S… Surrounded by talent, ambition, and support
A…A delight filled with both arduous mountains and sweet memories
S…Someplace where dreams become reality—a magical place
It was the spring of my sophomore year when I blankly stared at my laptop on my bed—frozen and unable to click the “ACCEPT” button. Despite passing the PERT and being accepted into the SAS program, I was hesitant. What about my friends? What about my annual pep rallies? Is going to SAS really worth leaving my old high school? Am I ready to acclimate once again? Various questions plagued my brain. The worst part: I would never know until I try it. I took the chance and decided to try it.
I knew that this was a decision I had to make myself. The thought of change was more terrifying than I would have liked to admit. Despite initial hesitations, I decided to pursue this newfound opportunity, which changed the trajectory of my life. I realized that having hesitations is normal; however, I did not want to, nor let fear stop me, and fill me up with regret. The initial fear as I walked through the confusing college campus, passing by the unfamiliar faces and stoic professors, and walking into the freezing lecture halls, melted away. I found new friends, made lunch plans at the on-campus Starbucks, began conversing with my professors, and learned how to manage both high school and college coursework.
Being in a dual setting, which mixed high school and college environments, I was provided with opportunities that I would not have accessed elsewhere. When I reached out to my biology professor after the end of my fall semester, she introduced me to a start-up research project. Thus, at Miami-Dade College, I have been participating in research with Professor Aristizabal, micro-propagating endangered native orchids and reintroducing them into our urban environment. This fostered my interest in the beauty of how the natural world revolved around me, encouraging me to connect with the interests that I never would have been able to at an ordinary high school. Additionally, I was able to engage with my community and take advantage of opportunities being presented to me. For example, I became a philosophy and ethics peer tutor for Miami-Dade College, which fostered a further increase and appreciation for the humanities. This has led me to want to pursue a minor in philosophy. Being an SAS student has allowed me to branch out, find my passions, and further develop my interests, allowing me to engage with them deeper than at a surface level.
Throughout my two years at SAS, I received unwavering support from various faculty members. My math teacher, Mrs. Morales, provided me with a strong foundation of calculus and explored the challenging concepts thoroughly, which is imperative as I intend on pursuing a bachelor’s in a STEM field and on a pre-med track. My Great Books teacher, Ms. Canovaca, provided me with both valuable educational and life lessons, from providing me personal advice to helping me write my college supplements until six o’clock in the evening, to reading Plato and having philosophical discussions in class. She even helped me with summer program applications junior year, despite not knowing who I was, and met up with me during early August to begin composing my personal essay. This was an integral part in my receiving a full-ride scholarship to Princeton University. Without her and the support from the faculty and staff at SAS, I would not be where I am today. The level of dedication to the students and our futures that SAS holds is unmatched. The special system of office hours at SAS allowed for a more optimized access to extra tutoring when both the teacher and students were available. SAS allowed me to flourish, gain confidence, allow me to build trust in myself and in what I can accomplish, and pushed me to explore the vast, endless fields of knowledge and so much more this world has to offer.
I am proud to call myself a SAS alumnus. Once a tiger, always a tiger. Are you ready to join our streak of tigers?
Christina Lee
SAS Kendall Class of 2025
Princeton University, Class of 2029
