Saturday, February 10, 2007
Food... No, People for Thought
I'm always amazed by how quickly you can connect with people. What seems like a small bit of their history or interest is used by God to allow human relationships, no matter how brief. What am I saying?
For example, I'm sitting at the FOF information desk right now and I just said goodbye to a gentleman and his wife. They put a pin in our US map for Aurora, New York. Then, another volunteer, Zarya asked about the snow. He showed us pictures of the ridiculous amount of white stuff. They have their own snow plow, believe it or not. As he was clicking through everything, there were tropical pictures. Apparently, he had just helped build more hospitals in South America. Psh! Who doesn't do that? They asked me what I enjoyed doing in Seattle and I printed off directions to their hotel. As they were leaving, he saw the scholarship papers I was working on. One said Embry-Riddle. Guess where he graduated from in '71. Yep! And in Aeronautical Engineering, no less. That's what I want + space physics = engineering physics. I wish I could've interacted more, but, for the brief moment I made a connection, I'll never cease to be shocked by the intricate nature of the humans my Lord created!
(Plus, just today I've seen vistitors from Guatemala, Australia, Switzerland, and Italy! There's even pins in Iceland and Northern Canada! It's a small world after all!)
Labels: Embry-Riddle, FOF, just for fun
NatNannyNad at 11:20 AM
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Monday, December 11, 2006
To Florida and Back Again
Whew! Much has happened! I think the best and easiest way to sum it up is to copy/paste an e-mail I sent to my dear small group leader, Mrs. Sarr about the "interesting" basketball game and my trip to Florida. Here ya go:
~~~
I am doing very well! It feels great to be caught up at school already and to have gotten some sleep last night! The weather was unbelieveable! The first 2 days it was in the 30s and 40s! FL had an arctic cold front moving in. On Katie's graduation day, the weather went up to 60s and 70s, so that was more like it! :D The trip was a huge blessing also because visiting Florida Tech helped me to make the final choice (as of now :)). I want to go to Embry-Riddle. I can tell you why if you want to know some other time, but I won't bore you with the big list of reasons now... :D I really appreciate your prayers. It was a great bonding time with family. If you can believe it, we had 10 suitcases to check-in! Katie had accumulated many things over the last 4 years. I don't even want to know how much junk I'll have to haul back. I tend to collect even more things than she does even though I still organize it all.
Let's see... my tooth. At the b-ball game, a girl whose height put her elbow directly at my mouth was pivoting with the ball. She swung pretty hard into my mouth, not knowing I was behind her. It was a loud crack sound and I didn't know what to do. Just one second before I had been poked in the eye which teared for 5 minutes! Kate grabbed me saying "It's ok!" but all I could say was, "My tooth is broken!" It just didn't feel right. Turns out it was just my right front tooth that had bent back about an 1/8 of an inch, almost as if it was on a hinge. Surprisingly enough, this doesn't gross me out. For some reason teeth don't bother me. Anyway, I was very worried that it would come out or forever be stuck in that position. I had quite the lovely lisp. It was bleeding quite a bit too. I ran into the locker room only to discover the V boys on the other team talking... I ran out of there up the stairs to cry in the hallway. Crystal got me an ice pack and my mom found me to call the dentist and orthodontist. We never did get ahold of them until much later, so at the time I just walked downstairs to watch the rest of the game. I felt bad not going back in, but my mom was concerned that if it got hit anymore, it would be much worse. God's providence allowed me to test the tooth to see how loose it was. I certainly wasn't trying to push it, but I ended up clicking it right back in place. The dentist said that's exactly what you should do. I had no idea, but God allowed me to do just that. Anyway, I missed school on Wednesday because of teeth appointments. The orthodontist said to keep wearing my retainer like I had been. The dentist said he'd seen looser ones, so I might just be OK. Worst case senario is that the tooth dies. It could happen in one month, 5 years, or even 30 years. Bizzare! It would just turn brown and then I'd have to wait to get implants... etc... doesn't sound like fun! My prayer is that it will be just fine, but I know the Lord could use it to teach me to trust Him and not how I look. I had a mold of my teeth sent off for a clear, form-fitting mouth guard I have to wear for every basketball game from now on. It's going to keep hurting for a couple more weeks, so I need prayer that it will settle down and anchor properly.
~~~
And another praise: God blessed me with a $1,000 scholarship for me and for Grace Academy math aka Mr. Goodwin! Hooray! Here's the essay:
"When are we ever going to use this?" Another weary student questions the application of polynomial derivatives. Many students too often believe math is only for "smart people". Living in an age of advanced technology and information, why are so many educators still struggling with making math an enjoyable pursuit? To help students learn math well, teachers must passionately use a variety of creative techniques to meet each specific need.
To stay current, many public schools receive grants and funds to purchase the latest computer system or visual aid. But as a private school, Grace Academy does not have that option. Mr. Goodwin, our high school math teacher, does an unbelievable job challenging students to succeed. He takes hours before and after school to prepare lessons and tutor students. Yet he patiently uses the resources he has: EXPO marker ink covers the whiteboard for each class, while graphing examples require an old overhead projector. As a gift not only to my fellow students, but also to my dedicated teacher, I now imagine what we could do with $1000.
I recently visited some college classes and discovered an intriguing system. As students walked into the classroom, they picked up a remote. The teacher had a laptop with information and diagrams projected on the wall. As he asked questions, the students could click a button on the remote that would allow them to answer and participate. By using a notebook with this capability, students easily interacted with the class. Another exciting technology is Microsoft's Tablet PC program. These laptops allow the instructor to write and draw directly on the flat screen, projected on the wall. With this addition to the math program, Mr. Goodwin could show and manipulate diagrams from learning websites or open a document with example problems for the students to solve. Eliminating the time it takes to erase the board often and clean transparency sheets gives students more attention they need. And so, Grace students would be more eager to learn seeing math's applications.
How can this lofty idea be achieved with a limited amount of money? Using funds wisely will allow the unique products to enter the classroom. A Tablet PC notebook can be purchased from a variety of reliable manufacturers including HP and Gateway. Searching auction sites such as eBay.com or getting school discounts at office stores will allow us to make the most of the money. Perhaps nearby colleges would be willing to donate older remote systems. Because math is important to all areas of life, our students must be prepared for their futures. The possibilities are limitless as long as Grace Academy is faithful to dream and believe.
So please, help my little school! We have the staff, students, and dreams. All we need is help to encourage the kind of learning we have always hoped for. This is my school. This is how I would love to help. Thank you!
~~~
Only 3 1/2 days until Christmas break! I can hardly wait... December is the most wonderful time of the year! Hooray! Oh... and only 1 more week of being 17... craziness!
Labels: basketball, Embry-Riddle, Florida, scholarship, tooth
NatNannyNad at 6:31 PM
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Saturday, September 30, 2006
Surprise! Fall Away! Victory! Interview! Crash & Burn!
So, tomorrow, October begins... craziness! :) It has been an eventful time since my last post.
I must first mention the first senior surprise of the year! We were sitting in English class and Mrs. Frisk said we should practice a fire drill. I just assumed it was because of the exchange students, so we all cheerfully walked outside. "We're gonna die! Where's Nick?! Oh no, the fire got him! Quick, turn away from the windows, they're gonna blow!" You know, all those mature, senior-ish comments. We all saw the mini-buses parked against the sidewalk, but just assumed that volleyball had a game or something. Then, Mrs. Frisk suddently turned toward the open mini bus door and said, "Seniors, get in. We're going to Starbucks!" We were all handed $5 and excitedly hopped on the bus. Some had their suspicions due to the mysterious comments of parents and such, but most of us were completely surprised. It was hilarious to see the faces of the baristas at Starbucks and the other customers. 23 noisy 17 and 18-year olds with money and giggles can be quite overwhelming. I had a yummy tall vanilla bean frappuchino with toffee nut flavor and a pumpkin scone. Thanks to Mrs. Frisk and Mrs. Wennersten for driving and thanks to our parents who are making our senior year so special!
A lot of this past week was spent at W-Bar-B Ranch at Warm Beach with the awesome junior highers! I had a yearbook camera 24/7 and took plenty of pictures. It was so much fun to get to be with Mr. Pearce and Miss Esp again. And the games the JH played were hilarious to watch. Go Cabin 9! I attempted to decorate with fun streamers, but the next morning, they had sagged and fallen. How sad! And our cabin was attacked on the last day by a huge spider. The girls were screaming bloody murder and I ran to find who died. Luckily another girl was willing to step in and take care of the problem. After all, I detest spiders, too!
But, the fact was, I came to the retreat, unfortunately unprepared. I couldn't believe how soon it had come up and wasn't really in "retreat mode". I still had a wonderful time getting to know my cabin girls and the other students. It was a very convicting time for us all. I even had a great time talking with Esther as well about something I was struggling with. The retreat theme was "One Another" and we were given many challenges in the sermons to put others first, love, stop gossiping and being selfish, etc... it was a blessing to see the positive responses of some, but was heartbreaking to see the hard hearts of others. Junior high seems like a difficult time to stay focused on doing what's right and not being sucked in by the world. I will be faithful to pray for my girls and the other 7th and 8th graders. I will proudly wear my spirit bracelet (awesome colored smiley face bracelet) and think fondly on my last JH retreat.
I'm excited to get back into playing soccer again. I think my injury is pretty much healed. I play on Tuesday against Arlington Christian. I hope I can do well. It was great to relax on Friday at Quake field and watch us win 2-0 over Master's Touch. Our guys finally got back into their scoring talent!
This next few weeks I have a wonderful opportunity to interview some pretty famous aviation people. The Future of Flight (where I volunteer) asked me if I could help them out. I guess there is a pretty fancy fundraising event happening on the 14th, and they wanted to utilize the opportunity to have a record of these amazing people's lives. Some are famous pilots, test pilots, authors, or have worked for NASA or Boeing. I am very excited, but will have to make many trips to Everett in the next 14 days. It will be unforgettable, though, I am sure. It was the perfect encouragement for me after getting 1 point lower then I was hoping for on the ACT. Even with that, though, I still have hope it will be enough for the top scholarship at Embry. We'll see what God has in store.
Please pray for my piloting skills. I had a really difficult time today. I guess I was tired or something, because I just wasn't doing as well as usual. So many numbers and maneuvers to memorize. I just have to learn to work hard and not give up even if I'm not automatically the best. Being a perfectionist is difficult sometimes. :)
Labels: ACT, Embry-Riddle, flight, FOF, JH retreat, senior surprise, soccer, spiritual growth, Starbucks
NatNannyNad at 6:16 PM
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Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Decisions... Decisions!
In less than two months, I will have started school as a senior! I cannot even comprehend the fact because I've spent a few minutes every year since probably kindergarten imagining the day when I would be at the top! And yet, here it is, the middle of July and it's a wonderful yet sad thought. I only get one more year with: 1st Day of School, Master's Trip, Class w/(insert teacher here), Mall Escapade, one28 sermons, small group, being a tour guide, SLC, soccer, basketball, track, choir, Snow Retreat, Eagle Week, Banquet... the list goes on! I'm sure it will be a year blessed with close friendships and spiritual growth, but even thinking of leaving Grace is almost unbelievable. When you've spent almost 13 years somewhere... you tend to get a little attached to say the least!
Anyway, I'm sure by September I'll have come to grips with the truth that I'm a 12th grader... For now, I'd like to share what senior-ish things I've been up to:
*I got my SAT scores back... they were high enough to qualify for a medium high scholarship at Embry-Riddle and the top at LeTourneau. If you really are THAT curious, you can ask me for the actual score.
*I need to take the ACT this September to try and get the top scholarship at Embry so I can hopefully avoid taking the SAT again... ugh!
*I've gotten 2 CLEP tests out of the way, but I need to do 2 more. 1 easy, 1 that will require reading half a World History book. Pray for me, k? :)
*I've narrowed the field down to just two colleges, the ones I keep mentioning of course! Cal State Poly is too snooty and too expensive. WSU is a great school, but the closest thing to the major I want is materials engineering. I suppose I might still go there, but it's unlikely. But, hey, who am I to say what God's plan is for me?!
*I get to play soccer again- praise God the whole shin with bruises and dry skin was merely an allergic reaction to rubber! I shall however, be purchasing good ol' padded shin guards. And, new cleats that actually fit! :)
*I keep getting senior picture ads in the mail, and I'll probably get one sitting in at least in August. As long as my hair looks OK! :D
*As for the Europe Trip, I'm feverishly saving money from working at the airport, working at Gap, and mowing 2 neighbors' lawns.
Well, those are a few updates. Ichthus, here I come! (Only 1 more time of that too after this year!)
Labels: college, Embry-Riddle, Icthus, soccer, tests, work
NatNannyNad at 10:00 PM
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