I believe I am a very strong candidate for Notre Dame High School because of the many personal accomplishments, skills, and characteristics that have made me the person I am today. I believe that my cultural and spiritual family upbringing, mixed with my own life experiences, has shaped me into a person who will not only flourish and grow at Notre Dame, but will also contribute to the success of my classmates and school. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essayBoth my parents are first-generation Italian-Americans who raised me to value and cherish my cultural and Catholic heritage. This combination of a strong immigrant work ethic and deep roots in our Catholic faith allowed me to grow up with a strong sense of who I am and where I come from. From the moment I was born, my mother and father spoke Italian to me, and to ensure my continued mastery of the language, my mother opened an Italian language school where I still attend classes every Saturday. Since the day I was born, my mother and grandmother, who have been lifelong catechists, taught me all the rich traditions of our Catholic faith. It’s given me a deep faith that I turn to when I’m stressed or depressed. I have been active in my church since I was little, singing at Sunday mass, helping with dismissal of children and assisting our Italian club with its events. My involvement in the choir led me to study piano, which I did with our Minister of Music for three years. In addition to studying piano, I took various art classes and participated in art and photography competitions. My mother has taken me to museums and theater productions since I was little, so the arts are a very important part of our lives. I hope to put my cultural, religious and artistic abilities and sensibilities to good use at Notre-Dame. I faced several challenges when I was little that helped me grow immensely. When I was younger, I was bullied at school. At first it started as just a tease, but then it turned into something bigger. I became deeply depressed and struggled with self-confidence. Luckily, when I moved from public school to Catholic school, I had the chance to start over. Over the years, I have become strong, resilient and very passionate about standing up for anyone who is being abused. When I was in third grade, my grandfather was diagnosed with lung cancer. My family spent a lot of time caring for him, preparing meals for him, cleaning, taking care of the house and making sure he was happy and comfortable until the day of his death. He died at home when I was in fourth grade and I was very sad because he was the only grandfather I ever met. From there, I learned the harsh reality of death and began to become more grateful to my father and appreciate the gift of health and life. By overcoming these difficult experiences, I learned to channel my energies in a positive direction. I am now involved in decathlon and it is sometimes very challenging and difficult, but instead of going crazy I take a break and draw, play the piano or just listen to music. With hard work comes happiness; I know I will be a Notre Dame student who is not afraid of challenges or hard work. Currently, I am in my second year of decathlon, my third year of high school volleyball, and my third year of honors. Over the past three years I have received.