Reflective Essay

When I was in fifth grade, I had to make a decision. I agonized for weeks over the question of whether to go to the traditional middle school that all my friends were going to, or to try out this quirky little charter school that my parents had heard about from a friend of a friend. Mostly to appease my parents, I said that I would “try out” ACLC for a couple of months, and see how I felt. Almost seven years later, here I am at ACLC. Looking back, I am so glad I stayed, because ACLC has helped me become the person that I am today, both personally and academically. I feel a great sense of ownership of ACLC and of my own experience, and I think that this sense of ownership has led to the development of my character. I have had the opportunity to practice being proactive and taking initiative, from speaking during Constitutional Convention in sixth grade, to serving as the learner representative on the CLCS Governing Board in 10th and 11th grades. Even if the causes I advocate for don’t come to fruition, which they often don’t, I’ve learned that the value of doing something is not always in the attainment of my goal.

I think that my career aspirations are a reflection of my academic goals. I hope to be an investigative reporter, partly because I love to read and write. English class at ACLC has helped me develop an understanding of the power of language, and how it can be used as a catalyst for social change. Think Tolstoy and Twain. Wiesel and Whitman. Shakespeare and Shelley. The world would be a very different place without the literary contributions of these figures. Writers can subtly shape society, like water and wind can slowly shape a mountain, and I hope to join the movement of people who have done this for thousands of years. At ACLC I’ve learned the fundamentals of writing to help me pursue my dream.

I have also developed a strong global awareness during my time here, which is another reason why I want to be a reporter. In many of my classes throughout the years, we have strengthened our understanding of whatever topic we had at hand by tying it to a current event. In history, for example, our lessons about the past are always linked to what is going on in the present, so that we can begin to understand human trends and tendencies and we can determine how much progress we have really made as a human race. Partly as a result of this training in my classes, in my junior year I founded and led a bevy called Global Awareness. We had about seven members, and as a bevy we met almost every other week. The motivation for starting the bevy actually originated when I heard about the signing of a Free-Trade Agreement (FTA) between the U.S. Government and the Colombian Government. While this was prettily packaged as something that would be mutually beneficial for the two countries, the world knows from experience that “developing” countries who enter into this type of agreement with the U.S. very often lose their economic autonomy and fall victim to the control of U.S. corporate monopolies. I noticed that while many people were conducting large-scale protests in Colombia in response to the FTA, it was hardly receiving any attention in the media here at home. So the intent behind the Global Awareness bevy was to not only raise awareness among my peers about the events going on in the world around us, but also to help people establish a sense of global responsibility and integrity. This is something that I am passionate about, and I hope to continue this type of work throughout my life, regardless of what career path I end up on.

The various roles I’ve played during my time here at ACLC have helped me develop analytic and problem-solving skills. As a JC Clerk, up to three times a week I would run back-to-back cases that ranged from eraser-flicking fiascos, to facilitator-learner altercations, to severe cases of bullying. Being in this role required me to learn how to navigate different personalities, including those of the jurors, the defendants, my fellow clerks, and my own. JC confidentiality rules prohibit me from giving a concrete example, but I can say that often, when the two sides of the story conflicted, I had to use my reason and best judgment to do the best that I could with an unclear case. This meant synthesizing the opinions of the jurors with the evidence in front of me, as well as knowing when it’s appropriate to make an executive decision.

Being in Leadership for four years has been one of the best lessons in collaboration I’ve ever had. People who join Leadership are often there because they are outspoken and have lots of ideas to contribute, which is great for the furtherance of a democracy. However, this can also lead to hour long discussions about something as seemingly trivial as a bake-sale proposal. Witnessing and taking part in these discussions helped me understand how to express my thoughts assertively while always being respectful and allowing for others to express themselves. Also, helping plan Constitutional Convention with all the different personalities in Leadership is an adventure every year, and a lesson in emotional intelligence. As co-chair of Leadership this year, I’ve learned that it’s imperative to listen to people with an open-mind and be flexible with my own ideas, while establishing rules to keep the conversation balanced and efficient. I feel like my composure is constantly being tested this year; whenever I can feel the clock ticking and we are nowhere near consensus, it can be stressful. But standing in front of the class, it’s important to remain calm and confident to assure my classmates that everything is under control and we will make it work.

Technology: that bittersweet trademark of ACLC. If I’ve learned anything about technology during my time here, its that it is only as effective as you are. How many times have I tried to print something out ten minutes before class, only to find that the printer is jammed with twenty-six documents waiting? The fact is, if I had done my work in a more timely manner, I could have been spared the headache. Almost all my homework at ACLC has involved technology. Today, I feel confident making presentations with different kinds of media, such as Prezi and Powerpoint. I’ve also learned about video editing and Photoshop from my DVS classes, which I think are both skills that can come in handy in the future no matter what occupation I am in.