"When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you'll be successful." - Eric Thomas

My overall theme is success, and that

fighting through hard times and putting

in hard work will get you anywhere that

you want to go.

Success Table of Contents 1

Meaning of Life +

Time Capsule

2

Most Influential Per-

son + Roles

3

Major Changes +

What will it miss

most

4

Achievements De-

fining Moment +

future goals

5

Top 10 6

Top 10 7

Magazine Pop cul-

ture

8

News Article Sandy

Hook + News that

affected You

9

ART—photograph

Art+ song lyrics

10

My theme for my portfolio is success. I believe that if you work

hard enough, your dreams can come true. For the naysayers that

think we should all just strive to fit in or be content with medi-

ocrity, they probably just never tried hard enough to make their

dreams come true. Success can mean a lot of different things to

a lot of different people, but I can tell you for sure, that you will

never achieve anything worth having if you are willing to give

up when things get hard. You have to persevere when things get

hard and never give up on something you want, and that will

make you a stronger person.

The meaning of Life…..

Time Capsule

Senior Yearbook: Our senior yearbook would remind me of the styles of 2013 and what we did and what we

looked like. Our senior yearbook is significant because it shows all of my friends and activities I’ve been involved in

at Fishers. I have known some of the people since elementary school and when I open the yearbook I could see the

people that provided me with a memorable high school experience.

State championship medal: I would put my 2010 state championship medal for football in my time capsule. The

state championship medal would remind me of all my years playing football since first grade and especially through

high school. It is significant because athletics are such a huge part of my life. Football has given me some of my fa-

vorite high school memories and friendships I will keep with me for the rest of my life.

iPod: My iPod would tell a lot about the person I am because it would have all of my music on it. I believe that mu-

sic changes the world. Music brings happiness to people and can make you experience every emotion; it has the po-

tential to change your mood or keep a song stuck in your head all day. When I open the time capsule I could remem-

ber all the songs that I used to listen to and the emotions associated with them.

Phone: My phone is one of my most important possessions to me right now. It is so important to me that when I

can’t feel it in my pocket my heart skips a beat and I panic thinking that I’ve lost it. My phone would have conversa-

tions with those I’m closest with and pictures of vacations from the past four years since I have had the same phone

since 2008.

Cross: A Cross is significant because it is a very important part of my life. I was raised in a Christian home and it is

a very big part of who I am and how I aspire to live my life. No one is perfect but we should all try to live like God.

When all else fails, God brings me peace and comfort.

Page 2 Col l in Brand

“Success is walking

from failure to failure

with no loss of

enthusiasm.” Winston

Churchill

Most Influential Person

Roles

Legs quivering, body aching, I rolled out of bed and

slapped the alarm clock which showed three heartbreak-

ing numbers, 5:15. Three days a week, all summer long

this was the routine. My goal was to get another gold

medal complimented by a sapphire blue ribbon placed

around my neck. Coach Farrell was the coach of the de-

fensive backs at Fishers High School. The players he

coached had an air of swagger and confidence about

them that other teams lacked. When I was a scrawny

sophomore weighing in at an unintimidating 130 pounds,

I asked him what I needed to do to be a state champion-

ship caliber player. He said, “It’s very simple Collin, get

stronger, and be coachable.” These words were motiva-

tion to be the best I could and to never lose an oppor-

tunity to get better. Coach Farrell stayed with me, en-

couraged me, and most importantly believed in me. He

has taught me values and life skills through football that

are hard to learn anywhere else. After our last game he

said, “Continue to work as hard at life as you did on the

football field and you will have a bright future.” Not

only have I changed physically through training, but I am

now more mature and level-headed, and I tried to give

younger kids someone to look up to. (222)

As an older brother it is important for me to set an example for my younger brother

who is a freshman here at Fishers. It is the responsibility of the older brother to show

their younger siblings the ropes and keep them out of trouble and to protect them

from anything that might cause them trouble. It is my responsibility to try and help

whenever I can. I think my main responsibilities are to keep him out of trouble, and

set an example of how to be a man. My brother and I are both athletes at Fishers and

I have told him how important it is to work hard and set a good example. I put pres-

sure on him to lift hard, attend all the workouts that he can, and make sure that he gets

his weight up by taking healthy supplements and getting proper nutrition to help gain

weight and muscle mass without gaining fat too. Of course I still push him around and

let him know who’s boss, but that is helping to make him tough and is something eve-

ry older brother does whether it is with good intentions or not. The disadvantages are

constantly being annoyed and the advantages are having someone look up to you.

(210)

Page 3 Col l in Brand

When most people look at their freshmen yearbook picture, they feel a mix of humor and shame. The big-

gest changes I’ve experienced and witnessed in high school has been how different everyone looks. Even

more so if you would look at what you looked like in Jr. High during “the awkward stage” you would ask

yourself “why did I even go out in public?” When guys leave Jr. High and enter the first year or two of

high school, we trade in voice cracks, pimples, and Xbox, for muscle tone, facial hair, and girls. Since my

freshmen year I have grown 5 inches and gained fifty pounds. It is weird to walk around the hallways now

as a senior and be one of the bigger people walking around as opposed to being a freshmen who had to

look up to make eye contact with anyone. The major changes that I noticed were everyone growing up

physically and maturing. It’s hard to notice a jump in maturity day by day, but when you compare how

your friends act now to who they were 4 years ago, you’ll realize that they changed for the better. (193)

Major Changes

What you will miss most

I don’t want to sound like that stereotypical dumb jock that only talks about sports, but ath-

letics are a huge part of who I am as a person. It is what I love to do, it is what my friends

love to do, and it is what I spend most of my time doing. When people look at me, they

probably think I’m just one of the football guys. Don’t get me wrong, being a football player

is something I am extremely proud of and it is a huge part of my identity, but I’d like to be

remembered for more than what I have done under the Friday night lights. Everyone wants

people to have fond memories of them, and I think it is really hard to judge yourself accu-

rately and without bias. When we have all graduated and moved on from Fishers High

School, I hope I will have left a lasting impression on my football team as a hard worker and

a leader who went out of their way to help people, and tried to give underclassmen someone

to look up to. My sarcasm can be taken the wrong way, but hopefully it isn’t mistaken for

rudeness. (200)

Success comes from knowing that

you did your best to become the best

that you are capable of becoming.

John Wooden

Page 4 Col l in Brand

Defining Moments and Triumph

Future Goals

The game was over. The clock showed all zeros in the

fourth quarter and we had beaten Hamilton Southeastern

42 to 7 on their own field in the sectional tournament. It

was a blowout, and they were devastated. They now faced

the realization that some of them would never play foot-

ball again. Our seniors last year faced the same fate at the

hands of Hamilton Southeastern. Tears were rolling down

their faces as we shook hands and we went over to cele-

brate with each other and our fans that came to support

us. The atmosphere was surreal, we had beaten a team that

was favored to win the game and we survived to advance

in the sectional tournament. The most rewarding feeling is

when hard work finally pays off and on the bus ride home

we reminisced of those 6am workouts all summer long. At

the time, there was nothing we would have rather done

than sleep in like all the other kids, but we knew the op-

portunities that lay ahead of us, and those painful memo-

ries of waking at before the sun is up were replaced with

visions of grandeur as we continued to strive towards our

goal that was one step closer now, and that goal was to

win another state championship. (214)

May 31st of this year I will take a huge step towards completing my goal of get-

ting a college degree by graduating high school. I have already been accepted

into Indiana University’s pre business school and plan on attending Indiana Uni-

versity next fall. My goals for the future are to graduate from the Kelley School

of Business at IU which is widely recognized as one of the top business schools

in the country. This is the biggest goal that I am working towards right now be-

cause up to this point, my focus has been on keeping my grades high enough to

get into the Kelley School. I made the decision not to try and play sports in col-

lege and instead focus solely on academics. I think this was my first big step in

trying to achieve my goal because all through high school I’ve played two sports

and that has taken up a lot of time I could have been studying, not including the

times I haven’t been at practice but have been too tired to do homework. I think

what I have to do is really not get caught up in college life and stay serious about

my education because that’s the reason I’m going to college is to get a degree.

(213)

Page 5 Col l in Brand

#1. Vincent Jackson, better known as Bo Jackson, is the

greatest athlete of all time. He was the first to be named an

All-Star in two professional American sports. He also won

the Heisman trophy in 1985. He still has the record for the

fastest 40-yard dash time at an NFL combine and his speed

qualified him for the U.S. Olympic trials but he chose to pur-

sue baseball, and his “hobby sport” football, instead. Bo

Jackson dominated two sports and could have run in the

Olympics, making him the greatest

#2. Michael Phelps, from a sheer domination standpoint, deserves to be on the top

of this list. In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Phelps won 8 gold medals which is

more than any other athlete. Those 8 gold medals that he won were also faster

than any swimmer ever as he set 8 world records. Phelps is also the most decorat-

ed Olympic athlete of all time proving his dominance in the sport of swimming.

#3. Usain Bolt, a very fitting name for the fastest man alive. Actually,

Bolt is the fastest human being ever. He holds the world records for

the 100 and 200 meter dash, with times of 9.58 in the 100m, and 19.19

in the 200m, and is part of the 4x100 meter relay world record team.

#4. The iconic number 23, His Airness, Black Cat, Air Jordan, MJ, and the greatest

of all time. Michael Jordan is the best basketball player to ever step on the hard-

wood. Jordan scored 38 points in game 5 of the NBA finals, if that isn’t impressive

enough, he had food poisoning. Jordan was a true competitor and a winner who

changed the sport forever.

#5. Muhammad Ali, born Cassius Clay, was a three-time heavyweight champ

and was undefeated until he was unjustly stripped of his title for refusing to

serve in the U.S. army. Ali left the sport of boxing for 3 and a half years and

regained his championship belt over George Foreman. Ali had blinding

speed, grace, heart, instincts, and the mental toughness that made him the

greatest boxer of all time.

#6. Deion “Primetime” Sanders, had the best speed and agility combina-

tion of any player in the NFL ever. He was the best NFL cornerback ever

and had the ability to take away half the field from a quarterback with his

speed. He played in eight pro bowls, was voted to the 1990 all decade

team, and has two Super Bowl rings. Not to mention he also played base-

ball and was the only man to ever play in a super bowl and a world series.

#7. Lionel Messi is a living soccer legend. Messi has a near perfect

combination of technique, speed, balance and intelligence which give

him the uncanny ability to sprint into a crowd of players and come out

the other side with the ball still at his feet and in complete control. He

has scored over 300 goals in his career for Barcelona and can control a

soccer ball, and change a game like no one else can.

#8. The wannabe number 23 if you ask me. LeBron James is num-

ber 8 on this list and is behind Jordan because he will always be ex-

actly that, behind Jordan. LeBron is an absolute freak of nature He

can run, jump, and dunk with the best of them, and yeah, he finally

got himself a ring and looks to be on track for a pair of rings with

Wade, but the title of the greatest belongs to Mr. Jordan himself.

#9. The most important quality besides the obvious physical ability an athlete

needs to be considered the greatest is the ability to overcome adversity and be

mentally tough. Jesse Owens won 4 gold medals at the 1936 Olympics in

Berlin, Germany under Adolf Hitler’s reign. Jesse Owens proved Hitler’s Ar-

yan race was not dominant and overcame racial discrimination more than any

other athlete has had to overcome.

#10. He has 93 more goals than anybody in hockey history, he has the two high-

est goal scoring seasons in NHL history, and he has over 700 more assists than

anybody else in NHL history. Wayne Gretzky dominated hockey. He was truly

a man among boys in his sport, he was faster, stronger, smarter, and revolution-

ized the game.

I believe social network-

ing is a fantastic way to

stay in touch and check

up on friends and family

every so often, but any-

thing can be toxic in large

enough doses. Facebook,

Twitter, and the newest of

the three, Instagram, are

your “Big Three” of so-

cial media. Kids are now

so caught up on their

phones looking at pictures

or reading tweets that they

forget the company right

in front of them. I’ve seen

couples out on dates where

instead of talking across the

table and enjoying each oth-

er’s company, they are scroll-

ing their lives away on their

phones. Twitter allows for the

false perception that you are

important enough to be worth

“following” and Facebook

allows for the misconception

of popularity when some peo-

ple have upwards of 2,000

friends. They have turned

themselves into faux celebri-

ties and are truly lead actors

in their own fictionalized life

stories. On social networking

they want to look cool and

accepted and feel important

and by getting “likes” on what

they post. The sole purpose is

to get likes and fuel their own

sense of self entitlement. I

think social networks are a

great way to stay in touch, but

it has been turned into a way

for people to brag about their

lives and make them think

they are more important than

they are.(222) Ablow, Keith, Dr. "We Are Raising a Genera-tion of Deluded Narcis-sists." Fox News. FOX News Network, 08 Jan. 2013. Web. 19 May 2013.

“A Generation of Deluded Narcissists.”

A Pop Icon’s Death

The King of Pop, Wacko Jacko, MJ, whatever name you prefer, Mi-

chael Jackson was a pop legend. June 25th, 2009, music lost an inspira-

tion and a legend. “The Love You Saved” for Michael Jackson will

have you saying “I Want You Back” because you realize that, “Black

or White” loving him was as easy as “ABC”. Michael Jackson, despite

the scandals that ended causing him to lose a huge part of his fan base,

revolutionized music. He was truly an icon with his long black hair and

shiny glove. MJ could dance and sing like no one else in the world and

his signature moonwalk drove the crowd crazy, he had star power and

was a true performer. Michael Jackson’s death at age 50 shocked the

world. He died from cardiac arrest due to drug overdose. Even though

Michael Jackson’s image had been tainted with accusations of child

molestation, his funeral packed the Staples Center Arena in Los Ange-

les. He changed the world of music and his death came as a shock and

the King of Pop will always be remembered. (181) Tyrangiel, Josh. "A Pop

Icon's Death: The Talent and the Tragedy." Time. Time News, 25 June 2009. Web. 19 May 2013.

Page 8 Col l in Brand

Sandy Hook Elementary

Tragedy of 9/11

December 15, 2012 is a day that changed the small town of

Newtown, Connecticut forever. 20-year-old Adam Lanza attacked Sandy

Hook elementary and took the lives of 26 people at the school. The

shooter killed 20 students and six adults. Adam Lanza used a .223 cali-

ber rifle and two pistols that belonged to his mother, who he also killed.

The deadly school shooting has left the town devastated and a nation

mourning the lives lost. It has also reignited the endless debate about

gun laws. This issue does not affect the world because most countries

have very strict gun laws so there is no debate on whether they should

tighten them further because they view America’s gun laws as too re-

laxed anyway. The United States is affected by yet another school shoot-

ing and it leaves people asking what it is going to take to restrict gun

laws. How many school shootings is it going to take before we finally do

something about it? The NRA or National Rifle Association is Ameri-

ca’s foremost defender of the second amendment and it’s hard to take

away something that has been in our constitution since the Bill of Rights

was passed. I believe this shooting

makes everyone more scared of

another shooting happening. This

shooting makes me and probably

everyone in my community feel

nervous about this happening

here and less safe at school. (230)

"Sandy Hook Elementary

Shooting: What Happened?" CNN.

Cable News Network, n.d. Web. 16

May 2013.

“Terror cannot prevail.” President George W. Bush vowed to retaliate

against those responsible for the terrorist attacks that took place on Sep-

tember 11, 2001, and said “there will be no distinction between those

who committed the attacks, and those who harbor them.” The attacks on

the world trade center changed America forever. Now you can’t go to an

airport without being reminded of the terrorist attacks that took place on

that day. Security has been heightened everywhere and especially in air-

ports to try and prevent more plane hijackings. I think this made every-

one in the country, and the entire world, feel a little less safe about some

things. You never know when the next terrorist attacks will happen, and

even things like the recent bombings at the Boston marathon make peo-

ple feel less safe. I believe President Bush said it best when he said that it

was a defining moment in American history, and that a country that was

strong like ours would band together because we are strong people. This

happened when I was in second grade and I think it changed everyone.

You learn to deal with tragedy and in the end it makes you tougher. (198)

"Remembering 9/11." National Geographic. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 May 2013.

Page 9 Col l in Brand

“Live life to the

fullest and focus on

the positive.”

-Matt Cameron

On your knees you look up

Decide you've had enough

You get mad, you get strong

Wipe your hands, shake it off

Then you stand, then you stand

Every time you get up

And get back in the race

One more small piece of you

Starts to fall into place

Lyrics Reflection:

This song starts off with him singing

using metaphors to describe feeling

helpless and like all the odds are

against you by saying “You feel like a

candle, in a hurricane.” In the chorus

he says, “Cause when push comes to

shove you taste what you’re made of.

You might bend til you break, cause

it’s all you can take.” He is saying that

everyone goes through hard times in

their life. In the last half of the chorus

he says “on your knees you look up,

You feel like a candle in a hurricane

Just like a picture with a broken frame

Alone and helpless

Like you've lost your fight

But you'll be alright, you'll be alright

[Chorus:]

Cause when push comes to shove

You taste what you're made of

You might bend, till you break

Cause its all you can take

On your knees you look up

Decide you've had enough

You get mad you get strong

Wipe your hands shake it off

Then you Stand, Then you stand

Life's like a novel

With the end ripped out

The edge of a canyon

With only one way down

Take what you're given before its gone

Start holding on, keep holding on

Cause when push comes to shove

You taste what you're made of

You might bend till you break

Cause it's all you can take

decide you’ve had enough, you get

mad, you get strong, wipe your hands

shake it off then you stand.” This song

is so powerful because not only is the

music beautiful to listen to, but be-

cause if you listen and read into the

lyrics they provide meaning and a

strong life lesson. Everyone goes

through life and faces trials but you

have to stand up and fight through

them to find out what you’re made of

which ultimately makes you a stronger

person than you were before and I be-

lieve that we are formed as people

through all of our hard times in life. If

you want to get through something

hard or succeed when things are rough,

you’re going to have to stand up and

face them and work through it.(219)

“Stand” - Rascal Flatts

Art Reflections

From left to right: Kyle, me, Cameron, and Brittany.

Now Kyle is 22 and has graduated from IU, I am 18 and

graduating high school in two weeks, Cameron is a

freshman at Fishers, and my sister Brittany is 25 and just

got her doctorate degree, which I am immensely proud

of my siblings and their accomplishments. This picture

was taken when I was six years old and we were on our

way to visit our grandparents in Florida. There were

countless fights between my siblings and me that took

place in that back seat. It was hard enough for us to not

fight when were at our house, but shove us all in a

cramped car ride for 16 hours and it’s game over. I

know that my siblings have made me who I am today.

Being the third child and the second boy it was hard to

get attention so I assumed the role of the troublemaker

and was also constantly challenging my elders. Con-

stantly being with my siblings and having all of us be

athletic and stubborn, it turns even trivial things into a

competition. I believe competition makes everyone bet-

ter, because if you don’t want to be the best at whatever

you’re doing, then you’re wasting your time doing it.

Yeah my siblings and I fight sometimes, but it’s made

me a stronger person and they’re a huge part of making

me the man I am and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

(248)