Erica O.
Class of 2014
As my second year at Harvard winds down, I reflect on the people, experiences, and lessons that have guided me along my journey. Throughout my nine years as a St.George student, I learned invaluable lessons from amazing teachers and the community that have shaped who I am today, and continue to influence my decisions each day. Besides providing me with the academic foundation necessary to succeed at Holy Names Academy, where I was one of the valedictorians in 2018, the teachers at St. George taught me the importance of collaboration,
the importance of service, and planted seeds of empowerment and confidence. Collaboration and teamwork is encouraged at St. George with every group project, each class assembly, every music concert, as well as fifth grade patrol. The critical lessons of collaboration learned at St.George have helped me successfully complete a software engineering internship during high school, allowed me to communicate effectively and work efficiently with a small teaching group in China last summer, and continue being essential in my physics research this summer. As I work towards a Bachelor's degree in Chemistry and Physics at Harvard University, collaboration and teamwork, especially in the context of labs and research, have been crucial. In addition to teaching me the importance of collaboration, I am grateful for the emphasis placed on service by teachers and leaders in the St.George community--many of which lead by example. Diving into service has led me to deepen my understanding and practice of compassion and empathy, allowing me to forge deeper connections in the communities that I am a part of. Going forward, as I prepare to apply to graduate schools and beyond, I know that what I have learned at St.George will continue to guide and help me.