Most people go to new schools after elementary school or when they enter high school. I went to Stanley Clark for the first time a few weeks before my seventh-grade year.

I visited the school on a tour because my brother was going to transfer. Little did I know that the school would make such a great first impression that I would transfer too. I didn't know what to imagine Stanley Clark to be like, but I wasn't prepared to like it as much as I did. When I came in, I liked the large science classrooms and the tiger-themed gym. I also loved that there was a small wooded area by the school. But what excited me most about Stanley Clark was the extracurricular opportunities like the play and Speech Team. I also loved the fact that there was a language class. 

I made the decision to transfer to Stanley Clark. It all happened very quickly: the application, the forms, the placement tests. Pretty soon, I received word that I had been accepted; I couldn't wait for my first day! My first day attending school actually fell on the third day of school. I walked in and started to feel nervous. I remember thoughts racing through my head, wondering who I would meet and how hard the classes would be. I hadn't even met anyone, but I was already worrying. Then all of a sudden a girl named Kaitlyn said hello. She was the first student I met. She introduced herself and kindly offered to help me around. I met the girls in Ms. Diamond's advisory. They all seemed pretty nice, and suddenly, I wasn't worried anymore. Only a few classes later, I realized I recognized some people from outside of school, so I sat with them at lunch and got to know them more. I also remember loving the science classroom and the fact that we got to use microscopes.

Toward the end of the day, I arrived at drama class. I had never taken drama, and I had looked forward to seeing what it was all about. In the class, I was asked to set some goals for the year. It was my first day, I had no idea what the year would bring, but I had an idea of what I wanted. I set three goals for myself. The first goal was to join the volleyball team, my second was to make friends, and my third was to make the principal's honor roll. Those goals I wrote were stapled to the wall in Ms. Diamond's advisory the whole year. In the end, Stanley Clark helped me achieve each of those goals.

I am so glad I came to Stanley Clark. I was new, but I felt welcome even on the first day. Switching schools taught me that change can be a really good thing. I am so glad I took a chance on Stanley Clark; I've learned so much. I'm so thankful for the opportunities and challenges that Stanley Clark gave me.