Courage to Soar by MICHELLE TO

Simone's award

tomic000_1_1 — 2025-02-28 01:23:34 UTC

Simone Biles had won the total of fourteen World medals before being in the 2016 Olympics and ten. Simone strive her way into being a three consecutive World championship and even earned the title as the only women that has won three World championship.

"Even before the 2016 Olympics, Simone had already amassed a total of fourteen World Medals, ten of them gold, the most ever won by an American female gymnist. She'd garnered three consecutive World championship titles-the only woman to win three in a row-and claimed her fourth straight US National title." (9)

Simone's childhood struggles

tomic000_1_1 — 2025-02-28 01:54:01 UTC

In the first chapter "The Power of a Dream" Simone had revealed the experience of her dark and difficult past. Simone explained how she had struggled a lot in overcoming some of the challenges of growing up inside foster care. Simone was struggling as a child who grew up with a mother that had some serious addictions. However, Simone had faced all her problems and arise through all her experiences.

"Like all of us, Simone has faced her share of adversity. As her story here will reveal, she has had her dark days, her moments of despair. But she emerged from her trials and sacrifices stronger and more determined to make them count." (9)

Courage to Soar

tomic000_1_1 — 2025-02-28 02:02:52 UTC

"Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles & Michelle Buford. Book : Nov, 15 2016

Simone in National experience

tomic000_1_1 — 2025-02-28 02:39:35 UTC

In chapter "Decision Day", Simone tells us how she had felt nervous and started thinking over if she was good enough to make the cut. Simone had been training in Bannon's Gymnastix in Houston, Texas, ever since she was only six years old.

"My heart was pounding so hard that I thought everyone could hear it." (15)

"You will not always be strong, but you can always be brave." (15)

Simone's past with Shanon

tomic000_1_1 — 2025-03-01 15:53:19 UTC

Simone's birth mother, Shannon, had four kids including Simone but had left the at a young age due drinking and other addictions. Fast forward to a couple years and it was starting to be really difficult for the kids to be living with Shanon. One day when the four of them were being seen left alone without anyone to supervise, the neighbors called for child protective services and a social worker came to tell them that were going to placed into a foster care. It wasn't until at the age of three Simone's grandparents had decided to take her in.

"Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at it's destination full of hope." (21)

"Most people might think that at the age of three I was too young to know what it meant to be placed in a foster care, but the truth is I understood everything." (23)

How Simone got her name

tomic000_1_1 — 2025-03-02 15:07:20 UTC

In the book, it said that Simone's grandfather was actually the one to name her. Her grandfather chose Simone to be her name because as teenager he would always like to listen to Nina Simone record while doing housing projects in Cleveland. This made Simone feel like her grandpa had been there for her since the very beginning.

"He'd like the sound of it ever since he was a teenager listening to Nina Simone records in the housing projects in Cleveland." (28)

Simone and Adria's relationship

tomic000_1_1 — 2025-03-02 15:45:21 UTC

At the time, Simone didn't like to sleep alone and neither did her sister Adria, so when times like that happens Simone would climb into Adria's crib and their grandma would always be surprised to find them in the same bed in the morning. Back then Simone had Adria all under her control. Adria would use to burst into tears when she sees her grandma or Simone walking past her in the hallways, but after a while she stopped. She would always be in charge of Adria and even when their grandparents were watching them Simone would still be the one to take care and make sure Adria's safe.

"My big sister protectiveness didn't change right away. Actually, it still hasn't changed. Even now, I watch out for Adria." (30)

Shannon Returning

tomic000_1_1 — 2025-03-02 19:42:13 UTC

Shanon had return back and although Simone's sisters, Ashley and Teavin were excited to see Shanon, Simone didn't quite remember anything about Shanon at all. Adria and Simone weren't exactly familiar with Shanon as their older sisters were. Shanon wanted to reunite and take her kids back so their grandparents came up with the agreement that is Shanon taking the two older kids and the grandparents will take the youngers ones and if all goes well she can have all her kids back. However, Shanon wasn't able to stay sober and kept failing her drug test many time and as a result she lost her parental rights.

"You don't choose your family, They are God's gift to you, as you are to them." (33)

Simone getting adopted

tomic000_1_1 — 2025-03-02 21:53:26 UTC

Simone's grandparents are finally in a process of adopting Adria and Simone. To Simone's grandmother, being a parent and making her children her own is to lay down her whole life for them without even thinking about it. On November 7, 2003, they all went down to the courthouse and they were finally approved and were officially adopted. Simone starts calling her them her mom and dad now.

"At a certain point, we all broke through to a deep-down understanding that we were all family. We belong together." (38)

Simone's field trip

tomic000_1_1 — 2025-03-02 22:30:05 UTC

Simone was going on a class field trip to the farm but decided to go to Bannon's Gymnastix. Adam, who's Simone's brother chose Bannon's Gymnastix because he knew that it would make her happy. When they arrived Simone saw a bunch of equipment her size and quickly went to them, a lady from the gym walked over and asked if Simone had taken any gymnastics training, to which Simone answered no. That very day she came home to tell her mom that she was invited to be enrolled in gymnastics.

"Now, suddenly, Mom realized that recreational gymnastics might be the perfect outlet for her daughters-especially for me, her little bouncing bean who jumped and climbed on everything nonstop." (47)

Simone stands up for Adria

tomic000_1_1 — 2025-03-03 00:34:14 UTC

Simon and Adria had two other bff's who they went to hangout. The four of them went to hangout and make a fort out of the old wood they had from the previous flood, they wanted to make a club house called "Cheetah Girls Clubhouse". For three days straight, every afternoon they wood go there to continue hammering and fixing up their clubhouse. One say while they were in the fort, Marissa (their bestfriend) saw a spider and freaked out so they all left and started walking to Marissa's house to hangout their. But Simone noticed Adria and Marissa was behind them and when she turned around she saw Adria getting punched so she ran to her and told Marissa to never hit Adria again. The next day at school they both apologized to each other for acting the way they did and made up.

"We make each other stronger. That ain't ever gonna change." (55)

Simone's grandma moving in

tomic000_1_1 — 2025-03-03 01:50:30 UTC

Simones mother announces that her grandma wants to move in with them and asked how they felt about it. Simone's grandma was suffering some health problems after her grandpa had a stroke, so her mom wanted to bring her grandma to Texas. Simone's grandmother was weaker than usually and was always out of breathe but is always up for a laugh or hugs. It was hard for the kids to see what their grandma was going through. It was really hard for the kids to find out that their grandma had passed away and Simone's mother was especially sad.

"Love begins by taking care of the closest one-the ones at home." (67)

Simone learns a new skill

tomic000_1_1 — 2025-03-03 02:20:43 UTC

Simone is learning how to do a full rotation on a higher bar where she has to completely extended. Simone accidentally swung herself into a weird position and usually when she falls there would be a foam on the floor but she made it so she hit her head on the bar which she said was pretty painful. Her coach, Nicole, told her to get up which Simone thought she was gonna give her a little sympathy but with a straight face she told Simone to get up and do it again which Simone said no. Coach Nicole was not giving up on here and pulled her up and told her to do it again, so Simone stood up and had the thought that she was not gonna be able to make it and surprisingly she she did a perfect straight spoke wheel. Coach Nicole made sure that Simone is giving it her all and persevere even when it gets tough.

"Each of us has a fire in our hearts for something. It's our goal in life to find and keep it lit." (75)

Simone qualifying Western Championship

tomic000_1_1 — 2025-03-03 02:52:42 UTC

Simone had always wanted to get a dog and have been begging for one to her dad for years but it was always a no. But today Simone's dad made an agreement that if Simone qualified for the Western Championships they will adopt a dog. Now that Simone has a goal like that she had tons of motivations to do better and score high for the regional. Simone did end up scoring really high and a few months when summer started their dad took them out to pick a dog, and that's how they got Maggie Elena Biles, German shepherd, in their family.

"Dreams come in a size too big so we can grow into them." (85)

Simone in the seventh grade

tomic000_1_1 — 2025-03-03 03:02:29 UTC

Simone wasn't really well know in the seventh grade but she wasn't exactly shy either. She had her own friends but shes not popular or anything like that. But Simone started liking a boy and thought he liked her as well and one day he passed a note to her that asked her to be his girlfriend and she scribbles back a yes on it. But Simone didn't have a clue on exactly what it means to have a boyfriend so she called it off and tried to seem casual and told the boy she liked that they were not dating. And that was that, the boy just shrugged and they went on with their day.

"At school, there were the jocks, the cheerleaders, and the popular kids-and then there were the nobodies like me." (88)

Simone at the 2011 Visa National Championship

tomic000_1_1 — 2025-03-03 05:33:17 UTC

Simone was standing at the side of the arena and was clapping with the roaring audience. Simone was hiding her disappointment because she found out that she came in fourteen on the rankings. Simone tried her best to keep smiling after walking off the stage swarm in camera flashes and congratulations, Simone had felt extremely devastated but she was trying her best to keep it in. But even though she was feeling really sad her family came to comfort her and be there for her.

"Sometimes not getting what you want is a brilliant stroke of luck." (117)

Simone decides what school she wants

tomic000_1_1 — 2025-03-03 06:01:10 UTC

After dinner Simone's mother asks her I'd she wants to be home schooled or go to regular school and every time she gets asked Simone would just shrug and roll her eyes. But this time her mom told her that they had to make a plan and that Simone had gotten the deadline which is by Sunday she had to figure out if she wanted to be home schooled or go to regular schools. Simone wanted to go to a regular school because she liked being a regular teenager as well but her parents also told her that if she wanted to go to public school she would have to quite being in elite gymnastics, which she of course didn't want so in the end she chose to be home schooled.

"To map out the course of action and follow to an end requires courage." (125)

Simone doing her routines

tomic000_1_1 — 2025-03-03 06:22:05 UTC

Simone asked what the next assignment was and then got the response which was routines. Simone had an attitude the whole day and Aimee kept making Simone doing more routines and that just annoyed Simone so much that she need a break and went to bathroom but she really just needed a break to sob. Simone had been exhausted from doing her routines but Aimee puts up with it and said that she can put up with all the attitude and brattiness Simone has because teenage girls don't scare her.

"The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do." (135)

Simone at 2016 Olympics

tomic000_1_1 — 2025-03-03 06:47:29 UTC

One of Simone's teammates shouted "that could be you, Simone!" looking at the American gymnast who was famously known as Fierce Five. And the Fierce Five had also won artistic team gold in the 2012 Olympic games in London. Simone just hopes she would be in the 2016 Olympics team.

"It is not enough to take steps which may some day lead up to a goal; each step must be itself a goal..." (143)

Simone in US National All Around Championships

tomic000_1_1 — 2025-03-03 07:00:38 UTC

In Chicago, during July 27, 2013 Simone was really tired and exhausted from all the training and exercises she had done. Simone accidentally crunched her ankles and that wouldn't be how a senior in the national would preform. A guy in the back stage told Aimee that if Simone wasn't fat she wouldn't have fallen. Simone had over heard them and told Aimee about it and her response was telling Simone she really wasn't fat she was just not ready and needed to be more prepared.

"When we least expect it, life sets us a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change." (155)

Simone getting a piercing

tomic000_1_1 — 2025-03-03 07:12:52 UTC

Ever since Simone was eight years old she was quite drawn to piercings, especially the belly button piercing. It wasn't a big surprise when her dad said no to it but when Simone turned sixteen her mother decided to make an agreement with her since she old enough now. Simone's mother said that if she wants the belly piercing she'll have to win the worlds this years but Simone hadn't even got an the American rewards yet but before meaning that was in fact. And at he end of that day . the end of the day Simone Biles had won the cup.

"Stand up and let the world hear your roar now spread your wings and begin to Soar." (165)

Outside links

tomic000_1_1 — 2025-03-03 07:16:36 UTC

Outside links

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Outside links

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Outside links

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Outside links

tomic000_1_1 — 2025-03-03 07:24:53 UTC

Outside links

tomic000_1_1 — 2025-03-03 07:26:15 UTC