Hobbies Competition

I did not find school very easy, I enjoyed going there my friends, metalwork and woodwork. I just found it so very hard when it came to the academic subjects math, English I had fallen so far behind it felt like it was impossible to catch up with the others in the class. No one ever laughed at me or anything like that for being behind I just felt so very aware of it, I always tried so hard but with so little success.

Whenever the teacher would hand out the daily assignments I was so envious of those that were sent to art, reading and special projects that was where I wanted to be but for me it was always math or English.

When I was just five years old and it was time to start school I was sick and had to spend quite a lot of time in hospital. I missed so much time at school I always remember people whispering when they saw me "look at that poor little boy", and I do remember feeling so weak. Once I remember a teacher visiting me in hospital she gave me a little toy horse that pulled a small milk cart.

When I did get to school for a few weeks it was more like a visit everyone just tried to make me comfortable and it was so hard to learn when you feel so sick. I made a quick recovery from my illness when I was about ten years old, then the realization hit me how little I knew and how far behind I was.

We sat an exam for entry level into high school the headmaster later read out some of the common mistakes that were made on the exam paper, I think I made all of them.

High school came and I was placed into a remedial class and it was so hard I wanted to do so well but I had so little confidence. some of the children in the class did not seem to care about their grades they gave the teacher a hard time I just could not understand that.

One day it was announced that the school would hold a hobbies competition and any student could enter, you would have to put together a small presentation on a hobby or a subject that you are interested in. I decided that I would enter and went straight to it as soon as I got home I was going to do electronics. I had an uncle you see who was an electrician and I always remember him doing some work on our house I loved seeing all those wires and he worked so fast. I studied so hard using books from the library and for a display I had made models that would show how a light bulb and electric motor worked.

The night of the competition came the judges went from display to display they spoke to every one. When the announcements came I did not get one of those huge shiny trophies but I did get a certificate with a gold seal that read highly recommended.

I felt so proud a feeling that I had not had before, I felt that something at school for me was finally a success.

From that day on school took on a whole knew meaning I had confidence, I worked hard and I began to get to results my grades came up I was so much happier no longer embarrassed at school. It had been hard work but well worth the effort.