kenzie stephens senior val
DESCRIPTION
Senior ValTRANSCRIPT
Never take the little things for granted, because in a matter of
seconds it could be taken away from you. Love uncondition-
ally, laugh regularly, and live to the fullest. Be the best person
you can possibly be. Looking back on my past I am happy
with the decisions I’ve made and because of that I am the
person I am today.
LIVE WITH NO REGRETS
“Live life to the fullest.” -Ernest Hemingway
5/21/13
Volume 1, Issue 1
Special points of interest:
Top 10 TV Shows on page
3
Special stories on
influential people, great
memories, and
achievements
What’s going on in the
world? Check out page 8
and 9
Kenzie Stephens
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Inside this issue:
Meaning of Life 2
Top Ten 3
Memories 4
Time Capsule 5
People 6
Achievements 7
News Articles 8
Magazine Articles 9
Art 1 10
Art 2 11
“Life isn’t about
finding yourself.
It’s about creating
yourself.”
-Unknown
Page 2 Kenzie Stephens Volume 1, I ssue 1
The Meaning of Life No matter how hard life gets, never give up. Times can get rough along
the way, but all it takes is one second to turn it all around. The meaning
of life is different for everyone, but I strongly believe you should accept
change and embrace happiness. Life is too short to be anything but
happy and the people that surround you have a strong influence on
that. Surround yourself with people who care about you and you will
find happiness in the little things. Family and friends are the people that
have your back through thick and thin and it is important to value those
relationships because in the end it is all you’ll ever need. Life goes by so
fast that sometimes we may take those relationships for granted, but in
the end they are always there, waiting. Happiness is the key to success
and it isn’t about money, or popularity. It’s about having a good time
with the people you care about most.
Top Ten TV Shows
Page 3 Kenzie Stephens Volume 1, I ssue 1
1. Walking Dead
A zombie apocalypse is spreading throughout the world and
survivors are fighting to survive. I like the element of surprise in
this television show as characters die and more drama occurs.
2. Criminal Minds
The FBI get called out on many different assignments to catch
serial killers all over the U.S. Each person has a specific job to up-
hold. I like this show because I’m interested in criminal justice.
3. The Mentalist
Patrick Jane works for the CBI and helps solve murders with his
physic ability. Years ago, Jane’s family was murdered by the serial
killer Red John which started his career on the CBI.
4. Bates Motel
Norma and Norman try to live a normal life, but the new town
they have moved to is filled with many suspicious people.
Murder, drugs, and scandal are all factors in this brand new show.
5. Hawaii 5-0
This show is another crime show, based in Hawaii. 5-0 tracks
down murderers while also trying to live their lives, but many
secrets hit the surface, making their jobs more difficult.
6. The Voice
Since I cannot sing, I like to watch shows where other people
know how to sing. Singers fight for their safety week by week as
their coaches can save or eliminate the contestants.
7. Bones
Bones is yet again another crime show, but only Booth is the
FBI agent, while his assistant helps him solve cases by looking at
bones to find new information on victims.
8. Awkward
This show describes my life perfectly. Jenna has things happen to
her that wouldn’t happen to anyone else, making her life
extremely awkward for herself and the others around her.
9. Pretty Little
Liars
This drama-filled
TV show involves
four girls trying to
protect their top
secrets from the
rest of the world.
Their good friend,
Allie, was killed but
there is reason to
believe that she still
may be alive.
10. House
Since I am consider-
ing the medical field
I enjoy watching
House. House is
about a group of
doctors that try to
solve and cure pa-
tients with illnesses
that are unusual to
many doctors.
Change Over Time
Page 4 Kenzie Stephens Volume 1, I ssue 1
Throughout many years of my
high school career, numerous
things have changed since my
beginning year as a young fresh-
man. As a senior I look back on
my life through photograph. Not
only has my personality and
looks changed, but I’ve noticed a
huge shift in my friend groups.
Although friends have come and
gone, I’ve enjoyed every moment
in high school. Things pop up
and arguments hit the surface,
but that’s the life of a teenager.
Looking back, I miss a lot of my
previous friends that I used to be
extremely close to. I could walk
past one of them in the halls,
and we pretend to ignore each
other, forgetting our friendship
ever existed. Being an older sen-
ior in my grade I tend to be-
come friends with people a
grade older than myself. There-
fore, most of my friends have
already packed up and been sent
off to college. Not all of my
friends have changed through-
out the years. I’ve managed to
maintain strong friendships with
girls I met in junior high and
during soccer seasons. I’m hap-
py with my current friend group
my senior year and even though
I will be leaving soon, I hope to
keep long-lasting friendships.
(202)
Years from now, many former
students from Fishers High
School will be living different
lives than what they do now. I
don’t know what the future holds,
but I want my previous teachers
and classmates to remember me
in a positive way. Throughout my
high school career, I participated
in soccer and cross country. Play-
ing sports is a huge part of my
life, but in order to be committed
to a sport, I had to work the hard-
est I ever had. I want my coaches,
teammates, and friends to think
of me as a hard worker, always
striving to be better. The 100 de-
gree weather, early morning
practices and dedication has
made me into a stronger ath-
lete and person. I want this
image of myself to pass onto
my teachers. I made sure to
turn work in on time, and to
follow directions carefully.
High school is preparing eve-
ryone for college and now
that it is getting closer to my
senior year ending I am
thankful for all of my hard
work. My reflection on oth-
ers is important, and I want
to be reminisced for making
a difference in the lives of all
of my classmates, teammates,
and teachers. (199)
Lasting Impressions
Page 5 Kenzie Stephens Volume 1, I ssue 1
Time Capsule 1. Strawberry Lemonade Calypso
Strawberry Lemonade is something I drink every day especially
when I go out to eat. My favorite type of strawberry lemonade is
Calypso’s. Almost once a week I drive all the way down to the BP
gas station to purchase a Calypso and add to my collection of
empty bottles. This drink has become extremely popular this past
year which is why it is included in my time capsule.
2. Soccer Cleats
Soccer has been a huge part of my life since I was five years old. I would
prefer wearing soccer cleats over high heels any day. Throughout the
years I have gone through multiple pairs of cleats, but they always stay the
same brand; Nike Tiempo. My cleats will be included because they
provide many memories I will never forget.
3. Nineteen Minutes
In today’s society, most books are read electronically. I do not
prefer this way, I like going to the book store and purchasing my
own copy to read. My favorite book is Nineteen Minutes so that
is why it will be included in my time capsule because eventually
books will not be in paper back..
4. iPhone
As time goes on, technology grows. I have had my collection of broken
phones, but my favorite is the iPhone. It has all my photos, notes, games,
and social media on one device. I decided to put this into my time capsule
because as time goes on the iPhone keeps improving and I think it would
be cool to look back at my first iPhones.
5. The Band Perry CD
The Band Perry is my favorite country group, even though I’m
not a huge fan of country. There music is very relatable and I
think it would be cool to put in the time capsule because less
and less people use CD’s anymore.
Today, I can thank my father for
turning me into the adult I am,
helping me through all of life’s ups
and downs on a regular basis. He
continues to help me grow and
achieve more than I could ever
think possible. Though we may not
see eye to eye all the time, I know I
can count on him to be there for
me through it all. As a young soccer
player, my father was always on the
sidelines cheering me on, giving me
the strength I needed. At times I
wanted to give up, but he gave me
the motivation to keep pushing on.
This lesson has stuck with me ever
since I was young and will stay with
me for the rest of my life. My dad
has always tells me the honest truth
even when I don’t want to hear it,
but need to. He has shown me
strength, integrity, and determination
and will do absolutely anything for
the ones he loves. My dad has
brought me up to become a spitting
image of him and I couldn’t ask for a
better role model or father. (190)
Through the fights I continue to care
and that will never change. They all
have had an influence on my life,
some good and sometimes bad, but I
wouldn’t trade those moments for
anything. As college is approaching
we have made a pact to continue to
remain friends no matter how hard
life gets. I can thank each and every
close I’ve had through high school
for making me the person I am
today. Sometimes I don’t appreciate
how much they truly do for me, but I
know I would do the same for them
anytime. (203)
My friends have had a huge
impact on my life and I couldn’t
imagine living without them. They
have supported me through
anything and everything. Friends
love each other even after
knowing everything about one
another. My friends are the most
trusting people I know and will help
me no matter what the cost. Tears
of happiness and sadness have fallen
from my eyes and my friends are the
first to keep me going. After
spending a lot of time with them, I
tend to pick up on their
personalities and behaviors. Each
person is an individual and I will do
anything to be there for them.
Most Influential
Friendships
Page 6 Kenzie Stephens Volume 1, I ssue 1
What the Future Holds
Acceptance Letter
me, I want to play on the intermural
soccer team and work as hard as I
can. Soccer is a big part of my life
and I do not want to give up on
something that has made me the
person I am today. This will also
assist me in making me life-long
friends. Even though I am leaving
some of my best friends for college,
I hope to remain in touch and hang
out every possible chance. My
overall future goal is to try extremely
hard to be the best in what I strive
to become. (213)
As time goes, I get closer to
accomplishing my future goals. I may
not be able to make up my mind all
the time, but my main goal is to stay
true to what I believe in. I aspire to be
a physical therapist when I’m older
and I will be attending Purdue this fall
in order to accomplish this dream.
Physical therapy is a difficult major to
stay with. Good grades, high GPA,
and late nights studying will be my life
in college. Even though my entire
college life will be working hard, I
want to maintain my health, which
means eating right and finding time
out of my day to work out. To help
now. I pulled all nighters to com-
plete projects, and worked hard
than I ever have this year because
I knew that if I gave up early my
dream of Purdue may come to a
short end. I currently have straight
A’s and I plan to keep it that way
even throughout college. It may
be difficult but I have the ability
to prove myself wrong. I learned
to never give up no matter what
life throws at me because I am
capable of overcoming it.
My greatest moment of triumph is
when I received my acceptance letter
in the mail from Purdue University.
Thinking about college was an ex-
tremely stressful moment in my life
because of all the applications and
paperwork that came along with it. I
stuck with it and hoped that I would
be lucky enough to attend my dream
college in the fall. When I opened the
letter, tears of joy almost filled my
eyes. I never gave up during high
school even when I wanted to, just
for this one moment. If there is one
thing I learned it is that hard work
truly pays off. I kept going through
the hard times to get to where I am
“I learned to never give
up no matter what life
throws at me because I
am capable of
overcoming it. “
Page 7 Kenzie Stephens Volume 1, I ssue 1
Sandy Hook School Shooting
Devastating Day
People all around the world were
affected by the shooting of
elementary students and staff in
Newtown, Connecticut. Adam Lanza
opened fire into a school full of
young children, killing 26. Teachers
and students rushed to safe areas,
quietly avoiding the shooter. Inside,
teachers quickly hid students all
around rooms in cabinets and under
desks. Janet Vollmer read to her
group of kindergarten students to
ease the emotions. Cries were heard
and the Sandy Hook shooting became
known as the second-deadliest school
shooting.
This event has personally affected my
life. I work with children as young as
three as their soccer coach. It is a
responsibility of mine to keep all
children from harm, and I cannot
imagine what the teachers and staff
had to go through to protect their
students. Some even risked their
own lives in order to save the
young. It is truly sad to know that
someone out there could do this
much harm, especially to children
no older than kindergarten.
Children bring so much joy that it’s
hard to understand how Lanza
could harm such innocent lives.
Hearts were shattered that Friday
morning at Sandy Hook
Elementary, leaving many
questions that still have yet to be
answered. (202)
runners and witnesses had to get a
limb amputated, that would affect
their lives forever. The news and
pictures spread across the United
States very quickly. Pictures of peo-
ple being hauled off in stretchers
with missing limbs or blood covering
their body were posted all over the
internet while some were extremely
graphic. It was soon classified as a
terrorist attack, which caused Massa-
chusetts to be on lockdown. The
men responsible were found while
prayers went out to those in need.
(207)
The Boston Marathon is an exciting day
for runners everywhere; it is a time to
show their true potential in a long race
to the finish line. But this year, things
took a turn for the worst. Near the fin-
ish line of the marathon, two bombs
were placed and set off. Immediately
people were running for their lives and
far away from the finish line. Many wit-
nesses stated that it felt like a huge can-
non had gone off and swept them off
their feel. Ambulances were called in to
the scene to take and care for the in-
jured. Some people even stopped to
help out the injured. A total of three
died, but over 144 people were injured
and in critical condition. A total of 10
Page 8 Kenzie Stephens Volume 1, I ssue 1
http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2012/12/us/sandy-hook-timeline/index.html
http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/15/us/b
oston-marathon-explosions
Death of a Superstar
Imagine a world without
electronics. My generation’s entire
life has been the focus of obtain-
ing new phones, gaming stations,
apps, etc. One specific app,
available on phones, has made a
big impact for many ages.
Instagram is where anyone can
post a picture of whatever they
want so the world can see. A
feature on the app is the ability to
tag your family and friends so
they are aware they are in the
photo. Also, you can follow other
people on Instagram so their
photos pop up on your news feed
and that way you have the ability
to “like” their picture. This means
that you double click on the
picture so it pops up with your
name underneath the photo.
Teenagers everywhere have their
eyes glued to their screens inside
and outside of school, which causes
a big distraction during school and
work. Instagram has become a new
way of communicating for some
students. The app keeps people
informed about the lives of their
peers and it is an entertaining way
to pass the time. Even celebrities
are using the app to keep their fans
updated about current events. With
this new technology, more and
more people are becoming more
reliable on their electronics. (206)
seat of my friend’s car when the
radio came on and every single
station we went to was informing us
of his death. At first, it was
impossible to believe, but as time
went on the grieving become worse
for some people. Tears filled the air
on that day, but in honor of his
influential life, his music still play on
every radio. I was too young to
understand what was completely
going on, but on June 25, the world
lost a fantastic pop star. (204)
June 25, 2009 is a day many people will
remember. Michael Jackson, the king of
pop, suffered from a cardiac arrest in his
home in Los Angeles. He was
pronounced dead by the time he arrived
to the Medical Center. Jackson had
overdosed and rumors spread that
Jackson’s doctor had prescribed him the
wrongful amount of medication, which
lead to his sentence to 4 years in prison.
Before his death he was scheduled to
host concerts around America. During
his lifetime he has had many successful
songs and influenced the lives of many.
For me, I remember the moment I heard
the terrible news of his death. I was too
young to drive and was riding in the back
Page 9 Kenzie Stephens Volume 1, I ssue 1
http://instagram.com/about/faq/#
http://crime.about.com/od/curren
t/a/jackson_death.htm
Family, friends, and soccer are the
three most important things in my life.
Lauren and Lauren (pictured above)
have been through all the ups and
downs with me. I cannot imagine my
life without them in it. Sometimes we
go through rough times, but soccer is
the one thing that brings us together.
We have all seen the best and worst of
each other and last year the three of us
finally got to play on a soccer team.
We played back to back games, cheer-
ing everyone on and trying until we
won. “Win or die” has been our motto
from the beginning. This picture is
probably my favorite one of us be-
cause it shows our unique personalities
and it happened to be right after one
of our tournament games, which
we won. Soccer is a competitive
sport and requires a lot of team-
work on everyone’s part. We en-
joyed being together on soccer
days and because of our winning
streak, we would leave the field
happy. It’s sad knowing I won’t
play on a team with them again,
but that doesn’t mean I won’t still
see them every other day. I have
the best friends I could possibly
ask for and I wouldn’t have it any
other way. (207)
Page 10 Kenzie Stephens Volume 1, I ssue 1
I picked this quote because it has stayed with me throughout the years, especially in
high school. Italian Job is by far my favorite movie even though it is an older one.
The movie is about a robbery that takes place in Venice. Once they steal the gold one
of their “friends” turns on them and takes all the gold for himself. I like the idea it
brings and it shows that even though you may know someone they can turn out to be
the exact opposite. I trust many people, but at the same time I know my limits. This
movie in a way can be related to a moment in my life when a friend did something to
hurt me instead of help. I don’t hold grudges, but this quote is something that helped
me. My friend didn’t mean to hurt me because sometimes we don’t truly know why
we do the things we do. Even though this quote is not popular and when I say it no
one knows what I am talking about, it has shown me that sometimes you have to put
your guard up in order to protect yourself. (195)
Page 11 Kenzie Stephens Volume 1, I ssue 1
“I trust everyone; it’s
the devil inside them I
don’t trust.”
-Italian Job
Special thanks to my friends and family who have made me into who I
am today and supporting me every step of the way. I don’t know what I
would do without them.
Bucket List for Summer 2013
Hamilton Southeastern Schools
Try every Calypso flavor and keep the bottles
Go to the zoo and pet an elephant
Go to at least 5 concerts
Buy more Purdue shirts
Go on a shopping spree
Get out of Indiana for a week
Visit my best friend in Colorado
Try something new
Save up for college
HAVE FUN