Estefhany Hernandez

AP Literature
May 16, 2016
Reflection essay #1
My academic journey since I began to attend Los Angeles Leadership Academy has
developed tremendously throughout time. I transferred to this high school during my sophomore
year and since then I have experienced nothing but positive changes in my lifestyle. From the
first days I started attending this school the emphasis on the importance of being a scholar,
creator, and activist was immediately demonstrated through the way the students and staff
worked together. Promptly I began to improve myself into being a more ambitious scholar,
innovative creator, and persevering activist.

Education has always been of great importance to me, but my scholarly drive has
developed greatly in the past two years. One way I have developed as a scholar is by learning to
challenge myself more. The teachers have influenced me to become more confident with my
ability to understand and succeed in different subjects. The students in this school have also had
an impact in my development because they motivate each other and myself to become aspiring
scholars. Due to the amount of scholars in this school it is also a bigger, but beneficial
competition. Therefore, it has risen my expectations and allowed me to become a more
intellectual student.

The creativity of a student is an important and distinctive quality which has helped me
personally develop a more innovative mentality. The diverse environment of the school has

impacted me to become a further open-minded individual. This year in specific, being in AP Art
has allowed me to reveal a reserved part of me through art works. That class has advanced my
ability to rapidly think of creative ideas and execute them. Not only has that helped me for that
specific class, but also with the Leadership position I hold. It has helped me contribute my ideas
for school events, as well as decoration ideas. Additionally, being a creator has an immense
influence in the betterment of the school because the more appealing Leadership can make
school events to the students, the more school pride it will result in.

Being an activist has not always been a strong characteristic of mine, but within this
school year being a part of Leadership has influenced me to be more persevering. Running for
ASB Secretary was the start of the growth in my activist role, it gave me the confidence to be
able to talk in front of the student body. The amount of involvement I have had with announcing
and advertising school events as well as important information to the students this year is a
definite change from my involvement in the beginning of high school. Being an activist itself has
a great impact to the betterment of the school by being able to guide and motivate students, as
well as encouraging them to be greater activists themselves.

In conclusion, my development as a person has changed immensely throughout my

academic journey at Los Angeles Leadership Academy. The influences and experiences through
this journey are the cause of these beneficial changes. It has directed me to becoming a
distinguished scholar, a great innovative creator, and great persevering activist, all for the
betterment of my academic journey.