Cooper D., 5th Grader

“My biggest accomplishment was getting moved up on my soccer team. Years of tryouts, practices, and pressure from coaches watching me finally paid off when I got moved up. My biggest supporter, as well as my biggest inspiration throughout the process, was my dad. He was a D1 soccer player and I want to follow in his footsteps. I love seeing him proud. Another supporter of mine is my grandma. My grandma on my dad's side of the family, even though she lives far away, loves coming to my soccer games and loudly cheering me on. She's not the only one who encourages and makes me feel loved. 

Every Saturday, me and my other grandma go to the movies. Whatever was showing, we would watch. She’s also a super nice and caring person who always believes in me. All of my family takes care of me and we always hang out. Especially on our family vacation in Cabo. 

One memory I will always associate with our vacations is walks on the beach with my mom, and how we would talk about anything and everything in the sand. Me and mom also love taking videos and laughing at ourselves running in the dunes. Although I love my family and we are super close-knit, I usually choose to be independent when it comes to academic-related things. 

That's what I love about middle school, independence. A big moment when I gained independence was 4th-grade recognition. In the chapel, with all the lights, I felt self-sufficient and ready to take on middle school. The mix of my family's support and my independence makes me feel ready to take on anything.”