Hi, I am a junior at Mass Academy. I am sixteen years old and live in Monson, MA, a small town close to Springfield. I live in a small town called Monson; yes the same town one that was hit by the tornado on June 1. My family was lucky and we did not have any damage to our property, although we know some families who have lost their houses. This summer was probably one of the most eventful in recent history.

Coming to Mass Academy was one of the best decisions I have made. It takes some getting used to in the beginning, but it is a great school and I am glad I decided to come. The strangest thing about going to school here, however, is being in the city. It is amazing to me how much of a difference just an hours drive down the highway makes in the way people think, talk, and act. Not that it is a bad thing; it just takes some getting used to. I must say I do prefer the small town though.

Before coming to Mass Academy, I attended Wilbraham and Monson Academy. I enjoyed my five years there, and in that time I played lacrosse, soccer, basketball, and I wrestled. My favorite was wrestling, with lacrosse being a close second. Unfortunately I took a bad hit in one of my lacrosse games and ended up with a concussion that lasted for a long time. I was not able to wrestle or play lacrosse the next year which was a huge disappointment to me. I did find an alternative however, and it quickly became one of my favorite activities. I started riding motorcycles. It was an incredible thrill to be able to ride anywhere I wanted and have a great time no matter where I was headed. The ride was all that mattered. The feeling of freedom and the thrill of being on two wheels is indescribable.