Journal+1

For your first journal, summarize what loss of innocence is. Then, consider someone **you know locally** who has endured a tragic or life-changing event that led to his or her loss of innocence. Who is this person, what did he or she experience, and how did it change that person? You may write about a personal experience of your own. You do not have to know the individual personally; perhaps you have heard of this person in the news or from friends. If you do not know the person's name or you think the person would not like his or her name to be known at this time, you may leave out the name of the individual. Write as much about this person and his or her experience as possible.
 * Journal #1: Honors English I**

15 Possible Points

5 points- Explanation of Loss of Innocence 5 points- Named person and their history 5 points- Spelling, Grammar, Mechanics


 * TKAM Journal #1:**

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In class you were assigned a number. Each character has been assigned a number. Type a one page journal entry as your assigned character. The journal entry should focus on any/all events from our readings to this point.=====

1. Scout 2. Jem 3. Dill 4. Atticus 5. Miss Maudie

25 pts available for this assignment
__Part 1 (writing territories)__: Create a list of topics, or writing territories, on which you could easily write. These can be topics that interest you, you know a lot about, or that generate a good story. You can add to this list at any time. You should have at least 20 to start. __Part 2 (sneeze)__: Choose any one of these topics and freewrite for twenty minutes without stopping. Don't worry about proofreading and editing until the end, just get your thoughts on paper to start. If you have time, review your work before posting. See my example below my list of topics.
 * Journal #1: English I**

__WRITING TERRITORIES__ High school memories Becoming a teacher Living on my own Raising chickens and goats My pets Music Nature Traveling Food Drawing and Painting Making jewelry My friends from high school My colleagues My family Running Cross-Country Writing Reading Poetry Working in footwear at Dick's Sporting Goods College Teachers from high school Professors from college

__MY SNEEZE__

Topic: Running Cross-Country

They called me Mother Hen. I was the only female senior on the team who ran varsity all four years. Even though I wasn't the fastest, I was the one they looked up to and came to for support and advice. We always had a small team at Dover, and I was proud of that. I remember my freshman and sophomore years being the hardest. Every cross-country race requires that a team has at least five varsity runners to compete, or it is an automatic forfeit. We struggled those two years to manage five girls for each race. It was exhilarating knowing that I was one of the girls leading the team for points to win. Ironically, it is not about the points that are earn, but rather it is a sport scored like golf. The less points a team has, the better they are. One point is awarded per place, so 1st place gets one point and 3rd place gets three points. If the team comes in 1-2-3, by golly they are golden! That is an automatic win!

I can remember all of the angles I went through as a runner on the team. From running seven miles on a muggy, August afternoon, to breaking my season's personal record (PR), and to playing tag with teammates in the muddy woods after a storm. It makes me appreciate how I even got to be on the cross-country team.

Originally, I signed up for track. Someone suggested to me along the way that the perfect way to get into shape for track was to run cross-country. I had no clue what I was in for! My first day was so disorienting. It was blistering hot and we had two sessions every day for the first five days of the season. I didn't even know what cross-country was all about, and then I started to listen. "Yea, just wait until you have to run the races." It was okay because I thought, track races are fast and fun, so cross-country won't be much harder. "The races range from 2.8 to 3.1 miles."

//What!!!// They have to be kidding me... My soul was crushed that day, but I never gave up. I was lucky enough to have a coach that stuck with me throughout all four years. He saw all of my ups and downs. My sophomore year was very tough, and I didn't seem to bring with me all of the speed and endurance I had the previous year. We were running a race in a local state park in Southern York County, and I remember the course repeating a lot of areas. It was confusing, but our coach always likes to pop up out of nowhere to surprise encourage or yell at us. I was nearing the end when I felt my side stitch with awful pain. I didn't think I could breathe anymore. I felt like I was alone on the course, and then I looked up and saw Coach Sporer. "I can't do it!" I started to pant with tears forming in my eyes. "Hang in there, Kitzmiller. You got this!" he yelled back.

All it took was one supporter for me and I could give it my all. I still can't compare any season to my final one senior year. Because of this, I had to do my best and anchor my team. I couldn't believe all of the things that would soon come to pass. The rituals were going to fade: our daily stretches with the usual school gossip, the silly chants we created before races, and even the stupid stories from our adventures on weekend camp-outs at distant competitions. It was all going to fade. However, it turned out to be the best and most memorable season. We were very close to making the title of division champions, but it all came down to one race. I remember running like I had never run before. It was on our home course, so I felt our team had the advantage. It was the very last 800 meters that cost us points. I crossed the finish line with a new PR, but I was saddened to learn that the two finishers before me lost by a few seconds. Although crushed by this fact, I still couldn't let it ruin my final year. I learned that everything physical in life is not a physical struggle, but rather it is all in your head. Every step I took was another step I would decide to take. The harder I ran, the harder I thought. It took me four years to master, and I finished knowing how to beat the challenge.