Trip to Sack

by JJ

My middle school years started in 6th grade, but my experience started in 7th. In 6th grade I didn’t know as much as I know now. Even though back then, I thought I knew everything. In 7th grade I figured out who I really was. I started to dress way better and love myself and who I was.

Well, one day my auntie told me I was going to be going to this leadership class in Sacramento. At first I didn’t want to go, because I thought it would be boring sitting around listening to people tell you “not to do this”, and “not to do that,” but that all changed when I read the schedule. I learned that I wouldn’t be sitting in there all day, only for about two or three hours. I still wasn’t sure though, because none of my friends would be attending this trip with me except my friend Mikkalah.

When we got there, I immediately fell in love with the weather. It was hot, but not hot and sticky, and I love to show off my summer clothes so I was ecstatic about that. We were next to the State Capitol and also the mall. I observed the hotel we would be staying in; it was beautiful, and I was to be staying for four days and three nights. The best part about the trip was that we had our own rooms and room keys- I felt like I was in college! Our curfew was 11:00p.m. Lights out was at 12:oop.m. We also did a lot of various activities such as meet our legislator, go eat at a lot of different restaurants, watch movies, shop and take an old western photo.

One restaurant in particular named Chevy’s I’m going remember for a while. Okay, when we got there we all sat down and ordered what we would like. Everyone’s food had come and everyone was settled when I noticed a bunch of waiters coming up the stairs. I brushed it off thinking that they must have gotten a really big order the way they were rushing. The next thing I know they were placing something on my head and singing this birthday song while putting this brownie with fudge and caramel and ice cream with three candles on it in front of me (I had just turned 13 and it was my birthday week). I was surprised and wondered who told them, but I figured out my auntie was the culprit when I saw the mischievous smile on her face.

The day before we left, our guide (who was a police officer) won the Officer of the Year award. We were supposed to dress up, take a shower, and fix our hair. I wore a black dress with a white stripe going down the middle with some Kenneth Cole Reaction shoes. My officer did my hair in big curls and my bang was out. She did my makeup as well. The food at the awards ceremony was pleasantly proportioned. After the awards ceremony we took pictures and left to get ready for the dance that was after the awards ceremony. When I came back from the trip I felt like a new person. I felt more confident than I did before, and surprisingly, I learned more stuff about social skills. Being around a lot of kids my age also taught me to respect others way more than I had at first.