Essay Contest Winners
The Crossroads in My Life
By Nolan Gonzalez
I came to an important crossroad in my life when I could learn how to play chess. Before, I couldn’t
get friends. After, I found a new circle of friends. I didn’t have self-esteem. After that I have much better
self-esteem. I couldn’t learn anything. After that I have enjoyed learning everything. I didn’t get intellectual
development. After that I opened my mind to new ideas.
In 1982, I learned how to play chess and continued until October 1983. I had developed my mind. At that
time, I was thinking and dreaming only about chess. In 1984, I was a middle school chess playing champion. In
1985, I was the local chess champion. In 1986, I was regional champion. In 1987, I was national champion. I had
a beautiful experience during these 6 years. This is why learning to play chess was an important crossroad in my
life.
Teacher: Sherwin, PM, Level 5
An Important Decision
By Victor Rodriguez
In my way through life, there have been good decisions and bad decisions that have made me shed tears and made
me strong and value everything in life. One of the hardest decisions was when I had to decide to have surgery in my head
because of an aneurysm. I was sad because I didn’t know why this was happening to me. That day of my surgery, I woke
up like a normal day. I got out of my house to the hospital. I didn’t know if I would come back home and seeing my friends
again and my family which were not here in the USA. I didn’t know what was going to happen to me because the surgery
was dangerous. There was a possibility of death or being paralyzed the rest of my life. Then I had the surgery; I couldn’t
eat, walk, and talk. When I was in bed in the hospital, I heard my counselor say, “Victor, don’t give up.” Three months later
it was a miracle. I was alive. Thanks to God for the successful surgery and that I have my papers to be here in the USA.
The bigger the fight is, the greater the triumph.
Teacher: Mittelholzer, AM, Level 7
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