Denver Center for International Studies has not only provided me with 5 core values: Integrity, High Expectations, Collaborative Culture, Diversity, and Reflection.The most important thing I learned in high school was: nothing good comes from playing it safe. My high school education has been about finding myself and taking risks. In freshman year, I struggled with time management and using my resources. I still struggle with those things because I do not enjoy asking for help and I am a natural born procrastinator. That said, I learned somethings about myself from how I handle academics. I need to be challenged. I need to feel supported. I am currently applying to small, private, liberal arts colleges because I feel that they will meet those needs and provide a space for me to advance socially and academically. My goal for my sophomore year was to get involved in extracurricular activities and to excel academically. Sophomore year I decided to become a high school counselor at Balarat, and I had a 4.0 GPA for my first semester. I also went to Canyonlands with some of my peers. My experiences with extracurricular activities helped me manage my introversion and become involved in leadership roles like co-president of BSA. Overall, I gained confidence in my sophomore year. Junior year was almost my most difficult year of high school. It was a very challenging year both academically and personally. I joined the swim team, Building Bridges, and continued my membership in LSA. My grandma passed away in October of my Junior year. I was difficult to keep my grades up during first semester because of the loss. I also had a lot of work because I was taking two Advanced Placement courses and Passages I & II. Passages allowed me to explore my interests while getting a glimpse into college and beyond. Finally, Senior year has been beautifully chaotic. I am becoming an adult everyday, and the stress of applying to college is looming. There have been teachers that have encouraged me to do my best work, like Mr. Munoz, Ms. Houk, Mr. Zielinski, and Coach Lunger. That said, I also have met new people throughout the years. I learned more about what friendships and relationships require. I made tons of new friends through Building Bridges. I also discovered more about my identity and the identities of others and how that plays a role in each of our lives. Building Bridges and my elective social studies classes are the reason I want to minor in Critical Race Theory/ Social Justice in college. After high school, I plan on majoring in Molecular Biology and Critical Theory and minoring in Spanish. I want to major in biology because I want to be a cardiothoracic surgeon. I also want to start a for profit company using my CTSJ degree to generate revenue to be donated to related causes. Overall, my time at DCIS has been turbulent, but I had a lot of time to get to know my peers and myself intimately. I understand my purpose. I want to help people and I want to do so through medicine and social work. Our social studies focus has opened many doors for me and given me passion. I am excited to see how I apply what I learned in high school to other parts of my life as I age.