The students that volunteer their time and knowledge on Reach a Student are eligible to receive community service hours. We are looking to expand our roster of academic and athletic mentors, interviewers, and video editors to help inspire and answer school-related questions. Join Us!
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.
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!
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!
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.
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.
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.
No one wants to come home from a long day of school and sports and do tons of homework. Here are some tips on how to get it done quicker and with less stress:
Turn off distractions
When you do sit down to do your work, turn off your phone. You will get things done quicker and will have more time to do what you want to do.
Be productive any time you can
Do work whenever you get the chance during the school day, like during SRT or on the way to and from school.
Plan ahead
Spending five minutes to plan your week and the assignments coming up is so worth it. Instead of taking time to decide what you need to do next or whats most important, you will already know and you can just do it.
Choose assignments wisely
This one is pretty obvious, but do your work in order of whats due, not what you think is hardest. There is no reason to be studying for your bio test next week when there is a history essay due tomorrow.
Recently after traveling to downtown Orlando, I noticed there were more homeless people than usual. My mom told me a lot of shelters were at capacity and many homeless were forced to live on the streets. Things got worse over the next few weeks and I realized that while I could not change the situation many of the homeless people were in, I could give them food to help them during these hard times.
With COVID I could not distribute food directly to the homeless, but I discovered a program called Service and Love Together, SALT who I could volunteer with. SALT not only provides food, but also mobile showers! The volunteers went above and beyond and also gave the homeless an opportunity to wash their clothes. I saw this as an opportunity to combine two things I am passionate about: cooking and service.
I contacted SALT and they granted me the opportunity to create snack bags. My 100 snack bags were filled with oranges, granola bars, and waters. I handed these bags out while people were waiting for the main meals. I watched as different people came up and received a bag. They were so thankful for such a small item. The compassion they showed to each other and to the volunteers was moving. To them, it didn't matter where you were from; they just wanted to take care of each other.
I continued making snacks and meals for SALT on a weekly basis. One of the most touching moments that left me with an indelible impression was a cute woman with a red flowered fishing hat. She approached us as we were walking back to the car and complemented how much she loved my mom's shoes. I smiled at her and told her how these were my mom's 20-year-old shoes that had lasted her through everything. I watched as the woman listened intently and told me about her shoes which were torn and ripped in all different places and how they had lasted her only 7 years.
When I got home, I got to work scourging all the closets in the house looking for old shoes. I ended up compiling 18 pairs of shoes amongst everyone in the house! The following week when I went back to SALT to hand out food and shoes. I gave the woman with the red hat the shoes she loved so much, hoping that my mom's shoes would last her another 20 years. :)
SALT is an amazing place to volunteer and they have a variety of duties to be involved with! If you enjoy cooking, they love to have people make meals and donate them. However, there are other ways to help like donating clothes, snack bags, and shoes! Don't hesitate to reach out and see ways you can help.
Volunteering is a big aspect of academic life; it not only helps out with hours, but it also aids in building skills such as empathy, commitment, and it opens an opportunity to play a bigger beneficial role in the community around us. As known, many students look for volunteer opportunities, that is why I have interviewed Mrs. Danielle Newbold, responsible for Miles To Go, a charity organization that operates in the Orlando area.
1.How did MTG start? What was the original idea?
"Miles To Go began one afternoon at a red light on the corner of Turkey Lake & Sand Lake Rd. There was a panhandler there asking for money. Miles was in the backseat telling me to give him cash. "I know you have some Mom, why aren't you giving him any?!"
I had been putting this conversation off for awhile. Miles was not letting up this time and was getting quite upset. So I told him, "We can't be sure how he will use the money." Miles had the solution, "So then we need to give something else!"
We went home and brainstormed items to give. We googled, used our common sense and knowledge of our local weather. It was a great start!
Our original idea was to do this as a mother/son community service project. It didn't take long to realize that we were meant to do more!
Our first 150 empty bags were donated by Orlando Body & Movement Therapy. It was there that the name "Miles To Go" came to us as well.
From there we became a 501(3)(c) and have now packed/donated over 600 bags!"
2. How can the community help MTG on a daily basis?
"The community can and has been of great help! You can simply save your hotel shampoos, add a couple MTG supplies to your weekly grocery order, order from our Amazon wish list, order through Amazon Smile (.5% goes back to the charity of your choice), attend a packing day, host a supply drive…..so many options!"
3. What is MTG's goal?
"Our goal has been the same since the beginning; Spreading love one bag at a time. We do not have a monetary or quantity goal. We just want to help as many people as we can. We do that with our gift of a Miles To Go bag to the homeless & also by growing compassion in the person giving the bag out."
4. Can helpers get volunteer hours? How can they be a part of MTG?
"YES! Helping our youth is one of our favorite things! We love assisting you get your hours and growing compassion while you do it! You can do a supply drive with your club, team, church, family, so many options! You can also help in by getting supplies ready for packing (like folding t-shirts, pairing items, numbering cards, etc). Social media is a big one too! You can spread awareness, share our Amazon wish list and so much more!"
5. Do you have any future plans regarding the future of Miles To Go?
"On the horizon we have a brunch at Plancha (the Four Seasons) November 4th where a portion of the proceeds will be given to MTG & a packing day November 15th. Both are open to the public. We are excited to announce that Miles To Go was selected by Visit Orlando to be the philanthropic feature at their event in Tallahassee this December!
We are set to do a large school fundraiser in Ocala in February, are partnering with local schools and doctor's offices in Orlando, Windermere & Winter Garden and can be found in local gyms as well!"
*After that, if interested, I recommend you to find more information about Miles To Go and be a part of this amazing project in order to get some hours, help the community, and be a part of many smiles that come with the bags. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to let me know!
At a young age, I was fortunate to be able to attend a STEM after school program with one of my teacher's Mr. Falcionie. In school, Mr. Falcionie's science class was always my favorite because the class allowed me to work with my hands, critically think, and stimulate my deepest creativity. I was blessed to have access to this after school program, which allowed me to further my interest in the STEM field. I realized at a young age, this was something I wanted to work in for the rest of my life. This year, I had the opportunity to volunteer at Riverside Elementary, a Title 1 elementary school. I helped mentor 4th and 5th grade students, predominantly younger girls, on their LEGO robotics team afterschool. This opportunity allowed me to impact the next generation of learners and spark their interest in STEM - just like Mr. Falcionie did with me. I built a team of female STEM students to aid in providing individual mentoring.
As a group, we got to mentor and work with individual students. We taught them the benefits of trial and error and the concept of analysis. As mentors, our job was to foster independence while supporting them in learning STEM skills. Furthermore, we taught the students valuable skills such as communication, teamwork, and responsibility, which are all vital to success in STEM.
The most powerful moment for me was not seeing the complete robot, but seeing the robot take its first steps and fall. The kid's faces did not waver through this mishap, showing me their determination and their ability to problem solve. Leading up to that day when parts would break and mechanisms failed, the students would get frustrated. We took these opportunities to show them how to work with a failed result. Instead of letting their emotions get the best of them, they learned to ponder why the robot failed at its mobility and how to come up with a solution. The moment when the robot fell is one that I will always cherish because I could see the students actively applying our teaching.
Furthermore, the experience of mentoring was truly rewarding to me and it can be for you too. It is a great way to make an impact and help others. In order to gain experience in mentoring, tutoring can teach you how to work with all different types of people and also valuable skills you can utilize as a mentor.
High School Mathematics is often perceived as a polarizing subject. This is because while it might come naturally to some students, there are a larger number of students who continue to struggle with it even after years of consistent learning. While 9th Grade Extended Level Mathematics was relatively straightforward, 10th grade extended Level Mathematics is a major step up in difficulty in every way possible. I'm here to share some tips and thoughts on how to prepare yourself and succeed in the class.
Structure of Questions:
First of all, the questions in 10 grade extended level mathematics are structured in a format that mimics IB Questions. While these questions aren't necessarily as hard as regular IB Questions, the framing of the question can easily throw students off. One thing I've learned the hard way is that these pre IB Questions are very rarely taken directly from the homework. While the overall concept is present 10 EL questions are designed to measure your ability to think and process information, not memorize questions.
Other Resources:
This brings me to my next tip relating to resources. While doing the homework is very important, you might need to rely on outside resources to guarantee yourself a high grade. Resources I recommend are Khan Academy, YouTube videos from "The Organic Chemistry Tutor", and most importantly your teacher. In order to excel in 10 EL Mathematics, you must understand the basic concept and apply it in various situations. Going after school and asking questions in class is a smart way of doing this.
An Open Mindset:
If you are someone who has excelled at mathematics in the past and then suddenly notices an alarming portion of marks off in the first few tests, don't get discouraged. 10 EL Mathematics is meant to prepare students for both IB Standard Level Mathematics and IB Higher Level Mathematics which means it's going to be harder than usual. If you keep telling yourself that you just aren't capable of doing math then it will simply prevent you from going over your mistakes and learn from them. On top of that, if you demonstrate to your teacher that you are trying everything in your power to succeed in their class, they'll be more inclined to support you with whatever problems you have.
Dance marathon is a movement that has swept the U.S with the goal of raising money, spreading awareness, and showing the power of dancing and fun. WPS held our first dance marathon last year, called Lakerthon, and we raised over $35,000. It was an absolutely amazing experience, and we are hoping to make this event grow every single year. As most people don't know everything about Lakerthon, I figured I would summarize what Lakerthon is, the benefits, and how it makes a positive impact on our community.
Lakerthon is a fundraiser for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals that raises money for sick and injured kids. We raise money specifically for Arnold Palmer and Winnie Palmer here in Central Florida, so you know exactly where your money is going. We fundraise throughout the school year, leading up to Lakerthon night, which this year will be on February 1st, from 5-11 in the WPS gym. We have a bundt cake fundraiser, poinsettia sales, a spirit week, and so many other opportunities to raise money. It is an all school event and we try to connect the LS, MS, and HS in order to make the biggest impact.
On the actual Lakerthon night, there is dancing, food, games, and hearing from miracle families who graciously tell us their story. Everyone at the event stands for the whole night as a symbol for kids in hospital beds who can't stand. "We stand for those who can't". We commonly use the phrase #FTK, which means "for the kids", meaning that everything we do is for them, and all money raised goes towards helping them.
We raised $35,000 last year, but our goal this year is $60,000. This isn't possible without all of our miracle makers and the support of our community, both inside and outside of school. We encourage anyone and everyone to participate in Lakerthon, because there are so many ways that you can make a miracle in a kid's life.
Taking notes is an incredibly important part of learning especially in high school. Although I did not attend WPS for middle school, I have heard that it was pretty easy. At my old school we would often just get an outline or notes already taken for us that we would review in class a lot so we didn't have much to study at home.
Notes are used both in class and at home studying and without them you will not know what to study. Almost as important as the content of the notes is the layout. Notes should have everything you need to make the connections content wise but I find that having a good set of colored pens, markers, or highlighters can help a lot. Not only will your notes look better but when they are neat and structured well, they will be easier to study.
Some teachers are really good about taking structured notes for you copy down from the board, a slide show, or a google doc. If not following a few of my tips listed below should get you off to a good start.
Title :
At the top of the page have a detailed yet concise title that is larger than the rest of the text on the page. It should be about the topic directly.
Subtitles
These should be larger than the rest of the writing that should follow it. They should also be concise. The content of a subtopic should be something along the lines of an essential idea to the topic or a description of the topic.
Headings:
This should be the name of the subtopic.
Subheading:
Slightly smaller than a heading, this could be a sub-category under the subtopic.
Sub Subheading:
The smallest of the headings and can be anything like a word that gets defined directly after. Something less "big picture" than the topic, subtopic, or subcategory but more important than a regular sentence.
Normal text:
This should be the descriptions of everything that is listed above.
The style of your notes in completely up to you but underlining important words in sentences, highlighting topics, using different colors for different sections and including diagrams will really help with note taking.
Although it is "old fashioned" it is definitely helpful to take your notes by hand. It is scientifically proven that taking notes by hand helps to remember what you wrote down plus you want to always be able to take notes and some teachers no longer allow computers to be open during a lecture and handwritten notes don't need wifi.
Windermere Prep offers a wide variety
of choices in their Fine Arts department - you can focus on traditional art,
dance, drama, or band and orchestra music. I know that sounds daunting,
especially if you're first entering high school. It can be hard to choose,
especially if you think that you're not particularly good at any of these. But
I'm here to tell you that innate talent should not guide you in your decisions,
at least in the art program.
High school is the time when people
really start to learn more about themselves. They learn what they want, what
they're good at, and how to become more independent. They also learn to
challenge themselves, and to try and learn new things that they've never done
before.
Many of the students you see that blow
you away with their sheer talent in art? It didn't come to them just like that.
They dedicated time to practice and work on their skills because they genuinely
wanted to learn. That's why the teachers are there: to help you learn and
practice. They don't look at a student and think, "oh, they're good at dancing,
I'm only taking them in my class." They look at a student and consider their
potential.
There's no real way I can help you
choose what you want to do in the Fine Arts program; that's all up to you.
Think about what you want. Consider these questions:
Do you want to try something different and new?
Do you have a passion for something in the arts department? Do you want to stick with it
Do you want to challenge yourself?
Answering these questions will make it
easier to make the decision, and hopefully it will leave you satisfied with
whatever choice you make.
As you transition from middle school to high school, you start to
get more work with due dates closer together. It's important to know the best
way to study for tests and the best way to turn in assignments. One important
tip is to know your teacher and figure out how they do the tests. Some give you
practice tests, and for some, you may have to go up and ask the teacher. I have
both of those cases this year as a freshman and it's important to know your
teachers, tests and the material. Another important study tool that I learned
is to not over complicate the question and just break it down, really
understand it.
An important study tip I learned, is to also prioritize your time.
This helps especially because if you have a very tight schedule and you think
very little time to study for tests or work on assignments its very important
you prioritize your time. Something I have learned this year is when I am
stressed, the 2 hours that I have to do homework, I need to shut off my phone
and just go and get it done. If you really try and just sit there and focus for
a solid 2 hours, you could get the work done you would typically do in 5 or
more.
Our goal at Reach a Student is to help the students at Windermere as much as possible by providing tips and help from a student's perspective. Answering questions is a great way for students to connect and share with one another, however, the knowledge shared is limited by the questions asked. Blogging allows students to share their thoughts more freely and anyone can provide their peers with whatever information they think would be beneficial.
Since I believe that every student has some kind of insight that could be useful to others at WPS, anyone can contribute their own personal entries to the blog. I can even make your entry anonymous if you choose to. I also believe that the WPS teachers have valuable experience from when they were students (for example, how they faced and overcame an obstacle that a student might be facing today), so I reach out to all WPS faculty and hope you will contribute to our blog.
I am very lucky to have known my maternal Great Grandmother, Moti Dadi. Her selflessness allowed my family to come to America. She followed her four children to the United States, and practiced customary Indian tradition by living with her eldest son. Unfortunately as she got older, they were unable to provide her the standard of care she needed. So at the age of 89, Moti Dadi, was moved to an assisted living care facility.
My family and I went to visit her as often as we could. I looked forward to our chats, which while she was in pain always started with her asking me, " How are you?" with a beaming smile. One of the last times I was able to sit with her - instead of her asking how I was, I got the chance to ask her. She told me about the hardships she faced: from large issues such as not being able to communicate with the staff to small issues such as her socks never making it back to her room. I wanted to reciprocate the care she had always shown me and asked my parents to write words in both Gujrati, our native language, and in English so whenever she needed help she could point at the English word and get the assistance she needed.
She mentioned how her socks always seemed to get lost in the dryer and she struggled to stay warm. I wrote her name on them with a Sharpie but this didn't solve the problem, after a couple of washes the letters began to fade. So then I embroidered her initials on the sock! After I left her with several pairs of embroidered socks, she called me to tell me that she was receiving all of her socks. I was so happy to provide her a little more comfort.
While talking to other residents at The Commons, I told them about my great grandmother and her story. Many of the residents had similar stories where they left their home countries to come to America in search of a better life or just to be closer to their families. I noticed while they were speaking many of their socks were miss matched and they also expressed a similar situation to my great grandmother's. So I began to make embroidered socks for each of the residents.
This experience has been a reminder of how small gestures can also be impactful. If you are interested in helping the local community, the assisted living care facility is a great place to start! The community is welcoming and always open to talking.
In the IB Diploma program,
I am taking Psychology at the HL level. This course fully revolves around
real-life events, and there is a focus on biological, cognitive, and
sociocultural levels of analysis. In addition to learning about these aspects,
we need to know and understand many studies - which could be experiments,
observations, correlations, and etc. These complex studies are used for short
answer questions (SAQ) and Essays. Although a SAQ requires one study and an
essay requires three (most of the time), students need to know much more to be
fully prepared for an exam. From my experience, here are some of the things
that I think are helpful.
Understanding will help you memorize: This course requires a high degree of knowledge on the material taught. In order to know such a multitude of background information and those "studies," I have to start studying one to two weeks ahead of time. In this way, I would retain (and understand) the information for a much longer time and I would be more confident about it. This is also a way for me to have questions in mind to ask the teacher. Usually, cramming might help you for a one-day exam, but it won't help in the long-run.
Outlines: For the SAQ's AND Essays, writing an outline for each prompt (or most of them) is highly recommended. In this way, the format is easier to remember, especially since the organization is a big part of the writing requirement.
Making Connections: Try to connect levels of analysis to your daily life. Psychology is all around us, and comparing what you learn to your personal experiences will help you understand the material even better.
Talking to the Teacher: Asking questions to the teacher and reviewing over certain sections can be very helpful. Ms. Isley is very kind and is always happy to help:)
Review: It is important to know that the IB Exam in May of your senior year is a cumulative exam. I would recommend reviewing previous material from time to time, especially since lots of material can be forgotten with the breaks.
If
you have ever heard of APUSH (AP US History), you probably heard that it is one
of the toughest classes at Windermere Prep. Compared to other schools, WPS offers
this course at 9th grade, while other schools offer it at 11th and 12th. I am
just going to flat out say that if you aren't willing to work hard and put in
the time, then this class is definitely not for you, as the work never stops.
Now as a former survivor of APUSH, I know a few things about how this class
works, and what it takes to succeed.
Outlines
The
first part of this course is outlines. Every night, you basically summarize a
part of a textbook chapter in a specific format, which Mr. Zoslow then checks
the next day. Every outline is a total of 3 points, so as long as you complete
it, you should get full credit. Of course it depends on how many pages your
reading is for that night, but my outlines were around 10 pages, give or take a
few pages. You might be stressing out during your first outline, and it might
take you a long time, but just know that they get easier as you continue on
throughout the year. My advice to you is to use every minute of the day for
outlines. Even 5 minutes at the end of another class can get you a few
paragraphs outlined. Don't worry about making everything perfect, because
honestly Mr. Zoslow just scrolls through it, and doesn't actually read
everything word for word.
KBATS
KBATS
are just a bunch of vocab words that you think are necessary to study for the
unit exam. The catch is that Mr. Zoslow doesn't give you a vocab list, but you
have to come up with the words yourself and then write definitions for them. My
suggestion is to either underline or highlight your KBATS while you are
outlining so you can go back and know which words you thought were important.
Some won't agree with me, but I found it easy to complete my KBATS while I was
outlining so that way I didn't have to worry about them later. You will just have
to determine what works best for you. Make sure you are only doing definitions
for words that are necessary, or you will end up with a couple hundred words
for each chapter. Lastly, DO NOT procrastinate these. I guarantee the last
thing you want is to have to complete a couple hundred vocab words in one
night.
EDQs
EDQs
(essential daily questions) are a necessity in this class if you want to
succeed. You get a specific question based off of your reading from the night
before, and you have to answer it in the form of an essay. When you come to
class the next day, there are usually 3-4 readers depending on time, and you
get 10 points for reading your EDQ, even if it is completely wrong. It
definitely takes a lot of courage to read in front of your classmates, but just
know that your classmates really don't listen to the EDQs. Even though you may
think that Mr. Zoslow isn't paying attention, he definitely is, so don't try to
slide in some wrong information or information from a different topic. There are
three main components that you have to include by the end of the year; thesis,
contextualization, and synthesis. You will gradually need to do all three, but
the first quarter is just composing a thesis. After you read your EDQ, Mr.
Zoslow will ask you to repeat your thesis. Don't worry about not knowing how to
write one in the beginning, but just make sure you know what you are talking
about. Don't try to make up information that isn't true or accurate, because
Mr. Zoslow will ask you about it. You want to make sure that you get your
readings done as soon as possible. When you get to the end of the quarter,
everyone is in the same boat as you, and then there are too many people and too
few days for everyone to read and get their points. At the end of the year for
me, there was a huge waiting list everyday for reading your EDQs, and some
people emailed 2-3 weeks in advance for a spot to read. You want to complete
them every night and not procrastinate doing them, because you will eventually
have to turn in an EDQ packet at the end with all of your essays. It is
definitely harder to write an essay and remember the information from a month
ago, rather than just writing it the night you learned the material.
Unit Exams
I'm
not gonna lie; the unit exams you will take for APUSH will SEEM very
impossible, but they aren't. After your first few tests, you learn what Mr.
Zoslow is looking for, and what it takes to get a good grade. When studying for
these exams, don't focus too much about the minor details, but make sure you
know the overall picture. You have the whole class period to complete the test,
so right when you walk in the door, make sure you already have your pens and
highlighters in hand. Trust me: every minute counts. There are 55 multiple
choice questions, and there is no possible way that you could get all of them
right. I would recommend to spend about 10 minutes on the multiple choice
because the essay is where you get the most points. When you get to the essay,
make sure you do a little 2-3 min outline of what you are going to write,
because that alone can get you 5 points. You get a point for everything you get
right, but a point off for something wrong, or even more points if it is a
really dumb answer, so just right everything that you know. However, if you are
unsure of a date or a specific detail, don't write it, because you may get a
point taken off for it. Make sure you frame the narrative, and for every person
that you introduce, make sure that you describe him/her and not just simply
write their name. If you are given documents, you MUST use all documents or
else you will get points taken off. Keep reminding yourself that you are in
APUSH, so make sure you don't find yourself focusing too much on other
countries. Lastly, sleep is the most important thing. If you don't get enough
sleep, your brain can't properly function, and you won't be able to remember
any of the information.
Grading the Unit Exams
All
of the APUSH tests are curved, which means that points are added on to your raw
score. Your raw score is the actual grade that Mr. Zoslow got from your exam,
but the curve is made based on how everyone else does. If everyone did really
good on the test, then the curve is going to be lower, but if everyone did bad,
the curve might be higher. There is what is called a floor, which is the lowest
possible score someone could get. If you get lower than the floor, then the
floor score is the one that shows up in the gradebook. For example, if someone
got a raw score of 20, the curve was 40, and the floor was a 65, then they
would get a 65 in their grade book. If someone got a raw score of 80, and the
curve was 40, then they would get a 99 because that is the highest grade you
could get. Just know that your first probably won't be the score that you
wanted, but it will get better from there.
Study tips
Use
your friends for resources, because they are going through the same struggles
that you are. Collaboration is key in this class, because there is so much
information that you can't possibly remember all of it. Use your prep book, and
watched jocz production videos. Before tests, look up practice essay questions
and write out a brief outline just to practice to ensure you know the
information. Take notes during class so that you make sure you are paying
attention and can later use them for a review resource.
The AP Exam
At
the end of the year, you will take the nationwide APUSH exam. It includes a
DBQ, a long essay, multiple choice, and short answer questions. Your grade is
given on a scale from 1-5, but don't expect that you are going to get a 5.
Remember that you are going against juniors and seniors, and a 5 is really hard
to get. I would definitely study a lot for this exam because you want to get at
least the passing grade of a 3. Also, at the end of the year there is a US
history subject test that is required for some colleges, so I would recommend
taking it so that way you don't have to worry about it when you are a junior or
senior.
One
thing to know about this class is that it never stops, not even during breaks
or on weekends. Even when you finish an outline, you always have one for the
next day or another assignment you should be doing to get ahead. Despite all of
the work that you have to do, it is really hard to do badly in this class, as
long as you complete all of the necessary work. Even if you get the floor on
every test but complete all of your EDQs, KBATS, and outlines, then you might
end up with a B. This class is very independent, and it teaches you how you best
learn and how to manage your time better. One thing to steer away from is
comparing yourself to other people. Don't panic if someone already had their
outline done for tomorrow when you haven't even started. Everybody works at
their own pace and in their own way. By the end of the year, you will be
thinking and working 10 times faster than you were in the beginning of the
year. Just know that at the end of the year, you will finally be able to say,
"I survived APUSH", and trust me, it's a great feeling.
This summer, I had the opportunity to volunteer at my local hospital in Dr. Phillips. My job, as a volunteer in the ICU, was to answer phones, transport blood capsules, and organize medicines by patients' names. After finishing those tasks, I was left to observe the environment around me. On one of my weekly visits after I had finished my assigned tasks, I saw a doctor struggling to communicate with his patient. The patient was an elderly man who only spoke Spanish. His family also spoke very little English. The doctor tried to communicate with the family but he realized the patient's family couldn't understand him. He stepped out of the room to place a call to the translator line to help him. After twenty or thirty minutes, a translator came to the room to help the doctor and the family understand what was happening. I was shocked at the length of time they waited and asked my dad, a physician, if this was a usual occurrence. He told me "oftentimes, doctors can not speak the same language as the patient and aren't able to provide the best care they can because of the language barrier." Additionally, doctors struggle to convey emotion and empathy in the same way they can with their English patients because many are forced to use Google Translate if they cannot afford to wait for a translator. This unfortunate circumstance showed me one of the major problems plaguing the healthcare community. I researched translation programs which would allow doctors to provide a similar level of patient care.
Day Translation: This is a medical translation service in which doctors can call and a HIPPA certified translator will translate and convey more meaningful information to both parties - doctor and patient (family). With live translation tones, pauses and dialectics are expressed more effectively than a robotic translator.
iTranslate: This is an app which will allow the doctor to speak into the phone and hear themselves speak out loud in the language they desire. This app seems to allow for a quicker method of communication while also allowing for more complex discussions and hopefully more empathy and emotion.
These two programs allow doctors to provide a similar level of care to their non - English speaking patients. Since Windermere Prep is partly international boarding students these same applications may be extremely useful to teachers as well. To promote camaraderie in and out of the classroom students should use these apps to get to know boarding students better!
If you've ever found yourself floundering to maintain your grades, barely
getting by the first week of school, follow these tips and strategies I have
cultivated over my past two years as a high school student at Windermere Prep.
Time management and
Organization
When school, sports, and other extracurriculars
get crazy, time management is key to maintain a good learning experience. As a
high school student, or a student of any grade, you need to recognize what
needs to be done urgently and what can wait. The best way to do this is by
finding a system of organization. Whether it be a planner, Google doc, or a
notebook, find a place where you can organize everything that needs to be done
into categories: mandatory work, extra work, questions you might have, due
dates, reminders, notes, etc…This will let you know exactly what you have to
do, when, and what's coming up.
Talk to your Teachers
As much as you don't want to believe
it, your teachers are here to help you! Don't hesitate to ask them for help
after school or during SRT. A key piece of information worth remembering is
that when you actively invest in your education, your teachers will notice this
and think of you more often, finding ways to help you and always keeping in mind
what you might need. They will come to you with more detailed suggestions and
resources.
Review, Review, Review!
The best way to lighten up on studying
for a final, midterm, or even a test or quiz, is to constantly review. Create a
system where you review your classes, whether it be 15 minutes daily for each
class, or a couple hours on the weekend. Doing this keeps the knowledge fresh,
which will ultimately help you study effectively for big cumulative tests or
exams. This will also keep you from cramming, giving more time to process the
information. When you do this, studying is truly just review, not relearning!
Prepare for Classes
Another great way to stay on top of
classes, especially challenging ones, is to introduce the next topic to
yourself with some light textbook (or whatever resource is best for the class)
pre-reading. This sets up the unit for you and puts you at an advantage. Don't
worry if you don't understand at first, when you begin learning with your
teacher and other students, your questions will be gone! This gives you more
time to understand and process the concept.
Make use of your
Resources
This might be obvious, but don't
overlook any resources your teachers give you! These resources are an
opportunity, use them wisely! The most accessible and best ones are those added
by your teacher on Canvas. One of the best and most useful resources I have
found is the canvas calendar. With all your future assignments and tests
listed, you can see the exact workload for the upcoming weeks and plan
accordingly. If you still find yourself struggling with the class, ask your
teacher for more practice or good websites. You can also do your own research
and find websites and books to help.
Take Good Notes and be
an Active Student
Arguably the most important of these
tips is to be an active member of your class. If you have questions, ask them!
They are most likely legitimate questions that everyone else also has. They
also might bring up a good argument or sub topic that needs to be addressed to avoid
confusion later. You might just be doing everyone a favor when you ask
questions. You should also try to make connections and share ideas to the
class, as this could facilitate a well-rounded discussion with your peers.
Lastly, take. good. notes. Find what works best for you and stick with it. This
could be hand written notes, flashcards, typed notes…anything! Good notes does
not necessarily mean copy every word down. Good notes are ones that summarize
main ideas and include key details. You might also want to analyze the
information you have and apply it in different ways to test your understanding.
Learn, do not Just
Study
Make sure your priorities and reasons
for studying are well-intentioned. Do not just study to attain the "perfect
grade". Understand the information given to you, and be able to apply it. This
is how you truly make use of what you learn in school.
Recognize the
Importance of your Education
As much as we think the things we learn
in school are useless, and while we might not remember them or use them later,
that doesn't mean we shouldn't learn them! The benefit of learning something
"useless" is not in its content, but in the skills developed and used. These
classes teach us to think critically, analyze the information, and apply it.
Attaining knowledge at our level is an opportunity, so seizeevery minuteof it, whether you think it minuscule
or not. And perhaps the most important piece of advice I can give you, do it
for yourself. Do it for your self-improvement, for your enrichment, and for
your enjoyment. Find what makes you love learning and pursue it, no matter if
it isn't the safest bet. Be a reasonable risk-taker. No matter what you pursue,
if you do it whole-heartedly, you will find your way to success. Enjoy what you
learn and do it to become the best version of you, to become a well-rounded and
worldly citizen. And remember, grades are not the final and only measurement of
intelligence. As long as you are trying, improving, and working hard, your
grades will reflect that. If they don't, there might other aspects of an
education that you are stronger in, and those are just as important!
Learning a new language is not all about memorization, but it is
more about being passionate and creative.
Why be passionate? People cannot memorize things that they do
not like because those things will not be impressive enough to them in order to
be taken into their memory. Before learning a new language, you should have positive
feeling towards that language and ask yourself why you want to study it.
Your reason for learning a new language can be simple. For example, you may want
to learn Korean just because Korean dramas attract you. When you know your
purpose, you will be able to better identify your passion. The ability to like
a language so much will make the difference in the process of learning. Also, if
you are passionate about something, you will spend your time on doing it
frequently, thus you will improve more quickly than those who are impassionate.
After you know your passion towards the language, it's time to
accomplish your goal- use the language fluently. In order to succeed in this
area, you should be an active learner, not the passive one. What does it mean
to be active? You should manage your own plan as well as your own method to
learn. There are many ways to learn a language, and not everybody will have the
same ways, the same plan. You should find the way that is suitable for you so
that you can learn comfortably. Here are some tips:
For the beginner, you should know the basic vocabulary first,
this can be accomplished by using the website www.quizlet.com, or you can write
down words on notecards and stick them where you can see easily and frequently.
These places can be on the wall at the desk, on the door, or even neat the
toilet- as long as you see it frequently.
When you know the basics, you should learn how to apply you've
learned in daily life. When looking at something, try to reflect on related
vocabulary that you have just learned. By doing this, it is hard to forget the
vocabulary since it is already a part of your daily life.
Furthermore, you can watch movies in the language that you are
learning with subtitles so that you can practice listening skills as well as
your vocabulary.
For writing skills, you can write things that you like in that
language and find teachers or tutors who would be able to edit them for you. By
having people correct your writing, you will be able to remember your mistake
and avoid making it again.
Know -> learn -> apply. These three steps are important
and useful to learn a new language.
These are my tips. I hope that it can help you to accomplish
your goal in learning a new language!
Many students dedicate a lot of their time to extracurriculars,
sports, volunteer work, jobs, etc. I myself have dedicated my entire life to
gymnastics, where I spend every afternoon of every week practicing for
just a few moments of glory every year. Spending all of this time involved in
something like this makes you realize how important time is, especially when
you're involved in the IB program. After all of these years, I have picked up a
few tips and tricks on time management and how balancing your social life,
extracurriculars, and school work can be done effectively. I've finally learned
that balancing my time would help me in the long run and would relieve a lot of
unnecessary stress as well.
Firstly, realizing where your time is going helps you understand
how you could be using your time better and create a more efficient schedule
that lets you control where your time is being spent and how it could be spent
better. Setting priorities helps you focus on activities that are most
important and allows you to categorize the most important to least important
things you need to get done. The best way to manage your time is to stay
organized. I recommend using a calendar or planner and daily to-do list, to
check off items as you complete them. I also recommend doing tough tasks first
while you're fresh and alert and breaking large projects down into smaller
chunks to complete these projects more efficiently. I know my main drawback
when it comes to time management is procrastination. I've learned that the best
ways to avoid procrastination is to set daily priorities, try focusing for
short amounts of time instead of hours at a time, and attempting difficult
tasks at your high-energy time since your concentration will be easier then.
Don't allow interruptions, like a loud room to study or your friend's bothering
you, get in your way or else juggling your work may seem much more difficult
than it actually is and you'll just become more discouraged. These few tips and
tricks may just save you from a sleepless night of studying in the future.
Sports are exciting extracurricular
activities that keep you happy, fit, and engaged. But, there's a variety to
choose from, each fitting different personalities and abilities. It's great to
have an insight on multiple different sports so that you understand the
commitment and qualities used in each one. Many sports seem like barely any
work when watching, but you'd be surprised at how much practice and effort they
put in. I totally recommend playing a sport and trying new ones, but make sure
that don't just do it to play a sport. You want to find one that you'll enjoy
and will be a great addition to your daily routine.
I've put together a list of commitments
required for two fall sports (swimming and volleyball) since they're both very
popular and fun to try! It also includes what it's like to play it. I've gotten
volleyball information from experience, and interviewed a friend to learn about
the WPS swimming program.
Volleyball:
Practices
They are
usually 2 hours long and 5 days a week for JV, 6 days a week for varsity. Practices
usually involve running (as a warm up or if we make mistakes), ball control
warm ups (such as passing), controlled scrimmage, and a few other drills that
vary between practices.
Games
Before
games, players eat team meals together and then either start warming up, or
take a van to the game (if it is away). Each game is best out of 3 sets for JV,
and best out of 5 for varsity. If it goes into the last set, that will go to 15
points, while all the other sets go to 25 points. Varsity must watch half of
JV's game, and JV must watch half of varsity's.
3. Positives
It's an
exciting sport to play with friends and there are many positions for people
with different skills. There are different actions done throughout each game
such as hitting, blocking, setting, serving, and passing. People in the back
row pass (and occasionally hit), while people in the front row, besides the
setter (who sets) hit and block with an occasional pass. That way, if you
dislike one activity, but enjoy the other, you can specialize in your favorite
aspect of the game.
Swimming(Information provided by a brief interview with swimmer, Sophia Hill):
Q: How long are practices?
SH:
Practices for JV are usually an hour and a half, and practices for varsity are
typically two hours long.
Q: What exercises are usually done
during practices?
SH:
Practices involve a variety of exercises such as breathing exercises, relays,
arm and leg movements, and diving practice.
Q: How long and how often are meets?
SH: Meets
during the season are typically once a week, or twice if one is on a Saturday.
Q: What are some positives of doing
swimming?
Swimming has
multiple benefits, such as getting into shape, becoming stronger, breathing
better, plus the overall spirit of the team is very uplifting.
As you can see, they both have many commitments, but also many
benefits that come with them. I hope this helped you get a thorough insight on
these sports and motivated you to consider trying one!
