#1: Your Hometown

Where you grow up has a large and lasting impact on your life and some say that it builds who you are as a person and molds how you see the world and act in it. I grew up in a small town of about 5,000 people spread out over about 82 square miles, for reference, Chico contains about 93,000 people in an area of about 33 square miles. I have lived in Durham for my entire life and went to grade school, K-12, all in Durham. Our school system is very compact and close together as all three of the schools, elementary, intermediate, and high school, are on the same property. Durham is also a largely agricultural town growing mostly almonds, walnuts and rice. One popular club in Durham is known as 4-H, 4-H is a volunteer club that helps children and young adults learn useful and fun skills that they can use throughout their life. It is also very agriculturally based and a large part of being in 4-H, if the child wishes, is to raise an animal to sell at the fair. Raising an animal is a very useful thing for a children and young adults to learn because it teaches them dedication, hard work, and the act of caring for another being. Durham High School had a total of a little less than 400 people in attendance when I was enrolled there. This meant that everyone was very close, as most of us had been in K-12 together for a long time, and that everyone had the chance to have good relations with the teachers and a fair chance to play any sport or extra-curricular that they would have liked to. I think that Durham has taught me how to be a “country” kid and given me the proper tools of respect for others and the willingness to achieve my dreams. (320)