Reflective Essay
Personal Qualities, Work Habits and Attitude
As a part of a community it is your job as an individual to play your part whatever it may be. I am a student, a learner of ACLC, but most importantly I am an individual. ACLC, a school built on ideas like self motivation and taking control of one’s own education, has taught me that. When I first stepped into the unknown territory in sixth grade I was very scared and intimidated by everything around me. Up until this point I had always been used to a traditional school’s format, which did not bolster qualities like educational freedom. However, that is the amazing thing about the community that surrounds this unique school; someone as alien as myself, someone who felt like an outsider was so easily welcomed and taught all the ropes by many of the older students who had been working in this environment for the past couple of years. For the next couple of weeks I realized all of the of the many opportunities that surrounded me and how the others around me were taking grasp of what they wanted to move themselves ahead. I was no longer the frightened twelve year old anymore. I was the boy who would take hold of my own future and education. With this, I strove toward my goals by signing up for college classes and extracurricular classes. Going beyond the standards by applying myself in numerous classes that go past the general education. Thanks to ACLC I took responsibility and held tight to my education, learning that I am no longer just a student, but an individual who is capable of so much more than what is required.
New Basics
Ever since hitting senior year, it’s hard to think of much other than the future. The first thing that comes to mind is definitely college. Like any student I had taken the general education of math, english, science, and social studies, but out of all those I just couldn’t help but being endlessly fascinated by the world of art. Just thinking about the impact great minds like Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol and Jackson Pollock have made makes me overwhelmed with happiness and completely inspired. It makes me want to find my place among the greats. Someone who is as influential and inspirational as them. Before eleventh grade I had always been self-taught when it came to drawing, painting, and the other many types of art. That year, however, I took my first art class and it finally helped me make my decision in what art path I wanted to follow. That of Digital Art. I know with practice and determination my drive will continue to grow with time. If ACLC has taught me anything in the many years I have attended it’s that their is always an opportunity where the motivated are.
Ever since hitting senior year, it’s hard to think of much other than the future. The first thing that comes to mind is definitely college. Like any student I had taken the general education of math, english, science, and social studies, but out of all those I just couldn’t help but being endlessly fascinated by the world of art. Just thinking about the impact great minds like Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol and Jackson Pollock have made makes me overwhelmed with happiness and completely inspired. It makes me want to find my place among the greats. Someone who is as influential and inspirational as them. Before eleventh grade I had always been self-taught when it came to drawing, painting, and the other many types of art. That year, however, I took my first art class and it finally helped me make my decision in what art path I wanted to follow. That of Digital Art. I know with practice and determination my drive will continue to grow with time. If ACLC has taught me anything in the many years I have attended it’s that their is always an opportunity where the motivated are.
Thinking and Reasoning Skills
In ACLC we strive to take control. Whether that be our education, the rules of the school or even the community. So I became one of the few judicial committee's clerks. This role threw me behind a table in front of a new jury and defendant on a weekly basis, three days a week. Every situation was different from session to session. Meaning you could never be fully prepared for what was to come. Yet everyday we had to go over large amounts of cases, deem them guilty or innocent, and if needed find a consequence that made the most sense for their rule-breaking actions. This keeps me on my toes. Constantly reminding me that I should hope for the best but prepare for the worst. At times the jury could be hard to work with, the information given very unclear, and possibly the there could be a large disagreement making me have to make an executive decision in a pressured environment. Though this sounds like a large task, it is a learning experience. One that shapes my thinking and reasoning skills.
In ACLC we strive to take control. Whether that be our education, the rules of the school or even the community. So I became one of the few judicial committee's clerks. This role threw me behind a table in front of a new jury and defendant on a weekly basis, three days a week. Every situation was different from session to session. Meaning you could never be fully prepared for what was to come. Yet everyday we had to go over large amounts of cases, deem them guilty or innocent, and if needed find a consequence that made the most sense for their rule-breaking actions. This keeps me on my toes. Constantly reminding me that I should hope for the best but prepare for the worst. At times the jury could be hard to work with, the information given very unclear, and possibly the there could be a large disagreement making me have to make an executive decision in a pressured environment. Though this sounds like a large task, it is a learning experience. One that shapes my thinking and reasoning skills.
Interpersonal and Collaborative Ability
Other than being know for a school that allows its students to take control of its many educational opportunities and their own future, but it is also known for its project based learning. In ninth grade physics we were given countless complex assignments like cardboard and duct tape boat making, rollercoaster making, and instrument creation, that forced students like myself into situations where collaboration wasn’t an option but a necessity. Students are given projects like these that made many of the students create teamwork traits that have helped in future assignments. But no matter what the projects may have done for many of the kids that go to ACLC, nothing will compare to what I have learned and gained from the three days and two nights I spent during Hannah Camp. During this trip, ACLC’s high school students would be chosen by three head counselors (the leaders and planners of the camp (which are also high schoolers)) to help introduce new students to the unique community and traditions of this school through a camp. Many of these new students would be middle schoolers who would be as timid as I was when I first came to this middle and high school. This year I took charge with two others to make this the most successful Hannah Camp yet. Together we slaved away planning the trip for about four months. The entire time we threw ideas at each other, disagreed, agreed, and created a plan vastly better and clearer than the last year’s. Although you can only plan for what you know. During the duration of the trip unforeseen events like theft of supplies, and scared kids happened multiple time creating almost panic at time, however, we prepared ourselves for speed bumps and pushed through. Alone I managed over 25 people to run activities, lead hikes, make kids happy, but together we ran a camp that gave some of the newer kids in ACLC the best memories middle school lives. Stories that will be passed down to the younger generations because of what this group of counselors made possible. Experiences that will be shared because myself and two others had spent hours and hours working together to make things as perfect as we possibly could. Seeing the endless smiles that came from this event makes me want to push further to see if there are limits, because right now it doesn’t seem like there are.
Other than being know for a school that allows its students to take control of its many educational opportunities and their own future, but it is also known for its project based learning. In ninth grade physics we were given countless complex assignments like cardboard and duct tape boat making, rollercoaster making, and instrument creation, that forced students like myself into situations where collaboration wasn’t an option but a necessity. Students are given projects like these that made many of the students create teamwork traits that have helped in future assignments. But no matter what the projects may have done for many of the kids that go to ACLC, nothing will compare to what I have learned and gained from the three days and two nights I spent during Hannah Camp. During this trip, ACLC’s high school students would be chosen by three head counselors (the leaders and planners of the camp (which are also high schoolers)) to help introduce new students to the unique community and traditions of this school through a camp. Many of these new students would be middle schoolers who would be as timid as I was when I first came to this middle and high school. This year I took charge with two others to make this the most successful Hannah Camp yet. Together we slaved away planning the trip for about four months. The entire time we threw ideas at each other, disagreed, agreed, and created a plan vastly better and clearer than the last year’s. Although you can only plan for what you know. During the duration of the trip unforeseen events like theft of supplies, and scared kids happened multiple time creating almost panic at time, however, we prepared ourselves for speed bumps and pushed through. Alone I managed over 25 people to run activities, lead hikes, make kids happy, but together we ran a camp that gave some of the newer kids in ACLC the best memories middle school lives. Stories that will be passed down to the younger generations because of what this group of counselors made possible. Experiences that will be shared because myself and two others had spent hours and hours working together to make things as perfect as we possibly could. Seeing the endless smiles that came from this event makes me want to push further to see if there are limits, because right now it doesn’t seem like there are.
Technology
ACLC makes technology constantly available to the student. This is just another one of the many ways the school follows its mission to make the individual responsible for taking control of their education. Giving the student the resources to go far. And that is exactly what technology has proven to me. That it is a resource that represents the future. Back in sixth grade, when I discovered the amazing iPod Touch for the first time in my life, I had only seen it as a means of playing games and downloading applications for social media. Although I discovered another thing that year. That I could use the countless computers stationed around the vast center of the school to learn something. Many of the assignments given that were research papers or essays could easily be stored and saved with Google Docs. Photoshop could be used as a new medium for art. So could iMovie when creating short films and student made commercials for Digital Video Studio. This may all be technology basics to some but I don’t plan to be at this level forever. Technology is the future but so am I. So just like technology I plan to grow too.
ACLC makes technology constantly available to the student. This is just another one of the many ways the school follows its mission to make the individual responsible for taking control of their education. Giving the student the resources to go far. And that is exactly what technology has proven to me. That it is a resource that represents the future. Back in sixth grade, when I discovered the amazing iPod Touch for the first time in my life, I had only seen it as a means of playing games and downloading applications for social media. Although I discovered another thing that year. That I could use the countless computers stationed around the vast center of the school to learn something. Many of the assignments given that were research papers or essays could easily be stored and saved with Google Docs. Photoshop could be used as a new medium for art. So could iMovie when creating short films and student made commercials for Digital Video Studio. This may all be technology basics to some but I don’t plan to be at this level forever. Technology is the future but so am I. So just like technology I plan to grow too.