Motivational Quotes for Teens

Great thinkers throughout history have imparted insights that can provide inspiration for teens. From the value of hard work and optimism to the importance of time, itself, these quotes can help motivate any teenager. Hard Work Thomas Edison: Theres no substitute for hard work. It took Edison more than 1,000 unsuccessful attempts over the course of a year before he produced the worlds first commercially viable light bulb. So, the next time your teen wants to give up, tell her about the persistence and work ethic of one of our greatest inventors. There is no elevator to success. You have to take the stairs. -  Author unknown Like Edison, this unknown author is talking about the importance of perseverance and putting in the effort to succeed. Thats an important motivational thought for any teen. Optimism Mark Twain: There is no sadder sight than a young pessimist. A teen can find plenty of inspiration from Twains eternally optimistic characters, Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer. And, there are plenty of references to singing in Twains The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn—an optimistic trait the Swedish proverb alludes to.   Time Harvey Mackay: Time is free, but its priceless. You cant own it, but you can use it. You cant keep it, but you can send it. Once youve lost it, you can never get it back. Miguel de Cervantes: Time ripens all things, no man is born wise. The importance of using your time wisely can be a great motivational thought for teens. MacKay  wrote such well-known business books as Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive,  which explained how to use your time to outsell others, while Cervantes, Spains greatest author, wrote about the ever-optimistic Don Quixote, a character who used his time to try to save the world. Character, Change, and Discovery Confucius: To be able to practice five things everywhere under heaven constitutes perfect virtue... gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness, and kindness. Confucious, Chinas greatest philosopher; Heraclitus, a Greek philosopher; Barclay, a Scottish theologian, and Adams, our second president, who also helped sustain the Revolution with his brilliant negotiating skills, all talked about how life is an adventure; ever-changing, yet always providing an opportunity to learn, discover and strive to be your best self. That is certainly an important and serious thought to light a fire under any teen looking for motivation.

A Detailed Break Down of a Teachers Job Description

Teachers do much more than just teach. Their job descriptions are lengthy, much more than people realize. Most teachers work well after the final bell has ended. They take their work home with them. They spend several hours over the weekend working. Teaching is a difficult and misunderstood profession and requires a dedicated, patient, and willing person to keep up with all of the jobs demands. This article provides an in-depth look at a teacher’s job description.   A Teacher Must... A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. have a comprehensive understanding of the content that they teach. They must continuously study and review new research within their content area. They must be able to break apart the foundations of new information and put into terms that their students can understand.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. develop weekly lesson plans that link their objectives with their required state standards. These plans must be engaging, dynamic, and interactive. These weekly plans must align strategically with their year-long lesson plans.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. always prepare a backup plan.  Even the most well-thought-out plans can fall apart. A teacher must be able to adapt and change on the fly according to their students’ needs.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. organize their classroom in such a way that it is student friendly and conducive to maximizing learning opportunities.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. decide whether or not a seating chart is appropriate. They must also decide when a change to that seating chart is necessary.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. decide on a behavior management plan for their classroom. They must adopt classroom rules, procedures, and expectation. They must practice their rules, procedures, and expectations on a daily basis. They must hold students accountable for their actions by determining an appropriate consequence when students fail to meet or follow those classroom rules, procedures, or expectations.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. attend and participate in all required district professional development.  They must learn the content being presented and figure out how to apply it to their classroom situation.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. attend and participate in optional professional development for areas that they recognize an individual weakness or an opportunity to learn something new. They do this because they want to grow and improve.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. spend time observing other teachers. They must have in-depth conversations with other educators. They must exchange ideas, ask for guidance, and be willing to listen to constructive criticism and advice.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. use the feedback from their evaluations as a driving force towards growth and improvement concentrating on areas that are scored lower.  They should ask the principal or evaluator for strategies or suggestions on how to improve those specific areas.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. grade and record every student’s papers in a timely manner. They must give their students timely feedback with suggestions for improvement. They must determine whether or not students have mastered a topic or are in need of re-teaching or remediation.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. develop and construct assessments and quizzes that align with classroom content and help determine if the lesson objectives are being met.A teache r must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. break down data from assessments to self-assess whether or not how they are introducing the new content is successful or if changes need to be made.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. plan with other grade level and/or content level teachers determining common themes, objectives, and activities.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. keep the parents of their students informed of their progress on a regular basis. They must often communicate by routinely making phone calls, sending emails, having face-to-face conversations, and sending written notifications.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. find a way to engage parents in the learning process. They must keep parents actively involved with their child’s education by developing strategic cooperative learning opportunities.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. oversee classroom fundraising opportunities. They must follow all district procedures while tallying orders, submitting orders, counting money , turning in money, and sorting and distributing orders.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. serve as a sponsor for a class or club activity. As a sponsor, they must organize and oversee all of the activities. They must also attend all of the related activities and meetings.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. keep up with and study new instructional pedagogy. They must determine what is appropriate to utilize within their classroom and find a way to implement what they have learned in their daily lessons.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. keep up with the newest technological trends. They must become tech savvy to stay up with the digital generation. They must assess what technology would be advantageous to use in their classroom.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. organize and schedule all field trips in advance. They must follow all district protocol and get information out to parents in a timely manner.  They must create student activities that enhance the field trip and ce ment learning.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. develop emergency lesson plans and substitute plans for days that they have to miss work.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. attend extra-curricular activities. This demonstrates school pride and support for the students who participate in these events.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. sit on various committees to review and oversee critical aspects of the school such as budget, hiring new teachers, school safety, student health, and curriculum.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. monitor students while they are working independently. They must walk around the room, checking student progress, and assisting students who may not completely understand the assignment.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. develop whole group lessons that keep every student engaged. These lessons must consist of entertaining and content-based activities that help students learn key concepts, making connections to prior learning, and building towards to pics that will be introduced in the future.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. gather, prepare, and distribute all the materials needed to complete a lesson prior to when class begins. It is often beneficial for the teacher to go through a practice run of the activity before doing it with the students.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. model newly introduced content or concepts to their students walking students through the proper steps to solve the problem prior to giving the students the opportunity to do it themselves.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. develop ways to differentiate instruction to challenge all students without frustrating them while still ensuring that every student meets their learning objective.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. develop guided practice activities for each lesson where the entire class is able to work out or solve problems together. This allows the teacher to check for understanding, clear up misconceptions, and determine if further instr uction is needed before turning them loose on independent practice.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. formulate sets of questions that require both higher level and lower level responses. Furthermore, they must ensure that they give every student the opportunity to participate in the discussion. Finally, they must give those students an appropriate wait time and rephrase questions when necessary.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. cover and monitor a wide variety of duties including breakfast, lunch, and recesses.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. return parent phone calls and hold parent conferences whenever a parent requests a meeting. These phone calls and meetings must be held during their planning period or before/after school.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. monitor the health and safety of all their students. They must look for signs of abuse or neglect. They must report it anytime that they believe a student is in any potential danger.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â ‚¬ ¦. develop and cultivate relationships with their students. They must build a trusting rapport with each student and one built on a foundation of mutual respect.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. must pause from lessons to take advantage of teachable moments. They must use these moments to teach their students valuable life lessons that can carry on with them throughout their life.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. must have empathy for every student. They must be willing to put themselves in their students’ shoes and realize that life is a struggle for many of them. They must care enough to show their students that getting an education can be a game changer for them.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. evaluate students and complete referrals for many individual needs and services including special education, speech-language, occupational therapy, or counseling.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. create a system for organization within their classroom. They must file , clean, straighten, and rearrange when necessary.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. utilize the Internet and social media to search for activities, lessons, and teaching resources that they can utilize within or supplement a lesson.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. make enough copies for their students. They must fix the copy machine when there is a paper jam, add new copy paper when it is empty, and change toner when necessary.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. must counsel students when they bring a personal issue to them. They must be a willing listener capable of giving students great life advice that can help lead them to the right decisions.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. establish healthy working relationships with their co-workers. They must be willing to help them out, answer questions, and work together in a team environment.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. take on a leadership role once they establish themselves. They must be willing to serve as a mentor teacher to beginning teachers and serve in leadership areas as necessary.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. change the decoration on their bulletin boards, doors, and classroom at various points in the year.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. help students identify their individual strengths and weaknesses. They then must help them set goals and lead them on the path towards reaching those goals.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. develop and lead small group activities focused on helping students acquire missing skills in areas such as reading or math.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. be a role model who is always aware of their environment and does not allow themselves to be in a compromising situation.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. be willing to go the extra mile for their students offering tutoring or extended help for students who may be struggling.A teacher must†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. arrive at school early, stay late, and spend part of their weekend to ensure that they are prepared to teach their students.

The Benefits of Healthy Eating - 1739 Words

The Benefits of Healthy Eating Marquita Williams Axia College of University of Phoenix Does an apple a day really keep the Doctor away? Although an apple a day is not nearly enough to keep the doctor away, it would be a good start on the road to a healthier life. Healthful eating is important and will change the lives of families in a positive way. Healthful eating will dramatically lower the risk of diseases associated unhealthy eating, create more time for family, and possibly offset desire to change other harmful habits. Qualified health professionals are not the only ones preaching their views on healthful eating. Healthful eating is a popular topic, and many less qualified people jump one the†¦show more content†¦Get insight from them on the different tastes they’ll like to explore and create beautiful dishes to enjoy and introduce to others. From 1960 to 1995 the cost of healthcare in the US escalated from 27 billion to more than 600 billion dollars, a more than 22 fold increase. (The Nutrition Desk Reference, Robert Garrison Jr. M.A, R.Ph Eliza beth Somer, M.A, R.D, 1997). Of every federal dollar spent, pennies went to healthcare. A large proportion of healthcare cost has been devoted to treating diseases that are in fact a product of faulty life style habits. (cdc.gov/healthyyouth). In The Nutrition Desk Reference it was founded that, 92 percent of people said after finding a new and healthy way to live, they also lost the taste for other non healthy habits. For example, most people lost the taste for tobacco smoking, which host a whole different set of consequences on its own. It was also understood that the lack of physical inactivity was a huge problem among the unhealthy. It is prevalent that the level of exercise among us is increased to co combat the fight for healthy eating. A change in an exercise regimen can come at a very small price, if thought out correctly. Take the stairs instead of the elevator sometimes, walk short distances instead of driving, or totally devote a couple of hour to a gym workout. Importan t things to remember include but are not limited to, keeping in mind that in a healthy eating situation, moderation is important toShow MoreRelatedThe Benefits Of Healthy Eating1137 Words   |  5 Pages The Benefits of Healthy Eating Nicholas L. Kirk Missouri State University General Purpose: To inform Specific Purpose: To inform the audience the benefits of eating healthy and the affects they have Central Idea: The food that we consume has a huge impact on our general health, and making healthier eating choices can greatly improve our quality of life. Introduction: Let’s all be honest here. Who wouldn’t want to be healthier, more fit, and happier? You work out at the gym for hoursRead MoreSome Benefits of Eating Healthy1100 Words   |  5 Pages15 Benefits Of Eating Healthy. There are numerous reasons for wanting to eat a healthy and balanced diet. The well-known ones are weight loss and all around general health, but the advantages to eating healthy go beyond that. Eating a well balanced and healthy diet can increase income. One can also improve their odds for leading a long life if you can recognize the importance of eating healthy foods. But if a person wants more proof, then here are some of the top benefits of eating healthy whichRead MoreBenefits Of Eating Healthy Diet Essay784 Words   |  4 Pagesis often hard for me to maintain a healthy diet. Although I have took several classes that outline the benefits of eating healthy, I often find myself setting a healthy eating goal and relapsing the next day. My goals first consisted of me getting a balanced diet for three months. This goal began to fail after two days. I had visited family members during the thanksgiving holiday and ate several unhealthy foods. I then set a small goal of consuming on ly healthy foods for a week. I wrote down theRead MoreBenefits of Healthy Eating Essay1914 Words   |  8 PagesBenefits of Healthy Eating Healthy eating is the right choice for everyone’s body, how many of the people know are eating healthy these days? There are many benefits to the body when people eat healthy. The three benefits that point out are keeping a healthy weight, preventing health problems and acquiring more energy. Even though there are people who think there are no health risks when they avoid eating healthy, eating healthy helps them have a healthier body, and prevent diseases and otherRead MoreBenefits Of Eating Healthy Foods Essay2445 Words   |  10 PagesMy parents raised their eight children with the belief that eating healthy foods were crucial in maintaining proper growth and development. An abundance of fresh garden (organic) vegetables and fruits, dairy foods, and various selected meats was the norm in our household. Special deserts and treats were frequently provided too. My grandfather, with all good intentions, began purchasing cow’s milk. He cared about his grandchildren very much and believed it to be nutritious. The taste can never beRead MoreThe Benefits Of Exercise And Healthy Eating1470 Words   |  6 Pagesinto a gym on any given day, you will see countless people attempting to improve their well-being by running on an elliptical, lifting weights, and drinking healthy smoothies. Almost everyone knows the benefits of exercise and healthy eating, but few people realize that getting the proper amount of sleep shares some of the same positive benefits. Studies show that a sleep of over eight hours can lead to a stronger immune system, increased memory, and a significant decrease in major health problemsRead MoreInformative Speech : Benefits Of Eating Healthy Essay731 Words   |  3 PagesSavana Rosenbusch Public Speaking 170 October 6, 2015 Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about the benefits of eating healthy. Central Idea: Eating healthy provides several benefits to our bodies such as preventing cancer and providing energy for our bodies to run at top notch. Introduction 1. When thinking about eating many people think about eating the most desirable food that comes to mind. a. Maybe an apple pie, cheesecake, chocolate covered strawberries, or a big juicy steak. b.Read MoreExpository Essay1193 Words   |  5 PagesAllison Baughtman Healthy Eating and Exercise Expository Essay Effective Essay Writing Instructor: Jon Castle April 12, 2009 Even though a lot of people make too many excuses for not eating healthy, everyone should eat healthy and exercise regularly because healthy eating and exercise keeps your body healthy and helps you live longer and stronger. There are a lot of benefits to eating healthy. There are also a lot of risks to your health if you chose not to eat healthy. Your future willRead MoreEssay about Healthy Eating1570 Words   |  7 PagesHealthy Eating The Benefits and Roles on the Body Over time sitting and eating at the table with family has slowly drifted away. Now with all the new restaurants popping up everywhere he or she turns, who has time to stop and eat healthy? While most people do not take time for themselves, one must take time out for their bodies. Healthy eating is the number one priority when it comes to having a healthy body. Though not everyone may eat healthy, healthy eating contributes to weight lossRead MoreHealth953 Words   |  4 Pagessignify healthy eating, so the author simply meant to say, eating healthy will reducing your risk of having certain health issues; therefore you will not be making countless trips to a hospital. For example, did you know that the number one cause of death in America is health related? And one of the reasons for most of these health related disease is a pore diet. Just think, a healthier diet could mean a longer life-span. Though many individuals do not see the value or benefits of eating healthy, a healt hy

Review Of Mk Ultra Exposed All Across The World Wild

MK-Ultra Exposed All across the world wild, stories of mind control have been a popular theme in comics, television, and books. Stories of coercion- to do unspeakable things to themselves and loved ones- is present in many science fiction sources of entertainment. Scarily, it’s not just fiction. Years ago, conspiracies of the government conducting mind control experiments seemed to be a terrifying rumor. Recently, the public, including myself, has learned that this not just a rumour. Money from the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) was being used to fund experiments to perform mind control. People were becoming lab rats forced to do as the government wished. This terrifying reality was all happening under noses. Needless to say, this†¦show more content†¦More information, such as why it became public, also seemed to be necessary. At first, my goal was to get a general understanding of the experiments. Beginning with a simple search of MK-Ultra, I found much a lot inf ormation on my subject. Sadly, most of the information was blocked from the school leading to a lot of at home studying on the topic. Studying dark government secrets did not seem to be a goal for Freeburg Community High School’s curriculum. Next came a surprisingly easy part, I had decide my overall goal of what I wanted to learn about MK-Ultra. However, it broke down into two parts that, personally, seemed most important. First, I was curious on how the were able to successfully control another’s mind. Second, knowledge on the victims needed to be learned- such as why they were chosen, what tasks they did during mind control, and what became of them. Finding stories of the victims was the most challenging since it was so heavily blocked. Furthermore, the internet had an abundance of information on this topic. Many articles, book excerpts, and old newspaper pages helped me find what I needed. Unfortunately, a large portion of the articles were simply articles stating that happened. Knowing that it had happened had no longer become my goal. My goal was to really understand how this happened and what happened to the victims. Google had become like a teacher that answers every question but the one I

Sebastians voodoo Free Essays

Baldwin attention to detail was part of what made this AD animation intriguing. He used the animation technique of anthropomorphism by showing the breathing movements of the dolls. The film used a lot Of imagination, emotion and drama. We will write a custom essay sample on Sebastians voodoo or any similar topic only for you Order Now The short video told a complete story without missing any plots, which made the mood of the piece very mysterious and suspenseful. Till the very end of the film, kept wondering what was going to happen next, if the witch doctor was going to spot the escaped doll or if the doll was going to successfully kill the doctorate. I also felt sympathy for the dolls because they looked worried and frightened. The uses of deem lightning was a major contribution to the eerie feel of the animation. It was easy to understand that the film was going to be gloomy and dark because of the low lightning. The dark silhouette of the witch doctor also contributed to the fear of the unknown. The juxtaposition of light and darkness was also emphasized. The dark lights in the beginning and the bright lights at the end enhanced the story and plot. The witchdoctor symbolized darkness and the voodoo dolls ironically, symbolized light and hope. When the witch doctor died, a bright light filled the room, which showed that good always wins against evil and the voodoo dolls had been saved. Right from the onset of the film, the moody soundtrack, which played through out the film at different tempos, sets up a mysterious atmosphere of suspense, fear and tension. The music, which is non-dietetic, gave the animation a dark and sinister feel. Before the witch doctor pinned the first voodoo doll, the soundtrack was exciting and drum eke, but after the doll fell to the table, the sound track changed to a mournful tone. The moody soundtrack supplemented the lack of dialogue and narration as the soundtrack also told the story. Aside from mood music, there were also dietetic sounds; flickering lights, footsteps, switching of the light switch and opening and closing of doors were also important details as they added to the feeling of suspense and fear of the unknown. Additionally, the animation was fairly cartoon but the voodoo dolls had realistic human like movements. The animation was also very full as there are a lot Of movements, which improved the quality Of the animation. The themes of life and death used in this piece showed a higher level of maturity because they rose above basic themes usually used for exaggerated animations. The last few seconds of the animation, touched on a contemporary subject matter that is important today- self-sacrifice. Sacrificing our personal needs for the ones we love can lead to a greater good. Just like how the escaped voodoo doll was courageous in sacrificing his own life by facing off the evil antagonist, e was able to save the other voodoo dolls from death. How to cite Sebastians voodoo, Papers

A Worthy Opponent free essay sample

I like to think that I am the most competitive person in the world. What’s more, I am always 100% certain that I can overcome my competitors. I know this because I only see one opponent that is a worthy adversary: myself. I have learned that taking on the other 6.8 billion people out there always ensures there’s somebody who can do what you’re trying to do much better than you can. Needless to say, that’s a bummer. Unfortunately, I didn’t always have that understanding. It didn’t matter whether I was good or bad in math, science, English, or any of my other classes – I wasn’t satisfied until I was the best. That was a lot to live up to, and ironically all that jealousy over anyone who got three points higher than me on that test was usually what got me distracted enough to get a lower grade. We will write a custom essay sample on A Worthy Opponent or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In seventh grade, I joined my school math club, and soon after that, I found myself attending my first ever math competition. Now remember, I didn’t show the best of me when it came to competition, so you must imagine my distress upon arriving in a room full of kids just like me. All around me were students reciting foreign formulas and talking about past first place wins. The topics mixed problems in algebra, logic, geometry, and other subjects in math. I felt as if everyone around me knew more than I did. It looked as if all those hours practicing on long division weren’t going to save me. I can still remember the disgusting feeling of the sweat starting to soak my shirt and my heart bumping around in the roll cage that was my chest. While everyone else was looking down at the page, furiously scribbling the solutions down, I was looking at them, wondering why they could do this and I couldn’t. I felt the swell of shame rising in my throat. I stared down at my page, ready to tear apart the pamphlet of questions. A teardrop, or possibly a droplet of sweat, I can’t remember which, fell onto the page. I cleared it off and tried to make out what the text said. It was a logic problem giving scattered pieces of information about a group of individuals, asking the solver to use logic to connect all the pieces. I thought back to the limited information I got from the first couple math club meetings, and I recognized the problem. I repeated all the steps I could remember- draw out a matrix, fill in the information you know – and from there I realized how simple it really was, making it more a matter of elimination than real reasoning. With the first problem answered, others also revealed connections back to what I had learned. Soon enough I was furiously scribbling down solutions. My mind wasn’t on the contestants around me but rather on the problems in front of me. Later on, I received a fourth place certificate, tied with ab out five other students – not bad out of a group of over eighty. This is a key event when I think of experiences that have influenced my outlook and work ethic. It taught me that as long as I am beating my own personal records, I will always be improving myself. It taught me that comparing myself to others will inevitably lead to frustration. I now realize that in order to win, you have to overcome the only real opponent out there: yourself.