MSA ROCKS! (written by Matthew)

Where to begin? Well, MSA is dope this year. I have made several friends and am continuing to make more. It all started at an open house 14 months ago. There, I just KNEW it was right. So, a recommendation letter was sent, my IQ was evaluated, and I had an appointment with the headmaster and an admissions officer scheduled. A week later, Mom's phone vibrated during the stage production of "Freckleface Strawberry". It was the admissions officer, telling her that I was actually ACCEPTED!
        So, after that, several months passed, and I finished my career at Lionheart, went to Disney World, and spent a month in Bonita Springs, FL, all the while conscious that a new life was ahead. I had an orientation, got used to my new school, and soon the first day struck. My schedule was as follows: Homeroom in Taniah "T" Jones' room, 1st pd. SS w/ Chelsea Michelson, 2nd period art w/ Brian Buxton, 3rd period LA w/ T, 4th period Life Science w/ Jay Hudson, 5th period PE w/ KK, and 6th period Math, w/ Carol Adams.
              My academic talent soon blossomed, and Kay, the principal of Communication Arts, where I attend school, offered me a choice of PreUpper classes (all of my classes were in CommArts) between Pre-algebra and Language Arts. I was landed in a class taught by William H. Turner, which moved my electives to 5th and 6th periods (there are 3 periods a day, so I have both electives on the same day). Will was hard to get used to at first, but now, he is one of my favorite teachers.
                Mill Springs has a unique levels system, a system of rewards and "punishments". Students enter the school as a Level C (Courteous, Considerate, Cooperative) and, after four weeks can sign up for feedback for Level R (Role Model, Responsible, Respectful), or just go up for the vote, though this is NOT recommended; meetings are on every Friday. If staff and peers vote the student to R, they must be an R for six weeks before going through the same procedures for Level L (Leadership), the highest level. If the student screws up, they go up for general levels feedback and usually end up on Level S, the lowest level, because somebody proposed a vote to that level.
         Of course, there are other, minor consequences as well--being put on a point sheet meant for Cs and Rs, being on a checkback week with an automatic drop if you mess up, etc. A point sheet is a sheet with grids telling you whether or not you do well academically and socially in class,break, meetings, homeroom, etc.
             And now, the part you've been waiting for: I just signed myself up for Level L feedback. I had just unknowingly made an offensive comparison of Lakota and Hebrew in science class, saying that Lakota was a more interesting language than Hebrew, and the Jewish students in that class didn't appreciate that; I guess you could say that I hurt their feelings, but after that, I faced what I had done and apologized. The first peer I called on was Andrew Liban, a Jewish kid who touched on the incident by saying that I would make a great Level L other than that, prompting Jay to elaborate; as Jay told the story, I truly realized how tactless I had been, and I felt very bad. Rather than deflect it, however, I apologized to the whole faculty and student body. Then, I called on Cole Reed, who echoed Andrew; Craig Pena, who said I had his full support; and Kaitlin Bolander, who said that I needed to work on my communication skills. Every teacher said that I possessed Level L qualities, but needed to do something for the community.
    I promise to take this feedback to heart, and make this community better than ever. I have learned the art of tact, and promise to use it to the fullest of my ability. I want to be the best Level L that I can be.