Features: A Message from Claes Nobel Meet your new Student Council Partner News College-Bound Advice Q & A on the SAT from the College Board Choosing a College Spotlight on Service Fulfilling F.U.N. at Day Camp for the Disabled Visiting the Philippines: A Life-changing Experience Non-Sibi: "Not for Oneself": Tsunami Relief Truths about Tutoring A Super Summer: Controlled Chaos at the Library Summer Experiences Summer Alternatives: Building the Mind AND the Body Summer Dreams: Friends and Fun at the World's Fair in Japan My Summer in Medical Research ICE in Summer: Georgia Tech Institute for Computer Education Learning about Leadership: National Student Leadership Conference Summertime... and the Living is Busy: from Houston, to Harvard, to Oxford Summer Alternatives Steven Gracey Baldwin Senior High School, Class of 2007 Baldwin, New York Academics can be more than just reading and writing. I spent my summer in three stimulating and challenging ways that have helped me develop myself further. This summer, for the first time, I tried fencing at Hofstra University, and golf at Eisenhower Park. In August, as part of my ongoing study of the Asian martial art of Shaolin Kempo Karate (which encompasses Kempo, Kung Fu, Ju-Jitsu and Kickboxing) I learned how to properly handle "J" Hook swords at my martial arts school, Shaolin Self Defense Center here in Baldwin, New York. Fencing: In this foil fencing course, we learned from a bright and energetic professor who was enthusiastic about teaching us. In addition, because we were in a small group we were able to learn more in a shorter period of time. This class helped me with self-control, and improved my physical body and mental prowess, not to mention strategic thinking. You have to pierce a certain portion of your opponent's body (for the foil it's the torso) in order to score a hit or "touch." Further, a touch must be a "clean" pierce with the point of the foil; if a blade does not pierce, but slides, no point is awarded. We learned basic attacks, the straight attack and disengage attack. Two more, that were more complicated, were the double disengage and the feint disengage; these are known as compound attacks. We also learned how to parry--essentially a block, and riposte which is the counter attack. My overall review of the class has been astounding to the point that I am considering joining the fall class to learn more. Also, it has spurred my interest to explore swordsmanship using other weapons, namely the epee and the sabre. Golf: Golf is a very stimulating and intriguing sport. My instructor Peter describes it as a "greedy" sport, and explained--and I paraphrase here--most of the time a person thinks he or she can hit the ball farther by hitting the ball harder, but ultimately this usually results in missing the ball completely, and sometimes hitting yourself on the head with the club. From this, I learned more discipline so as to not overextend myself and prevent myself from, as Peter says, getting greedy. This attitude has carried over into my martial arts and has me helped me overall to improve myself. It also helped me to see that golf is a lot more than just hitting a ball into a hole. I plan to continue. Martial arts: I have been a student of martial arts for five years now. I attribute my overall success rating in school to the training I received. Martial arts teaches discipline and control. Because of this, I am better able to focus on a task, and to prevent myself from getting distracted. A number of other programs such as a boot camp (intense training) and a special "J" Hook swords weapon class were also available to me which I took in August in addition to my regular classes. The boot camp improved my stamina while the J Hook swords class improved my discipline and control even further. In conclusion, these activities require focus and determination to understand the mechanics of executing the moves and understanding how things work while being aware of your surroundings. All can help you further challenge yourself. << Back to Journal Home page