Personal Narrative: I Am Sarah Stutzman

Johnna Brown. The lovely mother of two, and the amazing wife any man would dream of, the best pet spoiler there is, and the perfect friend. That right there can say so much about someone without even knowing who they are. Johnna, my mother, is such a talented person. Along with this, she is also a mentor and therapist. Last, she devotes her every waking seconds to the ones she loves.

Throughout our lives, we all make sacrifices in order to achieve our goals or to help others achieve their goals. For some, this may mean sacrificing friendships or family time, or for others it may mean sacrificing money and other dreams which may also be of great importance to us. A person who has made many sacrifices in order to achieve their aspirations or goals is someone with strength, determination and masses of will-power, and it is someone who is not prepared to give up on their dream.

In my life there have been many times where I have been taught important lessons or supported by others, but my most prominent memory is from sixth grade choir. In this moment in time, Mrs. Symans taught me a very important life lesson about attitude and hard work. I initially did not appreciate this because it upset me, but as I continue to progress through school and life, I’ve realized how much this particular memory, along with the help from others, has helped me over the years.

I have raised my voice for, and will continue to raise my voice for, people less fortunate than myself. More specifically however, I often stand up for and help my autistic older sister, Abby. Ever since I can remember, I have felt obligated to fulfill my duty as a "little-big brother", because she is older than me. Whether it be taking her to school, taking her to baseball games, or playing "Dogoply" with her, I have tried to imprint a positive attitude on her so that she can continue to grow into an even greater person than she already is. One time after a football game junior year, I was hanging out with my classmates when the topic of Abby came up. They all talked about how they were the best of friends with her and how they loved her. Sure, all of

My full name is Lauren Elisabeth Stuteville and I attend Antioch High School in the 9th grade. I am 14 years old and my birthday is April 23, 2001, which means my zodiac sign, is a Taurus. I have one older sister that is three years older than me, whose name is Brooke, and is a senior in high school. She is 17 years of age, and will turn 18 on April 18th, and we hang out all the time, therefore, she is a big inspiration to me. My parents became divorced when I was in the seventh grade. Also, I have one dog, whose name is Sam, and is a black Labrador mixed with a Rottweiler. I have had her since she was a puppy at three months, and she is now five years old, and will be six on September 18th. One of my favorite things to do is cheerleading.

I was born on a late August’s night, in Longview, WA, at St. John’s hospital. While time rushed by for everyone, for my parents it was almost as if time stood still as they gazed down at their baby girl. They named that beautiful baby girl, Averi M. Klein. As a little girl, I loved the color pink and like to dress up in frilly dresses. My playmates were the boys that lived next door and we would go out into the little wooded area behind our home and play.

Alexus Casidy is out of her teenage years and now twenty, with a whole life ahead. The name Alexus may be a common but, the story of how it was picked, was not. Her father named her after a nurse at a Psychiatric Hospital, that he said was pretty. Not only did he name her after a nurse but, he chose the spelling of the car, Alexus. She grew up with her two younger siblings in Beloit WI, and I am yet to wonder if her sibling’s names have a comical story behind theirs as well. My peer went to high school at Beloit Memorial, graduating in 2015. Where she was an active cheerleading and softball player, also where she met her boyfriend, of three years, Ryan. Most don’t see that she is a mother, student, girlfriend, and employee; holding many different roles in all statuses. Alexus studies at UW Rock County and is undecided with fulfilling her dreams for becoming a children’s nurse or a teacher. Also, is hard-working employee at the factory Prent Corporation in Janesville, WI as an Inspector Packer. Where the money pays for the house her and her boyfriend own, with their one year old, Brooks.

Have you ever felt robbed of a childhood? At the age of six, I was placed into the DYFS system. I moved from house to house, not really having the chance to grow up like normal children. I didn’t get to experience things such as ; asking my older sister advice on boys, learning how to cook grandma’s favorite recipe, or going on family vacation to Disney world . I worked hard to get where I am right now. My experiences have made me of who I am today , my story will tell you my background, where I came from and why my application is incomplete without it.

Culture and identity are inextricably linked concepts. Identity is formed by your culture and in turn your identity shapes the respective cultures of the groups you identify with. I belong to many different cultural groups, and my identity is a complex web of competing and conflicting beliefs, experiences, and characteristics. My identity is not only complex, but also dynamic, as the experiences I have change who I am.

As a child, I wrote constantly . From pirate ships to my school’s playground, the settings of my pieces varied, but my main character always remained the same. Jenny Rose, my young heroine, was daring and an explorer at heart. I created Jenny when I was in third grade, along with a series that centered around all of her expeditions. When I faced intimidating or troubling situations, I reacted as if I was Jenny. For years I continued to write about Jenny and her exciting encounters. And eventually, I realized that Jenny’s characteristics were quite similar to mine. Jenny was always someone I admired and wanted to be, but I eventually came to the realization that she was a reflection of who I already was. All of Jenny’s discoveries and experiences

One aspect of my identity that has shaped my life experience and the way I see the world is my race. I am an African- American who has Nigerian descent from both parents. Growing up African American is hard for many of us, but we always come together to help each other out. We get judged for our skin color, religion, sexuality, and economic status. When I was younger, I always thought about what other people would say about me and how I looked. Even though it was hard seeing how other races portrayed my race, I have learned to embrace my skin color and not let anybody judge me. The society believes that African Americans are lazy, uneducated, and violent. Things people say about me and my race only make me want to prove myself to them that I am proud of my race and would never change myself for anybody.

My full name is Lauren Elisabeth Stuteville and I attend Antioch High School in the 9th grade. I am 14 years old and my birthday is April 23, 2001, which means my zodiac sign, is a Taurus. I have one older sister that is three years older than me, whose name is Brooke, and is a senior in high school. She is 17 years of age, and will turn 18 on April 18th, and we hang out all the time, therefore, she is a big inspiration to me. My parents became divorced when I was in the seventh grade. Also, I have one dog, whose name is Sam, and is a black Labrador mixed with a Rottweiler. I have had her since she was a puppy at three months, and she is now five years old, and will be six on September 18th. One of my favorite things to do is cheerleading.

than Ms. Shapiro. They were young and up to the challenge of raising two happy, healthy children. Their daily struggles to feed, and clothe their children were a priority

On a personal level, Ms. Davis, my theater teacher, helped me through one of the hardest moments of my life, losing a friend to suicide. She was a literal shoulder to cry on and her words of wisdom are ones that I will never forget. In the theater space, she helped me find my voice and my place as a human and as a director. I never would have gained the passion and drive for the arts if it wasn’t for her leadership and her willingness to allow me the opportunity to work as her assistant director.