GregPinaFerreira

Mr.Long
English4Period6
9May2014
MemberOfTheYear
Startingmyhighschoolcareer,Ihadnoideaclubsevenexistedinhighschool.Itookelectivecourses
myFreshmanyearlikeWoodshopandAthletics,butIneverjoinedanyclubs.MySophomoreyear,I
didevenless.MyfriendswereneverinanyclubssoInevereventhoughtaboutjoiningone.Thatis,
untilmyjunioryear.Istartedmyjunioryearofhighschoollikethepasttwoyears.Itwasnotuntilme
andmyfriendshangedoutinateachersclassduringlunch.ShewastheadvisorofHispanicYouth
LeadershipCouncil(HYLC).
Somedays,wewouldwalkinontheirmeetingsandjusthangout.Insteadofjusttalkingwith
myfriends,Iwouldalsopayattentiontowhatwasgoingonintheclubmeetings.Everymeeting,I
stayedlongereachtimetoseewhattheclubwasdoing.ThatiswhenIdecidedtostartparticipatingin
alltheclubsactivities.IparticipatedinalltheclubseventssuchasFoodFairs,helpingsetuptheWinter
FormalDance,hostingablooddriveandmuchmore.
BecauseIhangedoutmorewithHYLC,Italkedlessandlesswithmyfriends.Westilltalk
onceinawhile,butImadenewfriendswithfellowclubmembers.Turnsout,myfellowclubmembers
havemoreofthesameinterestsasmethanmyolderfriends.Iparticipatedinsomanyevents,Ididnot
evenknowIwasbeingconsideredforanaward.IwasalittlesurprisedwhenIreceivedtheMember
OfTheYearAward.
TheawarddidnotonlysignifytomeofbeingareallyactivememberofHYLC.Tome,itsignifiedthe
beginningofanewchapterinmylife.Imadenewfriendshipsthatwilllastalifetimeandfinallyfelt
comfortablebeingmyselfaroundmynewfriends.