How I spent my summer vacation and why
This summer, I was stuck on the couch from July 17th until August 29th. The reason as to why is
a long, convoluted story beginning in spring. I play
lacrosse, and am a goalie. During one practice, as I was
about to block a shot, the ball got loose on the
ground and a small battle for the ball ensued. During
this, I was hit in the knee with what I believe was the
end of one of the metal shafts. I immediately
collapsed, and was in much pain. The next day,
however, I was fine, and continued to play. A few
practices later, my knee started to ache, and I was in
pain whenever I put pressure on my leg. This
continued every few practices, getting increasingly
painful increasingly often. Finally, I went to an
orthopedist, and he had a hunch that I had a torn
meniscus. A clean MRI later, his hunch had changed to
a hyper-mobile meniscus. I was scheduled for surgery
in July.
Five and a half months after my operation I am still
not at full strength, but I am getting better.
This summer, I was stuck on the couch from July 17th until August 29th. The reason as to why is
a long, convoluted story beginning in spring. I play
lacrosse, and am a goalie. During one practice, as I was
about to block a shot, the ball got loose on the
ground and a small battle for the ball ensued. During
this, I was hit in the knee with what I believe was the
end of one of the metal shafts. I immediately
collapsed, and was in much pain. The next day,
however, I was fine, and continued to play. A few
practices later, my knee started to ache, and I was in
pain whenever I put pressure on my leg. This
continued every few practices, getting increasingly
painful increasingly often. Finally, I went to an
orthopedist, and he had a hunch that I had a torn
meniscus. A clean MRI later, his hunch had changed to
a hyper-mobile meniscus. I was scheduled for surgery
in July.
Five and a half months after my operation I am still
not at full strength, but I am getting better.
I am on my school’s robotics team. We use the Lego
Mindstorms kits to create autonomous robots for the
First Lego League’s annual competition held in
December. This year’s theme was “Climate
Connections”, focusing on the changing climate of the
earth. My team has worked since the beginning of
October on both a robot to accomplish missions in the
game portion, and a research project about climate
change. At the competition, my team presented its
climate change project and robot, and placed
seventeenth (not our best showing!).
Mindstorms kits to create autonomous robots for the
First Lego League’s annual competition held in
December. This year’s theme was “Climate
Connections”, focusing on the changing climate of the
earth. My team has worked since the beginning of
October on both a robot to accomplish missions in the
game portion, and a research project about climate
change. At the competition, my team presented its
climate change project and robot, and placed
seventeenth (not our best showing!).
As I mentioned earlier, I play lacrosse, and am a goalie. I played
for three teams this year, one recreational, and two “select”
teams. My rec team was for Issaquah Youth Lacrosse, which plays
other local teams. Our season was decent, with a winning record
even though we had multiple injured people. We got to the
semi-finals, but lost to a Bellevue team. The first select team,
Pacific Cascade Lacrosse Club, or PCLC, was chosen from players
throughout Issaquah Youth Lacrosse. We participated in several
tournaments throughout the spring and early summer. Our
final tournament, the Battle of Bothel, was the one that meant
the most to us. We went 6-0, and won the tournament. My
other select team, Seattle Starz, was chosen from all around the
Seattle area. The team travels all around the country to compete
in tournaments. I was only able to go to a few tournaments
before I had my knee surgery and was not allowed to play.
for three teams this year, one recreational, and two “select”
teams. My rec team was for Issaquah Youth Lacrosse, which plays
other local teams. Our season was decent, with a winning record
even though we had multiple injured people. We got to the
semi-finals, but lost to a Bellevue team. The first select team,
Pacific Cascade Lacrosse Club, or PCLC, was chosen from players
throughout Issaquah Youth Lacrosse. We participated in several
tournaments throughout the spring and early summer. Our
final tournament, the Battle of Bothel, was the one that meant
the most to us. We went 6-0, and won the tournament. My
other select team, Seattle Starz, was chosen from all around the
Seattle area. The team travels all around the country to compete
in tournaments. I was only able to go to a few tournaments
before I had my knee surgery and was not allowed to play.
Games
This year, I really advanced my liking of video games, particularly PC games. I upgraded my
computer to be able to play the newest games without a flaw. I regularly play Team Fortress 2,
Counter-Strike Source, Day of Defeat Source, and Left 4 Dead. I also play Halo 3, Assassin’s Creed,
Castle Crashers, and Rock Band on my Xbox 360. I have become a much better player in the last
year, and am pleased with my performance.
This year, I really advanced my liking of video games, particularly PC games. I upgraded my
computer to be able to play the newest games without a flaw. I regularly play Team Fortress 2,
Counter-Strike Source, Day of Defeat Source, and Left 4 Dead. I also play Halo 3, Assassin’s Creed,
Castle Crashers, and Rock Band on my Xbox 360. I have become a much better player in the last
year, and am pleased with my performance.
I like to call my self a movie connoisseur, and this year was a great year for that. The Dark Knight, a
Batman movie, came out this year, and it was a smash hit. It was filled with action, and I really
enjoyed it. Another movie that came out this year that I really like is Wall-E. The story of the little
robot is very touching, and I even saw the movie twice it was so good. Iron Man also came out this
year. The tale of the rich genius in his super-charged suit was playfully told and the performances of
Robert Downy Jr., Terrence Howard, and Jeff Bridges were wonderful. Indiana Jones: The Kingdom
of the Crystal Skull was released this year as well. The (probably final) sequel was a good shot at a
new Indiana Jones, but the plot didn’t quite cut it for me. Another movie that came out this year
was Wanted, about a league of assassins who recruit a boring office-worker to kill his father. The
story was a nerd’s dream, and the action and special effects were wonderfully played. Quantum of
Solace was recently released, and the story of James Bond’s revenge on his love’s killer was, in my
view, badly done. The lack of Q, the man who equips Bond with all of his high-tech gadgets was a
big downer, as the highest technology of the whole movie was a touch screen computer.
School
This year I am in eighth grade, the highest in my middle school. I am
taking Algebra II at the high school a block away, and am transported there
daily. I am in advanced language arts and social studies this year, and am
doing fine, keeping my grades up. I am part of the associated student
body, as a “Sound Tech”, which is basically the school’s techie group. This
far in the year, everything is normal, and nothing is out of the ordinary.
This year I am in eighth grade, the highest in my middle school. I am
taking Algebra II at the high school a block away, and am transported there
daily. I am in advanced language arts and social studies this year, and am
doing fine, keeping my grades up. I am part of the associated student
body, as a “Sound Tech”, which is basically the school’s techie group. This
far in the year, everything is normal, and nothing is out of the ordinary.
Lacrosse
| Movies |
Last year, Mom helped with a school program called "Panther
Passage." The name had just been changed from the long-standing
name , "Spring Forum" -- where every eighth-grader has to give a
presentation to community volunteers about how he or she 'grew'
during middle school -- so I created this morphing graphic to help
show how the new name fit our school mascot. If you missed it
changing, hit 'reload' on your screen.
Passage." The name had just been changed from the long-standing
name , "Spring Forum" -- where every eighth-grader has to give a
presentation to community volunteers about how he or she 'grew'
during middle school -- so I created this morphing graphic to help
show how the new name fit our school mascot. If you missed it
changing, hit 'reload' on your screen.
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