Hi my name is Jeanenne McClean, and I am thirteen years of age. I was born on November 30th 1988. I live in Brooklyn with my parents Dianne and Michael McClean. I am five feet five inches tall. My eyes are dark brown and my hair is light brown. My skin color is brown. I attend Isaac Bildersee Junior High School. I am in the eighth grade. My favorite subjects are reading, writing and art. I also like to draw human portraits. My goal is to do well on my tests and earn awards and also earn a scholarship and become a writer and an artist. I am a nice person, and I am very helpful. You would find that out if you got a chance to meet me.

A Day at the Lake

Come on, Saudia," Samantha yelled. She was running toward the lake tossing her shirt and shorts at the side as she jumped in the lake. I ran behind her, but I didn’t go in because I couldn’t swim.

"Come in, Saudia, the water is fine," Samantha called again.

"I’m not worried about how cool the water is, Samantha. I just can’t swim."

"Oh, Saudia, just come in, you big baby. I’ll teach you how to swim. Do you want the others to come here and see that you are afraid to even try to learn how to swim?

"No," I replied.

So then I dipped one foot into the water to test the temperature. It was nice and warm.

"Why are you taking so much time to get in? Just jump like I did, " Samantha told me.

So I tried it. Splash! Uh! Water got into my nose. I scrambled to get out, but I couldn’t. I had to swim to get out. I felt my body getting tired from trying so hard to swim. "Samantha, help me!" She swam toward me laughing. "Stand up, Saudia."

"What do you mean? I said. "It’s too deep!"

"Stand up, stand up. Put your feet on the ground."

My feet touched the ground, and I relaxed a little.

"Ha, ha, ha, you are so scared of getting into the lake that you forgot the water level was up to your chest," Samantha said.

"Ha, ha," I forced a laugh.

Then Samantha got serious. "O.K., Saudia, the first thing you have to know about swimming is how to paddle your arms and legs."

She showed me a paddle that I knew I could do without moving to another place.

"Do it with me, Saudia, and stop staring at me."

So I did it with her. "I did it. I did it!"

"Yeah, you did it," Samantha said.

I heard a loud splash, and I saw five heads appear in the water.

"Hi Samantha. Hi Saudia," Tom, Bobby, Cortney, Alisea and John," all said together.

"Hi, you all, " Samantha and I replied. "Come in, you guys."

"Whose up for a little swim tag?" John asked.

"Everyone got in their places. I walked my way down to where the water level was very low. I still felt I couldn’t swim properly.

"I’ll just watch," I yelled.

"O.K.," Cortney answered. Then she counted to ten and started to swim after everyone, trying to tag someone. "Tag, your it, Samantha."

After Samantha chased everyone, she called, "Time out!"

They all gathered together. Soon it was quiet. Then everyone scattered. Tom, Bobby, Cortney, Alisea and John swam right out of the water.

"Wait. Where are you going?" I called after them.

"I’m going home," Alisea replied.

"Um, we have homework to do together," Tom and Bobby said.

"Uh, we have basketball practice," John and Cortney said.

They all vanished into the tall grass.

"So are you going to swim?" Samantha said.

"No way." I said. I’m not sure I can."

"Baby," Samantha taunted.

She began to play a swimming game by herself. The water looked so blue and beautiful. The lake was shiny and glossy. And the trees were full of colorful leaves.

Suddenly Samantha made a big splash startling me. She was bobbing up and down trying to reach the surface. She was screaming. The only thing I could think about was saving her. I grabbed a log that was near the lake and went into the water. I got to her as fast as I could. My eyes were wide open looking to see where Samantha was sinking. I saw her head face down in the water. I was so terrified. I turned her body over on the log and screamed for help. Then I saw her flinch when I opened her mouth to breathe air into her lungs. Her eyes opened and she started to laugh. I turned red with anger. I pushed her off the log. Then Tom, Cortney, Alisea, John and Bobby came out of no where and also were laughing.

"You fools!" I yelled swimming out of the lake.

"Saudia," Samantha yelled. "It was just a test." She laughed some more.

"What do you mean, it was just a test? You scared me."

"I thought you couldn’t swim," Tom said.

"I can’t," I said. Then I thought to myself. I just did it to save Samantha.

Then they all gathered around me. "We’re sorry," they said. "But you looked so bored sitting out here all alone."

"You guys, don’t you ever do something like that again. You could have given me a heart attack."

This time I really laughed along with them. After all they had gotten me to swim.

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