Life Lesson From Grade 8

It has been nine long years of school, preschool to grade eight. Over those years, I have made thousands of choices. Some being life changing, and others were just deciding what to wear, but either way, a choice is usually not always easy to make. And that is why the choice to take on opportunities or "take a risk" is such difficult one. This is the lesson that I learned this year in grade eight, to take on opportunities. It has made me who I am today, and I'm proud of that.

At the beginning of grade eight, I was scared to take on opportunities because we were the middle of the pack. We weren't the scared, little grade sevens, yet we weren't the big, fearless grade nines. I felt that I was the outcast if I took a risk or opportunity that others didn't. I have always been my own person, but learning to take on opportunities is the thing that truly separates me from others. That all changed come march and April because that is when I found out about two opportunities I was asked to take.

One thing that changed my feelings about opportunities was that the school has picked me and two other grade eight students, to represent the school at the Canadian Leadership Conference in Montreal next September. Me out of all the other amazing kids in grade eight, I was selected. I was thrilled to hear the news and because of this I sort of developed a new outlook on life.

The reason my thinking and feelings changed may be because I was chosen to go on the trip, but also because I think that it's up to you to make your decisions in life. Decisions are just a part of life. You make choices or decisions everyday, from what to wear to what to eat, it's your life, so live it the way you want to. Opportunities do come along, but you may open up opportunities by making the right choice or taking a risk.

The second opportunity was that I was chosen to participate in the BC Summer Games in swimming. It is outside of school, but my point here is that the choices that I made with swimming opened up this opportunity for me. I swim eight days a week, including before school, which involves waking up at four in the morning. Being chosen for the BC games proves to me that I am doing the right things with my training as well as waking up at the crack of dawn is paying off.

Opportunities come one by one. I have learned that is important to take on opportunities because many could change your life. Start by taking on the small ones such as volunteering or even doing bonus work. The little things are what adds up. The larger opportunities may come later in life, or maybe even unexpected, but either way, it all leads back to the choices that you make each and everyday.

Letter to the Mayor

Dear Doug Findlater,

My name is Kassidie Cornell. I am fourteen years old and currently attend Glenrosa Middle School. I have been swimming on the Westbank Liquid Lightning Swim Club for six years and counting. We train almost every day at Johnson Bentley Memorial Aquatic Centre. We were interested in what your thoughts were on building a new eight lane fifty metre pool in Westbank.

Johnson Bentley is over ten years old, and is needing yearly repairs which has been costing a large sum of money. The poor air quality in the pool makes training difficult because we will all have to take a second to rest and cough. The air circulation problem is due to the age of the pool. We also train in Kelowna at H2O because of the poor air quality. That is why we thought a 50 metre pool would be great for the swim team and for Westbank its self.

Kelowna recently got a new 50 metre pool. They now have three pools within 20 kilometres of each other. Why did they receive a new pool when we are in greater need of a new one. We have to drive into Kelowna five times a week just to train. The land that Johnson Bentley is on right now is big enough for an even bigger pool. They have the entire field below along with the skate park behind.

The new campaign to get everybody active is Act Now B.C. By getting a new pool this will promote healthy living. The pool could also include a gym, indoor track and maybe even multipurpose rooms for other activities to be held. Considering obesity is rising among kids and adults, this would be a perfect way to stop it before it gets any worse.

Liquid Lightning Swim Club was created by the manager of the pool, John Douglas. He created the team almost ten years ago and ever since the club has been doing great. Competitive swimming is huge across Canada, and with a 50 metre pool, we would be able to hold larger meets and attract more people from not only across B.C. but even across Canada.

The swim team is also willing to raise money for the pool. We thought that because we are over half the reason to build the pool, we should help fundraise. What if we were to set a fundraising goal and if we reach it, you agree to fund the project.

One last thing is that studies show that if kids join after school activities and groups, the chances of them dropping out of school and doing crimes is increasingly lower. Wouldn't you want to have less crime in Westbank? Think about it less crime, active people and more tourists coming to Westbank for swim meets.

Take your time to think about it.

Sincerely,

Kassidie Cornell

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One Sandy Feeling

My goodness, people have got to start loosing weight. I didn't feel this much weight last year. Not only is it heavy when people walk but when they lay down, it hurts. Are all of the gyms closed these days or something. The bellies on some of the people make me think, what could they have possibly consumed to get to that size. I'm outraged by this issue. The weight is not evenly distributed amongst my perimeter. The area around the snack shack seems to be the heaviest, well I wonder why. The first beach day of the year always brings the biggest crowd.

The smell of the ice cream and junk food fills makes my stomach. One or two ice creams at the beach is fine on a hot day, but having five or six like some of the people here today. I just can't take it any more, and its only the first day. The wrappers from the chips and Popsicles never seem to make it to the garbage can. I have about a dozen spread across me, and by the end of the day, they are never filled. The wrappers are spread across the beach from one end to another. The taste from the garbage is grouse because it starts is warm by the end of the day and it begins to rot.

My life is so boring, I hate it. The feeling of the cold water pushing up against the bottom of me, makes my grains shiver. The poles they stick into me hurt because they always seem to got so deep, just so that they can toss a ball in between two. What if they where me, how do you think they would feel. The no respect thing has gone on for too long especially considering its only the first beach day. All of the humans have their little critters doing their stuff on me and they never pick it up. It's gross to know that people sit on the decomposed "you know what stuff".

Aside from animal bodily functions, the one thing that pushes my marbles is that I seem to have the worst life compared to my other object friends. I mean come on Sam the tree has the best life. He is tall, gets all of the sun he wants and his only job is to give humans shade, and shelter for birds and other little animals. Seriously he has it easy. Not only does he have an easy life, but he seems to get all of the girls no matter what. Sam always has been the funnier one, the smarter one or the better looking one. It's just not fair.

The sun was starting to set and the tide was starting to come in meaning it was almost time for me to settle down for a good nights rest. As well once the beach workers come out to clean me up, I suddenly relax, making it easier to relax. My top becomes squeaky clean; no garbage or any human remains are left after the workers clean me up.

The light breeze, along with the sounds of waves crashing against the shore give my grains a sense of peace and quiet. As the night continued, I finally got to sleep. Tonight was one of those nights were you know you are tired, but you just can't seem to fall asleep. 99 seagulls, 98 seagulls, 97 seagulls......I was sound asleep.

Everybody knows that a sign they are asleep is that you start to dream. You dream of your past or even the future. I seemed to be stuck on today's events, and how I wish I were something else, when all of a sudden..........................................I started to dream that I was indeed something else. I was looking over the lake. I could see the mountains, sand, and even the highway. I was really high up. I seemed to be large in height and stuff was poking out of me. I felt something moving on one of my branches. Wait I have branches......earlier today I wished I was Sam because he had the best life. This means I got my wish.

What am I going to do. I don't want to be stuck like this forever. I mean I didn't hate being sand, but........oh no this isn't good. How am I going to change back. I'm scared of height, and its cold way up here. Just stop and think. How did I get myself into this in the first place? I was wishing I was Sam because I thought he had the better life, but there's no way. My life is way better. I will put up with the over weight people as long as I can get down from here.

I was tired from the long opening beach day, that is why I feel asleep before I knew the end result of my wish. I just prayed that everything was going to be back to normal in the morning.

The sun shone brightly as the tide went out. I woke up with a startle because of the boat motors starting up. Wait, I can here and feel the boat motors, I open my eyes and saw everything from the ground. I'm back, thank goodness. I was happy to be sand for once in my life. I was happy to her the kids playing and splashing around. I had a new prospective on life after being a tree for on night. I love who I am and what I am because I play such an important roll in being the beach!

The Moment of Truth

I just had the best swim practice ever. My coach pulled my aside and told me that I had been chosen to compete with the Zone 2 team for the BC Summer Games. I was stunned. I've never been chosen for something like this. Not only was one of my best friends also going, but we are bused down as a team, we get to sleep at a hotel and best of all we get to swim. This is just another swim meet but better. The best part is that swimmers who have made their national times aren't going to be at the games because nationals are the exact same weekend. I'm going to be able to place very well, giving me a confidence boost. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I'm ready to take it on.

My summer plans came crashing down the moment I found out. I knew right away what my summer was going to be awful after finding out I had been chosen for the BC Summer Games. I'm not going to be able to make plans with my friends for take a break from swimming, its tragic. Swimming through the entire summer was not part of my plans. This year at provincials I did awful, so what makes the Zone 2 coach think I'm going to place well at the BC Summer Games. Its exactly like provincials, just we are divided into zones. I'm scared because of the competition and about placement. We are probably going to have to sleep on a school's gym floor and I bet theres going to be so many kids that they will run out of food. I'm leaning towards not going because in my mind it doesn't seem like fun. No matter what I always seem to be the chosen one, and I hate it.

Cultural Performance

Four am my alarm sounds. A typical Tuesday begins. The soft covers leave my body as the warm air is replaced. As I gather my clothing, I shuffle upstairs to pack my bag. Slowly, I put my suit on and proceed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.Toast, yogurt and juice is nutritious and savory for four o'clock in the morning. I stare into space, stuffing every last bite in my mouth.

Tip toeing down the hall way I go to wake up my mom. Creak, goes the door as I open it to reveal my mom sound asleep. This is the hardest part about morning practice because I have to wake my mom up. I can't wait till I can drive because I won't have to bother her beauty sleep.

We walk outside to a freezing cold, due on the grass morning. The sun rises as we jet off to the pool. And this is how every Tuesday begins for me.

My Tuesday morning workouts only last for one hour, giving us swimmers just enough time to go back to bed before school starts. Morning practices don't allow us to be fully awake before practice, but as soon as our bodies hit the chlorinated water, we are ready to go.

We climb out of the water exhausted with no energy. Because our coach only leaves us ten minutes to shower and get changed, quickly we chomp down food to refuel, then it all begins.

We walk into the lowly dimmed room hearing the soft sound of Indian music. Mats are lay ed out side by side while candles lay all around. Yoga provides us swimmers with strength and relaxation. We partake in yoga for many reasons, one being that this is the only way to let go of stress. Swimmers lead a stressed life as we have to balance ten swim practices a week along with school and our social lives.

We start off with what they call in yoga sun salutations. We release tension in our muscles by opening our body up. We continue on with warming up by stretching. The last "working part is core work. Swimmers have to have strong cores because we have to hold a straight line while in the water. The entire team likes different parts about yoga, but the one thing that we on is "shavasana" .

Your probably wondering what it means. Fifteen minutes where we get to put our socks and hoodies on, grab the soft mats and relax. Stretching out or cuddling up, it doesn't matter. We all lie still listening to the music. Some fall asleep, but that is all because of the peaceful, calm and relaxing Indian music.

Our yoga teacher believes that Indian music releases the tension and stress with our soul, mind and heart because of the beats within the music. We were told by listening, we are letting go of our mind, making sure we aren't chasing after our thoughts.

I have never experienced anything more soothing or relaxing in my life. I look forward to Tuesday morning because of the yoga. That is why I thought it was amazing to watch Indian musicians live.

Top Ten Story

You think a dream may never come true. No matter how realistic and true it maybe. Waking up remembering the dream or totally forgetting it. Even though I believe this dream could go either way, you and I can only hope for the best.

My family and friends will always be there for me, from high points in my life to low points. They support my every decision even if it’s crazy. I believe this dream may just be one of those crazy ones.

The dream that I woke up with just the other day was of me competing in the Olympics. Okay, maybe it’s not crazy, but what I was competing in was the crazy part. seeing myself competing in swimming, volleyball, soccer and golf. Not just one or two sports, but four, know that's crazy. The most sports one person has ever competed in is two. Not only is this a crazy dream, but it’s a world record type of dream.

My dream would be something funny to laugh at about ten years down the road. The best part would be that all four of my sports take place in one Olympics, The Summer Olympics.

These four sports are so different from each other. Because I benefit from each. Golf provides balance and concentration for swimming and soccer, while swimming provides strength and endurance for volleyball and soccer. The feeling I get from each sport is what I love most. Being on a breakaway running down the field taking a shot and scoring makes me feel powerful. On the other hand when going up for a block or hit while on the court gives me the feeling of strength.

The greatest feeling of all would be being able to represent Canada on the world stage in front of everyone. It would be so cool to be on top of the podium wearing that gold medal and listening to the national anthem. I can only hope and dream, but a little bit of hard work and sweat I’m sure you’ll see me on top of the podium one day.