Jason Rickel

Mrs. McFadden
Honors English 4
18 January 2019
The Rickels
Culture is what makes us who we are. It defines our every decision that and every moral that we
set for our self. But the real question is to whom is our culture influenced by? The answer to that would
be the family that we are surrounded by everyday and the decisions that they make on a daily basis. The
biggest aspect I have learned from my family is the idea that hard work brings you success. If you put
your mind to something and give it your one hundred percent effort, then you will be successful at it. My
family defines who I am, every quality that I have directly correlates to how my family raised me and the
high expectations that they have of me. I am proud to be a Rickel, my family means a lot to me and I do
everything in my power to appease them.
My family has very good roots and great culture that goes back generations. The number one rule
in my family is that we all have each others backs. If someone is struggling with something, everyone is
quick to do whatever they can to help out. With that being said everyone is very family oriented. My
family structure is pretty straight forward. My mom and dad are both head of the house, they hold the
position equally. After them come my brothers and I, we usually do most of the chores and work around
the house. Both of my parents are teachers so they work for the majority of the day. On top of a teaching
career, my dad is the head coach of the providence tennis team. Sports are also very important in my
household. Every time the Panthers or Browns play, the whole family gathers around to watch. In an
interview that I conducted with my mom, Alice Rickel, about the traditions that my family has, she said
that she is “ thankful for sports games and events because things because best examples of something that
brings our family together and something we can all relate to.”. My family has many great qualities and I
wouldn’t trade them for anything.
My family has many traditions that involve not only my immediate family, but all of my relatives
that live in Cleveland, Ohio and Nashville, Tennessee. My favorite tradition is the annual family fishing
trip in Sandusky, Ohio. During this trip all of my family comes together and stays in a house on lake
Eerie. This trip usually lasts for a week. During the trip we fish every single day for hours on top of hours.
My dad also favors this tradition over others. In an interview I conducted with him, Scott Rickel, he said
“Though the fishing is fun, my favorite part of the vacation is the conversations we have at dinner.”. I
couldn't agree more with him about that. My family always has a seems to have a blast with all of our
traditions.
My family has many awesome qualities about them and I would not change anything about them.
My family is built off of good morals, therefore to continue the tradition I must work hard to achieve my
dreams while keeping and open and honest mind. My family always looks out for each other, even if it
means making sacrifices at times. Whether it’s enjoying a Panthers game or fishing up at lake Eerie, my
family always seems to have a great time together. Though we have our differences, all of my family
members look out for each other and love each other for who we are. Through rich culture and fun times
my family truly is one of a kind.