The Unstoppable Scott
By: Jack Wilkin
My Hero, My father, Scott Wilkin.
Hero Definition Essay
Heroes. What are they? By the dictionary, they are a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. Anyone you ask would probably paint a hero to be right out of a storybook; the picture-perfect caped crusader that uses his might to save the day. Or the Chosen one that goes against all odds to vanquish the enemy. But the problem with that definition is that it only shows the hyperbolized idea. In reality, heroes can range from big or small, famous or insignificant. A hero in your life could be your teacher showing you new information, or your babysitter reading the stories you love. However, they all have something that connects them as heroes. A hero is a person with a compassion to help others in any way, big or small, and the drive to educate others to become heroes themselves.
A hero is a mother willing to do anything to benefit their friends. Imagine a mother of three children. Consider the man-hours needed to care for them. From supermarket to pharmacy, she slaves away, not once sitting down to take a break. From chore to chore, she picks up their toys, cleans their rooms, and scrubs their floors. Why does she do it? Her love for her children is that strong, unable to be squelched. The reason she does all this isn't for the glory, or the title of being a mom. It's solely because she loves her children to the bottom of her heart, and cares deeply for their well being. Through the good and the bad, through every broken nose and heart, she will be by their side, guiding them to their success. She knows that through the stress and pain, she will have 3 successful children to be proud of. That at its core is a true definition of a hero.
A hero is able to use their ability to inspire others to do heroic things themselves. Elijah is a teenager at a dilapidated and poorly-ranked high school. Ever since he was a young kid, he wanted to play basketball all his life, but more than anything in a good college. However, from the moment he stepped on the court people called him out, telling him to wake up and realize he could never do what he believed he could do. But by putting those thoughts and people behind him, he worked hard enough to achieve the impossible, and earned a scholarship to North Carolina University. But the real story starts when Elijah came back to his school 4 years later, and spoke to the current students. By pushing himself to become heroic he became a better person himself, but in the process these new pupils heard his story of rags to riches and decided to think like him: BIG. He realized that by inspiring himself to do more than he thought he was capable of, the process rubbed off on people determined to do the same. This idea of teaching others the process of becoming a hero makes a good hero.
So to wrap up, a hero can be described as someone with the compassion to help others, and the ability to teach others their mindset. Being a hero doesn't mean you need to do well all the time, or never lose at what you do, but rather be someone other people look up to. My father is my personal people because he makes me do just that. When I hear about his accomplishments, his determination, it makes me want to strive for success as well. So a hero can truly be anyone, regardless of their past and their looks. They don't have to be strong, they don't have to be smart, they don't have to be well-liked. A hero is someone that YOU look at and think, “I want to be like them”.
My dad enjoys keeping himself healthy, which he does by running and clumbing anywhere he travels.
Why I chose The Stock Market
"Research Project Explanation"
For my topic I chose the properties of the stock market, because my personal hero and
father Scott Wilkin works as a stock portfolio manager. The reason this relates to him is becausechis job consists of reading the daily measurements and information on what stocks his company has invested in, and how those investments are being handled. To make it simple, he decides whether or not his company is making a profit or losing money, and determines whether or not to pursue certain businesses. His position is very valuable to him and the company, so my dad must work diligently and intelligently if he wants to make the right decisions for the future. Knowing that he puts so much time and thought into his job, traveling to shareholder's meetings and meeting with his superiors on a weekly basis, makes it clear to me that what he does is something he's passionate about. Which is exactly why I wanted to pursue this topic: if my dad has spent his college life and entire career building around a certain idea, it makes it clear to me that what he's doing is something worth learning about. Another reason I pursued this topic is because there's lots of media and stories about the great successes and terrible declines the stock market had, which makes me interested about what's fact and what's fiction. All in all, I feel as though learning about how such a large part of human life specifically functions was quite an interesting idea for my passion project.
My dad has a great sense of adventure, and doesn't turn down a challenge when presented. We just cleared some high level waves while rafting, and he isn't even fazed.
The Untouchable Dirk Nowitzki
“Untouchable Hero Essay”
Born in Würzbug, Germany, Dirk Nowitzki was always dealing with one thing: pressure. When his dad wanted him to play handball like he did, when his mom wanted him to continue with tennis, and when his teachers wanted him to focus on nothing but school, Nowitzki decided to do what no one expected, which was play basketball. He would rather follow what his heart desired, than conform to the expectations set by others. And what a good decision he made. With his astonishing ability to put the ball on the court, he is one of the best the NBA has ever seen. However, looking past his seven-foot presence is a guy who uses these qualities like a true hero would. Dirk Nowitzki is considered a hero because he shows a drive to do better and holds an influence on the game of basketball.
Dirk Nowitzki is a real hero because of his drive to succeed and his influential mind and spirit. Ways he has demonstrated this go back to his first days as a rookie player, being a pickup out of a small town in rural Germany. Sean Deveney writes, “The Americans could not guard him on the perimeter--he sank two of three 3-point attempts on the way to thirty-three points. They could not stop him from grabbing 14 rebounds. They could not stop him when he drove to the rim, so they hacked him and sent him to the line twenty-three times. He made nineteen foul shots, then said after the game, "I missed four free throws. That is not good for me” (Deveney). Seeing that Nowitzki went from rural Germany to Dallas Mavericks really shows his determination to rise up and want to play better. It is also seen in his perfectionist nature when he said, "I missed four free throws, that is not good for me" Nowitzki has a passion to rise up over the rest, due to a certain want that makes him a leading force. Being able to crush opponents for your team's sake shows the dedication and compassion for something that makes Nowitzki a hero.
Another factor that makes Dirk Nowitzki a hero is the influence he gives for others. Washington Post’s Sean Highkin describes it as, “Nobody has quite replicated Nowitzki's shot, but a glance at the other power forwards in the All-Star locker rooms reveals an NBA in which his style of play has become the norm for the position. The Minnesota Timberwolves' Kevin Love is a legitimate three-point threat. The Portland Trail Blazers' LaMarcus Aldridge is deadly from midrange. Heat center Chris Bosh is a repurposed power forward who creates matchup nightmares for opponents with his shooting range” (Highkin). Because Nowitzki has the ability to play so far out as a power forward, he has basically influenced the entire purpose of the position, turning it from post-play to midrange, even three-point-action. Some of the best in the league right now such as Kevin Love and Chris Bosh both use the “Nowitzki” strategy, meaning his play type has heavily influenced the game. Besides the NBA, it is obvious from looking at younger kids play that his play style rubbed off on them as well, with taller kids finally building the courage to take the ball down the court themselves, something unheard of before then. It is safe to say that Dirk Nowitzki has a heroic and gutsy play style that has inspired many others from young to old to play heroically as well.
Lastly, Dirk Nowitzki connects to a hero very close to my heart, my father Scott Wilkin. This is due to their perseverance in their field, and simultaneously inspiring others to perform likewise. While Dirk Nowitzki’s niche is on the court, my dad’s is in the stocks. Both accomplish their missions with a grit that is imperative to rising above the crowd. With Nowitzki putting up points against playoff teams to win championships, he cares for nothing more than to keep moving forward. As for my dad, his superiority in his career has landed him a position at a top international company, which can be credited to his drive out of graduate school. It had already taken plenty of time and effort to get to that point. But similarities do not stop there. In the 2015 NBA draft, the Knicks picked a new power forward for their lineup, Kristaps Porzingis. He was immensely successful in his first season, and many were surprised by his ability to shoot from out deep. The seven foot three inch player pleasantly surprised the media by noting his success to the play of Dirk Nowitzki. Nowitzki was pleased to hear the rookie looked up to him so much, seeing how his pioneering of the position he played has brought new talent to the game. Because of this, Nowitzki’s success has been a large influence on young players like Porzingis to play basketball the way they want to. As for my dad, his success in his position has caused many young eyes to be turned toward a position at the company. In the last year, my dad has received quite an astonishing amount of requests to intern from many fresh faces in the business world, one of which was my close friend’s brother out of college. So overall, my dad’s success has influenced many aspiring people to follow in his path.
If I ever had such a chance to meet a guy like Dirk Nowitzki, the first thing I would ask him is what was it like leaving everything behind just to follow your dream. Clearly, Nowitzki went through a lot of training to get him to where he is now, but by enduring all the controversy and dismay brought on by people when he came to the US, really shows me and everyone how tough a guy he is deep down. If he were to give advice, it would most likely be not to let people decide what you are going to do. Since he changed the game so drastically, since he took risks that people looked down on him for, and since he showed other people that it is okay to do the same thing, that piece of knowledge would reside very closely with me and many others. What I would do with that new information could be transferred to my own game of basketball, changing my game the same way he did. That way, I could decide my own future in what I love, not let someone else hold me back. I believe all of these factors are really what makes Dirk Nowitzki reach for the rim like he is reaching for the stars.
My dad and mom enjoying the nice view of Maui. He enjoys being surrounded by nature whenever he can.
"Scotts Tribute"
You were always near me,
You always helped me up.
You always lead the pack,
You never hold back,
You kept me on my feet.
You work for what's good
You help under the hood,
You fix my every need.
You have all the smarts,
You love with your heart,
As I do the same for you.
Thanks Dad!