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What Is Reach a Student?
Reach a Student is a website established to give students direct communication access to student mentors in various grade levels. Students will be able to reach out to other students and ask any questions they have regarding student and campus life. The site will also stream videos of students sharing their experiences at Windermere Prep as well as activities around campus. Find Out More
Staying on top of work can be hard, especially
in High School. Falling behind in work may seem hard to avoid, but there are
always ways to stay ahead. When you make the transition from Middle School to
High School, you can see the difference between the amount of work you have.
I'm in 9th Grade, so it is my first year in High School and it was hard for me
to adjust to the amount of work there is in High School. Once I started to
realize I was falling behind, I made sure to change that and started doing
things that could help me. There are many ways you can stay on top of your work
and even though it may take extra time, it is completely worth it because you
will be stress free.
My first tip would be to always be paying
attention and writing notes. If you are constantly writing notes in your
classes you will automatically start to understand concepts more. Once the test
or quiz comes around for that class, you won't have to cram the night before
because you will already have the basic information. Not only that, but
actually going over your notes after school will help you a lot. In past
years I would only look over my notes once at home and then never again , and
that would lead me to being stressed over the class. Once I started reviewing
the concepts from the class and all the notes, I noticed how quickly it helped
me. Not only that but challenging yourself and pushing yourself to work. Being
in a class that is too easy for you may be less stressful, but actually pushing
and challenging yourself to be in a class that is a little bit harder will be
helpful, because you will actually be learning new concepts. If you do decide
to challenge yourself, you shouldn't push yourself too hard. If you do then it
will be hard to progress because you will be struggling to keep up with the
concept. Keeping on top of all your work may take up time, but it is worth it in
the long run.
I
come from an educational system that does not put as much emphasis on grades at
such a young age as they do in the USA, at least not until the child is older.
What I would like to say to all of the students at WPS is not to worry about
the grade but to think instead, 'What have I learned?', and what is the next
step. School should be a voyage of learning, and if someone becomes obsessed
with a letter grade, rather than what they are actually learning, I think that
is a shame. You are more than a letter scrawled onto a page. If you got a good
grade, then great, but what does it ACTUALLY mean? Do you reflect on why you
got a good grade, and what you took away from that period of learning? Do you
think to yourself, what else could I learn about this? How could I extend my
learning? Was this fascinating to me, or something that I only tolerate because
I have to? Likewise, when you get a bad grade, do you ask why? What does this
mean for me? Do you find out what exactly you didn't do well or understand so
that you can fix it for next time? The WHY is more important than the grade.
Why am I studying this? Why is it important? What does it mean to me? Don't
reduce your brainpower to a letter grade. You are so much more than that. You
are creativity and problem solving. You are design and debate. Don't do things
for a grade, do them because they matter to you and you know the reason why!
As a student of Windermere Prep you are
expected to strive for perfection and attain excellence, but this doesn't mean
that you must be stressed all the time. With good time management you can be
less stressed, get more things done, and even have some free time for other
activities that you may enjoy. I used to always be stressed about getting good
grades and doing all of the homework that I was assigned. I had to learn how
to manage my time in order to get more things done and have free time do the
things that I loved. I had tried many time management tactics, such as writing
everything down in my planner, or even skipping some after school activities in
order to get the best grade possible. This ended up stressing me out even more,
I had to find a method that worked for me. I ended up using a time calendar. I
know it sounds weird, but I got a white board and marker and would write down
what I would be doing every half hour. This helped me to see exactly when I
should be working on a certain assignment, or studying for a specific test. I
now had seen where I had free time to spend with family and friends, and even
go to all of my after school activities. This has helped me manage my time, but
it might not help you. Find a system that works for you and stick with that
method. Make sure to keep up with the method you choose as well. As long as the
system works for you, it doesn't matter how weird it seems.
If I had the chance to go
back to middle school and high school there would be some things I would do
differently. Although I am a teacher- and teachers love learning- we all didn't
start off perfectly and I am certainly one of those. Here are some pieces of
advice that I think will help you capitalize on your chances of making the most
of your education and the time and resources in front of you all.
Don't be afraid to ask questions/make
mistakes. Nervous that the teacher will think you are weird
for asking a question? Afraid of taking a more difficult class because you
might not get an A? Shy because of what you are going to look like in front of
your secret crush? Your education is yours and you have every right to ask
questions, challenge yourself and make mistakes; whoever makes fun of you for
this or criticizes you is not on the true path to learning.
Read!Read as much as you can about whatever topic you are interested in. I know you
have heard this before but the truth is that so much of our productive time is
wasted on doing unproductive tasks. Instead of reading a magazine, a book for
school/pleasure, or researching world events, we watch TV, surf the Internet
for meaningless things or worry about superficial nonsense. Get off of Facebook,
don't worry who is dating who, don't worry about whatever reality TV show's
next episode may bring, or if someone has a nicer car than you. All of that
time can instead be used for discovering something new and bettering yourself.
So get out there and read!
Push yourself to read outside of your interests. If you love
science, try reading something about art. If you love theater, try reading
something about history. You never know just what you might stumble upon and
how it can benefit and change you. I believe we should all strive to be
comprehensive learners and learn many topics from the whole gamut.
Gain discipline Not only should you push yourself to read and to read other topics,
but push yourself to learn and see the value of other subjects. Don't think
that just because something is boring, or not 'your thing' that you can't learn
from it. Be open and give it a chance. This requires discipline and patience.
Too often I see students who lose interest, motivation and respect for a topic
because it does not offer instant gratification like an IPAD or a play station
would. Learning can be fun but its not all entertainment. And yes let me point
that out…you are not in school to be
entertained. Learning requires
discipline to be able to appreciate these moments of diversion.
Think of the bigger world. You
must start to realize that the more you learn about the bubble outside of
yourself, your school, your neighborhood, your state, your country, and even
the earth, the more you will discover your own place and purpose. There are
people just like you in other parts of the world…learn about them! This world
and universe is a neat place so take interest in it all.
Hi
my name is Bella and I am an 8th grade student at Windermere Prep. One
of my greatest passions in life is dance. I find myself dancing almost
everywhere I go. It is something that I could not live without. Each week I
dance for about 10+ hours. I also attend certain dance competitions every few
months, which means a lot of extra rehearsals. Sometimes I find it a little
tricky to maintain a 4.0 GPA as well as attend all of my dance classes and
rehearsals. However I seem to always find a way to make it work.
One
tip I would give others who are struggling to juggle all of their extra
curricular activities along with school is to stay organized. I would suggest
keeping a planner to write all of your assignments down on. As well as keeping
a few folders to organize any papers you receive from teachers. This way you do
not lose any time due to searching for a lost paper or assignment. Another tip
would be to get lots of sleep and eat healthy as well. Being tired or getting
sick would only lead to more schoolwork piling up, which will make it much
harder to balance school and your extracurricular activities.
My
last tip is to get some of your schoolwork done over the weekend. If you wait
until the week everything is due it will be extremely hard to complete everything
on time and attend your extracurricular activities. Even spending an hour on
your work over the weekend can make a huge difference. I know that all of these
tips have definitely made it a lot easier for me to keep up with my schoolwork
as well as dance, which is very important to me.
I
truly do not know what I would do without dance. It has provided me with so
many great opportunities that I am so thankful for. Through dance I can express
myself and teach others. I have even gotten to work with an incredible
nonprofit organization known as Dance Out
Bullying and got to educate others about bullying through dance. I hope to one-day
dance on Broadway as well as eventually own my own dance studio and teach
others. I hope to have a positive impact on someone's life through dance. I also
hope that all of my tips will help you maintain your busy schedule and allow
you to follow your dreams and achieve your aspirations
and goals.
Whenever you are
lonely, whenever you are bored, and whenever you are nervous, one of the best
activities to do is volunteering. The fact that you are helping someone out for
his or her benefit, not yours, gives you a thrill and happiness. When you are
volunteering, you are also giving something back to the community, the
community that gave you the environment to grow to what you are now.
Volunteering can
also help you build new skills or even build on an existing skill that you are
working on. For example, volunteering at a golf tournament may help you
understand golf and volunteering at a hospital may help you understand how
patients are treated and how the hospital runs during the day. Each time you
volunteer, whether it is fun or not, you learn a valuable lesson, and the
lesson you learn can be used for your future decisions and actions
For me,
volunteering is quite fun, although I encounter new skills and activities that
I might not even use in my life, just learning the new skills makes it fun for
me. I volunteered at a golf tournament January 2016, and from there, I learned
how the scoreboard runs during a golf tournament, and many other management
skills that run a golf tournament. I even met many famous people there too!
Furthermore, I am going to volunteer at the Orlando Regional Medical Center and
I am looking forward to volunteer! I will be able to not only go around the
hospital, but also have a chance to look into details where patient is being
cared of, and other great opportunities!
All in all, one of
the best ways to learn and go out into the world is by volunteering. The
current world requires us to have as many skills and volunteering can cover
most of the experience we need. Plus, just why not volunteer? Volunteering, in
my opinion, is better than any phone or computer games and many other home
activities. Most volunteering activities are held outside, which means that you
can also get your daily walking done while outside. So to have fun and
volunteer!
Having recently come back from the Summer Science Program, which I detailed in my last blog, I have begun to deeply miss the late nights working in the lab conducting research - singing along to music with my peers while still working diligently on assignments sometimes through the entire night. The countless lectures on Natural Transformation, ribosomal pathways to antibiotic resistance, and bioinformatics will be missed - but I know I will keep in mind what I have learned and apply it in both current and future research.
Furthermore, though we experienced setbacks in the form of brand new morbidostats - the cutting edge devices we used to culture bacteria - needing software fixes, as well as getting contaminated, the data we collected will still contribute to understanding and solving the world-wide problem of antibiotic resistance. Furthermore, as the first SSP Genomics group, I hope that there will be fewer obstacles for future years' groups to overcome - and future young scientists will uncover more and more about the genomic origins of antibiotic resistance.
This summer, over 6 weeks, I will be immersing myself at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, conducting genomics research using an automated chemostat bioreactor to develop antibiotic resistance in the bacterium Vibrio natriegens. A total of 24 students were selected globally to participate in the inaugural program in Genomics -organized by The Summer Science Program (SSP). SSP runs programs in Astrophysics and Biochemistry but this is the first year they have implemented a program in Genomics.
To have been selected, to say the least, is an incredible honor and I am very much looking forward to this experience.
I fly out to Indiana this Sunday, fully aware that I will be engaging in higher level academics for most of the summer. The student handbook poignantly states "Alumni often say that college is easier than SSP....yes, even Harvard, MIT, or Caltech."
Finding volunteering opportunities was tough going during the early COVID-19 waves but as cases have subsided, along with increased vaccinations rates in Florida, those elusive opportunities to give back to our community have emerged once again.
Full IB Diploma students are required to earn 150 hours of service and most WPS IB students accumulate that in a single year - at least the ones I have spoken to. But the real benefit of service goes far beyond scholarships and IB requirements.
The benefits of volunteering and giving back include:
Social: You can use service to meet new friends and build relationships within your community - beyond your school and extracurricular activities/sport
Physical: Most service requires a degree of physical movement and that's a good thing - especially if the pandemic has reduced a lot of your typical activity
Mental State: Meeting new people will almost always boost your own self-esteem and confidence
If you are looking for volunteering opportunities this summer, I have a network of people around Windermere/Winter Garden that are looking for teens like us to give back. Contact me for more information!
Sometimes as a child I would describe myself like
an egg. On the outside a hard shell, smooth and flawless in appearance
but on the inside a mushy soft, runny liquid.
I'll explain…
I was put ahead a grade in 1st grade basically
because I knew my ABC's and could read while our Pre-K students now a days can
recite their ABC's and read in usually more than one language:) With a
late spring birthday this made me very young for the class which was like a
neon sign saying come pick on me. I was lucky academically where I liked
school and the subjects came easier than normal to me, again a flashing neon
sign. I was painfully shy and didn't have a lot of friends, this time the
flashing neon sign is playing a tune here, you follow me?:) Grades 1-5
were uneventful, no one noticed me so I went about business without any
problems. By 6th grade though, that was another story. My middle
school years were tough. I was picked on and ridiculed. I wasn't
physically bullied, it was all verbal which to me is worse. I would've much
rather been hit once and been able to walk away with an external bruise,
instead I had to be the egg, hard on the outside but a pile of mushy liquid
inside.
Unfortunately, I have no words of advice on how
to deal with a similar situation at the time of occurrence I put my head down
and prayed my way through but I can tell you now that those crucial years most
definitely made me the person I am today. I have tolerance, I have
compassion, and I have empathy. Strangely enough I'm an eternal optimist,
I see the good in everyone and everything. I am a parent who will not
tolerate my child treating their friends and peers with anything but respect
and courtesy. I will not partake in gossip or hearsay and I only surround
myself with positive people. Sounds like I got it all together right, not
in the least! I don't talk about my middle school years often but I will
divulge them to a crying student who thinks no one could possibly know what they
are going through at the moment. I hope to give them some hope, some
reassurance and some optimism. Because everything you do in life shapes
what kind of person you can become.
I would like to think that I am a good writer; that
I am good with words. You think it is an art, how I bleed for the world in a
verse. But I think it's a way of life, how I let myself speak the words I've
never been able to say. Writing is an art. Identical to art, the mystical crux
of writing is in the eye of the beholder. Writing, like art can come in various
magnitudes, insignias and each have their own eccentric way with words.
I find that
words can be like an incorrigible child at times. They run around in your head,
popping up at random intervals, giving you headaches and causing a
maelstrom. Words are nothing but a
jumble of inane letters, but it is your job, as a creator and as a writer, to
tame those words running in your head and bend them to coalesce into tangible
thoughts.
When I was
smaller, writing was not an event that I would happily do, not by a long shot.
Never would you find me freely obliging to write a 6-page essay for my friend.
The easiest excuse I would use was that "writing is not easy". Everyone has
their own struggles, whether it is coming up with strong thesis, plot,
characters or even having an idea to start with. When George Plimpton asked
Ernest Hemingway what the best training for an aspiring writer would be in a
1954 interview, Hemingway replied, "Let's say that he should go out and hang himself
because he finds that writing well is impossibly difficult. Then he should be
cut down without mercy and forced by his own self to write as well as he can
for the rest of his life. At least he will have the story of the hanging to
commence with." This was kind of like Hemmingway's sick, comical take on
writing.
Trust me,
writing doesn't have to end in "hanging". It does not have to seem hard.
Really, it can be quite enjoyable. But unlike common belief, writing is not easy. Not in the least bit. It
is not just a scratch on top of a piece of paper or the result of a single
keystroke. No, it is the process of creating a breathing life form that is
birthed from your very own mind. If you do it just right, if will feel like you
are putting part of your soul down on the surface. It is not like a jar waiting
to be filled, more like a castle waiting to be built. Nonetheless, writing, for
anyone, is not an easy feat. However, it one of the most purest forms of art you can ever make. You
are painting with the most potent "aether" of your own heart.
When I was in high school, I was in a special math and science program
that pushed students to go as far ahead as they could. I'd already been a year
or two ahead of most of my class thanks to my middle school math classes, but
my Sophomore year of high school, I was pushed even farther.
A special independent study program was created for about 6 of us to
finish Calculus by the end of the summer and begin Calculus 2 in our Junior
year, then going to the local junior college our Senior year to take more
advanced math classes. Being someone who thought I'd be majoring in
math, I said yes and began the program. The problem became when the
work got hard, and the independent study teacher didn't have time to explain
it, and I started becoming interested in journalism. I realized my
Sophomore year that there was more to high school than just
math. I'd joined a sports team and was interested in joining the
newspaper. With so much else on my plate, I walked in on the last
day of school and turned in my Calculus book that I'd barely been understanding
as an independent study class and told my teacher I'd just take it again the
next year.
What followed were meetings with the teacher and guidance counselor
and my parents. In the end, I kept playing sports, ended up being
editor of the high school newspaper, and still finished two years of Calculus
before graduation. The writing knowledge and practice I got on the
newspaper helped in writing my $36,000 college essay (as I called it because of
the scholarship money it awarded). The diversified program I ended
up working out did far better for me than just a plain math
education. It even led me to double major in college in both
Mathematics and Elementary Education.
Don't just let yourself be led through your school life by people
telling you to do stuff just because you can or just because it's
offered. Take control of your education and branch out. You never
know what you're going to end up doing, so experience as many things as
possible now! It's OK to say NO to some classes, experiences, clubs,
etc. Especially when it allows you to say YES to others!
The title of this blog post 'sometimes you just need a friend' is the slogan for my Connect A Kid nonprofit. My goal is to bring neurotypical friendships to neurodiverse teens in Central Florida. If you would like to volunteer, please sign up for the Connect A Kid club at WPS or email me for more information.
What are
some tips you have for students that are on the fence about doing IB diploma
due to Theory of Knowledge (TOK)?
There should no reason for students to be on the fence because
half the week is a study hall and you will still have opportunities to get work
done for your other classes and also the course is not hard. There is a a lot
of reasons why one should be on the fence about doing diploma and taking TOK
should not be one of them. It is also fun to be in the class, the good thing is
that instructors can do whatever they want with the material of the class. So I
try to choose fun activities and I think that the topics in the class are very
interesting.
Could you
give a brief summary of the TOK course?
TOK is about growing as a knower and putting together pieces of
what you learn in your other IB classes. It is also about synthesizing
knowledge.
And for
students that are taking TOK, what are some tips for succeeding
in the course?
To have an open mind and to be inquisitive.
Also what
do you think would be better taking the online course or the actual class? And
why?
I think the actual class is better because a big part of the
course is discussions. And the online course lacks that. There is a lot of
things you could do with the online course and you could still have discussions
but the responses online would not be as thoughtful or as instantaneous as our
live in class discussions.
It is no secret that the pandemic has made millions of workers rethink their employment and that has put enormous strain on countless businesses. Through the pandemic, I have found myself working at various positions at a breakfast cafe, as have countless other teens, to help their family businesses in these challenging times. The process has opened my eyes to the hardships faced by so many as a result of COVID-19.
One of the biggest things I learned working in the restaurant industry is how much of the work is team-based and when one member of team isn't there, it puts an exponential strain on others that remain. The staff shortages almost contribute to more staff shortages as a result of this work dynamic created by an external public health event.
I also learned how working in a close team needs effective communication to thrive and improve efficiency. When I first started as a bussing tables, I didn't understand the need to communicate with the servers but after a few days I observed that I was playing a vital role in clearing tables for the next guests to be seated. Effective communication with others helped me allocate my time more effectively.
Another thing, working at a busy cafe taught me, was the power of observation. As I worked every position at a restaurant, I quickly learned how observing my team and patrons could help me avert or resolve potential problems for the benefit of everyone.
But, most of all, I learned how to make a pretty phenomenal Eggs Benedict!
I am sure each one of you knows someone who is affected by Autism. One out of every 100 people have Autism according to the National Autisitic Society. (This does not include people who may have milder or spectrum disorders.) This disease is something which can affect anyone regardless of gender, race, or sex. I personally know a handful of children who have been diagnosed with Autism. The growing number of children being diagnosed with Autism is something which needs to be addressed within our society. Autism Speaks is a charity which not only helps people with Autism, but increases awareness and helps fund research to find a cure. Knowing three boys with Autism I chose to help Autism Speaks in its mission by raising funds for donation. In middle school I had always participated in fundraisers but this was the first one I would be doing on my own. I chose to raise money by selling something I love to do - bake! I got to work making brownies, cookies, banana bread, and even churros! I single handedly raised $137 for Autism Speaks.
While I know this is a small amount, I felt the bake-a-thon gave me a deeper understanding of Autism. As I baked each dessert and spent hours perfecting them, I realized this could possibly be a fraction of the time a person living with Autism spends struggling. The time and dedication it took to bake allowed me perspective into how difficult even simple tasks may be for a person with Autism. Ironically, baking for an organization that increases awareness, increased my awareness of Autism.
I have seen students be apprehensive to interacting with special needs kids, but raising money for a charity organization that is important to you is a great way to help out. Let me know if anyone wants to contribute to future peer support fundraising projects.
With the new addition of the Cypress Center and the brand new
theatre, there has been a lot of speculation of the theatre programs, including
the addition of IB theatre - what does this all mean? I am able to participate
in most theatre functions and have a large understanding of how the performing
arts programs run daily, as well as all the opportunities available for
students.
Thespians
It's called "Thespians" for short, however it is the International
Thespian Society. This is a club that revolves around theatre in general, as
well as going to theatre competitions. Students practice scenes, monologues,
songs, and technical events like costume design and playwriting, and
participate in a festival for a few days in our district whilst being judged,
and if they get a high enough score, can take a trip to the Florida state
festival and take workshops and classes from the very best as well as
performing. However, thespians has multiple other events for those who do not
get into districts- this includes Improv. Night, The Haunted House, Shakespeare
Night, and many new events such as Miscast and W factor (in which boys perform
female numbers and vise versa), and school events like the homecoming parade.
However, this club forms a community and even if you do not participate on
stage or backstage but enjoy the art form, then it is to learn about and
celebrate everything theatre has to offer.
WHAT THESPIANS REQUIRE
Meetings every Friday
Energy whenever we meet or participate!
Watch or participate in other theatrical events/shows
Go to districts and if possible state
Spread the word of theatre around WPS!
OFFICER LIFE
The Officers are very involved in running thespians - our sponsor
helps us, however organization of events is all us. We make plans for all the
meetings, send emails, and decide what to do throughout the year. We have to be
leaders of the troupe and help critique district pieces, have separate
meetings, go to club events, find ways to raise money, etc. It is very busy,
almost like a job as well have to do something everyday, but very rewarding.
School Shows
With the opening of the cypress center came a plethora of new
school shows for students to participate in - both offstage and onstage. These
include the current "Peter Pan" All School, the high school play "Steel
Magnolias", the HS/MS musical of "Addams Family", as well as the Lower Schoolers
"Cinderella" and the MS Broadway review. There will also be a summer camp show
of "Les Miserables" in which anyone in the community can participate in. This
means that it is a fulfilling year for both technical and theatrical students,
but it is also a lot of work.
The Students must research the show and prepare songs and sides before auditions
Auditions and callbacks last approximately a week, with students getting tried for multiple rows and learning new material throughout the week until the roles are chosen
Once roles are given out, students must learn their lines as quickly as possible - once the scene has been blocked it should be memorized and not revisited until cleaning.
Depending on the role, students must be present for long hours after school and for multiple days in the week. For example in peter pan, I have rehearsal 4-5 days a week until 6pm. If not in a scene, students would be memorizing lines or doing homework.
Many techies have to shadow performers and come to rehearsals in order to see how the show runs and to practice moving sets/lightning/finding props
There will be weekend rehearsals for both set building and for full runs of the show, which can be long and detailed and tiring.
Tech week is the busiest time for a production- students spend long amounts of time in the theatre working the show, usually until 7-9 at night. Juggling this and school work as well as other extracurricular activities can be very difficult, and the rehearsals take a lot of time and effort in order to make sure as the pieces of the puzzle (the set, music, blocking, and other technical effects) fit together.
Show week is the time in which the months of preparation are worth it- students work hard in order to show everyone what they had been working on. It is tiring, but rewarding to see the positive comments and to have an audience. There is usually more time to do other work as well.
After the final show, students are rewarded with an after party in which they get to relax and celebrate their work. It can be quite sad to close a show because of all the effort put into it and the memories made, but soon students get excited for the next and will take what they have learnt from the past show with them.
Classes
The performance sets are very difficult to maintain, therefore
many students take classes in and outside of school in order to keep and
improve their skills. A lot of theatre students take dance classes in order to
keep with the demand of movement in shows, as well as musical theatre which can
contain high intensity dancing in multiple styles. They also take choir or
chorus, to learn the proper technique of singing, the different variations, and
how to be united in a group. Both of these classes also give the benefit of
making the student a triple threat, something desired in the community because
of the versatility of the student that allows them to perform roles with
multiple requirements (for example a character that can sing opera, or Tap
dances). Some students even take music classes to learn or understand musical
instruments and how to read music- there are many shows that now require actors
to play instruments and the business is very competitive. These music students
also have an opportunity to play in the orchestra of a show.
However, the most important part is acting or theatrical classes.
It is the backbone of musical theatre - performance is about expressing
yourself, which is what this class does. There is so much variation in acting
and an actor can always improve in each style and in each style and needs
constant direction in order to be as close to perfect as possible. This helps
abstract theatre, speech, script work, directing and critiquing others, and
being able to learn about techniques.
Technical theatre is also expanding at our school, through the use
of the art classes. WPS is beginning to make its own sets, and creative minds
are needed for this. Students that take art classes are creative, problem
solvers, able to view the full picture and see what compliments, and bring new
ideas to the table.
It is important to take these fine and performing art classes
because it keeps the students in a creative mindset, allows them to expand and
grow, and can bring it to their multiple projects.
Volunteering
Many students find their volunteer hours through the performing
arts. Many of the lower school and middle school shows invite HS and MS
students to tech backstage or stage manager, as well as help the children, and
the high school shows have a tech team that consists of high school students-
for example, many high school students are "fly crew" in Peter Pan, which is a
very big job. Not only does it create leadership and organizational skills, but
it gives students many CAS and volunteer hours. Thespians tech at both W factor
and Mr. Windermere Prep, and students usually help the performing arts teachers
in tasks.
Club Day was a huge success for Reach A Student and the other club I am President of, Connect A Kid. With the latter, the number of new team members has grown to over 25 and I couldn't be happier. We will be making a real and positive impact in both special needs schools locally and supporting the neurodiverse homeless that need our support - arguable more than any other group. Systemic issues with funding (more on that in another blog entry) and with the education system has left too many without the support they must have. After Club Day, a lot of questions I got involved getting precise details as to what 'volunteering' entailed at the homeless shelter and the answer really includes a diverse set of activities. Sometimes it's as easy as making coffee for people or moving inventory of supplies.
You know that feeling you get when you take a shower after a long, hot, Florida day? Maybe you've just finished a work out at the school gym or just ran track and all you want is to wash away the sweat. Now imagine you are homeless with no access to running water, let alone a shower. Unfortunately, that is what a lot of homeless Central Floridians face every single day.
Recently, I went to explore ways we, as Windermere Prep students, can do to make life for so many in our community a little bit more comfortable and volunteering at the Christian Center on Central Blvd showed me a side of Orlando I didn't know existed. At the Christian Campus - a faith based community organization - volunteers help sort clothes and wash clothes of the homeless. Showers are provided and hearing the last call of the day, meant many citizens wouldn't get their chance to wash the day away in one of just a few mobile shower stalls. It hits hard.
Over the coming weeks, I hope I can count on a lot of my friends and peers to support this great cause. More details to follow.....
One thing many Windermere Prep students don't realize- you can take the electives or courses you want online even when the school doesn't directly offer them and still have it count as one of your class periods. If Windermere Prep isn't offering a course or elective you're passionate about/really want to take part in, you do have the possibility to take that course during the school year! There are many options offered as to what you can do to ensure you're taking a course you're excited to learn about. For example, I am taking a film course, and a photography course online this year. I am taking these classes because I'm extremely passionate about these subjects, and unfortunately, Windermere Prep does not offer them as a course. But, I don't have to let that restrict me from learning about what I want to do! It's awesome that Windermere Prep encourages their students to do what they're interested in, as they want their students to succeed, so I advise you to take advantage of this.
Here are some things to consider if you're interested:
-You must talk to your counselor, and have them approve it. This is crucial! They must understand why you want to take the course and how it will benefit you in the future. Your counselor can discuss options with you as to what platforms meet Windermere Prep's standards/work best for you.
-You need to be prepared to do work on your own. Online courses are relatively independent, so being self motivated is a must. An online course is still a class, and there are assignments and tests that may be due each week. You need to plan accordingly and allot time each week to complete assignments as you would for your classes at Windermere Prep.
-If you do end up taking an online course in place of one of your electives or other courses, you may be permitted early release. Since I am taking two online classes, I have early release each day, as I don't have a 6th or 7th period. This may not work/be ideal for every person's individual situations, but it is something to bring up when speaking to your counselor.
Do you ever wonder how to get involved in student activities or how you are able to communicate with teachers and other students when you are not at school about school related things? The answer is through emails. Since not everyone has the phone numbers of every single student, and definitely not the numbers of teachers, many people like to communicate about school related things through emails.
For example, the SGA, especially the High School SGA loves to try to increase grade and school involvement through emails. These emails may give links to sign up for Spirit Week Events or links to sign up for contests where you can win Free Homecoming Tickets and things like that. Emails are often sent to the entire grade, and they often contain valuable information not just about how to get involved, but many important memos such as PSAT Locations, Field Trips, and College Planning Meetings.
It's not only just the SGA and Lead Faculty that loves to communicate through emails. Many other clubs love to communicate through emails as well about meeting days and locations, and ways to collect information like T-Shirt sizes. Even teachers use emails to communicate memos about their classes like their lesson plans, quiz reminders, study guides, and location.
So, if all these people use emails for many reasons, why don't you? The email system, despite sounding boring and not as quick as text messages, is still a fabulous form of communication. It is professional, formal, and leaves a great impression on your teachers. Emails are a great way to ask your teachers questions, schedule meetings among members of the Laker Community, and blast out memos. Remember that when in doubt, check then write emails.
Whenever students finish a lesson at school, it is not uncommon that they have to do some required practice at home. Although this may not be graded, it is just as important. Many students overlook the importance of homework and simply think they are fine without it.
Doing work just at school will not be enough practice for you, but homework is a way for students to understand if they are getting better, or worse. Some students feel scared to hand it in because they did it wrong, but that is okay. Homework is just practice, and if you are not doing well in it, teachers will be more than welcome to help you get better. Most teachers use homework to apply what you learned in class to problems that you can practice, so that students can have a better understanding of what they are learning.
Especially when studying for exams, homework is especially useful because you can use these documents to look back at what you learned all year and practice the content. Sometimes, teachers provide a study guide for the exams for you to practice which is also really important to complete as well. However, you cannot always rely on teachers posting these guides for you because they may ask you to use the content from the past year. If you have done homework in that course, it will be very easy for you to study for the exam, but if you did not complete the homework, you will have a much harder time studying for exams.So for people who despise the homework system, it is a very useful tool for many students, and even though you think you do not need to do it, it is always good to complete it because the more practice you have, the better you will do on quizzes, tests, and exams
Even though we've lost a lot of great players and had many out for various reasons this week, the season opener against Foundation Academy couldn't have gone much better. Our varsity players really came together and played with a lot of heart. The many weeks of early morning conditioning sessions along with a rigorous 5 day a week practice schedule has brought out the best in this young Laker team.
Today's 18 to 3 win on our home field is the start I hope of a terrific season that I'm really looking forward to being a part of. I've played Lacrosse at Windermere Prep since 6th grade and as a starting sophomore, I could not be more excited and optimistic for where we are at as a team.
Taking 4 HLs is pretty much the most difficult schedule you could possibly have at Windermere prep. These 4 HLs, with 2 more SLs and an elective, create the most rigorous schedule possible. All of these hard classes on top of the other things required by the IB Diploma make for an extremely difficult week. However, there are some things you can do in order to make the week a little easier. Yes, it will require some effort and doing some extra work when you need to, but it looks really good on your transcript and thus will give you the edge over other students in the IB Diploma program.
Planning
Each weekend, you have both Saturday and Sunday to plan your week out ahead of you. The best way to do this is to look on the canvas and check what each of your teachers has scheduled for you and when. You will want to pay attention to what is summative, as this will take up the majority of your time. However, this is not to say that formatives are not important, but summative assessments are definitely something that you should focus more of your time on. Once you figure out what summatives you have, you will want to check if they are tests or projects, and then figure out how much time each assignment will take you. Is studying for the chemistry test going to take you a whole day? Then do your other assignments on different days and leave a whole day for chemistry. This is easily the best way to look ahead. It's critical that you do this on Saturday so that you can plan ahead and get as much work done as possible on Sunday.
Studying
You want to make sure you leave yourself a good amount of time to study for any test given to you. Sometimes it might be an easy test, in which case you don't need to leave yourself a lot of time. However, when you get the time to study, you will want to use it wisely, and not waste the time on your phone or doing other stuff. I find that the best ways to study are to watch youtube videos, read the textbook chapter for the class you are in, and doing practice IB questions that you can find online at ibdocuments.com or that your teacher has given to you. These are the easiest ways to study for me, but everyone has different methods. However, it is crucial that you use your time wisely.
Time Management
This is the single most important element in making sure you don't struggle in IB classes. You need to effectively manage your time so that you are able to devote a good amount of time to each classes assignments. Falling behind in one class is not something that you want, as this can cause further issues in the long run. Thus, you will want to make sure you allocate your time effectively in order to maximize your time. If you have extra time, you can use it to do other stuff. I find it effective to make sure I have all my work done for the day before I start giving in todistractions. I think that going back and forth between your phone and your work makes the whole process take longer. Overall, time management is more of a personal thing on how you decide to manage your time, but finding the way that works for you is crucial.
Extracurricular's
While taking 4 HLs on top of the other rigorous things IB requires is hard, it doesn't mean that you have no opportunities to do other things. Currently, I'm able to work a part-time job, play guitar, and hang out with friends while still being able to excel in my courses. You want to make sure you give yourself a healthy balance rather than make your entire life be about school. Take a break every now and then and allot some time to just chill out and relax. The IB curriculum is stressful, so it is only healthy to take some time to yourself. Naturally, school should come first. However, a healthy lifestyle should be a close second. Getting enough sleep and being social is crucial to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Hopefully, if you manage your time well enough, you will be able to maintain a healthy lifestyle while still excelling in your courses.
