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Birth
I was born at Abington Memorial Hospital on June 3rd, 2000 as the first of four siblings. -
George W. Bush Elected President
After a highly-disputed election, George W. Bush won the electoral college vote, but not the popular vote, to become the 43rd president of the United States. The election was so close, five weeks passed from Election Day to when the government officially announced the winner. -
9/11 attacks
Terrorists hijacked and crashed commercial flights into the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon in Washington D.C., and a field outside of Shanksville, Pennsylvania. As a result, the USA created the Department of Homeland Security and invaded Afghanistan and Iraq. -
Brian and Charlie are born
My two brothers, Brian and Charlie, were born on September 20, 2001, 15 months after me! Though they are twins, they are far from identical. -
Department of Homeland Security Created
Following the 9/11 attacks, Congress passed the Homeland Security act of 2001, creating a Cabinet-level office entirely dedicated to protecting the USA from the inside. Some of the Department's most major duties include airport security, border patrol, and cybersecurity. -
Iraq War Begins
After Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein refused to leave his country before a U.S. imposed deadline, President George W. Bush orders an attack on Iraq. The motivation behind the attack was suspicion that Iraq was building weapons of mass destruction. The first targets were ones that President George W. Bush stated were of "military importance". -
First Ballet Class
When I was three years old, I took my first dance class at Cassidy Dance Studio in Glenside. Twelve years later, I'm still at the studio multiple times a week. Through dance, I've been able to perform at places like the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Glenside Winterfest, and Walt Disney World in the Electric Light Parade. -
First Irish Dance Class
At age five, I started Irish Dancing with the Cummins School of Irish Dance. My grandmother is an Irish immigrant and the majority of my ancestry can be traced back to Ireland, which is what motivated me to start dancing in the first place. Today, I compete at least twice a month year-round. I've performed at the Philadelphia St. Patrick's Day parade, many local school fairs, and the Irish Festival at Penn's Landing. -
Nora is born
My youngest sibling and only sister Nora was born in 2007. This picture is from when we were in Diseny World this past summer with our dance studio. -
My First Musical
As a part of St. Luke's Summerstock theater program, I was in my first musical at age eight. I played Minnie Mouse in a short show about Disney movies. Theater is something I still do today and is how I've made many of my closest friends. -
Barack Obama elected President
Democrat Senator Barack Obama defeats Republican Senator John McCain 365 electoral votes to 173 in the 2008 presidential election, becoming the United States' first African American President. -
First Orchestra Concert
In third grade, I began playing the cello as a part of the Copper Beech instrumental program. Though I wasn't that good, I played with shcool straight through elementary school and junior high. I still take orchestra as one of my electives this year. -
Afforable Care Act Signed
President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law. This law, nicknamed Obamacare, gives more Americans access to affordable, non-discriminatory health insurance. -
Killing of Osama bin Laden
A U.S. Special Forces team raids the compound of Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and kills him. This event marks the end of a ten year manhunt for bin Laden, following the 9/11 attacks. -
Started Junior High
I started seventh grade at AJHS in September of 2012. This picture is from the first day of school that year. For me, the three years I spent at the junior high were a time when I made most of my closest friends and began, had some of my favorite teachers, and began to explore more of my interests, like theater and service. -
Hurricane Sandy hits the East Coast
Hurricane Sandy makes landfall on the US East Coast, causing extensive damage in 15 states, the worst being in New Jersey and New York. The storm would go down in history as the second most expensive hurricane on record, behind Hurricane Katrina. -
Government Shutdown
From October 1st-16th, disagreements in Congress over the nation's budget and the Affordable Care Act caused a government shutdown. The 800,000 government employees deemed "non-essential", including National Park employees and passport offices, spent over two weeks not working or getting paid as a result. This event showed just how extreme the political polarization in America had become. -
TADA Games Captain
At the end of my ninth grade year, I was chosen to be a TADA Games captain, a role that required me to write a team song and cheer, make a banner, and draft and lead a team of twenty five students for two weeks in both athletic events and a song and cheer competition. This experiece was extremely rewarding and I will cherish the memory forever. -
Performed in Disney World
In June 2015, my dance studio was invited to perform in Walt Disney World in Florida. We took a class from a professional Disney choreographer, had our own showcase in Hollywood Studios, and danced in the Elcetric Light Parade in Magic Kingdom. This picture was taken just after my friends and I passed Cinderella's Caslte. -
Same Sex Marriage Legalized
The Supreme Court legalizes same sex marriage in a 5-4 decision, making the United States the 21st country in the world to recognize same sex marriage in the same respect as heterosexual marriages.
