My Life
Joni Goh
How I Got to Where I am Today
My childhood was filled with so many character-changing opportunities, that has shaped me into who I am today. There are 5 main components of my life that I am so grateful that my parents involved me in. The 5 ideas include: art, church, volunteering, golf, and cross country.
ART
My 6th Grade Jr. Vase Entry that Won a Silver Medal
6th Grade Clay Unit
7th Grade Colored 3D Star Unit
It started with a marker. Drawing all of my favorite television show characters on a rough piece of manila paper. I was 6 when my mom signed me up for my first out of school art classes. Once a week, I would come out of those lessons with paint on my fingers and a new piece of terribly executed art in my hands. Some of the best years of my life has been in middle school because I not only advanced as an artist, but I had made some great friends through my art classes. The pictures above and below are just a few of the many drawings and paintings I had done in the past three years. Now, more than ever, I've opened my eyes to see that art is one of my safe havens, one of my passions, and is something that I hope I can continue to do for as long as I live.
7th Grade Value Skull Unit
7th Grade Contour Line Unit
8th Grade Jr. Vase Entry that Won a Silver Medal
CHURCH
My First Communion
My first communion where I could start taking the eucharist.
My Confirmation
My confirmation where I am now an individual in the Catholic church.
SAY Summer
I lead a group of middle schoolers in a church camp with my friend.
I've grown up as a cradle Catholic, so quite a big chunk of my life has revolved around Sunday mass, R.E. classes (Religious Education), SAY (St. Ann's Youth), and now HSM (High School Ministry). Some of the closest friends that I have today are the ones that I've met in my journey to get closer to Christ. Not only has the Lord brought me closer to those that will help strengthen my relationship with him, but he's also given me new brothers and sisters. I have so much love for everything that being a Catholic has to offer!
VOLUNTEERING
The Scottish Rite Hospital for Children
St. Ann's Carnival
My family has installed an idea of volunteering as a necessity in our lives. All my life, I've been working to be involved into this community in anyway possible. I spend quite a fair amount of my Summer at a Chinese Summer School, where I help assist teachers educate learners from the grades kindergarten to 6th grade. I also tried volunteering at the Coppell public library last summer, where I helped with the summer events and book sales. Some of my favorite volunteering was in the hospital and in the church. I can't do much in the hospital because of my age, but it's still such a great experience to do small things that help the patients.
GOLF
Learning to Putt with Pro Golfer Hank Haney
Learning to Chip with Pro Golfer Annika Sorenstam
Learning to Drive with Pro Golfer Anthony Kim
My whole family, excluding my mom, all play golf. For as a long as I remember I've been holding a golf club in my hands, attempting to get a white golf ball into a 4 inch hole. Most of the golf passion came from my dad, who got both me and brother to play the game as small children. Before we moved to Coppell, my family and I lived next to a golf course, which of course urged my dad to have us all practice. I participated in a youth program called the First Tee of Dallas, where kids from all over the metroplex, learned the game of golf, and life skills the sport teaches you. This program has grown so much, that the older bunch of the program even has the opportunities to meet professional golfers. Even though I'm not as into the sport as I was when I was younger, golf is still a very big part of me.
CROSS COUNTRY
Junior Varisty About to Start 2 Mile Race
The Coppell Cross Country Team After the First Meet
The Coppell Cross Country Team After the Second Meet
I have always participated in sports throughout my whole life, but running was something I never considered I was good at. I wasn't the most athletic person in elementary school, but there was always something so compelling about competitions and trying to beat the person next to you. As middle school role around, I never really tried in P.E. You'd always see me in the back in dodgeball, or sitting on the bleachers with my friends. Although, it wasn't until I made the brave decision to try athletics in 7th grade. I tried a little more, attempting to run a little faster, and I even made the basketball team! So I thought, why not just try pushing yourself to your limits this year in 8th grade athletics. So I did it, I made B team basketball again, ran for cross country, and surprisingly ran track (800 meters and 300 meter hurdles)! After the end of middle school, I found my love for running, and I'm going to keep running through my high school years, and hopefully all my life.