Isabella S.

Ortiz Ortiz 1
Mrs. Cox
English 9 H
22 March 2017

Its Your Choice

Let me share a scenario with you all and see if this rings a bell. Think back to

your days in middle school, which wasnt so long ago. You all had to serve time and

experience the struggles of 6th grade, personally they were some pretty brutal years. As

you aged you began to feel more entitled. Just because you were a 7th or an 8th grader

which meant that you were offered more privileges. Unfortunately, some still looked

down upon you and thought of you as nothing more than an oppressive youngster. You

longed to go the distance and make something of yourself. Maybe you aspired to be

popular, smart, involved, attractive, funny, rebellious or just unique.

4The dictionary definition of ambition is an earnest desire for some type of

achievement or distinction, as power, honor, fame, or wealth, and the willingness to

strive for its attainment. Yes, ambition is the will one has to work hard towards a prize

and overcome all obstacles to acquire it. But the connotation aspect of the word

ambition may or may not mean its dictionary definition. Yah, sorry if I might have lost

you there. Lets refocus. Ambition doesnt just mean what the dictionary definition

states, ambition grants us the opportunity to reach our full potential and to be the best.

Lets use a real life example to maybe help connect the dots. A little bit about me, Im

half Dominican and Im proud of that. I actually hear the Dominicans were doing pretty

well in the world of baseball while currently competing in the 2017 World Baseball

Classic. Before they lost to team USA SB Nation reports When these two teams met

on March 11 in first-round play in Miami, Team USA held a 5-0 lead late but saw the
Isabella S. Ortiz Ortiz 2
Mrs. Cox
English 9 H
22 March 2017

Dominican Republic storm back for a 7-5 victory. Wow! For those of you not familiar

with the sport Ill just tell you its not easy to make that kind of a comeback and win the

game. Los dominicanos son muy ambiciosos. Again, go for it! And aim for your full

potential! The catch is, its your choice.

You might be wondering what I mean when I say you have a choice. Wouldnt

everyone just focus on ambition as being positive, successful and perspiring? Doesnt

being the best mean youre doing something thats good? Examples include, helping a

worthy cause like volunteer work in your community, studying really hard for upcoming

tests, or growing a business. Yes, these are all forms of ambition, but the definition of

ambition doesnt specify whether distinction, as power, honor, fame, or wealth means

it in a positive way. Lets all take a field trip through time back to the early 1940s, if you

imagine my hair dyed a natural red color, you can pretend Im Ms. Frizzle. So back

during this time period the Holocaust took place in Germany under the rule of Hitler. I

mean, to enslave the Jewish population and torment them to death, with a kill count up

to 6 million lives seems quite gruesome but quite ambitious. The website

www.ushmm.org states, that By 1945, the Germans and their collaborators killed nearly

two out of every three European Jews as part of the "Final Solution," the Nazi policy to

murder the Jews of Europe. Two out of every three European Jews! Two out of every

three! I see you math geniuses doing that mental math. Thats more than 66% of the

European Jew population that was murdered. Yes, murdered. Hitler craved power so
Isabella S. Ortiz Ortiz 3
Mrs. Cox
English 9 H
22 March 2017

badly, he took so many risks to achieve that. I mean talk about Go big or go home!

Proving my point that ambition can be looked upon both positively and negatively.

Todays society is full of ambition that consumes people of all ages. Though it

seems more common to see ambition used on selfish and greedy acts, there still is

some good in the world. Im aware my speech was on the same topic as my fellow

peers that have gone as well as my fellow peers still to come. Even though the rest of

my speech may have appeared insignificant and meaningless to some of you thats

your opinion to make. Its also your opinion to decide how ambitious you are next time

we tackle one of these assignments. Its your choice to do whats right. Its your choice

to decide if you put that ambition towards a good or bad cause. Remember, its your

choice. Whats it going to be?

Isabella S. Ortiz Ortiz 4
Mrs. Cox
English 9 H
22 March 2017

Work Cited

Holocaust Encyclopedia. Introduction to the Holocaust, 2017,

https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005143. Accessed January
31, 2017

Stephan, Eric. World Baseball Classic 2017 scores: Team USA eliminates Dominican
Republic to gain semifinal berth. SB Nation,
http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2017/3/19/14972278/2017-world-baseball-classic-scores-r
esults-united-states-semifinals-dominican-republic-eliminated. Accessed 17 March
2017.