MellodyAlexandraDaCruz

JohnHorton
6816
Advisory

H.O.MSummary

Strengths:

Organization
isgivingstructuretoonesthinking,oneswork,andoneslife.This
honestlyismybeststrength.Iamalwaysorganizedwhenitcomestomyschoolwork
andmylocker.Ialwaysknowwheremyhomeworkisinmybackpack,mylockeris
colorcoordinatedbysubject,andmystudybuddiesareimmaculate.Ifeelthatmylife
tendstorunsmoothlywhenIknowwhereeverythingisanditsneat.Beingorganizedis
oneofthetraitsIamknownforbetweenmypeersandsomeoftheteacherswhohave
seenmystudybuddiesandhowwellpreparedIamfortheirclass.

Integrity
istellingthetruth(orbeinghonestwith)oneselfandothersthrough
oneswordsandactions,evenwhenitsdifficult.Integrityisoneofmymanystrengths
becausenomatterthecircumstance,donotlie.IfIknowIamwrongordidsomething
wrong,Iwillownuptoitwithnohesitation.Oneliesbecausetheyareafraid.Idontfear
anyone,thereforeIdonotseetheneedtolie.EventhoughIamastrongbelieverin
alwaysbeingtruthful,Ihaveacompletelydifferentmindsetwhenitcomestolyingto
yourself.Ilietomyselfallthetime.ItellmyselfthatIhavenothingtoworryabouteven
whenInowsomethingwrongisgoingtohappen.OrwhenIgetabadgoodgradeona
testandItellmyselfthatitsokayeventhoughitdidn'tandmygradeisontheline.Itell
myselfIhatemathandImterribleatitwheninrealitythefactthatIdonthavetotake
themathfinaldotoahighgradesaysotherwise.

Collaboration
isworkingsuccessfullywithothersbylisteningempathically,
leadingsensitively,contributingmeaningfully,andlearningfromgroupmembers.Ilove
toworkwithothersandapplytheirinputtoaprojectorpaper,socollaborationisoneof
mystrengthsforthemostpart.LastyearIpreferedtoworkbymyselfbecauseitwas
easierthantalkingtopeopleIdidnotknow.Beingthenewkidinschoolisnevereasy.
Thisyear,ImademanynewfriendsandIenjoyedworkingwithmyclassmates.Formy
servicelearningIthoughtitwouldbeagreatopportunityformetobondwithpeople
outsidemyusualfriendgroup,soIjoinedWendyandJahayra.NowthatIhavegotten
outofmyshell,Ilistentomypeersingroupprojectsandcontributetothebestofmy
ability.

CommunityEngagement
isactiveparticipationinschool,local,state,andglobal
communities.Lastyear,thiswasoneofmyweaknesses.Ibarelyparticipatedinschool
events,neverdidcommunityservice,andwouldntevenconsiderhelpingthelower
classmenwithhomework,projects,portfolio,etc.Thisyearwasaverybigchangefor
me.Ididaservicelearningprojectshelpingthelessfortunategetcoatsandsweatersfor
thewinter,IhelpKeiryandDaijahwiththisprojecttocleanuptheCFfield,I
volunteeredfortheGlobalYouthServiceDay,andIhelpedfreshmenandsophomores
withportfolioandhomework.Ithinkthisstemsoffofmebeingmorecomfortablein
BACSandlearningtobemoreextroverted.Notonlydoescommunityengagementhelp
thosearoundyou,itshapesyouintoabetterpersonknowingyoucontributedtoan
unselfishact.

Wellness
isactivelyworkingtomaintainahealthymind,body,andsoul.Focusing
onsleep,nutrition,exercise,andmanagingstressinefforttoreachpeakperformance.
Thisisprobablymymostimprovedhabitofmind.LastyearIwasthebiggestcouch

potatoandIadmitthat.IdidnothaveanygymclassesandIjustsatalldayatschooland
alldayathome.Ivechangedthisattitudetowardswellnesscompletely.Thisyear,Itook
1semesterofindividualsportsandyogaandIwenttoplanetfitnesswithCaitlinnandher
mom.Iwasdeterminedthisyeartogetmoreandshape,notbecauseIwanttolookbetter,
butbecauseexercisingingeneralisgoodforthebody.IampleasedwithhowIremained
focusedonmygoaltobemoreactiveandhowmyprocrastinationdidnotgetintheway.

Gratitude
isshowingappreciationforothersandforonesopportunities.Lastyear,
thiswaslistedundermyweaknessesmainlybecauseIforgettothankpeoplefordoing
whateveritistheydidforme.ButIcametotherealizationthatgratitudeismorethan
sayingthankyou.Thisyear,IlearnedtobealotmoregratefulbecauseIrealizedthat
therearemanyadvantagesIhavethatpeoplearoundmedonthave.Thismainlystems
offmyServiceLearningproject.Youwouldthinkeveryonewouldhavesomethingas
basicasacoatorsweaterforthewinterwheninrealitytheydont.Iwouldcomplainto
mymomthatshegetthewrongcolorsizejacketorthedesignIwantedwasnotwhatI
hadtoldhertogetwhenmanypeoplearenotevenfortunateenoughtocallajackettheir
own.

SelfAdvocacy
isbeingthedirectorofonesownlifedemonstratingagencyto
becomeempowered.Selfadvocacyistheabilitytospeakupforyourselfandthethings
thatareimportanttoyoulikegoingtoateacherortutorforhelpinsteadofwaitingfor
her/himtocometoyou.IselfadvocatewheneverIgotoTracyforhelponmyalgebra2

orphysicshomeworkorneedhertoreviseaPEETfromoneofmyclasses.ThisyearI
havebeenstayingafteralotforhomeworkclubjustsoIcangetassistancefromteachers
andotherstudentsonmaterialIdontquiteunderstand.Ialsoselfadvocatebydeciding
totakeAPBiologyandPreCalculusatthesametimenextyearbecauseIknowthatclass
willbenefitmyfutureplanstobecominganeonatalorregisterednurse.

Weaknesses
Optimism
isbelievingthatoneslife,community,andworldcangetbetterwith
effort.ThisisacharacteristicIgenuinelylack.Itendtoseethenegativesidesto
situationsbeforeIseethepositiveside.Mymainproblemisnothaveenoughfaithin
myself.IdoubtmyabilitytodowellinanythingIdoanddontgivemyselfcreditwhenI
dodeserveit.Ivebeenreadingarticlesonlineforawhilenow(becauseIhave
acknowledgedmybadhabit)andIfounddifferentexercisesIcantrytobeamore
positiveperson.OneoftheexerciseswastosmileasoftenasIcananddontcompare
myselftoothers.

Upstanderness
isdemonstratingactivecompassion,evenwhenafraidorinfrontof
acrowd(orespeciallyinfrontofacrowd)rightingawrong,helpingthosewhoare
situationallydisempowered.Iamtheabsoluteworstatbeinginfrontofpeopleingeneral
andIconsiderthisaweaknessbecauseIhonestlydonttrymyhardesttobreakmy

anxietyshell.Puttingmyhorribleanxietytotheside,thisyearwasmostlikelythe
hardestacademicyearanditgotinmywayofdemonstratingactivecompassion.Ihadso
muchonmyplatewithschoolwork,carryingoutmyServiceLearningprojectand
outsideactivitiesthatIwouldforgetaboutthosewhocountedonmeforassistance
becauseIwantedtogeteverythingdone.Iletmyselfishneedsgetbetweenmyloveof
helpingpeopledespitebeingdeathlyafraidoftalkinginpublicortopeopleIdonot
know.

Zest
isparticipatingenthusiasticallyandpassionatelyinvigoratingothers.This
yearzestisnowaweakness.IfeellikesinceIhadsomuchdocompletethisyearasa
junior,IdontparticipateinclassasoftenasIusedto.EveryclasslastyearIwouldraise
myhandtoansweraquestionevenifIdidntevenknowtheanswer.Duringgroup
activities,Ialwaysaskifmypeerswanttocontributetothetopicorproject.Now,I
assignwhatroleswebothhaveanddomypartandmypartonly.Iwishtogetthisback
intoastrengthbecauseIbelieveinvigoratingotherscanboosttheirselfconfidenceand
thereisnothingmoreIwouldlovetodothanmakesomeonefeelgoodabouthimself.