This was a creative writing assignment my Junior year where I had to imitate an author's writing style. Creative writing is one of my favorite type of writing assignments so I put a lot of effort into this. This is a very story, or more of an introductory chapter; this story revolves around Grindelwald Zare, the angel Azrael in human form. Azrael in Islamic culture is not some kind of “Grim Reaper” that acts independently of god, but instead is an archangel and servant of god. For this reason he is not feared but rather accepted as a creature that helps man transition between this world and the next. I used this to depict Grindelwald Zare as a helper of mankind who has come down to earth before an apocalypse to collect souls of the dead.

2. The greatest influence I’ve had over the past four years is without doubt my track 7 field coach Bob MacPherson.  Coach Bob is a alumni of Lynbrook high, and so apart from helping me to become on of the best best discus throwers in the state (#20 in California) he has helped me navigate the turbulent waters that are Lynbrook. From the stresses of academics to the pressure of the college application system Bob has always been there for me and given me advice. There were times that I wanted to give up on my academics, on football, and even times where I wanted to stop trying so hard at track & field; and at every instance Bob was there to make sure I didn’t stumble and fall. Now that high school is over I can truly say that has was like a third parent to me and I know that other athletes can and do say the same.

3. My greatest academic challenge in high school was always mathematics. I couldn't never seem to do well on tests or any form of assessments. It reached its lowest when I got C’s in mouth my semesters of Pre Calc. That summer I decided to make changes and took a calculus class at De Anza College. The class was hard (as I expected) and I had to put in hours of work everyday to just finish the homework assignments. However, I noticed that I was doing well on all my tests and quizzes even though all I was doing was judiciously doing homework. I ended the class with an A and came to the realization that it hadn’t been the curriculum that had gotten the best of me in school, but that I had never put in enough time into my homework, whether that be because I was plain lazy or because the amount of homework was ridiculous for a high school class. This really helped me with my college essays since I put a lot more effort into them than I would have if I hadn’t taken the class since I now knew what I could achieve if I put in the extra effort.

“Do You Hear The People Sing” is my favorite song out of all of them. It is filled with emotion and since almost the entire cast sings it the music resonated throughout the entire hall. The story of Jean Valjean is a heart wrenching one.after being released from prison for stealing break he breaks his parole. His quest to escape his past keeps getting thwarted by Inspector Javert, his jailer who is in search of him. The chase climaxes during the heart of the June rebellion where Javert is faced with the dilemma of capturing Jean Valjean since he us a “man of the law” or letting him go since he has mended his ways.

The 1812 Overture is my favorite piece of music ever written. Written by the Russian composer  Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky it commemorates the Russian’s victory over Napoleon in defending. their motherland. I was lucky enough to play this piece freshman year for the CMEA music festival. It is hard for me to put into words the feelings that this piece evokes. In my opinion is it is literal translation and depiction of the entire campaign. The beginning of the piece is sad and dark, probably reflecting the mood of the Russians as the were being invaded. Then it starts to get more energized and gressive in response to Russia’s response to the invasion.  Every Single emotion can be felt in this piece. There is desperation and despair, there’s hope, anger,  and joy. And if one is not impressed by the powerful brass section, or the intricate melodies of the strings and the woodwinds, there is a section in the piece where literally cannons as set off. I mean, come on! It doesn’t get more intense than the sound of cannons in the midst of a piece. The finale of the piece is intense: the entire orchestra plays and you can hear the percussion replicate church bells ringing, and just as it reaches the climax, the music turns into a more parade and victory like theme to celebrate their victory.

For me, playing this piece as only a freshman was overwhelming. I have listened to the piece numerous times but nothing will probably ever equal playing the piece. Usually, I listen to this piece before football games and track meets as it gets me into that mindset of winning against all odd, something that I’ve had to do often in high school sports.