ADVICE COLUMN Dear Maggie, Growing up, I always wanted to pursue a career in tap dancing. I took lessons throughout high school, but when it came time to choose a college major, I decided upon engineering. I liked math most of the time in school and felt that an engineering degree would make me a successful person in college and the career field. Now that I’m here, though, I find it hard to concentrate on my work. While I am excelling in most classes, I really do not like most of them. My other friends seem to really enjoy their classes. They have a similar workload to me, spend just as much time studying, and have nearly identical grades. While most of them feel accomplished, however, I feel dejected. Why, if I am putting in the effort, do I not feel successful? Sincerely, All Tapped Out Dear All Tapped Out, In order to achieve success and that sense of accomplishment, you must first fulfill the prerequisites of motivation and grit. Motivation refers to a person’s ambitions and stems from a clear goal. If that person has grit, he or she will exceed expectations, doing anything necessary to surpass that goal. You cannot force yourself to feel motivated or have the grit to get something done. True motivation and grit come from one place: inspiration. Throughout history, many different things have inspired humans. The promise of Heaven inspired knights to fight in the Crusades, and gold inspired Spanish explorers to sail across the Atlantic towards South America. Great artists and inventors slaved away at the easel or in the workshop, the ideas in their heads inspiring them. Simply put, you do not feel inspired or motivated about engineering. For that reason, you never will feel accomplished. Regardless of how well you do for the rest of your college career, you will continue to feel this way; going to college and studying something that you dislike will never leave you feeling happy or proud. In fact, for many people, college does not ultimately lead to achievement (Thiel). If you think about it, a combination of grit and dislike cannot exist. In order to feel motivated, you have to enjoy something enough to spend hours practicing it every single day. In your case, you may study hard and score well on exams, but those good grades mean nothing because you dislike engineering. Enjoyment contributes greatly to success. It produces motivation and makes grit possible. When you do well at something that you care about, you will finally feel accomplished, and ultimately, successful. I advise you to find what you enjoy— tap dancing, photography, hockey— and pursue it. In the long-term, you will not only feel relaxed and content, but successful as well. Yours, Maggie
MOVIE REVIEWS Based off of a true story, the 2015 film McFarland, USA depicts the grit and motivation of a small-town running team in California. Football coach Jim White moves to the poor, predominantly Latino town of McFarland, CA where he starts the McFarland’s first high school cross-country team. The boys on the team face uncertain futures with no chance of paying for college, but the team trains tirelessly. By the time the state tournament rolls around, the team’s grit pays off; McFarland takes home the title (“McFarland, USA”). The immediate success of this story came when Jim held up his trophy in the California sun, but the long-term success came in the form of education; due to their grit and persistence, all seven boys received college scholarships. Overall, this movie does a good job of demonstrating that true success comes from hard work and motivation. While many condemned McFarland for exaggerating the real events that transpired, the movie itself acts as the classic example of a feel-good film, leaving viewers optimistic and hopeful for their own futures. Steve James’s 1997 documentary Hoop Dreams follows two African-American boys from poor neighborhoods in Chicago, drafted to play basketball at an elite private school. James follows the boys, William and Arthur, for five years, filming their long commutes to school, arduous practices, and struggles to fit in among their predominantly white, wealthy classmates (Hinson). On a more profound level, Hoop Dreams “is… about ambition, competition, race and class in our society” (Ebert). Though neither boy makes it to the NBA, both receive full-ride scholarships to college, allowing them to move out of Chicago and towards a more prosperous future. Critically acclaimed, Hoop Dreams demonstrates that luck and grit can change a person’s circumstances faster than anything else. Basketball aside, the film includes details about the support both families have for the boys, even while fighting against poverty, violence, and drug addiction in one of America’s poorest suburbs. In my opinion, the wholesome approach that James took to following not only William and Arthur but their families as well made the film one to remember. While the two boys worked incredibly hard, the sacrifices that their families made serve as an even better lesson for viewers: the important role of community in individual success. Given the option, I would prefer to view Hoop Dreams. While both movies portray young people overcoming barriers to reach success, viewers criticized McFarland as an over-dramatized version of the true events that prompted the film. The story told in Hoop Dreams, on the other hand, came only from real events captured on tape. Hoop Dreams tells a real story, one not polluted by Hollywood drama, and thus serves as a better example of what it really takes to become successful. INTERVIEW You have to know what you want without compromise. -Vera Holczer, pianist, teacher, and founder of the Aurora School of Music Can you give me a brief synopsis of your childhood? So my parents were not into music. Everyone was into science in Hungary. This was old communist time. I remember going to my friend’s piano lesson and sitting in for a year. I entered a music conservatory at fourteen.
When and why did you come to the U.S.? So in the 1990s, the system changed from communism to free-market. It was a very tough time, and most of the arts in Hungary left the country. I got permission to come to the U.S. because my dad worked at UCLA and I got a green card. I couldn’t speak English, just “How are you? Can I have some tea, please?” I felt set back in piano because I had to practice English. Sometimes when you’re discouraged there’s one person who believes in you. A friend of mine broke her hands because she was bicycling in LA. She couldn't play piano, so she coached me. She rebuilt my love for music and my confidence. I know that you could have become a concert pianist. Why did you become a teacher? First of all, I think that once you’re set to be a concert pianist, it means that’s all you do. I fell in love with teaching. I didn't teach because I needed something on the side. I started teaching because I couldn't not teach. That type of relationship is so different than what you get on stage. It was so obvious to me that my passion was there. When you first started the Aurora School, how many students did you have? How many teachers? How many different instruments? The Aurora School of Music grew out of my house. My studio grew to 85 students a week. Once it reached eighty-five, I realized, “I can’t keep it in my house,” so I found a space. I started with seven rooms, eleven teachers. We brought in so many sandwiches for the grand opening; it was ridiculous. I would teach seven days a week, twelve hours a day, then do construction all night, putting up drywall, painting… I think I got seven hours of sleep that whole month. When you love something so much it gives you more energy. I’d wake myself up in the afternoon by holding my breath for twenty-five seconds because my brain would freak out, like “What the heck?”, because it’s not getting oxygen. But it worked. Did you ever fear failure? No. The worst thing for your mind is having a Plan B. When you’re going to do something, there’s no Plan B, Plan A and that’s it. Don’t give yourself the option of bailing out. ARTICLES For centuries, music has maintained a prominent role in human life. From Gregorian chants in the tenth century to Madonna in the 80’s, music has evolved with time and remained relevant to every generation. Today, thousands of careers exist in the music industry. Agents, for example, speak for their clients— the musicians— and manage everything from interviews to tour destinations. Music journalists, on the other hand, write commentary on music and review songs (McDonald). Classical musicians may play in an orchestra or chamber music group. Music producers decide which artists earn contracts and a chance at success. The pop star, perhaps the most desirable of all music careers in the eyes of young musicians, may also be one of the hardest professions to break into. Becoming any sort of professional musician requires the motivation to practice for hours every day, refining bowing techniques on the violin or tone quality on the clarinet. Success in the music industry depends entirely on that grit and practice. Famous pianists practice for up to eight hours a day. Unfortunately, most musicians or singers never reach stardom, and most pop stars have a roughly twenty-year career before their music loses popularity (Rosenblat). One musician in particular, however, continues to defy that statistic: Elton John. Elton John and his lyricist Bernie Taupin churned out hits throughout the 70’s and 80’s.
Since then, “they have achieved more than four dozen Top Forty hits and become one of the most successful songwriting teams in pop history” (“Elton John Bio”). Before making it big, John graduated from an English music conservatory and later “ran errands for a music publishing company,” far from the glamour he would later experience (“Elton John Bio”). He practiced piano and vocals in his free time, improving and persisting until he landed his first record deal. Taupin wrote lyrics and would deliver them to John, who then composed songs based off of the existing lyrics. Most singers work in the opposite manner, writing melodies first and words second. This creative approach may have contributed to the success of John’s songs which continue to sell today. He has even succeeded in multiple genres. He composed the music for The Lion King, Billy Elliot, and currently focuses on music for a Broadway version of The Devil Wears Prada (Blistien). Unlike many musicians of his era, John has remained relevant. For part of the year, John performs at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, often selling out the four thousand seats in its stadium. Recently, John collaborated on a song with current band Fall Out Boy. Though John did not start out as a star, his persistence, patience and practice led him to become a music mogul.
The word “arts” encompasses many careers. While music may come to ming first, writing has always served as another option. Many subcategories exist under writing; writers can get jobs as journalists, editors, professors, screenwriters, lyricists, or novelists. Many successful novelists begin their careers with a different, full-time job. J.K. Rowling, for instance, author of the hugely successful Harry Potter books, worked as a secretary for years before sketching out her plot ideas on the back of a napkin. So what does a job as a novelist entail? Some full-time writers treat their jobs the same as they would a regular nine-to-five position. While writers may not have the same obligations as regular employees of large companies, “sticking to a routine” remains vital (Scotch). Writers may set the goal of a certain word count for the day, motivating themselves to continue writing until they reach that number. Other may set time parameters in which they have to work on writing. Some may simply write until they run out of ideas for the day. Just like every other profession, succeeding in writing requires hard work. Stephen King, known for his works of horror, science fiction, and fantasy, embodies that spirit of grit. Author of fifty-four novels, King has sold more than 350 million copies around the world. Producers have also adapted his works for television and movies, most notably the film The Shining. Although King now ranks among the bestselling authors of all time, he started in a different field. Born in 1947, King worked as a teacher before switching to writing full-time. His first novel, Carrie, went on to become a major hit and motion picture. However, when he first wrote it, success seemed far off. Publishers rejected the book over thirty times, but King refused to give up. He revised and rewrote and reworked until a publishing company finally picked up the manuscript. Every year, American writers alone publish between 600,000 and 1,000,000 books. The majority of those books sell less than 250 copies each (Morgan). While these odds may seem dire, successful novelists overcome great odds to sell copies of their work. Clearly, King could
have surrendered his goals and packed up his typewriter, but he did not, and as a result, a great American writer was born. Motivated writers have a much better shot at finishing and selling their novels than writers who ignore feedback, edit carelessly, and throw out their drafts after a single rejection. Persistence and grit, as relevant in writing as in every other career, determine the success of authors, journalist, and cookbook writers alike. WORKS CITED Blistein, Jon. “Elton John Writing ‘Devil Wears Prada’ Musical for Broadway.” Rolling Stone, 26 Jan. 2017, https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/elton-john-writing-devil-wears-prada-musicalfor-broadway-w463193. Accessed 20 April 2018. Ebert, Roger. "Hoop Dreams." Roger Ebert, 2 Oct. 1994, www.rogerebert.com/ reviews/hoop-dreams-1994. Accessed 23 Mar. 2018. “Elton John Bio.” Rolling Stone,www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/elton-john/biography. Accessed 20 April 2018. Hinson, Hal. "Hoop Dreams." Washington Post, 4 Nov. 1994. Washington Post, www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/hoopdreamsnrhinson_a0 1b70.htm. Accessed 23 Mar. 2018. McDonald, Heather. “Choosing a Music Career.” The Balance, 16 Oct. 2017, www.thebalancecareers.com/choosing-a-music-career-101-246089. Accessed 20 April 2018. "McFarland, USA." IMDb, www.imdb.com/title/tt2097298/. Accessed 23 Mar. 2018. Morgan, Nick. "Thinking of Self-Publishing Your Book in 2013? Here's What You Need to Know." Forbes, 7 Jan. 2013, www.forbes.com/sites/nickmorgan/2013/01/ 08/thinking-of-self-publishing-your-book-in-2013-heres-what-you-need-to-know/ #10b33a9014bb. Accessed 20 Apr. 2018. Rosenblat, Josh. "These musicians stayed popular longest, according to 6 decades of Billboard chart data." Vox, 24 May 2016, www.vox.com/2016/5/24/11668386/ adele-prince-taylor-swift-billboard. Accessed 20 Apr. 2018. Scotch, Allison Winn. "A Day in the Life of a Bestselling Novelist." Huffington Post, 27 July 2016, www.huffingtonpost.com/quora/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-be_b_11217716.html. Accessed 20 Apr. 2018. Thiel, Peter. “College Doesn’t Create Success.” New York Times, 8 Sept. 2014, www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2011/08/23/spending-too-much-time-and-money-on-e ducation/college-doesnt-create-success. Accessed 18 April 2018. BACK COVER Maggie Mills, a sophomore at Chagrin Falls High School, actively works towards success in many aspects of her life. Academically, Mills has done well since she started at Chagrin Falls Schools ten years ago. The only C that Mills has so far received happened in seventh grade when Mills did less-than-well in gym class. In 2017, Chagrin Falls High School recognized Mills as a Tiger of the Semester and awarded her with a pin and certificate.
Mills has also succeeded in sports. Up until the age of twelve, Mills swam and played golf and tennis. For years, Mills spent her summers competing ferociously with other swimmers, often placing top-five in a six-lane event. Until recently, tennis also maintained a presence in Mills’ life. Mills played in many matches and tournaments, working hard in between each competition to train and improve. Golf, which Mills had not played since childhood, reappeared when she started high school. After recognizing that she had a passion for golf (which requires significantly less running than tennis), Mills brushed off her clubs and spent all summer practicing. Motivated to succeed, Mills ultimately earned the second spot on the varsity team. Between freshman and sophomore years, Mills practiced her chipping and putting daily, eventually cutting ten strokes off of her nine-hole score. This past season, Mills earned an “All Conference” distinction and also landed a spot on the Northeast Ohio First Team. In addition to sports, Mills has competed in Public Forum debate for two years. Her freshman year, Mills and her partner qualified for the state tournament. Over the course of this year, Mills and her partner improved dramatically, working hard over the summer and spending more time prepping for each topic. In January, Mills and her partner made it to the top sixteen at the national George Mason University tournament. In January, they quarterfinaled in a Florida tournament and semifinaled in a Pennsylvania tournament, qualifying for the national Tournament of Champions. At the state tournament, Mills finished fourth in the state. She and her partner will continue to learn and improve, and next year she will serve as president of the speech and debate team. Furthermore, Mills enjoys writing in her free time. She attended Interlochen Arts Camp for writing this past summer and has worked as a Peer Review Ambassador on the website Write the World. Most recently, Mills’ writing earned two gold keys and an American Voices Award nomination in the 2018 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. She plans to spend the summer writing and editing. Lastly, Mills completed her most daunting feat yet in March: passing her driving test. She earned her license— five months late— after spending hours behind the wheel practicing the intricacies of mobility and parallel parking. After all, the Ohio BMV leaves no room for error.