Skyler D.B., 7th Grader

“My biggest supporter has always been my mom. Of course my dad has always been supportive, but he doesn't understand me like my mom does. My mom is a coach here at MICDS, so she has always encouraged me to play sports. She taught me how to swim, she pushes me, and she encourages me to work hard at field hockey. She just understands how I’m feeling before I even say it. 

Over winter break I worked so hard because I had a break from field hockey tournaments, so I trained. That's one thing I learned from my parents: how to work hard. Family is extremely important to me, although we argue sometimes. Me and my brother often argue about trivial things, but it’s never serious enough for us to separate. My dad has always cheered me up and makes me laugh. He’s a football coach, so he connects more with my brother than with me. I love to hang out with my family, and I love traveling. 

My most prominent childhood memory is with my family going to Jamaica. I wasn't scared, as I had gone out of the country before. I was excited. When we were in Jamaica, a man placed a monkey on my shoulders. It was such a fun experience, and my family was laughing along with me. My favorite part about this trip was connecting with my family members, especially my cousins. Andrew was sweet and outgoing; he cared a lot for people. He was on the football team and he started a fundraiser for kids with cancer. Alex was the funny one, very silly, and likes to make people laugh. In a way they are like my mom and dad, one is caring and generous and the other always cheers people up. After that trip, we slowly stopped going on larger trips because we got a camper. While I did love going on those larger trips, I love going camping even more because I can spend more time with my family and it’s closer to home. Going on trips with them makes me feel more connected and strengthens our bond together, which is one thing I value the most.”