My name is Isaac Sines and I am a senior in Washburn, Maine. I have played basketball seriously since the 8th grade. I love to play the game of basketball, for several reasons. Playing basketball is an amazing way to escape from life's troubles. It takes all of your focus to maneuver the ball from one end of the court to the other while also paying attention to the players on the court. Basketball also encourages you to set goals and to work hard to reach those goals. Seeing every shot you take in practice translate into games is an amazing feeling knowing that you are better because of the work that you've put in. It has also allowed me to connect with a lot of my friends and strengthened our bonds by pulling us together. I have met a lot of amazing people because of basketball, friends and mentors for whom I will always be grateful. Basketball has been such an important part of my life throughout my high school tenure. I have put hundreds of hours into the game, whether that being games, practice, or on my own time. One of my favorite things to do is go outside to my basketball hoop and just shoot around. It's just the best way to leave everything behind and do something I enjoy for a while. My playing career lasted from 8th grade until my senior year of high school. I was never the best player on my team but I worked hard and was always defense oriented. In the summer before my senior year, my team and I were playing in a summer tournament where I had to guard a nationally ranked player. After we won the game, I found out I held him to only 8 points. One of the other coaches watching the game told my coach, "That blonde kid can play defense." It was one of the best compliments I have ever received. This being said, my love of the game has definitely been tested. At the start of my sophomore year I went down in practice after accidentally tripping on my friend's foot and landing on my hand. When I got up I realized my pinkie finger on my right hand had gone numb. After inspecting it I realized that it was very crooked. My mother picked me up from practice and took me to the hospital and the doctors concluded it was shattered in 3 different places. I was devastated. We had only played 1 game that season and I was told I would have to sit out for almost the entire season as the fractures required surgery. I was lost and didn't know what to do with myself. I could have given up and called it quits for the year, but I decided that's not what I was going to do. Instead, I made it a goal to play again before the season ended. I showed up to every single practice to still be there for my team and learn the game. While my teammates were running and doing drills, I was dribbling with my left hand because my right was in a cast. After a couple months, I got cleared to play and suited up for the final game of the season, a pre-elimination game which we ended up losing but I was still so grateful for the opportunity to play in. Thank you for taking the time to read my response. I really appreciate it.

I have had many great teachers throughout my school career, but the one who stands out the most is my math teacher, Mrs. Hemphill. All throughout middle school you frequently heard about how Mrs. Hemphill would not put up with that foolishness in high school. We were all nervous to meet Mrs. Hemphill on the first day of freshman year. Some were afraid of getting in trouble and some took it as a challenge to see just how much they could get away with. It turned out when we got to high school that all of the warnings were true. On the first day of class it became evident that Mrs. Hemphill had clear expectations. She handed out a list of her expectations and then explained each one to ensure there was no confusion. Even with how clear she was, there were still some challenges on the first day or two. She easily handled each conflict and continued with teaching her content. I must admit I was a bit nervous. However, as it turns out, her strictness only appeared when necessary. As the years went on, the students closest to her got to see the real Mrs. Hemphill. These students saw a down-to-earth, kind person who was always willing to share snacks with her students. During my sophomore year I applied to National Honor Society. Mrs. Hemphill was the advisor. During our trips to the National Honor Society Convention, I got to enjoy spending time with her and the other NHS members. She was much more laid back and relaxed. We had a great time with visits to Applebee's, Sweet Frog and Taco Bell. Those were fun trips. Mrs. Hemphill was my math teacher for all four years in high school. I started freshman year nervous about math class because I felt I was behind due to Covid. Math was very confusing to me. Mrs. Hemphill showed me that if I put my mind to something and put in the work, then I could accomplish my goals. Looking back at high school I will remember a lot of things, like sports, clubs, and extracurricular activities. Some of my fondest memories, although not pleasant at the time, will be in the math classroom with Mrs. Hemphill. She taught me to go back and fix my mistakes, just like I would with a math problem. And for that I will be forever grateful.