Sarah Hughes wrote an article for ESPN.com

[CMc]

I thought you should all see this great piece of journalism! :wink:
http://espn.go.com/espy2002/s/hughesdiary.html

[purplecat]

Thanks CMc for the link. Wow, she was going to go to Afghanistan?!?! 8O

[AxelAnnie22]

Well, I was completely impressed with the level of articulation and skill demonstrated in piece - NOT. Good grief!

I have read several articles written by Jenny Kirk - night and day. I just hope that the editors or somebody in 5th grade had a field day with Sarah's writing, 'cause that sure didn't look like it was written by someone aiming for 1500+ on her SAT's.

:roll:

[CMc]

purplecat--Yes, she was. I'm kind of glad the trip was canceled--Even though Sarah's intentions were great, I was not comfortable with the idea of her getting into a dangerous situation, and even though she probably would have been with Cheney, who the heck knows what's going to happen to him from day to day?

AxelAnnie--Jealous much? It must really kill you that somebody this young has this much talent and ambition, and your only course of action is to take it down. What should her writing look like if it doesn't look like a student that should score 1600? Should she have had the "pi" symbol in there?? :roll:

[Blue Ridge]

:? geez, AxelAnnie, a bit mean spirited. My guess is you are not a high school teacher. Neither am I, but when I worked as an editor I saw writing by college graduates that made Sarah's piece look worthy of the Nobel prize in literature.

In a quick perusal, I found 2 grammatical errors, one misspelling, and a few awkward phrasings. This is definitely not a polished essay on a single subject, but it doesn't seem intended to be. It comes across as an informal reporting of Sarah's experiences since winning the gold medal. I enjoyed reading it.

[bbtano]

Nice article.....written in a casual way and on a level that children can enjoy as well as adults! Thanks for the link! :)

[Show 42]

Thanks for the article. It was a very nice, age appropriate piece of writing. It looks like she has her priorities in order.

[moosetracks]

Hey, Axel! If you can't say something nice then don't say nothing at all! :lol: Thanks for the article!

[emyh]

Well, I have to say I wasn't too impressed either. It was decent. I've seen essays that have been written in 40 minutes (timed) by 15 year olds that are obviously very high caliber and well... Sarah's piece doesn't even to seem come close. Well, just my impression and opinion. I do have to say though, it does get its purpose across, to inform the reader, fine.

[jeffisjeff]

Well, personally, I think there is nothing wrong with criticizing a person's writing when they publish something publicly. Such criticism is to be expected.

I thought Sarah's piece was pretty well written for someone of her age, but was poorly organized - it was very stream of conscience and was all over the place. Next time start with an outline!

But what bothers me the most is that much of it seems like a commercial for the ESPYs!

[manleywoman]

well, if we're going to get into a writing critique...

I find it odd that this piece was not nearly as well written as was her much longer piece that she read on the day of her parade. That speech was wonderful (so much so that some doubted she wrote it all by herself.) Maybe she wrote this one in a rush, considering her busy schedule.

She's a cute kid.

[Mayra]

[quote:54e39899cf="jeffisjeff"]

But what bothers me the most is that much of it seems like a commercial for the ESPYs![/quote:54e39899cf]

Probably because it is. Its more like an online journal/diary describing her feelings on being nominated for five espys and on what she has done since winning Olympic gold. Its a casually written article and from CMc's wink, I think he/she was kidding when saying it was a great piece of journalism. I simply don't think it was meant to be a great piece of journalism, but instead an opportunity for Sarah to share some of her experiences with the public.

I'm sure she didn't realize this was an essay contest between Jenny Kirk and her and a more formal writing style would be needed. ;)

[CMc]

[quote:9a2e3ac54d="Blue Ridge"] In a quick perusal, I found 2 grammatical errors, one misspelling, and a few awkward phrasings.[/quote:9a2e3ac54d]

Blue Ridge, I'm glad you like the article, but the only grammatical error I saw was "broadcasted". OK, maybe that's a doozy, but the rest of the article is awesome, and I think she deserves credit for it. And [b:9a2e3ac54d]Mayra[/b:9a2e3ac54d], I was NOT kidding about it being a great piece of journalism, I was winking because it was a hook. It's not the greatest thing ever written (perhaps a better article is Rick Reilly's piece about Sarah, oddly enough), but for someone that's never written anything outside of her own high school paper in print, it's a great first crack, and I think it's sad that you would think I would be even remotely sarcastic about what my favorite skater does on or off the ice. And BTW, I'm a "he".

[AxelAnnie22]

Goodness Gracious Guys!

My comment about the article had to do with surprise at the lack of focus and polish. I have always found Sarah to be an articulate and well-spoken young woman. I suspect that, if Sarah wrote that, (and it looks more like a compilation from an interview), someone at the magazine (editor) took bits and pieces of it to use in the magazine. I have seen other things she has written, and they have been quite polished.

And, yes, I have taught, yes, I have a degree in English, no I am not jealous (what a silly comment), and, I do expect a lot from a young lady who wants to be a roll model for other young people.

My intent was not to be mean, and for that I apologize. :oops:

[Blue Ridge]

I hope I didn't sound like I was trying to insult you, AxelAnnie, just that I've seen such bad writing, and this piece of Sarah's wasn't that--it seemed like you were expecting too much.

I think you have probably hit the nail on the head that this wasn't even written by Sarah, at least not in this form, but was something put together by the editors.

Cmc, my point was really that the piece was quite well written, at least in terms of basic grammar. We all makes mistakes occassionally. :lol:

[Mayra]

[quote:05a44bf6b5="CMc"]And [b:05a44bf6b5]Mayra[/b:05a44bf6b5], I was NOT kidding about it being a great piece of journalism, I was winking because it was a hook. It's not the greatest thing ever written (perhaps a better article is Rick Reilly's piece about Sarah, oddly enough), but for someone that's never written anything outside of her own high school paper in print, it's a great first crack, and I think it's sad that you would think I would be even remotely sarcastic about what my favorite skater does on or off the ice. And BTW, I'm a "he".[/quote:05a44bf6b5]

When I said you were probably kidding, I mean it in a positive way not a negative way. I have no problem with the article or the way it was written. But personally, I think its sad that you would be saddened at the possibility that someone might think you expressed saracasm in regards to what your favorite skater does on or off the ice. I've learned from experience that you can enjoy the sport so much more when one doesn't have such a deep vested intrest in just one skater. Its good to have a sense of humor about these kind of things because this is just a sport, a beautiful sport, but a sport nonetheless. 8)

[olivia]

Mayra, I couldn't agree more with what you said regarding investment in a skater. Also, it's always good not to take oneself so seriously, isn't it? I bet Sarah herself would agree (especially having so many siblings around and the teasing, etc. that can ensue).

I thought the article was appropriate for what it was, and I very much enjoyed it! Had Sarah been given a homework assignment, I suspect the end result would have been much different. Anyway, it's always a treat for me to hear from the skaters themselves. If you haven't yet read it, go see what AP McDonough had to say on the http://www.usfsa.org website.

Oh, and AxelAnnie, it's "role" not "roll" model :lol: (and you have to know I'm just teasing you, okay? I make spelling and grammatical errors constantly that constantly amaze me!) :D

O-

[Mayra]

[quote:931d706581="olivia"]Also, it's always good not to take oneself so seriously, isn't it?
O-[/quote:931d706581]

Yes, but darn it all its hard not to! :lol:

[CMc]

Mayra, I'm saddened that your saddened, and we'll leave it at that :) , but I'm just saying that it was meant to be taken for what it was, not jokingly. OK, we are NOT dead serious about all this stuff, and I hope we are OK with that.
And I like a lot of the skaters, some more than others, but my respect towards Sarah is what it is because she's from my home state (I was born in NY) and I saw her back when nobody knew who she was, so you can understand now why she's my favorite. And I feel so genuinely blessed to have this lady be the Olympic Champion, and then be able to do anything else, and still be a nice normal person.

[Badams]

i agree with axelannie, it's not a GREAT article. it's ok. but for somebody with sarah's intelligence...i guess i expect more. i understand she is only 16...but i also understand that she is a VERY intelligent 16. Don't have a fit Cmc...everybody is entitled to their opinion, even if it doesn't agree with yours. :roll:

[HSF]

Thanks for the link, CMc. I thought it was written in a fun, chitchatty style that made for an enjoyable read.

HSF

[NorthernLite]

I'm enjoying copyediting the posts of people who are criticizing Sarah's writing style.
To this point, I have marked overuse of hyphens and ellipses, hackneyed phrases such as "- NOT," and a complete absence of capital letters in the first word of sentences.
But kudos to the satirical observation that Sarah didn't know she was in an essay contest with Jenny Kirk. Now that is good.

[Badams]

well northern light, i'm not writing here to be published. i never use capital letters on the internet in order to save time. if i were being published it would be a completely different story. i think most people here realize this. :roll:

[Blue Ridge]

oh my gosh are we being marked on our writing here?--i hope i haven't made any mistakes that are not acceptable in this format...what will i do...

[nits]

OMG!! This is too funny!! Oh no, I used TWO exclamation points instead of one. Please put that in your "Nits" file. LOL!!!
I think it was an average article, however Sarah's PR people claim that she is very intelligent and prides herself on having a "normal" highschool education. She plans to study medicine (or is it law?) and for someone that is as intelligent as it is widely reported Sarah is, I think I expected more from her.

[CMc]

[quote:ccb3959ab4="Blue Ridge"]
Cmc, my point was really that the piece was quite well written, at least in terms of basic grammar. We all makes mistakes occassionally. :lol:[/quote:ccb3959ab4]

I quite agree, BR--I didn't want you to think I was angry with you or anything. I can't believe the ESPN folks didn't catch "broadcasted" before they put it on there, though.

[flippet]

Chill, chill, darlings....no need to get personal! :) We're all human, we all make mistakes, we all have our fortes and weak points. Feel free to discuss them, by all means, but let's not make or take comments personally, ok? :)



::flippet toodles off to read Sarah's article::


::flippet toodles back after reading::


Hm. The style is interesting, I must say. Having not read anything else Sarah's written, it sounds more to me like she was asked to write a piece that tied in heavily with the ESPY's. Except for that, it sounds more like the informal diaries that skaters post on their websites. That may be exactly what the editors were looking for....something informal, yet promoting what they wanted to promote. It's an odd blend, that's for sure.

[CMc]

[quote:0a4ff37a82="AxelAnnie22"]Goodness Gracious Guys!

My comment about the article had to do with surprise at the lack of focus and polish. I have always found Sarah to be an articulate and well-spoken young woman. I suspect that, if Sarah wrote that, (and it looks more like a compilation from an interview), someone at the magazine (editor) took bits and pieces of it to use in the magazine. I have seen other things she has written, and they have been quite polished.

And, yes, I have taught, yes, I have a degree in English, no I am not jealous (what a silly comment), and, I do expect a lot from a young lady who wants to be a roll model for other young people.

My intent was not to be mean, and for that I apologize. :oops:[/quote:0a4ff37a82]

Apology taken, at least by me :wink: , but I think you should have emphasized your point a little more, because it just seemed like you were implying Sarah was to blame for the mistakes. I will admit it's bad in at least one spot ("broadcasted"--I KNOW, I caught it--Just wish ESPN did too), but I still like the piece.

[moosetracks]

Sorry, I did not know that this is an English class! Why are some of you so concerned of how well the article is written or what words are misspelled? SOOOOO WHAT!! Sarah is only 17, she has plenty of time to mold into being a role model. CMc, I thank you for sharing the link. I will see you on the board (scooper4life). Good Grief is right!! :roll:

[kwanette]

Isn't it "role model", not "roll model" since people are nitpicking?

The article was fine, not great, not horrible.

Thanks, CMc for sharing it.

[proam]

For some Sarah will never do anything well be it writing, skating, PR and etc., I suggest we consider the source, do the eye roll thing :roll: :P and ignore.

Ah, I can’t wait to see if I made any errors in my post. :P

[shine]

IMO, one cannot tell if the writer is got much intelligence or thinking by simply reading that article. It's just the stuff that comes from any average teen of her age. Actually it doesn't even look like an article--I'd say it's more like a page from her diary, which would have been perfectly fine. I agree that if ESPN had decided to publish this piece, it should have been written in a more sophisticated way. Funny you should say that it's a "great piece of journalism".

[CMc]

[quote:f7be3711a3="shine"]IMO, one cannot tell if the writer is got much intelligence or thinking by simply reading that article. It's just the stuff that comes from any average teen of her age. Actually it doesn't even look like an article--I'd say it's more like a page from her diary, which would have been perfectly fine. I agree that if ESPN had decided to publish this piece, it should have been written in a more sophisticated way. Funny you should say that it's a "great piece of journalism".[/quote:f7be3711a3]

[b:f7be3711a3]Shine2002[/b:f7be3711a3]!! I should have KNOWN! Nice to see you on here!
I feel so at home now! :lol:

[Yazmeen]

Remind me never to notify some of you when I have something pubished in a medical journal - good grief, I'll probably bleed to death from the evisceration!!! And I am a true "grammar queen". I have two employees who always have me review what they've written to put in the corrections!!!

I hate to tell those of you in the "baby boomer" category, but I'm afraid English grammar isn't taught at quite the same intensity it was years ago. (says someone who practically rewrote a friend's child's grad school essays). Sad , but true.

HOWEVER: for a few paragraphs that were SUPPOSED to be ESPN-centric (c'mon folks, who asked her for the article?) from a 16 YEAR OLD, that was a perfectly fine article. Sorry, kids, but I'm smelling some SERIOUSLY sour grapes here from a few people... (would you like some cheese with that WHINE????) Give the kid a break!!!

[somechick]

Okay, I gotta add my little perspective in here as well. I am a teacher and let me tell you, grammar, spelling, and writing skills are completely devoid in education today. This is coming from a math teacher! I have been accused on many occasions of being more concerned with those things than the English teachers. I figure they need to learn it somewhere...but I digress.

As far as this article is concerned, it wasn't a Pulitzer piece. But then again, this is for ESPN. Perhaps Sarah was writing for her target audience? (okay, cheap shot, but couldn't resist). When I first read it, I must say, I was a little shocked because it was choppy and stream-of-consciousness type writing. I have read much better from Sarah. It almost sounds like a lot of content was edited out. Maybe they didn't want any of their writers to be shown up by a kid? NO matter what, it served its purpose. It gave us a little insight into Sarah since the Olympics and it promoted the ESPY's (and how stoked am I that Sarah will be there????!!!!!!).

[adrianchew]

Some perspective - read Newsday, then read the New York Times. The difference?

[i:477cc6be18]Shallow vs. Deep[/i:477cc6be18]

While everyone seems to be getting hung up on the style and grammar, what bothers me is the depth, or lack thereof. The question that lingers is simply the question - "Has Sarah been programmed by a much subtler PR machine than Tara was?". :?:

I've got no answers - only a curious mind. And my intuition tells me that there's more in what's been said or written, than someone that age is fully capable of comprehending. Most that was written is not backed up by any thoughtful reasoning or reflection.

That said - its no fault of hers - I just don't expect any 16 year-old to be an adult. My only problem is sometimes kids are made to be more than they should be - let her rave about Nsync, and be 16 - even if she's an Olympic champion. She doesn't need the weight of the world put on her shoulders - and to even plan for that visit to Afghanistan is folly on the part of her handlers.

[memememe76]

Can we get rid of the fallacy that people nowadays are more illiterate and grammatically incorrect than people from past generations? Not too long ago, the majority of people couldn't even read, let alone write beautiful, grammatically brilliant prose.

I'd like to read what Peggy Fleming and Sonja Hening wrote when they were 16....

[Lee]

It appears to me that some people are taking what was meant to be a 'fluff' piece much too seriously. Given that Sarah's been nominated for several ESPY awards, it's quite likely she was asked to put something together that served a dual purpose; to promote ESPN's show and (likely a secondary motivation on the part of those who commissioned this article) give some information about what she's been doing since the Oly's.

That being said, I'm sure the importance of composing this article did not rank highly on her list of priorities given that it was likely written in the middle of preparing for year-end exams, etc. I would not be surprised to find her formal school papers are far more cohesive and mature -- kids put as much effort into their writing as the situations -- and potential rewards (marks) -- demand, and as we teachers know, even then the effort can be lacking...;) . Obviously the [i:0b96a2d931]professional[/i:0b96a2d931] writers/editors at ESPN felt it met their needs -- they were the ones who ultimately published it.

[Badams]

i think what the problem here is that *some* people cannot accept the opinions of others. just because i don't find this article to be a great journalistic feat does not, in any way, mean that i hate, am jealous of, despise, or am nit picking sarah. just stating my opinion.

[icyboid]

It was honest. That's good enough for me.

[loveskating]

Well, I think it is absurd that what amounts to images on a television screen are offered up as "role models" for anyone whatsoever...and celibrity worship in general is very bad for people's mental health...the real role models for children are the people they can touch, i.e., parents, family, school teachers, peers etc.

If Sarah wants to do good in the world, beyond her skating, good for her. Its nice she is saying so. But puhleeze, take the pressure off Sarah....she is not brilliant or a saint just because she can skate well and won Olympic gold and IF she is brilliant in some other area, that will take time to be evident through her real work. Give her some time! If not, those who love her are going to find that they are driving everyone nuts with their constant claims! She is just a 16 year old kid who happens to be gifted in the area of skating...isn't that ENOUGH? Sheesh! Does she also have to be a brilliant writer and a paragon of virtue? She doesn't.

[AxelAnnie22]

Hi SOMECHICK

Here! Here! and Well Said.

It was my feeling as well that some editor "had their way" with whatever Sarah had written. I am sure that Sarah knows that, just as everything she does on the ice needs to be her best effort, everything she writes that is published needs to also be her best.
When you are in a public spotlight, there is a different standard applied, as well there should be.

This "16 year old kid" has stated repeatedly that she wants to score above 1500 on her SATs. She will be writing her college essays this fall (if she has not already done them, given her schedule). That article was, I hope, not representative of her skill and ability. And, as I have said before, I have read other pieces she has written, and they were quite good.

Writing well is NOT an over-rated skill.

[CMc]

Well that editor's the idiot for not catching the "broadcasted" mistake, or an even bigger one if they printed it themselves.
I just want to say I'm equally sorry for even pointing out this mistake.
It IS a fluff piece and quite probably a project Sarah was asked to put together to help promote the ESPY awards, so I'm sorry also for over-hyping it on here as a classic piece of journalism. I was so happy after I read it that I got carried away and wanted everyone to read it, so I made sure people were hooked by my description AND my emoticon. I'm just glad you all did! :arrow:

[jpeach]

I enjoyed the article. Sounded like a 16-year-old wrote it. So what?

[rack]

I have tried several times to access Sarah's article and for some reason, it refuses to show up on my screen, so I haven't read it.

But I have enjoyed all the comments about it. They've made me think about Sarah and her fans (of which, I am one).

I first noticed Sarah in 1999, when she came in fourth at Nationals, and eighth at Worlds. She was a gawky kid (especially when compared to Naomi Nari Nam), and I wouldn't have given her much thought except she came from Great Neck. If nothing else, that guaranteed her a little extra coverage in the NY Times.

Every year, Sarah grew a little less gawky and a lot more skillful, and her fans grew prouder of her. I'm sure this sense of pride and pleasure is the same for all fans of any young athlete who you get to see improve and achieve success.

Then came Sarah's Olympic victory.
For her fans, this was a moment of total sweetness. She was an underdog, she skated magnificently, her response to winning was clearly unrehearsed, and the press fell in love with her, just as we fans had.
I don't know Sarah Hughes, any of her family, or her coach. But there's a snapshot of them on my refrigerator from the Great Neck parade, that my cousin took. Sarah feels like family to us. It's not an unhealthy identification, or an obsessive love. It's just the pleasure you get from seeing a nice kid from a nice family succeed in such a big big way. It's the positive payoff you get from rooting.

It's possible Sarah's fans come off as a little over-protective, a little hyper-sensitive. Sarah-bashing was a year round sport at the late lamented FS World.


But basically we're just delighted that the gawky kid has turned into an accomplished young woman, that the rest of the sports world has taken notice of her, and that she has worn her Olympic Gold so well.

[kwanette]

Sarah was 7th in her first World Championship.

[LilRedRidingHood]

Rack...

Thanks for sharing a refreshing point of view that leaves little to argue with or nitpick.

You wrote: "It's possible Sarah's fans come off as a little over-protective, a little hyper-sensitive. Sarah-bashing was a year round sport at the late lamented FS World. "

I think that statement pretty much sums up the real issue. The early posts didn't slam editors nor mention target audiences. They implied Sarah's article didn't cut the mustard for someone who wanted a high score on an SAT. Wonder if the same posts would have been generated by the same posters if Sasha had authored the article?

And loveskating - I couldn't agree more with your comments asking people to rethink their expectations about Sarah with regard to her accomplishements outside of skating. (I am paraphrasing you.)

I don't think Sarah thought the article was expected to be an essay submitted to the Acceptance Committee for consideration of enrollment to Yale.

[jeffisjeff]

[quote:45b4b8f866="LilRedRidingHood"]Rack...

I don't think Sarah thought the article was expected to be an essay submitted to the Acceptance Committee for consideration of enrollment to Yale.[/quote:45b4b8f866]

Well, I disagree here - it may not have been part of a college application (which would have been private), but it was published publicly on a very widely read website.

Overall, it was well written for a 16 year old. But if I had been asked to write something that was going to be published, then I would have asked someone whose knowledge I trusted to proofread it.

[CMc]

[quote:006c747b12="kwanette"]Sarah was 7th in her first World Championship.[/quote:006c747b12]

Thank you, kwanette! :wink:

[CMc]

And thanks, rack, for pointing things out that I would ordinarily not think of but knew anyway.
Sarah's victory was very heartfelt and meaningful for me (as I'm sure it was for her too ;)), and yes, like you I've noticed her since '99 when she started to work her way up in the standings and was just starting to learn her elements. It WAS indeed, great to see her get both her Skate Canada AND Olympic gold medals, and I felt it finally showed to naysayers on the now-defunct FSW that Sarah Hughes was a powerful skater and competitor and practitioner of great sportsmanship, and anything else those people had to say was simply nitpicking or personal attacks (They had a tendency to pick on things like her hair or her face when they ran out of other things to say).
BTW, I'm sorry if I come off as over-protective. For a while I believed defending Sarah's honor was a battle I alone was fighting, but I see more and more people joining in from time to time! ;)

[kar5162]

[quote:c01e566df7="LilRedRidingHood"]Wonder if the same posts would have been generated by the same posters if Sasha had authored the article?

snip

I don't think Sarah thought the article was expected to be an essay submitted to the Acceptance Committee for consideration of enrollment to Yale.[/quote:c01e566df7]

I read the article and wasn't impressed. It wasn't horrible, but Sarah has frequently said that education is very important to her and that she takes her responsibilities as a public figure seriously. Not to mention - she's said that she was aiming for 1500+ on her SATs. I haven't read anything about Sasha's goal SAT scores and I believe she's interested in fashion, so I wouldn't expect her to write an excellent piece. (I have no idea how she writes). Sarah has though, so I would expect her to be a fairly accomplished writer.

In addition, while this is obviously not her college admissions essays, she claims to take her public responsibilities seriously and this is certainly something that is published in public.

I don't think it's terrible, I just would have expected more from someone who states so frequently the value they place on education and is aiming for Ivy League schools.

[shine]

This is getting quite amusing. People keep saying "blah blah blah, HOWEVER, this was written by a 16-year-old." Like that is so justifying. I seriously wonder what people consider 16-year-olds' writing ability to be. Being sixteen isn't far away from being an adult, nor is it far away from submitting their college papers. Kids like Sarah, one who has publicly expressed her will in pursuing a higher education in a very professional field despite her main focus (skating), are supposed to have above-average thinking and maturity, and are therefore expected to write in a more well-thought fashion that reflects their mind set. I'd say many of them can produce much better work than most of you think they can--as long as they are used to "thinking" or are aware that it's going to be published. While this article is in no way a crapy, mistake-filled piece, it's certainly nothing special even though it was published by ESPN under Sarah's own name. Yes, that piece was probably put together in a hurry, but it still can reflect the writer's usual style and habbit. Unless, she had chosen to get loose just for this time or didn't feel like doing it.

[nits]

I agree with Shine. I also think that Sarah fans are taking this a bit personally. I said this at FSW, and I'll say it again here...it's time for Sarah's fans to get thicker skin.

[Badams]

i agree...there WAS a lot of sarah bashing on FSW. and i was one that defended sarah. so i refuse to be bashed for not thinking this was a great article. it was cute, and it served its purpose. i also agree with shine and nits. when a skater becomes a champion and in the public eye, there's going to be bashing and critisism. it happens to all of them.

[i:af0fdfd8ac]I don't think anyone's being bashed at this point - will continue keeping a lookout. Let any one of the moderators know if you think/feel someone is bashing and we'll take a look. Thanks. -adrianchew-[/i:af0fdfd8ac]

[moosetracks]

Us Sarah fans do have thick skin. Only it seems some people enjoy to peel it off layer by layer. :x

[CMc]

[quote:6512e44220="nits"]I agree with Shine. I also think that Sarah fans are taking this a bit personally. I said this at FSW, and I'll say it again here...it's time for Sarah's fans to get thicker skin.[/quote:6512e44220]

Hi nits--I feel SO at home here with folks like you! :lol:

[nits]

Ah..gee CMc, Thanks so much. Glad I made a difference. :wink:

[Rachael]

Maybe Sarah didn't even write the article?

[Mistyeyed]

Thank you for posting that link here Rachael. It was written by a 16 year old. I actually got cold chills reading it because I really believe that Sarah is saying what she means and meaning what she says. I really believe that she wants to make a difference in our world. Starting with kids. They ARE the next generation. I loved what she said about her medal! What a sweetheart. No bragging just an open, honest and very admirable person.

[Mistyeyed]

:oops: Opps ! Sorry CM. Thank YOU for posting the link.

[Show 42]

This has nothing to do with Sarah winning the Gold medal, or even about her article........but why is it that every Gold medal winner feels that they have to save the planet? I thought that was the duty of Miss America??

[AxelAnnie22]

Hi 42

No, Miss America wants WORLD PEACE!

You make a wonderful point. Why can't atheletes just do what they do, and be who they be?

[CMc]

Well, to be honest, I feel that way too most of the time. Especially in Sarah's case because I certainly cringe at the thought of her trapsing off to the Middle East--Even in the safety of Air Force Two with Vice President Cheney it doesn't assure us she'll be safe once they get there. However, if she feels that strongly about the women and children of Afghanistan and their education (remember, for many years they didn't get any because of the now-defunct Taliban) it's a great thing that she wanted to at least make a difference by using her status as a gold-medallist. I hope they do eventually get their education system back on track, and heck, I'll even kick in some cash to help them out if someone gave me an address to send it to, but for now, I'm glad Sarah didn't end up going.

[loveskating]

Hello Show42...my how I've missed your highly economical use of language, :lol: However, I would not rate the talents of almost any Ms. America anywhere near those of ANY elite level skater. I've seen those "gifts" in abundance every time I've gone to the beach...the requirements to be Ms. America are not even as severe as those for body builders!!!

Let's take the other end of the exaggeration spectrum: Mozart was far from perfect...yet his music, over 100 years after his untimely death, is STILL giving joy, delight and purpose (not to mention jobs, LOL) to millions of people. Now I wouldn't put skating in the same league as Mozart...but close, since skating is a thing of great beauty.

What I'm getting at is that there is a way in which all this carrying on about how great Sarah is OFF THE ICE makes me feel that her skating, and skating in general, is somehow implicated as not being "all that". I guess its not enough she won a gold medal at the age of 16, :wink: ! She has to be Mother Teresa and Albert Einstein at the age of 16 as well? Sorry, I don't buy it.

Again, its FINE and admirable that Sarah declares she wants to do other things...but again, it will take time for her to accomplish other things...and those who exalt her as to other things risk being seen as full of hot air unless and until she does actually do "something else".

The article was a nice little diary type thing "What is Sarah Hughes doing"...as writing, it was nothing special whatsoever, one way or the other. It did not show how brilliant she is (or is not), not by a long shot.

[Hannahclear]

Ok, catching up to this one a bit later, so here's my take. That is a really cute article by a 16 year old. And no, it's not the sort of writing that will score a 1500 on the SATs. But, you know, the only people in my high school who got those kind of scores NEVER did anything but study, so I think what we have here is a skater who's marketing approach may have overstated her academic committment, which is fine. But guys come on, kids who do their homework on their way to the rink are not going to be geniuses. Sarah is a very smart girl who has set high goals for herself, but like most teens, is a bit unrealistic. No big deal, and she certainly is a very good role model, even without perfect scores.

[AxelAnnie22]

Hi Hannaclear

I beg to differ. My daughter had several friends in High School who scored above 1550 on the SAT's, and let me tell you, these kids did NOT study all the time. (And, they all went to one of the primier private High Schools in the West.)

I would not equate doing homework in the car with lack of academic ability or achievement.

I am surprised that people who love Sarah's skating would be so defensive about her writing in this article. I can't imagine, unless they start to give a "written presentation" score, that one has anything to do with the other.

As I have said before, I have read other things Sarah has written, and they have been articulate and polished. At the outset, I said that I hoped the editors had done a hatchet job on whatever she wrote, because it did not appear to me, at least, to meet the standards that Sarah says she has for herself.

She organizes her shirts by color and season, for heavens sake. This is someone who takes things seriously, or so it would appear. My impression is that Sarah doesn't do anything "by half".....including homework (or studying) that she does in the car!

[CMc]

[quote:ab918c2a96="AxelAnnie22"]I am surprised that people who love Sarah's skating would be so defensive about her writing in this article. I can't imagine, unless they start to give a "written presentation" score, that one has anything to do with the other...As I have said before, I have read other things Sarah has written, and they have been articulate and polished. At the outset, I said that I hoped the editors had done a hatchet job on whatever she wrote, because it did not appear to me, at least, to meet the standards that Sarah says she has for herself...She organizes her shirts by color and season, for heavens sake. This is someone who takes things seriously, or so it would appear. My impression is that Sarah doesn't do anything "by half".....including homework (or studying) that she does in the car![/quote:ab918c2a96]
That's very true, but I think someone said earlier that quite possibly this article had to be rushed into print, so maybe Sarah didn't even have time to proofread her own writing--You know how busy her life is these days.
I admit I AM defensive about Sarah because I know she's not perfect, and I know she gets pounded for something all the time, and because I care about Sarah the person as much as I do Sarah the skater, more often than not I'm compelled to be the stalwart protector (I've read in Astrology books that May 26th is the day of the stalwart protector--I was born on that day, so, I know it sounds corny as heck, but I feel gifted to have this be the case for me ;)), and ok, this was indeed intended to be a fluff piece, and it's been posted on other forums with posters all saying the sweetest things about it, but here it gets burned for grammatical issues. There are very few people with [b:ab918c2a96]perfect[/b:ab918c2a96] grammar, especially on the web (It makes me ill when I see all the non-caps and non-puncuation flying around, not to mention ALL-CAPS), not that I'm calling anybody out on here for that, but other than the mistake I pointed out, I really didn't think her piece had much wrong with it, and I'm sure she continues to grow and learn at the age she is. I don't think she's necessarily a whiz kid (like AP McDonough, who actually got to skip a couple of grades, I read), but she's a smart, hard-working kid.

[memememe76]

Knowing "several" people who score 1550 and above on a SAT test is perhaps saying this test is becoming too easy. I'm Canadian so I've never done one, but isn't there supposed to be only a very tiny percentage of people who should be getting scores this high?

Besides, when did SAT scores indicate writing ability? Doesn't half the score involve math?

[shine]

Cmc, you are certainly right. Not everyone has perfect grammar, and I don't think Sarah made any grammatical error in the article--maybe just two spelling mistakes which might have just been typos. But as far as I know, perfect grammar or spelling ability does guarantee you a good piece of writing either.

[shine]

Whoa, Wofice, the analogy! Mozart, Sarah; Mozart, Sarah...hmmm...
And those big names! Einstein! and *gasp* Mother Teresa! 8) I didn't know it would take either of them to write something just a little better than this article!

[emyh]

[quote="memememe76"]Knowing "several" people who score 1550 and above on a SAT test is perhaps saying this test is becoming too easy. I'm Canadian so I've never done one, but isn't there supposed to be only a very tiny percentage of people who should be getting scores this high?[quote]

Maybe tiny, but not that tiny when you put into perspective of the hundreds and hundreds of high school kids taking it. I know a person who scored well into the 1500s and she didn't study much either. However, that is an individual thing. I know quite a few people however who score quite nicely in the 1200-1500 range, though.

[Hannahclear]

DH, I think the key to what you said is "premier private high school", where yes, many children will score that high. I mean, that's in the top 1/2 percent. A 700 + verbal score is in the top 97% percent, so these are unusual. I know its somewhat a matter of innate intelligence, but you don't get the huge scores without signifcant investment of reading and reflection time....and does she really have time to do this?

[Dustin]

I don't think the test is getting any easier I think people are getting more competitive and trying more things (such as SAT tutors and books).

[rack]

Sarah Hughes' parents are both Ivy League graduates, and two out of three of her older siblings attended Ivies. She goes to a high school where if 1500 SATs are not the norm, they are also not unheard of. And the one thing we all can agree on is when Sarah Hughes sets a goal for herself, she is willing to put in the time and the effort to achieve that goal.

I also want to point out that ever since Miss Americas began dedicating themselves to world peace, there has not been a single World War. I, for one, am deeply grateful.

[AxelAnnie22]

Hi Hannahclear

My point about the "premier high school" was that even at this level where the competition is fierce, these kids did not spend their time with their noses in their books. For some kids good grades is NOT a function of time. If Sarah takes the time she has and applies herself, I am confident she can achieve her goals. (Didn't Matt Savoie just graduate Summa Cum Laude from college?).

Rack

Oh - thank you for this mornings' laugh. I add my thanks to all the Miss Americas. Talk about making a difference! (I am sure you saw that Sandra Bullock movie).

[Ellyn]

Taking standardized tests is a skill, but it's also a talent. (Like skating.) Some people just do well on those tests easily without extra effort but need to put in the effort to get good grades in school classes, and some people do well in classes but just don't click with the tests.

Not everyone who gets 1500+ on the SATS is a straight-A student, and not every straight-A student gets high SAT scores.

As of now (I was just reading an article about ETS's plans to revise the tests), the math section only requires skills that most students learn by 10th grade. People who read well-written fiction and/or nonfiction for pleasure is likely to do well on the verbal section whether or not they make an active effort to "study" for the test or for school classes.

Obviously, schools that are oriented toward preparing students for elite colleges will have a higher percentage of students with both the talent and the learned skills to do well on the tests than an average general education high school from which most students are not aiming for elite colleges. But even at those schools, the students with the highest test scores may not be the ones with the highest GPAs.

[loveskating]

So agree with Ellyn about tests...and then in a real career, it gets even more sticky; some summa cum laude's don't do that well, others with less than steller grades in college do really well. Then there is always the Unibomber end of that spectrum...wasn't he suma cum laude in math or something?

I don't think anyone at all was bashing Sarah...no one who adores her should expect everyone else to do so (same with any skater). much less expect everyone to love her articles! I thought the article was ok, I enjoyed reading about her exploits...it was not great writing and I've never bought into the "Sarah is so smart" view...to me, she is an exceptionally talented skater of age 16 who happened to win a gold medal at SLC and that's all. Everything else is via the media....and thus "fluff" and I cannot decide any of it for myself! There is much about her skating I think needs to improve, and she is not my fave...but I do like her.

Put it this way: not only do I NOT want her to go to Afghanistan, I don't think she really has much to say any more than anyone else in the public about the whole situation[b:f1df89009d]...but I do think it is way cool that she is so concerned! That I really appreciate in one so young.[/b:f1df89009d]

[Show 42]

Hi rack....... "I also want to point out that ever since Miss Americas began dedicating themselves to world peace, there has not been a single World War. I, for one, am deeply grateful."
I am also deeply grateful. Although while having that for a goal is very admirable for a Miss America or anyone in the public spotlight, I think we can all say without a doubt that the efforts of these people had nothing to do with "World Peace"......

[kwanette]

Sarah's dad went to Cornell, right? Could someone tell me where her mom went to college? Thanks.

[somechick]

Sarah's mom went to Cornell as well. I can only assume that that is where they met.

[kwanette]

Thanks, what a bright family.

[quarkiki2]

My BA is in Secondary Speech, Theatre and English Education. Her article is pretty typical of a high school student who has yet to find her "voice" in writing. There's nothing fundamentally wrong with the piece (save for some bad editing), but it doesn't jump off the page.

I wouldn't worry too much, though, sometimes it takes a while for students to find their voice -- and sometimes it just never happens. I had a writing workshop as a freshman in college and I was SUPPOSED to be in the advanced section (based on writing samples), but let me tell you there are some people who just don't get it. I saw this throughout my English classes -- people who had tremendously interesting thoughts and no ability to communicate them through writing, even if they were compelling extemporaneous speakers.

Am I saying that Sarah is a terrible writer and always will be a terrible writer? [b:425c8cd30a]Heavens, no.[/b:425c8cd30a] Writing takes practice, practice, practice, a good "coach" and a bit of inspiration. Sound familiar?

I've seen terrifically intelligent people who have no voice in their writing. I've also seen twelve-year-olds who have a strong voice. Again, I wouldn't worry too much about Sarah, she seems just fine.

[Badams]

i know this topic was like...10 posts ago, but i think it would be GREAT if sarah went to afghanistan. just not right now...sometime in the future. i think it would be wonderful if she could show all those opressed women there just how successful a female can be...at ANY age! i think sarah would be a wonderful role model for the women there. :D

[LilRedRidingHood]

Not to sound unappreciative about Sarah's desire to make a difference - I applaud that quality in her...

But do the women in Afghanistan really assign any significance to a Gold Medal? Would it make an impact on them? I just wonder in the grand scheme of things how much impact [b:266d9fcf36]any[/b:266d9fcf36] athlete in the world would have on the Afghan women?

[olivia]

[quote:df26e5b184="LilRedRidingHood"]Not to sound unappreciative about Sarah's desire to make a difference - I applaud that quality in her...

But do the women in Afghanistan really assign any significance to a Gold Medal? Would it make an impact on them? I just wonder in the grand scheme of things how much impact [b:df26e5b184]any[/b:df26e5b184] athlete in the world would have on the Afghan women?[/quote:df26e5b184]

My guess is that women with a profession and/or position of power/influence in society (political, perhaps) would make a greater impact on an Afghan woman. They weren't always forbidden to take part as equal members of society; many were professonals themselves. I think it would be inspiring for them to see and meet women who are out there making a difference. By the way, I think Sarah will be exactly that kind of a woman in time.

O-

[Badams]

i agree olivia. also...there's a lot more to sarah then just the fact that she won a gold medal. look how successful she has been in school and look at teh goals she has set for herself. i think it would be nice to show these women that they can set goals for themselves too...especially the younger women.

[sk8rzmom]

Do we really know how successful Sarah has been in school, other than her goals is 1500 on her SAT's. Does her school offer advanced placement classes, is she on the high potential or honors track, what is the reputation of her school? Other than the fact that she sets high goals for herself and has been a success at reaching them on ice, we don't really know anything about her academic success. May be she's a mathematical wiz, because her article was just average writing for a high school kid who didn't have the time or inclination to edit it. I'm not impressed.
And why would she even think that her visiting Afghanistan would be of any assistance to those women? Better she send some of her prize money to them, to help feed and clothe the many whose lives have been devastated by the violence.

[pittypat]

[quote:15c86f01f8="olivia"][quote:15c86f01f8="LilRedRidingHood"]Not to sound unappreciative about Sarah's desire to make a difference - I applaud that quality in her...

But do the women in Afghanistan really assign any significance to a Gold Medal? Would it make an impact on them? I just wonder in the grand scheme of things how much impact [b:15c86f01f8]any[/b:15c86f01f8] athlete in the world would have on the Afghan women?[/quote:15c86f01f8]

My guess is that women with a profession and/or position of power/influence in society (political, perhaps) would make a greater impact on an Afghan woman. They weren't always forbidden to take part as equal members of society; many were professonals themselves. I think it would be inspiring for them to see and meet women who are out there making a difference. By the way, I think Sarah will be exactly that kind of a woman in time.

O-[/quote:15c86f01f8]

I believe that women in Afghanistan would be very impressed by the fact that a girl as young as Sarah has been able to pursue and achieve a dream of Olympic Champion status.

In an era where so many sports figures are not role model material due to their disreputable lifestyles (criminal activity, drugs, etc), Sarah Hughes is a shining beacon and the fact that she represents our beloved sport ain't bad either!

[olivia]

I don't disagree, Pittypat, but my point was that women from Afghanistan probably aren't in touch with the Olympics or what an Olympic medal means or stands for, let alone what it takes to win one. I'm not even aware that Afghanistan even participates in the Olympics. These are women who are living day to day in a very different world from those of us in Canada, Europe, and the US. Their struggles are not to achieve an athletic distinction, but to survive each day. I'm just not so sure they can relate to a 16 year old Olympic Champion, that's all. But I'm sure Sarah's message of the importance of education would make an impact -- although I could see that message coming from any intelligent 16 year old student from the U.S. or anywhere else.

O-

[LilRedRidingHood]

Olivia-

I agree. I assume from what I have seen on TV that a greater concern for these women is how to feed their children and get an education. I am not so sure that they would be impressed or motivated by any athlete.

[loveskating]

I kind of tentatively do disagree that Sarah [i:79202933cd]or any [/i:79202933cd]current top skater would do any good in Afghanistan, both because, as was pointed out, the situation is one of basic survival and building the basics (roads, sewers, water pumps and pipes, etc. etc...i.e., infrastructure), and also because of hard cultural issues the Afghan people have to work on themselves...at their own pace.

I mean, really, going from a Burka to a skating outfit (or seeing films of same) would be skipping a whole bunch of stages...see, I'm old enough to recall when Special Prosecutor Kenneth Star's daddy tried to get a law on the books in TEXAS, USA, in the 1950s which would make it ILLEGAL for women to wear SHORTS...never mind a skating outfit, LOL!

Also, just a comment as to women going "far" -- there are many ways to do so, and some Afghan women have gone very far indeed in one sense, including as leaders, and in the most awful, repressive circumstances! I'd love to hear more from those women who were able to resist the Taliban...I admire them so much. What courage and smarts it must take to keep a secret school going for girls in those circumstances, as it was reported some did!

Its true, though, that women are not allowed to participate in sports in lots of countries, at least not in any public way...but the way to work on this right now it seems to me is to lay the basis by doing other things.

[donnamarie]

Sarah isn't just an athlete, she's someone to whom education is very important as well. So ... when girls in Afghanistan are able to be educated again, it seems appropriate that a person like Sarah could be a role model to them - for her educational achievements - as well as her athletic achievements. And many people in Afghanistan do have satellite tv, and might have a concept of what the Olympics is about. If not, it's a good time for them to learn about it. Little girls in Afghanistan would probably be impressed that a girl like Sarah felt they were important enough to travel across the world in order to speak to them and meet them.

It would be dangerous, so I'm relieved that Sarah isn't going. However, I think it was a noble sentiment to want to go. If you were a child in Afghanistan, would you rather think that nobody elsewhere in the world cared about you, or would you like to think that people cared enough to travel thousands of miles to talk to you? I think it could have been inspiring and encouraging for many children.

[Emanfan]

[quote:052b4ae7f3="loveskating"]Also, just a comment as to women going "far" -- there are many ways to do so, and some Afghan women have gone very far indeed in one sense, including as leaders, and in the most awful, repressive circumstances! I'd love to hear more from those women who were able to resist the Taliban...I admire them so much. What courage and smarts it must take to keep a secret school going for girls in those circumstances, as it was reported some did![/quote:052b4ae7f3]

If you are really interested in this subject, see the website of the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan ("RAWA"). This is an amazing group of women and their history is absolutely riveting. I first heard of them during a documentary entilted "Beneath the Veil" (shown on CNN).

[loveskating]

Hi Emanfan:

I agree, that is a great site.

I first visited it after 9/11... I was trying to find information in a very hyper manner at the time!!! On my bulletin board at work there has been and still is a printout entitled "Some of the restrictions imposed by Taliban on women in Afghanistan". The printout is dated 9/28/01.

For those interested, its:

http://www.rawa.org

[Badams]

well...i agree that ANY intelligent 16 year old that education is important to would make an impact...but sarah is the only one that i know of that has expressed an interest. also, a HUGE factor in the problem of the afghan woman is the fact that she is uneducated. a person who education is very important to is the one of the best things to show these women. i have done a lot of research on the afghan woman...before september 11th. i know that these women CRAVE education and someone like sarah would be a great example to them. it has nothing to do with her gold medal. it has everything to do with her desire to share the gift of knowledge with those less fortunate then her.

[LilRedRidingHood]

Badams-

I suspect you're right.

I would think the women of Afghanistan might be able to better relate to someone who started from humble beginnings and clawed their way out of their environment by using education to change their circumstances. Most 16 year old Olympic gold medalists aren't from humble beginnings - I guess the exception would be Oksana?

My mind is drawing a blank as to who would be a good example. I can only think of Oprah at the moment. I am sure there are other inspirational women who have used education and sheer determination to change the path life originally dealt them.

But you're right - the person needs to express a willingness to want to share their story with the women of Afghanistan.

I absolutely admire Sarah for her desire to make a difference. I think it shows a side of her that is very becoming - selflessness. And for that, I applaud not only Sarah but her parents as well. They are definitely doing something right to have nutured such a fine young lady!