Our Ninth and Final Applicant for the Search!

About Nicole : One of the sad parts about myself is that, even though I am only sixteen years old, I always feel like I should of already accomplished more in my life. It usually takes more then one person to open up my eyes on everything I have succeeded in doing, which many people find to be an impressive list. To begin with I am an sophomore and honor student at Cardinal O’hara High School. My school agenda is filled with classes in the AP and Track 1 range. During extra hours after school I am apart of my school marching and concert band, which I have been doing for seven years. On top of those activities I am also a ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, modern, and lyrical dancer. I have been apart of Parkside Academy for Music and Dance for twelve years, Parkside Performing Arts Company for six years, and the Parkside Competition Team for the last four. I usually spend about 11 hours a week at the studio which includes an Elementery 3 class that I student teach as apart of my academy’s three year program. Ever since 5th grade I have also been a member of the People to People World Leadership Program which has allowed me to travel the U.S. along with European countries such as England, France, and Belgium. I have also traveled to Bermuda and Grand Caymon, Mexico with my Dance company as guest dancers on numberous cruise ships. My dream, however, is to apply and be accepted to Georgetown University in Washington D.C to major in International Affairs and minor in either the Perfoming Arts or Music Entertainment Production.

Nicole’s Blog : Turn on the television, open a newspaper, go on internet news sites, and sit numb. “Things like that only happen to other people. “ “Nothing interesting like that ever happens around here.” “There must have been something wrong with those people. No mentally stable person would ever get themselves caught in a situation like that.” I’ve said it, you said it, and we will forever think these ridiculous thoughts until some act of fate forces us to see otherwise. I don’t know about other teenagers in the area, but my parents are persistant in watching at least one of the many news channels in the late evening. Even as a small child I remember hearing the names of places that, even though are relatively close, I never have heard of. I grew out of that stage, but even now that I can make a mental map of towns in my mind, I will never know the person whose name made that town so well known in a fifteen minute lime light. The recent topic of discussion going on through many? Suicide. I recall every statistic and story my freshmen health teacher had said on this topic and had listened carefully to every students opinion in my class. Thankfully most were mature enough to know how serious of a matter it is and how vibrantly it lives with us, whether we care to acknowledge it or not. And just like I’ll remember that specific class, I’ll also never forget the day of Feburary 25th. Because that I now go to a school that is out of my district, staying in touch with my local high school’s news is difficult. I’ve known the students of Norwood, Glenolden, Prospect Park, and Tinicum all of my life, but sadly when people grow older they have to grow apart. On that Thursday was of course a school day even though there was snowflakes arriving early for a supposed winter storm. I had returned home at my regular time that day thinking it was an afternoon like the rest, when my mom handed me the phone in tears. The superintendant of the district had left a solemn message for the mourners of the two sophomore students who were just killed. Um, what? Sophomore, district, killed? Have you ever experienced the terror of a moment when your heart stops? Only one real thing can freely flow from your mind. And in mine? Who? It took at least twenty minutes to get a sufficient answer on Facebook other then the many status updates of R.I.P. A girl I knew for years was suddenly ripped from my life. Someone who was an old friend, but like I stated before, had drifted apart. I will never be able to know who this amazing person would of grown into and there are no fresh memories that I could hold on to. How could I? Accidents and horrors occur everyday, but that’s not the thing that scares me. It’s the fact that there are grudges I’m still holding onto and people that I still have to make peace with who are still thankfully with us on this Earth. But what if another horror happens? If I have learned one important thing with the coming of this 2010 year is that small and pety arguments aren’t worth anything. A life is something precious you have to cherish and suicide is certainly no answer. I don’t ever want to have to turn on a television, flick open a newspaper at Wawa or Dunkin Donuts, or even simply go online to realize I have forever lost my chance to make things right with somebody or to remind them how much people do care. And if there is one goal I am determined to finish before I graduate is that I need to get into contact again, at least once, with every soul who I’m lucky to cherish a memory with. Good or bad, for better or worse, there is always a chance to set a conscious and heart right.