The Best Part of Maryland: My Family

I would like to dedicate my finally blog post to my favorite part of Maryland, my family. Without them Maryland would be just another place but my family helps to make Maryland my home.

My immediate family consists of my mom, my dad, and my sister. My mom, Cheryl, was born in Maryland and I love hearing her describe the way things were when she was younger. She describes the ups and downs of Baltimore over the years and pleasant memories of the Maryland beach towns. After completing high school in Carroll County she went on to study at University of Maryland earning both a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree. She became a pediatric nurse practitioner and was eventually appointed as an instructor at the University of Maryland’s School of Nursing. This program is consistently rated among the top ten in the country. Although she no longer teaches, she volunteers at my old high school, provides nursing services to my elementary school, and gives flu shots to children at inner-city schools. My mom has taught me to be compassionate and sympathetic towards all people and to always lend a helping hand.

My sister, my mom, and myself in Germany. 

My dad, Vince, grew up outside of Pittsburgh and worked in the steel mills during the summer in order to make enough money to attend Penn State. He went on to graduate school and earned a PhD and is now a prominent neuropsychologist.  I hope to follow in his footsteps and I hope that I can be as hard working and determined as he is.

My dad and I at my junior prom.

My sister, Anna, is a sophomore in high school and although she’s younger than me, she teaches me a lot. When she was just five years old, Anna was diagnosed with Type One Diabetes, an autoimmune disease that inhibits the pancreas from working properly. My sister is 16 years old and has had diabetes for eleven years. I am amazed by how well she handles this condition. She never lets it get her down. She has taught me to be brave and to have strength even when things get tough.

My sister and I at my senior prom.

Thankfully, all of my family, including my aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandma, live within a five-mile radius each other. I absolutely love that we all live so close and are able to do so many things together. Whether it’s attending an Oriole’s game or just dinner at our favorite restaurant, spending time with my family is something I really enjoy and cherish.

My favorite thing to do with my family is to spend our summers at the beach. Our whole family comes along and it is a great time to just relax and enjoy quality time with the people I love. Whether we’re soaking up the sun, splashing in the waves, or heading to the boardwalk to get ice cream, it’s a happy and heartwarming experience that I am thankful for. I hope one day Anna and I can bring our children to the beach.

My family and I at Bethany Beach.

Just writing this post reminds me how excited I am to return home for a week and spend time with the people I love. I guess it really is true when they say, “Home is where the heart is!”

My Second Homes

As we are winding down to our last few passion posts, I thought I would dedicate the remaining ones to my favorite parts of my hometown. For this post I'd like to focus on the two places that have helped me develop into the person I am today: Trinity School and Mount de Sales Academy.

From kindergarten to eighth grade I attended Trinity School, where I managed to make some of my best friends and experience some of my best days.

Trinity is an independent private catholic school located in Ellicott City, Maryland. It was founded by the Sisters of Notre de Namur, who are still heavily involved running the school.

One of my most important role models in my life is Sister Catherine, a nun who has spent the past 45 years serving as Trinity’s president, helping to shape the lives and touch the hearts of every person she meets. One of my favorite events hosted by Sister is the annual, fall Turtle Derby. In honor of Saint Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, Sister allows students to bring in their pet turtles to race against each other for a trophy and other prizes. Even after I left Trinity, my friends and I would return to take part in the annual Turtle Derby and celebration of the life of Saint Francis Assisi.

Myself, Sister Catherine, and my friend, Lauren, at our First Communion.

At Trinity, I made life-long friends and I learned a lot about myself. I developed a deep love for literature and writing, I learned that I enjoy cross-country and track, and through my many volunteer opportunites at Trinity, I learned how great it feels to help others. My personal favorite service event was the toy drive for Parents and Children Together (PACT). This organization provides medical care and aid to disabled children, whether mentally or physically, as well as mothers who may not be able to take care of their babies on their own. From kindergarten to my senior year in high school, my mom would organize groups of my friends to collect toys from our classmates and bring them to the children at PACT. We would wear Santa hats and decorate the building with holiday cheer, bringing a smile to all of the kids’ faces.

My dad, my mom, and myself being honored for our work with PACT.

 Through Trinity I was able to develop as a person and learn about what the things that are most important to me. These values continued to stay with me throughout the next step in education at Mount de Sales Academy.

Mount de Sales Academy is all-girls, private, Catholic school located in Catonsville, Maryland. It was founded in 1852 and originally served as a convent for the Franciscan nuns. However, today it is an amazing school and a place I would call my second home.

At Mount de Sales I was able to grow and thrive and gain a better sense of who I really am. I ran cross-country, indoor track, and outdoor track all for years and that was certain ally one of my favorite experiences. I made lasting friendships with my teammates and learned to push myself even when things got tough.

The Varsity Cross Country team poses for a picture after we one our meet.

Another one of my favorite memories is the annual Spirit Day. All of the classes dress up in their class colors and take each on in games such as dodge ball, football, and tug-of-war. My favorite part of the day is twisted tunes. Each class picked a song and rewrote the lyrics to describe their time at Mount de Sales. We worked on the lyrics and the choreography all year, building up to the final competition.

My friends at I dressed in red for Spirit Day.

My friends and I wearing the traditional white dress on graduation.

Of course, I love Penn State very much but Trinity and Mount de Sales Academy will always hold a special place in my heart and I will be forever grateful for the friendships, values, and sense of identity that they have provided for me.

Maryland and its Many Schools

I’m sure many of my classmates will agree with me when I say that Penn State is the best school ever. However, the State of Maryland is also home to some pretty great schools. From large schools, like University of Maryland, to smaller schools such as Mount Saint Mary’s, Maryland colleges have a lot to offer. Each school has its unique qualities that make them a great place to learn and thrive.

Our premier state school, the University of Maryland, was founded in 1856 in College Park, Prince George’s County. About 37,000 students attend this major university studying a variety of different majors. Maryland offers over 100 undergraduate programs and 120 graduate programs. In addition to its educational excellence, the University of Maryland is also in a fantastic location. Its proximity to Washington D.C. allows students to participate in amazing research opportunities and internships. Its location also allows students to easily make trips to Annapolis and Baltimore. Furthermore, Maryland has also earned recognition for its outstanding performance in athletics. In 2014, Maryland became a member of the Big Ten Conference and has excelled as a first year conference member, specifically in basketball. Both the men and women teams have dominated the court. In 2006 the Lady Terps won their first NCAA title and are expected to dominate the tournament again this year. But basketball is not the only sport that Maryland excels in; lacrosse is a fan favorite and one of Maryland’s top programs. The women’s lacrosse team has the most national championships in the nation, including their most recent win in 2014.

A photograph of the beautiful Maryland campus.

Speaking of lacrosse, another local lacrosse powerhouse is Johns Hopkins University. The Blue Jays dominate the lacrosse field year after year. The men have 44 national titles and draw fans in due to its rivalry with Maryland. This rivalry dates back to 1899 and the two teams have played each other 111 times. But lacrosse is definitely not all Hopkins has to offer. Johns Hopkins is well renown for its rigorous academics and serves as one of the most prestigious universities in the nation. Johns Hopkins is very selective and earning admission is a competitive process. The Hopkins family remains in Baltimore today!

The Johns Hopkins lacrosse team celebrating their victory.

While University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins are two very well known universities, Maryland also has some smaller universities with a lot to offer. For example, Mount Saint Mary’s is a small, Catholic university, located in Emmetsburg, Maryland. While its academics and lacrosse team are definitely brag-worhty, I personally enjoy the history of Mount Saint Mary’s. For example, in 1842, the famous composer, Henry Deilman, arrived at Mount Saint Mary’s to serve as a teacher. Deilman is known for the inaugural marches of Presidents William Henry Harrison and Zachary Taylor as well as the funeral march for Marquis de Lafayette. Interestingly, one of Mount Saint Mary’s students was a cast member on stage at Ford’s Theatre when President Lincoln was assassinated.

A photo of Mount Saint Mary's historic campus. 

Maryland  has so many other great schools to offer that it would take me days to write about all of them and their accomplishments, but I’m sure you can see just from these three examples that the universities in Maryland have a much to be proud of and many wonderful things to offer their students.

http://msmary.edu/admissions/visit-campus/get-to-mount/

http://www.umd.edu

https://www.jhu.edu

The Baltimore Ravens: Struggle for Success

Based on the current season, one would never guess that the Baltimore Ravens are a power house NFL football team with several great accomplishments. Although our 1-5 record this year is nothing to brag about, in the past, the Ravens proved that they are a hardworking and driven team that can accomplish great things and persevere through tough times.

From 1953 to 1983, Maryland was home of the beloved Baltimore Colts until March 29th, 1984, when the team was packed up and moved to Indianapolis in the middle of the night. Unfortunately, the rich history of the Colts was lost to Indianapolis. Both Indianapolis and Baltimore wanted the Colts but Indianapolis prevailed and has been the home of the Colts from 1984 to present. Baltimore attempted to sue the franchise but proved unsuccessful. However, in 1996 the city of Baltimore received a new NFL team, the Ravens.

The Baltimore Colts' logo.

The establishment of a new team did not come without a struggle. Several smaller cities were granted franchises while Baltimore was simply skipped over and left team-less. After outrage from the city's fans and the governor, Baltimore finally obtained a team. The Cleveland Browns, owned by Art Modell, were to be moved to Maryland, due to an insufficient stadium and heavy debt in Cleveland. At first, the team was to be called the Baltimore Browns. This suggestion sparked several legal debates which culminated in the decision that the Browns' name, colors, and team history would remain in Cleveland and thus, Modell's relocated team would be considered a new franchise, the Ravens.

The Baltimore Ravens' logo.

One instance that I find particularly interesting is how the team’s name, The Ravens, came about. As I explained in a previous post, it originated from Edgar Allen Poe's poem, "The Raven" but, it was actually the fans who gave the team its name. Focus groups narrowed a long list of names down to three choices: Marauders, Americans, and Ravens. Then, 33, 288 fans voted on their favorite name, and The Ravens won.

In 1996, the Ravens very first season, they ended with a record of 4-12. From 1997-1998 the Ravens continued to struggle, ending each season with a losing record. However, in 1999 things started to look up when the Ravens broke even at the end of the season. While this was definitely exciting, it could not compare to what was to come in the year 2000.

With big names like Ray Lewis, Jamal Lewis, and Shannon Sharpe, the Ravens began to dominate the league and went on to win the AFC Championship and obtain a record of 12-4. But, the excitement did not end there. The Ravens then went on to participate in Super Bowl XXXV, in Tampa, Florida, against the New York Giants. With a 34-7 win, the Ravens obtained their first Super Bowl victory.

Ray Lewis after his Super Bowl XXXV victory.

From 2001 to 2011, the Ravens entered a bit of slump ending most of these seasons with losing records. This ten year span felt like an eternity for fans who were longing to return to the days of super bowl victories. After patiently waiting for so long, these fans were finally granted their wish in 2012.

The 2012 season is a particularly amazing one to me as it is the first winning season for the Ravens that I was actually old enough to remember and participate in. One of my favorite memories of this season was purple Friday's. Once the Ravens made the playoffs, every Friday we were allowed to ditch our school uniforms and wear the Ravens uniform with pride as we decorated ourselves with purple beads and bows to show our support for our beloved team. But it was not just schools who participated in purple Friday's, the whole city became involved as it stood clad in purple banners and shining purple lights into the night sky.

Another memory I have from the 2012 season was getting together with my friends and family, all wearing our Ravens gear, and heading out to our favorite local restaurant to eat great food and enjoy great games. Fortunately, week after week, we watched the Ravens conquer each team and move on to the next all the way until they reached the Super Bowl.

My friend Rayna and I before a Ravens' game.

On February 3rd, 2013, the Ravens took on the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII. This Super Bowl stood out among the rest for several reasons. First, John Harbaugh, coach of the Ravens, took on his younger brother, Jim Harbaugh, coach of the 49ers. This sibling rivalry added an exciting touch to the 2013 Super Bowl. In addition, during the Super Bowl, a power outage occurred, shaking up both the teams and the fans. And finally, this Super Bowl marked future Hall of Fame linebacker, Ray Lewis’s, last game. After playing with the Ravens since 1996, Ray Lewis was able to end his career with his second Super Bowl win.

Whenever I think of this Super Bowl, I think of the excitement and energy in the room when the Ravens earned their victory. On Tuesday, February 5th, thousands of fans gathered at M&T Bank Stadium to honor the hard work, dedication, and accomplishments of Baltimore Ravens. My favorite memory from the parade was when Ray Lewis came out from the tunnel and did his famous dance for one last time, causing the crowd to explode with joy and love for a man who dedicated his life to making our team great.

Ray Lewis during his famous dance.

While the next few years proved to be difficult and team struggles through the current season, myself and other fans have faith in our team. The Baltimore Ravens are a dedicated and passionate group of men who will strive to to get us out of this slump and back on the road to victory.

http://www.baltimoreravens.com/team/history/

http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nfl/baltrav/ravens.html

http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nfl/balticolts/baltcolts.html

The Baltimore Riots

For the most part, my blogs have been informative and lighthearted, discussing my favorite things about my hometown, Baltimore. While I enjoy sharing the wonders of my hometown with my classmates, I think it is important to mention some recent events that have occurred in Baltimore that are, unfortunately, not so lighthearted. I would like to take this opportunity to discuss the Baltimore riots of April, 2015.

The purpose of this post is not to state my opinion on the issue or say whom I think was at fault, but rather to offer a first-hand account of what it was like to be present during such a dark time in Baltimore’s history.

First, I’d like to give some background information regarding the incident that sparked chaos in my beloved hometown. On April 12, 2015, Freddie Gray, a 25 year-old African American, was arrested for alleged possession of an illegal switch blade. When he was taken into police custody and placed in a police van, he appeared to be uninjured. However, when he arrived at the City’s booking station he had sustained a spinal cord injury requiring emergency treatment at University of Maryland’s Shock trauma Center.  Mr. Gray was diagnosed with a severe traumatic spinal cord injury and quickly slipped into a coma.  A week later, on April 19, 2015, Freddie Gray passed away due to his injuries.  His death was ruled a homicide by the medical examiner, due to injuries while in police custody.

A photograph of Freddie Gray.

Over the recent years we’ve seen several similar cases of unarmed men fatally wounded at the hands of police officers. We saw this with Mike Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and in New York City with the death of Eric Garner. Once again, the purpose of this post is not to discuss my opinions on the role of police in these tragedies or to state who I think was at fault, but rather to acknowledge that the death of these men sparked protests, riots, and a movement across the country including my hometown of Baltimore.

Peaceful protesters gather in the streets of Baltimore.

Peaceful protesting began almost immediately after Gray’s death was made public on the news. Hundreds gathered with signs that read “Black Lives Matter” as they marched through the streets of Baltimore. Many thought that the medical examiner’s ruling of a homicide and the district attorney’s pledge to seek justice for Mr. Gray’s family would avert more aggressive protesting. However, on April 27, 2015, the day of Freddie Gray’s funeral, things took an unfortunate turn for the worse.

A man walks past a burning cop car.

It was 11 a.m. on a Monday morning and I was sitting quietly trying to get through my Latin class. Suddenly, Sister Mary Thomas, my school’s principle, came on over the loud speaker. “This is not a drill. We need all students to go to their homeroom classrooms so we can take attendance and get you home. Things in Baltimore have greatly escalated and it is no longer safe for you all to be here,” she said.  With that news we gathered our belongings, reported to our homerooms, and were sent home.

My school is so close to the city that I can look out the window and see the beautiful skyline of Baltimore. However, on April 27^th it was not so beautiful. Neighborhoods were shattered, engulfed in flames, and exploding in complete chaos.

When I reached my home, the first thing we did was turn on the TV. It’s shocking when your local news channel looks like a scene from a faraway embattled country. Fires blazed, young men and women ran through the streets wearing masks as they broke into stores, threw bricks at police officers, and even lit a police car on fire. Eventually, Larry Hogan, the Governor of Maryland, issued a state of emergency and called in military personnel. My cousin, a member of the Air Force National Guard, was assigned to protect the Governor as he spoke to the media. A citywide curfew was put into affect and citizens had to be in their homes by 10 p.m. every night or they were to be arrested. Oriole games were cancelled or moved to another city, conferences were suspended or cancelled, and the streets were lined with heavily armed military personnel.

A photo of my cousin from People Magazine as he stands next to Governor Larry Hogan (red shirt).

Rumors spread like wildfire claiming that gangs were going to “team up to take out police officers and purge white people.” With these threats circulating, schools were closed for two more days while the Governor, mayor, military, and police officers worked to restore peace in the city.

I will never forget how painful it was to watch the destruction, violence, and chaos in my city, to see the shattered glass and battered people fill the streets. But, I feel it is important to recognize that riots do not simply just happen. Poverty, drugs, racial tensions, and recent national events, beginning with Trayvon Martin, set the stage for these grisly riots. While I certainly don’t agree with looting and violence as a means to be seen and heard, I think we all can agree that deaths of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, and Freddie Gray sparked a movement and raised our awareness of racial issues and the role of police.  Perhaps Baltimore’s experience is symptomatic of the difficult road our nation must continue to travel to seek true equality and treatment under the law.

Edgar Allan Poe: Baltimore's Literary Genius

"Quoth the Raven nevermore"

We've all heard this famous line from Edgar Allan Poe's, “The Raven.” While Poe's poetry is enjoyed by all, the poet has a special connection to Baltimore. He spent his last few years in the city of Baltimore and wrote his widely successful poem, “The Raven,” while living there.

Poe was born on January 19th, 1809 in Boston, Massachusetts. Unfortunately, Poe's father walked out on his family in 1810 and just one year later his mother passed away. Orphaned, John and Frances Allan took him into their home in Alexandria, Virginia. Things went well for the family until John Allan and Poe began to clash over money and debts. Poe attended University of Virginia for just one short year before dropping out due to insufficient funds. He then went on to enlist in the army in 1827 where he began writing poetry. He attempted to be a cadet at West Point but failed and claimed his desire to be a poet and writer.

Once he parted ways with John Allan, Poe began to focus on his writing while he traveled throughout major cities of the United States including New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore.

When he arrived in Baltimore he married his 13 year old cousin, Virginia Clemm and published his instantly famous poem, "The Raven." Unfortunately, Clemm passed away from tuberculosis two years later and eventually, on October 7th, 1849, at the age of forty, Poe passed away.

Poe was found dead on the streets of Baltimore though his cause of death is greatly disputed. Possible causes of death include suicide, cholera, heart disease, rabies, and many more, yet no definite answer has been established.

A photograph of Edgar Allan Poe.

Although the dark and depressed literary genius has passed away, his legacy lives on, reminding everyone of his incredible gifts and talents that led him to be a successful writer. The Edgar Allen Poe House and Museum, located in Baltimore, stands open to the public and is a popular tourist attraction and a great location for school field trips. Poe is believed to live in the house when he was 23, along with his wife, Virginia Clemm, his grandmother, and possibly his brother, William Henry Leopold Poe.

A photo of the Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum located in Baltimore.

While the museum is very interesting and informative, one of my favorite ways Baltimore pays tribute to the writer is through the Poe Toaster. Beginning in the 1930's, every January 19th, Poe's birthday, a mysterious figure would leave flowers and open bottle of cognac on the writer’s grave. Unfortunately, the Poe Toaster has not been appeared since 2009, but thankfully, the Maryland Historical Society is aiming to revive the tradition. The organization is requesting Poe-lovers to submit a 75-100 word essay describing how they will pay tribute to Edgar Allan Poe. Their tributes can be anything from dances to readings as long as they honor Poe in the spirit of the Poe Toaster.

Edgar, Allan, and Poe, the mascots of the Baltimore Ravens pose for a picture.

 Baltimore has also honored the literary genius is by the name of its NFL football team and the names of the mascots. Baltimore is home to the Ravens and the Raven's mascots, three birds named Edgar, Allen, and Poe. The city of Baltimore prides itself as the location where “The Raven” was written and takes honor in its affiliation with Poe.

http://www.biography.com/people/edgar-allan-poe-9443160
https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poet/edgar-allan-poe
http://www.eapoe.org

A Look into the Beautiful City of Annapolis

When most people think of Maryland, they tend to think of Baltimore or the Chesapeake Bay. While these locations are fabulous many forget the charms of Annapolis, a historic port city reminiscent of our nation’s rich colonial history!

Located on the Chesapeake Bay, Annapolis delights with a terrific regional seafood cuisine, a picturesque harbor, and architecture worthy of study.  Sailing is the sport of locals and Annapolis hosts world class sailing competitions.  Originally founded by Puritan exiles from Virginia in 1649, Annapolis is the state’s capital and home to the United Sates Naval Academy.

Personally, my favorite attraction is historical downtown Annapolis. Located on the Chesapeake Bay and surrounded by brackish rivers, the cobblestone streets of center city are filled with 17th and 18th century architecture making downtown Annapolis an exciting place to shop, sightsee, or simply stroll the streets. The stoned sidewalks were once traversed by great American figures such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. It's very common for one to see actors and actresses dressed in 18th century clothing, portraying the denizens of the period.  The Historic Annapolis Museum strives to depict life in the 17th century and provides information on the clothing and daily life of the inhabitants of Annapolis at that time.

But downtown Annapolis has more to offer than its rich history. This area is home to several unique shops and restaurants that draw tourists from all over the country. Because of its location on the water, Annapolis has some of the best seafood in the nation. My favorite stop is a crab restaurant called Buddy's, where my friends and I have made a tradition of getting dinner the night before school starts.

Kristen, Lindsey, and I pose for a picture in front of the dock after eating at Buddy's.

 Another one of my favorite places in Annapolis is the City Dock, right in center of downtown Annapolis. Lined with cabin cruisers, schooners, and yachts; this waterfront is both charming and serene. This deep harbor hosts both private boats and huge tour boats that take passengers on an informative and lovely trip around all the sites of Annapolis.

One of the most famous sites in Annapolis is the United States Naval Academy. Established on October 10th, 1945, the Naval Academy has become one of the most prestigious and academically rigorous institutions in the United States. The Academy boasts many noteworthy graduates including former President Jimmy Carter. In order to be considered for attendance one must not only apply, but receive a nomination from a member of Congress.  About 1,300 plebes, as the freshman are known, will enter the Academy but only 1,000 midshipmen will graduate. These graduates will then go on to serve their country in the Navy or Marine Corps.

A picture of the beautiful campus belonging to the United States Naval Academy.

 A final and notable attraction in Annapolis is Quiet Waters Park. This estuary and park offers activities for everyone including birdwatching, kayaking, ice skating, and even a play area for dogs. In the summer the park presents outdoor concerts for all to enjoy as the take in the beauty of this city. Sophisticated, historical, nautical, and friendly, Annapolis is another jewel in Maryland’s crown.

http://www.annapolis.gov/visitors/history-of-annapolis

http://www.usna.edu/USNAHistory/