The Dreamer!

Have you ever had a dream, and when you woke up it never seemed to go away? And, even though you have tried so many times to make it a reality and it never worked out, but you just couldn't bring yourself to forget about it? Many people will tell you that it'll never come true, and that you are crazy to think that something so amazing could ever happen to you. Those are the people who lost sight of their dreams and are willing to crush others.  So, if you haven't noticed many people at TrekNorth applied of the Mentorship Grant, a grant to have the chance to improve in an art form, which can be any where from visual art to drama. What these young artists hope to achieve through their one year mentorship is to become a pro at what they do and be able to present it to their community and maybe even world wide. The mentorship grant gives $600.00 to the young artist that is anywhere from 8th grade to 12th grade. The money that they have reserved is goes to their mentor and art supplies that they may need ($550.00 goes to their mentor and the $50.00 that remains goes to to art supplies).  When the youth of our community applies for this grant, they must hand it in by the due date and wait to hear if they had passed to the next round which is the interview. In the interview, the student will be asked to present their work and explain why they believe they deserve the grant and why it is so important to them.  Every TrekNorth student that had applied for the grant has reserved it, so congratulations! Use your time wisely, and please don't take it for granted!      By now you are probably wounder why my blog is tittled the dreamer and why I have mentioned the mentorship program the reason is because I had applied of the grant last year and didn't reseave it. When I got the letter in the mail letting me that I hadn't raved the grant I was devastated thought I was never going to do art ever again. But after I got ahold of my scenes I seen it as an opportunity to become a better artist and try even harder next time I applied.      This year when I applied for the grant I decided to think more deeply into every word that I typed and chose my art pieces wisely having everything that I needed to improve on in the paper. After I was done handing in my paper (I had a couple people proofread it prior to handing it in), I asked a very inspiring teacher to help me go over the things I would say in the interview. After she gave me some very helpful tips, I was on my way and confident. The night before my interview seemed like forever, I had laid awake for a couple of hours before falling a sleep even though I knew that I needed my sleep for the next emotional day.   When I woke up the next morning, pretty early, I told myself I was going to be just fine although I didn't believe a word that I was saying. I told myself to go with it. By the time my mother was driving me to my interview, my nerves kicked in and I couldn't shut-up if my life depended on it. My mother acted like she didn't notice that I was jumping subject to subject while talking her ear off.  As we drew near the building, she had helped me rehearse what I was going to say. Before my interview had actually started, I had become extremely calm (if I didn't know any better I would've pronounced myself dead). When I was called for my interview I just repeated this in my head: Make yourself a promise... Be tough, only tougher,  Be strong, only stronger, Be you, only better.  When I was talking about my art and why it was so important to me, it felt like I was going to die because I was so scarred that I wasn't going to get the grant again ... and lucky for me the council couldn't smell fear and if they had they would of riped me to shreds.  As the two weeks of waiting grew near, I had became very worried because some people in my school where already getting accepted! On top of that, I had discovering the changes in how many people where actually getting the grant. I started to freak out in fount of my teacher, but she told me that every thing was going to be just fine.  That night, right before sections (it's a big meet in track and field), I had received a package regarding my grant.  At first when my mother told me that I had gotten something in the mail, I begged her to read it first.  Then I saw the package. I hugged my mom so hard, and she said that I hadn't even read it yet, but I didn't need to because I was told what it would look like if I had gotten it.

to meet anne frank...

The planet Earth is home to billions of human beings, each one with their own style, personality, and outlook. Out of all of these people, past, present, or future, Anne Frank is the person I would treasure meeting. Anne Frank has a sort of draw, to me, something that I've always felt. I admire Anne because of her beliefs regarding human beings, her superb writing abilities, and also for her story.

Anne Frank had a certain belief that humans are not truly bad, and that inside, every person is truly good. This outlook is so impeccable because it came from a teenaged girl in a period where she was discriminated against. Through all the horrid, wretched things that Anne was put through, she had a strong insight, an orb of luminescence thrust up into an abstract world of sheer darkness and cruelty – a seemingly rare characteristic in some people.

Aside from her outlook, Anne certainly had a way with words. She had an impeccable writing talent. It has provided inspiration for many people, including myself. I love writing. Words seem to come to me, pouring, flowing, instantly appearing in my mind. They rush like a waterfall, roaring and spilling out, creating sentences, paragraphs, entire pages of my creation. The ability to write is a gift, and it was anything but absent in Anne. Anne was able to describe two years spent hidden away in an Annex in a wildly engulfing manner, the words wrapping around the reader, carrying them to the Annex. While conveying the emotions filling her setting, Anne was able to convey an internal conflict. She was transitioning from a girl to a woman amidst a world torn apart by war. Her story was told during a part of her life where she was beginning to understand the world, but also was forced to understand.

Anne was thrown into a world of damage, death, and hatred. Her family and others she cared about were murdered because of their religion. She was in no paradise. She was in a torturous, cruel, hell. What Adolf Hitler and the Nazis did was vulgar and horrid, an experience to which no common American teenager could relate. Living through that terror had to be demeaning and terrifying. People stood by helpless as their friends and loved ones were slaughtered or sent to the deadly gas chambers. They stole to keep themselves and those they cared for alive. People were lied to and greatly mistreated for things they didn't do, and Anne had to go through this as a young teenaged girl.

The main reason I would like to meet Anne Frank is to hear her story from her. To hear her voice, with real emotions and real words. I want her perspective, with her insight as rare as an iridescent blue moon. Anne Frank had the ability to inspire generations, and that's exactly what she did. She inspired me. To hear her voice, her story, loud and true, first-hand, I believe could move a nation, and that experience would be a gift.   -hs

A Day in the Life of Ben Rudnick

 You may think that being Ben Rudnick is easy, oh but it is not as easy as it looks. Usually I will wake up at around 7:45- do you know how hard it is to keep a body like this looking good in the morning? It consists of picking out whatever clothes I feel like wearing, and who knows what I want to wear- Hollister? Or ...well that's really about it, I guess. Who knows though what color boxers I want to wear in the morning- stripes or just a random color? Sweatpants or jeans? What ever the body feels like wearing. Then, at about 8:00, it's time to go to school. My mom will drive my brother and me. I usually get to school at 8:10 and when I get there, I hang out with friends for the 20 minutes before the bell.  

First hour I have Algebra 1- my least favorite. I just hate math. I'm pretty bad at math and the only good thing about that class is I have good friends in the class. 

Then comes second hour- one of the best classes of the day because it's quiet study.  I get to do my homework, which I don't have to at home. Also in quiet study I hangout with friends- maybe even play basketball. Then third hour, which is my favorite class. 

Finally comes lunch, which is the best part of the day because I get to sit and eat with all my friends- and just take a break from school. Then after that it's fourth hour - painting, which is a blast because I can talk the whole time as long as I'm doing my work. Kristin is the best art teacher I have ever had. 

The school day is almost done as I head to fifth hour, which is composition. I suck at English, but Erica makes the class a little bit more fun... but I will probably have to write more blogs and blogs and guess what more blogs, which I feel like no one even reads even though you can find them on the Trek North website. 

And, then, school is over. After school I usually hang out with friends. Then, at around 6:00, I will have dinner.  Most of the time my mom will make something good. Then depending what is on TV that night, I might watch something or if nothing is on I will go outside and play basketball. 

At 11:00 I will brush my teeth and go to bed just hoping for some sweet dreams, which of course I always have. That is the day in the life of Benjamin Scott Rudnick!

My Reaction To: The 2015 ESPNU Terrific 25

Recently, the ESPNU Terrific 25 rankings were released alongside the ESPNU Super 60 and ESPNU 100.  These rankings are released every year around the end of May, setting loose the most accurate rankings on the face of the planet.  The top two prospects, Karl Towns and Mickey Mitchell, may be worthy for the first two spots-  but Diamond Stone as number three?  I don’t think so.  The first three spots are the most crucial, and I will list who I think are worthy of these three spots.

The number three spot of my rankings list goes to Mickey Mitchell.  He is a very athletic 6’6’’, 210 pound power forward who plays for the Prestonwood Lions, a nationally ranked high school basketball team.  Mitchell has a very reliable jump shot while still being able to be a force in the paint due to his size.  But, the most spectacular thing of all is his court vision.  Mitchell can pass like no other freshman in his class, and that has proven to make him a force on the court offensively.  His defensive is also stellar, much better than fellow forwards Jamar Ergas or Kejuan Johnson.

The second best player in the 2015 class is Marcus Lovett Jr.  Lovett is a 5’11’’, 155 pound point guard who has taken over the basketball scene in this past year.  He has just emerged playing for Providence High School in Burbank, California by averaging 33 points per game.  He has a good handle on the ball and can get anywhere on the court with this ability.  Lovett’s jump shot is probably the most impressive attribute about his game.  He has major range on his shot, ranging out to around 24 feet.  With his unique quickness and ability to get into the paint, Lovett could be the best player in his class by his senior year.

Out of all the basketball players in 2015, including myself, Karl Towns Jr., is the best of them all.  Some basketball analysts and critics have been calling Towns the next Kevin Durant, who is a star in the NBA and plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder.  The 6’11’’, 235 pound center is a complete monster on the floor.  He has a huge tendency to block shots, averaging about four per game in his freshman season at St. Joseph’s in New Jersey.  His post game is a huge part of his game also, using his size to push past his defender.  Unlike other centers, though, Towns has range on his jump shot out to 25 feet.  He averaged two three-pointers a game, which is unheard of for young prospects that are almost seven feet tall.  On top of all this, he and his team won the New Jersey State Championship this past year.

The class of 2015 is loaded with prospects that have massive potential to succeed in basketball, but these three players right now have the best potential out of them all.  Mitchell, Lovett, and Towns have put in countless hours of work to make their games undeniably and critically superior to their peers.  If they keep their work ethic the same as it is now, these three young men may be able to play basketball for their careers.

~Chamalmy

day in the life of dallas blevins

After reading a blog written by a young man who goes by the name of Ben Rudnick, I decided to let the world know about how my day goes. After reluctantly get up in the morning at 5:50, I do my hair- and this takes around a half hour. What? You don't believe me? Well, it's not like I just throw up my hair.... Ha! No... After this, I brush my my teeth and get a wet wash cloth for my face. I go back to my room and put on my makeup. This takes up to 45 minutes. When I am done with my makeup, I then pick out my outfit for the day. Jeans or Jeans? Shirt or Shirt? Neckless or Neckless? What ever my body feels like wearing. 

7:15 A.M. I go to the bus stop and wait for the bus, otherwise I get dropped off by my mom before she goes to work. Once I get to school, I take some time to take care of my tarantula or gerbils. Then I hang with friends and more than likely end up going to the store. When I get back to school, its around 8:25 A.M., and I head off to Charlie's first hour. Not one of my favorite hours, but on the plus side, I get to hang out with the oh-so-well-known Ben Rudnick.

Then comes second hour- physical science. Physical science is one of my favorite classes because I actually get and understand it. 

QUIET STUDY TIME! In this hour, I usually don't do homework, but hang out with Kali. I don't think Chance (the study hall dude) like me or Kali for we harass him.

And of course, we have lunch now. Lately I have been eating outside with my peeps enjoying a basketball game. After the lunch, I have my fourth hour- PAINTING! Art, my absolute favorite hour, is the hour I get to relax and talk with friends and do what I love to do, which is anything art related. The famous Ben Rudnick is also in this class, but I choose not to sit by him for he annoys the crap out of me.

Then, finally, Ben Rudnick follows me to my fifth hour class -composition. In composition, we do blogs, and review terms, and other composition like things.

Schools out at 3:10! Woo-hoo! After school, I either ride the bus home or I hang out with Sadie. Around 5 PM, I have dinner at my house, then I go to my room and watch a movie or do some homework. I do not watch T.V. because I believe it's a unrealistic dream for the common American.

Then I go to bed and have the bitter dreams I do.

This is the day of Dallas Blevins!

Easter Island

Not many people have heard about one the most intriguing historical mysteries: Easter Island. It lies in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, secluded by almost 2500 miles of water (BBC). The Rapanui, the people of Easter Island, were an amazing civilization that were nearly wiped out by a series of terrible tribulations. In only a few centuries, their society was reduced to only about 100 people (BBC), which in turn led to loss of much of the Rapanui unusual culture. Although science is attempting to piece together their story, there is no person that can really tell us about the original people of Easter Island. No one could really tell us about how the amazing statues they built, that ultimately led to their downfall. 

Scientists and scholars have debated about where the original population of Easter Islanders originated from; however, only recently has genetic science resolved the great question: where did they sail from? DNA evidence from the skeletons excavated on Easter Island, have been studied, and “contain a so-called Polynesian motif (BBC)”. It is believed that these people arrived on the island around A.D. 400 (Clark). The society was booming and by the year 1550, the population rose to an estimated 9,000 people (Clark).  One of the most interesting parts of the Rapanui culture were the colossal statues that they created and moved around the island. These statues, called moai, are said to have been made to immortalize a specific chief, and to watch over the people and to worship their ancestors (BBC). Unfortunately, though, these moai triggered the downfall of the Rapanui society.

  When the first European, Dutchman Jacob Roggenveen, arrived on Easter Island in 1722, he reported a land devoid of trees (Smithsonian). Studies show that Easter Island used to be covered in palm trees, however, the moai that the Rapanui created, required extensive amounts of trees to make and move. The complete deforestation of Easter Island was the product of the Rapanui obsession with moai. Treeless, soil erosion hit farming and these people were unable to make canoes to fish, or to escape the horror of their own making (BBC). They turned on each other and resorted to cannibalism.

This led to one disaster after another because after 1722 it became fashionable for explorers to visit Easter Island. However, with new visitors come new diseases. There was an outbreak of Syphilis, which has appeared in the bones of many of the native islanders (BBC). Nonetheless, their hardships weren’t finished there. In 1862, Peruvian slave traders captured 1,500 Rapanui people, which at the time was one third of the population, and took them to South America. After a year, they were brought back to their homes, but only 15 had survived. The survivors didn’t know what they had returned with. But by 1877, a smallpox epidemic left only 111 Rapanui people alive.

Now, after all these years of regrowth, the Easter Islanders are still affected by the creation of moais. All the inhabitants of Easter Island now have Chilean roots and have only passed down fragmented bits and pieces of their ancestors’ culture and legends (BBC). And now, even after all the culture these people have already lost, the 21st century is taking over. As of a few months ago, Easter Island has a new luxury hotel. I believe that this advance in attempting to attract tourism is going to cause these people to lose even more of their culture.

KW

inspirational person

If I could meet anyone in the world, I would like to meet someone who would inspire me, such as Brandon Houston, an eight year old cancer patient. I have read about him through many articles and would love to meet him. Believe it or not, I could care less if I met a famous person. I would much rather meet a cancer patient and talk to him/her about their life and all the struggles and triumphs that come with it. I think I would gain a lot of compassion and sympathy if I ever had the chance to meet Brandon. I think he is a very down to earth person, as well as, kind and empathetic.  

I don’t have much knowledge about cancer, or how much harder life would be to live with this disease, as well as, the effects it has on close family members. However, if I had the chance to meet a cancer patient such as Brandon, I would probably be astonished to learn how much more difficult living a life with cancer truly is. Through meeting Brandon, I think I would be much more grateful for my own life and health, knowing that so many people have it much worse than I do. The inspiration I would receive from talking to this little eight year old boy would be life altering. Not only would I gain a lot of knowledge, but I would also gain wisdom and compassion. I think knowledge, compassion, and respect  would develop fairly quickly through a brief conversation with this little boy, which would be very helpful to me  in my own life, and greatly benefit me in the future.

Although I admire and have read much about Brandon Houston and and his everyday struggles, it would be so much different to actually meet him in person. He seems to be a very intelligent young man. In my opinion, Brandon knows the true meaning of life. He has many stories to share, and kindness to spread. I think there would be many benefits to meeting a cancer patient and many important life lessons that could be learned. 

Although Brandon may only be eight years old, he has the heart of an angel. Brandon has experienced many traumas throughout his short life, but he’s staying strong and he’s holding on. He seems like a very optimistic person who just loves life and never takes life for granted. Brandon has many outstanding qualities which I would love to obtain for myself, and I would greatly enjoy the opportunity to meet him.

-KB

Let's Speed Things Up a Bit!

    Have you ever been in line at a coffee shop, eagerly waiting for the barista behind the counter to take your order and get you your delicious caffeinated beverage, but the line just doesn't seem to be moving. You look towards the front of the line only to see somebody asking the barista what each and every drink consists of, and what the difference is between a latte and a cappuccino. When it is early in the morning and you need to get your caffeine, being stuck in this situation can be one of the most irritating times of your life. For those of you who often find yourselves being at the root of this problem (i.e. the confused customer), please read the following tips on how to order at a coffee shop.

Tip 1: Know what you want before you get to the front.

    Instead of just sitting there on your phone while you're in line, use the time to think of what you want. If you are not familiar with ordering coffee or you don't know the menu at this particular coffee shop, look up at the menu while you're in line. I can't tell you how many times I've seen someone get to the front of the line after spending the last five minutes on their phone, and they are completely clueless as to what they want.

Tip 2: Keep it simple.

    If you aren't experienced when it comes to ordering coffee, don't make things more complicated than they need to be. Trust me, rehearsing your complicated order over and over in your mind will not make you sound like some sort of espresso expert. Doing this increases the chance that the barista will not understand part of your order and most likely mess it up.

Tip 3: Stick to the basics.

    When ordering at a coffee shop that you're unfamiliar with, stick to a generic coffee menu. I guarantee that almost every coffee place has the same major items: latte, cappuccino, mocha, macchiato, and americano, or black coffee. If you order your drink based on one of these major beverages and avoid using coffee slang, your order will probably come out the way you expected it to.

    If you follow these three major steps while ordering your next coffee, you may find that you not only get your drink sooner, but you also help others by allowing them to order. If you know somebody that could use help in ordering their coffee, please tell them these steps or have them read it themselves.

HB

Faith

Faith

by anonymous

Faith is like a candle flame,

a glow that keeps us strong,

And faith is there see us

through when things seem

to go wrong.

life's not always easy,

We're bound to have

some sorrow.

But faith can help to

get us through,

To a better day, tomorrow.

So when you burn

this candle, And you see

its steady light.

Remember that your

faith will help,

Make dark days seem

more bright.

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints we have a program just for  the young women who are ages 12 to 18, at church in our Sunday and Wednesday classes we are taught core values to help us become better people. The values are faith, divine nature, choice and accountability, knowledge, virtue, integrity, good works, and individual worth. Out of all of these values, I think Faith is the most important. Without faith life is really hard, faith helps me to get through the challenges of just trying to be a good person in a hard world. President Gordon B. Hinckley (the president of our church) said in a conference talk: "This is my prayer for all of us. ... Increase our faith to bridge the chasms of uncertainty and doubt. ... Grant us faith to look beyond the problems of the moment to the miracles of the future. ... Give us faith to do what is right and let the consequences follow." The Prophet Joseph Smith further revealed through his inspired revision of the Bible that faith was the "assurance of things hoped for". There is a difference between Faith, Belief, and Hope even though they are often used interchangeably. Although we cannot have faith without belief and hope, we can believe without having faith. Faith is interwoven with other gospel, goodly attributes, especially hope and charity. I've learned that doubt and fear diminish as my faith increases. The more I believe in and learn about our Heavenly Father, the more I have faith that everything he does is for my good and that he will always be there to carry me when I fall.

Faith helps me learn about Christ's divine attributes, including His undying love for everyone. The more I learn about Jesus Christ the easier it is to become like him and to learn to love everyone-even those who make me mad or who hurt me.

My parents and my church have taught me to have faith in Jesus Christ. They taught me that first I have to have a desire to have more faith, and then I need to study, pray, provide service and sacrifice, and also be more personally righteousness.

My mom says that the more we study the scriptures the more we learn about Jesus and Heavenly Father. The more we know about or learn about something the easier it is to believe it's true and not doubt. The Prophet Joseph Smith instructed, "Faith comes by hearing the word of God through the testimony of the servants of God."

Prayer is the way we communicate with our Heavenly Father; prayer helps us to listen to him and draw closer to him. The more we pray to Him, the more we talk to Him, and the easier it is to listen to Him. The Apostle Paul counseled that through our prayers we "might perfect that which is lacking in [our] faith."

My parents have always tried to teach me to serve others and sacrifice my time to help others. We are also taught to sacrifice 10 percent of our income to help those in need and to learn to give back to Heavenly Father what he so freely gives us. Jesus Christ sacrificed His life so we could live with him again. I think that by sacrificing my time and money to serve and help others is very little compared to the sacrifice he made for me. 

I also need to be righteous in my words and actions. If I'm not righteous or working to become a better person and more like Christ how can I expect him to be there for me and to never doubt that he is there for me. The Savior taught, "If any man will do  God's will, he shall know of the doctrine.

I do know that it's easy to lose my faith, if I don't constantly repent, take the sacrament, and keep my covenants that I've made to my Heavenly Father he doesn't have to keep his promises to me.

My brother will be serving a mission for our church next year. (Our church asks all young men that are worthy and 19 years of age to leave their homes and serve missions to an area for two years). His faith  to be able to leave home for two years and to go out and preach the gospel, to teach and reach others, so that they can have faith is very important to me, his example helps to strengthen my faith. The faith of my parents and others who have overcome negative things also increases my faith. I'm thankful for the way they share their faith and help strengthen my faith. I think everyone should know about Heavenly Father and his love for us, I hope that by being more faithful, I can help others be strong and grow to know Heavenly Father.

Pastafarianism

   You know about all the big religions, Christianity, Catholicism, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and Hinduism.  However, there is one that is not taught about in schools, it's called Pastafarianism.  I am a loyal Pastafarian.

    Pastafarianism is a religion based on the belief that the Flying Spaghetti Monster created the universe.  On the first day, the Flying Spaghetti Monster separated the water from the heavens; on the second day, due to the fact that he cant swim for very long he created land and a beer volcano.  When he was done, he drank way to much beer and awoke hungover.  He had many drunken nights and many clumsy afternoons.  He then accidentally created land and seas again (he forgot that he already did this) and created heaven and a midget, he called this midget Man.  Man and equally short Woman lived peacefully in the Olive Garden of Eden until the Flying Spaghetti Monster caused a flood in a horrible cooking accident.

    Pastafarians believe that the Flying Spaghetti Monster is the omniscient ruler of the universe.  The first to realize this were pirates.  They worshiped and spread word of the giant Flying Spaghetti Monster that was the creator of the Earth.  Pirates were the very first Pastafarians.  It is believed by Pastafarians everywhere that the lack of pirates in the world has lead to the anger felt by the great Flying Spaghetti Monster and caused him to heat up the world, thus creating global warming.  However, people dressing up as pirates on Halloween is appreciated by the Flying Spaghetti Monster and is thought of as a memorial of all his lost followers throughout the centuries.  This is the only thing keeping him from destroying the entire universe.

    I believe that Pastafarianism should be taught in school along with all of the other religions.  If we only teach about a select few, we aren't really teaching about religion.  Pastafarianism is just as important as any of the other religions that are taught in schools.  So why leave it out?  If you support teaching about all the religions in the world then help put Pastafarianism on the list.