Tori

Tori's favorite book, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, is the story of a shy and unpopular high school student who writes letters to an anonymous person about topics like drugs, sexuality, adolescence and similar subjects. They sound like profound topics for a teenager but I understand that whereas many of us struggled with some of these subjects, we didn't discuss them until later in our teens or adulthood. I was a very sheltered teenager, therefore, smoking was the forbidden vice and fornication a deadly sin. Kids are now enlightened much earlier, a little too soon for my personal preference, so I better catch up and see what all the Perks are about. Today, it was a half-day at Tori's school so instead of having lunch at the school cafeteria, Tori and her friends were having a jolly time at McDonald's. In addition to being an avid reader, she is a fan of the series True Blood. Tori is an aspiring Graphic Designer and she is "definitely" going to pursue a higher education after graduating from high school. In contrast to the main character in her favorite book, she did not seem shy and exuded the confidence of a teenager who knows where she is going. I hope she continues to pursue her goals. And by doing so, kids like Tori will help raise the NYC high school graduation rate to new highs. Because regardless of the speculation surrounding the accuracy of the NYC HS graduation rate, it is below the national average of 71%. Tori may become another statistic but I hope that she will go beyond HS and become a successful artist.