Who Am I?: A Few Accomplishments

I am proud to say that I have accomplished much throughout my relatively short years on this earth. I do not want to risk being perceived as a conceited, and egotistical being. This entry is not a cocky, twisted, over-the-top, or fabricated composition of myself. In fact, I have created this post solely for the purpose of others to get to know the real me.

As you may have noticed from my introduction to this blog entry, I claim to have accomplished quite a bit of astounding feats during the course of my life. Everything that I am about to describe may not seem incredible to you, as a reader. Nevertheless, I believe that each accomplishment, no matter how large or how small, contributes to the self-assurance that I possess.

Growing up, my family noticed that I was able to hold a pleasant tune every now and then. I am not saying that I was going to be the next Whitney Houston, but as the years went by my family pushed for me to keep singing. They wished for me to step outside of my comfort zone and sing in front of other people. The more my family pushed, the more self-conscious and terrified I felt. I acquired an extreme case of stage fright and my fear of singing for others prevented me from doing what I loved for many years.

It wasn't until one year ago that I broke free from the heavy chains of stage fright. In 2006, the local Little League Baseball committee requested that I sing the National Anthem for the league's Opening Day Ceremony. Still in shock from the startling request, I hesitantly agreed. I had never been offered such a unique opportunity and realized that singing the National Anthem for an Opening Day Ceremony could be a once in a lifetime experience.

After months of preparation the day finally came, I sang the Star Spangled Banner for the Little League Baseball Ceremony. Right now some of you are probably thinking, "Even I could do that! It's only Little League, that's nothing special." However, that is only your opinion. To me, singing for the ceremony was a milestone; I sang in front of an audience of over one hundred people. My stage fright and inability to sing for others disappeared that day. Now I can sing for anybody, no matter how large the audience. I have transformed from a shy and self-conscious girl into a bolder and more outgoing one. Singing in front of a large audience is not the only accomplishment that I have ever achieved.

Academics are another strength of mine. I have always been known as a straight-A student. In the fifth grade, international standardized testing was brought into the curriculum. When my test results returned, I discovered that I had tested in the ninety-eighth percentile. This meant that I had scored higher than ninety-eight percent of people that had taken this test nationally. Along with my high test scores came an invitation to participate in the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth program (an overseas program for intelligent individuals).

During the program, children would take advanced, and even college level courses. My parents turned down the offer, taking into account that I was only in the fifth grade. As my education further progressed, however, I continued to receive the offers. When I was in the eighth grade, my parents finally accepted the offer. There was only one major drawback: I was not officially part of the program.

In order to be fully considered a participant, I needed to take the SAT. If my score on the SAT was high, I would be allowed to participate in the Johns Hopkins program. My parents quickly signed me up to take the next available SAT test. Three weeks after taking the SAT, my scores returned with another letter from the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth. I had once again scored well and was now able to take part in the program. I enrolled in a one month Nuclear Physics class that was based off of college level physics and chemistry. After successfully completing the course, I returned to my home with the excitement of knowing that only a select portion of students are invited to participate in the program that I had just finished. The Center for Talented Youth clearly set me apart from thousands of students. I believe that my participation in the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth program was a major achievement. Taking part in the course set me on a straight path to scientific success.

I have been fortunate to be presented with many opportunities during my lifetime. These opportunities have opened doors that are beyond my wildest beliefs. You may not find my accomplishments to be particularly appealing. However, I have truly benefited from the knowledge that I have unique and distinctive talents.