Tuesday, March 31, 2020

McTeague Frank Norris Expression of Social Darwinism free essay sample

The theory of Social Darwinism avows that biologically superior humans endure, while genetically inferior individuals die out. Author Frank Norris, a proponent of Social Darwinism, asserted that one should remain within his inborn social class. In his view, if one acts contrary to his inherited societal state, then Social Darwinism will level him back to his innate societal class. Frank Norris expressed this theory in his novel McTeague. Through his conceptualization of Social Darwinism, Frank Norris illustrated the downfall of Trina and McTeague, and Maria and Zerkow, and the prosperity of Old Grannis and Miss Baker. Despite their white European ancestry, McTeague and Trina changed their financial status too abruptly, which ultimately led to their demise. For example, when Trina wins the lottery, the McTeagues quickly climb the social ladder. Accordingly, an abrupt financial deviation ensues with McTeague and Trina. Trina’s penny-pinching tendencies worsen, while McTeague spirals into an unemployed drunk. We will write a custom essay sample on McTeague: Frank Norris Expression of Social Darwinism or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Eventually, when Trina continues to deny him money, McTeague brutally murders her. After escaping the authorities, McTeague digresses back to the life of a miner, his natural occupation. In spite of their white heritage, the McTeagues’ hasty transformation of social status serves as a prime example of Norris’ view of Social Darwinism. Unlike the McTeagues, Zerkow and Maria represent the marital union of the lowest ancestral classes of society, which confirms their destiny to fail. Zerkow, a Jew, marries Maria based on a financial fallacy. As Maria’s memory of the gold dishes depletes, Zerkow’s lust for the gold dishes intensifies. Maria’s continual denial of her fictitious family affluence infuriates the Jew, and he eventually cut her throat. The downfall of the marital union results from Maria and Zerkow’s biological inferiority. According to Norris, Zerkow’s and Maria’s marriage, biologically speaking, is naturally bound for catastrophe. Contrary to the previous examples, the union of Old Grannis and Miss Baker exemplifies the proper integration of wealth and lineage. While the other characters in the novel attempt to fill prevailing voids in their lives through monetary means, Old Grannis and Miss Baker fill their void with authentic love. The fulfillment of this void comes when Miss Baker brings Old Grannis a cup of tea. Norris portrays the prosperity of Old Grannis’ and Miss Baker’s union, as a result of their biological superiority. The elderly white European couple possesses a genetic disposition for opulence and material comfort. Incorporating elements of Social Darwinism, Frank Norris demonstrated the breakdown of hereditarily inferior couples and the success of intrinsically superior couples. McTeague and Trina brusquely rose in social class, so the couple parted in death. Among the bottom barrel of society, the marriage of Zerkow and Maria, likewise, resulted in dissolution. Finally, Old Grannis and Miss Baker endured successfully due to their Anglo-Saxon heritage. Despite Norris’ views expressed in the novel, survival of the fittest theories should not be applied to human civilization.

Saturday, March 7, 2020

Lessons Learned from Ovarian Cancer Survivor Stories

Lessons Learned from Ovarian Cancer Survivor Stories An ovarian cancer diagnosis may bring to mind grim statistics instead of optimistic ovarian cancer survivor stories. Why? The numbers can be discouraging. Each year, approximately 22,000 women are newly diagnosed with the disease. An estimated 14,000 die from ovarian cancer (OC) yearly. Every woman diagnosed with breast cancer (BC) knows at least one BC survivor she can look to with hope and questions. But ovarian cancer is diagnosed more infrequently and often at a later stage. OC patients are typically older, and the symptoms of ovarian cancer can be confused with any of a number of illnesses. In its earliest and most curable stage, there may not be any physical symptoms, pain or discomfort. For these reasons, you may not know an ovarian cancer survivor. Perhaps the only celebrity you may have heard of  with ovarian cancer was the comedian Gilda Radner, whose Gildas Club (now named the Cancer Support Community) provides a meeting place for those with cancer to build emotional and social support.   Their Survivor Stories SHARE (Self-Help for Women with Breast or Ovarian Cancer), was the first national hotline offering peer-to-peer support for women with ovarian cancer. The survivors staffing the hotline  share their stories of how they were diagnosed and how they fought back. Hotline callers often ask them for their own experiences, seizing each survivor story as a lifeline of hope and inspiration. The inspiration is profound. In one hotline training group, women from 40 to 70 revealed that theyd recovered from Stage 2, 3, and even Stage 4 ovarian cancer. They learned from each other that even if OC recurs, it can be successfully treated. Many new treatment options have been developed that long-term survivors didnt have available when they were diagnosed. Progress is being made for treatment and diagnosis. The rate of diagnosis has slowly fallen over the past two decades, according to the American Cancer Society. Making women aware that ovarian cancer exists and that they should seek out medical care if they experience any symptoms can help them get treatment earlier. The Ugly Stepsister Ovarian cancer has been called the ugly stepsister of female cancers because OC doesnt get the same kind of attention as breast cancer. The advantages of mammograms, the habit of monthly self-exams, the instant recognition of a pink ribbons meaning, and the widespread availability of support groups have been advanced by breast cancer awareness and advocacy. In comparison, ovarian cancer awareness and advocacy are still in their infancy. Groups like Gildas Club, SHARE, Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Alliance (OCRFA), the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, and others are educating women about the disease. But the meaning of the teal-colored OC ribbon is still largely unknown. Ignoring Your Health Women know what to do when they feel a breast lump. But the uncertainty clouding the often vague symptoms of ovarian cancer makes it hard for women to take action. You may  brush things under the rug when youre not feeling well. Because women tend to the needs of others, they can become adept at ignoring our own. A woman who experiences tiredness, weight loss and loss of appetite can think these are just normal reactions to the stresses and pressures of her life. Not Simply in Your Head You sense when somethings wrong, even if you cant put your finger on it. The SHARE ovarian cancer hotline volunteers, hear from countless women who say that they had a nagging uneasiness over subtle changes that worsened over time. But because most of them are (or have been) caregivers, they are  afraid of being hypochondriacs. They are reluctant to take time away from others to focus on themselves. When you finally take the time to see a doctor but come away without answers, and are made to feel as if your dis-ease may simply be in your head, how many call it quits? Your Own Best Advocate I am alive today because I didnt let my first inconclusive visit to a doctor be my last. I saw a nurse practitioner, an OB-GYN, a surgeon, and a family practitioner before the necessary tests were ordered and an accurate diagnosis was made. Fortunately, my OC was caught at Stage 1 and the prognosis for full recovery after a hysterectomy and chemotherapy was very good. When it comes to ovarian cancer, you have to be your own best advocate. If youre reading this because you may have some of the symptoms, but youre afraid of an ovarian cancer diagnosis, dont let the fear stop you from seeking medical help. Like every other form of cancer, early detection is the key.

Thursday, February 20, 2020

Young people who may be experiencing SOCIAL EMOTIONAL BEHAVIOURAL Literature review

Young people who may be experiencing SOCIAL EMOTIONAL BEHAVIOURAL DIFFICULTIES where should schools focus - Literature review Example Issues of Educating Students with Social, Emotional and Behavioral Disorders 1.5. Summary 1.1. Introduction This chapter aims at providing the conceptual base of the overall study. It develops the chosen topic through critically reviewing up-to-date and relevant sources on the problem of education of young people who may be experiencing social, emotional or behavioral difficulties. Importantly, the review is based on variety of pertinent scholarly sources: books, journal articles, etc. The research hypothesis of this part of the research is â€Å"Schools should primarily focus on the problem of inclusion of young people who may be having social, emotional and behavioral difficulties into mainstream schooling†. The hypothesis is tested through critical analysis of a number of viewpoints expressed by both academic and practicing educators. The topic has been developed through analysis and critical review of a range of pertinent sources in the following directions: 1) students wi th Social, Emotional and Behavioral Disorders: hallmark features; 2) types of Social, Emotional and Behavioral Disorders and 3) issues of educating students with Social, Emotional and Behavioral Disorders. 1.2. Students with Social, Emotional and Behavioral Disorders: Hallmark Features Social Emotional and Behavioral Difficulties is a term that has been defined in many ways, which allows interpreting it rather broadly and vaguely. The term is predominantly used in the sphere of education service to refer to severe and continuous difficulties that students face in behavior emotions, as well as social conduct and relationships. Importantly, the difficulties mentioned are found to interfere with students’ progress in learning and development. As Poulou and Norwich point out, â€Å"it is a term that overlaps with psychiatric disorder at one end and disruptive behavior or behavior problems at the other† (Poulou and Norwich, 2002, p. 112). The term’s usage has faced a lot of confusion, yet a plenty of definitions have got a common point. It is its focus on behaviors found disturbing by the majority of teachers’ staff and parents (Galloway and Goodwin 1987). The typical definition deals with understanding SEBD as internalizing and externalizing difficulties. In other words, difficulties that are related to emotional and behavioral or social conduct. According to Cooper, the term has been widely used among educators and focuses on a generally vast number of problems (Cooper 1996). The characteristics that are applicable to students with SEBD are of behavioral and social nature. The analysis of academic research of the last two decades allows concluding that these students often display aggression, as well as delinquency, which are both types of externalizing behavior (Achenbach, 1991). Also, they frequently display types of internalizing behavior such as anxiety plus depression (Morris, Shah, and Morris, 2002) and if to speak about their pe ers as well as teachers, they have impaired relationships with the latter (Walker, Ramsey, and Cresham, 2004; Walker et al, 1992). Additionally, students with EBD are often characterized as having critical deficiencies in their ability to read and react to social signals (Walker, Colvin, and Ramsey, 1995; Coie & Jacobs, 1993). At the same time, the academic deficits which are found within this subgroup of students have been the focus of most recent research in the field (Wehby, Lane, & Falk, 2003; Lane, Gresham, & O'Shaughnessy, 2002; Hinshaw, 1992; Lane & Wehby, 2002; Lane, 2004). Students that are diagnosed with having EBD face significant difficulties in how they develop and maintain satisfactory relationships with other people. Other problem areas include display of prosocial behavior signs, and

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

The art of the body adornment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The art of the body adornment - Essay Example It ias also found in areas such as Egypt, Uganda and other Middle Eastern and African countries. The plant is used for body art because it contains a property called tannins which allows the plant to exhibit color when ground up finely and mixed with hot water. One of the practical uses of henna is as a cooling agent. One can rub the mix on hands or feet in order to cool down in hot, Middle Eastern and African countries with extremely hot, dry climates. Henna is also commonly used as a form of hair dye. When it is used however for the purposes of body art, it is mixed with oils and sugars. Henna can be known as some of the following names, â€Å"henne, Al-Khanna, Jamaica Mignonette, Egyptian Privet and Smooth Lawsonia, the art of its application is referred to as henna (Arabic) or mehndi (Indian)† (Islamic World.net, 2006). Historically speaking, henna has been used for as much as 5,000 years for both its healing properties and for cosmetic purposes. Today henna is used in place of tattoos from time to time as it is not permanent. Henna designs can last on the skin for several weeks as opposed to the permanence of getting a tattoo. Culturally however, Hanna has significance in the Muslim religion as well as other religions. Many historians believe that henna originated in India with the Hindu culture but other historians have reason to believe that it originated in Egypt around the twelfth century. It is also possible that henna was used even earlier by certain African countries as well as countries in the Middle Eat. Many archeologists have found henna markings on the fingers and toes of mummified pharos. Hindu body decoration has been used within the Islamic faith but also within Jewish, Hindu, Christian and even pagan religions. Although henna has been used for religious purposes in many cases, it is known to have been used by working

Monday, January 27, 2020

International Marketing Plan For Allianz Marketing Essay

International Marketing Plan For Allianz Marketing Essay Allianz is an international company specializing in the provision of financial services, and the companys headquarters is in Munich, Germany. In the global business world of today, companies cannot afford to just remain domestic, as this could lead to a decline in the companys reputation and business. Serious companies have to work hard on their international presence, to ensure that their stakes in the market are maintained and increased. Founded in the year 1890, Allianz has branches in more than 70 countries and more than 180,000 employees worldwide. The company has acquired about 60 million customers to whom it provides property and casualty insurance services, health insurance, life insurance asset management and banking services. Allianz started to go international in the late 19th century when the company opened a branch office in London. Allianz now also has branches in Paris, Italy, Great Britain, Netherlands, Brazil, Spain, and USA. Allianz hopes to expand into Eastern Euro pe and establish branches either in Hungary or turkey. Since international marketing plans revolve around certain factors, the company will have to complete a thorough analysis of the countries in question, so as to determine the feasibility and viability of international services in these countries. This report will also discuss the viability of establishing branches in the Turkish or Hungarian market place. The Company is aiming to establish the organization in a global market. In order to do this an effective international marketing plan would have to be developed. Situation analysis The goal of this international marketing plan is the provision of specific directions for the companys marketing activities. Research will be carried out in various areas like segmentation, marketing, pricing strategy, targeting and positioning, promotional strategy, control and implementation, in order to achieve set goals. This marketing plan will also detail what the company can achieve with such an international marketing strategy and hoe this plan will help in realizing company objectives. When an organization has decided that it is beneficial to go international and start operations in another country, it is necessary to define company policies on international marketing and the companys objectives for creating promotional campaigns that are efficient. As long as Allianz continues to offer superior services that are efficient, then the company will be better than a domestic company. As the global market continues to grow bigger and population increase continues, the company must engage in effective international marketing, in order to acquire and maintain more clients. (An in depth analysis of Insurance Industry) Interest in Hungary and Turkey Numerous variables function within an international company such as this, which deals in a global market. These variables can influence the companys strategy either directly or indirectly. Being well implanted in various parts of the world Allianz seeks to invest other markets in Europe. Marketing strategy At Allianz, the goal of business is the acquisition of clients and maintaining these clients as customers. The companys international marketing strategy should reflect this, as the company continues to build its reputation. The strategies that would be used for this international marketing will be a push/promotional strategy and pull/selling strategy. The push/promotional strategy will use the companys trade promotion activities and sales force to create consumer demand internationally. The pull/selling strategy involves expenses on promotions for consumers and advertising in order to build up consumer demand for services SWOT analysis The sections highlighted below constitute the most relevant issues for Allianz, and the success of the company. Strengths The companys strengths include: a brand new international approach, staff experience, targeted focus and marketing prowess. Allianz would have to take advantage of these strengths in order to utilize the companys opportunities and also manage threats effectively. Possible weaknesses to the companys international campaign are basically those problems inherent in new product and financial services marketing. Allianzs Strengths also include Product differentiation Superior experience: since the Allianz team is quite experienced in marketing, the company has to capitalize on this experience and bring it to bear on the international market Popularity of the company: strong companies like Allianz tend to have a kind of cult or customer loyalty for many years, which will be brought to bear on the international scene Weaknesses Launching new products and services internationally brings disadvantages of having to build a whole new market structure Opportunities A growing international market Potential for continued improvement Vertical integration: Allianz also has the potential to integrate more services into its international presence and add more branches in various parts of the world Threats The latent competition ensures that there would be other companies who will begin to offer similar services internationally. Unforeseen economic downturn may also reduce fluid/disposable income in spite of a strong domestic economy and anticipated continuous growth. Marketing mix The company should Endeavour to employ a wide range of advertising promotions and communications in order to achieve set out international marketing goals Marketing budget The companys marketing budget must be reviewed and the marketing director would assume responsibility for the budget, excluding the budget for developing the company website. The budget for the international marketing campaign needs to be evaluated on a quarterly basis, with adjustments made to media vehicles, advert schedules, and effective frequency as required Promotion As part of international marketing promotions, there should be grand PR parties and sports events held and organized for prospective clients. Local, national and international media will also be used and sales personnel will be stationed in target market locations like shopping malls and concerts and other related events Financial projection In order to make Allianzs financial services more appealing internationally, the company will have to look towards market segmentation. In looking towards market segmentation, the company will be able to identify specific customer characteristics of interest in specific financial services. As noted on the website of the Center for Business Planning, the purpose of for segmenting a market is to allow the sales/marketing program to focus on the subset of prospects that are most likely to purchase what the company offers, and this can help to ensure the highest yield/return for sales/marketing expenditures, if done properly. (Center for Business Planning, 2009) The international marketing plan developed by Allianz must make a careful analysis of market research to lead to useful decisions regarding the nature of the market in hungary, and of the potential clients in that country. To be able to satisfy the needs of these customers, the company must identify ways to understand its internal and external situation, including the market environment, the customer and the capabilities of the company PEST Analysis Political Factors Increased service tax on premium 5% discount on corporate premium Hike in FDI limit Pricing control in general insurance Favorable regulation for rural insurance Economic Factors Increase in Gross Domestic Savings Social Factors Low insurance coverage Rise in elderly population Growth of insurance Technological Factors Automation of processes Increase in CRM solutions Internet driven information era (Insurance Industry: An Analysis) Implementation and control Allianzs international marketing efforts will be designed to launch and provide sales of goods and services. The marketing director will be in charge of tracking the various programs and changes might be made to the marketing mix if there are no appreciable results. Attention should also be given to some other factors like economic recession, extremely low sales, and the expensive nature of certain types of media that will be used for the international marketing plan, as these factors might influence the budget and marketing mix. The companys international marketing efforts will be reviewed quarterly. Differences between revenue and sales goals during the first year of operation will be the main source of comparison. Customers feedback will also be sought on marketing efforts and there will be surveys and focus groups organized to evaluate the efficacy of adverts. Conclusion Assessment of external factors can help a company to position itself within the environment in which the company operates. Although there are various macroeconomic factors that can affect a company like Allianz, the direction and strength of major industry shaping trends can be gauged by environmental factor assessment. This type of assessment may seem to pose a threat on some occasions but on the other hand, this assessment can create new opportunities. During the environmental assessment, it is vital to seek out new opportunities for business, feasible market places and other companies with which some form of cooperative arrangement can be built. In order to be successful internationally, Allianz needs to understand, anticipate and take advantage of the changes in the business environment. The international environment does have a big impact on the determination of market decisions. A large part of international marketing requires the scanning of the external environment that affec ts Allianz, so that the company can respond profitably to the trends and market requirements of the targeted market. Allianz hopes to expand into Eastern Europe and establish branches either in Hungary or turkey. Due to Global currency issues and the effects of previous economic recessions which have created problems for the company and the services it renders, I believe that Hungary will be a more viable location for the company to invest internationally, as this country is more open to foreign investment. Industries in this country are also expanding and this represents more opportunity for the companys financial services. The firm has also been advised to take a long term view. This is a good strategy for the company, as most emerging markets are long term based, to guard against the negative effects of economic downturns

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Autism Spectrum Disorders

Autism Spectrum Disorders has in the past posed some challenges to the human race with regard to addressing the plight of the victims  Ã‚   . This disorder is a cause of severe pervasive mode of thinking impairment, individual feelings, language problems and an adverse relationship to other people.This disorder is primarily diagnosed at the early stages in childhood and progresses throughout the rest of the life of the affected individual. It is a complex disability in the developmental stages of a person brought about by neurological disorder with severe effects on the normal brain functioning.The normal brain development is impacted specifically with regard to the areas responsible for social interaction as well as communication skills. This is a real crisis in the health sector due to the fact that for every 150 children below the age of eight years, one of them is a victim of this disorder (Uta, 1991).Social welfare historyIn this society, autistic and families with autistic ch ildren were initially faced with three typical challenges namely lack of financial, emotional and educational support. The families of the children who are victims of autistic disorder were confronted by tremendous financial as well as emotional burdens they also receive little support with regard to the education of these children.The families have therefore to endure a significant financial burden relative to the families with upright children. This arises from the requirement of cutting down the schedules of work or an entire quitting of the job due to the requirement of the duty of caring for these children (Charles, 1992).Further more, there is a very high chance that the families of the children with ASD are prone to delayed or even unattended health-care requirements of their children. They are exposed to insufficiencies and obstacles with regard to the access of the medical care needed by their children.According to Anthony, no difference was noted with regard too the access to usual care, a nurse or a personal provider in normal circumstances. However on the emergency of a special problem for autistic children families, the primary contact point becomes beyond reach and the access to referrals is denied (Anthony, 1998).These families are therefore subjected to particularly enormous as well as stressful emotional situations and financial demands. To complicate the matter, majority of the insurance firms are adamant when it comes to the coverage of the demands of an autistic child.This is because of their perception of the situation as being a form of developmental disorder rather than a disease. It therefore applies that the parents of these children are required to pay large amounts of money from their pocket to access the services of occupation therapy and the speech therapy for their children.The education of the autistic children is also faced with a milliard of problems because the schools are ready to offer a half day session for these children. Therefore the majority of the parents of autistic children opt that they stay at home altogether (Simon, 1995).The history of this disorder dates back to around 1911 in Swiss. ‘Early infantile autism’ was later coined in 1943 with the much milder Asperger syndrome coming much later. These are the disorders that were put under the description of the five pervasive types of developmental disorders which are currently termed as the autism spectrum disorders, i.e., ASD (Judy & Sean, 1993).

Saturday, January 11, 2020

American football and Hard Work Essay

He was born to play football, someone who is 270 pounds and five percent body fat and only 19 years old and could go anywhere to play football. He went to a big ten college, Michigan. Now Elwood Reid was a man of hard work and discipline and would never give up. He worked hard ever single play from whistle to whistle. Even when he was in server pain he would never give up because he didn’t want to be called a quitter. Now there were two parts to Reid, one part of him wanted to belong or fit in with the team or be one of the â€Å"fellas†. Reid went to parties and he drank beer and liquor and did all the bad stuff just to fit in. The second part of him loved to read books and enjoyed going to class but never want to be himself. He ended up beating his body to the end and could no longer play. So after college he moved to Alaska to get away from football and start a new life, Therefore, Football is the best way to learn self discipline and character. Football Is also is a great way of learning what hard work means and in order to put hard work in you have to be able to put your body on the line. Now don’t think football is just a sport for hitting people and putting your body in pain, you can also make friends for the rest of your life and it also teaches life lessons. From the age of three years old I was brought up with the idea that football is everything. My dad had me in the backyard throwing a football that was bigger than my head. From the first time I ever stepped out on the practice field I was always told â€Å"boys, now in order to be a notable player you have to have discipline, show hard work and have character†. That saying stayed with me to this day and now I’m in college playing football and it will be there all my life. You have to have discipline when listening to what your coach teaches you what you have to learn to be great player. You have to have discipline watching the ball and not jumping off sides. Hard work ties in with discipline as well, I would stay after practice to catch balls and run routes because I wanted to be the best. Even on the weekends when nothing was going on I would be at some field running and getting better. â€Å"Domination through hard work man† for the coach of the big ten school. I have this one saying as well and it goes â€Å"The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender†. Basically this makes me work hard and do the things I’m suppose to do while on and off the field. If everyone on a team has discipline, character and hard work you can have a successful team full of champions. Now I somewhat agree with Reid, but sometimes things go way too far. This has to do a lot with character. My old high school coach school would say â€Å"what are you doing when nobody is looking†. I would go to a party and wonder sometimes, â€Å"dang I wonder what Coach Ru would say right now†. See now, Reid, when he would go to a party he always thought† I should be doing this right now†, I should probably leave†, but then he wouldn’t be part of the â€Å"fellas†. Now this is where its wrong just because someone else is doing it doesn’t mean you have to do it too. This is basically saying if Billy jumps then I will. When I was out somewhere and something felt wrong I was always thinking what would happen if I got in trouble it could affect my family and my team. I mean I went out and partied but did it under control. The point I am trying to make is just do what feels right to you and be yourself. You throw on your shoulder pads, put on your helmet and tie your shoes and your ready to play, hit and get hit. Reid was right about everything, you play with pain because if you don’t you will be called a quitter. I’ve learned to play with pain because football is a sport in which you’re going to get hurt. You’re throwing your body into people, getting knocked down. For example here at Catawba College there is always someone getting hurt during practice. Either it’s a hurt shoulder, hurt knee or getting the wind knocked out of them. But one thing that Elwood is wrong about is that when you get hurt things are more serious here. Coaches don’t call you quitters and team mates don’t make fun of you. When you get hurt here, it’s taken seriously you’re looked at, you have to be in the training room everyday twice a day. My point here is that football is a pain sport but you just have to live with it and except that there is going to be rough times but you just have to get through it. As you can see after what you read about Reid, getting a scholarship to college isn’t easy. But for me it was basically the same thing, I started out my freshman year on junior varsity. I was the starting wide receiver; I made awesome catches and was the best one on the field. I wasn’t the biggest, but have always been the tallest, but what made so good was all the hard work and discipline I had. But the last couple games of the season I got moved up to varsity which was awesome. The next year, my sophomore year, I finally got moved up to varsity at the beginning of the year. I really wasn’t playing so I worked my butt off in practice and it finally came through, by the start of our conference I was starting. Until then I never thought football would take me to college, but after that I was confident. My junior year came and I was all-conference, all-Mecklenburg and my coach was making highlight films and coaches were coming to see me and I was going to camps to showcase my talents. Senior year came and scouts were coming and one coach who really caught my attention was Coach Nick Toth from the Citadel. Citadel would have offered but I got screwed when a five year senior decided to return. It really made me mad, but when adversity is put in your way, you just have to stomp right over it. So here I am at Catawba now, on a full scholarship and I love everything about it. I am proof that you can be an individual and do what you love at the same time.