Memories by grade, part 2

8th Grade, Von Steuben Middle School

This year changed my life. After being such a disappointment to all of my teachers and parents acedemically. Everything clicked this year. I even excelled in band and choir. Damon and I also ran an after school bible study once a week.

1. I was not "dumb" anymore. I think the curriculum was so far behind what I already knew, it was a relief to actually take a year to "review" everything. Everyone actually thought I was smart!

2. I loved being in band and choir. I excelled in the competitions and the teachers were very supportive and friendly. I actually was allowed to have fun during classes and performances.

3. I had my first boyfriend, but not for long. My only "date" with him was to see Heavy Weights and my dad sat between us the whole movie... how embarrassing!!


9th - 12th Grade, Richwoods Community High School, Health/Science Academy,
Mrs. Roddy, Miss Kapchinske, Mrs. McClain , Mr. Wong, and many more (Sr. Smith "Esmis")

I made many friends and came across a select few from my past at PCS.

I did not excel in band. I felt like a fool. I was never able to practice at home, so I was never good enough for more than last chair. The only fun part was marching band and when we played during basketball games, which Mr. Jirousek abhorred.

I excelled in the HSA. I was still considered "smart" by my class mates and easily made friends with my academy teachers (non-academy teachers were another story).

I climbed the ranks of HSA Government, eventually being President my senior year.

I was in the church Teen Choir and enjoyed having solos and going on tour once a year. I think this is what really helped me through high school the most. I was also in a girls chorus my junior year, but we only performed once. I was actually really surprised I even got into the "exclusive" little click. Guess they were surprised I could hold a tune throughout and entire song accapella :)

I got to drive my "BEEQUA-mobile" to school.

I babysat once for my spanish teacher, Mr. Smith.

I had 2 boyfiends during high school. One was my first kiss, who moved away to live with his dad, the other is now my husband :)

I always had to rely on my very good band friend to set me up with a date to all the dances, except for 4 of them. The first 2 of my hand picked dates were disasters, the last 2 were with Eric.

I held a job throughout high school as a child care provider on Wednesday nights and some school holidays for Mother's Day Out group at church.

I was both relieved and jealous that I never got to go to the youth programs with people my own age. Relieved because I didn't want to really hang out with the people that went to PCS, and jealous because they got to go on retreats and such, since most people at my church (and PCS) had doctors, lawyers, and such as parents. I would have never been able to afford that. Also everyone knew we rented from the church. If the retreats were leaving and I was home, I would secretly watch everyone pile into the charter buses out of my window, since we lived right next to the parking lot.

When I turned 16, I had 2 jobs so I could pay for Damon and I to have lunches at school and pay for my car insurance and gas. What ever was left over was for clothes I got at discount at Bergners and little outings with friends (which were far and few between).

I got a job at Subway to, I guess you could kind of call it stalking..., I had a crush on a guy that worked there. It really was a bad idea.

My next job was at Bergners. I will never work retail again. My feet killed me and I KNOW that I worked more than I was supposed to. No teen should be working past midnight.

The HSA led me to a job working in the Children's hospital. I am very greatful for my experiences there, but I could never do that again. It is just too emotional (and germy...).

My senior year I was able to go to college for 1/2 a day. I became a Certified Nursing Assistant. I was trained in a nursing home. I will never work in one of those ever again, but it did give me knowledge later to help take care of my Grandpa the last few days of his life.

My senior trip was to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. I am really glad my Grandma had me saving what little I could from the time I started making money. I had such an awesome experience. Even though 90% of the people who went, went just because it was legal to drink down there. Not saying I didn't drink too, but I learned that was going to be the first and last time I was ever going to get drunk...

Memories by grade pt 1

I really don't remember anything in my life before 1st grade. I have picture albums galore, but no real memories.

The only thing about Kindergarten is that my teacher's name was Mrs. Trilikis and I went to Hines Elementary.

1st Grade, Peoria Christian School (PCS), Mrs. Gross

I remember 4 distinct things about this class.

1. My grandparents surprised me and the class with a (early) birthday party for me. My birthday was always right before school started and almost everyone else got to bring in cupcakes during the year. Grandpa was a Shriner clown, so he dressed up in his YoYo attire and blew up ballons for my classmates.

2. Story time on a huge piece of carpet.

3. One of my classmates brough in a real frog for show and tell and it got loose. I caught it :) (I was such a tomboy!

4. There was only 1 bathroom break a day. We were taking a test and I peed all over the floor because I didn't want to get in trouble.

2nd Grade, PCS, Mrs. ?

1. We read Pilgrim's Progress

2. Chasing boys on the playground and getting the scars on my knees.

3. Hatching chicks for a science experiment.

4. Bug raising in our classroom (praying mantis, caterpillar)

5. Faking sick to go to the office and get some Tums. (We all did it...)

3rd Grade, PCS, Mrs. Sheets

I remember my first lie. It seemed like everyone in my class was going to have a new sibling, so I decided I felt left out and told her that my mom was expecting too. Boy did I get it, because Mrs. Sheets called mom that night to congratulate her!

I ended up babysitting her children a couple of times 7 years later.

4th Grade, PCS, Mrs. J. Smith

One of the most memorable.

1. She was into performing. We did lots of musical things for Grandparents Day and President's Day. We had a few field trips to local nursing homes.

2. I was "diagnosed" with ADD, put on Ritalin and got bifocal glasses.

3. Everyone thought I needed to be held back a year.

4.Got to have a locker for the first time.

4th Grade, PCS, Miss Job

The only thing I really remember is that no one at home took interest in my everyday school life, so I thought that I could get away with not memorizing a book of scripture. Not so! I still had to go to school that day and stand in front of the class and recite the first verse that I did know and embarrass myself that I hadn't done what I was supposed to. Needless to say, I got an F on that day. I also only chose that passage because I had a crush on this boy that did the same passage the year before. That boy was killed in high school by a "friend" over a girl.

Music teachers:
Mr. Heinemann - 4th through 7th - violin

1. Dad made my life unbearable around him. He had some kind of male ego thing or something with him and they both took it out on me

Mrs. Arnett - general music/ plays/ choir - 1st through 7th

1. I never was in a play until 6th grade, not sure why, and it was only because everyone had to be on stage at least once before 6th grade.

2. In 7th I was stuck in the alto section instaed of the sopranos, which didn't make me happy, but it seemed as though I was the only one who knew the notes when it came to concert time. Maybe it was on purpose?

3. The musicals were always a big production.

4. It always seemed as if my parents never cared. Grandma and Grandpa always had to take us to our performances, then we would hope that our parents would make it. Dad rarely did, or if he did, was always on call and everyone heard his beeper going off during the performamces.

PE - Mrs. Fox - 1st through 7th

1. I was never good enough for her, she would pick on me to no end.

2. I had never seen a sport being played EVER until I was in 7th grade, when my friend brought me to a game, since she was a cheerleader.
The first time we tryed playing soft ball, I had no idea what in the world I was doing. Everone else knew what to do. I actually hit the ball... and then ran all the bases. There were people on the bases, I was clueless.

3. I actually wanted to try playing volleyball and be a cheerleader, but my parents didn't want to have to come to the games and my Mom told me that I would definitely get hurt, so the answer was NO!

5th Grade, PCS, Mrs. N Smith

Oh boy! Here we go...

1. I became teacher's pet this year. She was a very old lady and I did everything to please her.

2. We had a guinea pig for a class pet. I had guinea pigs at home too. I brought my guinea pig over for a "play date" and we ended up with 5 little guinea pigs a couple months later, lol!

3. My Mom and a friend talked me into chopping off all my hair. What a horrible mistake! I was made fun of at school and church. We eventually tried perming it also. NEVER AGAIN!!

6th Grade, PCS, Mrs. Brooks (Miss Job) & Mrs. Mackay

Nothing really remarkable.

7th Grade, Mrs. Patterson, Mr. Guess, Mr. Rosenberger, Mrs. Brooks , Mrs. Meyers & Miss White

1. We were the first class to be in the new addition to the school.

2. I was a bawling mess at the awards ceremony because my grandparents decided they couldn't afford to send us to private school anymore. I was more scared than anything because of the horror stories they told us about public schools.

**This is a big turning point in my life - up next...