SAN DIEGO, Calif.
July 10, 2008
Melissa Frank
Kennedy Vermilion, 16, a senior at Arizona's Dobson High School, is no stranger to packing her life away and moving to a new house. Born in Mesa, Ariz., she's has moved between Mesa and Chandler, Ariz., her whole life. She explained, "I've been moving since I was born, basically, so it's been one time per year, age wise."
The number of times she has moved will soon be equal to her age. Although Kennedy has moved countless times, Mesa and Chandler are only 10 miles away, so she has not had to move to a new school district.
Moving has become a staple in Kennedy's life. She even said that she wants to be like her mom when she is older because Kennedy enjoys the change of scenery. Similar to her mother, she gets sick of her surroundings very easily.
Favoring a changing of her surroundings, Kennedy decided to spend her summer at UCSD Academic Connections for an interesting and rewarding experience before college. Although she is used to moving from place to place, Kennedy is currently struggling with the distance from her mom, with whom she shares a close relationship. She said that coming to UCSD is different from moving because she does not stay in her house for a long enough time to become attached. Leaving her state and family has been quite a challenge for Kennedy.
Although her future isn't set in stone, Kennedy plans to attend college and pursue advertising. She also intends, like her mother, to move frequently to new homes. With experience with moving, Kennedy's transition to moving into her college dorm room will be less stressful because she knows what she's doing now. As Kennedy noted, "It's good to clean out your closet."
