MY STORY

Ali Maniace

INTRODUCTION
Hi, my name is Ali; I am in the Eighth Form.
In Sixth Form, I started to write my own story, A Kinder Blue.
I wanted to create something special for the Lower School students to
help promote kindness and understanding.
Some days I enjoyed writing and it was easy, other days I did not and
it was difficult!
Yet, I kept going because I felt passionate about expressing feelings
and ideas that are important to me!
Over time, my story evolved: at first the characters were cats!
Do you like to write? What is YOUR passion?

MEET 3 SPECIAL GIRLS:

HOLLY
GINGER
SOPHIE

Sophie and Ginger

HOLLY
The bus continues to rock forward
in the early traffic, and I feel the
stiffness of my new uniform.
Excitement runs through me, but
also fear. I have known only Public
School 91, colored chalk in the
schoolyard, and walking home with

GINGER
At first, I was angry she asked about it,
yet part of me wanted to tell her. Then I
just felt scared, and that familiar
impulse to run came over me. I just
wanted to vanish, but somehow protect
Sophie. Instead, my feet stood rooted in
the courtyard, and I became indignant,
the way I usually do to drown it all out.

SOPHIE
My fiery orange hair, the same shade
as my sisters, is a collection of
disheveled petals, and my spine curving
in a half circle is a stem straining from
the weight of its bloom. I do feel wilted
sometimes, but unlike a flower, water
and sun cannot revive me. Yet, I know
that my cerebral palsy is not all I am.

MY MOTIVATION
Empathy:The ability to understand
and share feelings with
another.

Tolerance:Willingness to
accept feelings,
habits, and beliefs
that are different
from your own.

MY INSPIRATION
FAVORITE QUOTE:
Whenever you feel like criticizing any one, just remember that
all the people in this world havent had the advantages youve
had.
-F. Scott Fitzgerald,

The Great

Gatsby

Published almost 100 years ago, in

1925!

COURAGE &
PERSEVERANCE
As I worked on A Kinder Blue, the characters began to come
to life for meand I knew I had to complete their stories
even when it seemed difficult and I was discouraged.
Courage:
The ability and
willingness to confront
fear, uncertainty, or
difficulty even when one
is
Perseverance:
afraid.
Steady persistence in an
action or purpose, in spite of
difficulties, obstacles, or
discouragement.

AN EXCERPT FROM
SOPHIE:
I want to tell Ginger that I saw the girls at the
Nutcracker laughing at me and that I am sorry I let
her down. All of a sudden, I feel strong and want
to take away her pain. I try as hard as I can to use
the words on my board to make a sentence:
SORRY, BALLET, SAD. I am afraid that Ginger does
not understand, as her face seems blank. I fix my
gaze out of the large picture window so she will
not see my disappointment. Then Ginger turns to
me and whispers in my ear.

WHAT DOES SOPHIE

DISCOVER?

STRENG
TH

R
O
F
Y
H
T
A
P
EM
R

CO
E UR

AG

CLOSING THOUGHTS
Follow your own passionand never give up! Believe in
yourself, your ideas and dreams!
Work hard, but always balance work and play! Have fun!
Always be kind to othersyou never know what someone else
may be struggling withand how a kind word or action can
make a big difference!

DO YOU HAVE
ANY
QUESTIONS?