Sitting here in Cherokee Point Elementary School’s library you might think that Rachel Clark is just another librarian but that’s where your wrong. Rachel has been working here at Cherokee Point as a computer technician/ librarian teaching the children at the library and also teaching the kids how to access information on the computers that they have. Eleventh grade here at the High Tech High village isn’t like any other junior year in other high schools. Here at High Tech High village juniors are required to complete an internship in order to graduate. Here at my internship at Cherokee Point Elementary School I am responsible for doing the updates for macs, helping the kids find books and helping them do their homework, and just some extra around the library such as putting books away. For my interview with Rachel we discussed her childhood and growing up, College, Job and Internship. We hit some interesting topics here the basic points we hit.
Stephanie Santiago:
What is your official job title and job description here at Cherokee point
Rachel Clark:
Rachel Clark:
My official title would be school librarian but I think sometimes people would say media teacher cause it incorporates media. So media teacher and school librarian would be the title. The job description would be running the library and then also teaching the kids how to access information the different content areas like science or health or math through technology
Santiago:
Santiago:
Did you grow up knowing that you wanted to work with kids?
Clark:
I grew up knowing that I wanted to be a teacher but I didn’t think that I wanted to work with young children . So I think it wasn’t until I actually got into college that I decided that I wanted to work with elementary leveled kids.
I grew up knowing that I wanted to be a teacher but I didn’t think that I wanted to work with young children . So I think it wasn’t until I actually got into college that I decided that I wanted to work with elementary leveled kids.
Santiago:
Did you originally want to work in the library and media?
Did you originally want to work in the library and media?
Clark:
No not from the beginning I originally studied to be a general ed teacher, a regular classroom teacher, and about 5 years into my job we had a vacancy in our computer lab and so the teacher that ran the computer lab had left and gone on to bigger things she became a vice principal so the computers just sat there. So I was thinking what a shame for the computers to be sitting there and have no one using them so I learned a little bit about computers and realized that kids can still learn math and science and health what have you through computers and it would be a different kind of job and I wanted to give it a try so accidentally I fell into running a computer lab at my other school and than it just kind of morphed into the library position because this is where all the computers are, in the library. As far as my credentials go I’m not a school librarian I’m a classroom teacher so its kind of interesting that I run the library, being that I’m not a librarian. So that’s why on certain documents or certain papers in the district it’ll say teacher or computer teacher or media teacher doesn’t necessarily say librarian.,
No not from the beginning I originally studied to be a general ed teacher, a regular classroom teacher, and about 5 years into my job we had a vacancy in our computer lab and so the teacher that ran the computer lab had left and gone on to bigger things she became a vice principal so the computers just sat there. So I was thinking what a shame for the computers to be sitting there and have no one using them so I learned a little bit about computers and realized that kids can still learn math and science and health what have you through computers and it would be a different kind of job and I wanted to give it a try so accidentally I fell into running a computer lab at my other school and than it just kind of morphed into the library position because this is where all the computers are, in the library. As far as my credentials go I’m not a school librarian I’m a classroom teacher so its kind of interesting that I run the library, being that I’m not a librarian. So that’s why on certain documents or certain papers in the district it’ll say teacher or computer teacher or media teacher doesn’t necessarily say librarian.,
Santiago:
Do you have any advice for those in high school that are still looking for what they want their career to be in the future but are not really sure?
Do you have any advice for those in high school that are still looking for what they want their career to be in the future but are not really sure?
Clark:
Well I think being an intern is definitely one way to figure it out. If you have any interests that your leaning towards a good thing to do is to talk to people that are in that profession. When I was becoming a teacher part of the requirement was to go and observe and to work in the classroom but it wasn’t till I was actually in the program, so at this point you might just want to talk to people and see what your options are and also how ,much schooling you would need. If your interested in finding a profession sooner than later than that’s something to consider certain jobs require a masters or a PhD others require just maybe a bachelors or an associates degree. So it kind of depends I know college isn’t necessarily for everyone I kind of always thought that way but more and more people are getting into vocational colleges and vocational schools so you know I think its important to go to school to some degree but I know a lot of high school kids, at least, like the kids that I service, eventually go on to high school, their at risk for dropping out so I would just encourage them find something you like and pursue that and do it and be proud of it. So talk to people that are in different jobs that you might be interested in ask them see if you can observe or volunteer, or check out colleges too that’s something that you might want to consider; I know that we have a lot of them in our area some might be more expensive than others so its just realistically speaking what can you afford and how much time will you be investing and that might help you make your decision as well.
Well I think being an intern is definitely one way to figure it out. If you have any interests that your leaning towards a good thing to do is to talk to people that are in that profession. When I was becoming a teacher part of the requirement was to go and observe and to work in the classroom but it wasn’t till I was actually in the program, so at this point you might just want to talk to people and see what your options are and also how ,much schooling you would need. If your interested in finding a profession sooner than later than that’s something to consider certain jobs require a masters or a PhD others require just maybe a bachelors or an associates degree. So it kind of depends I know college isn’t necessarily for everyone I kind of always thought that way but more and more people are getting into vocational colleges and vocational schools so you know I think its important to go to school to some degree but I know a lot of high school kids, at least, like the kids that I service, eventually go on to high school, their at risk for dropping out so I would just encourage them find something you like and pursue that and do it and be proud of it. So talk to people that are in different jobs that you might be interested in ask them see if you can observe or volunteer, or check out colleges too that’s something that you might want to consider; I know that we have a lot of them in our area some might be more expensive than others so its just realistically speaking what can you afford and how much time will you be investing and that might help you make your decision as well.
Santiago:
If you can send a letter to your high school self what would you letter say?
If you can send a letter to your high school self what would you letter say?
Clark:
Oh gosh (laughs). Well between than and now I’ve made lots of mistakes so the letter might say try avoiding doing the following I think one of them was , but then I look back and I’m thinking then maybe they weren’t really mistakes., It took me a long time to get my degree, my bachelors, it took me seven years because I worked a little bit then I paid for school and then I worked a little bit and paid for school so I really didn’t have debt going to college but it took me a really long time and I was always feeling like there was never a light at the end of the tunnel so maybe I would tell myself try a little harder to finish faster, maybe take out a student loan if I had to just to finish, all my peers were finishing 4 years and I was still there I think at the same time though I got lots of work experience I worked in a bank and I also took some time off and I traveled so I was able to work get experience pay for some traveling I got to see the world so even though it took me a lot longer I have lots of different experiences under my belt that my friends don’t have. Cant really think of one thing but maybe just done be so hard on myself I think that I was always overall critical of the things that I did maybe just remember try as hard as you can give it your best, that’s all you can do is your best, and accept the fact that you did your best and not be so hard, I’m pretty hard at myself at times. If I could’ve learned that a long time ago I probably wouldn’t have been as frustrated all these years later.
Oh gosh (laughs). Well between than and now I’ve made lots of mistakes so the letter might say try avoiding doing the following I think one of them was , but then I look back and I’m thinking then maybe they weren’t really mistakes., It took me a long time to get my degree, my bachelors, it took me seven years because I worked a little bit then I paid for school and then I worked a little bit and paid for school so I really didn’t have debt going to college but it took me a really long time and I was always feeling like there was never a light at the end of the tunnel so maybe I would tell myself try a little harder to finish faster, maybe take out a student loan if I had to just to finish, all my peers were finishing 4 years and I was still there I think at the same time though I got lots of work experience I worked in a bank and I also took some time off and I traveled so I was able to work get experience pay for some traveling I got to see the world so even though it took me a lot longer I have lots of different experiences under my belt that my friends don’t have. Cant really think of one thing but maybe just done be so hard on myself I think that I was always overall critical of the things that I did maybe just remember try as hard as you can give it your best, that’s all you can do is your best, and accept the fact that you did your best and not be so hard, I’m pretty hard at myself at times. If I could’ve learned that a long time ago I probably wouldn’t have been as frustrated all these years later.
Santiago:
Do you think your college choice, the college that you went to, was a good choice that helped you with your job?
Do you think your college choice, the college that you went to, was a good choice that helped you with your job?
Clark:
I think so I was actually fortunate enough to go to Cal State San Marcos and so when I was getting ready to go to college that school was just getting built it was a brand new university at the time I was starting college and it was close to home and so that saved me a lot of money that was a huge thing for me I was able to live at home and still work my regular job and then go to school where as a lot of my friends went away to college and they accured a lot of extra debt living away so I think it was a good choice I got a good education. I didn’t originally go to school to be a teacher so my degree is something else I later changed my mind after a graduate at the time that school had a good psychology program and so that was another reason that I went there so to get a degree in psychology.
I think so I was actually fortunate enough to go to Cal State San Marcos and so when I was getting ready to go to college that school was just getting built it was a brand new university at the time I was starting college and it was close to home and so that saved me a lot of money that was a huge thing for me I was able to live at home and still work my regular job and then go to school where as a lot of my friends went away to college and they accured a lot of extra debt living away so I think it was a good choice I got a good education. I didn’t originally go to school to be a teacher so my degree is something else I later changed my mind after a graduate at the time that school had a good psychology program and so that was another reason that I went there so to get a degree in psychology.
Santiago:
Why did you change from psychology?
Why did you change from psychology?
Clark:
Well I think originally I wanted to be a psychologist. I wanted to get bachelors than a masters and then a PhD and then be a psychologist and then do that for a number of years and then eventually work at a university and be a professor and then when I realized that It took me so long to get my bachelors, seven years, cause I was just working and going to school when I could afford it, that to get a masters and then a PhD it would take me forever at that rate cause I was going so slowly so what else did I want to do? And being a professor is a teacher and so I had always wanted to be a professor I always wanted to teach but being a professor of adults is also different than teaching children so I inquired with different universities in the area about earning a credential for learning and the quickest and fastest, cause I was ready instead of spending another seven years just I want to teach how quickly can I teach, and so a lot of friends were going to national university and going to school at night they still worked during the day and so I went to national and you can take a number of courses without actually saying that you want to teach elementary or middle or high school so I was starting my credential for teaching I still had time to figure that out and sometime in the first six months I figured that I like the age of elementary school children and so even though it’s the opposite from adult I wanted to try it cause I had good experiences when I was in elementary school so I respected my teachers a lot.
Santiago:
Well I think originally I wanted to be a psychologist. I wanted to get bachelors than a masters and then a PhD and then be a psychologist and then do that for a number of years and then eventually work at a university and be a professor and then when I realized that It took me so long to get my bachelors, seven years, cause I was just working and going to school when I could afford it, that to get a masters and then a PhD it would take me forever at that rate cause I was going so slowly so what else did I want to do? And being a professor is a teacher and so I had always wanted to be a professor I always wanted to teach but being a professor of adults is also different than teaching children so I inquired with different universities in the area about earning a credential for learning and the quickest and fastest, cause I was ready instead of spending another seven years just I want to teach how quickly can I teach, and so a lot of friends were going to national university and going to school at night they still worked during the day and so I went to national and you can take a number of courses without actually saying that you want to teach elementary or middle or high school so I was starting my credential for teaching I still had time to figure that out and sometime in the first six months I figured that I like the age of elementary school children and so even though it’s the opposite from adult I wanted to try it cause I had good experiences when I was in elementary school so I respected my teachers a lot.
Santiago:
So how did you get to this job here at Cherokee Point?
Clark: Well I interviewed actually not so much for this job but to get a job in our school district you have to interview with the school district and human resources so 10 years ago is when I got the job in our district and then I started out at a school named Brooklyn and I met a teacher friend there and then he went on and became a VP and he went to a school named Linda Vista so I’ve been in contact with him the whole time and then he moved to this school 3 years ago so he and I were really good friends and he’s real smart and talented so when he became principal here they had a need for someone that did what I did computer related skills and teaching kids how to use computers and so he asked me if I would come on over so I did an informal interview with him and that was three years ago.
Santiago:
Do you like working here and how is it different from the elementary school that you worked at?
Clark:
Do you like working here and how is it different from the elementary school that you worked at?
Clark:
I do like working here its definitely different the school that I worked at before was very old so the difference was well there was many differences this is a school that is only four years old and the school that I used to work at was almost 100 years old. So the technology here its definitely, we have it, where as the other school did not. Although out equipment is four years old many would think that that’s outdated but your coming from a school that’s a hundred years old and doesn’t have anything then this is pretty current. The teachers are great here pretty competitive all the teachers here are trying really hard to do the best that they can and get the kids reading and math scores and writing scores and all the scores up. It’s a pretty young staff too we have a couple of new teachers and maybe our most seasoned person might have 15 or less than twenty years we don’t have any one that’s been teaching more than twenty years so its on the younger side and maybe one or two seasoned people.
Santiago:
What are the pros and cons of your jobs? Why?
What are the pros and cons of your jobs? Why?
Clark:
Well that pros are working with kids everyday and the cons would have to be also working with kids (laughs). Kids are pretty challenging and frustrating at times but I think that the rewards out way the negatives cause kids are a lot of fun. I think also too just keeping up with 30 or 40 teachers staff members if their computers break down, their printers break down, cause that part of my job too so when I’m working with kids sometimes I get a call or an email saying my computers broken or my printers broken so just trying to find a balance of helping the kids and focusing on them first and then spending time with this other stuff. There’s just not enough time in the day to do the stuff you need to do so that’s probably the biggest challenge just not having enough time.
Well that pros are working with kids everyday and the cons would have to be also working with kids (laughs). Kids are pretty challenging and frustrating at times but I think that the rewards out way the negatives cause kids are a lot of fun. I think also too just keeping up with 30 or 40 teachers staff members if their computers break down, their printers break down, cause that part of my job too so when I’m working with kids sometimes I get a call or an email saying my computers broken or my printers broken so just trying to find a balance of helping the kids and focusing on them first and then spending time with this other stuff. There’s just not enough time in the day to do the stuff you need to do so that’s probably the biggest challenge just not having enough time.
Santiago:
What would you change about your job? The time, or why?
What would you change about your job? The time, or why?
Clark:
I think it would definitely help to have a little bit more time during the day like maybe half an hour to an hour of having some kind of a prep time the teachers have one hour sometimes two hours each week to prep or plan and things like that but since I’m with kids from 8 until 2:15 and no break in between its just kind of a hard balancing act so having 30 minutes extra a day would help. I do a lot of stuff afterschool which helps the kids are gone and I can do a lot of that work but then often times staying late puts me home late so its just finding a perfect balance of getting all the tasks or the jobs done in a given day and being able to prepare good lessons for the kids.
I think it would definitely help to have a little bit more time during the day like maybe half an hour to an hour of having some kind of a prep time the teachers have one hour sometimes two hours each week to prep or plan and things like that but since I’m with kids from 8 until 2:15 and no break in between its just kind of a hard balancing act so having 30 minutes extra a day would help. I do a lot of stuff afterschool which helps the kids are gone and I can do a lot of that work but then often times staying late puts me home late so its just finding a perfect balance of getting all the tasks or the jobs done in a given day and being able to prepare good lessons for the kids.
Santiago:
Has this job opened up any opportunities for you?
Clark:
Has this job opened up any opportunities for you?
Clark:
I think so actually having come here to work with my friend he encouraged me to get my masters degree and to pursue administration so I ended up getting my masters in the last two years and got my administrative credential and earlier today you probably heard me on the phone a little bit I got my results we had to take a test if you want to become a principal or a VP in our district you have to take a test and its an oral examine and I found it to be quite challenging and I’ve been waiting for the results and I was hopeful to passed and I passed
Santiago:
Congratulations
Clark:
So having come here and working under the leadership of my friend and having someone to encourage me and push me in a positive way towards the next level I pursued that. Otherwise had I’d stayed at my other school I might’ve you know I don’t know if my friends around me would’ve pushed me in that direction or not. So its kind of good to move once in awhile to have some new challenges and otherwise if your in the same place for a long time that you can just get stuck in a rut so I had been in my other school for 7 years and I you know it was time for a change and it was a good change
Santiago:
Was that your first job at your other school?
Was that your first job at your other school?
Clark:
No not my first job it was at my parents store. My parents owned a seven eleven store so I was born in to literally born they owned it when I was born so like when I first started walking or when I little I could go help put things on the shelf and probably junior high or senior year I started working the store working the cash register, that’s my very first job. I’ve been at three different schools, this is my third one, I worked at a bank for ten years and I also worked at a tax accounting firm same time I worked at the bank both were part time jobs so during the day I worked in a bank and nights and weekends I worked at the tax office. So I have background in accounting, taxes and banking .
No not my first job it was at my parents store. My parents owned a seven eleven store so I was born in to literally born they owned it when I was born so like when I first started walking or when I little I could go help put things on the shelf and probably junior high or senior year I started working the store working the cash register, that’s my very first job. I’ve been at three different schools, this is my third one, I worked at a bank for ten years and I also worked at a tax accounting firm same time I worked at the bank both were part time jobs so during the day I worked in a bank and nights and weekends I worked at the tax office. So I have background in accounting, taxes and banking .
Santiago:
So how have those jobs affected you as a person or shaped you as a person?
So how have those jobs affected you as a person or shaped you as a person?
Clark:
Well I think all of them have taught me a lot about working with people. At the bank and at the tax office your dealing with adults and situations that could sometimes be bad or sometimes could be good so you never know each situation is different kind of like the kids, you can’t predict what’s going to happen. I think that a lot of the jobs have taught me to have a lot of patience and just again try to be the best that you can be and you know helping customers isn’t always the easy thing, doing your best to resolve whatever problem that they have and knowing that you’ve tried your best and they can walk away feeling that they got some good service, it might not be the right answer but at least you tried. So I think that all of them have contributed to some degree in making me who I am so it’s a little bit of good a little bit of bad a little bit of both.
Well I think all of them have taught me a lot about working with people. At the bank and at the tax office your dealing with adults and situations that could sometimes be bad or sometimes could be good so you never know each situation is different kind of like the kids, you can’t predict what’s going to happen. I think that a lot of the jobs have taught me to have a lot of patience and just again try to be the best that you can be and you know helping customers isn’t always the easy thing, doing your best to resolve whatever problem that they have and knowing that you’ve tried your best and they can walk away feeling that they got some good service, it might not be the right answer but at least you tried. So I think that all of them have contributed to some degree in making me who I am so it’s a little bit of good a little bit of bad a little bit of both.
Santiago:How do you define and view the work world?
Clark:Well I think now definitely its tough with the economy being the way it is. I think people are lucky to have a job. Some people don’t have a job right now, its very unfortunate. I’m personally thankful to have a job and to actually enjoy it and like it I know a lot of people don’t even like their job. So going back to one of your earlier questions just find something that you like because your going to need to do it for twenty or thirty years and if you find something that you kind of just sort of like your not really going to be happy so I think in the work world right now it’s a good thing to have a job and its really hard to find work people are really struggling and I think sometimes you do have to settle then you can find that job or find something different that you like better but that’s what you need to go for but maybe this is also to where maybe having that good educational background would help you cause often times people with a degree will end up getting a job over some one that doesn’t and maybe even being willing to a lesser pay, like some people may have an advanced degree but if there isn’t a job for that and that they have to take minimum wage than maybe doing that for a short time period may do until they get that other job. I just think that a lot of people that I’ve been talking to are losing their jobs left and right. So right now I don’t know what to say
Santiago: Its rough
Clark: Right now it is yeah. Maybe it will change shortly and I’m hoping that it will. My biggest advice is find something that you like because your going to be doing it for a long time and just always renew your skills and update your résumé and be prepared. I have some really smart friends that have lots of advanced degrees and they’ve been laid off but they always try again and their always updating their résumé and taking another class. You have to do something that sets you apart from the next person, you cant just be another, you have to be different.
Clark:Well I think now definitely its tough with the economy being the way it is. I think people are lucky to have a job. Some people don’t have a job right now, its very unfortunate. I’m personally thankful to have a job and to actually enjoy it and like it I know a lot of people don’t even like their job. So going back to one of your earlier questions just find something that you like because your going to need to do it for twenty or thirty years and if you find something that you kind of just sort of like your not really going to be happy so I think in the work world right now it’s a good thing to have a job and its really hard to find work people are really struggling and I think sometimes you do have to settle then you can find that job or find something different that you like better but that’s what you need to go for but maybe this is also to where maybe having that good educational background would help you cause often times people with a degree will end up getting a job over some one that doesn’t and maybe even being willing to a lesser pay, like some people may have an advanced degree but if there isn’t a job for that and that they have to take minimum wage than maybe doing that for a short time period may do until they get that other job. I just think that a lot of people that I’ve been talking to are losing their jobs left and right. So right now I don’t know what to say
Santiago: Its rough
Clark: Right now it is yeah. Maybe it will change shortly and I’m hoping that it will. My biggest advice is find something that you like because your going to be doing it for a long time and just always renew your skills and update your résumé and be prepared. I have some really smart friends that have lots of advanced degrees and they’ve been laid off but they always try again and their always updating their résumé and taking another class. You have to do something that sets you apart from the next person, you cant just be another, you have to be different.
Santiago:
So how did you hear about High Tech High’s internships?
So how did you hear about High Tech High’s internships?
Clark:
Well I knew in our district we had some really smart kids and were really good at computers so I think that IU might’ve just looked at the high schools and the name of course caught my eye High Tech because a lot of the elementary schools are now considered High Tech, High Tech Elementary. So I kind of assumed that most computer savvy kids would be at High Tech High so I just sent an email and I don’t even know how it ended up with Stacy and then more recently the person that is supervising it now, Law, so Law then I think was emailing me this year. So this is my second intern so although I’ve been at this school 3 years just two semesters now I had Phillip last semester and now you and I think that it is a good opportunity for us and then hopefully for you to get some experience or at least see what goes on in a school. So it was kind of accidental just stumbling on the internet.
Santiago:
So what do you like about being a mentor?
So what do you like about being a mentor?
Clark:
Well I think just the opportunity to help someone out and then intern them helping us I mean I think that there needs to be some reciprocity I mean definitely I sought out your help because we needed I mean I genuinely needed help but at the same time hopefully you’ll learn something about a school or elementary school or kids or computers or the library here might help change your mind about certain things or might give you an idea of what you want to be when you get out of high school so just being able to help someone who is then helping me.
Well I think just the opportunity to help someone out and then intern them helping us I mean I think that there needs to be some reciprocity I mean definitely I sought out your help because we needed I mean I genuinely needed help but at the same time hopefully you’ll learn something about a school or elementary school or kids or computers or the library here might help change your mind about certain things or might give you an idea of what you want to be when you get out of high school so just being able to help someone who is then helping me.
Santiago:
So overall in life so far what is your most important lesson that you’ve learned so far that you would like to pass on to me?
So overall in life so far what is your most important lesson that you’ve learned so far that you would like to pass on to me?
Clark:
That’s a tough one. It kind of sounds corny but never give up is one of them, I’ve had some challenges especially leaving the other school that I loved and just coming here I thought that I was ready for a change and then just finding that maybe I didn’t like it here or maybe feeling that I wanted to go back or leave the school or quit but just trying everyday to come back with a different attitude and trying “ ok what can I do differently” not that I ever hated my job but just sometimes that people say things that hurt your feelings or frustrate you but just never giving up at trying to be successful at whatever you do and also just being confident in knowing that you’ve done your very best, like for example when I took this test a couple of weeks ago I felt horrible leaving I had no idea what I did but I mean I did know though that I did try my best but even though I tried my best I felt horrible all weekend long, ten days later I felt horrible I was hard on myself and felt bad and knowing that I gave it my all and if I passed great but if I didn’t I tried my best I can take it again. So just knowing that you have tried your best and that’s all that anyone can really expect from you is that you tried your best.
Santiago: And have a positive outlook on everything that you do.
Clark: Exactly no matter what cause sometimes you have to go through hard things you know life is not always perfect its hardly ever perfect but sometimes you know people are going to be mean to you and say stupid things to you, even adults. Sometimes have to let go of what others say and just focus on the positive things each day and not worry about stuff like that. The worlds pretty tough but if you can find something positive in your day it helps you , I think, through the hard times. Sometimes challenges do make you stronger too. So mean people do help you out sometimes too whether you realize it then or much later that mean people are here too to serve a main purpose in your life and I think that that’s kids too, kids learn lessons from each other and even the mean ones so its interesting yea if we just learned more from kids instead of them having to learn so much from us.
That’s a tough one. It kind of sounds corny but never give up is one of them, I’ve had some challenges especially leaving the other school that I loved and just coming here I thought that I was ready for a change and then just finding that maybe I didn’t like it here or maybe feeling that I wanted to go back or leave the school or quit but just trying everyday to come back with a different attitude and trying “ ok what can I do differently” not that I ever hated my job but just sometimes that people say things that hurt your feelings or frustrate you but just never giving up at trying to be successful at whatever you do and also just being confident in knowing that you’ve done your very best, like for example when I took this test a couple of weeks ago I felt horrible leaving I had no idea what I did but I mean I did know though that I did try my best but even though I tried my best I felt horrible all weekend long, ten days later I felt horrible I was hard on myself and felt bad and knowing that I gave it my all and if I passed great but if I didn’t I tried my best I can take it again. So just knowing that you have tried your best and that’s all that anyone can really expect from you is that you tried your best.
Santiago: And have a positive outlook on everything that you do.
Clark: Exactly no matter what cause sometimes you have to go through hard things you know life is not always perfect its hardly ever perfect but sometimes you know people are going to be mean to you and say stupid things to you, even adults. Sometimes have to let go of what others say and just focus on the positive things each day and not worry about stuff like that. The worlds pretty tough but if you can find something positive in your day it helps you , I think, through the hard times. Sometimes challenges do make you stronger too. So mean people do help you out sometimes too whether you realize it then or much later that mean people are here too to serve a main purpose in your life and I think that that’s kids too, kids learn lessons from each other and even the mean ones so its interesting yea if we just learned more from kids instead of them having to learn so much from us.
