Spelling Bee

Anza Tang
Virgina Duym
English 1100
08 September 2012
What Motivated Me
Pressure? Yeah I know what that is, I have felt that ever since I started my first day of school.   Being the oldest sibling and cousin, my family has always watched every move I make.   It has been difficult being the oldest one and everyone was tough on me because I am the one that will be the first in the family to actually attend college.   I have a chance!   Every time I knew my report card was going to come in the mail, I’d race back home as soon as I heard that bell ring, I ran like the wind as my brother always would tell me.   I was a nervous wreck when I tore that envelope open and knew my grades were in there.   My family had high expectations for me especially anything involving school.   For me, I always had/have to receive all A’s, which was a big difference from my siblings.   If my brother were to get all B’s he would get rewarded with whatever he wanted.   I never enjoyed school because the pressure made me dislike learning and I felt like I was forcing myself to learn instead of   actually enjoying it.
I remember long ago when I was in the fifth grade; I went to school at Miramonte Elementary in El Monte, California.   I remember this like it was just yesterday, my friends Liannu, Annette and I were at the playground sitting on the benches just like all the other students.   That sounds strange right? That day you couldn’t hear the squeaky noise of those rusted swings, or see kids chasing others around playing tag, or anyone on the jungle gym.   So why was this a weird scene?   It was because of the spelling bee!   This was our first annual spelling bee and was a huge deal to the whole school, but only the 5th graders were able to participate.   The first place winner gets the biggest trophy, a medal, a pizza party for their class, and got to have lunch with the principal.   Yes, I said lunch with the principal, how excited everyone was.   I however was the outcast because almost every...