Hey everyone! If you could, please tell me if my essay answers the prompt sufficiently enough. Thanks so much! I really appreciate all the help!
-Nick Cumpian
Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud, and how does it relate to the person you are?
It's not every day a child attempts to learn the same skill that nearly claimed his father's life just five years before. But that was Danny's story. To the young boy, the three-and-a-half foot end of the community pool was an ocean. And as it was my job to teach him to conquer that ocean, my apprehension was just as paralyzing. What if I failed him as a coach? Forced him to avoid water like his father? Questions bombarded my mind as I waded into the shallows, uncertain of what was to come.
As I neared, the anxiety on his face was obvious. His eyes were wide, his hands balled into fists. How could I blame him? I had been in his position myself, long ago; I was familiar with the fears of the first swim lesson. In a way, we were on common ground. Swimming was my passion, but it wasn't always so. As a child, the pool was a relentless enemy, and it wasn't until I received my own training that my fears were assuaged. To Danny, I was a lifeline and a confidant, his trust weighing heavily on my inexperienced shoulders. I needed to be a leader.
"OK, Danny, ready? I want you to jump as far as you can; I'll catch you," I said, hoping my upbeat attitude would convince him of his safety. He hesitated, stepped forward, and dipped his toe into the water. Suddenly, his fear vanished, replaced by a glimmer of determination. In an instant, the frightened boy on the pool deck relaxed, breathed deeply, and pushed off of the deck, his arms flailing in the air. "Are you gonna catch me? Are you gonna catch me?"
As Danny's confidence grew with each additional lesson, I couldn't help but smile at his tenacity. He was the first into the pool, and would splash and jump until he was satisfied with his efforts. Though his technique wasn't perfect, I'd applaud at his progress, hoping that one day even his father would have as much admiration in Danny's accomplishments as I had. My own leadership qualities flourished during our morning swim lessons. Just as Danny had transcended his, I shed my own fear of failure. This is what made our swim lessons so meaningful to me; Danny reminded me of myself and of my own apprehension as a child. In both situations, bravery was the key to success. Even now, as I prepare to make one of my biggest leaps of faith from the life of a Stockton lifeguard into one of a college student, determination is necessary. Like my young protĂŠgĂŠe, I am determined to conquer even the smallest challenge, to brave even the most unfamiliar situations, and to experience the world without the fear of failure tethering me to the ground.
-Nick Cumpian
Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud, and how does it relate to the person you are?
It's not every day a child attempts to learn the same skill that nearly claimed his father's life just five years before. But that was Danny's story. To the young boy, the three-and-a-half foot end of the community pool was an ocean. And as it was my job to teach him to conquer that ocean, my apprehension was just as paralyzing. What if I failed him as a coach? Forced him to avoid water like his father? Questions bombarded my mind as I waded into the shallows, uncertain of what was to come.
As I neared, the anxiety on his face was obvious. His eyes were wide, his hands balled into fists. How could I blame him? I had been in his position myself, long ago; I was familiar with the fears of the first swim lesson. In a way, we were on common ground. Swimming was my passion, but it wasn't always so. As a child, the pool was a relentless enemy, and it wasn't until I received my own training that my fears were assuaged. To Danny, I was a lifeline and a confidant, his trust weighing heavily on my inexperienced shoulders. I needed to be a leader.
"OK, Danny, ready? I want you to jump as far as you can; I'll catch you," I said, hoping my upbeat attitude would convince him of his safety. He hesitated, stepped forward, and dipped his toe into the water. Suddenly, his fear vanished, replaced by a glimmer of determination. In an instant, the frightened boy on the pool deck relaxed, breathed deeply, and pushed off of the deck, his arms flailing in the air. "Are you gonna catch me? Are you gonna catch me?"
As Danny's confidence grew with each additional lesson, I couldn't help but smile at his tenacity. He was the first into the pool, and would splash and jump until he was satisfied with his efforts. Though his technique wasn't perfect, I'd applaud at his progress, hoping that one day even his father would have as much admiration in Danny's accomplishments as I had. My own leadership qualities flourished during our morning swim lessons. Just as Danny had transcended his, I shed my own fear of failure. This is what made our swim lessons so meaningful to me; Danny reminded me of myself and of my own apprehension as a child. In both situations, bravery was the key to success. Even now, as I prepare to make one of my biggest leaps of faith from the life of a Stockton lifeguard into one of a college student, determination is necessary. Like my young protĂŠgĂŠe, I am determined to conquer even the smallest challenge, to brave even the most unfamiliar situations, and to experience the world without the fear of failure tethering me to the ground.