Israels Page - Investigation 2

Stephen Curry

 Stephen Curry was born on March 14, 1988, in Akron, Ohio, however, he grew up in Charlotte, New Orleans. His father, Dell Curry, was a member of the NBA so Steph was surrounded by basketball since he was born. By the time he was in his third year of high school, Steph was expecting to be noticed by a Division 1 college basketball team, but to his surprise, he didn't hear from anyone. The reason for this being at the time, he was only 5’6 and 120 pounds and colleges believed he didn't have the strength to play on a higher level. This disappointment fueled him to perform better in his fourth year and he told himself that the right team would eventually come along. That college was Davidson college, 20 minutes north of where he lived. A small-time institution with a small time basketball team. The first game he played for the team, he committed 9 turnovers in the first half. However three days after when he played his next game, he scored over 30 points. Stephs continued level of performance made him into a household name and eventually he declared for the 2009 NBA draft. Once again, critics commented on his ability to play in the league because of his stature. He was selected 7th in the first round of the draft and finished the season runner-up for the rookie of the year award. In his second and third season in the league, he was plagued with right ankle issues and had to undergo rehab and two surgeries. Upon returning to the league, he broke the single-season three-point record and his career officially took off. Despite his success, Stephen Curry remains humble and his religious nature pervades in his game, as well as his everyday life. His celebration after making a great play is the sign of the cross and points to the sky and when asked about it, he says it is “as an outward sign and internal reminder that God gets all the glory for his success” which I adamantly respect. Stephen Curry takes every challenge and hardship that he faces and bounces back extraordinarily. He is never satisfied with his current state and always strives to achieve more, overcoming every obstacle he has faced and this motivates me to work hard and look past any challenges I am facing because hard work does pay off.

Works cited

“Stephen Curry documentary "The Journey".” YouTube, YouTube, 13 Mar. 2016,

www.youtube.com/watch?v=y\_q2-zai8zU.

“Stephen Curry: 'I Can Do All Things Through Christ'.” Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, …….billygraham.org/story/stephen-curry-i-can-do-all-things-through-christ/.

**Oprah Winfrey**

Oprah Winfrey was born on January 29, 1954 in Kosciusko, Mississippi. She entered Tennessee State University in 1971 and began working in radio and television broadcasting in Nashville where her father lived. This was her first experience in the field she would soon become famous for. Oprah Winfrey moved to Baltimore, Maryland in 1976 to host the show People Are Talking. She garnered quite a bit of attention from this and after 8 years on the show, she was asked to host her very own tv show, A.M. Chicago. In 1985 she earned a spot on the cast of the film The Color Purple, for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. However, we all know her for her work on the Oprah Winfrey Show which aired just a year after her movie appearance. She eventually took complete control of the show and it ran under Harpo productions, her own production company. However, Oprah's road to success was filled with numerous challenges and barriers. She was a victim of a sexual assault which resulted in the termination of an unborn baby while she was still a teenager. She was born into poverty and bounced around homes before ending up in a Milwaukee boarding house. Despite these challenges, Oprah’s accomplishments and contributions to speak for themselves. Reading the list of the contributions Oprah has made to better society, I am astonished as to the level of change this woman can bring about. Her network has raised over $50,000,000 in charitable contributions, A bill that she proposed to congress was signed into law that created a nationwide database for child offenders and abusers. In November of 2013, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama. She is the richest African American of the 20th century and to have accomplished as much as she has being a minority, I cannot help but look up to her and what she has done. Any one of her humanitarian efforts alone would be amazing by any standards, but Oprah went down a road no one has ever walked and truly made a change.

**orks cited**

“Oprah Winfrey.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 3 Nov. 2017,

www.biography.com/people/oprah-winfrey-9534419.

Aloba, Arlissa. “Important Life Lessons We Can All Learn From Oprah Winfrey.” Serving Joy - …….Inspire Through Sharing, 31 Mar. 2015, servingjoy.com/life-lessons-oprah-winfrey/.

Elkins, Kathleen. “From poverty to a $3 billion fortune - the incredible rags-to-Riches story of …….Oprah Winfrey.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 28 May 2015, …….www.businessinsider.com/rags-to-riches-story-of-oprah-winfrey-2015-5

**Barack Obama**

Barack Obama was born on August 4, 1961, in Hawaii. His father left his family to go back to Kenya when Obama was still two years old and his parents got a divorce. His mother, worried for his education, sent him to Hawaii so that he could live with grandparents and attend a prestigious educational institution. His accomplishments were not many up until this point, and his academics were fairly average. After graduating from high school, he attended Occidental College for his first two years of post-secondary education, then to Columbia University where he graduated with a B.Sc in Political Sciences. Upon graduating, he worked as a community organizer to improve conditions in poorly maintained public housing projects. Here he realized that in order to bring about real change, he would first have to get a law degree. So began Barack Obama’s streak of success. He performed remarkably at Harvard law, becoming the first African American President of the Harvard law review, graduated and became an attorney and university lecturer. After several years, he successfully garnered a spot in congress. Several years after, in 2005, he gained a spot in the senate and, as we all know, He became the first African - American President of the United States on November 16, 2008. Obama’s famous 2008 campaign slogan, “Yes we can”, resonated his ideals to listeners around the world. Obama was a man of hope. If I could, I would love to ask him what kept him motivated to get to the level of success he achieved, why he did not stop after he earned a spot in the senate or congress? What pushed him in University? The history that Obama has created as the first Black President of America serves as a beacon of hope to any African American child that they too can reach their desired goals and I admire him, especially during this time, because I know he went through what I am going through at this moment. The constant pace of post-secondary, the necessary work and effort needed to be put in in order to reach his desired goal. Obama is a marvelous success story and emulating him serves as motivation for me to succeed in my own path.

Works cited

“Barack Obama: Life Before the Presidency.” Miller Center, 7 July 2017,

millercenter.org/president/obama/life-before-the-presidency.

If I were to interview one person, it would be Albert Einstein. There were a lot of rumors going around that he failed high school math so I would definitely ask him about that. But, my focus on our interview would be his research, more specifically his method and what he saw when he looked at the world. Some of the work that Einstein was doing on gravitational waves was just proved this year which shows you just how ahead of his time he was. Furthermore, he apparently has a great sense of humor, therefore, I am sure it would be an interesting conversation. I am in the physical science stream so his work is a constant focus of mine both in class and outside of school, out of general interest.