Friday, January 21, 2011

WANTED: Dreamer

         “What if?” Those two words are tow of the most unthreatening words in the English language, but when you put them together, they have the power to haunt you for the rest of your life. High school is the number one place for “what if” to run wild. “What if I don’t have enough credits to graduate?” “What if my favorite college doesn’t accept my application?” “What if my boyfriend\girlfriend doesn’t go to the same college as me?” These “what ifs” can scare you into not following your dreams.
          When you’re a kid, you are one of the most imaginative dreamers. “I want to be a firefighter!” “I want to be a rock star!” “OH! I’m going to be a princess!” As you get older, those dreams are traded for more ‘practical’ pursuits, like being a teacher, nurse, or accountant. People tell you that no one important comes from Hot Springs, Arkansas; that you can’t possibly compete with everyone else out there. While you may have a passion for music, acting, writing, or animals, you wouldn’t even try applying for Julliard, Baylor, or Hawaii’s school of Zoology. Fears of failure and possible “what ifs” stop you from going after your dreams.
         
          Where do you think society would be if Benjamin Franklin, Martin Luther King, or Albert Einstein listened to all the “what if”s that were thrown at them? We would still be writing by candlelight, separated and segregated, and while we’d probably have less science and math homework, we probably wouldn’t have cell phones or computers either. They found their passion, but instead of submitting to their fears, they pulled through and followed their dreams.
          As a student at Lake Hamilton, you are introduced to many programs and opportunities that help you follow your dreams. Tasseltime.com is a great internet tool that can guide you through the process of finding the right college for you and searching for financial aid that could ensure that you get your chance to succeed. You are also privy to two of the most qualified, not to mention sweet, school counselors in Arkansas. Mrs. Crawford and Mrs. Dwiggins are available all day, everyday to talk to. They can assist you in finding financial aid and scholarships that could help you follow your dreams if you would just take the courage to chase them.
          Dreams change everything. One dream from one person can spark a generation of movement and change. It can inspire a person to break through the expectations of their generation and create a new way of life. Lake Hamilton is as great a place as any to start planning for following your dreams for your future.  Dream big and don’t be afraid to fall because you just might learn to fly.

                                                                   -Madie Blancaflor










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