Max has to write a number of essays for high school applications. Below are several of those he submitted for Gonzaga.
At ACDS, I have always been passionate about participating in the school community. One of my favorite ways to do this is through school sports. Throughout my time there I have participated in basketball, cross country, and tennis. I thoroughly enjoyed all of them, but of the three I would have to say that cross country is my favorite. Even though I was also busy playing baseball outside of school, representing my school has always been something I am passionate about. There is no better feeling than playing on a team with your friends from school and bringing home a banner together, regardless of the sport. Another extracurricular activity I participate in at school is drama. Although I was apprehensive about it at first, it ended up being an amazing decision. I really like drama because the after school rehearsals with my friends are always a great time, because we manage to find a balance between working hard but also having a good time while we aren’t actively rehearsing. Another activity that I participate in is the yearbook club. This year has been my first time in it, and I think that it is really fun and rewarding. That is because by doing yearbook club I am able to help shape the way my grade is remembered in the school long after we have graduated. In conclusion, participating in school activities is something that I enjoy doing, and I plan to continue getting involved in a variety of extracurriculars if I attend Gonzaga.
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Every generation has a few specific moments and events that everyone remembers, and although there are still hopefully many years ahead of both myself and the rest of my generation, one event that will always stick out will be COVID. COVID was so different from an event such as 9/11 or the JFK assassination because while those events brought people together as a country, COVID literally kept people from seeing each other in person for almost a year. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity for self reflection, and through it I learned a lot about myself. The first thing I learned about myself was how important staying outside and being active is for my own personal well-being. There were periods in the early pandemic where I would stay inside all day, busy doing schoolwork on my iPad. All of that screentime without any exercise and very little sunlight made me into a very cranky person, and overall a worse student. On days that I would go outside, however, I would feel far better, and through those days I learned that exercise and fresh air are very important to my ability to function as a person. This made me realize the significance of spending time outside, which is something that is critical to my health. The second thing that I learned about myself during the pandemic was that I am a very extroverted person and I gain energy through my interactions with others. All of those days spent doing worksheets online after going through hours upon hours of zoom lessons were draining, and without my friends to talk to school became much more difficult. I came to appreciate my friends far more, because when the only times I could see them were over quick text conversations or awkward facetimes, the chances I did get to be with them in person were far more meaningful. This understanding has made me into a better person and friend, and has made me infinitely more grateful for the opportunity to learn surrounded by supportive, competitive, and overall amazing people, exactly the kind of students that make up so much of the student body at Gonzaga.. In conclusion, I think that while COVID was obviously a terrible time for so many people around the world, it was also an important time to learn more about myself and the basic things I need to thrive, which so often get forgotten about in the hustle and bustle of my everyday life.
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One of the most influential artists of the 19th century, Vincent Van Gogh, once said “What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?” This quote is important to me because throughout my life I have always tried to pursue new things, even if they might seem hard or scary. This quote definitely represents my mindset were I to attend Gonzaga. One thing I would love to do at Gonzaga is play baseball. I have learned that they have an amazing baseball program, and their varsity team even had a 22-11 season last spring. Because their program is so competitive, I would likely not make varsity until my later years at the school, but even so there would be plenty of opportunities for me to play the sport I love. Since Gonzaga has three baseball teams, even if I didn’t make the best, I would still be able to play baseball and contribute to the school, which are two things that are very important to me. Another thing that I found interesting at Gonzaga and hope to participate in would be WZAG. This is the Gonzaga news show, and even though it is a Juniors and Seniors program only, I would be very interested in doing this in my years as an upperclassmen. I would also be interested in helping to produce either the school newspaper or the yearbook, as writing has always been something that I have liked to do. I am also currently in yearbook club and theater, and would love to continue that at Gonzaga. Based on my research of Gonzaga, I think that, I would find connection to the school community through the previously mentioned activities and sports.
