ACADEMIC ELITE TEAM OF MMSST – PART 2

MEET OUR STUDENT/ATHLETES OFF OF THE SNOW!! 
By Lora Wehsener

We are featuring another group of Academic Elite Essays from our own, MMSST student/athletes. These scholars are not only excelling on the snow, but in academia as well! To become a member of the MMCF Academic Elite Team, student/athletes excel both on the snow and in the classroom! 

To be a member of the MMCF Academic Elite Team requires one to maintain a 3.5 GPA while participating on the Mammoth Mountain Ski and Snowboard Team. The student/athletes are asked to write an essay when submitting their application. Because of the insights, engaging and inspiring essays that have been submitted, with permission of the essay author, we are excited to share them with you, our MMCF family.

Age appropriate prompts require a short essay from applicants. They are as follows:

Elementary School Students
1. I will never forget the day… 
2. Pretend you can trade places with someone real or imaginary, from the past or present. Describe who that person is and why you would like to trade places. Write about what you would do as that person for the day and how you would feel about it.

Middle School Students
1. Choose an event in your life, and write about it from the perspective of someone else who was there.
2. What would you like to tell adults in the future about being a young person during this time period?

High School Students
1. What's the worst thing about the internet?
2. Should everyone go to college?

These essays involved quite an array of subjects and many were thought provoking, interesting and encouraging as well. With the permission of the essay author, we would like to highlight and share some more of the essays with you – our MMCF family!!

GUNNAR GUTHRIE - 4th GRADE

I will never forget the day I broke my leg. It was spring break and my family and I were going to ski at Mt. Bachelor in Oregon. It was a nice day with good snow and we were all tired from a long day of skiing. I was cranky and my mom and sister wanted to go home, so they left me in the car. I still wanted to ski, so my dad and I went on extra laps. After I went on one more run, I was ready to go home. I was almost down the hill, when I skied on a snow bank, and my leg got caught in a patch of snow. My binding didn't pop off and my leg twisted. I screamed in agony. It felt like someone grabbed my leg and twisted it until it snapped. I couldn't stand the pain. I could see the worry on my dad's face. He called the ski patrol right away. Even though they got there quickly, it felt like 2 hours. When they got there they had to put my leg in a splint and then put me in a sled. At the time I was in the sled, I was in so much pain I tried to fall asleep. The ski patroller secured a metal bar around his waist that connected to the sled, and started to ski down the mountain. I wanted to fall asleep but the ski run was bumpy and steep. Once we got down, they moved me to a stretcher. I asked, "Am I in heaven?" The ski patroller said, "No, you’re at Mt. Bachelor. He brought me inside the ski patrol station and left me there with my family, and called an ambulance. The paramedic went into the room with me and my dad, and asked me some questions, and examined my leg. He gave me an IV for pain, and took me to the ambulance. In the ambulance, they gave me strong medication that made me fall asleep. They put me in the emergency room, and doctors gave me an x-ray. They left me for about 2 hours while I was watching Spongebob. They came back and told my parents I had a spiral fracture in my tibia and fibula. They put on a soft cast on my leg, put me in a wheelchair, and gave me some crutches. When we got back to the hotel, my parents helped me settle onto the couch.We took two days to drive home to Los Angeles, and stopped to visit at my aunt’s house. I had to do four months of physical therapy. Three years later I’m back skiing and walking like I’m brand new. My leg is still healing, but so far so good. If I wasn’t so young, I would have had to have surgery, and a metal rod inserted. In conclusion, I have learned to be careful and aware while I’m skiing so I don’t have to face the horrific day again.

EMERSON BETZ - 7th GRADE

It was the morning of our second and final ski competition for the season for the Mammoth Mountain Chargers. Emerson and I woke up excited and ready to ski. Although it appeared to be a nice day, we looked out the window and noticed clouds starting to form. At breakfast, our Dads shared with us that the competition had been unexpectedly rescheduled to next weekend due to a scheduling conflict. We were both beyond disappointed because we had been looking forward to this competition for so long.Still, we went to ski team practice.

We were placed with Coach John and started the day doing some regular runs. Later that day, our group was skiing down South Park toward Chair 4. We were just making our way to the park when Coach John hit a tube feature, and for some reason, Emerson decided to follow him. I was surprised to see this as Emerson is not usually one to do this trick. 

She started out doing a 50-50 on the tube, but then I noticed that she shifted and tried to go sideways instead. That's when I started to think this might not end well and I was worried for her. Emerson started to lose control and fell backward really hard onto the tube. She immediately started crying.She was holding her upper arm / shoulder, and I just stood there, staring. I really didn't know what to do or how I could help. I felt so bad for her.

Eventually, ski patrol came and took Emerson back to the lodge. Thankfully, she ended up being ok. Her Dad ended up taking her to the Mammoth Hospital Emergency Department She texted me soon after that she fractured her humerus and was out for the rest of the season. I was so glad that Emerson was ok, but so sad and disappointed to hear this as Emerson and I really enjoy skiing together. I continued the last two months of ski team without Emerson, but I look forward to her coming back and skiing with me again and all of our fun times to come next season.

ETHAN CAMPBELL - 10th GRADE

I think cyberbullying is honestly the worst thing about the internet. People go online to have fun, talk to friends, or just scroll through stuff they like, but bullies ruin that. They send mean messages, make up lies, or post super embarrassing stuff about others just to hurt them. It's not just annoying, it can seriously mess someone up. Cyberbullying can lead to things like depression, anxiety, or even suicide. Some people feel like they're never good enough or that they have to change everything about themselves just to be accepted. It's sad because the internet should be a place to express yourself, not hide who you are. The worst part is that most of the time, you don't even know who's doing it. People hide behind fake accounts or anonymous messages, so you can’t really call them out or report them. Once something embarrassing is posted online it can spread so fast. It can go viral in hours, and you can’t take it back. Even if you delete it, screenshots last forever. That’s what makes cyberbullying so dangerous. It doesn't just hurt in the moment, it sticks with you. People might laugh at a meme or a post, but they don’t think about how the person in it feels. In conclusion cyberbullying can ruin lives. What people think is just fun and games can have a real impact on people's lives. It’s toxic, it’s hurtful, and it needs to stop. Everyone deserves to feel safe online.

MARCO SILVERA - 10th GRADE

Until college can be affordable for all who cannot currently afford it, I do not believe everyone should attend. The primary reason people attend college is to specialize in specific fields, enabling them to pursue careers that align with their passions. In the US, students with bachelor's degrees can also attend graduate school, where they can further pursue expertise in their chosen field. These students' intensive studies are important to society, as they truly excel in their practices. They are the ones who become our teachers and doctors, make groundbreaking scientific advancements, argue court cases and negotiate deals, and do important work as pioneers in their fields.

However, college is expensive, with a four-year education costing around $100,000 to $200,000, according to the Education Data Initiative. Many potential college students need to borrow loans to afford tuition and other living costs, and the debt that they accumulate can take years or even decades to pay off. According to Bankrate, the median annual salary among bachelor's degree graduates is around $85,000, meaning that after accounting for personal expenses and taxes, graduates end up saving just a fraction of what they need to pay every year. According to Congressional data, nearly 43 million American adults, or around 15% of the population, have student debt, with the most debt per borrower being in the age group of 51-60! This demonstrates how challenging it is for Americans to pay off their debts, and shows that for at least some of these people, college may not have been a worthy investment. Furthermore, many fields require no college experience and are essential to society's functionality, such as plumbers, mechanics, electricians, farmworkers, and caregivers. These people learn how to do their jobs through trade schools, apprenticeships, and experience on the job. Without the people who work jobs like these, providing for our basic needs, our society could not function. For people who pursue these career paths, college can create a severe financial burden, as they would accumulate student debt but not have used their time in college to pursue their desired career. This is also the reason why many artists choose not to attend college, as student debt can hinder them from starting independent careers. The freedom to choose whether or not to go to college is essential, as college does not offer the training necessary for these people to learn how to do their jobs.

Overall, I believe that students should be able to choose whether they go to college, as it is expensive and can financially burden people interested in careers that do not require a college degree.