Created July 12, 2021 for The Branch School blog as a marketing piece to highlight positive experiences of attending The Branch School in order to persuade parents to enroll their children in the school. This blog was part of a series written from the point of view of an alumni and illustrates my ability to write a nonfiction, reflective autobiography in a creative writing style.
My name is Katie O’Pella, I am a senior at St. Edward’s University. My educational journey began at The Branch School at the age of 2 years old all the way to 8th grade. Growing up at The Branch School has shaped me into the person I am today. I learned to love and embrace my peers, my flaws, and my schoolwork. Most kids dread the thought of going to school. However, attending school was my favorite thing to do because each day was interesting and I got to see my closest friends every single day. The teachers were kind, patient, and gave me plenty of opportunities to excel at my own pace. I enjoyed the school’s diversity and meeting international students. Something else I love about The Branch School is that it did not force ideas onto its students, but rather it taught students to open their minds to new ideas and experiences.
My favorite memories at The Branch School are of my friends and me on the playground during recess. It’s an amazing feeling to grow up with my closest friends and graduate together. And if I had a dispute with anyone, the teachers taught us peace-making skills and “'I' messages,” where kids learn not to place the blame on the other person rather to take full responsibility for your actions and personal feelings. The schoolwork was never boring because we learned interesting things in fun, innovative ways. Not to mention the amazing teachers who made learning engaging and not just repetitive tasks. For example, in 2nd grade we learned geography using the Flat Stanley book. We made flat versions of ourselves and sent them to relatives around the United States. We also learned about other nationalities such as Australia, Canada, and Mexico through reading, research, art, music and food. Additionally, we were provided opportunities to grow as creative thinkers, like the Reading Rainbow Program, where students wrote and illustrated short stories to enter into a city-wide competition. In middle school, we participated in the Invention Convention, where students invented new and creative solutions to real world problems and entered our inventions in the local competition. I created an LED light up umbrella, a color-coded ruler, and a “Forget-Me-Not” bracelet that reminded the wearer of their schedule with charms I illustrated. In math, we designed models of our own roller coasters, and calculated the angles, length, and speed. The end of our project culminated in a trip to Six Flags where we experienced riding real roller coasters and developed an appreciation of physics in motion.
I spent much of my free time after school in Branch School sports programs which helped me become athletic. Not only did we work out in P.E., but we were also taught physical education and how to lead a healthy lifestyle. A unique program at The Branch School is the outdoor classroom. Outdoor classroom allows students to get in touch with nature and learn how to grow and identify different plants, as well as birds, and insects. Another notable skill I picked up, as a student at the school, is public speaking. I used to be super shy and insecure. However, after forming close bonds with friends who wouldn’t judge me, as well as performing in the plays and musicals, I am a confident and loud speaker. Class presentations which were part of many subjects were also very helpful.
To this day, I still love The Branch School, dearly. Not just the school, but the people responsible for my fond memories. I remember the fun traditions the school celebrates, such as parading around the school in costumes for Halloween, reading Dr. Suess books on Dr. Seuss Day, and gathering around every Monday for the Monday Morning Assembly. Every now and then, I still have dreams of being a kid and find myself playing on the playground like the good old days. I feel nostalgic every time I set foot back on campus. Today the school has even bigger and better playground equipment and field space. Each time I visit, the school seems to expand and improve in many positive ways. For example, The Branch School is breaking ground on a new state-of-the-art building this Fall. The school has blossomed into an even bigger and better version of itself. If I could go back in time, I would attend this school again to experience what the school has become and what it is yet to be.
Comments