GHS Prom 2008 Until the End of Time - Giles High School - Gilesk12 ...

Senior Ben Mullins sits on one of the
benches in the lobby at lunchtime.
The Real Ben Mullins! By Clay Bowles
Who doesn’t know Ben Mullins? You can see him in 3 rd lunch chilling with
friends, mingling with some of his fellow classmates in the hall and even playing some
basketball in the gym. But what some students may not know is that Ben only has one
functioning kidney.
When he was young, he loved to play contact sports such as basketball, football,
and baseball. As he entered the sixth grade, he got a bruise on his side from an injury
and went to the doctor. The results of the CAT scan found not internal bleeding, but
Ben and his family were informed that one of his two kidneys was the size of a peanut
(from birth), and couldn’t function.
Ben commented “When I first heard the doctor I was sad. I couldn’t play my favorite
sport, football. The reasons I couldn’t play was, if I was to get hit in the side that my
kidney is on, it could cause severe damage to my body.”
“Since I couldn’t play, I did the next best thing which was to manage the little league
football team. I was still part of the team; and went to every game and practice.”
Now a senior, Ben is making the best of his high school life. He plays Varsity Baseball, was the camera operator for the Varsity
Basketball team, an officer in Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the 2008 Prom King.
Foreign Exchange:
By Jantana Ruayrinsaowarot
Summer is on its way here and I have been waiting for it as long as everyone else, but it is also a
reminder to me that my stay in the United States is almost over and it will soon be time for me to go
back to my home in Bangkok, Thailand.
This past year I have been an exchange student here at GHS in Pearisburg, Virginia. It has been
the fastest year of my life. I have learned so many things and grown up in so many ways, all of which I
couldn’t have done without the help of my host family, my teachers, and my friends.
When I first arrived I faced a major “culture shock.” Everything here is different than where I
came from i.e. language, food, climate, the landscapes, and the school system. People talk differently
and act differently. But I always keep in my mind a phrase that my father said to me before I left the
airport, “Even though everything might seem to be different, the attitude and the respect people expect
from you will still be the same.” I’ve tried my best to give everyone I have met a good impression and
everything I do my best effort because I know that I am not just representing myself, but my family,
school, and country as well!
Above: Sophmore
Jantana Ruayrinsaowarot
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