Katie's American Story Crossword

During May of this year, I received my confirmation from the Catholic church. The word confirmation means strengthening or deepening my relationship with God. It completes the process of initiation into the Catholic community. After I received this, accompanied by my friends and family, I couldn't help but think how proud I am of my _________.
Last year, I was so inspired by many Americans desire to help others that I volunteered my services to Dakin Humane Society in Springfield. I commute there about twice a month in order to assist the shelter animals. I specifically work with dogs: taking them out on walks, feeding them, cleaning up after them, and giving them lots of love and attention. I actually feel like i'm making a difference in bettering our country, along with my fellow coworkers who also volunteer. I'm so amazed of how _______ America is.
Sports has always been a huge passion in my life. I began competitively sailing around nine years old and absolutely fell in love with it. During the summer, I go sailing almost everyday with my friends and race around the ocean with them. I have also been competitively swimming since I was six. This demonstrates my love of _______.
Last week my school had an assembly in which showcased the story of a concentration camp survivor. Before the speaker went up on stage, my peers and teachers suddenly began singing the Pledge of Allegiance. The entire auditorium felt lively and animated. It was truly an _________ moment.
Every summer since I was eight years old, I have stayed at my house located in Cape Cod and spend most of my days sailing around in the ocean. I love the fact that I have absolute freedom and control over where i'm venturing to across the water. Im able to discover new places and islands to picnic at. I could never be happy without a little bit of _______ in my life.
As soon as I graduated from preschool, my mother told me that I was going to be homeschooled. I didn't understand what that meant at the time, or why I would leave my school, but I was too young to care. Instead of spending almost every week day sitting in a boring classroom, getting lectured on seemingly unimportant information, I was outside playing, traveling to different countries, and learning materials that I wanted to learn. Entering Minnechaug as a freshman was a totally new experience for me. I remember on the first day one of my teachers told the class that we would have quizzes every week-I was horrified. When I was homeschooled, I only took a test at the end of the year to send to the school board. The thought of having to do one every week was intimidating. However, I was able to assimilate myself into the public school system and now I love it.
When I was ten years of age, my family and I went on a helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon while on vacation in Arizona. I was immediately intrigued by how amazing nature is. I took so many pictures of the red rocks that towered over a lively river. I couldn't help but think how_________ our country is.
Last week I attended my little sister’s graduation. She enrolled in a small private school called Montessori and surprisingly it was a class of all girls. This was the first time ever that her school had a grade full of only females. During a speech made by a teacher, I learned that Sophia, along with her friends, often chanted phrases like “girl power,” and “girls can do anything they want to do!” I was so intrigued by this expression of _______.
spine is curved instead of being straight, and needed to get it corrected in order to prevent further organ damage. A couple months later when I was at Boston Children’s Hospital recovering from surgery, I was so intrigued by the amount of families who have traveled from across the globe to receive our advanced ____________. A nurse told me how individuals often travel thousands of miles to get proper medical help in which they couldn't get at their own country. There were children being treated with every kind of deformity or disease you can imagine.
Patriotism: During the Fourth of July, my hometown called Cotuit hosts a huge parade to celebrate our nation's independence. My family and I set up chairs and blankets in front of the main road often hours before the event even starts. We go back home and get all decked out in red white and blue. I'm usually the one who paints an American flag on everyone's face. When the parade starts, hundreds of people walk, bike, or drive down the street throwing candy and prizes. There's bagpipe players, firetrucks, and old cars. After it ends, I usually go to my friends barbeque and then go to the beach and watch fireworks. I enjoy seeing the amount of ________ that Americans demonstrate.