Around
Clites fulfills his dream Redondo of taking to the skies
“Has time flown for you throughout high school?”
by Jessica Shipley
Hovering 16,000 feet in the air, jacket flapping, free falling toward the earth; Eddie Clites, senior, finally fulfills his dream. “It’s just something I’ve always wanted to do,” Clites said. Clites had come to the decision that he wanted to take a take a leap of faith and skydive. “Hearing other people’s experiences on it made me really want to share the same feeling and rush,” Clites said. Acutely Aware of the dangers and problems that could occur, Clites was still willing to risk his safety for the sake of the thrill. “I didn’t think about the risks because I knew that if I did I wouldn’t want to jump,” Clites said. According to Clites, he focused on what he was about to do instead. “I knew that I had to think about my training instead and what I deeded to do to make [my dive] successful and safe,” Clites said. In the end, Clites was satisfied with his dive. “It was amazing. You can’t understand it until you’ve done it. When you’re falling that fast and that high up in the air all you feel is this weightlessness like you’re flying,” Clites said. After 11,00 feet of the fall, Clites pulled the rip cord, to release the parachute, bringing an abrupt change of speed. “The free fall was my favorite part, but the slower fall gave me a chance to see ev-
erything around me, and how cool the land looked from up high,” Clites said. Once Clites hit the ground he had to put his training to the test to land safely. “Once I landed I felt this feeling of relief and things became more real. I was so high on the fact that I had actually done it. It was just mind blowing” Clites said.
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It was amazing. You can’t understand it until you’ve done it. When you’re falling that fast and that high up in the air all you feel is this weightlessness like you’re flying.
- Eddie
Clites
receiving the thrill of skydiving once more. “When I’m older and have a job and I’m able to afford it, [skydiving] definitely something I’m going to do more often,” Clites said. Skydiving was not just another fun experience for him. It was an accomplishment. “I don’t regret going at all. Doing something so brave and different gives me a feeling of success,” Clites said. Overall Clites’ sky diving experience is something he will always appreciate. “Not many people can say they’ve gone sky diving. I feel proud to say I did,” Clites said.
—Anneliese Wilson
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Although he has only gone once, Clites would like to make skydiving a hobby. To Clites’ dismay sky diving is too expensive of a hobby at the moment (about $300), but while money is a large factor it will not stop him from
“Former seniors always said that time would fly by in high school. I never believed them until now. The first day I came to Redondo, it took me almost an hour to find my locker. Now, I find myself taking shortcuts all around the school. It feels like yesterday that I was itching with excitement to be a senior, and now it feels bittersweet. I look forward to all the exciting opportunities that lie ahead for me, yet I am sad about leaving a place that helped shape me to be the person I am today.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF EDDIE CLITES
Clites embraces his decent Free Falling. 16,000 from feet and marvels in the view before him.
Quilty helps disabled Ride to Fly
“My parents and my brother said that it would fly by faster than expected and freshman year I didn’t believe it but as time went by, I noticed that as you get more accustom to the feeling and life of high school it flies by. I can remember my freshman year pretty well and it’s hard to believe it was three years ago but I think if it flies.” —Lucas
Finnel
by Vivian Lam
Helping disabled children and adults experience therapeutic horseback riding is a joy for junior Lia Quilty. She spends as much time as possible at the Palos Verdes ranch since she began in June of this year for the organization, Ride to Fly. Quilty begins her day of volunteering by warming up the horses and grooming them and as soon as her client arrives ,they begin with the lesson. “Warming up the horse makes it safer for the client to ride because then the horse is calmer and won’t buck the rider off,” Quilty said. Before she began to volunteer, Quilty underwent training to become a horse leader as well as a side walker. Horse leaders walk the horses around the ring while side walkers assist the disabled clients during lessons. “When I began [volunteering with Ride to Fly], I was a little nervous because I didn’t want to mess up and have it potentially affect the client’s experience,” Quilty said. Therapeutic horseback riding aids in improving the coordination, muscle tone, posture, and motor development of the clients who partake in the program.
According to Quilty, “Ride to Fly is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing therapeutic horseback riding and the associated learning experiences to children and adults with disabilities in a safe, nurturing environment.” The program is enriching for the clients, however, Quilty learns new things and becomes stronger each time she goes as well. “Every time you volunteer at Ride to Fly you get better and better. [I’ve been] learning how to not only work with the clients but the horses as well,” Quilty said. The smiles on the client’s faces make Quilty feel as if what she is doing is woth while. “What I like most about Ride to Fly is the expression of the client’s face right when they see the horses,” Quilty said. “They are overwhelmed with joy and it just warms your heart.” Quilty’s passion for the Ride to Fly program has pushed her to start a club on campus to inform others of the opportunity that she feels so lucky to have been able to experience. “My friend [who originally informed me of the program]
and I are actually going to start a club for second semester for Ride to Fly and we hope that people are interested in joining such a fulfilling program,” Quilty said. Because Quilty herself was introduced to the Ride to Fly program by a friend and has had such a great experience she encourages others to get involved in it as well. “I would always encourage more people to volunteer for this organization. It’s such a rewarding feeling at the end of the day knowing that you just made someone so happy,” Quilty said.
PHOTO COURTESY OF LIA QUILTY
Out for a stroll. Quilty warms up a horse before working
FEATURES // SEPT. 30, 2011 // 13