Hugo Medeiros

John Horton
Advisory
5/25/16
Habits of Mind Essay
Wellness, Humility, Creativity, Community Engagement, Collaboration, Zest, Organization, Grit,
Self-Advocacy, Optimism

Junior year has was the best year when it came to relationships with students, teachers, and the
community. As a junior, I believe that I have fulfilled a number of HOMs but there is always room
to grow. The following habits of mind are ways of living that I have either effectively
demonstrated this year or lacked to show.
Strengths: Collaboration, Grit, Community Engagement, Optimism, Self Advocacy, Humility,
Integrity
Weaknesses: Creativity, Zest, Organization
Strengths:
Because of junior year requirements, community engagement was forced upon me. At
first, working outside the Blackstone community was uncomfortable to me. Soon enough
however, I was taking RIPTA to RICs bookstore and traveling to the RI Blood Center every six
weeks for group donations. Throughout my community service experiences, I met a man named
Steve from RIC who has been running school stores for over 20 years. I also met Glenn, a
representative from the blood center. Both men have shared so much with me and both are
willing to write recommendation letters for me. Not to mention also that with the help of Kyleen,
Staff, Tracy, and I, Blackstones blood donation numbers have more than tripled compared to
last year. Being active in the community not only boosted my resume, but it brought me closer to
community leaders, exemplary characters, and future opportunities.
Junior year has easily been the most difficult and demanding couple of months in my
entire highschool career. freshman year, I set a goal for myself. It was to finish high school with
a 4.0 GPA. As of right now, It doesnt seem probable but I am still improving. To keep on
improving however, I had to demonstrate grit every single day. Because junior year is the year
that colleges pay the most attention too, I found myself indulging in new academic areas and
exceeding my regular responsibilities. I joined clubs, played volleyball, took calculus, and
enrolled in a college psychology class. All of the following happened simultaneously. And at one
point, I was stressed, and I was honestly booked. SATs were coming and numerous activities
seemed to pile up on the same days. Despite my difficulties, I ended every quarter with honors,
excelled in the college classroom, finished the volleyball season, and prepared myself for the
SATs. The sole reason I was able to finish was because of my promise to myself from 2 years
ago. I know that success takes hard work and I believe that my junior year is able to prove that.

Both my internship and service learning project required collaboration. Because I work
with a peer in both, I have learned how to effectively work with others and their ideas. Ive
learned to appreciate an extra hand and also the distribution of responsibilities. In my freshman
and sophomore year, I had very little faith in others and their ability to complete tasks that had
my name on it. Because of my collaboration this year, Ive gotten rid of that habit and used
communication to have my peers and I on the same page. This skill is applicable to any field of
study/work as projects are better executed with two or more minds working on them.
This school year, I was required to be very optimistic about my own capabilities. At
times, I became so stressed that I lost hope of finishing anything that I needed to do. But
believing that my academic and social life could get better with effort truly helped me get
through it. When I applied effort to the work I was doing, it gave me hope. I was more confident
about the quality of work I was completing and it taught me to not only care about the grade I
receive from an assignment, but to care about the knowledge I get from completing that
assignment also. I believe that I demonstrated optimism the entire year because with the
exception of first quarter, Junior year doesnt give you time to catch your breath.
As a young adult and a student, I believe that I have a strong sense of what is necessary
for my success. Therefore, I continue to demonstrate self-advocacy. Everything that I do in
school, in the community, and at home, are ways to guide me to the right path. I take difficult
courses for colleges to notice me. I work with the Blood Center to save lives. I do my chores at
home to avoid scolding. Yes, all of the following differ in severity but most of my actions are
meant to affect me positively. I am the director of my own life and I know what I should do to
become the best version of myself. Sure, at times I need advice from those who are wiser than
me but for the most part, I have my life under my own control.
Integrity, Humility
Junior year has been the hardest school year when it came to confronting my
weaknesses. It was the school year where I had to take responsibility and face both anger and
criticism from teachers. From scheduling problems with Blood Center trips to play fighting in
economics, this year I have fully come in terms with the type of person that I am and the
responsibility I have as a role model at Blackstone. My realization of this couldnt have come at
a better time. Next year, during Blackstone's second expansion, I will be a senior. And it is my
responsibility as the oldest in the school and a member of the last small class to show
lowerclassmen what Blackstone is made of.
Weaknesses:
This year, creativity was a weakness for because I took a safe approach when it came
to my work. I completed my work in a way that was efficient but not entirely inventive. I didnt do
this voluntarily either. I noticed that being in a grade level that colleges pay the most attention to
caused me to shy away from my more outgoing version of myself. I didnt look at projects or
papers with the same invigorating passion like I did before. Next year however, I hope this

changes. The pressure of applying to colleges will still exist but Im not throwing away another
year of my most innovative work.
I noticed in the middle of the year that I lost my patience with people, particularly
students who had absolutely no interest in school. Those are the same people that I was zestful
around during freshman and sophomore year. Every class, I would make an attempt to invite
them into conversations or offer help but I would always receive an emotionless shrug. Junior
year however, I tuned these people out. Im not stating that it was the right thing to do but it
certainly took a weight off my shoulders. But what was most interesting was that I adopted their
attitude and projected it against them. I showed no interest and quite frankly, I still dont. I
participate in everything in an enthusiastic manner but when Im confronted with these types of
people, I become apathetic.
Organization has been a weakness of mine ever since first grade. Every year, I buy
binders, dividers, notebooks, pens, and pencils. And when the second quarter comes along, I
have nothing. I lose papers, I dont use my agenda, and I lose around four pencils everyday. I
am nowhere near organized but I realize that its something I have to change. As college comes
closer and my responsibilities multiply, I must learn how to become more organized. If I dont, I
can suffer tremendously and possible lose out on multiple opportunites.