I started attending Strive Prep-Excel in the beginning of January in 2015 as a freshman. When I walked through the doors I noticed that the school is connected to North High School, which is due to our high school being small with one hallway and that's what I hated about it because our high school doesn’t have its own building. When I started here I liked how everyone knows each other and the close relationships with the teachers. The teachers here will push students to do their best and you can tell that these teachers at Strive Prep-Excel really care about the students. The challenges that I faced was having to start over by meeting new teachers and the students here at the school because I transfered` from East High School to Strive Prep-Excel mid-year and I had to start over as the “new student”. Having to start over was hard for me to get back on track with classes but I tried my best to make sure I didn't fail. From year to year, I started changing into a more responsible person and started thinking more about my future. High school changed me a lot due to my priorities, lessons, people around me and a lot more. My priorities were to keep my grades above a C and to make sure I pass every class but most of all making sure I made it to graduation and seeing the smiles on my family’s faces. The lessons that I learned was that people come and go and high school is when you realize how the real world is. The ways I was involved in my community was by volunteering to do things like Ronald McDonald with the school and that's what got me to be outgoing and meeting new people. My favorite teachers from Strive Prep-Excel are Ms.Kuper and Ms.Aguilar because they are more than just a teacher to me. These teachers always kept an eye out for me, they always make sure I get my work done and I am on a good path. What I’m most proud of from my high school experience is that I passed all my classes with good grades and didn't give up easily. There isn't anything I would do differently because since the first day I stepped into this school, I've been on a good path with my classes and grades which has led me to graduating on time. My favorite parts of high school were meeting some great people and making some unforgettable memories that will continue to be with me. If I could tell a freshman how to make the most of high school, I would say to be outgoing, make a lot of friends but most of all keeping grades up. High school gets hard when it comes to failing a class and not graduating on time will have a large effect on the person. I think the idea of ‘STRIVE for college’ is a good idea. I say this because it pushes these students to have a mindset to go to college and to do their best throughout high school.