My biggest life change was during the latter years of middle school.

Many people dislike

middle school because it embarasses them, but for me it was like an ocean of excitement with
waves and storms around every corner. I don’t remember much about 6th grade but 7th and 8th
were my main focal point for personality and social changes before high school. I view this as a
turning point in my life, despite all of the embarrassing things that happened. I enjoyed middle
school for the most part and wouldn’t change anything because it made me a better person.
The early stages of middle school is mostly a grey area for me, like if you were lost in a
big city. You remember most of the big details about it, but the little things are almost
insignificant. My significant memories from sixth grade was the fact that social esteem was
being implemented into all of our heads. Most of elementary school wasn’t about being popular
or stressing about school, but now everything mattered. I began to focus on school and finding
what friends I need to make and spend time with. Due to the lack of experiences and memory of
the majority of sixth grade, I’m not including much else.
Puberty was the next big thing to happen. The most memorable part for me was my voice
changing in seventh grade. Once it became deeper I realized my body was going through
physical changes and that established me as mature. I was still somewhat immature, just as any
12 to 13 year old should be. I started to split off from my main friend group because their
interests were distancing themselves from mine. I still stayed around them but it was like I was a
foster dog looking for a new home. However, this was also the time I didn’t think of girls as
disgusting and I began to talk to them more. I had my first relationship develop but in the end it
obviously didn’t work out, just like most seventh grade relationships. From there until now, I
haven’t really been trying to maintain or achieve another relationship because I had to focus on
academics and sports, and I haven’t truly loved someone. In conclusion, seventh grade was the
beginning of the end of that “immature middle school era”. My parents and I both knew I had to
change before high school and that came with the eighth grade experience, which was most
memorable to me.
In eighth grade, I changed drastically. My friends really changed and with it my mindset
on life. I started to really care about the things I wore, but my parents made me work for it. My
dad’s job could always use an extra set of hands and I volunteered. With the money I was
making I bought more clothes and it left an impression on the people I knew and I knew it as
well. However, my style just didn’t change. I needed to have the “high schooler” mentality. I
gained more common sense and street smarts. I usually hung out on the game because my
parents have a very lazy personality and never like to go anywhere. On there, we can get into
deep conversations like if you called your friend on the cell phone and talked for hours straight.
Now I also knew the educational toll high school would have on me. My parents knew and I
knew I was a smart kid. We aren’t the best off financially so they are pushing for me to get a
scholarship to help them and me out. I think 8th grade year was the best year emotionally and
mentally for me going forwards. However, sophomore year is going pretty well so far. Overall, I
think 8th grade year was very beneficial for me and I want to take it and run with it.
Finally, freshman year of high school. I know it’s not middle school, but it was almost
like an extension of 8th grade. I had some of my friends but it was also a very new experience
for me. Football created many early opportunities for friends and I am very grateful for it, as I
needed more friends before school started. Throughout freshman year, I didn’t really make many
new relationships because of my shy nature. But once people got to know me more it was fun.
Therefore sophomore year I think I will have the best time, as I can start driving, play football,
and know more people in my classes.
In complete conclusion, I believe my latter middle school and freshman high school years
have greatly helped my socially, physically, mentally, and academically for my future. I am
forever grateful for what happened during these years but I want things to only get better from
there. My old and new friends have provided open doors to my preparation of high school and
really gave me an overall new lease on life. I don’t think it would be pleasant if I was the same
person that I was in 7th grade, and I hope I am way better than what I was.

Narrative Essay Rubric (Honors)

Name: Jorn Krider

 Score: 41/50
W.9-10.3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and
well-structured event sequences.
Standard
3.a. Introduction -
Engage and orient the
reader by setting out a
problem, situation, or
observation, establishing
one or multiple point(s)
of view, and introducing
a narrator and/or
characters; create a
smooth progression of
experiences or events.
8
3.b. Narrative - Use
narrative techniques,
such as dialogue, pacing,
description, reflection,
and multiple plot lines,
to develop experiences,
events, and/or
characters.
8 events, and/or
3.c. Organization - Use a
variety of techniques to
sequence events so that
they build on one
another to create a
coherent whole.
8 create an original plot
Exceptional (10-9) Proficient (8-7) Emerging (6-1) Not Evident (0)
❏ Effectively hook the ❏ Hook the reader with
reader with a creative, a compelling hook
original, and
compelling hook ❏ Effectively sets out a
problem, situation, or
❏ Effectively sets out a observation
problem, situation, or
observation in a ❏ Establish an insightful
compelling and/or point of view
creative manner
❏ Introduce a narrator,
❏ Establish an insightful, characters, setting,
original, or creative and main idea
point of view
❏ Introduce a complex
and/or creative
narrator, characters,
setting, and main idea
❏ Utilize two or more ❏ Utilize narrative
(teacher discretion) techniques such as
narrative techniques dialogue, pacing,
with purpose: description,
dialogue, pacing, reflection, and
description, reflection, multiple plot lines
multiple plot lines,
etc… ❏ Develop experiences,
events, and/or
❏ Develop experiences, characters in attempt
to convey theme
characters and to
clearly develop a
purposeful theme
❏ Use purposefully ❏ Use appropriately
narrative techniques techniques such as
such as foreshadowing,
foreshadowing, dramatic irony,
dramatic irony, suspense, and/or
suspense, and/or flashbacks
flashbacks in a highly
effective manner to ❏ Create a smooth
progression of
structure experiences or
events that is logical
❏ Create a smooth and engaging
progression of
experiences or events
that is logical, creative,
and sophisticated and
that uses highly
 engaging devices

3.d. Language - Use ❏ Use precise, detailed ❏ Use precise and

precise words and and sophisticated detailed words,
phrases, telling details, words, phrases, and phrases, and sensory
sensory language to language to convey a
and sensory language to
engage the reader and vivid picture
convey a vivid picture of
convey a vivid picture
the experiences, events,
setting, and/or
characters.

3.e. Conclusion - Provide ❏ Provide a conclusion ❏ Provide a conclusion

a conclusion that follows that reflects on what is that reflects on what
from and reflects on experienced, is experienced,
observed, or resolves observed, or resolved
what is experienced,
observed, or resolved
❏ Extends the meaning ❏ Extends the meaning
over the course of the and purpose to to convey a theme
narrative. connect to the
audience and convey a
8 complex and original
theme