老實說過去幾個夏天在玫瑰育種部門並不好玩，但它絕對是難忘的。夏天在那些悶熱的溫室大棚裡，看見那些好像永遠開不完大大小小的花海，加上到處都是刺莖，一個不小心就流血加流汗。當我完成了那些看花不像花的授粉工作後，才知道錢不好賺，當然，也體會到了 辛勤工作摻和著奉獻精神，令我有些成就感。

玫瑰育種不是我的興趣所在，也不是我未來想做的事業，但這些年來幫爸爸在做玫瑰育種工作，確實讓我學會了尊重和耐心 – 即使是一朵帶刺的小花，你也得小心翼翼 。我的愿望是將來從事英語教學工作。對我來說，閱讀和寫作是非常重要，也一直是我生命的一部分。在書籍，詩歌和創作裡，我可以馳意遨游天地和幻想人間世界。

現在我要做的事，就是以閱讀和書寫來充實我的人生。除了寫作外，音樂是我的最愛，彈鋼琴可以讓我完全解放，並且，我喜歡用音樂來表達自己的情緒。在學習演奏鋼琴的過程中，就像在感受生命，它不會總是那末容易、那末美好，而是在實踐中體驗到冷暖高低，而且會作出許多令人尷尬的錯誤，即如每天我們所要面對不盡如意的情節一樣，因為有愛，我們才會堅持。      / Maya Lim

Academic All-Stars program celebrates stellar students.   January 31, 2008 The 36 Statesman Journal 2008 Academic All-Stars represent the talent, compassion and sheer excellence found daily in our area high schools.These aren't just smart students; these are students who strive to make their schools and their communities a better place.The Statesman Journal started the Academic All-Stars program in 1994 as a way to honor students who excel in the classroom as well as contribute to the community. It invites each area high school to select one senior for the honor.... Student essay  --   Maya Lim 2008 McMinnville High School

As global population rises, world leaders must face the pressing topic of energy: where will our energy come from? At what cost will we pay for our needs? How will the environment support our growing demand? Our nation functions on energy and our next president must lead us out of our self-dug hole-reliance on fossil fuels produces increasingly more political, economic, and environmental harm. Bickering over oil prices with other nations strains international relations, dependency on foreign sources weakens economic security, and higher carbon dioxide levels worsens global warming, which raises sea levels and creates population booms and crashes. The U.S., one of the world's top contributors to air pollution, holds the power to reduce these problems. Alternatives to burning fossil fuels, like biofuel, renewable energy, and hydrogen technologies, need no invention-only implementation. The next president must emphasize a plan to stabilize energy security-supporting corporations with tax cuts or other attractions to switch to sustainable and cleaner energy choices, advocating new environmentally tailored acts, and setting narrower limits to foreign oil purchases all stand as possible actions. Without immediate acknowledgement of the energy issue, understanding of the current and future consequences, forethought for the increasing demand for energy, and definite action, the U.S. cannot make progress, as a nation, or as a part of the world. Our next president must turn the light on the issues of energy before we bury ourselves, and our future, under deeper layers of dependency, debt, and smog.                           / Maya Lim