By Kendyl D.

I have struggled with resisting the pressure to conform throughout my life; to be different, to be an individual, to be myself. When I was growing up, I always heard about ‘being different,’ and ‘individuality,’ but they seemed empty concepts. The entire methodology seemed wrong. By repeating the importance of difference, everyone was really encouraged to be the same. It was not until I was faced with the issue of tennis that I started to understand.

Being fit and successful has always been stressed within the Douglas household, mostly, in fact entirely, through tennis. Unless you were a tennis player, you did not fit in. As a kid, I was encouraged to spend hours bouncing a ball over a net. I felt extreme pressure to play, and, emphatically, to win. I later realized this competitiveness was simply not me. I just didn’t care whether I won or lost. I became different. I delved into my studies while my family would run around hitting a ball back and forth with a plastic racquet. I would sit in my room for hours reading while an intense match went on outside my curtained window. My world and my thoughts started to separate from the usual dynamic.

This separation, although it seemed minor, changed my life.  It led to my becoming an autonomous student, and to better understanding my place in society. I developed my own opinions. These opinions often differed from those of my family, from those of my friends and from those of society. It was because of this deliberate separation that I was able to become completely independent. I discovered myself. Outside my window, the constant sound of ball on racket accompanied me as I learned about vastly differing topics. I learned about issues of real importance facing the world today. I read and studied the masters, like Thoreau. “Any fool can make a rule, and any fool will mind it,” he said. I began to understand that by resisting my family’s pressure to play tennis that I had started my own battle for non-conformity, my own quest to be myself.  For literally hundreds of hours, while my family played tennis outside, I was cloistered in my room and learned a sense of my place in the wider world, and my responsibility therein. I developed many passions in physics, writing, poetry, and film. I became autonomous and invested. I became utterly single-minded and passionate in my studies.

Resisting conformity, dissenting from the majority, even if that majority happens to be loved ones, is not only the secret to individuality, but also the key to being a worthy and productive person. Now, when I watch a tennis match, I am not upset at my exclusion, but rather grateful that by not participating I delved into the depths of understanding.

By Jocelyn J.

I come from China. I have been here since last year. One day someone told me that I have to do my senior speech if I want to graduate. So I started to prepare my senior speech last year. Until two days ago, my senior speech still only had one sentence, “Hi, I’m Jocelyn.” The first time I came to RHP, I didn’t know what to do and where to go. I was excited about American high school. I watched a lot of American TV shows, such as Gossip Girl and Beverly Hills 90210, so I think these are typical American teenagers. When I was in MPR for orientation, I saw Mr. Boccuzzi, and at the moment, I saw a sunlight shine around him. And then I took a seat near Chinese students, although I didn’t know who they were. After the meeting, my advisor Ms. Isler called my name and gave me a file saying I needed to come back tomorrow to her room 8A. Honestly, I didn’t even understand it, but I just said, “Yes, yes, yes, yes.” And I said to myself , “AA? What is AA?” And Ms. Isler said, “Right, 8A.” Then she left. I didn’t even have time to memorize her face. All I can remember is she had blond hair and blue eyes, just like everyone else at RHP. Not only did I not remember the face, but also the name. Before I only said, “Hi, how are you?” to people. I could not match the face with the name. So if you ever see me saying “hi” to you without say your name, that means your name is hard to remember.

After a year, I found the American high schools and teenagers on TV shows are totally different from RHP. First, we have a lot of homework in the real world. It’s not as much as in China, but still too many essays. Secondly, not everyone drives around in BMWs or Porsches. Not everyone has fancy clothes like Queen B. However, almost everyone has cell phone. Well, except for Veronica.

It took me a while to adjust, but I am now settled and happy because I met many nice people.

By Fred D.

At my former high school, St. John Bosco, I had many friends who always tried to pick fights and got into trouble because they were angry. They had problems at home or problems at school. Whenever they got themselves into trouble I would always tell them to let things go and laugh it off. At Bosco there was no one there to watch out for you, to make sure that things were okay at home or to ask why you weren’t doing well in school.  I knew I needed a change. So I came to RHP. All of the sudden people were looking out for me; no one would let me fall through the cracks. It allowed me to focus on my own perspective of myself and, in turn, my education. In thinking about the message of my speech, I sat in my room and turned on the TV for some ideas. I finally had a great idea after watching a Glad trash bag commercial. You know the one that says, “don’t get mad, get glad.” In coming to RHP I realized that I was right all along, people only have power over me if I let them. When someone says something, don’t react to it. It only makes things worse. Just let it go in one ear and out the other. I guess what I’m trying to say is that you shouldn’t care about what people think about you. What you don’t care about can’t hurt you. Who are they to tell you that there is something wrong with you or put you down? The only person’s opinion that should matter is your own. As long as you are happy with yourself then no matter what someone says about you doesn’t matter.

By Brendon C.

RHP is a school that understands my character and has allowed me to do many things I would not have done at other schools.  I have been attending RHP since the 6th grade and have come to understand how unique our school is.  Since I started at RHP, our school has been at three different locations:  Malaga Cove, Torrance, and finally, our current campus.  With each of these moves, the environment changed, but not the way the teachers worked with the students.  This consistency really helped me progress over the last seven years.  With smaller class sizes at RHP, teachers are able to spend more time with the students and adjust lesson plans accordingly. This framework has enabled me to achieve my academic goals and realize that getting an “A” is not a myth.  I gauge my academic success not only by grades, but also by other achievements that include community service, such as NHS.  I could not have done these things without my teachers and the curriculum at RHP.

I have been a part of the Renaissance program since I have been at RHP.  Prior to enrollment, I was diagnosed with ADHD, which was always a hindrance.  Through a combination of learning strategies and therapies taught at Renaissance, I have actually used my condition to achieve my academic goals.  These strategies were unconventional at times, but worked.  I still use them to study for my high school courses.  I would like to thank Ms. Morrris, Ms. Leatherbury, Mr. Huber, and Ms. Johnston for the time and effort they have put into this great program.   A lot of students like me have been helped because of it.

RHP is not all about academics.  The school encourages students to participate in sports.  I have had the opportunity to participate in Cross Country, Soccer, and Track.  I have had the honor of representing RHP at CIF Cross Country and Track meets and at the Cross Country State Finals this year.  My best memory is from this year’s Cross Country season, when for the first time both the girls’ and boys’ teams made CIF prelims at Mount SAC.  I would like to thank my coaches, both past and present, for their expertise and support which allowed me to achieve what I did.
My educational experience has been enhanced by a diverse student body and non-academic activities which I would not have experienced otherwise.   The student body at our school is really unique.  There are many foreign exchange students, as well as many local students, who I would have never had the chance to meet had I attended another school.  Fortunately, our school provides great off-campus experiences like Outdoor Ed trips to the Colorado River and Yosemite.  One of my favorite trips was traveling to Fiji with my fellow students and performing community service.  Not only was I able to fulfill my service requirements, but also to scuba dive and sky dive with my friends.  I have had the opportunity to make many friends and acquaintances, relationships that I hope will last a long time.

My time at RHP has helped me find both my strengths and weaknesses and helped me determine a path for the future.  The school has taught me that despite my ability to draw a fantastic stick figure, my days as an artist are numbered.  On one hand.  I believe I have the potential to succeed in science or business.  It is probable that I will pursue both.  Upon graduation, I will be going to college to begin this phase of my life.  I am not sure what the future holds, but I know that I am well prepared after being given such a strong foundation.  Finally, I would like to thank the administration, the teachers, the coaches, and all my fellow students.  Good luck to my sister, Sam, who will continue her studies here at RHP.

By Briana L.

My name is Briana for those who don’t know me; but it’s hard to not know me because I’m the girl with the crazy, funny, cool, yet at times annoying laugh. I’m so glad I was granted such a wonderful laugh to brighten people’s day when they’re in a bad mood.

WOW!  I’m so excited and nervous to give my speech. I can’t believe I’ve been here since 6^th grade. I can officially call myself a “HUSKY.” I’ve kind of always had an idea of what I wanted to write for my senior speech. Being here for seven years straight has allowed me to keep memories that I will always remember.

As I sat writing my speech in my family room in the dark (I promise you I’m not a vampire) I was thinking of what to say. Since I said in the beginning that each year left me with a memory that I will always remember I thought about talking a little about each year or talking about my determination and motivation in life to strive for the highest. I came to a conclusion and decided to talk about my determination and motivation.

You see, ever since I was a young tike I’ve always wanted to be on top. I hated not being first. One of my dad’s favorite memories that’s also mine is a day my brother and his friends came over. They were playing Mario Kart and I wanted to join in. So what I did was ask if I could play and they said “no”, or “you’re not that good,” or “you’re bad.” I played and I was actually bad. I left the room thinking how can I get them back. I thought long and hard and came up with a solution. I told myself if I want to get better, I need to work at it, and work at it, and work at it until I get the good results that I’m looking for. So I woke up early every morning before an event, function, or place I had to be to get my practice in. The next time my brother’s friends came over I was ready for battle. This time I was much older and wiser. I started off a little rough, but at the end guess who came out on top and reigned superior at Mario Kart? This girl right here. So if I have any takers on a challenge of Mario Kart I would gladly accept that challenge.

Being socially awkward is not what any kid wants to be labeled when around their friends or people they don’t know at a school. At my elementary school I had friends, but I didn’t have the amount of friends I dreamed of having. I would come home every day to my mom and dad upset and wondering why I wasn’t invited places. It hit my parents that I needed something so my life wouldn’t continue being stressful. In the 7^th grade I finally got help. I went to social skill classes at UCLA and I’m thankful for that. Seeing that my speech is about determination and motivation, this story shows how I was determined to change my social life around for the better.

Having determination and motivation makes you unique from your friends and family. It shows that you won’t throw in the towel because your life has put an obstacle in your way. I just mean you may have to work a little harder at it. So as I bring my speech to a close I just want you all to know not to give up. If you’re struggling in a class that seems easy going in but then later on becomes harder, don’t give up on it. Keep at it. If you need help, go get some help. Don’t be afraid to ask for help because there are things some of you may know more than others and vice versa.  Help is how we get through life so stress doesn’t overrule our mind, body, and soul.

By Mark W.

I can already tell what you are thinking. He’s probably gonna give a speech about his swag or something random, then more about his swag and how he’s handsome. And believe me, I thought about it. And I thought about it, and thought about it. But you probably hear about my swag all the time so you already know about it. Instead, I’m gonna do something new, and tell you something that you might have never knew. And yes the rhyming is intentional. I’ve always loved poetry. I’m actually in poetry club, I’m just never there so you probably haven’t noticed me. So yeah, my senior speech is a poem. But can a speech be a poem? Yes? No? Ummm, let’s just call it a spoem.

Back in the day I was a nice kid, a shy kid. Most kids didn’t care what others thought, but I did. I’d sit and watch, and yeah I’d play and talk, just not a lot, or not as much. But just enough. I had friends though, the best kind. We had fun, we played games, and had the best of times. But I would never say what was on my mind cuz I was shy. Things unsaid accumulate, and alone with my thoughts I thought I’d drown, I’d almost suffocate. The conversations with my conscience, saying stop this nonsense were constant.  Then I found myself boxed in. I fortified myself, and never let anyone too close. Before long I found myself a host, a guard on his post. I was in my own prison. Within my own skin I went missing. But what was lost was then found and more. For deep within myself, within my core, I found confidence. And that confidence was my rock hammer. And if you’ve seen “Shawshank Redemption,” then you know how I got out the slammer. Just you know without having to crawl through the sewage. Eww. But after that I was free-er than Willy. After that I’ll be honest I got a little more silly, but really. After I became more confident in myself, I became myself. And who am I? I’m that crazy, goofy, funny, random, smart, swagged out, awesome, dancing, handsome, swagged out, happy, did I mention I like to dance, laughing, snazzy, classy, a little nappy, but still attractive, suave caballero guy that will make you smile just because that’s what I like to do. It’s true. And don’t call me cocky or conceited. I’m just confident and I look good I’m sure that’s something we can agree with. Believe it. So in ending my senior spoem, all I have to say is this. This. If there is anything to take away from this, it’s this. Just be confident in yourself. Do what makes you happy and don’t hold yourself back. Cuz if you aren’t being the real you then whose that? And why would you chose that, to be normal? Normal is boring, normal is mediocre, be more be abnormal. And remember, ” A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush”… but that’s irrelevant.

By Jiajun Y.

My name is Jiajun, or you can call me Jack. I come from China, and this year is my third year in America. In the last two years, I have been to three different schools, one in Hawaii, one in San Bernardino, and one in Torrance. I am so happy to graduate from RHP, and so thankful to be let in as a senior. I know I am the second one in the last 10 years.

My first year was tough and funny. My first vocabulary learned from school is “due,” and the second one is “essay.” At first, I thought it was the word “easy,” but it went the opposite. Some words with similar pronunciation also bother me a lot. The movie “Twilight” was really hot when I came to America. Everyone was talking about it in class. But in my ear, I heard the word “toilet.” I was like, O.K., there is a movie called “Toilet?” Um, funny. And I Googled it; there is really a movie called “Toilet” from Japan. Go watch it.

Being a foreigner is somehow cool. At least I can teach my friends how to write their names in Chinese, even though they always ask me the words we can’t say at school. Now I stop teaching them those words because they will say it aloud every time, and if the teacher asks them where they learned it, I would be the one who got punished.

I really like the American educational system, especially the holiday part. It just makes me remember some great people in history. Martin Luther King, Jr., President Lincoln, President Washington. I don’t even know when Chinese leaders were born. I have to say students are so lucky to study in America. I won’t tell you how hard the schools are in China, because it will give teachers excuses to give us more homework. And I know none of us want to see our lovely teachers be so tired because of grading homework.

I have come to RHP for five months. I like this school and all my teachers and classmates. I enjoyed the Outdoor Education. I learned a lot from it. Here are three quotes I chose to help me survive: “Watch out for Boccuzzi.” “Watch out for Boccuzzi.” “And watch out for Boccuzzi.”

By Christian M.

Life is completely unpredictable. For example, a couple weeks ago I played in what will most likely be the last real soccer game I will ever play in. It started off with a long bus ride out to Santa Clarita. When we finally arrived, we had a very long and productive warm up. Everything was going smoothly for me and I was expecting to play as I always do. The game finally started, and I have to admit, I was playing pretty good. It was only about seven minutes into the first half when it happened. As I was sprinting to get the ball, I jumped, and heard a loud pop in my hip, and the next thing I know, I was on the ground. I went to the hospital the next day to find out that I fractured my hip. This sadly meant that I cannot play for the rest of my senior season. Although baseball is my true passion, I am going to miss soccer, the sport that I have played all my life, and I am going to miss all the funny moments and great memories that I have had on RHP varsity soccer team. Even though we may not have had the best record for a team, we definitely had the most fun, and were definitely in the best shape.

My fractured hip also leaves me unable to practice baseball for a while so I cannot prepare for my senior baseball season. The only thing I can do in preparation is wait until I have reached full recovery of my hip before I start playing again. But that’s life. You need to learn how to cope with every unexpected curveball that it is going to throw at you.  That is what I am going to do, after my full recovery I am going to train and prepare myself as best as I can in order for me to be ready for baseball season to begin. I know it will be tough to become prepared that quickly, but I at least have to try the best I can so that I can have the best season possible.

I think that is why I love baseball so much. Because it is so unpredictable that the entire game can be changed in one play. A bad hop that gets by a fielder and scores the winning run. A pitch that you weren’t expecting that makes you strike out. A pick off move when you stop thinking for even one second. Or even a bad call by an umpire. It is in these moments of unpredictability where we can learn the most. Because in baseball you are not allowed to freak out and get upset about what just happened, you have to stay positive and figure out a way to win and get out of tough situations despite how hard they may be. And at first of course these unpredictable, seemingly unfair, moments are going to get in your head and cause you to panic, make more mistakes, and force you to be extremely angry. But that is when you grow. When you know that an unpredicted incident is not your fault and you can throw that moment away in order to make every other play possible. So next time an unexpected error happens and you do not do as good as you had hoped on a test or in a game, just remember to forget it, move on, and try your best to do better every other time.

By Patrick M.

Before I came to Prep, I went to Manhattan Beach Middle School for two years. When I was in 6th grade, I began to play the bassoon, a low woodwind musical instrument. For those of you that don’t know what the bassoon is, it is about four feet tall and usually made of plastic. I had played the alto saxophone since I was in third grade so it was not a very large change, but it was challenging. At first I thought it would be a fun instrument to play because I was the only one in the band, but as the year progressed I realized that it was one of the hardest instruments to play. I worked hard and soon became one of the best musicians in my class. It was pretty easy to be the best bassoonist in the class since I was the only one who could play the instrument. After about a year, I realized that it was becoming very difficult being the only bassoonist. In the 7th grade, I convinced one of my friends, Jeff, to switch instruments. Working with Jeff helped me focus in class and become a better player mainly because we could talk about the parts that we were assigned and we could perform together at other events. Near the end of 7th grade, Jeff surpassed me in skill.

To me, playing the bassoon has taught me patience and perseverance. These are two very important traits to have when playing a musical instrument. You need to be patient because there are always hardships to overcome and playing an instrument can get very frustrating. Perseverance is always an important trait to have since it helps you achieve a goal. When I came here, the school did not have any music program. Since there was no ensemble, I contemplated giving up the bassoon. Ever since 8th grade at Prep, I have participated in the music ensemble and it has grown into two different bands, Beginning and Advanced. There are many different instruments that people play at Prep, including flute, clarinet, trombone, piano, oboe, trumpet, and cello. There are very little bassoonists in the world and I am lucky enough to be one of them. Prep has allowed me to further my knowledge about the bassoon and helped me become a better person.

By Jessica A.

Family: Family is important to have in your life. They will always be there for you. My family is always there for me, even when I don’t want them to be. My parents are always supporting me in everything I do. They are my rock and my cheer squad when I play sports. I can’t remember a time when my parents weren’t there in the stands cheering my name or even yelling directions at me. I want to thank them from the bottom of my heart. Dad, you are always there to catch me when I fall. You were there when I took my first steps, when I did the monkey bars, and when I learned to ride a two-wheel bike. No matter what I did, you were there to catch me. Mommy, you are probably one of the strictest parents I know. To be honest, I don’t even know how I managed to have a life. But in all seriousness, I want to thank you for being strict because I know you do it just to keep me in line. You are the best mom anyone could ask for. I remember you used to sing the song “Blessed” by Elton John to me, and you’re right, I am blessed. I am blessed to call you my mom because you have had the biggest influence on me. You have taught me how to be a strong, independent woman, how to voice my opinion, and that I can never get away with anything. I want to also thank my siblings for being the best siblings I could ask for. You have taught me a lot. I know I haven’t been the nicest person lately but that’s part of being the baby in the family. I want you guys to know that I don’t always show my appreciation but I am very thankful to call you my sisters and brother. Robert, you have always been hard on me when it comes to sports. You never go easy on me, and you always push me to do my best. To be honest, I am going to miss your helpful tips on how I can improve my game. The moral here is to always appreciate your family and never take them for granted.

Education: Growing up I was always different from the other kids. I learned at a slower pace, I needed more one-on-one attention and I needed more time to process. It was not until my parents got me tested that we found out that I had a learning disability. My parents didn’t try to deny that I had a learning disability because they already had a child with severe learning disabilities. My parents found me an educational therapist who worked with me from 1st grade through 5th grade. I felt dumb and felt like I wasn’t going to be a successful student. But I couldn’t have been more wrong. I owe much of my success to Joy because without you I wouldn’t be where I am today. She taught me how to work with my learning disability and that I wasn’t dumb or stupid, I just learned a different way. She also taught me how to stay organized so I would not become overwhelmed and stressed. Mrs. Zim, words cannot express my thanks for everything think that you have done for me. But hopefully my success is proof that your many years of working with me has paid off. After elementary school my parents found a small private school with a program for kids with learning disabilities. I didn’t know anything about the school but the name of the school didn’t appeal to me. With the name like Prep it sounded like a school for snobby, rich people. I was wrong. As much as I hate to admit it, I am glad that my parents sent me to Prep because it has given me the opportunity to succeed. I want to thank my parents again for paying for my private education. I hope I have made you guys proud. I want to thank all of the RTE and ACE staff for providing me with accommodations and taking the time to work with me. I know it was not always the easiest thing. I especially want to thank Megan who has been my go-to person since 10th grade. There are no words that can show my appreciation. You never turned me down when I needed help finishing a paper that was due the next day, or giving up your weekends and morning sleep just to help me finish an assignment. The truth is I don’t know what I am going to do in college without you. You’re more than a teacher to me, you’re like a big sister, and I love you and I look forward to you walking me at graduation. So what I want you to take from this is never take your education for granted and take time to appreciate what you have because it’s not always going to be there.

Laughter/Happiness: Lord Byron once said, “Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine.” This quote could not be more true. Laughing can put you in a better mood. Although laughing might not give you abs like Mark, or be as hilarious as Briana Little or Bianca, laugh because it is a cheap medicine. When I am having a bad day and need a good laugh I can always go to Veronica because I laugh the most when I am with you. You make me laugh more than anyone I know. And hey, maybe someday McDonalds will deliver. I won’t ever forget the good times we have had. Happiness is an important thing to remember. If your random outbreak of Britney in class makes you happy then do it. If singing at the top of your lungs in the shower makes you happy, or running around naked in your house makes you happy, then do it. Being happy is an important part of life. Never change yourself for someone because as Taylor Swift said, “What I’ve learned is not to change who you are, because eventually you’re going to run out of things to become.” Being yourself is important to being happy because no one likes fake people. So always remember to laugh and be happy because those are two of the greatest things in life.

The last thing I leave you with is Friendship. It doesn’t matter if it’s your dog, stuffed animal, imaginary friend, or your best friend. It’s important to have someone you can go to besides your parents who can relate to what you are going through. Luckily, I have all four options. I have my dog Chester who isn’t a very good listener, my cat who stares at me like I’m boring and crazy, and I have my teddy bear who is the best listener because she can’t talk back and tell me that I am wrong. She has no other option but to listen. And then there are my friends. Some of them are there to make me laugh or laugh at me, and others are there to knock some sense into me.