In summer of 2010, my family moved to Marblehead, Massachusetts. Compared to the city we moved from, Marblehead was like a resort. There were beautiful beaches, several yacht clubs and dozens of cute little shops. The houses were bigger and every other family owned a happy dog. Standards for everything were higher. In our previous city, I’d been considered one of the higher class. But, now I was just average and it felt like a very long way to the top.

I quickly understood it was going to be much more difficult for me to excel in school, as well. Where I was regularly on the honor roll before, I was suddenly somewhere in the vast middle. It was the one thing I felt I had control over, so with determination I motivated myself to increase my performance level to that of my new peers. In this endeavor, I submerged myself into the new environment. I immediately joined the field hockey and softball teams and joined Team Harmony and Spanish Club to build a support group of my classmates. Moreover, I actively participated in class and regularly saw teachers for additional help in subjects where I needed it, like English.

For a long period of time I was not confident in writing essays. I felt like I was on my own without a clue of where to begin. It was with anxiety that I began the first writing assignment in Mrs. Billings’ English class. That paper on The Great Gatsby was not my best, to say the least. But, with her support throughout the school year, I learned many new writing techniques and ways to improve my writing style. My thoughts became more organized and my papers were easier to read and more enjoyable. By the end of the year, I wrote two papers on Huckleberry Finn. Each paper received an A as a grade. My reward was a great sense of self-accomplishment after many months of dedication and a concentrated effort.

As one with a will to achieve, it is very important to me to do whatever it takes to thrive academically. But, through the support of Mrs. Billings and my other teachers I have learned that it takes more than