“Alee Academy…Where we strive for success.”
In regard to the accreditation of Alee Academy, I must express how crucial this school has been on my road to success. If not for this fine establishment, I probably would not have graduated from high school. Now I am graduating with approximately a 3.5 GPA and with extraordinary plans to go to college and eventually become an engineer of genetics. I can proudly say that I love Alee Academy and that it has left a profoundly positive impact on my life.
Although Alee Academy is known for having a number of students who are troublemakers and with no desire to learn, there are many students here who genuinely care about their education and success and are good kids. There are many reasons other than behavioral problems as to why a student would be a great candidate to attend an alternative school such as Alee Academy.
Everyone knows about the persecution of students especially on the so called “nerds” who are generally students who care more about their education than about popularity and the brand of shoes that they wear. These education seeking individuals have for generations been bullied, beat up, picked on, and tormented by the students who are more popular and are considered “cooler” than them. And not only “nerds”, but students who are viewed as different or strange, or who for some reason are singled out as being “uncool”. Being picked on frequently can dramatically lower a person’s self esteem and self image, as well as cause them to feel depressed. This can result in a loss of interest in school work, fear of attending school, fear of being humiliated or ridiculed.
Another group of students who are Alee Academy material are those who have problems learning, those who have mental health or emotional difficulties, those with social anxieties, a social or anti social personalities, or those who are particularly introverted. Some common examples are students with Bipolar disorder, ADD, or ADHD, all of which I have seen at this school. I am sure that there are also many other unique personal problems why someone would go here which I have failed to mention.
Now you may be wondering why Alee Academy, as compared with a traditional school, would be such a great place for these students. Alee Academy is a small, comfortable school with a low population of students and small class sizes. Because of the wide variety of students here, there is no bullying that I have ever seen. There are no Football players or Cheerleaders, no popularity contests or clicks. There is no pressure to fit in or be popular here. We are nerds, we are the weird kids, we are unique, we are individuals, and we are proud. In regard to my own personal experience, I have never felt intimidated or out of place, picked on or ridiculed, nor have I ever seen anyone else in such a position. Everyone tends to be more relaxed here, and those who don’t get along just tend to keep their distances from each other. Students who have problems learning are at an advantage because teachers, having such small class sizes, have time to help each individual in all their specific needs.
I could not omit to mention how fabulous the teachers here are. Just a few to name who have been especially wonderful to me are Mrs. Wilt, Mr. Sayre, and Mrs. Pechart. I have learned so much from these individuals, who value education at the top of their lists of morals. I just want to express how grateful I am to have learned from such educated and helpful individuals.
From my own personal experience, I had much trouble fitting in at traditional school. I was picked on by the popular kids for being weird and felt generally uncomfortable with the whole setting. The school was so big that I had to run from one end of the school to the other in order to get to my next class on time before the bell rung. There were so many students that I felt like a speck. The teachers and staff couldn’t remember the names of all the students there; much less help them with their individual needs. In fact, every class consisted of about 30 pupils. Because of the constant ridicule of my peers, I developed low self esteem and became very depressed. I had previously throughout my school years had excellent grades, but at the time, I was failing almost all of my classes. I hated going to school so much that I would avoid going at all costs.
Then I found Alee Academy. I have been attending this school for two years (junior and senior) and I have become very fond of it. My grades are now straight A’s and I am confident in my abilities to succeed in the world. I am happy and I have a high self respect for myself. I am graduating this year and I am very proud of how far I have come.
I believe that Alee Academy should be an accredited school because we are a real school, with real students who do real school work and get real grades. We strive to succeed. Students do not all go here because they are troublemakers, as is widely believed. Alee Academy presents an alternative to the stress and pressure of traditional schools so that students can come to school to learn and not to participate in a popularity contest. Students should not have to fear going to school because of being ridiculed. No student should be deprived of their education because they are afraid to go to school due to peer bullying. In making Alee Academy an accredited school, it can be taken more seriously as an important part of our educational system and keep our school present for the needs of future generations of students.
Thank you for your time:
Sarah Nowak
(Graduating Senior at Alee Academy)