Sonja Whitfield is a passionate graduate student pursuing a promising career to be a doctor at a private research university in the windy city. But to Sondra, she doesn't want to be a doctor for money; she is a doctor to treat patients well whether...
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Sonja
May 19, 2009.
That's the day I have just written on the right top corner after I just sign my name on the paper of my vocabulary test Mr. Castillo just handed out to us as soon as we entered his classroom. Lethargy, I hear my voice saying the word. I ponder what the word means when I recall Mr. Castillo teaching us the vocabulary not too long—three weeks prior, as a matter of fact. A light bulb blinks on and my hand gripping onto the pencil jots down the answer, 'The lack of energy; sluggishness and laziness.' I move on to the other; recondite. I write down the answer and continue on until the answers are filled.
By the time I finish my test, I stand up from my desk and walk towards Mr. Castillo, who has his eyes focusing on the latest news on the Chicago Tribune. "Mr. Castillo?"
He lifts his head from the newspaper to face me. "I'm done with my test," I whisper and hand him the paper. He takes it and checks my work, picking up the red marker that is not too far for him to reach and writes on my paper and takes out a collection of stickers. He peels the sticker off and places it on the paper and puts the paper in the bin.
"Sonja, you've got your brain in gear today.You earned the score of one hundred. You can have your free time," Mr. Castillo smiles. I grin, achieving that I excelled the test. It has been eight months from the time I transferred from being in Special Education classes to being in a 15-1 classroom because my old—I wouldn't say old. Former, yes former—My former teacher and teaching assistants figured that I have twelfth grade reading level because of my use of vivid big words as well as improving my education. I didn't even look on the internet on how to extricate myself from special education because for me; education is basically education as long as it has assistance and recommendations to stay after school when I struggle in one of my classes.
I walk back to my desk and unzip my backpack to fish out the book that was a birthday present from my mom called, The Triple Bind: Saving Our Teenage Girls from Today's Pressures and Conflicting Expectations by Stephen Hinshaw with Rachel Kranz. I would read the other book, AYoung Woman's Guide to Making Right Choices: Your Life God's Way by Elizabeth George, but I didn't because I don't want to break one of the rules in this school. So, I figured I would resume reading it when I get home from school. For what feels like an eternity after a while, the shrilling ring signals the end of fourth period. I lean over to put my book along with one of my writing utensils back in my backpack and exit the class, heading to the cafeteria. Once I enter the cafeteria, I go on line to get my lunch consisting—Oh, great! Fish taco... just like yesterday. Fish taco with oranges and tater tots along with a carton of 100% pure apple juice.Why not put sliced chicken in a taco shell and dress it with sour cream along with dices of tomatoes? I would love that. Mentally, my prayers are answered when there are chicken tacos aligning on the counter top separating the students and the lunch ladies. I take the tray and pay the cashier with my lunch money before proceeding to making my way towards the usual table where my friends from my former classes I was in sit. "Hey, Sonja!" I turn my head to face one o my best friends, Kenzie waving at me. I walk towards the table that Kenzie and most of our friends are sitting. I place my lunch tray on the table and sit down on the bench.
