Judges, Senior Project Board

First Colonial High School

1272 Mill Dam Road
Virginia Beach, VA 23454
Dear Judges:
To most, junior year is the most important academically, but to the seniors graduating in
2016, this is the year where we change lives and make a difference in our community. From the
homecoming dance, to getting accepted or rejected into college, to finding out if you actually get
to graduate, senior year is the most important year because we find ourselves and we show our
true colors. Although senior year flies by in what feels like a month, I am grateful for the
opportunities that the academy has given me.
When I was in middle school, deciding where I wanted to go to high school, I chose the
school that I thought would fit the career that I wanted the most. I chose the Legal Studies
Academy because as soon as I walked into the building, it felt like my new home and a place
where I could belong. After my first two years in the Academy, I learned that I would have to
wake up earlier to be on time, actually need to study, and that I would need to get involved
because that is a way to stay organized and stay out of trouble. The academy provided me with
opportunities to visit the FBI, forensics labs, visit jail twice, colleges that I wouldve never
thought to apply to, and other unique places. I have grown from this experience in the Academy
by exploring opportunities provided to me as well as getting involved in my community and
other school organizations.
Within the many school organizations that I have participated in, band has been the
biggest contribution to my life. Since elementary school I have played and performed music at
the beginner level. I then enhanced my studies, and my interest grew in middle school when I
joined band. When I continued band throughout high school, I found a passion for playing music
with others. With this major influence and passion, I decided that I wanted to incorporate music
in my paper and project somehow. Although my original ideas of holding a concert did not work
out, the idea of a documentary that was given to me by Ms. Phillips turned out to be my biggest
accomplishment.
At the beginning of senior year when I had decided I was going to write my paper about
copyright laws, I knew my passion would grow as I continued to learn about the topic. As
opposed to learning about multiple sectors of music, I knew that knowledge after the first
semester of senior year would be enhanced by writing the paper and learning about the topic.
Throughout the process of writing the paper, I learned that the biggest motivation for writing this
paper was having a passion for what youre writing about. In connection to my paper, my project
taught me that the biggest key to success was learning, developing, and advocating for my topic.
Thank you for reading.
Sincerely,
Adrianna Laferriere