Introduction
I first came to ACLC my sophomore year of high school, this was during my transition from San Leandro high school, this transition was very impactful to me because I went from a school with 3000 students to a school with 400-ish students. This wasn't a choice that I got to put a part in but I'm glad my life went the way it did because I see myself places I didn't before. I’m grateful to be part of a community like the one ACLC holds, the amount of support and friendliness inspires me to be more.
Personal Qualities Work Habits And Attitudes
I think that having self-esteem and believing in your self-worth has an impact on how you perform at your work and in life. I know this from experience because when I would fail I wouldn't act on it I would just accept and not improve while having a negative thought about yourself and how you perform affected me because when I would do badly on a test I would try to remake it and study to get a better score, I was just fixed on the fact that I failed and I couldn't do better. After a few months and many talks from my helpful dad, I learned how to be independent while having self-worth. This was probably the hardest thing for me to do, but the most helpful because if I fail I strive to do better to take it as a lesson and focus on what I did wrong and what I could do better. Knowing my self-worth made me perform better as well as feel better.
When I first came to ACLC it was the warmest welcome ever, everyone in this community was so nice and accepting I was happy to be a part of it, when I would get partnered up my partners talked to me as if we knew each other for years as for before I've had people just stare at me. I was never expecting this outcome from this school but I can say that being around so much positivity made me change too, everywhere I would go I would reciprocate the same energy I received at school because I felt so accepted. In my English class, I have never seen anyone scared to speak up or get others to participate in our discussions. I feel like the community at ACLC is a small family that I'm so happy to be a part of.
New basics
The first Spanish class I took was my freshman year at San Leandro High, considering Spanish was the first language I learned. This was really different and still somewhat challenging from what I had already learned and heard throughout my whole life. While I was taking this class we also had to learn the accents of Spain and different uses of the same words for different countries. This class as well as the class I took at ACLC were very informative when I realized that I've always been speaking and listening to slang in Spanish. I had a very different vocabulary but it was very interesting learning about different countries. Being bilingual has helped me so much throughout my life from being a translator for my mom at age 5 through 13 or being the only one to help a Spanish-speaking customer at work, being bilingual has opened many doors for me.
My favorite topics in history would be about philosophers and these amazing podcasts my history teacher would assign us. I always found myself out of time but off the edge of my seat while listening to these podcasts that opened my mind up to so many different ways of thinking as well as possibilities. All the words that lead to another while using these ways of thinking and making an understanding of what these Greek philosophers came to the understanding of what life is and having open conversations were always what I looked forward to. Hearing everyone's opinion and building on one another was the best.
Thinking and Reasoning Skills
Ever since I started school at ACLC I've been so much more open and creative with how I think and what I do in my classes. I never took an art class until I got to ACLC and did different projects each week with caroline. At the end of each day after just studying I would get to go to art and refresh my mind and express my feelings through what I was making. Nothing is better than showing my artwork to Caroline after a long day and her saying it is beautiful. This art class has made me who I am today and made me discover my passion for art. I've made many posters about were from, maps, portraits as well as canvas paintings that I'm very proud of. Thanks to this class I've been able to visualize and create images in my head about what I can do or build and that's nothing I ever had because I actually would tell my mother that I had no imagination. Using this visualization technique has made me successful in many things as well as focusing on my future and setting goals to accomplish my future.
Interpersonal Abilities
I've always loved working in groups, as someone who's been excluded and made to feel bad about my own opinions. I'd hate to make someone else feel that way so whenever I'm part of a group I try to be the most uplifting and open person. I make everyone's opinion heard and try to use everyone's ideas in each assignment, this goes to many assignments I did this senior year in Spanish with a partner of mine named Haida, we did a presentation on Selena and split the slides so we can both put as much as we'd like and say what we wanted to. The last time I worked in a group was in a Socratic seminar where we all sat in a circle and discussed a topic and helped each other build on each other's statements/ questions. Being a part of a group has always been my favorite part of the class and sharing what to do.
I don't have much of a deserved background as much of the people I know and most of my friends, I remember last year I made a friend names Guaita, she had just moved from Guatemala and only spoke Spanish, although I became friends with her before we got introduced in class we still got along very well and I would always help her understand and translate. I introduced her to my friend and made sure she felt welcome at ACLC although she was just learning English. I'm kind of sad that I never got to see her again due to distance learning but I hope she's doing well.
Technology
I believe that technology holds a big part of everyone's life, including teenagers these days that got shifted into distance learning for a year. There were many issues that many kids including me faced and still managed to keep positive and keep on going. While I was in distance learning I was taking a digital music class for the first time and it was challenging learning to make music through a screen. There are many problems I've encountered in life that I solved easily with technology. I don't think I would be where I'm at if it wasn't for technology.
Conclusion
In conclusion, coming to ACLC was one of the best decisions my mom has ever made for me because I improved massively when I changed schools. I am very grateful for all the teachers that I've had over the years and aren't with us anymore, teachers who always supported me and never let me fail along with counselors and office people never once did I ever feel as if I didn't have enough support and that's what I love about ACLC.