Farewell 11 AP

 Acknowledgements

11 English AP was a rollercoaster of emotions. The stress of analyzing Puritan writings that still don’t really make sense, the anxiety of writing an in class essay in 40 minutes, and the joy of being surrounded by such kind and intelligent individuals. Everything that happened (good or bad) within the walls of Mrs. Parks and Mrs. Valentino’s classroom will forever hold a dear place in my heart.

I believe the key ingredient to my growth recipe is Mrs. Valentino. I remember looking at a sample essay after my first ICE and saying “I could never be able to write this”. Maybe it was the advanced word choice or the sophisticated structure but I was terrified of the skill difference between my writing and the sample. But, unfortunately for me, Mrs. Valentino’s sharp hearing heard my small confession and urged me to get rid of such thoughts because “I was in this class for a reason”. That statement was what got me through this year. From getting constant 3s on in class essays — through Mrs. Valentino's teachings and encouragement — I was able to write high scoring essays; I even received my first sophistication point and ultimately scored a 6 on ICE 6 (I believe it was fate). Although my writing is far from perfect, I’ve gained confidence in myself and I believe that I will write more expressive and refined pieces in the future. All that to say, I’m extremely grateful for Mrs. Valentino because without her I would not have been able to expand my literary knowledge to what it is now. She opened my eyes to a new world of literature that goes beyond just words on a paper. She genuinely allowed me to grow as a writer, student, and person.

I thank the numerous readings I studied and analyzed for teaching me about our societal flaws. On the outside, these readings may seem like average writing that teachers choose to over-analyze, but reading between the lines and recognizing the true meaning behind these pieces made me learn about unfamiliar aspects of society and find joy in discovering a writer’s true purpose.

    I would like to specifically express my appreciation to Firoozeh Dumas and her piece The F Word. The portrayal of her struggles she faced concerning her name mirrored those of my own. I’ve never been able to relate more to a class reading than this one. My whole life I’ve always felt out of place with my hard-to-pronounce real name but reading this piece, that focuses on accepting our differences, helped me realize that other immigrants encounter the same exact problems. It felt like the piece was written to tell me that I’m not alone. I learned Americans probably won’t accept foreign spices into their spice cabinets anytime soon so I should embrace my differences without shame, even if they are not accepted.

    I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to my guard girls that made 11 AP as bearable as it was. Being the introvert that I am, I find it difficult to learn in uncomfortable settings so having you guys in my class helped me find comfort and be able to grow significantly. I’ll never forget Isabel’s clutch vocabulary quizlets she created every week (I’ll forever be grateful for these), Audrey's motivating sympathy every time I get handed back an essay, Rhea’s smart intellectual thinking that carried our partner writing responses, and Catie’s clever remarks during Socratic seminars. As your fellow classmate, I’m really honored to have trustworthy, energetic, intelligent friends like you guys. 

    As a writer, I still lack in many areas; that’s just a true fact. But leaving this class, I’ve learned so much about different writing techniques, word choice, organization, structure; the list goes on and on. I’ll always cherish these moments that left a clear mark on my writing journey. Thank you to everything for making this class an unforgettable experience.