So it’s the end of April, and with May right around the corner, I am beginning to come to the realization that the end of my high school career is rapidly approaching. This realization brings both a longing for the past and an excitement for the future. Over the past couple of weeks, I have found myself beginning to reflect on the changes and growth that have occurred over the past few months. It is during these times of reflection that I come to realize just how much has happened, how much I have learned, and how much I have been able to grow throughout my final semester in high school.
Google Docs Collaboration
During my times of reflection, I cannot help, but think back to the first couple of weeks of AP Government. I remember our couple of assignments, my first blog post, my first group project. I remember “Learning the Tools,” becoming acquainted with every technologically fascinating tool available to our world today. Before this assignment I had never heard of VoiceThread, Google Docs, WordPress, or even RSS Feeds: all the tools that make collaboration so incredibly easy. Through these many tools, I have been able to meet, work, and collaborate with girls from Hawaii to Texas to Tennessee. It has also been through these collaboration tools that I have learned just how possible it is to complete a group project from thousands of miles away.
This online AP Government class has granted me with countless opportunities. Not only has the class presented me with opportunities to become proficient in vital technological tools, but it has also presented me with opportunities to grow. Because of my online class, I have been given opportunities to explore my own beliefs and discuss varying views and opinions with people located all over the country. It has been through these discussion times that my own beliefs have changed and grown.
My Group's Electoral System
This class has also provided me with important lessons that I will carry with me throughout my life. I have learned that I am capable of challenging myself, managing my time, and am capable of being truly independent. I have also grown through learning about the American Government. Through this class, my own understanding and pride for the United States has grown. I have learned just how important my own voice is, how intricate our government is,and how beautifully diverse the American people are. I have analyzed what makes an American an “American,” I have considered the importance of Congress, have thought about our own rights and liberties, and I have even created my own electoral system. Everything that I have learned through this class has granted me with a greater understanding of our country, an understanding that I will carry with me to the polls this November.
Over the past semester, I have survived an exchange program to Spain, been accepted to college, chosen a college, and have studied the ins and outs of the American Government. At first glance, each challenge that I have been faced with may seem very separate, but I have come to realize that each challenge has complemented the other. What I learned and experience during my time in Spain has contributed to my greater understanding of and pride for the United States of America. What I have learned as a student in an online course studying government has contributed to my choosing of colleges and to my choosing a potential major. Each experience has come together, and together they have shaped my future. With all my new knowledge and with all my new experiences, I am strong in my belief that I will be able to confidently enter the world and take on every challenge with full force.
OSG's AP Government & Politics 