High School Student's Accomplishments

In high school, I prided myself on my grades. I was an honors student who got straight A’s, was very involved, and held several leadership positions. Over time, I realized that regardless of how many accolades I received, those successes would be short-lived and would only benefit me. Contrastingly, how I treated other people had the potential to make a long-lasting impact. Once I realized this, I began to place a higher value on my role as a friend to go to for advice, rather than just being the person to ask about the homework. I would help some friends with relationship troubles and others cope with a friend’s death. I believe that everyone is facing some type of struggle, regardless of whether it is obvious to others, and I try to do everything …show more content…
As I became more distanced from high school, I began to realize how much pressure is placed on high school students. They are expected to maintain high grades and to provide a resume of activities and leadership positions to impress the college of their choice, while also undergoing big changes in their lives. As I continue to talk to high school students today, I see that it is easy for them to feel like they are little more than the sum of their extracurriculars, grades, and SAT scores. Beyond helping and advocating for students struggling with mental illness, I want to help students learn that despite the mounting expectations set before them, they and their mental health and wellbeing matter just as much as a good grade or test …show more content…
While there, I facilitated an ESOL conversation group program, was a note-taker, and worked at the Counseling Center. My freshman year, I led an ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) conversation group through the Learning Assistance Service branch of the Counseling Center. There, I met weekly with a group of non-native English speakers with various backgrounds, and we discussed topics like holidays, games, movies, weird things Americans do, and our own traditions. This program provided the members an opportunity to practice their English and helped me learn more about their cultures, experiences, and traditions, while sharing my