Raleigh's senior exhibit journals

Raleigh Hazel’s first Senior exhibit log entry
Every 2 weeks?
Date- 2/5/08


After much enthusiasm after the senior exhibit meeting 2 weeks ago, my dad and I have compiled some great ideas. I have a hard time picking from these, and I know that tomorrow we are supposed to turn in what our idea is, but I may still have some thinking to do. I do think one of my ideas sticks out more strongly than the other, however.
One idea that him and I have shared for a long time is “Hunters for the Hungry”. In this project idea, I would research and investigate this government sponsored program where game meat (primarily venison) is donated to homeless shelters and soup kitchens throughout Virginia. In this project idea, I would do a bit of research and hopefully find a learning activity of some sort. I thought that I could perhaps attend a hunter’s education course, as hunting would be involved in this idea. And for my application, I would go out, shoot a deer, take it the butcher and learn where the meat I donated went to in Virginia. Another idea, not the frontrunner however, was to participate in a marathon or triathlon. The downside of all three of these mentioned ideas is that I already have previous knowledge of how they work, and am already slightly proficient in all of them. That is why my primetime idea is something new and unheard of, something drastic…
My true primetime idea is “The quest to become a GRILL MASTER”. To master this manly art will take patience and perseverance, but I hope that it is acceptable for a senior exhibit. Grilling food is always something that I have had interest in, and it is my hope that I will be able to master this unique art and I will have the knowledge with me for the rest of my life. For my activity, I hope to get a job in some fashion or attend grilling seminars somewhere (I hear Lowes and Home Depot offer them). To further enhance my knowledge, I plan to study the technique of my dad and other grillers that I know. For my application, I thought that I would host bar-b-q of some fashion, or maybe cook for the Falcon Fest/FA fall Carnival my senior year. I think this is my true choice of my senior exhibit.
I really continue to look forward to this as an overall experience.




2/18/08

Last week, after more discussion with my chosen mentor, Mr. Eckerson, I may take a different route in my topic. He showed me some cool ideas concerning doing something along the lines of making some sort of pod cast involving grilling. I thought that this might be a pretty cool idea, although I feel like sometimes the incorporation of technology is really forced onto us. I think that I might get fed up with this a little bit, but who knows, it could be cool. We together then delved further into the idea of having my topic take more of an approach towards focusing on nutrition, yet another topic that I have keen interest in. I always feel like, being an athlete, I am always sort of experiencing what foods work best for me before a particular event. I think that if I were to really get more of a focus on this nutrition aspect, I could find it both helpful and enjoying. I further thought that perhaps I could, for my application, prepare the ideal pre-game meal for a cross country race, or swim meet, or even a lacrosse game. This would involve me in some way doing a bit of research on my own or finding some sort of thing to do in the summer to further educate myself about nutrition. One of my worst qualities is that I enjoy doing so much, that I sometimes have trouble to make decisions. I hope that this idea begins to draw me closer to what I would really like to do.


3/4/08

Tonight was the varsity sports banquet for the winter sports season. I was glad that I was granted the honor of receiving MVP for Varsity Swimming. This was only part of the good news that I received at the sports awards. For the past 2 weeks, as well as over winter break, I have been becoming more and more skeptical about my topic. It just doesn’t, as Mr. Eckerson would say, have teeth to it. I feel like their should be some way that I could be giving back to the community, but I just feel like it is lacking to a certain degree. That was where my dad’s whole idea of Hunters for the hungry came in, and seemed like a pretty cool thing. But tonight at the sports banquet, my swim coach Mrs. Wimble came up to me, asking if I was going to be around for spring break. I said yes, I believe so. So, with that in mind, she said that she wants to get me certified for life guarding so this summer I can be her assistant coach on the her Lake of the Woods Swim team! I thought this is exactly what I need, something new and fresh. What a good idea that I could feasibly do for my senior exhibit! I would spend the summer working with kids, and learning how to be a coach. That could be the name of the project, how to be a good coach. My written document could be a booklet detailing tips and tricks that every coach should know, and my application I guess could be that I am coaching for a summer league swim team. The bonus is that I would be getting paid as well. I think I may be getting a form of a breakthrough. I think this would be so cool. I need to have another conversation with Mrs. Aldrow as well as Mr. Eckerson before I make this switch. I also may consider switching my mentor. We will see.


3/11/08

Another week later, and after discussing the swimming idea with Mr. Eckerson, I think that he was not too keen on its happening. He brought up the idea that I could really use this as an opportunity to decide what I would like to do in the future. I thought to myself why not. He mentioned things like if it was pre-determined whether or not if I was going to take over my dads company, and maybe I should consider doing something on that route. Who knows? When I came to my dad with Mr. Eckerson’s thoughts, he said that I should be more considering doing something that I want to do and not something that would apply to my future. He thinks I should be having fun and learning. So with that in mind, I head into the next weeks still doing a lot of thinking.



3/18/08
Lacrosse is in action and it’s been fun. We play RMA tomorrow, and I cant wait to get in the action there. Anyway, still thoughts going on in my head as far as my topic/ application goes. I now have coaching swim team, grilling, and hunters for the hungry. I am having a hard time really narrowing down what I should be doing. I wish this decision came easier. It sort of ticks me off that all senior exhibits are revolved around paying money to take part in some sort of activity over the summer. And I know that if I were to say something like this, I would get the same response like “You do not necessarily have to do anything like that” or whatever. It just seems like all of the cool senior projects somehow involve doing paying money to do something and TADA, you have an exhibit. Going on a fly fishing getaway to Alaska, paying money to take scuba lessons, all that stuff I feel puts the student who does not want to pay money at a disadvantage. I am still in the thought process.



3/26/08
Today we attended the Senior Exhibit rehearsals. I attended Thomas Hughes’s presentation about sailing and Joe Martin’s about giving swim lessons. I got to see two good presentations. Thomas was very knowledgeable about his topic and what he was doing. His rehearsal was definitely what I would expect out of a rehearsal. He had the ability to talk coherently about his subject for a long time, and was confident. When he practices it a little more, it will be ready and good. Joe on the other hand had the best rehearsal that I have ever seen. It was so well rehearsed and clear as to what he was doing, what he did for his activity, and how he applied what he had learned. It was so easy, he just made use of what was readily available to him. He used the connections he had at his pool and just like that he was all set. His presentation was had the quality of a final presentation, and was just really good. He did not stumble and his presentation was just incredible. After my friends and I watched this presentation, I had 2 thoughts in my head. One being that, like Joe and Thomas, do something that I already have some sort of connection or job to. Unlike Joe and Thomas, I did not hold a summer job or have any prior connections. I got to thinking thought, I do have a passion for the outdoors and being outside. I love camping, and thought that perhaps I could combine these with a senior application emphasis on camping and survival. Who knows.


4/2/08
Lacrosse is beginning to wind down a little bit, which makes me a little sad. I hate knowing that these are going to be some of the last times that I spend with them. Concerning with the senior exhibit, I talked with Mr. Eckerson about the whole survival thing. He explained the issues with liability and such, and I knew that idea didn’t really have “wind” behind it anyway. I have to really begin to settle down what I am doing.






4/16/08
With all speed going forward, I have officially taken a summer job with Mrs. Wimble this summer. I am going to be an assistant swim coach this summer at the Lake of the Woods Swim team, as well as being a lifeguard. Maybe I could find a way to work this into a senior exhibit. I know that this includes that my application would have to be something involving a major commitment…like coaching a team. I don’t know if I am ready to give up that kind of time, or if I have the time to give up that kind of time.


4/30/08

Lacrosse season is officially over. We lost our final game with a hard loss to Trinity Meadow-View. We lost to them once this year, beat them in maybe our best played game all year, and now lost to them again on a turf field. The field was cool, but I wish we could have won. That was awhile ago but still it was sad to see the season end. Turns out they went on to win the State Championship in our division. At the sports banquet I made all conference, and won the coaches award. May is so soon, and with that the LOW swim team practice is starting up. The first practice is going to be on May 28th. Yea I know its close to a month away, but im still gearin up for it. I gotta stay focused to try and score high on my AP tests, and try to keep my grades up into the end of the year.


5/14/08
Its May, and I just feel the end of school right around the corner. I need to just stay focused and try to end out the school year on a good note. Swim practice (coachin) starts in 2 weeks. I haven’t really talked with Shelia about what is up with it, but I assume it cant be much. I really picked a great mentor, Mr. Eckerson took me back to the whole idea of the outdoors thing, and he even gave me the whole program based on an outward bound experience. This thing seems really cool, its in Late August, from around the 9th to the 14th. You learn all about yourself, rafting, and have a great time while doing it.


5/28/08
Today was the first day of “work” LOW swim team started up!! The water was cold, but the kids seemed pretty cool and enthused about being out that afternoon. “Shelia” as I have been instructed to call her while at Lake of the Woods, tells me that some of these swimmers have been on her summer swim teams for like 10 years. Wow. The hardest part was feeling out of place (which I was) and knowing what and what I shouldn’t be doing. I felt a little shy because I didn’t know anyone’s names, but I guess that’s all normal. I still haven’t gotten up the courage to ask Dad what he thinks about the outward bound thing. I have officially taken over office as the Student Government President, we had our first meeting this week. I can start to taste what the whole summer is going to taste like, with nice and long morning drives out to LOW. (30 minutes!!) I feel ready to take on the student government position as well. I cant WAIT for SUMMER!!!


6/4/08
Graduation is officially on the 7th, but I cant go because I have to take dumb SAT subject area tests. I wont be able to see some of my best friends graduate, but I have a feeling they might understand. Honors convo on Friday, then we are almost HOME FREE!!! Swim team practices have been going well, they start in the morning next week. I have to be there at 7:45 every day. That means I have to leave my house around 7:15, every single weekday morning. Ouch. The good news is I am a morning person. So I got that going for me. Cant wait for school to get out. I need to get on calling the Outward bound Folks before that binds up on me. I think it seems really cool, and even though my dad is against it, I told him I would be paying for it with my own money, and he couldn’t argue with that!

6/19/08
Things just started to go really bad for me. First of all, on the way home from work yesterday, I got a really bad speeding ticket. I mean bad. I was so upset with myself I just couldn’t believe it. My dad wasn’t that mad, just glad I was OK. I just cant believe it happened. I have to go to court on August 6th. I just am so mad. The second worst thing was that I called the Folks at Outward bound, and found that they were booked. The only other trips that they had available were either to long or to expensive or not at the right time for me to go on at all. I really screwed the pooch. This summer aint lookin to bright at all. I was a triple winner at our first swim meet, which our team won. I am depressed.

7/2/08
Its nearing the 4th of July, and I am on vacation with my family. We went to the mountains in North Carolina. Really good running here. Im also playin golf, which I like. Anyway, I felt tanked about how my first idea went, but im determined to fix it. I just read this book called In Defense of Food, by Micheal Pollan. It goes into all this stuff about nutrition. I thought about what if I made this my senior exhibit?! I could call this my learning activity, reading the book, and apply what I learned by doing a scientific study on myself by following the strict eating guidelines for around a month or so that exist in the book? I thought it seemed really cool, but we will see. As of right now my “official” exhibit is the coaching. It is so nice to have time of from work to spend with my family. I now know the names of just about every kid on the team, and they all LIKE me. The Bad news is I am not allowed to drive anywhere whatsoever for any reason other than work because of my ticket (dads rules). He says it will help me when court rolls around.



7/16/08
Well I officially have a defense attorney for my speeding ticket. That I am paying for. It will probably cost around 700 dollars. Which really cuts into my paycheck. Things I have to look forward to are running camp July 27th through August 1st. Back to the ticket, the court case has been continued to September 4th. My attourney, Mr. Sasser has also requested that I enroll in the smart driving school. Which I also payed for. 200 dollars, and I get to go to that fun place on August 9th. Cant wait. But this would fit the peramiters for a senior exhibit, I mean I would be teaching a summer course, then I could offer a little lecture to young drivers about my experiences and what I learned at the course to help them. This seems like a pretty efficient idea, but again one that I am not nuts about. Get to spend 900 dollars on legal stuff. Great.

7/30/08
Here at running camp, get a chance to get away from all of the crap that I deal with back home. Swim team, as fun as it is, is really really stressful. I have to plan meets, deal with parents, and all kinds of stuff. Not to mention Shelia does not like it at all when I miss work, which I already did for vacation once this season. Running camp was a real chore for her, especially with FINALS the Saturday that I return. Camp is fun. Cool people. And I get to do what I love. And I get to dwell on the 3 possible summer activites that I have taken part in. Super. Im getting a little stressed out here.

8/13/08
Mrs. Nobles was sort of like a savior to me. I talked to her via phone at running camp concerning the leadership retreat, something that I thought of in our very first student government meeting. It was nice to talk to someone from school again, but the real thing is that Leadership Camp leaves on the 16th(Saturday) through the 17th (Sunday). Mrs. Nobles came to my house and talked with me about planning a portion of the leadership retreat, an opening hiking activity. It was pretty cool that she was trusting me with this. She then went on to say how she heard I was having difficulty with my senior exhibit, and how this could potentially be a great way to give back to the school as well as qualify for a good senior exhibit. I would take part in this years leadership retreat. I would analyze what went well, what didn’t go well, and what could go better. Then she said I could take this, and plan next years retreat, as well as come up with a formula for leadership camps to come. If I know anything about myself, its that I like my school. It has done so much for me and I want to give back to it in anyway that I can. I know this is that way. It is something I like, I don’t have to spend any money (which is something that I agree with) and I can give back to my school. “creating a formula for leadership camp” Hopefully I will also be able to apply what I learn at this camp with every other facet of my leadership posistions such as SG pres, SLC member, and sport capitains.


8/27/08
School has started! The new schedule is weird, but I like it a lot so far. The leadership retreat went really well. Everyone was an active participant, and I think we all achieved the goals of bonding as student leaders, and being able to head into this new year with a mindset of being a good leader. I have also learned that we are going to have senior exhibit class period, which will be really good because it will 1. Make me stay ontop of senior exhibit stuff and 2. help me stay in touch with Mr. Eckerson (who is now the head of senior exhibits, I knew I picked a good one haha). We have to give a brief presentation in a few weeks or so about our summer activity, and I feel good about what I have done, and I am confident.

9/10/08
Further into the school year as a senior. I still say hi to everyone from leadership camp, I definetly see the results of the camp in all the student leaders. The upper school retreat was full evidence to me of showing our student leaders step up to the plate and really take on more than they have in the place. And my court case went really well!!! Mr. Eckerson thinks that me showing up to leadership camp is not the best way for me to declare a summer activity, and I agree with him. It is a little weaker by some others projects, but I am doing something that I believe in. I don’t believe that the senior exhibit system should be based on people essentially going on vacations or something (spending money) to declare their activity. With this in mind, Mr. Eckerson suggested that I could go to a leadership conference. If it is for free, I would go. I don’t want to sound stingy or anything, but I paying money for the senior exhibit is sort of against what I believe. The leadership conferences do sound really cool though. I will research them more. He also suggested I could have a meeting with UMW’s dean of sorts and talk to him about planning leadership camp type things. Now that sounds cool.

9/24/08
Well once again, Mr. Eckerson saved my sorry butt. I forgot to mention that these bi weekly entries could become a thing of the past. Mr. Eckerson also suggested that I find a book on leadership to add to my learning activity. I defiantly like this idea. My presentation practice thing I had to give went really well, and I am pretty sure that I am turning this journal in tomorrow. Lovin senior exhibit as always!