Amanda M.
Of all famous athletes and entertainers, I respect Lionel Messi the most. His drive and determination are of legend. I also respect him because he is married to his childhood sweetheart and is a devoted father.
Messi grew up in a poor, working-class family. As a child, Messi would accompany his older brothers when they played soccer with their friends. Even at a young age, Messi was not intimidated by the size of his brothers’ friends while playing soccer. Messi’s love for soccer was evident as he continued to focus on his skillset and was eventually recruited by a youth soccer club. However, several years later, Messi was diagnosed with a growth disorder that stunted his growth. Most would be discouraged, but Messi and his family knew his potential could be life-changing for them all. Upon medical advice, Messi took growth hormone shots in each leg daily but never stopped training. Eventually, FC Barcelona offered 13-year-old Messi a spot on their team and sponsored his medical treatment since it was a financial hardship for his family. Messi’s determination to succeed and excel in soccer was just beginning during his early years.
Messi’s drive and determination to constantly improve upon his skillset are what helped him achieve his success. He trained relentlessly for years. I also am a fan of his humor. In one famous interview, Messi was asked what it took to become the best in the world in soccer. He replies, “it took me 17 years and 114 days to become an overnight success.” Even though Messi is completely focused during his games, I love that when watching a match, you see him smile often.
While Messi is considered one of the best soccer players in the world—if not the best, I am most impressed by his loyalty and love for his wife and children. He married his childhood sweetheart. What is so special to me about this is the fact that he was already famous and had women throwing themselves at him, but he remained faithful. He is so devoted to his wife that he avoids any and all contact from other females. Also, while Messi is still in his prime in soccer, he has transitioned his main focus to his family. Messi makes sure to eat breakfast with his family daily and be available during the afternoons. He has said that his family is his life. That very much reminds me of my dad.
In conclusion, I respect Lionel Messi as he is driven and determined which made him the best soccer player in the world but realigned his priorities to be a loyal and devoted husband and father while still at the top of his game.
Of all famous athletes and entertainers, I respect Lionel Messi the most. His drive and determination are of legend. I also respect him because he is married to his childhood sweetheart and is a devoted father.
Messi grew up in a poor, working-class family. As a child, Messi would accompany his older brothers when they played soccer with their friends. Even at a young age, Messi was not intimidated by the size of his brothers’ friends while playing soccer. Messi’s love for soccer was evident as he continued to focus on his skillset and was eventually recruited by a youth soccer club. However, several years later, Messi was diagnosed with a growth disorder that stunted his growth. Most would be discouraged, but Messi and his family knew his potential could be life-changing for them all. Upon medical advice, Messi took growth hormone shots in each leg daily but never stopped training. Eventually, FC Barcelona offered 13-year-old Messi a spot on their team and sponsored his medical treatment since it was a financial hardship for his family. Messi’s determination to succeed and excel in soccer was just beginning during his early years.
Messi’s drive and determination to constantly improve upon his skillset are what helped him achieve his success. He trained relentlessly for years. I also am a fan of his humor. In one famous interview, Messi was asked what it took to become the best in the world in soccer. He replies, “it took me 17 years and 114 days to become an overnight success.” Even though Messi is completely focused during his games, I love that when watching a match, you see him smile often.
While Messi is considered one of the best soccer players in the world—if not the best, I am most impressed by his loyalty and love for his wife and children. He married his childhood sweetheart. What is so special to me about this is the fact that he was already famous and had women throwing themselves at him, but he remained faithful. He is so devoted to his wife that he avoids any and all contact from other females. Also, while Messi is still in his prime in soccer, he has transitioned his main focus to his family. Messi makes sure to eat breakfast with his family daily and be available during the afternoons. He has said that his family is his life. That very much reminds me of my dad.
In conclusion, I respect Lionel Messi as he is driven and determined which made him the best soccer player in the world but realigned his priorities to be a loyal and devoted husband and father while still at the top of his game.
Cole S.
In eighth grade, our English class read “Unbroken.” It is a biographical book regarding the story of World War II veteran Louis Zamperini. Zamperini was raised in California, and was a rowdy youth growing up, but eventually finds his passion: running. Encouraged by his older brother, Zamperini joins the track team, growing stronger and faster day after day. He gets so good that he competes in the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, placing eighth in the world at the 5,000-meter race. With a promising career and the 1940 Tokyo Olympics of the horizon, Zamperini looks to have a bright future, only for it to be cut short by the horrors of war.
Zamperini enlisted as a bombardier in the US Army Air Corps in the Pacific theatre, and has several successful missions, including on that necessitates a crash landing on the airfield. After being assigned an aircraft with a less-than-stellar reputation for airworthiness, he and two of his crew are the only survivors when it crashes into the ocean during a rescue mission. Wounded, the men float for 46 days on the water, catching what they can to eat and rationing water. During the experience, one of the three perishes from starvation, and Zamperini promises God that he will convert if he survives.
Unfortunately, those who find them aren’t Allied forces, but the Japanese military. They are interrogated and taken to POW camps. A guard recognizes Zamperini from the Olympics and forces him to participate in a race. Weakened from horrific treatment, he loses and is beaten. He is promised a day outside of the camps in exchange for participating in demoralization propaganda broadcasts. While accepting initially, he eventually declines, viewing it as treasonous and betraying his fellow POWs and the American people.
Eventually, at the war’s end, Zamperini’s camp is liberated, and the POWs are provided with food and supplies. Unlike many of his friends and compatriots, he is able to return, alive, but not unchanged. Traumatized by his experiences, he nearly wrecks the family he built after his return but recalls his promise to God on that raft so long ago. He begins attending church and manages to turn his marriage around. Eventually, he returns to Japan to make peace with those who wronged him, even carrying the Olympic torch in the 1998 Nagano Games.
Zamperini’s story is one of immense struggle and pain. For much of his life, and time things seemed to be going right for him, a horrific event would occur and put a stop to it. However, like the title of his biography, he remained unbroken. Cracks may have formed, but through immeasurable strength and dauntless determination he filled them up before they could break him any further. When I read of his struggles, at the time it was by far the heaviest book I had ever read. The material was shocking, even when toned down for a younger audience and more horrifically, it was all true. But in a way, that even further emphasizes the strength of the indomitable human spirit. This wasn’t a novel with a peerless hero who saves the day because the author decided he should. This was a man, a real man, who waded through the depths of hell and came out the other side. Stories like these are what allows people to reach down into the depths of themselves and find boundless courage and willpower that outstrips anything they ever thought they could do.
In eighth grade, our English class read “Unbroken.” It is a biographical book regarding the story of World War II veteran Louis Zamperini. Zamperini was raised in California, and was a rowdy youth growing up, but eventually finds his passion: running. Encouraged by his older brother, Zamperini joins the track team, growing stronger and faster day after day. He gets so good that he competes in the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, placing eighth in the world at the 5,000-meter race. With a promising career and the 1940 Tokyo Olympics of the horizon, Zamperini looks to have a bright future, only for it to be cut short by the horrors of war.
Zamperini enlisted as a bombardier in the US Army Air Corps in the Pacific theatre, and has several successful missions, including on that necessitates a crash landing on the airfield. After being assigned an aircraft with a less-than-stellar reputation for airworthiness, he and two of his crew are the only survivors when it crashes into the ocean during a rescue mission. Wounded, the men float for 46 days on the water, catching what they can to eat and rationing water. During the experience, one of the three perishes from starvation, and Zamperini promises God that he will convert if he survives.
Unfortunately, those who find them aren’t Allied forces, but the Japanese military. They are interrogated and taken to POW camps. A guard recognizes Zamperini from the Olympics and forces him to participate in a race. Weakened from horrific treatment, he loses and is beaten. He is promised a day outside of the camps in exchange for participating in demoralization propaganda broadcasts. While accepting initially, he eventually declines, viewing it as treasonous and betraying his fellow POWs and the American people.
Eventually, at the war’s end, Zamperini’s camp is liberated, and the POWs are provided with food and supplies. Unlike many of his friends and compatriots, he is able to return, alive, but not unchanged. Traumatized by his experiences, he nearly wrecks the family he built after his return but recalls his promise to God on that raft so long ago. He begins attending church and manages to turn his marriage around. Eventually, he returns to Japan to make peace with those who wronged him, even carrying the Olympic torch in the 1998 Nagano Games.
Zamperini’s story is one of immense struggle and pain. For much of his life, and time things seemed to be going right for him, a horrific event would occur and put a stop to it. However, like the title of his biography, he remained unbroken. Cracks may have formed, but through immeasurable strength and dauntless determination he filled them up before they could break him any further. When I read of his struggles, at the time it was by far the heaviest book I had ever read. The material was shocking, even when toned down for a younger audience and more horrifically, it was all true. But in a way, that even further emphasizes the strength of the indomitable human spirit. This wasn’t a novel with a peerless hero who saves the day because the author decided he should. This was a man, a real man, who waded through the depths of hell and came out the other side. Stories like these are what allows people to reach down into the depths of themselves and find boundless courage and willpower that outstrips anything they ever thought they could do.
Madison P.
Of all famous athletes and entertainers, I respect Dolly Parton the most. She is the most successful female country singer of all time. Having more #1 hits than any other female artist in history, her songs have remained on Billboard’s Top Hot Country Songs for 7 decades. I enjoy her music, but her philanthropy work is what I respect the most.
Dolly was born #4 of 12 kids to a sharecropper and a farmer. Living in a one bedroom cabin in rural Appalachia, the family bonded over their love for music. Her mother sand and played the guitar. Buy age 10, Dolly was performing professionally, appearing on local television and radio shows.
Dolly is not only a superstar, she is also one of the most philanthropic celebrities in the world. In the 1980s, Dolly’s philanthropic endeavors started with giving back to her home state of Tennessee. Her father, the sharecropper, was illiterate, so her first efforts were concentrated on improving the literacy and graduation rates in Tennessee. This originally started out as yearly scholarships and buddy pairing system with middle schoolers. If both students graduated high school they received $500 each. This drastically increased Tennessee’s graduation rate.
Dolly opened her theme park Dollywood, in 1986, and in 1988 she started her non-profit organization the Dollywood Foundation. The foundation continued to support literacy and education for Tennessee students.
In 1995, The Dollywood Foundation launched the Dolly Parton Imagination Library which was a book gifting program for children under 5 in Sevier County, Tennessee. From the time a child was registered with the library till they were 5 years old, they would receive a book in the mail monthly. The Imagination Library has since expanded to support kids around the world, serving countries such as Australia, Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. Since 1995 the foundation has mailed over 200 million books.
While a lot of celebrities have dedicated their lives to philanthropy work, I believe that Dolly has done an exceptional job of giving back to her community. Her dedication to the education of young Americans is highly admirable and deserves more recognition.
Of all famous athletes and entertainers, I respect Dolly Parton the most. She is the most successful female country singer of all time. Having more #1 hits than any other female artist in history, her songs have remained on Billboard’s Top Hot Country Songs for 7 decades. I enjoy her music, but her philanthropy work is what I respect the most.
Dolly was born #4 of 12 kids to a sharecropper and a farmer. Living in a one bedroom cabin in rural Appalachia, the family bonded over their love for music. Her mother sand and played the guitar. Buy age 10, Dolly was performing professionally, appearing on local television and radio shows.
Dolly is not only a superstar, she is also one of the most philanthropic celebrities in the world. In the 1980s, Dolly’s philanthropic endeavors started with giving back to her home state of Tennessee. Her father, the sharecropper, was illiterate, so her first efforts were concentrated on improving the literacy and graduation rates in Tennessee. This originally started out as yearly scholarships and buddy pairing system with middle schoolers. If both students graduated high school they received $500 each. This drastically increased Tennessee’s graduation rate.
Dolly opened her theme park Dollywood, in 1986, and in 1988 she started her non-profit organization the Dollywood Foundation. The foundation continued to support literacy and education for Tennessee students.
In 1995, The Dollywood Foundation launched the Dolly Parton Imagination Library which was a book gifting program for children under 5 in Sevier County, Tennessee. From the time a child was registered with the library till they were 5 years old, they would receive a book in the mail monthly. The Imagination Library has since expanded to support kids around the world, serving countries such as Australia, Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. Since 1995 the foundation has mailed over 200 million books.
While a lot of celebrities have dedicated their lives to philanthropy work, I believe that Dolly has done an exceptional job of giving back to her community. Her dedication to the education of young Americans is highly admirable and deserves more recognition.
