Essay written by Abigail N.
Hello my name is Abigail Nelson I have chosen to write my National Visionary Leader Essay about you because you have inspired me a lot. You worked so hard to become an actress and you were the first black women to star in a network television series. Although I don’t want to be an actress, I do want to be the best that I can at my profession. To become successful in your profession you didn’t take “no” for an answer and you strived for the best. Over the past couple months I’ve been in this program called Reach Into Cultural Heights; it has taught me many things, but the best thing about this program are the 4 principles. At the start of the program I learned the RICH principle’s and they are: I matter, I am responsible for my behavior, I am considerate of my classmates, and I use thinking strategies for school success. Almost everyday of my life I use each principle at school, and at home. And when I start working I will still need to use the RICH principles.
The RICH principles I think you used throughout your life are, I matter and I am responsible for my behavior. When growing up, you took your mothers advice on how to conduct yourself when acting. Your mother told you “when you're forgiven, it makes you understand just how much you are loved. And when you forgive, the whole world opens up to you and you make yourself available to the highest form of happiness.” Also, you took music and acting lessons to become as good as you are now at your craft. By knowing that you mattered, you were determined and confident when auditioning for a role, and you still continue to break new grounds in the entertainment world.
As a RICH student I inspire my friends and family members on how to use the RICH principles in new ways. I explained each principle to them. Starting with I matter, which means to believe in yourself, have a positive attitude, and have a high self esteem. Next is I am responsible for my behavior, this principle means knowing when you did something wrong, having self control, and being respectful. I also told them stories about how I used these principles. One of the stories I told them was when I spilled red paint on my mother’s yellow mat and tried to cover it up wit yellow paint. When she went to wash the yellow mat the red paint washed away, so she asked me what happen to her carpet and I told her it was my entire fault. She wasn’t angry but was happy that I was honest with her. Then I explained the next principle which is, I am considerate of my classmates and others. This means being helpful, being appreciative, and being generous. Finally I explained the last principle which is, I use thinking strategies for school success. This principle means taking action, asking for help to do better, and making improvements.
These RICH principles helped me become a better person. They helped me stop being disrespectful, helped me focus more on my school work, encouraging me to never give up and work towards getting good grades. Thank you, Diahann Carroll for inspiring me with your success story. From your success story you taught me to continue to be determined, and focused on achieving my goals. I know that my road to success will not be easy but I am up for the challenge.
Sincerely,
Abigail N.
Age: 13
Grade: 8