Serena+Stevens

 1. College Resume Slingerlands, NY 12159 || ||  || Serena Stevens Honors or Advanced Courses § Honors English, grades 9 and 10 § Successful completion of Advanced Placement English Language and Composition Course, grade 11 § Honors World History, grade 9 § Honors Global History, grade 10 § Honors US History, grade 11 § Accelerated track sciences and mathematics § Accelerated track in Foreign Language, grades 9, 10, 11
 * || 826 Creek Court
 * Education || 2006–2010 Guilderland High School Guilderland, NY

College Credits Earned § College credit earned at Schenectady County Community College for Pre-Calculus course, grade 11 § Credit earned at the University of Albany for Spanish 5 course || § Fundraising for and participating in CROP Walk to End Hunger, grades 9, 10 § National Honor Society, grade 11 § St. John’s/St. Ann’s Soup Kitchen, Grade 11 || § Tutor for pre-grade school children struggling in math and reading //2008 – 2009 Bruegger’s Bagels Enterprises// Guilderland, NY Counter help, general employee || § Voice lessons, grades 9, 10, 11 § Dance lessons in Musical Theatre, grade 11 <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; msofareastfontfamily: Wingdings; msobidifontfamily: Wingdings; msolist: Ignore;">§ Guilderland Players, grades 10, 11 <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; msofareastfontfamily: Wingdings; msobidifontfamily: Wingdings; msolist: Ignore;">§ GHS Chamber Choir, grade 11 <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; msofareastfontfamily: Wingdings; msobidifontfamily: Wingdings; msolist: Ignore;">§ Member of National Honor Society grade 11 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; color: #000000; font-size: 140%;"> 2. College Essay.
 * Volunteer Experience || <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; msofareastfontfamily: Wingdings; msobidifontfamily: Wingdings; msolist: Ignore;">§ 30 Hour Famine, St. John’s Lutheran Church, grade 9
 * **Wor**** k ** || //2007 Kumon Math And Reading Learning Center // Guilderland, NY //NY//
 * Extracurriculars || <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; msofareastfontfamily: Wingdings; msobidifontfamily: Wingdings; msolist: Ignore;">§ Karate, grade 9

Serena Stevens Young 2AC “To learn to think is to learn to question. Discuss a matter you once thought you knew ‘for sure’ that you have since learned to question.” - Bryn Mawr College The desire to be famous burned within me. Looking forward, I could see my life unfolding no other way. I needed to be high on a dimly lit stage, blood rushing through my veins, adrenaline pumping, giving me the power to belt out lyrics straight from my soul. I needed to sing like nothing else. I needed to have the world know my name, //now.// Reflecting on this yen, I realize it consumed me. I couldn’t understand, in any terms, what could justify living a “normal” life, one entrenched in the suburban activities that had compiled my life thus far. A large backyard, a minivan, a husband and two kids- I was utterly dumbfounded, incredulous as to how anyone could suppose this signified a fulfilling life. My entire life, my family and friends had encouraged me to sing, saying I had quite a bit of talent. I figured that as soon as I graduated from high school, or maybe halfway through college I would skip out and make it on my own. I entered high school only to have my understandings of my own voice shattered. To my consternation, I was not the best singer in town. There were over a hundred other girls in choir in school, and I’m sure half of them had a similar dream for themselves. When I contemplated this, a hundred girls here who want to sing, and that’s just one high school, in one city, in one state… I realized I was no where close to being famous. If I had truly wanted to be famous, perhaps that’s where I would currently be on the path to. Perhaps I would be applying to a reputable music school. But as I reflected on my dream, I began to wonder why I really wanted it. What joy would it truly bring me, if strangers knew me and liked my work? It’s not as if they could befriend me, love me, be a significant part of my life– these ‘fans’ would know me as an idealized figure, not as myself. This realization threw my heart and mind into turmoil. What then, could I do with my life? This idle fantasy had seemed so important to me; without it, I had no direction. I spent a year or two with no ultimate goal. I worked hard, but really had no clear picture of what I wanted for my career. And as my junior came to a close, I realized I hadn’t stumbled upon a concrete career of which I could decisively say, This is what I will be. But I did come to realize I had slowly developed a different ideal. I no longer felt the overwhelming drive to have others know me. I saw that since I did not truly know what path to follow, I could not flounder aimlessly. I should at the very least be productive, helpful, and caring. That is what leads me to a field in medicine. Many things have shaped me as a person, including my family, friends, and faith. They have all taught me that to help others is a worthy cause in life. Now, I have no great love of hospital beds, of torn skin and broken bones. But what I have discovered is that I do have a love of productivity, of the sense of accomplishment. I have a love of the feeling I get from the relief and comfort of another person. I want to know that at the end of my life I have assisted others around me and improved their lives. I have a love of others.

3. Creative Writing Sample. <span style="text-align: left; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 125.44%;">Dusty, or stained from the salt on the roads.Sometimes caked with grey mud from his travels. <span style="text-align: left; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 112%;">Or in crisp, nippy autumn, flecked with heavy drops of deer's blood. <span style="text-align: left; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #000000; font-size: 125.44%;">Now they stand empty in the dim kitchen light. Neatly placed, one beside the other, heel to heel, toe touching toe,

laces dropped to the floor, ready for immediate use in the misty morning. But tonight, they stand behind the heavy oak door that keeps out the world. <span style="font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; color: #800080; font-size: 56%;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #ff0000; font-size: 193.2%;">4. Thank-you Message. <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 140%;">

Dear Mom, Thank you for always listening to me when I rant at you. It's very much appreciated because no one likes to hear other people complain. But you always listen to me and offer your opinions about all my problems. Love, your daughter Serena

Dear Mrs. Teeter, Thank you for being such an excellent and accomodating teacher. Even though I am often late. Your student, Serena Stevens