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I am a
proud member of Pack 48, Den 5, and I am a WEBELOS – We will be loyal scouts. I have
earned this badge this year, but it was not easy. Ever since I was a second grader, I
joined cub scouts and had to work my way up through "tiger," "bobcat,"
"wolf," and "bear" before I could be a "WEBELOS." Cub
scouting will help me join the boy scouts in the future. Being a part of scouts
strengthens my ability to get along with others, respect people, do exciting new things,
develop necessary survival skills, improve understanding of good moral character,
encourage sportsmanship in me, and develop good attitudes.
I have also actively participated in my Den’s fund raising activity
by selling "popcorns." This year I sold the highest amount ($272) in my Den, and
this effort got recognized in our Pack 48 meeting. |
Cub scouts makes me feel patriotic – when we say our "pledge of
allegiance," sing our national anthem, or do the Flag ceremony, I feel proud to be an
American.
I have earned a lot of activity badges being a WEBELOS – traveler, scholar,
aquanaut, artist, ready man, citizen, family member, fitness, athlete, showman, and
geologist. Our Den is currently working on other badges before we all qualify for the
"arrow of lights" award by the February of 2000.
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I am a "green belt" rank holder in the "Okinawan
Shorin Ru" style karate, in the Northside Karate School. My instructor, Mr. Tim
Davis, who is a fifth degree black belt holder, explained that this style originated from
the Okinawa island of Japan and it emphasizes on forms or katas.
I practice hard and train three days a week. Our daily routine comprises of emphasis on
basics, kata (forms), and kumito (sparring). I feel karate not only teaches me the art of
self-defense, but it also builds my confidence, and increases my concentration and focus.
To earn my belt ranks, I had to master basics (like roundhouse kicks, crescent kicks,
inside blocks) and learn specific katas (like Penon Ni Dong, Penon Shou Dhon). I am very
proud of myself because within two years of my karate training, I have passed the belt
ranks white, orange, yellow, and blue. My goal is to achieve my next belt rank,
"purple," by the end of the summer of 2000.
Karate is fun for me. It has taught me how to protect myself, and how to count in
Japanese. I have made new friends, helped others who are in lower belt ranks with their
katas, and have learned many martial arts terms in Japanese.
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Summer is the only
time I play tennis, but I am hoping to play tennis on a regular basis from the year 2000.
I play in the "Action Juniors" team at the High Point Sports and Wellness Center
in Albuquerque. My instructors are real nice and we spend a lot of time mastering the
basics. My mom and dad are excited about me playing tennis, sometimes we go the public
tennis courts in our neighborhood and practice. |
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| I started as a "keyboard
prep" student in the Yamaha Music School in the summer of 1998. My first musical
instrument is an electronic keyboard – I love it, its fun, and it has brought to me a
sense of melody. At the beginning of each class, we "improvise," our instructor,
Mr. Petit, says that this brings out our creativity and generates greater understanding of
music. We play different pieces following our course. We also transpose a piece in
different scales. Our class got a pizza party as a reward when we all could play a piece
called "Dinosaur Dreams" in all twelve scales. In every class we do "finger
fun" – these exercises not only familiarize us with different notes, but also
help us to keep to the beats. We have school concerts where we get in small groups and
play ensembles. I have learnt to play "Ode to Joy" from Beethoven’s ninth
symphony. I even played this piece as a solo in my school during a talent show, I felt
very proud and encouraged when people cheered at the end. |
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Not only have I learned to play the keyboard and
piano, I have learned to read and write music. Before, the black symbols meant nothing to
me, now I know that they speak a language. I love quizzing my mom by showing her a symbol
and then asking her the meaning of it.
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Biking makes me happy. Every weekend, I bike around our
neighborhood for about two miles. Its cool if it has rained the night before, I bike
straight through the puddles and enjoy the splash it makes. I realize the importance of
wearing a helmet and wrist, knee, and elbow guards – I always wear them. Every year
we have a bike rally in school where we learn the basics of pumping a tire and changing
it. My sports bike is silver and blue in color. |
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Swimming is a lot of fun. I learnt to swim at age four, in a
kiddie pool at the Elks Club in Albuquerque. Now I am a good swimmer. We don’t have a
pool at home, but I use the pools at the YMCA. Whenever we are traveling, if we get a
free afternoon in the hotel, I run to the pool. Swimming is so relaxing. In our Cub Scouts
class, we learnt some life saving techniques too.
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During school recess I am always playing with my friends.
Depending on the time of the year and our choice as a group, we play basketball, kick
ball, soccer, badminton, baseball, and of course football.
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