One of the most important lessons I had retained as a child was the value of gifts. As I continue to approach adulthood the anticipation and desire behind receiving a well-thought-out gift had degraded away. When younger, I, of course, had the typical hankerings of any child when it came to receiving material goods. Now that I am well into my second semester as a full-time college student, I now rarely ever want anything that doesn't involve the type of future I'm pursuing. Looking back on it now I can say with certainty that a gift that I still value today is the academic opportunities that have been set up for me. I remember always being studious and loved to observe history and government, which is a topic I hope to encounter more after college. Upon my attendance at Venice High School, students were always pushed to go beyond their comfort zones by getting involved in different school programs. In the following summer, I was elected to attend the 75th Florida Boys State as a delegate. During my time in this program, I was able to participate in a state-level mock government where I experienced the process of how the state government operated firsthand. For me, the gift of education is the utmost important achievement and shall be forever valued.