Reflective Essay

Introduction

I first heard of ACLC long before I attended here. Both my brother and sister had gone to ACLC so I was already well acquainted with the school. I really appreciated how, at ACLC, the learner is encouraged to take charge of their own education and is allowed liberties such as free periods to manage their own work. So when I graduated from 5th grade I was absolutely thrilled to be enrolled at ACLC. Middle school went by in a flash, but I was able to excel and skip ahead in math. In high school, I enjoyed the freedom of ACLC and how it allowed me to take classes at the local community colleges. Now I’m a senior and it's my final year at ACLC but I'm excited to make the most of it.

Personal Qualities, Work Habits And Attitudes

Responsibility is an attribute I really take pride in having. I always follow through with my commitments. In all my years at ACLC, I have never not turned in an assignment. At the same time, I’ve never been written up or gotten a tardy for being late. In general, I am a very prepared person. When I make a goal, I put all my effort into it and don’t give up easily.

Personally I think my self management skills are one of my best attributes. I have never been a student who procrastinates and is generally on top of my work. If someone were to go into my room they would see the door frame littered with Post-It reminders of upcoming tasks because I am always creating plans for how to organize my work properly and break up tasks into smaller goals. I always make sure when scheduling out what I have to do that I am not overly ambitious, nor saving everything until the end. This type of strategizing has really come in handy when I have a heavy workload and has allowed me to juggle many things at a time. Through this behavior I am far more productive and effective at accomplishing tasks.

New Basics

I have always been a mathematical thinker. In elementary school math was my favorite subject however, my appreciation really took off in middle school. I had some of the most fun and interesting teachers I have ever had and in turn my skills greatly grew. In eighth grade I was allowed to skip up to Algebra 1. This year of math was one of my toughest and I really struggled. However, through lots of studying and some help from my peers I was able to persevere. I continued this trend for the next few years and now I am taking college level calculus. Calculus at the moment is proving to be a challenge for me but I am getting through it. On my first test I managed to score a miraculous 100%. I am excited to take this skill further in college although I don't intend on being a math major but would rather use math to better understand the world around me.

In middle school some of my peers thought I was weird because I spent my free time exploring Google Maps. One of my favorite activities both then and now is surfing through Google Maps until I find something that interests me, then study it. My curiosity has often led to other interests, because through researching different places across the globe I became intrigued by statistical breakdowns in population, demographics and GDP. I like the stories I can learn from facts and figures. When I learned about economics, I was thrilled that my fascinations with geography and statistics converged. In college, I hope to gain the skills that let me apply my fascination with how we collect and interpret statistics to better understand the wider world.

Thinking and Reasoning Skills

I think my personal learning techniques really help me to be an effective learner. I like to break up tasks into small portions so I can better focus my energy and breakdown concepts. I am also not afraid of asking for help. I find that my peers, teacher, and parents are great resources to help me learn. Through these techniques I’ve been able to take on really challenging tasks, such as a multitude of honors and college classes.

My pointed decision making approach has really helped achieve my goals. I like to break down my work and consider the opportunities. Also when making plans, I take into account the benefits and dangers. Through this technique I am able to be far more successful in my endeavors.

Interpersonal Abilities

Through ACLC’s project based learning model I have been exposed to many group assignments. Over the years I have learned that the most key component of a successful team is communication, so whenever I start a project I make sure to emphasize this concept. The second most important thing is motivation, so I also try to encourage my fellow teammates. Naturally, I am a very responsible person who also fulfills my commitments so I always make sure I do my share of the work.

To many people I come off as quiet, but I am a good listener and I am always willing to speak my mind. Over my time at ACLC I led the school’s Red Cross/Interact Club, served on both the ACLC and CLCS board, as well as participated in Leadership class for 3 years. Through these experiences I have led many events and planned many activities. I am a very self motivated person and I try to direct this motivation to the community around me.

Technology

Growing up in the twenty-first century I have become accustomed to using technology. ACLC has worked to further cultivate these skills. I've done many video projects and through this I learned camera and editing skills. I have also learned how to create websites that can stylistically and clearly present information. I also have become aware of more general knowledge such as knowing the proper application to use to accomplish a given task.

I am a person who loves to set equipment up and troubleshooting is just a part of the process. When there is an error or some sort of problem I don’t view it as a mistake but something that I have to work through. Anything difficult is bound to have errors which teaches us to work through hard problems instead of giving up. Then when something finally does work, the sense of accomplishment is immense and it just encourages me to keep going.

Conclusion

My time at ACLC has really shaped who I am. I have always been a shy person, but ACLC's tight-knit community has helped me come out of my shell. Since joining ACLC, I've taken on many leadership positions across the school. I have served on multiple governing bodies of the school, the ACLC Board, CLCS Board, as well as in Leadership. I have also led two clubs as President of the ACLC Red Cross and Interact clubs as well as a bevy for the yearbook. ACLC has also given me great academic opportunities through the Peralta Community College system. I have been able to explore many of the topics I am interested including Economics, Psychology, and Statistics. I'm so glad I was able to get the ACLC experience. ACLC has greatly helped to me to become the person I am today.