Shout Out: November Contest Winner
November’s contest prompt asked students to tell us who they are thankful for. Thanks to Ms. Sammons’s classes, we had many outstanding entries. Our top choice was this shout out written by sophomore, Ellery Duvall. Congratulations Ellery!
Shout Out by Ellery Duvall, Sophomore
My sister has been there for me since the day I was born (not necessarily always in the figurative sense). As siblings typically do, we fought to a great extent. She would do minuscule things that would tick me off; it never made sense to me why she made some of her decisions. My parents always explained it by saying that we had distinctively different ways of thinking and our “brain chemistry” varied greatly. I thought analytically and carefully, and she had always made “rash” decisions. This made growing up difficult, but with time I learned to appreciate our differences. My sister taught me how to have empathy and socialize with others who shared a similar mindset to her.
When I entered public school it changed my entire perspective. The community was more diverse in ideologies and ways of thinking. I started making friends and found my people. As I watched some of my friends interact with people and express their discontent with others, I realized that most of what they found annoying or bothersome I just looked past. I noticed that there is a skill I possess that allows me to see the foolishness of some situations. Wether it’s problems within the friend group, or instances blown out of proportion I have the ability to realize how dumb these issues truly are and how little they will impact us in less than a week. This skill has immensely helped me mature and socialize with people of all different mindsets and backgrounds. I thank my sister for part of this skill. As my sister went through high school she witnessed loads of drama and always reported home. She built me up to realize how silly high schoolers are and how in the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t matter.
Over the years, my sister has pushed me to expand that comfort zone. Typically, I am a very cautious person. I never liked to exit my comfort zone as a kid; scared of the consequences. But when I spend time with her we blast music as we drive down country roads and she forces me into social situations which result in me enjoying my time. She has pushed me to be a more empathetic, creative, fun person. She has done so much to improve my enjoyment of life, and I am incredibly thankful.
December’s contest:
In 600 words or less (written entries) or 3 minutes or less
(video or audio entries), review what you think was the BEST
album, song, television show, movie, video game, tech gadget,
book, trend, or event of 2022. Email entries to talawandatribune@talawanda.org
Entries must be sent by midnight on 12/30/22.
Click on the contests link above for more details and examples of reviews.
