try as hard to make the team again. But a week later I got a call saying that I didn't make the team. It was at that point I realized that you can't take any success for granted, and that you have to work for everything, despite your past. So that summer I put in the extra work and came back the next year and made the top team once again. Ever since that point I feel my work ethic has improved and has cause me to really excel in my athletic career. From now on I don't take any success for granted whether its in the classroom or on the field.
ReplyDelete- Joel Mayo
My Malala moment came many summers ago, on a normal day at the beach. Like any nine year old, I ran directly into the water, swimming trying to catch the biggest waves the ocean had to offer. The lifeguards had put up a yellow flag, which meant you were to be cautious because of rougher surf. I paid no attention to the color of flags, as I stayed in the water for hours on end, I had no idea that the lifeguards had changed the flag to red. Red flag, meant dangerous conditions, conditions a nine year old should not be in, but I was young, naive, thought I could take on the world. I lined up for my next wave, swam as fast as I could, trying to turn into the barrel. Things went dark, I couldn't see, I was running out of breath, didn't know which way was up,I was terrified. Time passed slowly under the surface as waves kept rolling through, burying me under water like concrete. After what felt like forever, I was rescued, I was alive.
ReplyDelete-Brooks Kiley
My Malala moment occurred when I was in just sixth grade. A year before one of my best friends was diagnosed with a rare and very dangerous form of brain cancer. I was heartbroken with the diagnosis but we all stood by him. On a sunday morning as my mom and I drove by his house we saw a police car mount his curb and rush into his house. My good friend Mikey had died watching football with his dad. The funeral was beautiful yet one of the saddest moments in my life. Seeing his small casket being raised was a very tramatic thing for me to witness. Yet as a community the town rallied behind the family. We sat at the funeral crying for the loss of a dear friend but knew we needed to be strong for his family. This moment made me realize that life is very fragile and short. My family helped create a foundation to raise money for the specific type of cancer and there are frequently fundraisers in his memory.
ReplyDelete-Luke Amero
My Malala moment was when Charlie passed away when I was eleven. This was not only one of the hardest moments I have ever been through, but it was my biggest fear to see him go. I got Charlie when I was two. Charlie was the friendliest and loving out of them all. The times I had with Charlie was something I'll always remember and something I miss so much. I've never thought the day would come until it actually did.
ReplyDelete"Charlie has cancer, Hanna. He's had it for about a year and we just found it." My mom said.
How could this possibly happen? Why did this happen to me? To Charlie? I remember this like it was yesterday, I ran into my room and put my head in my pillow. I didn't leave my bed till the next day. I didn't look at Charlie, it was almost if I was mad at him. All the memories ran through my head that I had with Charlie. I've never felt such a pain. The year went by and it was as if nothing happened. As if I didn't even realize Charlie was sick. I put that in the back of my mind.
Charlie started getting more sick: Not eating, narrow face, no energy.
Michael, my little brother's birthday. November 11th, 2008:
My little brother was turning seven. He was having a birthday party but there was conflict. Charlie could not go another day. It was time for him to go... I truly have never felt so numb. Charlie was the best dog, yes a dog, I've ever had. I have never felt a pain like that before. I was a complete wreck. This is my Malala moment because when something or someone passes thats close to you, you cherish your memories that you made with them. You appreciate what you have and you appreciate the times that you wish you could continue.
-Hanna Derrig, F period
My Malala moment was when my grandfather died. I was fifteen years old. He had battled cancer for 20 years. He lost one of his eyes to cancer and had to wear an eye patch. His loss left a big hole in my family. He was the rock that kept everyone together. When he died the family fell apart. For the first time I saw people in my family crying and sad. It was the first death I had experienced in my life and It made me realize how death can effect a community and the people closest to me. This moment opened up my eyes, which is why it is my Malala moment.
ReplyDeleteJack Lambrecht
My Malala moment was going to my old high school Boston College High School. I went there in the 7th grade as a 12 year old. I had to commute an hour every day leaving at 6 in the morning and would not get home until the earliest of 6 at night. It helped me develop my study skills, I made my best friends there that I will be friends with for the rest of my life. I became the man I was today at that school and that was my Malala moment. It will help with my future endeavors including being here at Berkshire.
ReplyDelete-Sam Topham
My Malala moment is unique in that I do not remember it at all. When I was eighteen months old, I was adopted from China. But there is a twist to my story: It was not supposed to be my moment.
ReplyDeleteMy mother and father had traveled across the globe from their tiny Connecticut farm town in hopes of pursuing their dreams of parenthood. My mom had never left the country before, and my dad had only traveled outside of the United States when he was in the Navy during the Vietnam War. Completely out of their element, they braved a foreign nation far in distance and different in culture from the United States, in hopes of holding the beautiful baby girl from their photograph for the first time.
Sitting nervously in a waiting room with several other American parents-to-be, mine were just was shaken, emotional, and sleep-deprived as the rest. After a painful wait, the nannies finally brought the baby girls out from the back of the welfare center where we were living. I was crying out of fear of leaving the hands of the woman who I had always known, and my mom was crying out of joy and disbelief that she was finally receiving a child. This was the best day of both of our lives. Soon after, our best day was interrupted by news to my parents that the babies had been mixed up. I was not in fact the beautiful baby girl from the photo that my parents had been adoring for months. The correct baby was back with the others, and the nannies were willing to swap the baby in my mother’s arms for the correct baby that my parents had their hearts set on. “No,” my mom explained, “we fell in love with the girl in our arms, not the girl from the picture.”
I never did find out what happened to the girl from the photograph, but my mom still has the photo in her office to this day. As much as the baby girl in the picture fills me with intrigue and questions about her life, I also think of my own. Where would I be had my parents agreed to send me back to live once more with the rest of the orphans? Would I still be in America? Would I still be alive? Even a small word such as “No” can change a life. Words have powerful meanings, and were it not for my mom’s, there is no doubt that my life would be completely different from what it is today. I cannot ever find enough gratitude for my Malala moment… The moment my mother said “No.”
My Malala moment happened in August of 2009 during 6th grade soccer tryouts. I had prepared all summer for this tryout, as any 6th grader who didn't perform well had to play on the 5th grade team. I was playing great, it was clear all of my hard work had paid off. Suddenly, I felt a fluttering on my finger. Thinking it was just a mosquito or some other annoying bug, I didn't even think twice about flicking it off. Unluckily for me, it was a bee. At this point in my life I had never been stung before, so I just figured it would hurt, get swollen and go away. After I realized it was a bee that had stung me, I tried to push through the pain of the sting and continue with the tryout. As the minutes passed it was getting harder and harder to breath, my body was covered in angry red bumps and I was feeling weaker by the second. I went up to one of the evaluators and explained what I was feeling. They laughed it off, saying it was just a bee sting and that I was probably out of shape. The last thing I remember from that moment was him writing down "5th grade" next to my name. When I came to, I was in a hospital bed hooked to an IV and my parents standing over me. As it turns out, I'm deathly allergic to bees, which is something I have to be cautious of every day. Knowing that I have to bring my epi-pen everywhere is a constant reminder of the near-death experience I had that fall, and a reminder to enjoy every day, as you never know when it will be cut short.
ReplyDelete-Sophia Peluso
My Malala moment was a couple years back when my mother got a really bad case of Viral Meningitis. I was young at the time so I did not know much about the disease at all. Everyday I would come downstairs to see my mother curled up in a ball on the couch not being able to move much or talk much at all. I was so scared that I was going to lose my mother and never see her again. All I wanted at the time was to see her get better. Every night I would pray for her to get better and just hope that someone could help her. Thankfully after time she got better and got back to full strength. This incident made me realize that you never know how long you have left with someone you care very much about and that you need to cherish every moment you have. This moment in my life made me cherish my time much more with everyone close to me and that is why this is my Malala moment.
ReplyDelete-Cody Lucey
I am often told that my family is "oddly close" or questioned as to why when I am home for breaks all I want is to see my sisters. The answer lies in my Malala moment. When I was in fifth grade, my eldest sister Meaghan (a sophomore at the time) became very sick. A year into her sickness, still with no diagnosis or direction, my parents decided to fly down to California to bring her to a Mayo Clinic. My middle sister Kaleen and I remained home alone for a week, but through the year we had become very self reliant, (with Meaghan and my parents often traveling to new doctors, as well as taking care of Meaghan when my parents worked) so this was not a big deal for us.
ReplyDeleteMy parents and Meaghan finally returned home, and Kaleen and I were praying to hear positive news. We got quite the opposite. My parents came in and ordered us to stay downstairs as they brought Meaghan to her room (she could not walk very far on her own), and to wait for them to come back. For what seemed like years Kaleen and I waited, and at last my parents came downstairs to speak to us. I could tell something was wrong the moment I saw my mom. Usually my mom is our rock; she carries us when we are sad and never shows any sign of weakness, but now she seemed as if all of the light was gone from her eyes. My dad spoke, telling Kaleen and I that Meaghan's sickness was much more serious than we had thought, and that it could possibly be fatal. Kaleen and I did not say a word, instead we ran upstairs and burst into Meaghan's room unable to process what we had just heard. Meaghan was laying in bed clutching her teddy bear she'd had since she was a baby. When she turned her head to meet Kaleen and I's worried gazes, she broke down. Not crying quietly out of self pity, not cursing her unfair circumstances; but screaming painfully that she could not leave us. She begged for more time for the sake of us, that she could not do this to me and Kaleen or our parents, and that she refused to accept being taken from us. I felt as if I had been shot down, I could not breathe nor function as waves of intense emotion poured through me. I had my Malala moment when I realized that Meaghan did not want to pass away because she felt she deserved more time for herself to be heroic and triumphant, rather that she could not bare the thought of leaving her family, and I knew I needed nothing more than them as well.
We are very fortunate, Meaghan's illness did not turn out to be fatal, however she is still sick to this day. The following years were difficult for us all, but we didn't mind. In fact my sisters and I feel lucky to have been brought together so closely despite the circumstances in which it occurred.
Julia Allyn
I never experienced the feeling of death is just besides me. None of my family members passed away. I had never have any serious disease. I had never visual a fatal car crash. However, during this summer, there's multiple airplane accidents happened. As an international student, I traveled by plane frequently. After that, i started to think, whether or not the next flight is my last flight. And the result is, i am going to live everyday like the last day in my life. So i won't have any regret.
ReplyDeleteJason Tao
My Malala moment happened about six months ago in Bermuda, while I was sitting by myself on my lunch break eating. I could notice outside the corner or my eye that a woman was awkwardly staring at me. Every couple minutes or so I would glance in her direction, and each time she was still looking at me as if she was trying to find out who I was. Finally after about ten minutes, she approached me at my table. She introduced herself then asked me for my name and I introduced myself also. The woman, whose name I cannot remember at this point in time, started to congratulate me for numerous things that I had accomplished in the previous months and years dating back to 2012 when I won a gold medal in the triple jump at the Carifta Games in Bermuda (an annual Caribbean track and field event). She was not only focused on congratulating me for my accolades though, she was also interested in how I had been doing in school and life in general. She asked me where I was in school, what upcoming events I was getting ready for next, how my training was going and lots more. This moment was the first time a stranger had come up to me and congratulate me on my past achievements as well as asks me how I was doing in life in general. She seemed very interested in how I was doing in school and how my training was going. To end the conversation, the woman told me “Keep up all the great work you are doing, you are making the whole island of Bermuda proud”. Those words impacted me and changed my life in ways that I cannot even explain and the woman probably doesn’t even know that. The lesson I learned from this encounter was that you never know who is watching you so always give your best, be humble, and your good deeds, actions, and accomplishments will be noticed no matter how small.
ReplyDeleteJustin Donawa
My Malala moment came during the fall of my freshman year. I was leaving English class when my advisor stopped me and told me that I was excused from my next class and that I needed to call my dad immediately. My initial thought was that I was in trouble; however, when my dad answered the phone I could tell by his tone that this was not the case. He spoke softly while choking back tears. He told me that there had been an accident and one of our closest family friends had been killed in a helicopter crash the night before. When I hung up the phone I immediately broke into tears. This was the first time in my life that someone very close to me had passed away. Not only had he been my dad’s closest friend for years, but he was also like a second dad to me. I thought of his children, whom I had grown up with, and how devastating it must have been for them. I realized how much I truly valued those close to me. I couldn’t believe that someone who had helped me grow up into the person I am today was gone forever, and that I didn’t even have the chance to say goodbye. What I learned from this tragedy was never to take my friends and family for granted. I try to enjoy every moment with the people I love, because you never when it could be the last.
ReplyDelete-Sam Merrill
My Malala moment took place around 4th grade when my grandfather was battling Alzheimer's Disease. My Grandfather was the father of 7 children and the grandfather of 35. For the first part of my life I thought there had to have been more than one of my grandpa. He some how managed to make all his grand kids sports games, birthdays, plays, concerts, you name he was there. Before my grandfather was diagnosed with Alzheimer's he was a loud, cheerful, loving guy who had tons of energy. Whether it was cracking an inappropriate joke or belting out a song he had learned in the Navy he was sure to entertain all. As I got older I started to notice that something was changing. My grandfather was not the same guy that I had known my whole life. He would get aggravated at very little things and would often raise his voice. At the time I was fairly young and didn't quite understand all of this. I just thought that Grandpa got grumpy whenever I came over. My Grandmother dealt with my Grandfathers antics day in and day out and never once did she get angry or frustrated with him. His behaviors continued to get worse and after a few years he was put in a nursing home. The nursing home he was in was fortunately in my town. I would often times go with my Mom to visit him. Although my visits probably made his day, it was very hard for me to see my grandfather change into this person that I knew he wasn't. Many times he would call me by the wrong name or ask me where his brother was who had been dead for almost 20 years. Seeing him this way was extremely difficult, but I knew he didn't have much longer and I wanted to see him while I could. On February 13, 2005 my grandfather passed away. Though it was hard to loose someone close to me for the first time, I didn't want to see him have to suffer any longer. Seeing my grandfather go through this experience made me stop and realize just how fortunate I am to be healthy and how lucky I am to have such an amazing Grandmother. When I feel like throwing in the towel I think about what my Grandmother put up with for about 4 years of her life and how she never once showed any signs of giving up on my Grandfather. My Grandmother is my biggest role model and at 85 she is the strongest most loving person I know. My Grandma taught me many important life lessons through the suffering of my Grandpa that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
ReplyDelete-Brendan Moloy
My Malala moment was heartbreaking yet eye opening. It all started one night at three in the morning when I woke up to a knocking noise coming from my window. Not sure what to expect and also being that I was half asleep I wipe my eyes and nonchalantly walk over to see if someone was there. To my surprise I didn’t find anyone outside. I walk over to my sister’s room to tell her but she’s not there. I walked down the hall and past the living room to find my sister at the front door talking to my uncle. Confused and tired I walk over and ask what’s going on. My uncle sits us down and he’s stumbling on his words. He tells us that our parents have been in an accident and that everything is okay and that they are in the hospital. My sister breaks down. Being that I was half asleep I hadn’t taken too much seriousness to the situation. I just wanted to know that neither of them had gotten seriously injured. As my uncle, it was his duty to make sure that we stayed calm and didn’t worry. He reassured us that they were fine and just getting checked to make sure they are fully okay. Little did we know, he was majorly understating what had happened. He insisted that we go back to sleep and told us that we would be able to see them tomorrow. As I lay in my bed I speculated all of the various situations my parents could have been in. The next day we go to the hospital and I see my dad waiting for us in the front. It was a relief to see him. We exchanged hugs, words and emotions, and then ask where our mom is. He led us to her room and didn’t say much. As we walked into the room and saw our mom my sister and I burst into tears. It was heartbreaking to see my mom the way she was cooped up on this bed. My dad explained that they were on their motorcycle and it was windy. On a stretch of the highway with no street lights my mom flew off the bike. When she hit the concrete her jacket and pants skidded on the ground and the friction caused sparks of fire that burnt and molded the clothes to her skin. At first my dad hadn’t noticed that my mom was off the bike. When he noticed she was no longer on the bike all kinds of things began going through his mind. As he slowed down and started to pull over he didn’t check his peripherals and he was hit by a car. Although the bike had been destroyed he luckily wasn’t seriously injured. It was pitch black outside and as he looked for my mom he used his phone light to see. She had crawled to the side of the highway where my dad had found her. Aside from the burns my mother suffered, she was fortunate enough not to break any bones. After she had been in the hospital for a few weeks she insisted on coming back home. This was difficult as my sister and I, had to take care of our mother and her wounds while my dad was at work. We took good care of her, but the pain she was enduring was very extensive. This was one of the most influential times of my life. I had to grow up and put aside my wants and needs. Unknowingly, as I sacrificed time to hang out with friends and do other activities and instead took care of my mom, I grew to be more mature. I also began to see life from a different perspective. I now see that life is precious. My mom is lucky to be alive today and I am lucky to have her. Also I learned that life goes on and that people should value life every day because any day could be your last.
ReplyDelete-Komar Paiz
It’s hard to think you’ve lived with someone most of your entire life and you still don’t know everything about them. A parent’s favorite line to a younger child is, “I’ll tell you when you’re older,” but if the child never remembers, the topic never resurfaces. Some things they keep secret until they think you’re old enough, but how is that for them to decide.
ReplyDeleteThis summer while filling out some stuff for college I sat down with my mom and we talked for hours. Through this conversation the one thing that sticks with me is the aspects of my father’s childhood I never knew about. It’s hard to believe that a man with an absentee father and an alcoholic mother could repress these emotions and memories and have the attitude towards life that my dad has today. Granted I barely know my grandfather so that wasn’t news to me, but the fact that my father was abused by his uncle changed the way I see him. I’ve always respected my father, but knowing this information made me see why he has the heart that he does, instead of turning cold and shutting the world out he aspires to help the troubled youth around him, and as a father he strives to give me and my sisters the world. He’s the man that looks out for everyone and at the end of the day I wonder how many people are looking out for him. He’s about 6ft and ways over 200lbs i’m sure, but his physical guard may not be enough to support his past.
L. Robinson
My Malala moment happened over the summer, it was the moment I realized how fortunate I am to attend Berkshire School. I was enrolled in a program in Costa Rica for a week and a half to do community service. I had always done small amounts of community service in my life, but nothing as extreme. We would wake up early every morning, and travel to a new destination every day. The places varied from schools to farms. I remember waking up super early one morning, getting in the van, and driving to one of the local elementary schools. Our job, the guide said was to mix concrete and help build walls for the school. I didn’t know quite what to expect, but I thought there would probably be a small one or two story building with many children attending the school. It was the complete opposite. There weren’t any structured classrooms, just a courtyard with sectioned off fenced areas surrounding it in a square that they made up their classrooms. I looked around and did not see many children. There were probably about 30 or less of them who attended the school, from kindergarten to 5th grade. I asked if most schools in the area were like this, and the guide said that this was one of the nicer schools in the area. This was when I realized how lucky I am to attend such a nice school, and be able to get a good education.
ReplyDelete-Molly Coleman
I've never lost anyone particularly close to me, nor have I ever been scarily close to dying. But I connect to what a lot of people are saying with their own individual Malala moments and the strength they found. Mine came to me the summer before sophomore year, which is also the last time I've been home. My decision to leave home for good was difficult and I often look back and wonder if maybe I could fix these people that I had been hurt by. Yet, I never actually return. This is because I know myself and at this point in my life I know what I deserve. Bouncing from house to house and renting rooms on breaks isn't always easy, but I soon found places that I will always be able to go, and I soon found people I will always be able to rely on. I didn't like the way my life was going -- so I decided to change it. Turning my back on everything I had known for sixteen years was hard, but continuing in the situation I was in seemed even harder. I feel so lucky to have found Berkshire which ended up being the place that saved me, and to have found the people who ended up supporting me.
ReplyDeleteI would be nowhere without this "pseudo" family I have created for myself. I am so grateful for all of the opportunities I've gotten and all the unbelievably kind acts people have committed for me along the way just to make sure things worked out for me. So in the end I had to realize that most people are born into the world with people to love, and people who will love them back. This isn't the case for everyone, and that's just the way it is. But what I learned that was really important is that if you don't have those people -- you find them. You have to find and surround yourself with people that make your life better in hopes of doing the same for them. Because it's okay to take help from people every now and then because the more help you take the better you'll be able to give, and I think that's the most important part.
- Elizabeth Hosage
My Malala moment was in 2013 when the woman who raised me for a majority of my life was deported from the USA. This changed my life permanently and destroyed my innocence on the current issue of illegal immigration in this country. It also made me sympathize more easily with people all around the world struggling from inhumane acts of human beings. It spurred my interests with current events and questioned my belief of how people treat each other. After this tragedy, I felt as if whenever I read a paper I felt the realness of the issues I was reading about. On top of all this, it really pained me to see someone I loved so much to be harmed in such a way.
ReplyDelete-Ben Wolf
My Malala moment happened to me when I was ten years old. I was sitting at the kitchen dinner table eating with my family. My parents, my twin older sisters, and my little brother. That was the first moment that I realized my older sister Grace was autistic and could never communicate with me normally during one of her outbursts that my parents were dealing with. Her outbursts always occur because she can't tell us what she is thinking or feeling. The realization hit me like a ton of bricks. I instantly got upset until I realized that my other older sister Tory goes through the same experience. I was initially extremely sad that I could never communicate with her the way that everyone else can with their siblings. Grace having autism has brought Tory and I even closer together we may fight but at the end of the day the three of us are very close and support each other through anything. But Grace is the biggest blessing to my family and shows us all to be happy and enjoy the simple things in life and that you don't need much to be happy.
ReplyDeleteLane Mayher
My Malala moment occurred last year during a college showcase where I had to perform/compete against girls from all over the United States. Many different college coaches attended this showcase and it was literally one of the greatest experiences I have ever had. It shed light on my inner strength and will to succeed when it truly matters.
ReplyDeleteThey arranged the courts by ranking (1-8) and I didn't have a ranking so I ended up being placed in the middle. Over the course of the weekend I worked my way up to the number one court and defeated all the top national players. There were three college coaches on each court standing right behind you whilst you played. This single moment proved to me in more ways than one that I have strength/confidence within to perform under pressure in serious events. It has been the gateway to my future here at Berkshire this year and at West Point next year. This single moment is irreplaceable and cannot be erased. It has revealed a lot about my character and the person i am today.
- Taylor Wray
My Malala moment came the day my brother left for boarding school. I had known he would be leaving for a long time and I thought I had prepared myself for that day, but the feeling I got when I went to school the next morning was nothing that I could have prepared for. For the years leading up to that moment, he and I never truly showed affection towards each other: we cared about one another, but never showed it. That day, I realized what it was like to "lose" someone so important in my life. Although I would see him again in 3 months, I still understood how important it was to take the time to tell those close to me how much they mean to me. From then on, I've tried to tell people how I truly feel because any day I could lose them and I know that every day I would regret them not knowing how important they are to me.
ReplyDelete- Dillon Cunningham
My malala moment is probably when i experienced my first sense of responsibility as fourteen year old. Being a captain of my youth football team was never easy; I mean at that age having your peers look up to you as if you were some sort of god complex was a lot of pressure at the time. But i was used to this as we as a team tore through our regular season undefeated, it wasn't until our championship game where i felt an embrace of doubt reach our team. The reason for this doubt went from the harsh weather conditions, to the long travel we took just to get to the field, and the overall demeanor of my football team. So I did what any fourteen year old football player would do, i decided to reach to my coach, who was also my father. what he said to me in a few short, but meaningful words, stuck to me for the rest of my life, he said, " I may be the coach but you are the leader of this team, you are responsible for the outcome and win or lose i expect nothing less than greatness from you" from that moment i took on a new a form of leadership and became not only a better athlete but a better individual as well.
ReplyDeleteDeath of a loved one is a hard concept to grasp. It always took a lot for me to wrap my head around the thought that one day a family member, friend, or pet can be alive with you one second, and then vanish the next. This distressing thought has lingered in the minds of many, but it’s hard to come to terms with. Although death is inevitable, the thought of actually losing someone close to me just didn’t seem realistic. This was until my sisters best friend Natasha passed away in third grade from a brain aneurism. I was in first grade at the time, and although I was young, I still remember it to this day. She was over my house not many days before her death, seeming perfectly healthy. When she left my house that day, I was expecting to see her again within the next couple of days. I was unaware that it would be the last moments I would spend with her. This moment in my life has made me realize how precious life is. Now, its important to me that I show my family and friends how much I love and care about them, and to appreciate the time I spend with them. Although this was the hardest emotional obstacle to overcome thus far in my life, it has had an immense influence on who I am today.
ReplyDelete--Molly Crabtree
When I was in the fifth grade, my family went on a ski vacation to Vail. The third day or so into our vacation we decided to go out and hit up the big bowls. I was snowboarding at the time, while the rest of my family skied. As we were coming down this one section of the trail I noticed a big lip at the end where the path curved upward. Being on a snowboard, I knew I needed to pick up my speed to get over the hill since I didn’t have poles to push me up. We were all in a rush anyway, for whatever reason, so I felt a pressure on me to catch up. Not thinking too much, I went in a straight line down the icy mountain to make it over the hill, but when I got to the lip, instead of going up and over it, I flipped over backwards and landed on my head. I blacked out unconscious and awoke in panic. The next think I knew my dad was standing over me asking if I was okay. I tried to answer, but stumbled over my words. He called ski patrol and soon after they came and I was tied into a sled. They sped down the mountain pulling me. What was the most traumatizing though, was the fact that they put me, lying in the sled, on the chairlift, hovering 50 feet over the ground. From there, our trip ended early, and I went to the hospital. It wasn’t until I was in the hospital, that I began to process all that happened. In the hospital, I was informed I had a first-degree concussion. I was just grateful at that point worse didn’t happen, that I was safe, and not paralyzed. It was the first time I really began to consider what it meant to have your health. The experience reminded me of the bigger picture, reminded me that life is precious, so we should savor every moment. As terrifying as the experience was, getting a major concussion did not prevent me from snowboarding again. I learned to get back up off my feet and try again. Today, that little girl who got back up is still inside of me; I’ve learned to keep challenging myself and be grateful for the people in my life and all the things I get to do.
ReplyDeleteAlyssa Cass
My Malala moment that changed my view on life or a moment I could never forget was two years ago when i found out the news my grandfather was dying. This changed my life because it made me realize that you only live once and have to make the most of your opportunities. When I first found out about the news it was total shock, and seeing the panic in my mothers eyes really made it real. Realizing that someone will be leaving you soon forever is hard to wrap your head around. But I was not the only person struggling as it was hard for a lot of people. Realizing that life is a gift and wonderful really makes you realize that every moment counts even when you think it is something small or unimportant . Making it count is huge, for example the last time seeing him was a moment I will never forget. Walking out of his house seeing him for the last time was unforgettable. The things in life that you may not think are big with family and friends are really put into perspective when you are losing a loved one that you were very close with. This event in my young life overall showed me the significance of making the most of the opportunities you are given as you do not know when someone or something can disappear or go just like that.
ReplyDeleteBarclay
My Malala moment happened just this past summer when my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. Luckily she caught it when it was only at stage 1, but we learned that her cancer was genetic. My mom had a gene that originated from a small group of Eastern European Jews known as the Ashkenazi jews. The gene raises her chances of getting breast cancer to 87%, breast cancer in the second breast to 79%, and ovarian cancer to 60% by age 70. My mom now has to live through these changes, but so does my sister, brother, and I potentially. Each of us have a 50-50 chance of having the gene. Although the gene only slightly raises my brother's chances of cancer (prostate cancer goes from about 12% to 20%), it will still impact the way we live our lives. Until I get genetically tested at 25, I won't know what my risks are- and even after then I might have to live with these huge risks. This gene is life-changing, whether it effects me or not. I might have to watch my sister grow up with it, and I'll definitely have to watch my mom. The only thing left to do is accept what is.
ReplyDeleteSarah Kinney
Before my grandmother passed away I didn't realize how important family is. I would visit her in the hospital for weeks along side my dad. On that final afternoon I saw my dad sob, not just shed a tear or two, it was then that I realized I have never seen him cry before. Only 10 days after she passed, her husband, my grandfather passed away as well. I was told it was from a broken heart. Months after that I would think back to the time I spent with my grandparents. They had the best relationship I could ever ask for. It was then that I realized fighting with my parents and brothers wouldn't get me anywhere but only push me father away. Recently my other grandmother, on my mom’s side, developed bladder cancer. She was very sick for a long time and is only now starting to recover. Witnessing something like cancer take a life and almost take another took a huge tole on every member in my family, but somehow out of everything that happened I found a way to make an agreement with myself to be the best person I can be even when times are as tuff as they were. Doing so has impacted my life now more than any other decision I have made. Even now, I have a very strong and close relationship with my brothers and parents that I couldn't have achieved without the clarity I gained from my grandparents passing, what feels like yesterday but is really almost 5 years ago.
ReplyDeleteIone
My Malala moment happened very recently. This past summer, one of my families very close friends was diagnosed with severe cancer in her left leg. She was only eight years old when she was told by her doctor and her family that she would have to either have her leg amputated, or suffer a fatal consequence. By this point she was old enough to understand the gravity of the situation but instead of breaking down to tears, she gathered her thoughts and said “ does this mean we can get half off shoes because we are only buying one?” Although this response got a quiet laugh from the doctors and her family, they tried again in telling her how big of a deal actually was. She responded to them by saying that bad things happen to everyone, and it is how a person responds to the bad things that shows who they really are. I took many things away from her experience. The first thing I took away is even in the face of something as significant as cancer, we have the ability to either respond maturely, or impishly. I learned that throughout my daily life, I will be faced with many troubles just as she did. However, it is how I react and respond to the troubles that define my character. I also learned that nothing is safe forever. If something so horrible can happen to someone as innocent as an eight year old girl, anything can happen. I have learned to live every day like it could be the last day of a normality I have come to love.
ReplyDeleteHunter Reynolds
My Malala moment was when my aunt passed away from cancer. It was even harder for me because I had just seen her two weeks before and she was not in the hospital. I remember being with my father when we got the call and I remember thinking about how final everything was. There was nothing I could do to bring her back even though I had just seen her. The funeral was even harder sitting behind my uncle and cousin, who has just lost their wife and mother. This tragic experience taught me that life is short and that I should value every moment, even the little things. Also when people are going through tough times, it is always helpful to lend a hand.
ReplyDeleteKristalyn
Even since I was little, I hated leaving the comfort of my house or my family. It was because of that reason that I never thought about applying to a boarding school. To my own surprise, I one day questioned if maybe I would want to go to one. I became obsessed with the idea and somehow found it within me to tell my parents. Since it was already March at that point and certain schools were not allowing late applications, I started off only applying to one boarding school where my dad had gone and where my sister was finishing her senior year. Attending this school because a must for me. I applied and two weeks later went for an interview and tour. It could not have gone any better. The admissions office told me it would only be at most three weeks until I heard with their decision on if I would be becoming a Pelican or not.
ReplyDeleteThe day finally came when I was rejected for having a learning disability and for being dyslexic.
This was my Malala moment. I always knew growing up I was different from other students in my class. Being unable to read and struggling to learn has been hard to accept. I would always think my disabilities were winning, and as if human, they wanted me to fail. However, as I got older I learned to cope and to manage my learning disability. I’m no different from anyone else. Just like everyone, all it takes for me in order to succeed is to work hard. I didn’t care that I would not be attending that school and becoming a pelican like my dad and my sister anymore because that decision led me to the best place for me. Berkshire. I strongly believe that everything happens in life for a reason. All along I was supposed to be right where I am.
-Emily Walsh
Where am I?
ReplyDeleteThis is the exact question I have had to answer the past two summers that I have been volunteering for elderly with memory impairment. It didn’t make sense to me how the human mind could lose something so vital for life. Often times it was upsetting, watching these elderly people go through their day with no perception of what was going on around them. A task as simple as walking to the dining room could not be completed without proper guidance. The best way to describe someone with dementia is the mind of a sixty-five year old replaced by that of a two-year old. What was even a greater challenge was watching my grandmother blend in with the crowd. She remembered my relation to her for one minute but mistook me for a stranger the next. Although this was sad, I choose to view it in a more positive light. I learned that for my future career path I want to do something that will serve a greater purpose. I have become interested in nursing. This summer as opposed to the last, volunteering at the assisted living center had a different meaning to me. I loved to care for people and to lead activities.
I connected with the senior citizens at a higher level. I enjoyed observing how my interaction with the seniors would elicit a smile or bring pleasure and comfort to them.
I understand now, the impact a healthcare professional can have on others and this appeals to me. It taps something inside of me.
Olivia Good
Malala Yousafzai had a moment in which she stood up for equal education for all and was shot by the Taliban for these beliefs. I had a "Malala Moment" of my own, though Malala's courage is that of something I could never live up to.
ReplyDeleteSince I was born, family has been very important to me. I have a brother and a sister, both who I love with all my heart. My parents have always been there for me and I love them very much too. But my family goes beyond just my siblings and parents. My mom's father died when she was in high school, so I only know her mother who my siblings and I call Nana. Nana lives in Texas with other extended family, so I don't get to see her very often. My immediate family lived with my dad's parents for about three years from when I was seven years old until I was ten years old. Grandma and Grandpa's house was always fun. Grilled cheese sandwiches in the tree house and long swims on hot days still resonate with me as some of the happiest years of my life. After my family moved to a new house just a half hour away or so, I immaturely thought we would grow apart from Grandma and Grandpa because of the move. However, we missed them so much that it seemed they would be visiting at least a couple times a week. Several years past until I came to Berkshire as a freshman. That year, my Grandpa began to suffer from pneumonia and became very weak. The family wasn't really sure if he'd recover. But, as strong as he was, he fought through and was out of the hospital in a matter of weeks. Then, in the winter of my sophomore year, my advisor, Mr. Splawn knocked on my door during a free period to tell me that I had to call my dad immediately. My dad told me that Grandpa had suffered what looked to be a stroke and appeared too weak to fight this battle. He passed away later that night. It was a very emotional time for my family and I, so I decided to go home for a couple of days to be with them in the time of mourning. The funeral was on a Sunday, and many people from all over the country came to celebrate the life of my Grandfather. Friends and family told me nothing but how impactful he was on them and how one man can really make a truly large, positive difference in the world. It was at that moment when I realized just how much I loved my Grandfather and just how important family was to me. Though I dearly miss my Grandfather, this moment has made me stronger today.
Jack Gus
n Bermuda, when you turn sixteen you get to ride a motor bike instead of drive a car. The roads in Bermuda are very narrow and windy, which makes it hard to overtake cars. Two summers ago my friend Keno got his bike which not only changed his life but mine as well. One day I was watching a movie at home with my friend Stephanie until I got a text saying that Keno got into a bike accident and passed away. I was in complete shock. I could not believe what I was being told. Keno was riding his motor bike to see his three autistic friends that were visiting the island when he decided to overtake a bus on a corner and ended up colliding with a truck. I will never forget Keno's infectious smile and bubbly personality. He never failed to make me laugh and there is not a day that goes by when I do not think of him. This showed me that you never know what is going to happen and how valuable life really is.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tatum.
4 and a half years ago, the most monumental change in my life occurred. At 11 years old, I held the phone with shaky hands and spoke with an even shakier voice to the 911 operator, explaining that my 8 year old sister and I had just found our father lying face down on our kitchen floor, his hands purple and bulbous, his ears deaf to our screams. Later that night, our mother returned from the hospital and woke us up in the middle of the night, bearing the news that we had dreaded to hear. I felt my heart drop into my stomach and my head begin to spin as I realized that I would never see my dad again. The death of my father was an event that changed my life irreversibly and drastically, but this is not my Malala moment. In the moment when I learned that I had to carry on with life without my dad, I felt as if I had been thrown into the ocean with a cinder block tied to my leg. The next day when I came downstairs to a house full of flowers, family and friends I felt like no matter how much I gasped for air, I was suffocating. I cannot think of a moment where I have been more afraid. My friend’s words of comfort were awkward and uncomfortable; I wouldn’t talk to any of my family members for days. I went through what seemed like endless days feeling empty, completely numb to anything and everything around me, interrupted only by the occasional stab of loneliness and grief. The future was unimaginable without my father, an absurd notion to even consider without him by my side. But of course, the future eventually becomes reality whether you want it or not. The most important lesson I learned from this tragedy is the resilience and strength within me. Of course, I still doubt myself at times; I still have fears and insecurities like everyone else. But what my life has taught me is that even if everything around me falls into a million pieces, I cannot be broken. My Malala moment is not one of glory or happiness; it is one of paralyzing fear and grief. But my Malala moment is the reason I am the person I am today. I have been taught that no matter how high the mountain or how treacherous the cliff, my life is walking proof of the relentless strength of the human spirit. No matter how insurmountable a problem may seem, I now know that if I can make it through this I can make it through anything, and the moment I realized this was my Malala moment.
ReplyDelete-Caroline
One day in seventh grade my mom picked me up from school just like any other day. While driving in the car, my mom told me that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. She made it seem as if it wasn't a big deal at all, strongly reiterating how it would quickly pass over after one easy surgery. I was thirteen and didn't know much about medical procedures, so I believed that it wasn't going to be a huge process. One year later, my mom was completely bald and would stay in bed for weeks at a time. She had to undergo three serious surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation. My Malala moment was when my mom came to pick me up at boarding school in eighth grade for a weekend. It was the first time I saw her with a wig on. She had no eyebrows or eyelashes and she was unbelievably thin. This moment was when I realized how serious her condition was, and how I needed to cherish every moment and support her as much as I possibly could. This moment didn't just change my outlook on my mother's cancer, it changed my outlook on life in general. From this moment on I began to realize the importance of family and supporting your loved ones. I did my best to help my mom through what was one of the hardest times of her life, and now we are closer than ever. Though this moment wasn't a moment that anyone would hope for, it changed me for the better.
ReplyDelete-Annie
Living in different places and environments has been a huge part of my life. Since I was born I have lived in 4 different states, and have gone to 5 different schools. The less memorable move I experienced occurred when I was just 3 years old. At the time we lived in up-state New York. My dad had recently got a job in Madison, Wisconsin with my Uncle. This move and transition into a different environment didn't truly have an effect on my life because of me being so young. We then lived in Wisconsin for 7 years. There was no challenge to make friends because you had known everybody since you were kids. Unfortunately my Dad was offered a new job in Vermont. The image of us driving away from the house in Madison will always be in my head. When we moved to Vermont I was terrified of what was to come next. I had realized that it would now be a challenge to make friends. When I came to school everyone knew each other already so I was looked at as the "new kid." I was scared to meet new people because I had never developed that skill before. Fortunately I made a few good friends through sports and I began to like Vermont. While we were in Vermont my brother started to go to Berkshire. After his freshman year our family had decided to go down to South Egremont to where my Mom had grown up. Once again I faced the fear of moving and going into a different environment. I had met a lot of people and met good friends in Vermont. It was hard because right as I was starting to get into the community there we moved down to Massachusetts. I then started the whole friend making progress at Mount Everett. This time I cam half way through the school year so I was looked at as the "new kid" even more than in Vermont. This school wasn't focused around sports as my last school but I still made friends through soccer in the fall. The first few weeks of school were the hardest. Not knowing who anyone is, while trying to figure out school work was what I will really remember for a long time. After 8th grade I went to Berkshire School. My brother had lived on campus for his entire career there so I felt I should do the same. I had never been away from home like this before so I had massive anxiety. Once again I had the trouble of making new friends. I will remember the moment when my brother dragged me out of my dorm room and walked with me to the fire pit to meet everyone that he was friends with. From then on I would hang out with him as I met new people. I will never forget that because it showed me who was really there for me.
ReplyDeleteHunter B.
DeleteMy Malala moment was when I was in fifth grade and my great grandma passed away from a heart attack. My family and I would always go over her house during holidays or just to go see her. Because of this, I thought I knew her pretty well. But, I learned most of what I know about her after she died. She was part of a wealthy family in Germany at the time of World War II and met my great grandfather while he was there serving for the United States army. Her parents didn’t approve of her being with an American so they decided to disown her. After that, she moved to the United States with my great grandpa. Learning all of this made me realize that I should have made the most of the time I had with my great grandma. So, from then on, I have decided to learn the most I can about my family and friends while I still have the chance.
ReplyDelete- Kate Klimaszewski
My Malala moment occurred in 6th grade when my grandfather passed away. Death is always a hard concept to wrap ones head around, and it certainly wasn’t easy for me. Obviously like the rest of my family, I was fed up with grief and sadness upon his passing. Now since I have matured, I realize how even unbeknownst to him, he has saved hundreds of lives since his passing. Upon his hospitalization early in my 6th grade year, the doctors were baffled with his illness and struggled to find the sole cause of his deteriorating health. Soon enough, my grandfather’s health fully deteriorated and he passed away. It was not until his autopsy that the doctors determined his cause of death. They established that this could have easily been prevented had they caught it earlier. After his death, the doctors realized that they needed to improve their testing and monitoring of the health of older men, and they made it a requirement to get tested for the illness that took my grandfather’s life. In a way, he has saved hundreds of lives of men who could be at risk from his illness. With the doctors new awareness, this illness can be stopped before it takes more lives. After this moment, I have learned to appreciate everything in life, and learned even through the saddest and toughest times in life, there is at least a little bit of positive in everything.
ReplyDeleteConnor Shalleck
If I said that Berkshire hadn’t changed me at all I would be lying, but it wasn’t until I spent three months in a vastly different community that I really changed. I had hit some bumps in the road and it was my freshman and sophomore year that drove me to apply to the Island School. I left August 26th and had little to know idea what I was getting myself into. All I knew was that it was an incredible experience and everyone loved it and as a result I arrived expecting to immediately love it. I hated it. I arrived in Eleuthera, my luggage had been lost, and I had no communication with the outer world. That was the aspect that scared me the most, that for the first time in my life I was being forced to be in one place at one time. I was uncomfortable and scared, and I dealt with these feelings in all the wrong ways. I allowed myself to look at the situation in the most negative way possible. The moment when my attitude turned around was my Malala moment. It was a Sunday about three weeks into the program when I called my dad and asked him if I could come home. I thought I had given it a good enough shot, and I was ready to give up. When my dad told me that I couldn’t come home and I had to stick it out, I was forced to make a change. From this moment on things started to get better. I knew that I was going to be staying no matter what, so I had to do everything I could to make a good experience out of it. Today, I couldn’t be more thankful for the moment my father told me I had to stay. The Island School turned out to be the most rewarding experience of my life, and it has shaped me into the person I am today. This moment also taught me that with a good attitude I can make the best out of anything, and that positivity is the key to good experiences.
ReplyDeleteLexi Merison
"My Malala moment occurred just this passing summer from late July to early August. I learned from old friends and a surplus of Facebook posts that one of my old classmates from middle school had died. When I learned that she had died because of suicide, I was surprised because she exceeded in academics, was athletically gifted, especially in tennis, and was dedicated to helping the feminist movement. She was the girl who everyone in the class said 'had a future.' I find it ironic that she should be the first person of my age that I have known personally to die. Her death was a big reminder to me that death really is around the corner for anybody, ready to finish you regardless of race, gender, age, personality, wealth, or abilities and disabilities. Life often goes very unappreciated for children in the US because children are expected to survive until old ages but because of her death, I realized that we truly take our nation's wealth for granted, because although we are a large population, an even larger population outside the US cannot guarantee something as simple as life itself. Her death also taught me that nobody should ever be like her. Giving up on life is the same as finishing a project or paper 90% of the way, only to scrap it when it could have been life-changing or award winning. No one should ever give up on what they love or because others have told one to do so. Life will always be filled with obstacles, no matter what life you lead; however, there will always be a way around, if there is a will to do so.
ReplyDeleteKevin Xu"
My Malala moment was April 15th 2013, the day of the Boston Marathon bombings. My family had just flown back from Arizona the night before and decided we’d stay in Boston to cheer my uncle on the next morning before heading back to the Vineyard. My cousins, aunt, dad, brother and I had sat by the finish line all morning cheering everyone on and also my uncle of course. After cheering we decided we were going to get a late lunch. We were about two or three blocks from the finish line eating lunch, with cheering fans and runner’s family members swarming everywhere. We were about to pay the bill and head towards the boat when we heard what sounded like two explosions quickly right after another. All of sudden their were tears, confusing and panic through the restaurant. People running in the streets came shortly after screaming; “terrorists” or “people are dead” The city of Boston was in panic. Later on we found out that the bombs had gone off only feet from where my family was standing cheering on runners. This event was life changing. It made me realize how quickly people’s lives can change in just an instant. The event of the bombings also made me realize how lucky I am to still be here and how valuable time is.
ReplyDeleteLindsy
Have you ever been so scared of something it made you sick? The fear of public speaking is common but when it came to me and my fear I felt completely alone! My Malala moment was when I stood in front of 500 people to tell my story of a young girl stuggling in a world that seemed to be another planet. To Emma Weinstein, age ten, the world of school was a battlefield and it was everyone vs. me. Growing up with dyslexia in a very advanced school was the basis of my fear of public speaking. After many classes of being laughed at for being slower, getting something wrong, or just not getting it, my parents became aware of my unhappiness and worked as hard as they could to lift my spirits and get me out of my current school. A year later I changed schools, I would now attend windward a school for “special” kids as my Mom put it. From my first day I thrived! Windward changed my life, but I was still very hesitant to speak on a large scale. I graduated, and went to the Berkshire school, still keeping my fear lying under the surface. My sophomore year, I received an email from Dr. Russell, the headmaster of Windward asking me to come and speak about my Windward experience. Three months later, I was sitting at a white round table, one of maybe 80 tables, surrounded by my family. I was introduced and before I knew it I was standing on stage, all eyes on me. I started to read my prepared speech, slowly and quiet. As I read I looked up and saw my coach from years before, he smiled at me and gave me thumbs up. That’s when I knew everything was ok; it wasn’t the end of the world if I messed up. I then relaxed a little and started to speak louder and with more confidence. I finished my story and when I looked up from my paper what I saw still amazes me to this day, every single one in the room was on their feet clapping. That feeling was indescribable, and it made me realizes that it wasn’t scary to go and tell 500 people about the struggles I had faced to get where I was. Going on that stage is something I would have never done before Windward. This moment has impacted me by making me want everyone to feel what its like to have everyone rooting for you and to have their own 500 people applauding them!
ReplyDelete-Emma Weinstein
Two years ago, I learned the true meaning of acceptance and family when I stopped hiding the fact that my mom is gay and starting “owning” it rather than hiding from it. Forever, I would ask my mom not to bring her partner around, not to tell any of my friends that she was gay and in the process alienated her from my life. I did this because I was petrified that if people found out that my mom is gay they will automatically judge her, judge our family and judge me. I finally came to realize that the only way for me to really know my mom, for her to know me (and my friends) is to just live honestly. No, you’re not going to find me holding a rainbow flag but you will you find me walking around campus with my mom and her partner, answering friends questions if they should have some, or sharing my views. Take this assignment for example. I know full well that it’s going up on the internet for others to see and I am okay with it because then maybe I can change one person’s opinion about gay people. I am happy to talk to anyone who wants to talk to me or has questions about growing up in a gay family. I learned that it’s about a greater good that I can be a part of by being an honest ally. It’s about me embracing my family, learning in the process and teaching others the same. It’s about respecting people for who and what they are, not being judgmental, and teaching others that acceptance is actually very important and isn’t as hard as it may seem.
ReplyDelete- Andrew Koudijs
Last Year was my first year at Berkshire and it was the first time I really played high school football seriously. I was probably the smallest person on the varsity football team. The team was full of seniors, juniors or the occasional big sophomore. I am never scared in football since I know how to protect myself well, but one day I had to catch the kick off at the Kent school and I thought I was gonna die that day. However, I still went along with it. I was not scared, but I was nervous of messing everything up, but the game started anyway. They kicked the ball up to my side and I caught it and immediately start sprinting. I used most of my blocks pretty well until I notice one Kent player running straight forward towards me. I have a choice to run away or go head on with him and thats what I did. I ran towards him head on, lowered my shoulder and ... Boom! We collided and I got hit really hard, but it did not hurt and I felt like doing again. I was able to do what I had to do without fear of anyone or anything.
ReplyDelete- Terryl Wilson
Rawson Clough
ReplyDelete9/7/14
History- Gulotta
My Moment
The moment that changed my life happened when I was about 12 years old. My
parents called me into their room, and told me they had bad news. They told me my
cousin, Hart had passed away. He was only 18 years old. He had died by an allergic
reaction in San Francisco. I was young at the time so the news didn’t sink in right
away. But the older I get and the more I think about it, the more it means to me. Hart
was too young to die, and it made me realize that nothing in life is guaranteed, not
even life itself. It can be taken from you at any moment. It forced me to want to take
advantage of every minute of my life, because it can be taken from you instantly like
it was from Hart.
Samone DeFreese
ReplyDelete9-8-14
History- Gulotta
My Moment
My Malala moment is something I have dealing with my entire life. I have an amazing older sister, Samantha DeFreese, and I have been living in her shadow my entire life. Since I am the baby sister by four, most people say I should be the one getting spoiled. But always being compared to her has certainly gotten worse over time. It all started in elementary school being known as Baby Sam. My sister and I may look alike but we are certainly different people. I am way more out going with a little sassiness and my sister is more family orientated. So the questions that constantly arise are, “Why can’t you be more like Sam?” or “Samantha wouldn’t do that, would she?” So eventually moving on to middle school it only got worse. I thought it would be different but the first day of school almost every teacher accidently called me Sam or constantly talked about all the amazing things she can do. And believe me when I say I am far from jealous. But it becomes hard. For example, in basketball she achieved so much that always was better than something I had done. So now fast forwarding to the present. Coming to Berkshire I was still following my sister’s footsteps but it allowed me to create my own. I have accomplished so much on my own and became my own shadow. I love my sister more than anything but now I have my own name. Not little Sam, little DeFreese, or baby Samantha. But I am now Samone.
My Malala Moment took place almost three years ago. It was a bitter cold December day, one that I will never forget, because I lost a friend that day. That friend happened to be my dog, a companion of eight years. Her name was Winchester, after the gun yes. She was a beautiful chocolate Labrador retriever, and I mean the most beautiful dog I have ever seen. I had just come home from a late afternoon hockey practice and I was tired. My mom told my brother and I to feed Winchester, and then clean out her ears because she had an infection. Winnie hated having her ears cleaned out, and would whimper quietly each time. Only this night, she acted as if the pain was much more. We finished with her ears quickly and went inside to eat dinner. Winnie stayed outside quietly, as she did most nights. My mom had a late night meeting with her board and said she had to leave. My brother and I cleaned the kitchen as my mom closed the door and opened the garage to pull out her car. Every Matt knows that when you open our garage door, Winnie will be waiting to greet you happily. When she didn’t my mom curiously walked around the corner to see what was wrong. The next words are ones that I will never be able to get out of my mind, and are some that leave me struggling to write this. “Oh my god!” she said, “Winnie’s dead!” My brother and I ran outside in shock, crying already. Winnie was by the kitchen window; her teeth remained in place looking like she was growling. It was the pain of death, and it is the final image I have of my best companion. I remember my brother crying and holding Winnie, but I could not look at my dead dog so I went inside and cried for as long as my body physically could. My mom came in to talk to me and I asked why Winnie had died so young, at age eight. She told me that Winnie had cancer and that they did not want to tell me because they knew I could not handle worrying about it. I had just lost a dog that I spent every hour that I possibly could with, and it’s a death I think about three years later. Dogs are companions that will never let you down. Winnie was going through pain I can’t imagine, but she was still able to put on a happy and loving face each and every day. I could talk about Winnie for hours and hours because she was perfect. She was beautiful, strong, and loving, and her death was my Malala Moment.
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