On a beautiful sunny day at fourth grade recess, all the kids are smiling, the sun is shining, one girl is knocked out and then there’s me.  At the beginning of recess my friend Mya came up to me and whispered into my ear, “Michaela is spreading rumors about you.” Little fourth grade me turned as red as a tomato and stormed over to my fellow classmate. “Hey Ke-” and I sock her right in the stomach...hard. So hard that I knocked the wind right out of her tiny body. Teachers appeared everywhere,I then found myself in the principal’s office, which at the time I knew way too well. My actions may have seemed stupid to others, but I can proudly say they made me into the person I am today.

Because of that incident I got a mentor, Mrs. Neri. Every Wednesday I would find myself sitting in the library listening to huge novels being read to me or in the art room making scrapbooks or crafts to bring home to my mom. Our relationship soon became personal. We started doing activities outside of school that channeled my anger into a greater use. She took me to multiple painting classes, out to Friendly’s, and to museums.She got me involved in volunteer programs. I volunteered, a lot. I served food to the seniors during Christmas time. Every year around Veteran’s Day I was in Mrs. Neri’s cluttered kitchen with every type of sprinkle and frosting there was. Our task was to make over two-hundred cupcakes in one day. Placing an apron on, I got to work. Immediately, I started dividing the cupcakes into sections by which color frosting I wanted on them and then dividing those into more sections by type of sprinkle. When we finally served our cupcakes to the Veterans the gleam in their eyes was enough satisfaction for me.

Mrs. Neri sparked a wonderful change in me and I will be forever indebted to her. She helped me, help myself. Many people have told me that my struggles to manage my anger could keep me from accomplishing my goals in life. I continue to prove those people wrong everyday.