Luke's American Dream

I am Luke James Fabian Davidson, a 16 year old student at High Tech High
International. I have beliefs but I am far from religious. My dad, a very religious person, is often
disappointed in me not believing in God. My dad is white and my mom is black, and although I
dont live with them I am still their child. My Parents (My aunts Janet and Carol) are relatively
successful middle class people, and part of my American dream is to be as well off as they are.
If I were to describe my American dream, I would start with the fact that I want to be
happy. I could live in the tiniest house in the world, but as long as I'm happy I'll be ok. That said,
I would like to have a lot more. I would want to live in a nice home in a relatively quiet
neighborhood that was still close to the center of the town or city. I would like a job that was not
only interesting but pays well enough to let me live comfortably and lets me spend time doing
other things or being with other people. I would like to have someone (husband or wife) to
spend my life with. Children/animals are optional but I would like to have them. But that is all just
hopes and dreams, and they all came from where I've been and where I hope to be.
I was born into a bad situation. Both my parents were drug addicts and my dad was
abusive. My life with them didn't last long before I was brought into a new environment at the
age of 2. My grandmother was the next to take care of me, and here my situation improved
greatly. A good life filled with food, love, and care. Not only that but when it was time for school, I
went to my neighborhood marine science magnet, Point Fermin. My Life was good, almost as
perfect as a dream. I thought it couldn't get better, but then it was time for middle school.
My grandmother's health took a turn for the worse and my family decided to move her
and me to San Diego. Some people say the most beautiful things come out of tragedy and in my
case they'd be right. I moved in with my aunts and got things that I never had before. I had
allowance, a phone, and a gameboy things I thought only the "rich kids" could get.(I didn't quite
understand that I was a "rich kid" now) But starting in middle school I found out I was wrong, I
was one of those rich kids now. Creative and Performing Media Arts, my middle school, was
hard for me it was a different group of kids then what I was used to. They were used to these
things, where as I was just a newbie. But down the line new opportunities came along.
In 7th grade I went to a charter school, San Diego Cooperative Charter School. Believe it
or not things got better yet. I made new friends, my allowance was raised, and my little flip
phone turned into a IPhone. My grades started to rise too, and I realized certain things about me
as a student.
Then high school rolled along and choices came up. Either I could go to the school of my
choice, The Met, or the school of my parents choice, HTHI. The Met was a little janky but there
were a few things that made it stand out. First they did internships every tuesday and thursday,
and the other days were just working on large group projects. Second starting sophomore year
you could take college classes for credits. All this compared to HTHI, a school I knew next to
nothing about, I had my mind set. But my parents forced me to go to HTHI and I'm glad they did

because I wouldn't have the friends I have and I wouldn't have made some of the personal
decisions I have made. All in all I would have turned out as a totally different person.
Some people may look at my life and think sob story. Yes, I have to agree but if you look
at it like that that is all you'll see. I see how lucky I have been and how lucky I hope to be.

I like how you start with the negative then go to positive and turn it around. Your
story seemed very personal and you show how you are a simple person who doesnt
want much but values family traits. -Brian fonseca i give you +.

I look at my life and I think of how lucky I have been. I think of how people say it's harder than it
should be to change social classes, and I agree but again I got lucky, I took an escape road out
that most people don't get, I jumped classes without even having to try. It also makes me
wonder a little, are there more escape roads like mine or are we beginning to get stuck on our
little economic islands.
1.When did you come of age? What marked that moment?
2. What is your race/ethnic background? Religion? Social class? Education?
Did you ever experience/feel like any of those identifiers were advantages in achieving your American
Dream?
Did you ever experience/feel any of those identifiers as disadvantages? How did you manage through
those?
3. At the time you came of age, how did you define the American Dream? What inspired that definition?
4. Do you think your definition/understanding of the American Dream was similar to that of your peers? Please elaborate.
5. Is your definition/understanding of the American Dream the same now as it was when came of age?
6. Has your definition of the American Dream changed at various times throughout the course of your lifetime? If so,
how?
7. Do you feel youve achieved the American Dream? Please elaborate on this.
8. What opportunities were available to you and how did they help in achieving your American Dream?
9. What opportunities do you wish you had?
10. What challenges/ did you face on your way to your American Dream and how did it affect you?
11. Do you believe the American Dream has meaning currently? Why or why not?