Track season has begun, along with all other spring sports. And
with the start of a new sports season comes the dreaded f-word.
Yes, that’s right
– fundraising.
Track season has begun, along with all other spring sports. And with the start of a new sports season comes the dreaded f-word. Yes, that’s right – fundraising. Fundraising has always been a necessary evil for all organized groups, not just sports, but has it gotten worse? Is it just my parents that run from the room screaming when I bring home fundraising packets?
Fundraisers are necessary. Money does not grow on trees, this we all know. Groups need money for uniforms, equipment, etc. Last year, the boys tennis team had a concert in the Gilroy High theater to raise money. This year, the leadership and journalism classes had fashion shows to fund raise. Field hockey had a trivia night. These were all original, creative ideas and therefore were successful.
Now apparently, the track team has no money. All clubs and sports teams need money, and often depend on outside help in the form of fundraisers; so of course, we have already had our first track fundraiser. We were given one week to sell 25 items, either tubs of cookie dough or magazine subscription, or some combination of both. Not very many people sold the required 25 items, and we were told that there would be punishments for failing to reach the goal, such as running one lap for each item the person in question was short of the goal. If someone only managed to sell one item, they would have to run 24 laps, or six miles.
We are teenagers. We are not professional salespeople. It is unfair to demand that we sell a certain amount of items and punish us for failing – 25 items is a lot to try and sell in one week. When your own parents won’t buy any cookie dough from you, you know there is a problem. And track is not the only group who is currently fundraising. The baseball players were all required to sell 40 tickets to the San Jose Giants Game, and the softball players had to sell 20 tickets.
Back in the day, I was a Girl Scout. Now, the Girl Scouts had the right idea when it comes to fundraising. I mean, who doesn’t love a good box of Girl Scout cookies? They are fairly inexpensive, tasty, and you don’t have to make them yourself.
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On another note, last week at school, the juniors had to register for our senior classes. I still remember the day in 8th grade, when I received the packet of information to register at Gilroy High. I still remember my first day at the high school, during which I got lost several times. I remember being a little fish in a very large pond. And now, I am over halfway through my junior year, and a next year, my friends and I will be seniors.
We will finally find out what is like to be the big fish in a pond that doesn’t seem quite so large now. I remember being scared of getting “egged” by the seniors at the first rally my freshman year, and soon, we will be the seniors that the freshmen are scared of. How did that happen? Where did all the time go?
During vacation this week, the Cal-SOAP program is taking students on a tour of Northern California. I won’t be joining them, because I am going with my friend’s family to tour colleges in southern California.
It is strange to think that at 16 and 17 years old we are virtually deciding our futures. As juniors we have to take the SAT, start touring colleges and thinking about what we want to do for the rest of our lives.
I have no idea what I want to do for the rest of my life. I haven’t yet discovered my passion. And then there are those questions in the back of my mind: “What if I’m just not good at anything?” “What if I don’t like my school?” “What if I fail?” “What if I pick the wrong future?”
Juniors are under an incredible amount of pressure right now. Choosing and applying to colleges is the biggest decision we have had to make in our teenage lives. And I for one do not yet feel ready to make that decision.
Deena Morsilli is a Gilroy High School student who writes a bi-weekly column for the Dispatch. Reach her at Mo************@ao*.com
