ATG is proud to announce the winners of the 2012 ATG Heritage/Culture Camp Scholarship Contest. Many thanks to all of our campers who submitted this year. Check out how our winners go against the grain and what going against the grain means to them. Congratulations to our winners!
Olivia Thompson
How do you go ‘against the grain?’
I go against the grain by wearing different colored socks and mixing and matching them. I am doing things in my own way by dressing differently. I also have different interests than others people. And I don’t change my interests just because other people are interested in other things. Also at school, I don’t do things and hang out with certain people because others categorize them as “cool,” I hang out with people who I think are nice and trustworthy. I believe that going against the grain is important, and it is important to learn that it isn’t bad. I believe this because later in life, it will allow you to feel more comfortable speaking out and even fighting to get your opinion heard.
What does against the grain mean to you?
“Going against the grain” means many things. I believe that going against the grain means you do things in your own way. For example, if Bob, Sally, Joe, Steve and Fred all decide that wearing green is super cool, but you hate green, you decide to wear red. This would be going against the grain. Going against the grain can be difficult, thanks to peer pressure and sometimes bullies. Thankfully, most of the time, going against the grain isn’t too hard because there are always people who follow and help you along the way. Believe it or not, the way the cool new trend got started was by somebody going against the grain! Way cool, right?
Noelle Hemphill
How do you go ‘against the grain?’
I go against the grain by being who I am. I am an energetic, outgoing, incredibly talkative musician who just happens to be an Asian Adoptee.
“All children have the to right be children: to be safe, to attend school, to play, to be treated with respect, to be heard, to be understood and to be loved.”
What does against the grain mean to you?
Against the grain means being who you are without people telling you you’re supposed to be, pursuing things you love like music, art, writing, sports, whatever it may be that you love, listening to the kind of music that you like, even if it’s not what all the people at school like, because so what if I like classical music or jazz more than most 14 year-olds might like.
Maria Kremer
How do you go ‘against the grain?’
Maria is a Vietnamese adoptee adopted at 14 months-old. She was born in Hanoi, VN and now lives with her adoptive parents and sister in Colorado. She is five years-old and getting ready for kindergarten.
Since we started the adoption process, we had heard that international adoptees have a foot in both their home country and their birth country. However, I would argue that if that’s true, Maria seems to have a finger dipped in a lot of other cultures and countries. That’s one way that she goes against the grain.
What does going against the grain mean to you?
Maria truly is a global citizen and what makes her really go against the grain is her ability to make friends in all of these countries and cultures while being proud of being Vietnamese. At age five, she has the beautiful ability to notice the differences in peoples’ appearance, dress and language. Yet, it’s not a bad difference but a fascinating, adventure-giving difference. She is looking forward to going to the ESL so that she “can help the other kids learn some English and learn what they eat.” I believe this attitude of hers can really change the world if given the opportunity to do so!
Thomas Anh Huy Morton
How do you go ‘against the grain?’
Some kids are bullies, and they hurt other kids, but I don’t hurt other kids. When kids bully me, I get mad. I don’t like it. I walk away and tell my Dad.
What does going against the grain mean to you?
Going against the grain means that I do what is right instead of doing what the other kids are doing. I don’t turn into a bully. I get help when I’m being bullied.
Liz Boyle
How do you ‘go against the grain?’
I go against the grain by saying words like carmel, aunt, data , etc., the other way than my parents do.
What does going against the grain mean to you?
I think of against the grain as something you do that is not very normal, but, I like doing this because it makes me feel unique.
Allison Foust
How do you go against the grain?
We are open to those around us and embrace our differences. We limit our consumption of unnecessary items, get outside and enjoy nature as a family, ride our bikes instead of taking the car when we can and encourage kindness. Our youngest daughter, Allison, is very out-going and quick to make friends wherever she goes. Like her sisters, she likes to recycle and re-use anything that seems as though it might have another purpose. Allison has a very strong opinion about what is fair and what is not fair, and she is not afraid to speak up when things just don’t seem quite right. At six, her opinions have room to develop, but her sense of fairness and outspoken nature will serve her well.
What does it mean to go against the grain?
Going against the grain means living in a way that maintains our personal integrity, regardless of whether or not it is the “popular” thing to do. We make choices every day that require us to think about what the right thing to do is versus what we think we may want. Our choices affect the environment and the people around us and there is a great responsibility on our shoulders to make a decision that has a positive impact.
Sarah Foust
How do you go ‘against the grain?’
We are open to those around us and embrace our differences. We limit our consumption of unnecessary items, get outside and enjoy nature as a family, ride our bikes instead of taking the car when we can and encourage kindness. Our oldest daughter Sarah was just awarded the Good Citizenship Award in her 5th grade graduation for the kindness that she showed to other kids in her class, especially those kids who have trouble making friends with other members of the class and kids who were picked on by other members of the class. She went out of her way to give comfort to those kids, choosing them to help with special activities and sitting with them when no one else would. Her example inspired other kids in the class to start doing the same.
What does mean to go against the grain?
Going against the grain means living in a way that maintains our personal integrity, regardless of whether or not it is the “popular” thing to do. We make choices every day that require us to think about what the right thing to do is versus what we think we may want. Our choices affect the environment and the people around us and there is a great responsibility on our shoulders to make a decision that has a positive impact.
Hannah Foust
How do you go ‘against the grain?’
We are open to those around us and embrace our differences. We limit our consumption of unnecessary items, get outside and enjoy nature as a family, ride our bikes instead of taking the car when we can, and encourage kindness. Hannah is the Queen of recycling and re-using things that might otherwise be considered trash. She diligently reminds us when we are about to throw something away that might be recyclable and many times she insists that she can re-use bits of paper and wrappers, old clothes, etc. for different projects, and she then does. Hannah prefers to bike when she can, and she proudly sports any clothing that she has requested be re-made from old dresses even if her wardrobe differs greatly from her comrades.
What does it mean to go against the grain?
Going against the grain means living in a way that maintains our personal integrity, regardless of whether or not it is the “popular” thing to do. We make choices every day that require us to think about what the right thing to do is versus what we think we may want. Our choices affect the environment and the people around us and there is a great responsibility on our shoulders to make a decision that has a positive impact.
Emily Morgan-Tracy
How do you go ‘against the grain?’
I stir things up by being funny and hyper. I make up funny songs and parodies. I make up games for my friends and me. If I didn’t go against the grain, I wouldn’t be myself.
What does it mean to go against the grain?
Stirring things up and making them exciting and fun.