Sara

English Enrichment

Mr. Jay

Period 1

Predators

Everyday I would struggle, everyday I would go to school, and everyday I suffered. I was

attending St Pancratius in Lakewood, CA as a 14 year old girl in the 8th grade. I had so called

friends and I was yearning for more. I had attended school with them for 5 years. But when given

the chance to back me they would scatter. It was painful to think that the people I trusted would

put me under the bus. It all started on the third day of fourth grade we were laughing together but

then they laughed at me in a mean way. What was happening with my so called friends?

They were like predators around me constantly bothering me. You look funny, youre

blonde so youre dumb. Being trapped like Im the only prey. They yearned for food and I was

their supply. Scared to even go to the bathroom, to go to recess, or even to go to class. They

would verbally and emotionally abuse me and they would throw away my lunch if I sat where

they wanted to sit. Eventually I came to believe that this was my fate and that I had to live with

it.

Then in the sixth grade I had a math teacher Mrs. Moss who would help me. The other

teachers would listen to me but they would not act on it. Mrs Moss was the only one who

listened and took a stand. She was the one who spoke up and it stopped for a while but then the

predators upped the ante. Time after time i would fall into their traps and be brought back to my

assumed fate. Then I was framed for an act I didnt commit. They said that I had beat up another

girl but it her sister was the one doing it. They wanted me out and they wanted me out for good. I

was so scared I thought that i would be kicked out of the school because all 16 girls in my class
supported this girl who didnt like me. She was alone and she wanted me to feel that way. She

then didnt show up for school for three days then the principal became involved in the situation.

I thought oh shes are here to straighten things up but she just told me to tell the truth and bad

things wouldn't happen. I was being attacked and I felt small. She threatened to bring the police

in but then she came to school a day later she admitted to lying about me and that her sister was

beating her up. It was as if I had gotten away from the cheetah, and I was the gazelle. I was

relieved of the stress of alienation. My teacher encouraged me to speak up. I then told my moms

about what was happening and then everything got better. I was able to clear things up with the

other girls and then the girl who was the center of all the madness left and I felt relieved. Things

were better but not perfect because another girl quickly established herself as the new bully. My

parents were tired of the inaction of the administration and they moved me to another school. I

left the school so that i would have a good 8th grade experience When I left I went to St Pius V

in Buena Park and I graduated with a 3.9 GPA then things got better and then I got into PMA. So

here we are today happy but, I still think about what has happened and I am making a stand so it

does not happen again.

In a way I am a better person after this experience because I am stronger and I am able to

notice if people are laughing at me or with me.Why did this happen to me? Maybe God was

trying to test me and see if I am strong enough for the world or to make an impact, I do not know

i can only imagine.This experience helped me grow as a Catholic because I would pray to God

and ask for perseverance and I feel a stronger bond with Him. I also learned from this experience

about how you really don't know what is going on with someone in their own life so never

assume. This experience also helped me to mature because I started hanging out with older girls

than the people of my own age group so I learned from the older girls. I am now starting to be
friends with girls my own age and I am as happy as can be. So far ninth grade and this summer

school experience has been wonderful. I am looking forward to growing as a person and making

lifelong friendships.