Believe in Yourself

My name is Nikke' Sogunro and I am a junior at Del City High School. I have been on the Del City swim team since the 8th grade, and this is my first year actually winning in my heats. I am one of the few African-Americans on my team and it has been a struggle at times to keep going. Some of my peers made remarks when I was the only African-American on the team. Some of my teammates also made some remarks. Despite the remarks, I have been able to keep my head in the game.  "It's not about winning, but about the effort and time that you put in." This is my motto. When I first started swimming, I was in kindergarten but it was always just for fun. When I went to Kerr Middle School in the 8th grade, I remember an announcement regarding a Mid-Del Swim Team meeting and I was very excited about the possibility of swimming on a team. My first day of practice was very hard because I didn't know how to do anything. I had to start in the beginner lane and I was the only African-American at the time. I felt that I was the only one being picked on. It took me a whole year just to learn how to do a flip turn, and two more years to learn how to do a start. My freshman year, I tried to play basketball and be on the swim team at the same time. It was very hard to manage both sports, so I decided to do basketball. Choosing basketball over swimming was a big mistake. When I quit the swim team, I didn't even get a lot of playing time on the court and I missed out on my first year of competing in swim meets. The next year I came back to the swim team and was more determined than ever and was ready to do my best. I love swimming. It is very relaxing, and I also love being on the Del City track team where I do the Long Jump and High Jump. I am apart of FCCLA, Student Council, and the African-American Club. Last summer I attended OU for science, math, and engineer camp. I also went to UCO for a Forensic science camp and last November I was one of 23 students selected for DelQuest. This program is for juniors in the Del City area who have good grades and strong leadership skills. In addition to playing sports, I have been playing the piano since I was 6-years old. I play for my church and in my family choir. I also compose my own music. Last January my grandfather passed away and it was very hard for me because my grandpa would always tell me stories about when he ran track and played basketball in school. He told me things that made me have more confidence and he taught me to never give up on anything. I hope that I can encourage a lot of young people with my story. For those of you who have dreams but don't believe you can accomplish them, remember this: "All things are possible to those who believe."