REFLECTIVE ESSAY
Introduction
After transferring to ACLC in 8th grade, I wasn’t sure what to
expect. As a shy kid from a school with a completely different
atmosphere, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to fit in or
make friends. To my surprise, my choice to transfer turned out
to be one of best I’ve decisions I’ve ever made. ACLC’s
close-knit community was incredibly supportive and inviting;
it nurtured my personal growth and provided me with the help
I needed to succeed academically. As months and years passed,
I realized that ACLC was all I could’ve asked for in a middle and
high school experience. I found that the structure enabled me to
participate in extracurricular without making homework the only
thing I had time for. Additionally, the activities incorporated
within the curriculum boosted my public speaking and writing
abilities, both of which are critical skills for success beyond
high school. Without ACLC, I would be a much different
person then I am today.
Personal Qualities, Work Habits, and Attitudes
Through ACLC’s unique structure, I
was able to develop a plethora of attributes, all of which
are important to my future success. One skill I learned was
time management, which I learned in my free periods.
Free periods allowed me to make decisions about what I
did with my free time, and provided me
with a college-like schedule. From this structure, I’ve
also learned to be organized, diligent,
and independent, all skills which are essential to college
success. In the classroom, I’ve developed my public
speaking and writing ability through
activities such as Socratics and classes heavy
on presentations like Visual Communication.
On top of all of this, I learned perhaps my most valued
skill - communication.Knowing how to conduct a face to
face conversation with an adult has made my life a lot easier,
both at school and at home. Looking back on my time
here, I believe that communication has been key to my
academic success.
New Basics
During my time at ACLC, I have acquired a substantial
amount of new knowledge that helped me succeed in
both academics and finding new interests. All classes
involving literary analysis or civics call for advanced
skillsets in writing, and after years of taking courses
with this subject manner, I’ve progressed my writing
ability significantly. My exemplary grades on analytical
and persuasive essays show my functional command of
the English language and my ability to communicate
my ideas concisely. ACLC English classes specifically
call for the ability to dig below the surface meaning of
texts and to accurately interpret obscure literature, and
these are both areas of reading analysis in which I’ve
had to learn a lot to succeed. Public speaking is a
necessity for success in just about any class, but during
my time here, I’ve greatly improved on these skills.
Before attending ACLC, I was scared of speaking to
large groups, but I’ve since learned to organize my
presentations in a way that clearly shows the progression
of my ideas. This helps me better communicate with
my peers and betters my own understanding of
critical concepts. My growth in the subject area of
science has fueled my interest for psychology,
which is what I now plan on getting a degree in.
ACLC taught me the basics in life sciences and
how to apply the scientific method to everyday
situations; due to this, I was guided into new areas
of interest.
Thinking and Reasoning Skills
Knowing how to learn is perhaps one of the most
critical skills I developed at ACLC. Understanding the
most efficient techniques to grasp new concepts and
information has allowed me to fully take control of
my learning, which is something the structure of
ACLC strongly encourages. At ACLC, I discovered
that I’m a person who learns best through visuals,
like videos or step-by-step demonstrations from
teachers. Problem solving is another skill I picked
up at ACLC. I developed this skill through group
projects, which enabled me to identify the specific
skillsets of people in my group and figure out how
to work with them in the most efficient way. Group
projects also incorporated a lot of creative thinking,
as new ideas often had to be generated on the spot
to meet certain deadlines. All of these are skills
which will be crucial to my success in college and beyond.
Interpersonal and Collaborative Ability
Although I’ve never held any major leadership
position on campus, I’ve demonstrated my leadership
ability in smaller settings. Whether it be simply taking
charge for your group on a project or guiding a class
discussion, opportunities to show leadership are
everywhere at ACLC. I mainly focused on being a
valuable team member in group projects, and I
did this by exercising good leadership qualities.
I communicated my ideas well, motivated group
members, and through my work, persuaded others
on my ideas. I also tried to go about doing these
group projects with a professional, work-ready
attitude. I made myself approachable for my team
members, and stayed up late with them making
sure we satisfied the group’s expectations. What
I’ve learned most from group work is how my
presence in a group affects those around me,
and how to work with a sensitivity to the needs of others.
Technology
Understanding how to use technology is critical to
success in almost any workplace. ACLC has provided
me with an array of technical skills, and has taught
me to select the right technology for certain tasks.
One example of this was my use of Microsoft Excel
in my Precalculus class to graph and analyze complex
data sets. I’ve also used my technical skills to
communicate with my peers more effectively.
I mastered using presentation tools such as Google
Slides and Powerpoint to present information concisely
and professionally. For some of my elective courses,
I used tools like Photoshop and Wix to edit images and
create websites. On top of this technical knowhow,
I’ve learned how and when to apply my knowledge
to certain projects and assignments. This has further
increased my productivity across the board.
Conclusion
ACLC has allowed me to develop into the unique,
outgoing, and deeply intellectual person I am today.
I have learned how to balance my academics and my
social life, which is a skill that will serve me well in
college. Additionally, I have acquired a variety of
interpersonal, technical, work, and reasoning skills
that can all be applied in the workplace. These skills
will ensure that I’m a valuable member of any team
I join, regardless of the field. Aside from all the skills
I’ve learned, ACLC has also provided me with
something that is invaluable - a wealth of positive
experiences that I will always remember.
