WFS 2021 2022 Yearbook

Eddie N.

The Narrow Escape

Mice love cheese. Mice go with cheese like a baseball goes with a glove. But one thing
that we as mice have to get around in order to get the precious cheese is the dreadful mousetrap.
I only know this because many courageous mice have tried to get the cheese from the tight grip
of the trap and have fallen to its power. This is my true foe. My mission is to go retrieve the
cheese and in doing so declare that cheese be for mice only! But first I must plan how I am to
accomplish this. So, I grab my buddy Mike and some string and set out for the trap. We have
both seen the movie Mission Impossible, so we plan to steal this cheese from the ceiling at
midnight. My job is to hover over the cheese and quickly but quietly grab it while my buddy
Mike stands on a chair above me and holds the string. We both agreed to split the bounty 50/50.
As I said we both love cheese.

At 11:55 at night we say our prayers, and I start my descent. As I am slowly being
lowered down, I can hear a hiss. Thinking it was just nerves, I signal up to keep going. I am
three inches away from victory when I look up and see him standing there. I whisper up to Mike
to stop lowering and wait for him to leave. After what seems like forever, I decide to go for it!
Waving up to continue, I slowly get closer. Reaching out, I grab the cheese. Barely able to

contain my excitement, I let out a whisper of “YAY!” As I
do, I see the cat look over. We aren’t out of the woods yet.
The cat takes one step over and then starts in a sprint in our
direction. At that point I yell to pull me up, but Mike is like a
deer in headlights, stunned with fear, unable to move. I toss
up the cheese which pulls Mike out from his trance and scurry
up the string just barely missing the cat coming for us.
Grabbing the cheese, which Mike is still staring at, I run down
the chair.
Unable to believe the narrow escape we just had, we both run as fast as we can.
Although we are both fast, we cannot lose the cat. We dart under a couch and make a
distraction. The owner of the house we live in the walls of is an old lady who likes to knit. So,
we take some yarn and roll it across the floor. This catches the eye of the cat and makes it go the
opposite direction we are heading in. There is no reason to run at this point, so we walk
peacefully to a TV and watch Mission Impossible while we enjoy our bounty. After the movie is
over, we happily progress home and tell the tale of how we beat the system, got our precious
cheese, and made our narrow escape.



Advanced 2

Skylar A.

Hey guys! My name is Skylar. I am a senior and have lived in the beautiful state of
Pennsylvania ever since I was born. I am a child of God, and my passion is to serve and bring
glory to Him with whatever I do! I treasure being involved in serving, encouraging, and
connecting with others at my church while growing in my relationship with God. I am beyond
blessed to have three fun, amazing brothers and caring parents, who guide and support me. While
I am a basketball and track athlete, I also enjoy crafting and woodworking. The outdoors is
where I thrive and love to enjoy God's breath-taking creation! Adventures with my family and
friends are my absolute favorite as well as vacations to the beach. This summer, I am beyond
excited to go on a beach trip with my friends from church as well as serve as a girl's counselor at
a camp that is special to me. Additionally, I look forward to graduating high school and moving
on to my next chapter! This coming year God has led me to do a nine-month Christian internship
program called OneLife where I will receive college credits, experience academic and cultural
learning, and pursue God's direction for my life. My favorite composition that I wrote this year is
my essay about my remarkable grandpa. I wrote about his amazing godly characteristics and how
he has impacted me. The opportunity to encourage my grandpa by sharing it with him, made this
particular essay my favorite.

My Remarkable Grandpa

Envision looking up to an extraordinary individual, fascinated by the way this person
commits complete praise and devotion to Christ in every season. Have you ever experienced a
person like this? Blowing my mind away simply by the way he lives, my grandpa Thomas is
someone who not only challenges me to grow my character, but additionally encourages me to
strengthen my relationship with Christ. Although it feels impossible to pick just a few words to
describe my grandpa, three traits I find most exemplary include his faithful perspective on life,
his powerful perseverance throughout a long journey, and his unreal support for others no matter
what he's facing himself.

Although it is difficult to uphold a faithful perspective throughout life, this is something
my grandpa has executed and continues to execute devotedly. Our human nature often leads us to
worrying too much about the negative instead of seeing the things we can be thankful for.
Similarly, we continually want more than we have or wish things looked different for us. Yet,
grandpa continues to amaze and impact me by the way he faithfully looks to Christ for a new
perspective morning by morning. For instance, each time my family and I go to visit grandpa we
have the opportunity to sit and talk together. Whenever we question how he constantly finds joy
even as each day is physically and mentally draining for him, he never fails to demonstrate the
verses 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 which says, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we
are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary
troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not
on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is
eternal.” The significance of this is, even as grandpa has faced many trials and lived through
days that just feel unbearable, he unceasingly fixes his eyes on Christ, our eternal life, and is
confident in Christ's power to renew him day by day. Therefore, maintaining a faithful
perspective is one thing my grandpa constantly displays, no matter how impossible it may feel.

Additionally, grandpa's faithful perspective leads to countless more amazing character
traits, one being his incredibly powerful perseverance. In fact, years ago, my grandma and
grandpa had nine kids. Although that in itself displays how much grandpa had to persevere, there
were numerous times throughout life he has shown unbelievable endurance. For example,
according to Google, the definition of perseverance is, “persistence in doing something despite
difficulty.” One difficult trial my grandpa faces is Parkinson's disease. Regardless of this fact he
still makes every effort to attend his grandkids' weddings, even when they're in Mexico! In
addition, James 1:12 declares, “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having
stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who
love him.” Significantly, grandpa finds strength in our confident hope and rewarding Savior to
endure any difficulty or trial. This is amazing because I am confident that grandpa will be
rewarded in heaven through his powerful perseverance displayed in the highs and lows of his
journey. Along with my grandpa's steadfast perspective, his perseverance is an incredibly
commendable attribute.

Another characteristic of my grandpa, which shows loyal love is his unreal support for
others no matter what hardship he is enduring. I constantly feel grandpa's unwavering support for
me and all of our family. In fact, having gracious love as well as support for each other
empowers others in countless ways. My grandpa recognizes this. After nine kids and around
twenty-eight grandkids, me being one of the youngest, grandpa's care and support for each and
every one of us is still evident. For instance, during my basketball season I clearly remember the
game my grandpa came to. I couldn't believe grandpa sat on the uncomfortable bleachers just to
come and watch my team and me play. Knowing the persistence grandpa had to be there meant
so much to me and empowered me to play my best. To this day, that was one of my favorite
games! Remarkably, when I look at a picture I have of my grandpa and I from that game, I feel
incredibly blessed, loved, and supported. Regardless of the trial, the way grandpa consistently
supports others is admirable.

Undoubtedly, grandpa is a remarkable person in my life. He makes me smile as well as
feel cherished. Kate Summers genuinely states, “Grandfathers give us not only wisdom and
encouragement, but they are an inspiration to us.” Committing complete devotion to Christ, my
grandpa emboldens myself and many others through his steadfast perspective in life, his daily
choice to persevere, and his unwavering support.

Grace B.

My name is Grace, and I am fifteen years old. I have three sisters and two brothers, one
dog and two cats. I like drawing, fashion design, anime, video games, and martial arts. I am
currently working on a lot of different writing projects. My favorite composition I made this year
is The Three Branches of Government, because it really made me work hard on researching and
fact-checking.

Three Branches of Government: What Are They?

Thomas Jefferson once said, “Most bad government has grown out of too much
government.” The reason that America was founded in the first place was because of an
overpowered government. The founders of the United States wanted a freer country, so they set
up three branches of government to share the power as opposed to one person or organization
holding all of it. This setup has definitely made America a better, more liberal place, but what
exactly do the three branches have to do with it? Most people have heard of the executive
branch, the judicial branch, and the legislative branch, but what are they really, and how do they
function?

Okay, so the executive branch is just the president, right? Wrong! The executive branch
is composed of the vice president, the officers in the executive office of the president, the
regulatory commissioners, the heads of the executive agencies, and of course, the President.
There are a lot of people who don’t know about this particular branch of administration, even
though it poses as a very important part of the United States’ government. The executive branch
has many different powers, some of which have a huge significance in how the country is
governed.

One of the main powers of the executive branch is the ability to issue executive orders.
This means that the president can make a nationwide order that takes effect after thirty days.
Other than William Henry Harrison, every president has issued an executive order. Washington’s
first orders were for executive departments to prepare reports for his inspection,
and a proclamation about the Thanksgiving holiday. After Washington, other presidents made
significant decisions via executive orders and presidential proclamations (NCC Staff). These
orders, unless stricken down for some important reason, can have the same effect as a law. These
orders pose as a very important power of the Executive Branch.

The executive branch may also execute war powers. While the president cannot declare
war, they do have some power over the military. After all, the president is the commander-in-
chief of the military. The Constitution divides war powers between Congress and the president.
Only Congress can declare war and appropriate military funding, yet the president is commander
in chief of the armed forces. (The Nixon Education). The War Powers Resolution limits the
president's military powers, requiring that all his involvement with the military must be approved
by congress. However, the president still has a good bit of power over the military. War powers
are incredibly important, and when used with care, could prove to be very useful.

The judicial branch’s members are appointed by the president and approved by Congress.
These are called executive nominations. The president picks people that they think would be
good for the Judicial Branch, and, if Congress approves them, they can be inaugurated into
positions such as a judge. For example, if the president thought that someone would be a good
candidate for a Supreme Court judge, the president would nominate them for the position and
then report the nomination to the Senate, where it would decide whether the nominee should be
in the position. If the Senate agrees, then the nominee gets the seat in the office. Although the

Senate also has a big say in the matter, the President still gets to choose the candidates,
regardless of the Senate’s decision. The entire Judicial Branch is determined by the president,
and that is a major power that the Executive Branch possesses.

This branch of government, while being the smallest, has a huge amount of power. While
it is accountable to the other two branches, the Executive Branch is a principal component of the
government. Whether it be through Executive Orders, War powers, or Executive Nominations,
the decisions and measures taken by the president and the rest of the executive branch have a big
role to play in the everyday lives of Americans and the future of the country.

As Tessa Hicks once said, “Without justice in the world, we cannot have peace- the two
are intertwined.” The job of the judicial branch is to serve justice; and as a result, they keep the
country peaceful. Unlike the legislative branch, they only have three major powers, but they are
all incredibly important. People normally think of judges and courtrooms when they think of
this branch of government, but their responsibilities go far beyond criminal cases. In addition to
condemning lawbreakers, the judicial branch settles legal disagreements and interprets the law,
protecting the rights of everyday people.

Probably the most famous thing the judicial branch does is determine the innocence or
guilt of a convict. When a person is accused of some crime or offense, the Judicial Branch
decides whether the person is innocent and should be discharged, or if they are guilty and should
be punished. Say that someone was charged for theft based on a security video. While the person
could be the same height, that’s not enough evidence to condemn the suspect. If the judge
decides that the person is in fact guilty, they could determine a fair sentence for the criminal.
This ability is fairly well-known, and it is incredibly important. The judicial branch holds a lot of
power when it comes to crime and convicts.

Another well-recognized job of the judicial branch is settling legal disputes. This
basically means that when someone files a lawsuit against another person or organization,
everyone involved goes to trial, and the judicial branch makes a decision on the matter. As stated
in a White House article, “After the suit is filed and evidence is gathered and presented by both
sides, a trial proceeds as in a criminal case. If the parties involved waive their right to a jury trial,
the case can be decided by a judge; otherwise, the case is decided and damages awarded by a
jury” (“The Judicial”). If a party loses the case, it can go to the Court of Appeals, and if it loses
there, it has the option to appeal to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court can choose if they
want to hear the case, and their decision is final. This is important because the party who wins
the case may be awarded compensation for injuries and such. The Judicial Branch decides
whether the charges are fair and reasonable, and then actions can be taken based off the decisions
made in the trial. Settling these types of charges can be a difficult and complicated thing to do,
but this is a very important job of the Judicial Branch.

One of the most important tasks of the Judicial Branch is protecting individual rights.
This is extremely important; they make sure that nothing is violating the rights given to the
United States’ citizens by the Constitution. For example, in 2019, a law restricting robocalls was
overturned by the Supreme Court because it violated the First Amendment. The Supreme Court

interpreted the law and stated that the law was unconstitutional. Federal courts enjoy the sole
power to interpret the law, determine the constitutionality of the law, and apply it to individual
cases (“The Judicial”). The law was taking away a right that the Constitution granted the general
public, so it was the Supreme Court’s job to overturn it. It is the job of the Judicial Branch to
protect the rights of the American citizens, and that is just another reason that this branch of
government is so important. Without the Judicial Branch, the streets would be flooded with
crime, the law would be unclear, and there would be nobody to settle legal arguments.
The Judicial Branch is really the reason for most of the peace in the country. Whether it be
through punishing criminals, hearing lawsuits, or interpreting the law, this branch of government
is vital to everyday life as well as the grand scheme of the United States’ government.

Twenty-seven jobs! That’s a lot, especially compared to the judicial branch’s three and
the executive branch’s six. The legislative branch, the third branch of government, is split into
the House of Representatives and the Senate. These two parties share the twenty-seven
important powers that this branch of government holds. However, three powers stand out against
the others- making laws, declaring war, and approving or disproving nominations.

The legislative branch is in charge of making the laws that govern the country. They hold
the power to control what citizens can or cannot do. The most recent law created was one that
provides certain provisions for secure rural schools. How this bill became a law is fairly simple;
the bill was first submitted to the Senate where the senators took a vote, which the bill passed.
Once the bill passed the Senate’s vote, it was sent to the House of Representatives. The house
then voted on the bill, and it also passed through the House. The bill, being approved by both the
House and the Senate, went to the executive branch, to be signed by the President. The president
signed the bill, and it became a nationwide law. This process is what every bill has to go through
to become a law. Of course, the president could very well veto the bill, but if the legislative
branch’s vote is too big, it undoes the veto, and the bill becomes a law anyway. The power to
control the country’s citizens is arguably the most important power that any branch holds.

Another key ability that the Legislative branch has is the power to declare war. When a
country is posing as a significant threat to the United States, Congress can declare war on it. This
power also allows America to enter a war to protect an allied country. Most people know that the
Second World War started for America when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. But it didn’t
happen immediately. Congress had to go through the process before it could join the war against
Germany and their allies. Both the House and the Senate had to vote, and the vote’s margin had
to be 8-1 or greater. If the vote passes, then Congress, consequently, has “Declared War.” This
means that America can then use the military. War powers are no light matter- and using them
wisely is very important; it is Congress’ job to make sure they are used with care.

So, the executive nominations and presidential war powers are used by the executive
branch, but they must be approved by another party. All nominations and military orders that are
made by the executive branch must be approved by Congress. The nominations must be
submitted to Congress for approval virtually the instant they are made. As for war orders, they
must be submitted to the Legislative Branch with in thirty days of signing. When nominations

are submitted to the Legislative Branch, only the Senate votes, and the nominee with the most
votes gets the position. War orders are a bit more of an urgent matter that must be decided on
quickly, so Congress must approve or deny it immediately. This seriously restricts the powers of
the executive branch. Even though they get to make the initial decision, the Legislative Branch
has the last word on the matter. Congress is basically a monitor for every order made by the
Executive Branch, and that keeps everything in the true opinion of the people, and not simply
some politician. This branch really holds a lot of power!

The legislative branch has a lot of individual power as well as all of the power that they
hold over the Executive Branch. When the Representatives and Senators are elected, they enter
into a very important role in the country. The legislative branch is an invaluable part of the
United States’ government. They shape a lot of the structure of the country.

These branches keep each other in line, making sure that all power is equally shared, and
the people are being fairly treated. This is the better option to a dictatorship, where one party has
full command over the country, restricting its freedoms and hindering its citizens. Each Branch
has a set of very important jobs and powers, keeping the country safe and effective without
abusing its citizens.

There is a lot to be thankful for- and one major thing to appreciate would be the setup of
America’s government.

Works Cited

“The Judicial Branch.” The White House President Barack Obama,

obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/1600/judicial-branch.

NCC Staff. “Executive Orders 101: What are They and How Do Presidents Use Them?”

Constitution Daily, National Constitution Center, 23 Jan. 2017,

constitutioncenter.org/blog/executive-orders-101-what-are-they-and-how-do-presidents-

use-them/.

“War Powers Resolution of 1973.” Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National

Archives, 27 July 2021, www.nixonlibrary.gov/news/war-powers-resolution-1973.

Jacob B.

Textbooks or Tablets?

In today's school climate, it’s become quite easy to come upon people arguing about
whether a tablet or a textbook is superior to one another with arguments often bringing up the
same points over and over with many of these arguments stemming from the same basic ideas.

Now, there are many arguments against the tablet, and many of them can be considered
quite valid and are imperfections with the system. In fact, many of these arguments are enough
for people to immediately choose one side or the other when it comes to this question. For
instance, many of the arguments posed against are quite valid, and likely the most common
argument against them is the likelihood of the device being broken, which given the nature of
the devices could happen in many different ways. On the other side of the argument it is also
easy to find answers to this problem. For example, the easiest solution to a damaged device can
be solved with just a simple case and screen cover along with other simple yet effective
protective measures. This is important because it shows just how easily these seemingly fatal
problems to the idea are to fix to the degree that even the extra money spent on spare things for
the tablet would still add up to save money compared to textbooks. In the end, even with the
most valid arguments it’s hard to say that using a tablet is an inferior form of learning to a
textbook with so many easy solutions at hand.

Additionally, tablets make teacher and student communication easier. In fact, at a time
when students find themselves switching back and forth between in-person and online
instruction, tablets provide uniformity for instruction. As noted in “My eLearning World,”
tablets not only make communication between student and teacher or parent and teacher more
secure which reduces the possibility of hacking, they also make the information needed easier to
access (Winstead). This is important because imagine having to every few days switch from
distance learning to in-person. While a textbook could be quite jarring in this situation, a tablet
gives one simple and easy device to help through the transitioning class environments. In today's
school climate the choice has become to pick the tablet over the textbook.

Another reason textbooks can often be considered too much of a hassle even
when in a prime situation for them is how inconvenient they can be. In fact, textbooks can weigh
up to as much as five US pounds each. While it doesn't sound like much, that can end up leading
to a near 30-pound weight on someone’s shoulders for an entire day. For example, imagine
walking through school for an entire day having nearly 30 to 40 pounds of weight either in your
arms or on your shoulder. it would very quickly become uncomfortable. Now, for example, take
the other side of the coin where a tablet oftentimes weighs no more than four US pounds in a
full case, and it’s easy to see how much better one can be. This is important because many
schools across the US have been introducing no-backpack policies due to security risks, which
can lead to even more problems showing for people who use textbooks over tablets. All of this

can be boiled down to a point of personal comfort. No one would want to walk two miles with a
full bag. So, it’s easy to see a tablet can be superior.

With these points made, it’s easy to see that while yes, there are some valid arguments
against the device, overall, it is the next logical step forward in the modern school climate to
transition from textbooks to tablets.

Works Cited

“Should Tablets Replace Textbooks in K-12 Schools?” Everyday Advancement, 1 March 2014,
everydayadvancement.wordpress.com.

“Should Tablets Replace Textbooks in Schools?” Study Driver, StudyDriver.com,
studydriver.com/should-tablets-replace-textbooks-in-schools/.

Spencer, Kyle. “Will iPads Replace Textbooks in K-12 Classrooms?” Seeking Alpha. 1 Nov.
2012, seekingalpha.com/article/967921-will-ipads-replace-textbooks-in-kminus-12-
classrooms.

Caden G.

How to Have a Clean Room

Have you walked into your room, and it was a complete mess? Maybe you wondered
how you would take care of such a big mess? Everybody’s rooms get messy from time to time.
This can be a combination of dust, garbage, and items scattered around your room. With such a
mess, how should you clean your room?

What should you use to clean your room? In fact, there are many different things you can
use to clean your room. For example, you will need a multi-surface cleaner along with a cloth to
wipe things down. Also, you will need a Swiffer or vacuum to clean. This is important because
these will be what you need to use to clean your room. Using the correct supplies to clean your
room will get you a clean room.

Along with using the correct cleaning supplies what do you need to clean? In fact, there
will be multiple things that you will need to clean in your room. For example, if you have a
nightstand or table they should be dusted off. Also, your floor or carpet should be cleaned.
Finally, any weird objects like doorknobs or lamps should be wiped down. This is important
because we need to know what needs to be cleaned within the bedroom. This will guarantee us
that we didn’t miss anything and that our room is completely clean.

Making sure we clean everything in our room, we should also make sure to organize our
belongings and throw away any garbage that we may have. In fact, many people shove garbage
and junk underneath their bed ignoring it. For example, separating your clean clothes from your
dirty clothes along with throwing any garbage in the trash is what you need to do. If you have
books put them in a bookshelf or box instead of leaving them on the floor. This is important
because in order to have a clean room you need to throw away garbage and organize your
belongings. This will then ensure that your room is completely clean.

How should you clean your room? First, you learned what to use when you clean your
room. Second, was what needed to be cleaned in your room. Finally, third was how to organize
your belongings properly. Using these methods to clean your room, you will be successful in
having a neat place to work and sleep.

Owen H.

How to Properly Shoot a Three Pointer

A three pointer in basketball is a shot made from outside the last arch on a basketball
court and counts as three points. These shots can give a large advantage in a game as they give
more points to teams if they are successful. Although they are rewarding, three pointers are also
difficult to master and knock down consistently. It takes dedication, concentration, and
coordination to fully master three pointers.

The very first step to becoming a consistent three-point shooter is being able to easily
shoot close shots to the basket. After practicing so many close shots, three pointers will become
just as easy if you put in the practice. Your brain causes the build of muscle memory and
becomes used to the repetitive flow of shooting. After getting the stroke down, you’ll need to
perfect it to the point where it’s the same way every time you go up for a shot. Lastly, shoot
various range shots as it’ll give you a better idea on how to feel versus the range. Shooting is
like a staircase; each step leads to the goal in the end. Saying this, shooting closer will help you
shoot at a farther distance.

Second to shooting close shots comes knowing where to shoot three pointers on the
court, which is called IQ. The idea of IQ is to know how to be more effective on the court with
or without the ball. When you have IQ, you can open faster and have the best chance to shoot a
three pointer. Learning comes with experience, playing basketball games over and over will
implement IQ and movement skills to get open. Being corrected by a coach or constantly moving
around a court will attain a higher IQ level. Try running around the court like crazy to get a good
idea of what spots of the court are usually left open and where the best spots to shoot are.
Gaining IQ gains you points and more three pointers for your team. Knowing where to be on a
basketball is the second step to becoming an excellent three-point shooter.

Lastly, combining the stroke of your shot and your IQ is the final step. By then, the only
thing to accomplish is stretching out your range, which can be done easily with experience of
shooting three pointers over and over. First, use your IQ to get open, run around the court to get
to that open spot. Next, use your perfected stroke to knock down the shot you’ve been
practicing. Combining these two will destroy your opponents with three pointers. Overall, if
you can repeatedly make three pointers, you will be a lethal asset to your team and winning.
Combining the steps takes process but the reward is satisfying.

Three-point shooters have always become some of the greatest scorers and players in
basketball. Working hard on each step to becoming a great shooter takes time and dedication,
but when the work is finished, you’re rewarded with more points and respect as a whole new
player. Having good form and stroke leads your shot to be feathery smooth while IQ gets you
around the court for an open shot. These are both steps to the stairs that lead to the new level
you can attain in basketball.

Carine L.

Most likely if I told you I lived on the planet Antreean, you would not believe me. And
no, I do not have green hair and blue antennae. Those are the people who live on Venus.
Antreeans actually have cinnamon colored hair and pale white skin. And if I told you my name
was Ella Davis, you’d think I was crazy since aliens are supposed to have strange sounding
names. But you don’t need to know that aliens actually exist… so please ignore everything I just
said.

Let’s start this again. My name is Carine. I am 15 years old and in 9th grade. I am an
only child living with my parents, two ducks, and a bunny. Now let’s clear a few things up. I do
not actually live on the planet Antreean, nor do I believe aliens exist. However, I adore writing
fictional stories. I just basically stole one of my characters and stuck her up there. She’s glaring
at me now. I don’t think she liked that.

I also love crafting. Offer me basically any craft, and I’ll be happy, but generally, I
prefer paper crafting, making cards, decorating journals… anything to do with colored and
patterned paper, stickers, the colors blue and purple, and washi tape.

Other than writing fiction stories and crafting, I love to curl up with a book and read.
Don’t even ask me my favorite book because that is an utterly impossible question. I love
mysteries, adventure, and historical fiction and almost any other book that is in any genre. If you
asked me to list a few favorite books, I’d just list the first few that came to mind. The Freedom
Seekers…. The Viking Quest…. The Anne of Green Gables series…. The Green Ember series….
The Candymakers…. Mysterious Benedict Society…. Crimson Roses and anything else by Grace
Livingston Hill…. Oh yeah, and The Hobbit.

And that brings me to my favorite composition I wrote this year. I had a couple
favorites, but the one that stood out was my essay on J. R. R. Tolkien. Why? I loved having a
chance to read about the founder of modern fantasy and connect with one of the world’s greatest
writers. Reading about his personality made him real to me, learning about his unshakable faith
in God strengthened my own faith, and seeing his writing and languages enhanced my writing.
And yes, I know this was a really long introduction, but I hope you stuck with me. May God
bless you, dear friends.

“The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you,
He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”
Zephaniah 3:17

A Hobbit in the Making

The man sat hunched over his stacks of papers, the light slowly fading around him. The
sun let in a single stream of brilliance through the open window positioned directly above him. A
bunny hopped to a stop below his window and waited. Nearby a fox lay in wait, not for the
bunny, but for what was to come. Birds chirped quietly, as if afraid to disrupt the man’s train of
thought. He sat pondering over a single sentence. He picked up his pen and scrawled the words
over the sheet of paper again. The paper appeared muddled from the many versions of that
fateful sentence.

“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.”
J. R. R. Tolkien, or John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, was born on January 3rd, 1892, in Africa
to Arthur and Mabel Tolkien. When Tolkien was four years old, his father passed away, leaving
his mother to care for him and his younger brother. Tolkien spent the rest of his childhood in
England, learning from his mother. As an adult, Tolkien fought in World War One, losing some
of his closest friends along the way. After the war Tolkien married his teenage sweetheart, Edith.
Many years later, after becoming a schoolteacher, Tolkien penned the illustrious words, “In a
hole in the ground” on a student’s papers. And from there spiraled all the stories for which
Tolkien is so well known. J. R. R. Tolkien was a brilliant man whose faith and literary works
continue to influence the world today.
J. R. R. Tolkien once said, “Children are meant to grow up, and not to become Peter
Pans. Not to lose innocence and wonder, but to proceed on the appointed journey: that journey
upon which is certainly not better to travel hopefully than to arrive, though we must travel
hopefully if we are to arrive.” Tolkien lived this out to the fullest. His life certainly was not one
like Peter Pan’s; Tolkien experienced more than his fair share of grief and hardship. But through
it all he maintained the innocence and wonder of a child; even the little everyday things like trees
sparked his imagination and thankfulness. Everything which shaped Tolkien’s character deeply
influenced his writing, from his childhood, to World War One, and even to his family life. He

pulled on his experiences, the good and bad, to create the enduring fantasy stories the world
loves today.

From an early age, Tolkien showed extreme adeptness at subjects which would later play
a big role in his writing. In fact, Tolkien displayed amazing gifts for imagination, literature, and
languages. Tolkien read proficiently by four years old and was writing soon after. His brother,
Hilary, and he scampered about the countryside where they grew up utilizing their extensive
imagination. They nicknamed the mean neighbors “The Black Ogre” and “The White Ogre.”
Tolkien played in and around huge, majestic trees. At seven years old, Tolkien read a fairytale
with a dragon which sparked his interest in that subject. He penned a short story about a green
dragon. He did not write again for years. A long time later, the only thing Tolkien recalls about
that story is being told by his mother that one had to say “a great green dragon,” not “a green
great dragon.” He still wonders why this is true (Carpenter 30-31). At that age Tolkien was
already preparing for the amazing destiny which was to follow. Without the books, countryside,
trees, and dragons which flitted through his childhood, there is a large possibility that The Hobbit
and Lord of the Rings would have a drastically different feel to them. Tolkien also showed a
great aptitude for languages. During the family’s stay in the countryside, he took an interest to
the freight cars that steamed by his house. They were painted with strange foreign words like
Nantyglo and Tredegar. These words had a strange appeal to him and gave him his first taste of
Welsh. He picked up Latin and Greek from school and his mother. He did not like French as the
sounds were not satisfying to his ears. As he grew older, he made up his own languages. This is
significant because many of Tolkien’s made-up languages like Elvin and Dwarf strongly
resemble northern languages such as Welsh and Finnish. If Tolkien had not had a mother who
was interested in what he wanted to learn, little Tolkien would have been forced to learn piano
and mathematics, not his languages and botany. The schooling he received from his mother
ingrained a deep love for languages which had only before been a spark. This love or flame for
languages would never leave Tolkien, leading him to create his Elvin. Tolkien showed an
immense fondness for certain subjects such as literature and languages.

Building upon his childhood adventures, Tolkien’s experiences during World War One
subconsciously influenced some of his writing, not only from the things he experienced, but
because of all his free time during the war as well. Tolkien signed up to participate in the army
during the war. The concept of what he would experience never even crossed his mind. Three of
his schoolmates from high school also volunteered. For months, Tolkien struggled through the
dirty conditions and intense boredom. During this time, he began to feel that one of his made-up
languages needed a history. A language was not a language without people to speak it. So
Tolkien took some of his time to write out a poem about the history of the people who spoke his
invention: Elf-like people. A little later, he composed a poem for Edith, his wife, about spring,
summer, and elves which were some of her favorite things. But soon after these great works of
art were finished, Tolkien landed in the battlefield and experienced a horror he had never
conceived of before. Later in life he tried to block it out of his mind completely, but there is no
doubt that it influenced his writing. Soon after this, Tolkien got word that two of his high school

friends had been killed. One had died only hours after writing a letter to Tolkien. The friend
spoke of how he was exceedingly glad that he and Tolkien were still alive. At the end of the
letter, the friend stated, “May God bless you, my dear John Ronald, and may you say the things I
have tried to say long after I am not there to say them, if such be my lot” (Carpenter 94). It was a
fitting goodbye, but also a sad one. Tolkien experienced a great deal of loss and suffering during
World War One which influenced his future stories. Had he not gone through this, The Hobbit
and Lord of the Rings would not have had the same bittersweet parts of friends leaving friends
and dying in battles. Tolkien would not have been able to communicate the sorrow in the same
way if he had not experienced it himself. Tolkien may have tried to block the battles from his
mind, but memories of those times most certainly influenced his stories.

Additionally, Tolkien’s family life deeply influenced his writing. In fact, without his wife
and children, a lot of his writing would not have started. Tolkien met his future wife, Edith, when
he was sixteen. Despite the fact that she was almost three years older, they fell deeply in love.
When Tolkien’s guardian, Father Francis, found out about the relationship, he chastised young
Tolkien, cut the relationship to an end, and forbid Tolkien from speaking, seeing, or writing to
Edith until his twenty-first birthday. Three years seemed like an eternity to Tolkien and Edith,
but at the end of the three years, one day after his twenty-first birthday, Tolkien was beside Edith
again. Despite a somewhat bumpy relationship once reuniting, Tolkien’s affection for Edith
proved deep and true. When he traveled off for war, he wrote a story about a romance between
an elf and a man. Tolkien later stated that Edith was his inspiration for this story- his first real
story ever written. Once Tolkien and Edith had children, three boys and a girl, Tolkien took it
upon himself to entertain them. At Christmas every year he would write and illustrate creative
letters from Father Christmas to his children. He even went as far as tracking sooty footprints
throughout the house! Because Tolkien was a master at calligraphy and disguising his
handwriting, his children never realized their father was the one sending the letters. As they grew
older, the children slowly touched upon the knowledge of the truth; but the olders never spoiled
the tradition for the youngers. Many years later, Tolkien began to write what eventually morphed
into The Lord of the Rings as a Christmas present for his children. They would receive one
chapter a year, rereading old ones until the whole story was completed. If Tolkien had not carried
such love for his wife and children, he may never had begun writing. Edith inspired him and so
did his children. When asked for a sequel for The Hobbit, it was only natural that he would pull
from one of his family’s most precious memories: the Christmas present story. Deeply
influenced by his family, Tolkien used them as inspiration for the beginning of his tales.

From the time he entered the world, Tolkien was meant to be a spinner of tales. The
influence of Tolkien’s life most definitely shows up in his writing, whether he meant it to or not.
His life was bursting with untold tales and stories. Even when he was a child, Tolkien was
intensely interested in literature and languages. His experiences in World War One directly
corollate with how he wrote certain scenes in his stories or poems. Tolkien’s family life not only
affected his literature, but also inspired him to start writing The Lord of the Rings. “A story must
be told or there’ll be no story,” Tolkien wrote in a letter to his son Christopher, “yet it is the

untold stories that are the most moving.” Even if he did not mean it, everything in Tolkien’s life
profoundly influenced his works.

Life happenings were not the only thing that shaped Tolkien. His faith did too. Martin
Luther once stated that “Faith is a living, daring confidence in God’s grace, so sure and certain
that a man could stake his life on it a thousand times.” J. R. R. Tolkien lived this out. His faith
took a centerpiece in his life. He never doubted God and always placed his trust in Him. Anyone
who knew Tolkien also knew how important God was to him. Later in his life, he installed the
same love of God in his children. His faith spilled over into every aspect of his life. It popped in
and out of his books and poured into his words as he argued with his workmates. Tolkien’s faith
became extremely instrumental in forming a foundation which became part of his influence later
in life.

Tolkien’s faith held an important place in his everyday life. The importance of faith was
introduced to him by his mother and ended up being handed down to his children. When Tolkien
and his brother were young boys, their mother made sure to educate them on the basis of
Catholicism. They went to church every Sunday and, for a time, lived next to a church. After his
mother’s death, Tolkien and his brother were entrusted to the care of the church’s priest, Father
Francis. Years went by and Tolkien fell in love, marrying Edith. They argued bitterly over what
faith their family would practice, but Edith finally realized how important the faith was to
Tolkien and agreed to convert to Catholicism. They raised their children to be devote Catholics.
Their son John ended up becoming a priest. Tolkien’s friendship to C. S. Lewis was one of the
reasons he became a Christian. Tolkien’s faith shaped everything about his life. He was not
perfect, but he tried to be the best Catholic he could be. His faith even influenced his books,
seeping into every corner of them. Holding an important place in his life, Tolkien’s faith shaped
him into the man we now know.

Tolkien had a strong opinion on his faith. He often showed extreme opinions about
Catholicism and Christianity. In a letter to his son, Tolkien stated, “The only cure for sagging or
fainting faith is Communion. Though always Itself, perfect and complete and inviolate, the
Blessed Sacrament does not operate completely and once for all in any of us. Like the act of
Faith it must be continuous and grow by exercise. Frequency is of the highest effect. Seven times
a week is more nourishing than seven times at intervals.” This is only one of the examples of
how he liked to state his opinions. Faith was extremely important to Tolkien. Most likely this
love came into effect from the tender vigilance by his mother. If Tolkien had not shown such
love and opinion in his faith, debating it for hours with friends, many of the things now taken for
granted would not exist. Tolkien had indestructible opinions about his Catholicism.

Tolkien’s faith also greatly impacted his books. In fact, even though the books do not
display clear elements from Christianity, the aspects from it are woven throughout his stories.
None of Tolkien’s stories directly mention God or anything to do with him, but mentions are
made of greater forces at work. Even the themes and plot lines point towards Tolkien’s
Christianity and to God. Throughout the books, themes of Jesus Christ’s work are twined
between the actual storyline. Faith, grace, redemption, hope, mercy, and more all make their

appearances. Because Tolkien had a great belief in and love of Christ, shown by his Catholic
faith, there is no doubt that it has influenced his stories in a deep and effective way. While the
average reader may not be able to pick out the portions of the book which represent certain
Christian aspects, there are multiple books on the market which break down the important and
hidden aspects (Jim Ware’s Finding God in the Hobbit is a good example). Tolkien’s faith
deeply influenced his world, life, and marriage. There is no doubt that the aspects hidden in his
books have influenced the life of others. Tolkien may not have known how greatly his books
have affected some people. He did not set out to influence the world, only to write something
which he believed and wanted to share. His Catholic faith even impacted and wove its way
through his world of hobbits, elves, and dwarves.

As Tolkien grew up his mother made sure his faith was the cornerstone of his life.
Tolkien’s mother succeeded. Faith was an important part of Tolkien’s adult life. He made sure
his children grew up with the same love of God and helped his wife come around to it as well.
Tolkien also loved to debate his love of God and had strong opinions of it. Tolkien even wove
his faith through his stories. Even though it’s not crystal clear, faith is definitely there. “I have
held many things in my hands,” Martin Luther spoke, “and I have lost them all; but whatever I
have placed in God's hands, that I still possess.” This was true about Tolkien. One of the biggest
legacies he left behind was the foundation of his faith.

Tolkien’s life and faith contributed greatly to his literature. As he once declared, “All we
have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” Tolkien lived this statement out in
multiple ways. He chose to spend his time with his family and his writing. That statement also
spills over into his books. Many characters face the decision of “what shall I do?” In the end,
Tolkien’s work shows us the consequences or joys that come to individuals, depending on the
route of life they chose. His books have been in people’s top ten books in the world lists multiple
times. Tolkien’s books do not just give us a good read, but also show us truths of life and
humanity. He could not have done this if he had not had a personal relationship with God and
made that one of his most important life aspects. Because Tolkien chose to write his stories, he
impacted the world greatly with his writing.

Perhaps the biggest legacy and influence J. R. R. Tolkien left in this world was his
writing. Amazingly, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings are two of the most popular books in
the world. USA Today stated on The Hobbit’s 75th anniversary, “…The Hobbit has been
translated in to more than 50 languages and has sold 100 million copies worldwide.” On top of
that amazing record, when someone Googles the most-sold books of all time, the list may
surprise you. The Lord of the Rings is number three, with 150 million copies sold. A Tale of Two
Cities narrowly grabs second place. And to top off The Lord of the Rings’ stunning record, in a
1999 poll performed by Amazon.com, it was voted the greatest book of not only the century, but
of the millennium. When you think of all the millions of books in the world and all the different
genres from fantasy to horror to mystery, it is hard to believe that The Lord of the Rings could
possibly be voted “Book of the Century.” But that shows what a tremendous impact Tolkien’s

writing has on the world. Tolkien did not start out to write something that would be this great an
influence. He just wanted to make people happy.

As demonstrated in Tolkien’s literature, God gave Tolkien an immense fondness for
words of any kind, especially words of old languages. In fact, Tolkien loved words so much that
he went to college to have a linguistic career. He majored in the program that studied solely old
languages, such as languages from the Middle Ages. Nowadays, it is a subject which has died
out. No one hardly ever studies in that field any more. But Tolkien thrived on it. He could soak
up information about languages for hours. As a young teenager, he even taught himself some Old
Norse. He adored diving deeply into passages written in foreign languages and deciphering them.
He was fluent in Greek and Latin, along with a couple more languages and some of his own
invention. In his biography about Tolkien, Humphrey Carpenter states:

There was a custom at King Edward’s [school] of holding a debate entirely in Latin, but
that was almost too easy for Tolkien, and in one debate when taking the role of Greek
Ambassador to the Senate he spoke entirely in Greek. On another occasion he astonished
his schoolfellows when, in the character of a barbarian envoy, he broke into fluent
Gothic; and on a third occasion he spoke in Anglo-Saxon.
Tolkien did not just decide on a whim to create one of the most developed fictional languages in
any book. He actually had been developing his own languages based on his stunning ability to
decipher the hardest of forgotten languages for some time. If he had not had such a love for
foreign words, then Elvin would not exist. And neither would Dwarf. With help from his love for
words, Tolkien came up with many languages to further his books.
Also furthering his prose, Tolkien belonged to a writing group, the Inklings, which
became a lifelong passion. The Inklings, proved to be a wonderful help to him. In fact, he would
often take some of his writing to them for their opinions before he actually added it to his books.
There were multiple members in the Inklings, all of them writers as well: C. S. Lewis, Major
Warren Lewis, R. R. Havard, Owen Barfield, and Hugo Dyson. Later on Charles Williams joined
the group. Others came and went, bouncing in and out of the group with no regularity, but
Tolkien and Lewis were there every single meeting. The Inklings met on Tuesday mornings at a
pub and Thursday nights at Lewis’ sitting-room. There would always be a poem, story, or essay
to read by someone in the group. After the reading there would be praise and criticism followed
by a heated debate off some random topic. Tolkien adored these meetings, and they helped him
too. The meetings grew him as a writer and provided him with a lasting friendship in Lewis. His
fellow members in the Inklings were the best critics he could have had for his books. The Hobbit
made many special appearances during the meetings, not so much from the beginning, but in the
form of whatever Tolkien had recently written and wanted to share. Half the time the Inklings
had no idea at all what was going on in the story, but they still gave excellent advice which built
Tolkien’s writing up more and more. The Inklings grew Tolkien as a writer in many ways.
Tolkien loved his writing and threw his whole heart into his stories. God gave Tolkien the
gift of words and languages along with the powerful gift of spinning a tale which left readers in a
spell. He asked advice of those who knew him and could appreciate his stories. “The prime

motive was the desire of a tale-teller to try his hand at a really long story that would hold the
attention of readers, amuse them, delight them, and at times maybe excite them or deeply move
them,” Tolkien announced. What he did not realize was he had accomplished exactly that. He
had created a deeply moving story which has touched the hearts of thousands and is one of the
most favored books in the entire world.

J. R. R. Tolkien was a brilliant man. His writing and life influenced the world in a way he
would never have been able to conceive. He set the standards for modern fantasy books- a level
of enchantment that has never again been passed. People often talk of the geniuses of our world:
Einstein, Mozart, Bach, Shakespeare, Newton. Why not add Tolkien to that list? How often does
a person have the ability to fluently learn more than 5 languages- let alone more than 10. Yet
Tolkien mastered over 30. He created books which still last today; they have not faded into the
background of life. No, rather, they have taken a stand in modern literature as some of the most
popular books in the millennium. Tolkien created multiple entire languages with grammar,
spelling, their own scripts. Much of Tolkien’s life contributed to most of his wonder. He could
weave a story with every breath. It was part of him. It was him. It was an amazing gift God gave
Tolkien. And because of that, it is hard to find any author who could surpass the standards of
Tolkien- his love of God, the magic he wove into stories with a touch of his fingers, and his
books.

Tolkien was amazing; he did not take all the credit for that. He needed help from his
friends and knew that his gifting came from God. Part of what made him such a wonderful man
was his humility. It is hard to tell exactly what parts of his experiences of his childhood, WW1,
his faith, family, and the Inklings influenced his stories, but clearly, they had an extreme effect
on his writings. Tolkien gave the world a blessing which will live on for decades to come.

“Fantasy remains a human right: we make in our measure and in our derivative mode, because
we are made: and not only made, but made in the image and likeness of a Maker” (J. R. R.
Tolkien).

Works Cited

Carpenter, Humphrey. J. R. R. Tolkien: A Biography. William Morrow, 2000, pp. 30-31, 56.
Collier, Pieter. “Tolkien Biography.” TolkienLibrary, tolkienlibrary.com/abouttolkien.htm.
Curles, Patrick. “Tolkien’s Impact on Literature and Life.” PCA News,

www.leaderu.org/humanities/tolkiensimpact.html.
Gunner, Shaun. “Why is Tolkien so popular?” The Tolkien Society, Tolkien Society, 12 March

2017, www.tolkiensociety.org/blog/2017/03/why-is-tolkien-so-popular/.
Hammond, Wayne. “J. R. R. Tolkien.” Britannica, Britannica, www.britannica.com/biography/J-

R-R-Tolkien.
Martinez, Michael. “Where Did J. R. R. Tolkien Get His Inspiration?” Middle-Earth Blog,

Middle-earth & J.R.R. Tolkien Blog, middle-earth.xenite.org/where-did-j-r-r-tolkien-get-
his-inspiration/.
"Tolkien's 'Hobbit' Celebrates 75Th Anniversary." USATODAY, Gannett Satellite Information
Network, LLC., 20 Sept. 2012, www.usatoday.com/story/life/books/2012/09/20/hobbit-
tolkien-75-anniversary-corey- olsen/1576943/.
Cunningham, Genevieve. “Tolkien’s Advice on Keeping the Faith in Dark Times.” Good
Catholic, The Catholic Company, Magazine, 15 Nov. 2021,
www.goodcatholic.com/tolkien-advice-on-keeping-the-faith-in-dark-times/.

Rachel S.

Hello, I’m Rachel! I am 16 years old, and I am sophomore. I love to play piano, flute, and
piccolo. I play flute and piccolo in a few wind bands and in an orchestra. I enjoy writing music
on piano as well. In my free time and when I am not practicing, I love playing Guild Wars 2 and
listening to various kinds of music such as punk rock, hard rock, and metal. I also love snuggling
and spending time with my dog Zeke. My favorite composition that I wrote this year was the
super informative essay about the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic Periods. I especially
enjoyed creating this because I got to learn a lot about the music theory of those periods and a
few composers a part of them.

Music of the Ages
As you walk through a crowded room, you can faintly hear the sound of piano music.
While you listen to the elegant sounds coming from a nearby piano, you wonder, ‘What musical
period is it from?” The Baroque, Classical, or maybe even the Romantic Period? The period does
not matter since they all sound the same, right? While they do share some similarities, the
Baroque, Classical, and Romantic Periods, each separate and unique, contributed wonderful
music to the world.
Imagine a time of intellectual and musical advancement. These were some of the
characteristics common of the Baroque Period. Progressing from the highs of the Renaissance,
the Baroque Period utilized the ideas of its forefathers to construct a new era for ideas in history.
The Baroque Period particularly added new interpretations to music. A specific style of playing
was created during that time. A great gift of the Baroque Period was the composers, one of the
greatest being Johann Sebastian Bach. The musical structure was also different for that era.
Overall, the Baroque Period contributed unique playing styles, composers, and music structure to
the history of music.
The Baroque Period’s playing style exhibits on of its special traits. This specific style has
the ability to either bore or engage a listener. A common theme in Baroque works is its dramatic
feel. This dramatic feel can be obtained by adding separation between notes when it is
appropriate. For example, in Cello Suite VI: Courante by J. S. Bach, all eighth notes are played
short and separated from each other. The sixteenth note passages, however, should be performed
smoothly and connected. The first beat of each measure should also be slightly emphasized. The
importance of all of these stylistic changes is the emotion and feel it gives a listener. Because of
the separation and emphasis of the first beat, it gives a bouncy, dramatic, and exciting quality to
Baroque music. The Baroque music energetic style distinctly changed the history of music
forever.
The Baroque Period’s composers present another noteworthy aspect of that time. More
specifically, Johann Sebastian Bach majorly contributed to the musical works of the Baroque
Period. The main thing Bach gave to the music world was the sheer amount of music he
composed, which is estimated to be over 1,000 compositions. Another way Bach added to the
works of the Baroque Period was through his time in Leipzig. Robert Marshall informatively
explains:
As director of church music for the city of Leipzig, Bach had to supply performers for
four churches. At the Peterskirche the choir merely led the hymns. At the Neue Kirche,
Nikolaikirche, and Thomaskirche, part singing was required; but Bach himself conducted,
and his own church music was performed only at the last two.
Even though after his passing Bach’s work was not popular, in the nineteenth century many of
his pieces began to reestablish their weight in the music scene (Marshall). Because of his prolific
nature and his work as a church music director, Bach supplied many Baroque works to be
appreciated forever. Without a doubt, Bach has secured his place as an influential composer in
the history of the Baroque Period.

Similarly to the composers and style, the Baroque Period’s works present a particular
kind of musical structure making them special. Composers of this era began to build upon the
techniques of their predecessors and create new components. A wonderful tool utilized by
Baroque composers was contrast. Ben Dunnett from Music Theory Academy describes:

Baroque music is also characterised by an increased emphasis on contrast. This is heard
in a number of ways: loud and quiet dynamics (volume) – Baroque composers used
terraced dynamics – this is where the volume of the music changes abruptly rather than
through a gradual crescendo/diminuendo. You can often hear this effect between the
quieter solo and louder tutti sections of a concerto grosso.
Another trait specific to Baroque works are the keys in which they are written. Popular musical
keys implemented by composers of the Baroque Period were minor and major keys. The essence
of music from the Renaissance Period paved the way for Baroque composers, and the Baroque
period continues to influence modern music (Dunnett). Composers also implemented special
flourishes within their music. Ben Dunnett elegantly explains, “They used motifs (short melodic
phrases) that were repeated and developed and many of the melodies were decorated with
ornaments, such as trills.” The way Baroque composers involved contrast, flourishes, and major
and minors keys into their music was completely new for music of that time. It also created a
new frontier for future composers. The Baroque Period has made its unique musical structure a
steppingstone for all future composers.
The contributions of unique playing styles, composers, and music structures have
permanently improved the history of music. How has it improved the history of music, you
might wonder? One of the main ways the Baroque Period changed the future of music was the
manner it built upon the progress of its predecessors an addition being the emphasis on contrast
and use of dynamics. This allowed for more of an emotional response from a listener. It also
provided more steppingstones for future generations of composers.
A new age of sophistication and logic. A time of reason. This was the mood of the
Classical Period. The Classical Period was born from the inventions of the Baroque Period. The
interpretation and playing style of the music composed then adjusted to match the feeling of the
time. Because of the change in interpretation, this period also developed its own unique musical
structure. Furthermore, Mozart, who was a composer of that period, brought many new things to
the Classical Period. The style, composers, and musical structure of the Classical Period created
unique characteristics completely separate from other musical periods.
The specific playing style of the Classical Period sets it apart from the music from
previous periods. The style implemented into the music of that time was completely different
from past eras. The composers of the Classical Period began to use other musical tools to create a
feeling that is now associated with the Classical Period. Ben Dunnet states, “classical very much
conveys a sense of balance and ‘order.’ The French term ‘style galant’, [sic] literally meaning
‘elegant style’ or ‘light elegance’ is very helpful in understanding much of the Classical Period.”
What produces this balanced feel is space between notes and the observation of slurred passages,
which creates defined phrases. If music was words, phrases would be like sentences. Through

these defined phrases, a sense of balance can be felt. The elegance and order conveyed from
classical works also sets the Classical Period apart. The Classical Period will always be
remembered for its precise playing style.

Another important factor of the Classical Period is the composer. Wolfgang Amadeus
Mozart established his place as one of the most infamous from the Classical Period. From an
early age, Mozart excelled in anything related to music. It is said that he experimented playing
chords on a harpsichord at an early age of three years old and two years later began to compose
his own music. He was also taken to perform at the Bavarian court with his sister Nannerl before
he turned six years old (Sadie). Additionally, Mozart contributed to opera music. A well-known
opera work by Mozart is “The Marriage of Figaro.” His music also includes extremely emotional
works and ones that are challenging. Stanley Sadie writes:

At the time of his death Mozart was widely regarded not only as the greatest composer of
the time but also as a bold and “difficult” one; Don Giovanni especially was seen as
complex and dissonant, and his chamber music as calling for outstanding skill in its
interpreters.
Because of Mozart’s emotional work, it inspired future composers to incorporate more emotion
into their own music. The complexity and challenge of his music also teaches and helps new
musicians improve their abilities. Mozart stimulated a change in music in his time and continues
to influence modern-day composers.
Furthermore, the Classical Period utilized its own musical structure. With this musical
structure, it established the unique sound and characteristics of the time. The Classical era saw a
new way to incorporate a melody. “Classical music is typically constructed of a melody line with
a chord based [sic] accompaniment,” Ben Dunnett explains. One particular pattern called alberti
bass became popular in classical music. Alberti bass is a repeated pattern that is a chord, a
harmony constructed of multiple notes, broken apart to be used as an accompaniment aspect with
the melody. A new composition for an orchestra of great size called a symphony was created.
These symphonies provided a way for composers to convey their musical ideas and typically
contained four movements (Dunnett). The use of alberti bass as an accompaniment technique
contributes a balance in the sound of classical pieces. It continues to be used as an
accompaniment in music by many composers. The creation of symphonies also allowed a new
medium for future composers. The techniques formed in the Classical period continue to impact
the creativity of composers.
The Classical Period’s distinguished playing style, composers, and musical structure will
always hold its place in music. It remains a big part of music because of the new techniques and
styles developed during that period. One of the most important styles was the sense of order and
balance associated with the sound of classical music. Not only did Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
assist in implementing the feeling of balance, he also built upon the balanced feeling by adding
more emotion to his compositions. Overall, the Classical Period contributed wonderful new
advancements to the work of the Baroque Period while allowing future composers to be able to
further the progress of music history.

Joy. Depression. Love. Loss. What does it all sound like? The Romantic Period can
answer this question. The Romantic Period was different in many aspects from the characteristics
of the Classical Period. The playing style of the Romantic Period was one of the characteristics
that greatly differed from past periods. This change also applied to the structure of music that
was written. Ludwig van Beethoven, who was a prominent composer of the era, contributed to
the Romantic Period and inspired countless Romantic composers through his brilliant works. The
style, composers, and structure of Romantic music make the Romantic Period entirely distinct
from the other musical periods.

The Romantic Period created its own playing style. This playing style greatly differed in
technique from the playing styles of the previous music periods. The Romantic Period began to
value playing with emotion and expression as one the most important things in music. One
example of this expression is programme music. This was music constructed by a composer that
attempts to depict real things or concepts. It was not written with lyrics (Dunnett). Furthermore,
the Romantic period also began to incorporate more dynamics, which helped allow for more
emotion and expression to come from the piece of music. Dynamics that have much contrast
from each other are important because it adds depth to a piece and helps it not sound bland.
Emotional expression used in Romantic music is what separates this music period from its
predecessors. The passionate style will always set the Romantic Period apart as a special era of
music.

The composers of the Romantic Period are also a special part of the period. Ludwig van
Beethoven influenced the composition of music during that time. Beethoven was involved in
both the Classical and Romantic, but he was predominantly one of the composers who bridged
the gap between the two periods. Like many composers, Beethoven took influence from
composers before him. He mostly took inspiration from the Classical Period. Beethoven was one
of the first composers to display his outlook on life vibrantly through his compositions without
the help of lyrics (Knapp). Beethoven’s innovations to music helped guide future composers into
the creation of a new era, which became the Romantic Period. The more expressive nature of his
works inspired the characteristics that define the Romantic Period. Without Ludwig van
Beethoven, the Romantic Period would not be the same.

In addition to its other inventions, the Romantic Period has a unique musical structure. It
redefined the standards of past periods and shaped it to fit the needs of the Romantic Period.
When it comes to structure, this period carried a mindset of breaking away from the restrictions
and rules of the Classical Period. The music of that age began to become more intricate and
allowed for more interpretation and expression from the musicians performing the music.
Common ways this was used was through longer-lasting melodies, a much larger range in notes,
harmonic progressions that were becoming even more intricate than before, and the introduction
of rhapsodies, nocturnes, and song cycles (Dunnett). Through different harmonies many
emotions can be felt by a listener. The complex passages and highly developed melodies separate
the Romantic Period from the Baroque and Classical Periods. The main focus of those periods

was more simplistic instead of an expressive one to create an emotional response from a listener.
The Romantic Period will always be a unique turning point in music history.

The complete change in style, structure, and composers is what differentiates the
Romantic Period from all other musical periods in history. What helps make it extremely distinct
from other periods is its expressive style of playing. The expressive and emotional nature of the
pieces changed the path of music history from the constraints of past periods. A less restricted
interpretation of music has inspired future composers to be more creative with how they write
music. Without the advances in expression and interpretation of the Romantic Period, music
would not have gained a way to have a touching effect on listeners.

Because of their unique differences, the Baroque, Classical, and Romantic Periods gifted
countless brilliant works for the entire world to enjoy and cherish. Each period brought new
interpretations and ideas on music to build upon the work of previous periods. The Baroque
Period established the use of contrast, the Classical Period popularized a balanced, precise
playing style, and the Romantic Period introduced performing music with more emotion and
expression. The contributions from these music periods continue to inspire and influence
modern-day composers. Without the one-of-a-kind ideas from the Baroque, Classical, and
Romantic Periods the course of music history would have been permanently altered.

Works Cited
Dunnett, Ben. “Baroque Music – Music Theory Academy – Composers, Characteristics.” Music

Theory Academy, 19 Oct. 2020, www.musictheoryacademy.com/periods-of-
music/baroque-music/.

Dunnett, Ben. “Classical Music.” Music Theory Academy, 28 Sept. 2018,
www.musictheoryacademy.com/periods-of-music/classical-music/.

Dunnett, Ben. “Romantic Period Music.” Music Theory Academy, 24 Jan. 2019,
www.musictheoryacademy.com/periods-of-music/romantic-period-music/.

Knapp, Raymond L., and Julian Medforth Budden. “Ludwig Van Beethoven.” Encyclopædia
Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., www.britannica.com/biography/Ludwig-van-
Beethoven.

Marshall, Robert L.., and Walter Emery. “Johann Sebastian Bach.” Encyclopædia Britannica,
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., www.britannica.com/biography/Johann-Sebastian-Bach.

Sadie, Stanley. “Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia
Britannica, Inc., www.britannica.com/biography/Wolfgang-Amadeus-Mozart.



Advanced 3

Audrey H.

Hi, everyone! My name is Audrey, and I am a senior in high school. I have one younger
brother and a puppy named Maverick. When I am not doing schoolwork, I like reading fiction,
drawing, swimming, playing piano, cooking, babysitting, and hanging out with my friends. This
year, I especially enjoyed writing “Different Options for Life After High School” because it was
the most exciting paper to research, and I learned many interesting things while both researching
and writing.

Different Options for Life After High School

The day individuals graduate high school is a very monumental event in their life. They
have finally completed their secondary education journey, and they are now free to make their
own choices. However, the most important choice is what they are going to do next. This
decision can be overwhelming for many high school students, as they are presented with so many
different options all at once. This is nothing a little research cannot fix. Looking into the pros and
cons of different post-high school paths is often the best way to decide what to do. After high
school, individuals find several avenues available for their consideration, including a post-
secondary education, serving in the military, and profiting off of their talents.

One path after high school is enrolling in a four-year college or university. First, there is a
considerable difference between universities and colleges (Pratt-Kielley). A university is the
overarching school body while a college is a special sub-school, usually designated for specific
majors. For example, one might attend Harvard University, but specifically, one might be
enrolled in the Harvard Business School. In today’s culture, enrolling in a four-year college or
university is “one of the most popular post-high school plans” (“What Can I”). When most U.S.
residents think of life after high school, they think of a post-secondary education, and by far the
most common post-secondary education is going to college. It is so common that many people
are indirectly taught that they have no other option besides college. However, enrolling in a four-
year college or university is only one of the possible options for life after high school.

Attending a four-year college or university can be very valuable, which is partly why
many people choose to do so. In most cases, “[a college degree] still provides a better
opportunity for employment and higher income than not having a degree” (Anderberg).
Sometimes, one’s high school diploma is not enough to land a job. A college degree is very
useful for obtaining an interview and, if the interview goes well, getting hired. In addition, many
corporate jobs and companies require a relevant college degree. Another benefit of four-year
colleges and universities is that they offer diverse degree programs, which include bachelor’s,
master’s, and doctoral degree programs (Ageton). A bachelor’s degree is a standard college
degree since every university offers bachelor’s degree programs. Most people can manage just
fine with a bachelor’s degree. However, if individuals want a higher paying job, they have the
option of enrolling in a master’s or a doctoral degree program. A majority of college graduates
find their degrees very useful in the real world, and most people who have them are considered
important and valuable to employers and other people.

Even so, there are some difficulties that arise when considering attending a four-year
college or university. First, a recent study showed that “one in four college freshmen drop out in
that first year, and half of all college freshmen won’t ever earn a degree” (Anderberg). Many
students enroll in a college or university simple because that’s what they have assumed they
should do. More often than not, high-school graduates are unprepared for college life, and they
wind up wasting time and money if they are not ready. Also, a constantly rising tuition increases
the need for student loans, leaving more and more students stuck with immense debt after college

(Anderberg). When high-school graduates are not financially and emotionally prepared for
college, their choices can result in drastic consequences. A lack in financial resources coupled
with a lack in maturity can cause students to sign up for a variety of student loans. Consequently,
as tuition rises, since they are often devoid of economic wisdom, students graduate from college
and are immediately handed a massive burden of debt which some carry with them for the rest of
their lives. Thus, attending a four-year college or university can harm individuals if they have not
been sufficiently prepared for what life after high school entails.

Another possible direction after high school is to attend a two-year community college.
Since today’s culture indoctrinates young people with the importance of attending a four-year
college, many people skim over the idea of community college completely, not even realizing
that it is an option (Ly). The majority of high school graduates have already been taught from a
young age that they must attend a four-year college or university to succeed in life. While
attending a community college is another excellent option for life after high school, it is not as
popular as universities, so many graduates rarely even consider, let alone research, attending a
community college. Compared to four-year college or university, which offers bachelor’s,
master’s, and doctoral degrees, “2-year community colleges . . . offer associate degrees”
(Ageton). One reason why community colleges are not thought of as frequently is because
associate degrees are not very prestigious. An employer will most likely preference an employee
with a higher degree compared to an employee with an associate degree. However, associate
degrees are wonderful tools for transferring to a four-year college or university since half the
required credits are already present. Thus, although most people forget they exist, community
colleges are a great option for life after high school.

Two-year community colleges offer many benefits. First of all, students can save a lot of
money if they attend a community college, simply because tuition is a lot less expensive (“What
Should I”). University and college tuition is extremely pricy. Plus, it is constantly rising each
year. Thus, choosing to go to a community college spares individuals thousands of dollars, which
means that they have far less student debt. Also, the overall tuition at community colleges is
much cheaper, allowing students to learn the same material for less money. In addition to the fact
that tuition is less expensive, community colleges are generally smaller, allowing students to
receive more personalized instruction more frequently (Ly). Students can essentially learn more
than they would at a four-year college or university if they take advantage of the individual
attention they receive. In a smaller classroom setting, the professors have a better opportunity to
address each individual’s questions, guaranteeing each student their undivided attention at any
given point. Students simply have to recognize the benefits of attending community college and
make the most of them.

Even if students maximize the benefits of community college, there are still some
downsides to that path. Most community colleges do not prioritize campus life the way
traditional colleges do (Ly). While there might be a variety of clubs available to participate in,
students miss out on the customary notion of moving in, living in the dormitories, getting to
know their roommates, etc. This can be challenging for some students, especially if they choose

to transfer to a four-year college or university. All of their friends would have already adjusted to
campus life, while they are just getting started. Also, four-year colleges and universities tend to
hold a higher prestige on resumes than community colleges do (Ly). Although students might be
content with simply an associate degree, the majority of employers will not appreciate their
credibility as much as students with a higher degree. This can be an obstruction when searching
for a job, and it makes the process a lot more difficult. Choosing to attend a community college,
whether one transfers or not, can have some detriments.

An individual can also choose to attend a trade or vocational school. Trade schools are
typically biennial programs that provide an alternative to other academic degree programs
(Wintemute). Since trade school programs are shorter than four-year college or university
programs, individuals are given the benefit of starting their careers earlier than normal. This
allows students to find a job sooner than most other people, which can become a large advantage
in highly competitive fields. The purpose of most vocational schools is “to provide a directed
course of study that focuses on the training and skills students require for a specific job”
(Hansen). In this way, individuals focus only on the career that they plan to pursue, and they do
not have to worry about satisfying any other general education requirements, unlike four-year
colleges and universities. They can devote more time and energy to their desired field of study,
as they are not distracted by unnecessary coursework. Many individuals find trade school to be a
substantial alternative to four-year college and universities.

Individuals choose to attend trade schools mostly because of the various benefits
attending trade school presents. The Generally, students pay much less in tuition at vocational
schools than four-year institutions (Wintemute). This allows individuals to pursue a career they
are passionate about while still saving nearly half the expenses that college degrees require. They
can graduate from school with little to no debt, allowing them to save more money for future
uses. Also, vocational schools mainly focus on amply requested careers (Wintemute). The
curricula are centered on the trades that are currently in high demand, allowing new graduates to
put their skills into practice immediately. This approach also makes it easier for graduates to find
a job, since several companies are all looking for the same credentials. These benefits are very
influential for people who are considering trade school.

However, some of these benefits can actually become disadvantages that are worth
considering. Since trade schools focus on careers currently in high demand, “[w]hen trade school
classes graduate together, the job market can become flooded with similarly qualified people
pursuing jobs” (Indeed). While there are still a large number of companies looking for certain
credentials, when individuals and their classmates all graduate at the same time, there is an
overflow of workers and not enough spots to hire them all. This turns the workforce into a very
competitive field, which can complicate the job process for even the most skilled tradesmen.
Furthermore, although trade schools are meant to help one graduate faster, this entails a tighter
and fuller schedule (Indeed). Trade schools typically do not offer a lot of breaks, as holiday
breaks impede the graduation process. One has more work to complete in a shorter amount of

time, which can be a very stress-inducing issue for many students. While trade school has its
benefits, the shortcomings caused by this type of education cannot be overlooked.

Another possibility for post high school life is taking a gap year. A gap year is a year-
long break in between high school and college that is typically used to determine what you want
to study in college (“What Can I”). Taking a gap year is a great way to decompress after 12 long
years of school. If used correctly, it can help refresh a person’s brain, making it easier for one to
decide what they want to do for the rest of their life, whether they want to pursue an education or
a career or something else. Thus, “gap years can take many forms, and may involve participating
in an organized gap-year program, traveling independently, working as an intern or paid
employee, or volunteering” (Mulugeta). While the idea behind a gap year stays the same, there
are a variety of options for a gap year. However, the main goal of each possibility is to expose
individuals to different aspects of the world around them. Taking a gap year is an option that
many individuals pursue after they graduate high school.

Individuals who choose to immerse themselves in a gap year usually do so for its
benefits. First, gap years can be used to develop important or unique talents since one is free
from other time restrictions (Mulugeta). For example, if individuals are talented in a particular
musical instrument, or if they are intrigued by languages and love seeing new places, a gap year
would be the perfect opportunity to invest in those passions. Plus, depending on the skill,
individuals might have a greater likelihood of receiving a job offer from an intrigued employer.
Individuals also have an extra year to save their money for college or other pursuits afterwards
(“10 Pros”). Taking a gap year is a great way to learn how to work and earn money, as well as
how to save money for future use. When individuals have free time that they can use to learn
how to work, they will value their work much more. They will also feel calmer about their
finances if they have more money saved, which will help to boost their confidence and
independence. When taken advantage of properly, individuals can profit from a gap year in ways
that will aid them in their future pursuits.

However, gap years can be a detriment to an individual if they are not used wisely. If one
does not plan his or her gap year in advance, they are more susceptible to wasting time instead of
growing personally (Mulugeta). A gap year can be extremely beneficial if it is planned out in
advance. Otherwise, individuals simply squander 12 full months. They have gained nothing
valuable, and their educational motivation decreases, which makes transitioning into a post-
secondary education even more challenging. Also, taking a gap year “could result in you missing
out on an early start in your career” (“10 Pros”). Students who take a gap year start and end
college a year later than their peers, meaning that they enter the workforce a year later. This
delays the start of their career and the rest of their life, which can be an unfortunate setback for
some students. If individuals are not tactful in how they use their gap year, they could waste a
wonderful option for life after high school.

Joining the military is another common path after high school. There are six different
branches of the military, namely the Army, the Air Force, the Navy, the Marine Corps, the Coast
Guard, and the Space Force (“Join”). If one feels led to join the military, there are many options

to choose from depending on his or her interests and desires. However, all of them have the same
overall purpose, which is to serve and protect this country. Along the way, one obtains
invaluable skills that employers might want, including essential leadership skills (“8 Practical”).
Leadership is important in the work force, as it provides structure to the work environment and
helps organize group projects. In addition, future employers value potential employees with
strong leadership qualities. They also understand that serving one’s country is an honorable duty,
and they wish to respect an individual’s dedication to protecting freedom. Serving in the military
is an honorable calling, and many people choose it after high school.

Serving in the military can grant service men and women extraordinary benefits that
everyday citizens do not have. Throughout the decades, “the military has helped finance higher
education for countless service members” (V.). Whether one serves in the military first and then
goes to college, or whether one goes to college first and then serves in the military, the military is
more than willing to pay for an individual’s college as long as the individual completes the
mandatory service requirement. It takes the financial burden away from students, which frees
them from potential debt later in life. In addition, the income of a military personnel increases
proportionally to the amount of time one is enlisted plus the rank that one achieves (V.). In
essence, the longer people stay and serve the country, the more the military pays them, both as a
thank you and as a reward for their service. Thus, if individuals are willing and able, it would
behoove them to remain in the military as long as possible, allowing them to receive better pay
and retire with more benefits. The military has a great return on investment if one is willing to
join after high school.

However, enlisting the military is not entirely risk free. Most importantly, service men
and women are not allowed to back out once they have handed themselves over to the
government for service (“Disadvantages”). If individuals want to join the military, they must be
sure that that path is the right decision for them, for once individuals take the oath of service,
they immediately become the property of the government. They are not allowed to quit their
duty, and they must perform it to the very best of their ability. Also, simply being in the military
can lead to risky and hazardous situations (“Disadvantages”). Every mission that the military
sends people on is dangerous and life-threatening. In some instances, there is no guarantee that
one will return to his or her country alive and well. Each day, service men and women are asked
to risk their lives to save others, and at times the odds are very slim. Although joining the
military is a valiant occupation, it definitely comes with some hard decisions and some
threatening risks.

Lastly, one could decide to jump directly into a career after high school, which is
typically done by freelancing. Freelancing is when individuals use their unique capabilities to
create an income (“What Can I”). If one has a passion or a particular interest in life that does not
require any sort of post-secondary education, freelancing is an option to be considered. One can
profit off of his or her passion in ways that other people cannot. While freelancing is not for
everyone, it can be very valuable to some individuals (“14 Pros”). Some people might not find
freelancing as beneficial as others. Maybe they do not have a talent that can be used to make

money, or maybe they want to pursue a more in-depth career that requires a post-secondary
education. However, if individuals a valuable talent or passion that they love, freelancing is a
wonderful option.

Those who freelance do so because there are many benefits to starting a career directly
after high school. When one freelances, “you can control and choose your schedule” (“14 Pros”).
One can be as flexible with their time as they need to be, and as long as they satisfy their
customers in a timely manner, they can take as many breaks and vacations that they want. They
can set their weekly or daily work schedule, setting aside time blocks when they can be the most
productive. This makes time management much simpler, helping to satisfy each and every
customer promptly. Part of freelancing is also the flexibility to work from home, which is
timesaving and inexpensive (“14 Pros”). One does not have to waste time driving to an office,
setting up, tearing down, walking to meetings, etc. One can simply work from home, or one can
work from somewhere else, such as a park or a rec center or even another country. In most cases,
freelancers do not have to be in a specific location to get their job done. They just have to get it
done. Those who choose to freelance enjoy these benefits as part of their daily career.

Nevertheless, even freelancing has some setbacks involved. When one freelances, there
are no pre-included benefits (“14 Pros”). Usually, when employees work for a company, they are
provided with benefits such as insurance, medical care, etc. The more time they spend working
for a company, the more benefits that they receive. However, since freelancers work for no one
but themselves, they have to find their own insurance. They do not have anyone to provide for
their health, dental, or life insurance, which are benefits typical employees receive. Also,
freelancers still need to pay taxes, which can become quite cumbersome (“14 Pros”). Regular
employees have their taxes pre-deducted from their paycheck, which makes it easier to pay taxes
every month. However, freelancers do not make a set income every month. Some weeks might
be filled with customers seeking service while other weeks see no requests at all. This can make
taxes very challenging, and freelancers need to keep track of their income with intense precision.
Thus, even the benefits of freelancing come with disadvantages.

Analyzing the pros and cons of either a post-secondary education, serving in the military,
or finding a career is an important aspect of choosing one’s path after high school. While there
are many different options, each individual must follow the path that he or she finds the most
fulfilling. Every person has different talents and strengths, so one must choose accordingly. As
long as students are satisfied with the path they’ve chosen after high school, they have no reason
to fear what lies ahead. Life is a journey to be enjoyed, and after high school is the perfect time
to do it.

Works Cited

“8 Practical College Alternatives.” OnPoint, NCUA, 11 Mar. 2021, www.onpointcu.com/blog/8-
practical-college-alternatives/.

“10 Pros and Cons of Taking a Gap Year – the Scholarship Hub.” The Scholarship Hub, The
Scholarship Hub, 14 Feb. 2018, www.thescholarshiphub.org.uk/pros-and-cons-of-a-gap-
year/.

“14 Pros and Cons of Freelancing vs. Working Full-Time.” @Halfhalftravel, @halfhalftravel, 3
Jan. 2021, www.halfhalftravel.com/freelance/pros-and-cons-freelancing.html.

Ageton, Kristin. “Should I Go to a 2-Year or 4-Year College?” Education Quest Foundation,
Education Quest, 10 July 2017, www.educationquest.org/blog/go-2-year-4-year-college/.

Anderberg, Jere. “Is College for Everyone? Part II: The Pros and Cons of Attending a 4-Year
College.” The Art of Manliness, The Art of Manliness, 24 Mar. 2014,
www.artofmanliness.com/career-wealth/career/is-college-for-everyone-part-ii-the-pros-
and-cons-of-attending-a-4-year-college/.

“Disadvantages of Joining the Military.” Empire Resume, Empire Resume Career Services, 22
Apr. 2021, empireresume.com/whats-the-disadvantages-of-going-into-the-military/.

Hansen, Randall. “Another Option after High School: Trade/Vocational Schools.” LiveCareer,
Bold Limited, www.livecareer.com/resources/careers/recent-grads/vocational-school.

Indeed Editorial Team. “5 Types of Academic Degrees: Which Is Right for You? | Indeed.com.”
Indeed Career Guide, Indeed, 11 Feb. 2021, www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-
development/types-of-academic-degrees.

“Join the Military | USAGov.” Usa.gov, 28 Oct. 2021, www.usa.gov/join-military.
Ly, Jennifer. “Community College after High School.” Ascent, Ascent Skills Funding, 20 Dec.

2021, www.ascentfunding.com/blog/community-college-high-school-pros-cons/.
Mulugeta, Mikael. “Should You Take a Gap Year? | BestColleges.” BestColleges.com, Red

Ventures Company, 21 Feb. 2020, www.bestcolleges.com/blog/what-is-a-gap-year/.
Pratt-Kielley, Esta. “Guide to Education after High School: Here’s What You Need to Know.”

TODAY, NBC Universal, 1 Feb. 2020, www.today.com/parenting-guides/guide-
continuing-education-after-high-school-t179309.
V., Rob. “10 Benefits of Joining the Military after High School in 2020.” OMK ,
www.OperationMilitaryKids.org, 5 Aug. 2020, www.operationmilitarykids.org/benefits-
of-joining-the-military-after-high-school/.
“What Can I Do after High School?” Tallo, Tallo, 10 Aug. 2020, tallo.com/blog/what-to-do-
after-high-school/.
“What Should I Do after High School?” St. Jude Together, St. Jude’s Research Hospital, Aug.
2020, together.stjude.org/en-us/teensand20s/adulting-with-cancer/life-after-high-
school.html.
Wintemute, Doug. “7 Benefits of Attending Trade School | BestColleges.” Best Colleges, Red
Ventures Company, 7 Sept. 2021, www.bestcolleges.com/resources/career-training/7-
benefits-trade-school/.

Titus S.

Protecting NASCAR Drivers:
A Study Regarding Safety Improvements

Advanced 3
Titus J. S.

Abstract

The famous race car driver, Dale Earnhardt, died in a race in 2001 at the Daytona
International Speedway. Fans watching were caught off-guard and horrified. Dale Earnhardt was
well-loved by NASCAR fans, and his death prompted NASCAR to implement several new
safety features to prevent a tragic accident like that from ever happening again. NASCAR’s new
safety features on the racetrack itself included road sweepers, SAFER barriers, and restrictor
plates. On pit road, new safety measures included installing sand barrels and setting speed limits
as well as new rules to protect the pit crew. Roof flaps, roll cages and the Earnhardt Bar and
Newman Bar were installed on the vehicles to protect the driver during a wreck. NASCAR also
provided drivers with the HANS device and fire-retardant suits. Through these improvements,
NASCAR racing has become safer for the drivers, pit crews, and fans.

Protecting NASCAR Drivers: A Study Regarding Safety Improvements

The National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing, also known as NASCAR, has
entertained hundreds of thousands of Americans since its founding in 1948. During a NASCAR
event, stock cars race on a paved, generally oval track. A stock car used to be a car that had not
been changed since it was manufactured in the factory. However, today’s cars are modified to
reach higher speeds. Because of its pure excitement and suspense, people flock to attend these
races. Unfortunately, NASCAR racing has not always thrilled its fans or protected its drivers. In
2001, famous race car driver Dale Earnhardt died in a tragic accident at the Daytona
International Speedway. The racing world was stunned and heartbroken at the loss. In response
to the tragedy, NASCAR made safety their top priority and began implementing safety measures
that would protect drivers during a race. Although the loss of Dale Earnhardt was devastating,
his death prompted NASCAR to make racing a safer sport for all involved.

Dale Earnhardt was a NASCAR legend. Both in North Carolina on April 29, 1951, he
was the son of Ralph Earnhardt, another successful race car driver. Early on, Dale Earnhardt
developed a love for cars. After dropping out of school, Earnhardt worked to begin his own
racing career. He caught the attention of Rod Osterlund, a racing sponsor in California, and
signed his first full-time Winston Cup contract. In 1979, Earnhardt won in NASCAR (National
Association for Stock Car Racing). Earnhardt became a very successful race car driver. He
earned the name “Ironhead” and “Intimidator” for his aggressive driving. In 1990, he won his
fourth Winston Cup championship and broke several records (Daly, n.d.; Biography.com Editors,
2016) With Earnhardt’s wins, his fame grew. Earnhardt continued to be successful in his racing
career.

Sadly, Earnhardt’s career came to a sudden end. At Daytona International Speedway on
February 18, 2001, Earnhardt’s son, Dale Jr. and his teammate, Michael Waltrip, were in the
lead. Dale Earnhardt was behind them both, blocking other cars from passing to give the win to
his son and teammate. On the final lap, Earnhardt was pushed from behind and sent flying into a
wall. The impact of the hit killed Earnhardt. Earnhardt’s death that day stunned other racers and
fans. Since his death, however, NASCAR began to implement safety features to help ensure the
safety of its drivers (Daly, n.d.a.; Why NASCAR).

Each race includes several different elements - the racetrack, the race car, the driver, the
driver’s crew, and the fans. While speed creates the thrill everyone enjoys, along with it comes
certain dangers. Therefore, consideration needed to be taken into account for each aspect of the
race. Since Earnhardt’s fatal crash, many innovative solutions have made a significant difference
in the safety of the sport. These improvements protect everyone involved.

Oil spills and liquids on the track are a great danger to drivers on the track. Because
NASCAR’s tires are slick and have no grooves, liquids on the track can cause drivers to slide out
of control. Jeff Miles, a manager for the Key Equipment & Supply Company in Kansas City and
a former race car driver, had a desire to help NASCAR regarding spills on the track. In 2001, the
year Dale Earnhardt died, Miles designed a road sweeper that could handle the banked turns of

the racetrack and clean liquid while minimizing the amount of dust that became airborne (Ross,
n.d.; Sweeping, 2016). Miles’s racing knowledge and experience served as an advantage to him
when building his street sweeper. He understood the severity that fluid spills and rain could have
on the racetrack and wanted to provide a solution. He said:

In terms of the NASCAR program,…[i]t all started by tying together my passion of
racing and my experience of bringing sweeping solutions to municipal agencies, state
agencies and Turnpikes at Key Equipment & Supply Co. When they decided to build the
Kansas Speedway back in 1999 in Kansas City, . . . I knew [I] wanted to supply the new
track with a street sweeper that would be very valuable to them. (Qtd In. Ross, n.d.)
Miles was passionate about not only protecting the drivers on the racetrack, but also protecting
the fans. Dust from the track that became airborne could be harmful to the fans watching. After
the sweeper appeared on the Kansas Speedway, other NASCAR tracks, such as the Daytona
International Speedway, began accepting Miles’s sweeper. Through the use of Mile’s sweeper,
liquid spills and other debris on the track could be speedily eliminated, and drivers and fans
could be less concerned about safety and better enjoy the race.
The sweeper was one step in improving racetrack safety, but another issue needed to be
addressed. To contain racing vehicles to the track, concrete walls were placed around its exterior
and interior sides. While this helped keep cars where they belonged, it did present a different
problem. Several drivers before Dale Earnhardt’s crash had died from the impact of hitting
cement barriers during a race (Daly, n.d.a.). NASCAR didn’t want any more deaths to occur on
the track. To lower the risk of death from hitting a cement wall, NASCAR began working to
provide drivers with new barriers. In 2002, NASCAR built the SAFER barriers, Steel and Foam
Energy Reducing, to help soften the impact from a crash. According to Diandra, “When a car
hits the SAFER barrier, its kinetic energy is used to move the massive steel wall and crush the
foam wedges” (Diandra, 2020,). These SAFER barriers protect the driver from having a hard
impact in a wreck. The foam cushions the car when it hits the barriers, therefore protecting the
driver. Since these new SAFER barriers were built, no drivers have died from contact with the
barrier of the track. NASCAR’s new SAFER barriers have proven to be a huge improvement in
the NASCAR races.
Another danger NASCAR wanted to mitigate was the potential for race cars to become
airborne during a wreck. In a wreck at the Talladega Superspeedway in 1987, Bobby Allison’s
car became airborne and almost jumped the catchfence, (Nichol, 2021). Had Allison’s race car
jumped the fence, many fans watching would have been injured. NASCAR realized they needed
to slow cars down to protect fans. To slow the cars down, NASCAR mandated restrictor plates.
Restrictor plates sit between the carburetor and the engine and restrict the amount of air flow that
goes into the engine (Diandra, 2020). When the air flow to the engine is restricted, combustion
speed lowers, slowing the car down. When a race car gets in a wreck at a lower speed, the car
will have less air moving underneath the car, making the vehicle less likely to become airborne.
Because the Talladega Superspeedway and Daytona International Speedway tracks are very
similar to each other, NASCAR mandated restrictor plates at both racetracks. (Diandra, 2020).

By keeping the race cars from exceeding certain speeds, they are less likely to jump the
catchfence during a crash.

Pit road is another dangerous aspect of the racetrack. Pit road is a road the race cars can
merge onto from the racetrack to get the necessary repairs needed. When race cars merge from
the racetrack onto pit road, accidents can occur. An accident on pit road could be dangerous to
the driver and even other pit crew members nearby (Diandra. 2022). NASCAR couldn’t install
SAFER barriers on pit road because an opening for vehicles to enter pit road was needed.
SAFER barriers are designed to spread out the force of an impact over a longer time and a bigger
area. Instead of using SAFER barriers, NASCAR installed plastic barrels full of sand to protect
the drivers from the cement barriers. (Diandra. 2022). This method has already proven to work.
Dalton, a journalist who covers news on NASCAR as well as other sports, said, “Tyler Reddick
(a race car driver) . . . slammed into the safety barrels at the entrance to pit road” (Dalton, 2021).
Although sand barrels may not seem the safest option, it did protect Reddick from the cement
barriers at the entrance of pit road. The sand barrels were softer for Reddick to hit than the
cement barriers. NASCAR needed the installation of the barrels of sand to protect the drivers.

Drivers driving down pit road are in a hurry to get the necessary repairs made and get
back onto the track. However, when the race cars are coming on pit road as fast as they were on
the track, the pit crew member’s job becomes very dangerous. In 1990, a pit crewman died in a
pit road crash (Dutton, 2017, May). After the accident, NASCAR understood that they needed to
established rules to protect the pit crew members. In 1991, NASCAR implemented a pit road
speed limit. They wanted to protect the pit crew members and make their job safer. Today, the
pit road speed limit ranges from 30 miles per hour to 55 miles per hour (NASCAR tracks).
Because each track and pit road are different, a different speed limit is needed. If a pit crew
member happened to step out into pit road, driving at a slower speed makes it easier for the
driver of the race car to slow down and avoid hitting the pit crew. Although slowing down on pit
road may hinder drivers in their race, it is more important to NASCAR that everyone is safe.

Occasionally, when the pit crew is fixing a car, parts can roll out onto the pit road. The
pit crew members are trained to repair the vehicle as quickly as possible. However, tires and
other parts can sometimes slip away from the crew. In the NASCAR rule book, a rule addresses
an uncontrolled tire. According to Farris:

The new language specifies that tires will be considered under control if:
• Tire(s) do not roll into traffic lanes of pit road;
• Removed tire(s) are handled in a safe manner, avoiding instances of bouncing or

throwing tires. (2019)

The NASCAR tire weighs more than a typical tire, making it more dangerous to racers if it were
to roll onto pit road. To further prompt the pit crew members to follow the new rule, penalties are
given to the team who loses control of a tire (Chrunik, 2019). This pressures the pit crew to act
carefully when changing tire. When the pit crew works to ensure their tires don’t become out of
control, the chances lower for tires rolling away and causing interference with drivers. By

enforcing safety rules on pit road, pit crew members are pressured to act cautiously when
changing tires.

A wreck during a NASCAR race is more dangerous than typical accidents because the
race cars are going at higher speeds. According to Diandra:

The problem starts when a car turns sideways because a sideways racecar looks a little
like a wing. Air flows easily over the roof of a sideways racecar. It stays attached to the
car’s surface for a long time and that creates a low pressure region on the top of the car.
A little air gets under the car and all of a sudden, the car is [sent] flying. (2013)
NASCAR cars flying in the air can be extremely dangerous to other racers and to the driver
himself. NASCAR wanted a way to slow down vehicles to keep them from spinning out of
control and becoming airborne. According to Car Throttle, an online community for car
enthusiasts, “[r]oof flaps are two plates located on the roof . . . and are deployed as the car is
either sideways or going backwards at high speeds” (2016). Roof flaps have proven themselves
to be effective. Although some cars still become airborne on the track, roof flaps are successful
at lowering the pressure above the vehicle when it spins out of control. This protects the drivers
from becoming airborne. Slowing the NASCAR race cars down during a wreck makes the wreck
less violent.
The NASCAR roll cage is one of the most important aspects to safety. Many racers have
experienced a crash that caused their car to roll over, including Ryan Newman, who had two
rollovers in a year. (Lane, 2020). During a crash, cars can become airborne, roll over, and hit
other cars. This can be dangerous to the driver and other drivers around. The race cars are
usually driving at one hundred or more miles per hour. Having a vehicle flipped upside down is
dangerous to the drivers on the track. To protect the driver from being injured from other cars,
roll cages are built. The roll cage serves as the skeleton of the car. It keeps shape of the vehicle
during a crash. According to Diandra, “The strongest tubes in the chassis are closest to the
driver, allowing the parts of the car furthest away to crush first” (Diandra, 2020). With this
design, the weaker metal will crush, slowing down the oncoming car. If the oncoming car
continues to have enough speed, the stronger tubes come into play and work to keep the vehicle
and other objects from crushing the driver. A roll cage helps protect the driver in either a roll
over or a crash.
The Newman Bar and the Earnhardt Bar have also become very important additions to
the safety of the race car. During a crash at Talladega, the nose of another car crashed through
Earnhardt’s windscreen and broke his sternum (Diandra, 2020). To prevent this from happening
again, the Earnhardt Bar was mandated. The Earnhardt Bar is attached to the roll cage. It works
by preventing cars or large debris from hitting and injuring the driver. In 2013, the Newman Bar
was also mandated after Ryan Newman became airborne more than once in a year (Diandra,
2020,). The Newman Bar was designed to give the roof extra reinforcement and protect drivers
when they flipped on the track. It is attached to the roll cage to keep the vehicle from crushing in
on itself in a rollover. This protects the driver from being crushed in an accident. Later in a 2020
crash at Daytona International Speedway, Ryan Newman, again, flipped but thanks to the

Newman Bar, Newman’s life was saved during the crash (Lane, 2020). The Earnhardt Bar and
the Newman Bar are important aspects to safety for the NASCAR drivers and have proven
themselves to be beneficial.

NASCAR also mandated other important safety devices for each driver. The HANS
(head and neck support) device is one of the many safety devices drivers wear. Before the HANS
device was mandated, nine drivers had died from basilar skull fractures (Roy, n.d.b.). This
serious injury caught the attention of NASCAR officials. After several drivers and Dale
Earnhardt died, the HANS device became required for drivers to wear during a race. The HANS
device connects to the driver’s helmet and is designed to reduce the dangerous effects that may
occur from violent collisions (Roy. n.d.b.). According to Don Sherman, writer for Car and
Driver, “The HANS device assures that the driver’s helmeted head moves with his torso so
vulnerable neck and skull bones aren’t overloaded” (2012). After the HANS device was
implemented, no skull fractures have occurred. Drivers wearing a HANS device will have
significantly lower chances of skull fractures during a race. Prior to the HANS device, skull
fractures were common if a driver hit the cement barriers. This safety improvement has
significantly benefited the NASCAR industry.

Besides the HANS device, the flameproof suits are another safety feature required for
drivers to wear. POWER’s news and technology website explains that, “When exposed to fire or
an explosion, a lot of fabrics will ignite and continue to burn. . . . This can cause significant
injuries as textile fires often burn longer and result in more damage than the initial incident”
(2021). In a severe crash, racecars can have gas leaks causing the car to catch on fire. This is a
dangerous situation for drivers. To protect NASCAR drivers, NASCAR mandated drivers to
wear a flameproof suit. The flameproof suits are made of either Proban or Nomex. Proban and
Nomex are both fire retardant and line the driver’s helmet, suit, gloves, socks, and shoes (Bonsor
& Nice, n.d.). By lining the driver’s clothes with this fabric, a barrier is formed which keeps
flames from reaching the driver’s skin. The flameproof suit gives drivers more opportunity to
extinguish flames on their body before any damage is done. Therefore, drivers wearing a
flameproof suit have lower chances of being burned in a fire. This makes racing safer and even
more enjoyable for the drivers and fans watching.

NASCAR’s safety features have protected the drivers, their crews, and their fans
immensely. A safer track, a stronger car, and safer equipment for the driver all play a role in
keeping the driver safe. NASCAR took every precaution to protect the drivers and the fans
watching. Although the death of Dale Earnhardt stunned every NASCAR fan, NASCAR has
since then made it their top priority to protect each driver. Since Dale Earnhardt, no other drivers
have been killed during a NASCAR race (Roy, n.d.a.). NASCAR’s safety improvements have
been successful in keeping drivers safe. Drivers in the future will benefit from these safety
improvements. Drivers can be less concerned about safety, and more concerned about winning
the race. As a result, the fans watching will have a better experience as well as the drivers in the
race.

References
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Retrieved from https://www.biography.com/athlete/dale-earnhardt
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safety.htm
Chrunik, C. (2019, December). 15 rules every NASCAR employee has to follow. Hotcars.
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Dalton, K. (2021, December). NASCAR next gen testing includes tyler reddick violently
slamming into pit road barrier and massive explosion of sand-filled barrels.
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Diandra, P. (2020, August). Nascar: the science of racing safely. Phisicsworld.
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Dutton, M. (2017, May). 7 changes nascar has made to make the sport safer. B-R. Retrieved
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Farris, A. (2019, July). NASCAR redefines uncontrolled tire penalties. Asher’s Racing Channel.