Getting asked “What school do you go to”, I answer “North Cape”. They then look with a confused smirk and ask “Where’s that” “In the middle of nowhere, between Franksville and Union Grove” I answer. To me, it’s almost as if it’s a famous line l’ve made, because of how many times I answer that question. Attending a small school for now 5 years, I understand that most kids at my age go to a larger middle school with a graduating class of approximately 200-300 kids in their class, but going to a large school, teachers don’t have time to spend on a specific individual for many things, and i find myself lucky to get that at North Cape.
Going through many situations and conflicts at North Cape led me in temporary unfortunate paths, but greatly impacted my reason to try and change to become a more successful individual in my education and life that made a permanent change. It all started 7th grade year, I wasn’t trying, it was as simple as that, until I received a suspension that was for an unnecessary conflict.
I then had decided to try and get good grades, and do something worth my time and put a smile on my family’s face, and because of the decision, things got better and made me felt better as a person, and made me realize I’m not only doing this for my family, I’m doing it for myself. Departing the B and C’s for A’s, had made me think of North Cape with a whole new kind of vision, they were helping me and supporting that, even though I am deciding to try hard after all the years | wasn’t, they’re still willing to spend endless hours before and after school to help and re-phrasing topics for me.
Thinking of all North Cape has done for me, I reflect on how larger schools wouldn’t offer that due to the all the other students they have to teach and I would thank all my teachers for never giving up on me. Thanking all my teachers, I would like to thank one very special teacher, Mr. Kerr, because even though I didn’t fully respect him 6th grade year, he still gave me respect throughout both of my years with him.
I can still remember my 7th grade fall conference, when he told my parents how well I was doing with my school along with my participation, and how he was so proud of me after all what was happening at once. Reflecting on how he expressed his thoughts about my progress made me want to hear that more, and led me working harder along coming in early mornings before countless teachers even came to work, learn and do my job as a student. I know for my last year with him, was giving him my full respect and found myself enjoying him as my teacher and a great influence.
Not having him as my science teacher for my last year, I was sad, but nothing lasts forever and I just try to make the best of it, but having that great influence, it was much easier to think how i did and take school before friends and for that, I would like to thank him for always giving me his full respect even when I didn’t give him mine, believing in me by helping me through school and bring excitement in everything, even if the contents were more boring than ever.
Spending time with the same 20 kids for 5 years, for some others, 9 years, you become a small family, the North Cape family that you see more than your real family during certain times. Getting to see everybody everyday can get tiring, in which you want out, but realizing that I’m going to actually graduate in 15 days, it makes me think of all the good times and how I’m going to miss not going to the same school as my brother, and having to make new bonds with new people nonstop and getting new teachers every year that could care more than others or not care as much, and to me 90% of a teacher’s job, is caring for their students.
Going into high school soon, is scary, everybody talks about how they can’t wait to get out of middle school and turn into high school and be a big kid, but to me you’re going right back to the bottom, to a little kid in the pool of freshman while given a lot more homework. Despite the first few nerve racking days of high school, and the tough start to a new school for the first time in 5 years, I believe, it will be a big change, but a good change, a change that will give you more opportunities that you personally will enjoy, and not the broad audience enjoys.
Getting given lots of homework, I’m willing to work harder in high school, though I know that there will be much harder situations socially and educationally, but I believe North Cape as prepared me for them, so I’m yet excited and scared for high school both socially and educationally, but i know through all 4 years, they will bring moments that I’ll want to forget, and moments I’ll want to never stop re-playing, but all in all, I ready for the next four years that will contribute to the rest of my life.
