I am the one who can work well under pressure and problem solve. When faced with adversity, I’ve learned to not panic and get upset, because through lots of experience with dealing with problems and difficult, I can look at a problem clearly, listen to the advice of others, weigh the pros and cons of the situation, and finally come to decision that I like or that I at least feel confident in. I am the one who sees opportunity in everything and stays optimistic. I’ve signed up for six classes this year, two of which are outside of the typical school setting, this course included. I’m not doing it because I enjoy working constantly (although it can be rewarding in it’s own satisfying way), I’m doing it because I don’t want there to be missed opportunity. I’ve realized that over my previous two year of high school I’ve spent so much time not being productive, and not trying to get ahead in life. Every learning experience hold value later on in life, and for me it’s important to take on those learning experience so that my options for the future aren’t limited. So when I’m write my third essay of the week, or working on a math packet that’s been assigned as my homework, or taking a test for three hours, I can stay optimistic, because I know that in the grand scheme of things, I’ll come out of it smart, and more capable in the end. I am the one who wants to help. Whether it’s a community, a friend, or a complete stranger, I like to offer my assistance. Not only for the sake of being useful to someone or something else, but also so that later on people will look at me as useful person, and maybe at some point in my life, I will be presented with a new opportunity in the future, whether it’s making a new friend, or learning about something new that may be beneficial to me later on.

I am here because I love this program. Being able to work on something you’re passionate about without being confined to a desk in a classroom is the greatest. At lot of the “What’s the Story?” work that I’ve done in the past was done in my own room, in a comfortable setting where I was able to relax and get things done at my own pace. But we also collaborated at retreats and monthly meetings with people in our area, which was nice, because without touching base now and then it’s easy to get lost in the criteria. This is course is online course/classroom course hybrid, and it brings students the best of both world. Last year when I made my documentary with my group I felt like I was a part of something bigger than a class, even though our project didn’t technically have a huge impact on the community. I came back for year two because I have a lot of experience with what this course deals with and how it runs, so I feel like now that I know what to expect going forward, I can make this an even more productive year and accomplish and create so much more. I started thinking about topics seriously last week. Before that I had been playing around with a few in my head and weighing the difficulties with the importance of the topic, and I have one that I’m kind of dead set on doing at this point, and it’s something that has hit Vermont pretty hard recently, within the last few years, the drug abuse epidemic. I’m constantly reading article and reports on how heroin and opiates are affecting our community, and I’d like to create a documentary on the impact that it has for our communities, the families of those who struggle with drug addiction, and the way it affects our states image. Last year I did a documentary that focused on a more political topic, dispatcher consolidation. I’d like to work on something that’s more personal to people. That’s why I am here again.

I am the one who wonders about ways to improve our communities. I constantly look around and notice things that should be different. I said earlier that I’m a pretty optimistic person, as in I look at the bright side of situations that some people might think aren’t good. However when I see injustice or things that are harmful to the community I get upset, and in a way I feel responsible for it, I feel a personal need to fix issues. And the closest I’ve ever gotten to becoming a social activist. There are a lot of arguments about what is right and wrong with this world. There are people who vocalize their opinions plenty, but don’t actually do anything to fight the cause. There are people who think they’re being progressive, but their message doesn’t really make sense. There are people who claim to be social activists, but they just criticize other peoples opinions, and they close themselves off to educating themselves. This course does a good job of actually pushing people towards facing social issues correctly. I think that’s really important in today’s world. I am the one who wants to see where this course can lead people.