If I had to choose one thing about me that I could never live without, I would choose fishing. Fishing is the best way, above all else, that I could spend my time. There’s something about it that just makes me happy. I get really mad when I have to change my plans to go fishing to something else. Normally, people would enjoy fishing with someone, but I don’t like fishing with people. I would much rather just fish by myself. Being alone is peaceful.

My earliest memory is going fishing with my dad, so it makes sense that I love it so much. It was Father’s Day. We went to Sprague Brook Park, with my uncle and grandfather. I was five years old. It was a really fun time because I caught ten bluegills. We took them home and I watched my dad gut them and then grill them. Then we ate them. It was a really cool experience. So ever since then, I thought the idea of fishing was just awesome. Fishing makes me happy because it is something I’m good at. I succeed when I go fishing. That’s what I love most about it.

There are two things that I like most about myself. I think I’m a good listener and I feel like I have a great work ethic. My father tells me that I do and he knows how well I listen. When something needs to get done around the house, he tells me to do it and he knows it will get done.

My father and I have a great relationship. We get along very well because he knows I respect him. We have a mutual respect for each other. We have common interests.

-The American Teenager Project was inspired by a book and online nationwide project by photographer Robin Bowman and educator Julia Hollinger that collects interviews with adolescents in order to respectfully share their stories and build community.  BCS students in grades 10-12 recorded interviews with one another and used those to write profiles of their classmates. We will publish these throughout the school year.