#AmySaysYesPlease Contest Entry

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"Take your risks now. As you grow older you become more fearful and less flexible.

And I mean that literally. I hurt my knee on a treadmill this week, and it wasn't even on." -Amy Poehler

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When I look back on just a few months ago I see a completely different me. I see a teeny tiny girl in her new red sneakers slipping through the hallways of her new high school, going unnoticed and hiding from all the "big kids." That little girl was super excited that day though. It was the day 60 kids of Sir Winston Churchill High School went on the best trip of the year, project spirit.

Project spirit is a yearly trip Sir Winston takes up to a camp called Medeba. It's four days of games, hanging out, competition, spirit, and not showering. It's about getting the grade nines, like little Amelia, to participate and meet the older grades and make new friends. Amelia didn't have high hopes for this trip, but she was happy to skip school. Little did she know it would be one of the best times of her life.

On the bus ride there she sat quietly and read for the most part. She participated in the funny bus ride games and even got a blue and yellow paw print painted on her face. Soon, the excitement started and her spirit kicked off, whether she liked it or not.

In the blink of an eye it was over. She had climbed the high ropes, done a skit with her team, artificial ice-climbed, gone zip lining, swam in freezing cold water, and played lots of "never have I ever" with the girls in her cabin. Boarding the bus to head home, she thought to herself, "I should come again next year."

The bus ride back was way better than the first one. She cheered loudly, even though she had almost lost her voice already. They drew on sleeping people's faces, had pillow races, (something that should be an Olympic sport lemme tell you) and then cheered some more.

Just before they got home, several students moved to the front of the large coach bus. "Alright, we have an announcement. We would like to extend an invitation for two of you to join us, the student council. Elections are in two weeks!" A few girls came around and handed out forms to anyone who was interested.

"Any of you want a form?" they asked her group of friends.

Everyone shook their heads, and were in a bit of shock when she put up her hand and said, "Yes please."

Those two words were the beginning o two weeks of posters, t-shirts, and stickers, all reading : "Vote Amelia for Grade Nine Representative!" It was all going well, until she really started to think about what she had to do to get elected. Make a speech in front of the entire ninth grade.

She wrote a killer speech, but had to really be confident and ready if she wanted to win over the crowd. Before she knew it, the day of elections had arrived and she found herself sitting in one of the ten chairs with the other candidates up on stage as everyone else filed into the auditorium.

When it was her turn to speak she started to panic. The announcer called her name. "And our next candidate, Amelia Durocher!"

Everything was in slow motion for her. She quietly walked up to the podium and lay her speech pages across it. She lay her hand on the edge of the podium and it began to tremble. She took the mic in one hand and a deep breath, and introduced herself. That was where I showed up. The real me. I could practically feel myself emerging from some kind of a cocoon. I started to speak, the words flowing so naturally and enthusiastically, I forgot my fear.

The speech went flawlessly and I was really proud of myself. I went back to class and the teacher handed out the ballots. With a shaky hand I put a check mark next to my name. This was hopefully what most of the other grade nines were doing exactly.

The fears started to come back, little by little, until I handed in that ballot. It was like I was free. I wasn't worried anymore. I would just have to let fate decide now.

It was finally time for us to hear the results. I was practically jumping out of my seat, I was so excited. And guess what?

I didn't win.

But that doesn't matter. Because now that little timid Amelia is gone. Now it's the real me, with my red sneakers and my loud personality to match. I'm a presence now. I'm everywhere. I even joined debate team because it turns out I have a knack for public speaking.

I'm happier now than I would've ever been if I hadn't said, "Yes Please," taken that piece of paper and run in that election. So really, who cares if I lost?