My Sophmore Year

My sophomore year here at Atrisco Heritage Academy high school has been a wonderful experience and has changed my life forever! These last nine months hold many awesome times and crazy stories. I’ve changed a lot over this school year and continue to change. I used to be the guy out there looking for trouble and always walking around like I was all bad waiting for someone to look at me wrong so I had a reason to fight them. I used to be the guy that didn’t care about school or anything or anyone. I used to be the guy my family almost disowned because of who I was.

Then sophomore year came around and for some reason I’m not sure why I started to change. I had new friends I never really had friends like this before always looked out for me and made sure I was doing good. My new friends made me snap and helped me realize that I didn’t want that life anymore and made me think maybe I never wanted that life. I changed my life for me and for my family and for my nephews and nieces. I wanted to be someone they looked up too and I wanted them to be proud they had me as an uncle. I’m glad I changed before it was too late. I feel better as a person for some reason and its good knowing that I don’t have to watch my back anymore. There is no way I can repay all my friends for what they have done for me even know they don’t know the helped me ever one of them had a part in my transformation.

If Atrisco has taught my anything it’s not math or anything you can teach in a book it’s taught me that I can have a second chance that I can succeed in this world. Statistics show that South Valley students are not as progressive as the rest of the city’s students and its true but I think Atrisco is the South Valleys second chance to start over and not be known for the gangs and drugs and being the scary place of Albuquerque but to be known as the place where a second chance was given and the place where great minds are formed and people succeed. The South Valley will be known as the Second Chance because of Atrisco Heritage Academy High School. It will change the face of the South Valley forever I know this because it changed mine.

The only way I can get anywhere in this world is with my words my music (Rap) no one will ever listen to what I have to say (my music) unless I can be the best out there. Atrisco has taught me that if I want to be herd or get my point across then I must use my words. But anyone can speak right? ya that’s true but how good can you speak? And how you put your words together makes a big difference I learned that from my English teacher Mr. Ley.

Anybody can rap and make music but how you word your music and the message it sends to people is the difference. That’s why I think I have a chance of making because I don’t just rap whatever rhymes together and whatever fits. I put raps together that make sense and put everything I have into it. That’s the difference between me and every other rapper. And Atrisco has taught me that because no one listens to us student’s weather we are right or wrong. So in order to be herd you have to stand out from all the others and make your words do what you want to get the result you want by making the words you say impact the person(s) you’re talking too. I will use what I’ve learned at Atrisco in the music industry to be the best rapper out there. I know that there are hundreds of rappers in Albuquerque and where are they? Not on the radio that’s for sure. I think I can do what other rappers seem to be missing.  I’m hoping with the street smarts I have and the smarts I get from Atrisco I hope to be the rapper every IPod is bumping too.

My Anything Essay

The subject I choose to write about for the 500 word anything essay is about how I changed my life over the last year and the people who helped me get here.First off last year and before that I had the mentality and attitude of a thug. I may not have always shown that I was a gangster but better believe If someone looked at me wrong or said something I let them know exactly who I and what I was. The reason I think I became a thug is because my step dad. When I was only three years old my mother met my step dad and everything was perfect at first. As young as I was I thought my step dad was my real dad never knowing the truth that he wasn’t and that my real dad was some thug drug dealer and my mom left him because of what he was and didn’t know he was like that until she was pregnant with me. Anyway when I was about seven my mom and step dad finally got married and that when things changed. My step dad had this anger this anger I had not seen before or never realized before. When he would get mad he would punch the walls making holes in it and would yell and curse. My mother would always have to call the police and they would make sure he was calm before we went back home. When my step dad would get mad I can remember I would hide in my closet or under the pool table until it was over. I would put my mind somewhere else and pretend that I was doing other things. I was confused though because my step dad was a really fun person always made me laugh and was nice and caring but when he would get made all the good things about him seemed to escape only leaving this hate and anger behind. I loved my step dad he was awesome I just didn’t understand him when he was mad he was a different person. When I was about ten my mom had enough of his anger and divorced him. The divorce really hurt me alot but I got over it because I would go with my step dad every weekend and would have a blast. We went fishing, hunting and did alot of stuff it was awesome. Then after awhile he stopped coming to pick me up on the weekends always making excuses. Then finally he got me one weekend we were at his house just hanging out and he got mad all of a sudden I asked him what was wrong. He said he just got off the phone with my mom and I asked what had happened. He told me that the reason he hasn’t been around lately is because I looked too much like my mom and couldn’t stand to see me. In my head I was like that’s it because I look like my mom and since you hate her I have too suffer. I started crying and he started yelling at me telling me to be quiet. I kept crying. All of a sudden he is in my face yelling at me to stop crying and when I wouldn’t he struck me in my chest and then again in my arm. I stopped crying right away. He told me next time I tell you to do something you better do it. He left the room and went outside. I ran to my room in shock thinking to myself did that just really happen? Did he really just hit me? Who is this man and what did he do with my father? I let it go and when I went back with my mom I didn’t say a word. Months passed and not a phone call or nothing from my dad. Then one day I hear my mom arguing with someone on the phone. I ran to my brother’s room and picked up the other phone to listen on the call. It was my step dad and he was yelling at my mom. I heard my mom say, you need to spend time with him you can’t do this to him". And then I heard the words I still have not forgotten till this day my step dad said, “Why should I take care of something that’s not mine!” I put the phone down imieditly and ran to my mom and said I was listening to the call and asked her what he meant. She hung up the phone took a deep breath and told me that he was not my real dad. She said my real dad was a bad person a drug dealer. My heart dropped and I ran to my room and started crying all this bad stuff was happening to me and I did not know how to handle it. Then at school there were other kids that were going through the same stuff I was going threw kind and those kids understood me those kids were gangsters and thugs. I thought since our lives were somewhat similar that that’s what I was supposed to me like them. So I started being like them and it felt good being a thug not caring about anything so I could not get hurt again. I decided that if I never got close to any one or trust anyone again then I would never have that pain in my heart. Well I soon learned after becoming a thug it was not easy I did not know the responsibilities it had. I was getting in fights with other kids because of the kids I hung out with they told me I had to defend my so called family and our hood. At first it was cool i guess but then as I got older it only got worse and I had to make a decision before it got out of hand. My oldest brother Richard saw what I was becoming and snapped me out of it and told me that I would be nothing in this world if I was a gangster and that he and the rest of my family would neglect me. Thanks to my brother I now don’t want to be a thug not that I was a big time one any way but still i was one. I couldn’t do that to my mother after all she has been threw I couldn’t hurt her. So I’m thankful to my brother because I completely changed and my life is better than ever. I have awesome friends that helped me also even know they don’t know it they did alot. Dante my oldest nephew thanks bro I want to be a good role model for you and we have been through hell and back but you never left my side thanks homie. My homie "Buck" bro we have done alot of crazy shit together and you’re like a brother to me you know I got your back till the end homie and I just want to say thank because you really helped me. My family of course My mom, Jessica, Richard, Erica, Toni. The people at school that have helped me are Jasmine April Munoz thank you soo much you may not know but you have impacted my life alot this school year I’m so thankful for you and for your friendship can’t wait till we are in college together I hope I know you for the rest of my life because your such an awesome person and fun to be around and thanks for the dancing lessons ha ha.

500 word essay

 If I were to leave this world today and I could only tell my family and friends one inportant thing I have learned in my life somthing they could cherish and live by it would have to be "Dont live life to fast because it ends to quick". I personaly think that quote could not be said any better because its true if your always worrying about the future then you waste time not enjoying the present and soon enough your future is your past and all the time you spent thinking about your future has gone you and now time is less because you thought about your future instead of making your future. What im trying to say is live life to the fullest dont have any regrets dont be scared to try new things, Any day could be your last so why waste it? Dont be the person that in 50 years is saying "I should have". Be the person in 50 years saying "Im glad I did". Death can take you in a second without any warning so dont wait to be the person you want to be dont wait to change things do the stuff you've always wanted to do and live like every day is your last who knows it just might be. If I left this world right now I would go knowing that my life was like an action movie always taking risks and going the extra mile. I love my life knowing that everday I wake up there is somthing out there waiting for me to experience somthing out there calling my name to try because it knows I will try it. I will not sit here worring about the dangers of this world and "what if this" and "what if that" I will be out in the world enjoying this life I have. This one life I am given.This life I will never get back. I will be making my future my past and the present full of exciting and fun memories. So I leave you with this quote to take as a instruction manual of life dont stress the small things when there is bigger things going on. Im not saying be carless and wild and stupid. Im saying life is awsome so live it up with family and friends. 

My sister

My sister Jessica is so awsome i love her so much if it was not for her i would not be where i am today. She is like a second mom she makes sure im doing good in school and keeps me out of trouble.Im am glad my sister never gave up on me she knew i could succeed if i put my mind to it. I dont know if she knows how much she inpacts my life but i hope she knows because i look up to her as a rolemodel. She has been threw hell and back and didnt have the best life growing up but she kept goin and proved to me that if she could do then so can i. My sister encourages me to go to college and to be a better person. My sister is the only person i can talk to in this world she understands me and can relate to me and my life problems.She is always a phone call away when i need her and i can depend on her to be there for me when i need her the most. She also knows im always there for her and would do anything for her. I dont think i can ever repay my sis for all she has done because she helped me realize the inportance in life and what i need to do to become the person others will respect. I know i have done alot of wrong things in the past but i know my family will not hold them against me because were family and thats what family is for to forgive and be there for eachother. So jess THANKS FOR BEING THERE FOR ME!!! LOVE YOU SIS

"My Quote"

"dont live life to fast because it ends to quick"(Hernandez,Gabe").

person for a day

If I could be anyone in the world for a day who would i be?  I think I would have to be my big brother. I choose my big brother because he is the coolest person ever and he is the person I respect the most in this world. My brother has proven himself to me my family and to this world. He has done what people said could not be done coming from my families backround. My brother has proven that if you come from a spanish/mexican decendent family on welfare and living in the south valley and growing up in a rough inviroment you can become successfull and make a living. My brother has been to jail many times for many things to name a few drinking and driving,aggrivated assult and most just stuff that has to do with fighting other people. He has been to the hospital from being jumped by many people. At first glance my bro is this big muscular built guy with tattoos covering both arms and part of his neck with this mad dog look on his face ha ha ha but thats not him thats his defense tactic also known as an animals way of  protecting themselfs there way of  letting people know not to mess with them like how a bear stands on its hind legs so its seems to be bigger and more intimadating then they actually are. My brother and I were abused when we were kids be our step father he would hit us and yell in our faces and my guess is that my brother got these tattoos to warn people that he will not be treated like that every again  and he will not take shit from any one and these tattoos are storys there his time line of his life and like a sign saying im not a guy that is going to play games to think before you mistreat me. I would want to be my brother for a day because he is very successfull and has a awesome life and he makes alot of money he experiences new things all the time in his busieness. My brother owns one of the best outfitting buissness in the state of new mexico and is very well known. I am proud of my brother so much because he is my hero.  

My Courage

The time I had to be really courageous was when I was about thirteen. I was camping with my older brother and my nephew and a couple of my brother’s homies. It was fun we went fishing and hiking and did all kinds of fun stuff. We were at camp later in the day it was starting to get dark and all the boys were hanging out at the camp fire. It was a perfect night it was not cold just perfect you could see the stars like if they were right in front of you. Well my brother and his friends wanted more fun so they brought out the bud light and crown and other hard liquors. And me and my nephew who is eleven just sat there making smoores minding our own business because alcohol in our family was nothing new. So my nephew decides for me and him to go take a little walk to the river near camp. While we were there we heard screaming so we ran back to camp and saw my brother’s friends holding him back from fighting this other guy who was also drunk. I was scared not for my brother but for the other guy because my brother is very very built and scary with his tattoos that cover each arm and part of his neck. I knew my brother had a pistol in his truck and my brother was drunk so i didn’t take any chances. My courage kicked in and I ran as fast as I could to his truck and grabbed the gun. I took the gun back to my tent and hide it under my pillow. I went back to where my brother was. His friends still trying to hold him down and keep the other guy back. My courage hit me again and I went up to my brother and jumped on his back kind of choking him. I told my brothers friends to get that other guy out of here. While holding on to my brother I screamed "Richard don’t do this please!". Being as drunk as he was he didn’t pay much attention to my yelling. All he cared about at that time was getting to that other guy. My brothers’ friends somehow took that other guy in their truck and drove off before my brother could get to them. My brother ran to his truck opened his door and to his surprise the gun was gone and his keys which were in my pocket were gone to. Now he could do nothing he couldn’t shoot at that other guy and he couldn’t chase them down with no keys. I talked to him trying to calm him down which took about 45 min. When i had him calmed down he went to his tent and crashed. About an hour later his friends came back they said they drove that other guy back to his camp and made sure he went to sleep. And the whole time this was going on my nephew was sitting there eating smoores watching the show. Because stuff like that always happens in our family and in the area we live in but usually there is some one sober that gets the problem solved not a thirteen year old boy. And that’s the first time I really used my courage but is not the last time those are other stories.

Time travel

If I could travel in time were would i go? I would probably go back in time to see my grandpa. Ive herd alot of things about him how he was so cool and a great man. He did everything for his family to make sure my mom and and uncles and grandma were happy. They lived in El Paso Texas until my mom was like eight and my grandpa got a job in Albuquerque New Mexico and they moved here to the South valley. Every one I talk to that knew my grandpa always told me he was the most awsome person they had ever meet. I wish I could have meet him cause my mom says im just like him. If im like my grandpa then he must of been very clever and strong minded and caring. I wish I could have met him I think he would have tought me alot of inportant life lessons. I can only think of what my grandpa was like but im sure he is always watching me from above or somthing. One of these days when I die if there is a heven and if I go there im sure he will be there waiting for me.

My Life

Dear, future grandson or granddaughter my name is Gabriel Antonio Hernandez I’m writing this march 25,2010 and this is a story of my life and how I kept out of trouble and kept me off the streets by getting into something that I enjoy a lot which is hunting. Well I was born June 5 1993 in Albuquerque New Mexico and on that date in snowed and here in New Mexico that kind of weather does not happen. So my mother always thought I was very special for that and that I would grow up to be something great. I never meet my real father because he was not a good person he was a gang member and into selling drugs. and what’s crazy is my mom had no idea of this until they were about to move into a apartment together cause my mom was pregnant with me that’s when she was unpacking his clothes and found the drugs and realized who he really was so she told him to leave and never come back. And he did with no problem at all. From what my mother has told me my dad didn’t look like a gangster she said he was a handsome man and very funny and respectful .but he hid who he was really well until my mom found out. So my mom raised me and three sisters and brother who were all older than me by herself with the help of my grandma. My grandma was the best person ever always did everything for her family that she could. She took care of me and my siblings while my mom worked and went to school. My grandma was so cool she loved the Dallas cowboys and drinking beer and smoking a cigarette and watching wrestling. She was such a funny woman and so many people loved her. When I was about 3 my mom meets my stepdad. he introduced me and my brother to hunting and ever since I can remember I’ve been hunting and continue to hunt it’s my life and addiction ,but my stepdad was a very angry man who every time would put holes in the walls with his fist and scare my mother to death. He used to abuse me and my brother. Even all the pain he caused to and my family I still thank him for putting hunting in my life. A lot of my life has been spent in the mountains always hunting, fishing, and trapping. Being in the outdoors hunting changed my life because it’s kept me out of a lot of trouble. Because growing up in the south valley trouble is around every corner waiting for you. Hunting is not just my addiction but I can make a career from hunting. Having an outfitting business with my older brother Richard which he has already started and when i get of age I will join the business and work with my brother side by side doing the thing we both enjoy. Any way my mom divorced my step dad when I was about 10 or 11she had enough with his anger. . My brother is so awesome and I’m glad to have him in my life. After high school he became a very well known guide and hunter. He started his own outfitting business and that business is growing fast and becoming very known by almost every one. I’m proud of my brother because we didn’t have the best life and despite all the bad in his life he still came up and became someone that people respect and look up too. He always kept the hunting dream in his head and knew some day he would achieve that dream which he has. Without hunting who knows where he would be in life. And as for me it took me awhile I had to make my own mistakes and choices and learn from them before I actually could move on in life just like my brother. I got in trouble with the law at a young age. I was hanging out with the wrong people. And after I had enough with being who I was I decided to change. And follow in my brothers’ footsteps. I could not see my life without hunting because when I’m out there I’m a different person I feel like it’s what I was meant too do. So when I’m of age to join my brothers business we will be the greatest and biggest outfitters out there.

The Great Debaters

The great debaters staring Denzil Washington is an awsome movie. Its takes place some time in the early 1930s in the south. Its about a group of young black student who join the debate team three boys and a girl and all the troubles that happen from being black in that time.There teacher whos mr. melvin tulson is a great debater and holds secret meetings to try and make blacks equal but the whites say that those meetings are illigal and try and arrest him and call him a communist. So he teaches his students to debate like him so that blacks can be respected for beating other debate teams and white teams. The students work very hard and prove to the whites that they are not different and should be alowed to go to the same schools and get the same education as the whites. 

The New Colossus

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

"Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she

With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door

Emma Lazarus

 

 

The statue of liberys poem means to me that any one and every one deserves the chance to have a good life and the they live in a country that is fare with people. And that there hard work is payed for what they deserve and not barly enough to get by. Its Stands for a chance.

 

Its universal meaning is freedom

 

This poem affects me because in other countries families struggle from poverty and hunger and low income. Thats why they come to the United States for a better chance of living.

 

 

 

 

 

quotes i live by

"I never lie to any man because

I don't fear anyone. The only time

you lie is when you are afraid (Gotti, John)."

 

"I always tell the truth. Even when I lie (Scarface)."

 

"  You need people like me so you can point your fuckin' fingers and say, "That's the bad guy So... what that make you? Good? You're not good You just know how to hide, how to lie(scarface).

"It's too bad that stupidity isn't painful (LaVey,Anton)."

"There is a beast in man that needs to be excersised, not exorcised(LaVey,Anton)."

“There is no heaven, there is no hell, except here on Earth(LaVey,Anton)."









                                                           



                                                                                                

Saving the sumatran tiger

My english teacher had us go this web site called theliteracysite.com and we were to pick a serious problem thats happening in this world and sign a petition to help with that problem. and I picked the poaching of sumatran tigers Indonesia. I picked this one because i think its wrong to poach animals. Im a hunter and i kill animals but i do it legaly and for good reasons. The poachers in Indonesia kill to sell the animal remains for profit and thats wrong and waste of an animal. so i hope that the goverment over there does somthing to put a end to the killing of these tigers.

Its dark, cold , no one is around to hear you. The voices in your head tell you to turn back but you know you must continue. All the pain and suffering you have been threw will be taken away all the fear and hate you have had will be no more. you've been threw it all fighting to stay alive. But for what? What would happen if you were free? Would your family take you back even after all the wrong you caused? They must forgive and take you back. All those dark cold nights they were the only thing keeping you alive just thinking of them gave you the strength to move on. But this is the moment of truth after being stuck in this place for so long now a way out.You look stright ahead never thinking of looking back. You walk stright to freedom seeing the light pulling youself up and out of misery leaving the darkness behind.

The Sunrise

 The sun rises everyday to remind us that the world is OK.