I transferred to Stanley Clark toward the end of fourth grade and before coming here I was afraid to go outside of my comfort zone and try new things. At my previous school, I would not participate in plays or after school activities, and the only people who saw my true self were my close friends. The side they saw was fun, wild, athletic, creative, outgoing and casual, but my teachers and peers saw me as serious, quiet, deliberate, and introverted. Deep down, I knew that the person most people were seeing wasn’t my true self, but I didn’t know how to introduce myself to my peers.

My first day at Stanley Clark, I went in with the mindset that I was going to be my true self and show the same person to my teachers and peers. I was scared to switch schools, start over, and have no friends or relationships with teachers. However, students and teachers welcomed me from the moment I walked in the front door. Throughout my five years at Stanley Clark, my teachers have all encouraged me to show my true self to everyone. Between the students, teachers, coaches, and faculty, I have been reassured that being myself is not something to be ashamed of. One person who has truly helped me realize this is my seventh-grade advisor. For the past two years, she has been someone I can trust and go to for help with something as simple as getting a grade up or something more personal like problems with friends or family. However, she is not the only person who has impacted me, as I know that I can talk to many teachers, coaches, or friends about anything I am worried about.

Since coming to Stanley Clark, I have also ventured out of my comfort zone and tried new things! This has left a huge impact on me and has really encouraged me to get more and more involved. It’s also helped me realize that my classmates and I share a lot of the same interests and hobbies. I now participate in soccer, basketball, and cross country. Academically, I participate in Speech Team and Science Olympiad and am taking a public speaking class. For the arts I am a part of the choir, play the tuba in band, and take an art class. To build character, I am a part of the school play and I am a Student Ambassador. Not even five years ago, I felt unable to sing, act, play an instrument, or speak in front of people. The only extra-curricular activities I had been a part of prior to Stanley Clark were soccer and basketball. Without encouragement from teachers and coaches, I might have missed out on all of these opportunities. Without Stanley Clark, I would not be who I am today and would still be quiet and serious. But because of the people and opportunities, I have grown in all four pillars of our school: academics, arts, athletics, and character.