Ryan Waldron’s Portfolio

Mrs. McGeeAP English 12

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Table of Contents• Letter to the reader• My Bucket List• 6 Word Story• Written Assignment• Written Assignment• English assignment from another class• Creative writing• Soul Picture• My Writing Artifacts• Favorite links

Letter to the Reader

Dear Reader,My name is Ryan Friend Waldron and I am currently in AP English 12. This year is the first year of my life where I have taken an AP class, and I’m glad I did. I really enjoy the atmosphere AP classes present. I feel like being around intelligent young men and women is truly beneficial to my learning experience. My portfolio consists of present and past writing, as well as some creative assignments. There is also a little about myself too! Enjoy.

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25 things to do before I die.

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6 Word Story

NO WAY OUT

GOTTA GIVE IN

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Scarred for Life

There are two matching scars on either side of my head. Who could possibly have planned such a thing? My mother tells me that I

was always a fearless little guy. Once when I was two years old, I jumped off a coffee table and put my tooth through my tongue. I still have the

flap on my tongue to prove it. She said I was a full speed ahead child. Reckless and adventurous, I was always looking for something to do that was

challenging and exciting. Experts say that the second child, which I am, is most likely to be that way.

One quiet Saturday afternoon in December, our doorbell rang. I was excited it might be a friend. So, I ran downstairs, rounded the

corner through the laundry room, and accidentally smashed my head into the light switch on the wall. It made a BIG gash on the left side of my

head, just above the hairline. As blood ran down my face, I crawled to the front door to answer it. It was indeed my good friend, Matt, who knew I

was a wise guy and thought I was fooling around when he saw my head and face covered with blood. It wasn’t until after I answered the door that I

called to my mother for help. Of course all she had to do was look at all the blood on me to realize I was hurt pretty bad. It is a known fact that head

wounds produce a lot of blood. Patient First, here I come again. I have been there before with a fractured ankle (surfing), sprained hand (jumping

down a set of stairs) and other assorted injuries. Eight stitches later, I had a Frankenstein symbol on my head. I was very proud to have my very

first stitches. I couldn’t wait to show everyone at school and tell the story to all my friends. After reciting my

story of what happened, they just looked at me, laughed, and said “that sounds just like you Ryan”. My hair was cut short at the time and as it grew

longer I had to lift it to show my battle scar. I forgot about it after a while or at least the story telling diminished. But every time I got a haircut, I would

remember the whole experience and laugh.

As life goes on, a lot can be forgotten. Six months later, in the warm month of June, I was invited to the BIG swimming/birthday

party of the year. Lots of my friends were invited and I knew it was going to be a fantastic event. The party was close to the woods so the DJ had

no problem playing his music to the max. My friends were everywhere, in and out of the water. They even had a slush machine with orange or root

beer slush’s at the push of a button. What a great party. I walked up to the diving board and waited in line to do my thing. I did a back flip into the

deep well of the swimming pool. The well is where everyone dives because it is the deepest part of the pool. Rumor has it that you must wait until

the person clears the well and swims to the side of the pool before another person dives in. Most people knew or at least heard of this rule. That

day, most people did, except my friend Josh. After my back flip into the pool, I was coming up with a smile on my face, knowing it was a pretty good

one, when all of a sudden something hit me so hard and unexpected that it almost knocked me out. When I surfaced, all the girls were pointing

 

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and screaming that there was blood all over my head and more importantly in the pool. I didn’t exactly know what happened except something hit me. It

was Josh’s knee coming down hard as he jumped into the pool. The parents and other adults at the party immediately helped me out of the pool and

asked me if I was all right. Because I was in the water, I didn’t think twice about the wetness running down my face. It wasn’t until I got out of the water

that I saw the blood dripping on the concrete and knew it was blood that was also dripping down my face. I was starting to feel the pain and the last thing

I wanted to do was show my emotions while the whole place was filled with my eleven and twelve year old friends. Someone immediately called my

mother to come get me. I remember sitting in the kitchen with three or four moms surrounding me, one was even a nurse. “OK, what is so special about

that?” one might ask. Ironically, this cut is in the exact opposite location of my other scar on the right side of my head, just above the hairline.

 My mother took me back to Patient First, again, where they now know me by name. In fact, the same doctor who stitched my head six

months earlier came to the rescue. All my memories of six months earlier came back to me as I sat there on the table. The doctor looked at me, then at

my mom, and with a strange look on his face said, “What happened now?” My mother made sure that I told the story of what happened to me, not her.

She said, “If this keeps up, they are going to call Social Services on me”. I assured the doctor this was indeed an accident, and told him all about my

swimming pool experience. Once again, the long needle that supposedly numbs you so they can stitch you without too much pain was jabbed into my

head. My mother’s face turned pale and she had to leave the room. They say that moms can feel the pain of their children, and by the look on her face, I

believe it. Seven stitches later I had a matching pair of Frankenstein scars on both sides of my head, just above the hairline.

Both accidents happened years ago, but every once in a while, especially when I get a short haircut, I remember it all over again. They

are scars I will have for the rest of my life. I will continue having fun telling the stories and showing the scars to my kids, and even grandkids one day. And

just like Tim O’Brien in The Things They Carried, I may have to embellish a little to make it more interesting and exciting. I do have one concern when I

am older, baldness. Looking at my heritage on my father’s side, baldness is a possibility. Being bald, with my two scars that almost look like it was

intentional the way they are placed, would be a little uncomfortable. People will see them and ask questions. I will tell them the stories of how they

occurred, just above the hairline, forever. Only then, there wouldn’t be a hairline.

So, as this story goes, I will carry these scars for the rest of my life. This story is true. However, there is a lot of room for embellishment to

make my story even more exciting. I feel fortunate that these scars represent two of the most painful experiences I have ever had. There are many

people that have experienced far worse in their lives and I only hope that I can continue to tell this story with a smile on my face when I am old and gray

with my two scars, just above the hairline. Previous page

Scarred for Life (cont.)

Written assignment #2

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The Pistachio Health NutIn today’s society, it seems like almost everyone has become more health conscious than previous years. With so many

bad food choices, it’s hard to know which food is most rewarding to the body. The public needs more than just low fat treats. What people really need is something high in nutrients and low in trans fat and saturated fat. Something with vitamins, minerals, and fiber; and something with anti-oxidants that is healthy for your heart. What people really need is the pistachio nut.

One of the main benefits of pistachios is the large concentration of a chemical called Lutein. Lutein is found in most leafy green vegetables, and is vital in helping anyone’s heart and eyes function. It is also found naturally in the retinas of human eyes, and is necessary for good vision. A diet rich in Lutein may lower your risk of developing cataracts, as well as macular degeneration that causes vision loss in the center of the visual field (Jegtvig). In Pistachios, there are .36 mgs of Lutein in a small 1oz. serving. To put this into perspective, the same amount of lutein is in a 4oz. cup of broccoli (Limon).

Fiber is also vital to a healthy diet. The purpose of fiber in the body is to maintain the digestion process by keeping the body running smoothly as possible. For example, Olympic athletes need fiber in their diet in order to keep their body’s finely tuned.Foods that are high in fiber are grains, oats, wheat products, and of course, pistachios. The pistachio nut has one of the highest concentrations of fiber on earth. To put this in perspective, Americans should be consuming about 14 grams of fiber for every 1000 calories each day. One ounce of pistachios provides approximately 3 grams of fiber, or 12 % of a person’s daily requirement. Pistachios have double the amount of fiber offered in walnuts and equal the amount in a full serving of oatmeal (Limon).

Surely, vitamins and minerals are very important to the development of every human body. Vitamins are organic substances that come from animals, while minerals are inorganic substances that come from the earth (Vitamins and Minerals). A one-ounce serving of pistachios contains more than 10% of daily vitamin and mineral requirements. Some vitamins and minerals include B-6, thiamin, copper, phosphorus and magnesium (Good for you, too). All of these minerals are important. For example, vitamin B-6 converts protein, fat, and carbohydrates into energy that the body uses for daily activities (Vitamin B6). Pistachios are rich in vitamins and minerals making them a healthy choice for all people.

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Pistachios Cont.

It is known that nuts are considered to be fattening. However, previous studies demonstrated that the consumption of 2 ounces of pistachios a day did not lead to any significant weight increase during a test period of approximately 6 months. Pistachios are relatively low in saturated fat and contain no Trans fat (Are pistachios high in fat content?). Researchers have found that pistachios are also high in monounsaturated fat which can actually help improve the cholesterol balance (More Pistachio Facts and Recipes). These healthy fats lower the LDL (bad) cholesterol; while at the same time improve the HDL (good) cholesterol. This data suggests that pistachios can be eaten as a very healthy part of a well balanced diet (Pistachios Lower Cholesterol, Provide Antioxidants).

Maintaining a strong heart is possibly one of the most important choices anyone can make for a healthy lifestyle. A study in July 2003 stated “Scientific evidence suggests, but does not prove, that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, such as pistachios, as part of a diet low inSaturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease.” Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death. In fact, pistachios carry the FDA’s first-ever qualified “heart health” claim (Pistachios Lower Cholesterol, Provide Antioxidants). Pistachios are also known to relax blood vessels and lower blood pressure by reducing the effects of stress on blood pressure. This is called artery relaxation. Due to the high concentration of the antioxidant Lutein, pistachios can help prevent cholesterol from clogging arteries. Therefore, a daily handful of pistachios can help maintain a healthy heart (Parker).

Like most nuts, pistachios are also high in the muscle building nutrient, protein. Protein is usually found in animal meat, however, vegetable protein is found in most nuts. For every ¼ cup of pistachios, there are 6 grams of protein. Vegetable protein is very beneficial to the human body. A recent study has shown that a diet rich in vegetable protein, not animal protein, can prevent hypertension (high blood pressure), and other related diseases (Daniells).

In conclusion, the average American has numerous choices when it comes to snack foods. The down side is that most convenient, tasty, and cheap snack foods are usually unhealthy. However, an exception to this rule is the pistachio. Given the above, it is easy to conclude that the pistachio is truly a healthy and easy snack for all “health nuts.”

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Previous English assignment

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Performance Enhancing Drugs in Professional Sports

Recently, there has been an interest in performance enhancing drugs in professional sports. For example, there has been controversy over Barry Bonds’ homerun record, as well as the most recent battle between Roger Clemens and former trainer, Brian McNamee (“Congress Again Examines Baseball Steroids”). Both of these “superstars” most likely would not be as successful as they are today if it were not for illegal performance enhancing drug use. However, the illegal use of steroids is not only limited to baseball. As one might expect, there have been rumors and investigations in football for years however, steroid use is now being associated with other sports such as Olympic bobsledding and even professional racecar driving (“US Bobsledder Suspended after Drug Tests for Steroids”). Therefore, how can professional sports be fair anymore when some athletes have an unfair competitive advantage? Athletes will do almost anything to have a competitive edge over their opponent. The desire to gain that edge was voiced by former Dallas Cowboys Offensive Lineman, Pat Donavan: “In my last five or six years, steroids ran as high as 60 to 70 percent on the Cowboys offensive and defensive lines” (Adams 23). For this reason, the use of performance enhancing drugs in professional sports is wrong and should be regulated.  In spite of all the coverage of the dangers of steroids, there are some who would suggest steroid use is not a serious problem. They see it as an issue that cannot be contained. For example, The United States Senate’s “Mitchell Report” said, “Being chained to the past is not helpful. Baseball does not need and cannot afford to engage in a never ending search for the name of every player who uses performance enhancing substances” (“Congress Again Examines Baseball Steroids”). Part of the challenge of containment are the multiple methods available to beat the test. One method practiced by the Olympic Bulgarian weight lifting team included fasting for a total of two to three days before their tests in order to flush out their body of the excess testosterone (“Performance Enhancing Drugs Are Ineffective”). In addition, some athletes do not even know they are being injected with performance enhancing drugs. In Roger Clemens’s case, he claims “McNamee (his trainer) injected him with vitamin B-12 on three occasions, but never with steroids or other illegal substances” (“Clemens Says He Got B-12 Shots; Ex-Trainer Claims Steroids”). If the use of steroids is so big and widespread, then why even try to regulate it? In fact, without recent steroid use, many records would never have been broken and professional sports would not be as exciting as it is today. After all, professional sports are just another form of paid entertainment.

However, chemically induced entertainment, whether it is professional sports or anything else, is not genuine. Barnard exclaims, “Ever since the Greeks formulated the Olympic ideal, sport has held a more significant place in our culture than merely a leisure pursuit. Professional athletes are projected as a looking glass on how people view their society” (Barnard). Richard Kerridge, Co-editor of Writing the Environment, believes “we see sport as a celebration of nature, a way of  demonstrating the wonders of creation” (Barnard). Kerridge also elaborates by saying “the taboo of using steroids is about interfering with nature in the body” (Barnard).

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Previous English assignment cont.Aside from being unjust and immoral, steroids are also very dangerous drugs. Steroids can be taken

many different ways; through injection, orally, or even with creams(Adams 35). After the steroids have gotten into the blood stream, they bind to receptor sites inside the muscle cells (Adams 35). The receptor sites in the muscles cell deliver the hormones to the center of the cell to interact with the users DNA. This stimulates protein synthesis with the muscle causing it to increase in strength and size (Adams 35). Since steroids are so unnatural, many side effects occur in both male and female users. Aside from the immediate physical side effects may include unusual hair growth, severe acne, aching joints, persistent bad breath, and swelling of feet and ankles, there are also some mental side effects as well (Adams 54). These include severe mood swings, confused hormones, and having an extremely short temper. If users continue to take steroids for a long period of time, they can expect long term effects that include heart attack, stroke, kidney damage, stunted growth, liver cancer, and tumors (Adams 54). Anyone can argue the recognition Barry Bonds deserves for breaking the all time and season home run record. Anyone can also argue whether or not there should be an asterisk next to his name however, what cannot be argued are dangerous side effects Bonds and all steroid users experience.

On the whole, the world will always argue about the universal definition of what is natural and what should or should not be allowed in sports. The bottom line is, athletes who use performance enhancing drugs are cheating. These young users taking anabolic steroids as a  shortcut to build muscle may fail to develop many other aspects of athletic success. Thomas D. Fayhey, exercise physiologist says, “The key to athletic success is developing basic sports skill and fitness, and if one rely on drugs to do this, you will never reach the level of competence that you need to become either a successful athlete or competent in recreational sports”(Adams 96). Training naturally is also more rewarding in the long run. Athletes who take anabolic steroids are cheating themselves physically and mentally. University of Iowa wrestling coach, Dan Gable, said, “Besides the health effects, what you lose when you use steroids is mental toughness. The key to victory is that the strongest mind wins. You can get physical strength with steroids, but you lose the mental toughness it took to get to a high level naturally” (Adams 96). In the end, it doesn’t matter how big one is physically, or how famous someone is personally. Celebrities and non-celebrities alike will all eventually suffer from the dangerous, life threatening effects of illegal steroid abuse. No amount of money can repay the risks you take when chemically inducing yourself with performance enhancing drugs.

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Creative WritingThe Pistachio IncidentBy Ryan Waldron

 

 

Hiding within your protective shell,

It seems you’re scared to be eaten,

Putting my fingers through such hell,

This is a war, and I will not be beaten. 

Must you persist in teasing me,

Just narrowly peeking through,

You want me to give up, I see

But I shan’t give up on you.

 

If you are as healthy as they say,

Then why be so difficult to obtain,

All my heart problems might go away,

Maybe my weak fingers are to blame.

 

My tactics I must change,

A tool might offer help,

So I swung a hammer out of rage,

And let out a great big yelp. 

 

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I missed the nut completely,A hefty force upon my thumb,

And now bandaged not discreetly,How could I have been so dumb?

 How have I ended up like this,I just wanted a healthy snack,My terrible aim caused a miss,

This nut I must put back.

Soul Picture

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My Soul Explained 

Everyone’s soul is different. I believe that the complexity of anyone’s soul is near impossible to illustrate on paper. However, I have done my best to bring together a few aspects of my own soul, and illustrate them. First, the background of my paper is a watermark of the ocean. Living so close to the beach has influenced my life significantly, shaping me into the person I am today. This is also represented in the picture of me surfing. Moving along, the picture of the cross next to, and overlapping, my family picture represents the Christian background my parents instilled in me at a young age. I would consider myself more religious than the average teenager, and I am not ashamed to admit it. Next to the cross is the Waldron family crest. We have this crest framed in our house. It is certainly part of my soul, considering my last name! Below the crest are the flags of Italy, and Ireland. My mother is 100% Italian while my father is definitely Irish. I like to view myself as a blend of each. Above the family crest is a pair of dice. I’m not much of an actual gambler, but I do feel like I take risks in my life. Some of them pay off, most do not. Above the dice is a sidewalk of arrows. This represents order and organization in my life. I always enjoy having things planned out fully before doing them. To the right of the flags is a paintbrush. I wouldn’t consider myself extremely artistic, but I would say that I am a creative person. I enjoy thinking abstractly, and the paintbrush helps illustrate this dimension of my soul. Last is the curtain; this curtain represents everything inside me that I try to shield from most everyone. I haven’t done such terrible things, but I do feel like everyone has a part of them that is less flattering than they desire.

In short, this is my soul. There is only so much I can express on an 8 ½ by 11 sheet of paper, but I feel I included the most important aspects. This project was a good way to take a moment of self reflection. I am satisfied with the person I have become over the years, and am very reluctant to see my soul not looking like Dorian Gray’s.

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3 Artifacts

• Drawings from 1st and 2nd grade

• The Kid and the Stranger

• The Day I’ll Never Forget

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Elementary School Drawings

1st Grade

2nd Grade

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2nd Grade Mrs. Guzzo

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3rd Grade Story

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My Favorite Links

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