Dancing Through the Pages of the POG
By: Abigail F., Grand Editor
Hello California Rainbow! My name is Abigail F. and I am the Grand Editor for the 2022 Milestone Making Meerkats. I am so excited for this year! Being selected for this office has had me reflecting back on my life and how I was able to get here. I was initiated into Livermore Assembly in November of 2017. I joined because I had heard my mom talking about her time in Rainbow and about her wild adventures as a Grand Officer. I wanted to see what all the excitement was about, so I decided to join. Never in a million years did I think that I would be where I am today. I always liked the message of Rainbow and enjoyed the lessons behind it. It wasn’t until my first Grand Assembly in 2018 when I finally got to see all of the magical craziness that is Rainbow, did I fully understand what it was all about. After that, I was hooked. I became Worthy Advisor in February of 2019 and was able to be Grand Page to the Grand Directors for the years 2020 and 2021. Although I have only been in Rainbow for a short period of time, I still feel like it has taught me a lot.
Growing up I have always had a passion for performing. It all started when I was two years old and my mom bribed me through potty training with the promise of a dance class. I did dance for 15 years at a studio and spent ten of those years competing. I started with the classics, ballet and tap, and later added on other styles such as jazz, lyrical, contemporary, and even hip hop. However even as the years went on I have still been drawn back to the classics. As I was getting older I found myself wanting to try other avenues of performing. In middle school, I started getting more involved by playing flute in the band. I was able to continue to perform while making new friends who shared similar interests as me. I kept on playing through high school and was in the advanced band for three years. However, in high school, most of my time was spent with the color guard. I was able to combine my favorite form of expression with my favorite group of people while tossing flags, rifles, and sabers. I got so involved that I was captain all four years of high school. In college, it has become harder for me to express that side of myself but I still have a strong passion for music. In Rainbow, I have found a new way for me to perform by practicing ritual, and writing speeches. I have found a voice in Rainbow that I can use to express my thoughts and feelings that I could only previously do through other means of performance. The voice that Rainbow has given me allows me to verbalize these ideas.
Another major facet of my personality is that I love to travel. I have always loved going to new places and meeting new people. I found some of my favorite memories in car rides or walking around a new city. There is too much to see and do in the world for one to stay stationary. Screaming along to the radio with my family on a long drive to a campsite, walking around an airport and people watching, experiencing new cultures and environments; these are the best parts of life. Some of my favorite places that I have been to so far have been Chicago, Seattle, Costa Rica, and the Philippines. They have all been so different and I learned so much from each trip. I firmly believe that traveling is the most important thing that anyone can do. It forces you out of your comfort zone, educates you about the world around you, and allows you to gain a new perspective.
My educational accomplishments include graduating from Tracy High School in 2018 with a diploma from the Agricultural and Sciences Academy as well as a certificate from the Performing Arts Magnet. I then chose to begin my higher education at Las Positas College where I received an Associate’s degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences: Mathematics and Science. I will now be continuing my education at the University of Nevada, Reno where I will be studying nature and the environment. I have always had a strong love for nature and a drive to do right by it. I remember yelling at my classmates in Elementary School to recycle and preserve resources because the Amazon was dying, I had no idea what I was talking about, but I knew that it was important. I do not yet know exactly what my major will be, but I do know that I want to spend my life bettering the world around me and making sure that it is a cleaner, healthier, and happier place for generations to come.
In Rainbow, I have found a colorful combination of all the things that I believe in. Rainbow has given me the opportunity to travel and meet people who I wouldn’t have otherwise met. I have learned a new way to express myself and have been given the ability to not only write about things that I care about but also speak about them as well. The International Order of the Rainbow for Girls is a beautiful organization that is doing important things by giving young women the power to change the world and I am proud to be a part of it. I am so excited to work with my fellow meerkats to make this year great. I hope to see you all at our centennial 2022 Grand Assembly!!
