KASSANDRA MENDOZA - Snapshot Autobiography Project Final Draft - Step 1 Goo - 6278251

My lIfe

By Kassandra Mendoza

School Lockdown

One day at school, we were gettIng seated after recess to start doIng math
when suddenly we saw students and staff runnIng to theIr classes. My
teacher peaked out the door to see If anyone can explaIn what was
happenIng. One teacher stopped to explaIn that there was a shooter a few
blocks away and that the school was goIng to go on lockdown. A few mInutes
later after everyone got Into class the announcement went out that the
entIre school was goIng Into lockdown. LuckIly our class was connected to
the next door teacher and we opened the door so that there was more room.
Eventually people needed to use the bathroom so everyone moved to our
class and got In lIne to use next door as a bathroom. Around 2 hours passed
and everyone was scared and It was already lunch tIme so people shared

theIr homemade lunch wIth students who dIdn't brIng lunch. Everyone was so
bored beIng In th class for over 4 hours already. The school called our
parents to notIfy them not to come to pIck up the students. It was already 3
pm and we were stIll In class but the teacher put on movIes and played
games so we weren't as bored. Around 4 the school made calls to get school
busses and drop us off somewhere else. A few mInutes later we had polIce
come to our classrooms and walk us to the front gate Into our busses. We
were all safely dropped off at Stephen M WhIte and were pIcked up by our
parents around 5pm. ThIs was a scary experIence.



The AIrplane

It was 11 pm and I had just arrIved at the aIrport. I was goIng to Cancun for
the very fIrst tIme wIth my famIly. I was very excIted. I told myself I wasn't
goIng to fall asleep on the plane so I bought a coffee to stay awake. As I
waIted for the plane to arrIve I was talkIng to my cousIns so I wouldn't be
bored whIle I waIt. FInally the plane arrIves and I get my tIcket and passport
ready ad make It through. I get seated on the plane and lIsten to the
announcements. After a few mInutes we start to head Into the aIr. I waIted
for the food cart to arrIve and bought snacks. After around a hour of beIng
on the plane I was already tIred and was holdIng back the urge to sleep. A
few mInutes later I end up fallIng asleep for lIke 2 hours. I fall asleep agaIn

and we were almost there. Around a hour later I started lookIng out the
wIndow to see a bunch of tropIcal plants as we landed. We fInally got off the
plane and started grabbIng our suItcases. We headed out of the aIrport and
waIted for our taxI to take us to our hotel. OutsIde was raInIng but It was
stIll a warm temperature. After we got Into the car I was lookIng around and
saw the ocean, It was a lIght blue to dark blue gradIent.



The road trIp

I had woken up at 2:40 am, I was In the lIvIng room wIth my suItcase ready. I
was waItIng for my cousIns and theIr parents to arrIve to my house so we
can all get Into a rented van and leave towards Puerto Peñasco. After a who
they fInally arrIved and we all put our thIngs Into the car and started
headIng south towards MexIco. I wasn't tIred and neIther was my cousIn who
was sIttIng next to me so we were up the rest of the mornIng. Around 5 am
we made It to a Mcdonalds where we met more famIly members who were
also goIng wIth us but In a dIfferent van. We got some food and went to the
bathroom then headed back on the road. Over the next 2 hours stIll drIvIng
we ended up In ArIzona because we had to go through a dIfferent sIde of the
border sInce the normal route ws beIng closed the nIght before.

FInally after around 30 mInutes of beIng In arIzona and 4 hours of beIng on
the road we fInally crossed the border Into mexIco and were stIll pretty far
from our destInatIon so I ended up fallIng asleep. After takIng a 2 hour nap
I woke up And we were stIll 3 hours away so I just was talkIng to my cousIns
and y cousIn In front of me put on a mInI play to entertaIn us and we were
all laughIng In the back of the van for around an hour. We ended up gettIng
Into ruble sInce we were beIng to loud but It was funny. We stopped at
multIple places for gas and got off to stretch. It started to get pretty
borIng so I just was lookIng out the wIndow and I saw fIelds and anImals.
FInally we ended up In a cIty near by and went to a restaurant to eat. After
the restaurant we headed to the resort. As we got off the car It was hot
outsIde so I stayed In

The shade watchIng everyone take down theIr luggage. We got Into the
resort and got our room number. When I fIrst walked Into the room I
thought It was goIng to be a average hotel room but as I walked In It ended
up beIng a suIte wIth around 4 rooms and a kItchen and lIvIng room. I was so
surprIsed and excIted to stay there.



FIrst day of mIddle school

I had woken up to my o tellIng me to get ready for my fIrst day of mIddle
school I was scared sInce It was the fIrst day at a new school. I got ready,
ate breakfast, and put my thIngs Into my backpack then left my house. I got
to school and walked to the front. I looked around and saw papers wIth my
grade level so I walked up to the papers and looked for my name. I found my
name and walked around to look for my homeroom. As I entered the class I
looked around for avaIlable seats, I found one In front of my frIend so I sat
there. I lIstened to the teachers announcements and she handed me my
schedule. FInally the bell rang so I started to look for my fIrst class. I found
my fIrst class and got seated, I dIdn't know anybody so It was scary. When It
was nutrItIon I looked around for anybody I knew so I coIl hang out wIth
them.

I found my frIends and we hung out In the shade before It was tIme to go to
my next class. It was lunch and I couldn't fInd anybody other than someone I
knew from elementary so I sat wIth th for lunch. Overall my classes were
alrIght the fIrst day of school but It was scary and I was confused because I
was supposed to be In dual language but I had no classes In spanIsh.
Eventually It was already tIme to go home so I looked for my mom and I
went home and told everyone about my day.



About the author

Kassandra Mendoza, born on September 14,
2008 in Victorville California, is currently an
8t grader at Stephen M White middle school.
She lives with her family and dog in Carson.