Evergreen Personal Statement

I believe that my academic career as a whole has prepared me for studies at Evergreen. I attended Alice Carlson Applied Learning Center and Applied Learning Academy for elementary and middle school. Alice Carlson was a unique elementary school, where teachers evaluated out progress without giving us a simple letter grade, and emphasis was placed on creating a portfolio at the end of each year that would display our progress through learning. At both schools, we were all encouraged to learn and think creatively. As an individual student, I was nurtured and challenged by all of my teachers. I was taught to value curiosity, individuality, personal improvement and creativity. Learning in such positive and non-traditional environments played a large role in my going to be a successful student in high school.
Similarly, my junior and senior years of high school as an International Baccalaureate (IB) have readied me for Evergreen. As an IB student, I have engaged in interdisciplinary curriculum that is interesting,
relevant, and rigorous. Over the past two years, I have grown as a student and have been challenged more times than I could count. I have had the opportunity to explore different subjects and learn about my strengths and weaknesses in each area, and as a learner overall. I have widened my view of the world, and become more aware of what is going on around me in my community, country, and world.
Not only have I grown academically, but also in my experiences with other students within the IB program at my school.
I have always been a more reserved person, and as I began high school, I realized that beyond being just quiet or shy, I was dealing with social anxiety. With support from my family and friends, this is something that by acknowledging, I have been able to work towards improving. Being surrounded by a community of students made up of such unique, accepting, and intelligent individuals has also helped me with this. I have been very fortunate to have been a part of such an amazing group of students and teachers during my years as an IB student. While my social anxiety may be something I still struggle with daily, I have learned that it takes nothing away from the smart and kind individual that I have become as I have grown up, and I hope that as I continue into college and into my life, that more people will be able to see such things in
me.
My experiences throughout school have gotten me ready for college. Growing up in schools that emphasized non-traditional learning, and knowledge beyond a simple letter grade has prepared me to be successful at a school such as Evergreen.