The McCandless Project
Julia Gualtieri
Honors English 1


    The Experiment that I did for this project, was me and a few of my friends who are doing the project as well dressed as weird as we could to make us stand out from our surroundings. The first thing we did was got dropped off at Kroger and bought the most random things we could find to make people even more concerned. We walked around that store for about a half hour and then checked out. After we were done there we walked across a busy street, perimeter and went into chipotle still wearing embarrassing clothing. We got our burritos and spent about twenty minutes there. Then, we went home. Surprisingly, I don't think that people reacted as weirded out as I thought.  At Kroger, no one seemed to look at us in a weird way, except as we were checking out the cash register asked us if we were having a slumber party. We were kind of concerned on how there were any signs of a slumber party but we said not this is our normal look and then made our way to Chipotle. None of the workers at Chipotle reacted to our looks, but of course all the teenagers in the line did and were laughing. During the experiment I will not lie, I felt a little embarrassed but I thought it was fun at the same time and learned not to care. I was confused on why we did not get many odd looks, but it was still fun. I was probably more surprised by other peoples reaction because I knew what was going on the whole time, while others were most likely wondering why a random group of girls are in Kroger dressed completely abnormal. I do believe that I am free to break from the norm, because in the experiment we were not told no by anyone, and no one really confronted us about what we were doing and we did not get in trouble. Everyone was minding their own business. I think the whole experiment/project was cool because the thing I was most excited about was to see what other people would do, and that was what happened.

quotation

The quote I chose was "Successful people are to gifted; they just work hard, and succeed on purpose." I chose this quote because as soon as I found it, I could relate immediately. The quote represents me because I believe that not one is gifted, but they must work hard to achieve great things. No one is naturally smart in school, they must work hard to achieve getting good grades. That is an example about something the quote could relate to for some people, but when I first saw the quote the first thing that came to my head was playing soccer and my team. None of us are specially gifted. I couldn't just wake up and play soccer for the first time and be good at it. I have to keep working harder and harder each day to become better. To be completely honest I think my life would be more intelligent and maybe even a little better if I lived every second of my life according to my quote, because it's saying that you can be gifted if you work hard at everything you do and I do not think I work my very hardest at things I care a little less about. I wonder how much my life would change in a positive way if I lived my life by the quote, on everything I do.

Short Story

Julia Gualtieri

Mrs Belden

Honors English

7 October 2014  And Then He Was Gone

We have a relationship like no other; no, not a love relationship, a strong sibling bond that not one can relate to. My brother Ben and I have always gotten along. Even though he is four years older than me, we are the best of friends, like two peas in a pod. We have so much in common, but most importantly our love for soccer is exactly the same. We don’t view it the same as other soccer players, it can’t really be explained. It’s something we only can understand.  I wouldn’t say it’s the most normal siblingship that a senior brother and a freshman sister would have but it is for sure a unique one that could never be forgotten. It’s the week of the biggest soccer game for boys and girls here at Coffman Highschool, as we take on Jerome on Thursday evening. The week cannot go any slower. It feels like it has been Monday for a million years. The school hallways are decked out in green white and black paint on the walls, and posters that say “BEAT JEROME!!” The rock outside the stadium is painted for the huge game. It seems like now the pressure is really on. Being a freshman on the varsity team can be one of the hardest things. All the students that go to the varsity games are expecting so much from you, and being on a team with mostly seniors is scary. All day people have been asking me about the game on Thursday and saying how the student section will be huge. Thats it. The pressure is completely on. The day is finally over and I couldn’t be happier. As soon as the bell rang I went straight to the locker room to get ready for practice. Everyone was abnormally quiet as we got ready. Being a freshmen, I wouldn’t know if something had happened because I am not in on the senior gossip, or if its the nerves for Thursday. I guess I will save that question for Ben. We walk onto the turf and start warming up. We see the big man with the bag of soccer balls,  penny’s and clipboard wearing his coaching attire walking out to our field. We know this week isn’t going to be easy whether it is our practices leading up to the game, but especially the game itself and no different for the boys. We can see the boys getting murdered by their coach as they’re practicing on the other half of the turf, being yelled at and working as hard as they can to get ready for their match against Jerome. We know  our training won’t be much different. We pushed each other so hard in practice today and it had us feeling more confident than we have ever felt before. I come home tired and more worn out then I have been in my life. Our parents have a nice dinner made for my brother and I; Pasta and Steak..as dad says is the best meal after a hard day at practice.  I quickly finished my dinner and went upstairs to take a shower and do my homework. As I sat down to do my homework, I found myself not being able to focus on anything. I couldn’t remember how to do the lesson I was acing in geometry class today. I couldn’t remember my vocabulary for science, or my numbers for spanish. All that was on my mind was the game on Thursday. It didn’t help that I wasn’t only nervous for myself but for Ben as well. It was an even bigger game for him because he’s a senior and it is the last high school game he will play in his life. I continue to try to focus on my homework but there is nothing that will let me forget about the games on Thursday. I put my homework aside and go into Bens room to see if he’s asleep or busy, but thankfully he wasn’t so I went inside to talk to him. “Hi Piper” he says. I said hello and quickly cut to the chase on what I had to say. “The nerves I have for my game on Thursday Ben, they’re unreal. I cannot focus on anything, my mind can’t see or process anything right now besides the game. Knowing it’s your last high school game that I’ll ever watch you play in, and hearing all the things people are telling me about my own game, makes me unable to think straight.” “Listen Piper, everything you’re saying is normal..You do not need to be stressing out as much as you are and I can tell you right now the stress you have for me, myself needs to go. Just worry about you and remember you’ll be there to watch my college games. Nothing’s gone, only more exciting things are going to happen and you just need to worry about Thursday, when it is Thursday..but for right now let’s get through the week. Now get to bed.” I guess what Ben had told me has helped me alot. I slept soundly and could focus on my homework for the rest of the night. Ben always knows what to say to make me feel better, whether it’s true or if he is making it all up! Tuesday at school seemed to be a little easier to get through the obsession about the game had gone down, but I knew for sure it was not done for good so the butterflies in my stomach remained moving. The seventh period bell rang and I did the usual..rushed to the locker room to get ready for another hard practice. It had gone by quickly and ended as the boys did, so Ben and I headed home together. Tuesday night went by fast, and Wednesday quickly approached and went by fast aswell. I would say it was the most stress free day yet. We had a light practice since it was the day before game day, so for the last half our coach sat us down and gave us a deep talk to get us prepared for our biggest match of the season, the one in which decided the champions of the OCC. The day had finally come. It was game day. On Thursday morning it was pretty hectic between Ben and my stress about the games, and I had woken up late so he was already rushing me enough. “Piper let’s go!!! Or I am leaving without you! It’s a big day at school and we cannot be late!” “I’m going Ben! Give a girl a few minutes for heavens sake!” It was silent on the way to school besides if we were bickering with each other. We got to school and I got out of the car and slammed the door, leaving my brother to walk into school alone. It was the first time that had happened before, although how angry I was, I had not really seemed to care. My nerves were at an all time high from first period through seventh with my friends, teachers and upperclassmen asking and talking about my game this evening. The time had come and it was time to play. They introduced us and we began. We fought very hard and pulled through with a 1-0 game although it wasn’t easy, we prepared and did what needed to be done. After my game, I wasn’t happy or excited for some reason. I just felt like something wasn’t quite right, I got the feeling of eer, like something bad was going to happen. I rushed over to Jerome to get to Ben’s game. I just remembered I hadn’t even said goodbye or goodluck, even though he did to me. I guess I was just really angry but I didn’t really care. It was the second half of the game and Jerome was up One nill. Fans from each team were screaming and cheering. The announcer was on fire as Ben was on a counter attack towards the goal. It was just him and the goalie untill a defender from the other team came and tripped Ben from behind, and had him pinned to the ground, followed by the goal keeper doing a slide tackle to Bens head. The crowd grew silent, my dad just observing the field and my mom in panic mode. Ben wasn’t moving. There was no motion whatsoever. “Mom!!!” I screamed in a cry like voice.“Shh Piper quiet, quiet, we will be ok, Ben will be ok,” Even though the both of us knew he wasn’t going be ok, we liked the thought. The paramedics came rushing to the fields. My parents were down there as well, but using my best judgement I thought I better keep myself in the stands to try to get under control. I had been so mean to him today, though he was still only good to me back. I didn’t say goodbye, good luck, I love you before our game, though he did to me. I didn’t walk into school with him today, which he would’ve liked. Right then and there, I witnessed my best friend  die.

Timed Writing Revisions

For the summer reading book, I read the book Deep, Dark And Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn. The theme of the story is to always tell the truth about something sooner than later, so you're not admitting things in the end. The first detail that shows this theme is in the beginning of the story Alli, the thirteen year old girl found a picture of her mom and her aunt, but the third person was simply ripped out if the Picture. Ali and her mother have always had a strong, close bond, and when her mom acts suddenly suspicious about the ripped part of the photo, saying she can't remember that day or the picture, Ali knows something is up. This shows the theme because obviously Ali knows her mom is hiding something, so she mitt as well tell her now, rather than admitting she lied later. The second detail where this theme comes into play, is when Ali and her little cousin meet a girl named Tessa. As Emma and Ali describe this figure they met at the fair while at the old lake house, it's quit obvious Ali's aunt knows exactly who they are describing, but still is getting that look of suspiciousness, just like Ali's mom did when she confronted her about the picture Ali found in the attic. Still Emma and Ali are seeing Tessa every single day, but Emmas mom still claims she has no idea. This relates to the theme, always tell the truth instead of admitting later, because there most likely is not a reason to not tell Emma and Ali who this Tessa is, especially since the two girls know something fishy is going on. My last detail that can relate to the theme is is when Ali's mom comes to the lake house to pick her up, she spots Tessa out of the corner of her eye and screams. Then and there, Ali and Emma were for sure something was being hidden and had to be told. Ali and Emmas moms finally explained that Tessa was a ghost who had passed away right after that picture was taken. Not so much Emma, but Ali was disappointed with her mom for not ever telling her before she even found the picture . This relates to the theme because a mother/daughter relationship had just been ruined for not telling the truth for so long. In the beginning of the story Ali and her mother had a strong relationship where they could tell each other anything, but ever since Ali found her mom had kept that secret from Ali her whole life, their relationship would ever be the same. So always tell the truth soon an don't wait for things to get worse!

And Then There Were None

When I was fixing my final draft to fix all the mistakes I had made, one of the things I had to fix were my punctuational errors. Though those type of things were not going to be graded on this essay I still corrected them for my final draft. Another thing I did to my final, was fix the organization of my paragraphs and what went in which paragraph. I think that the best form of support for me when it came to writing this essay, was the peer review checklist because it's coming from another classmates point of view who has the same task as me, and knows exactly what needs to be done which leads right into why I don't think that an adult checking it could be as helpful. They don't exactly know everything we know and I feel like it coming from another student could be more helpful. Although, since my dad is a Language Arts teacher sometimes it is even more helpful having him check things too. I think if we keep continuing to to peer edits and adult edits it will help me improve my writing, especially getting feedback from different people.  I think I have room to become a better writer in the area of topic sentences, and coming up with a theme but being able to write it correctly. A goal I want to achieve is to be able to do that by the end of the year 100% correctly.