Akira, St.Francis de Sales junior, talks about being a Pioneer transfer student

I am Akira, an SFDS Junior, who transferred from De La Salle institute. When you transfer it can feel quite scary and intimidating, a quote that speaks to me would be “If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”Martin Luther King Jr. It suggests that no matter what obstacles you face or if you worry about what you can’t do there’s always an alternative or something to move on to. Change itself is not an easy experience, but transferring to Saint Francis De Sales was one of the best decisions my family and I have ever made. I transferred to St. Francis on a journey to move forward to better, and enhance my knowledge so that I could express my capabilities and become successful. and on that journey, the staff and students of St. Francis de sales welcomed me with open arms, I had not only found a school that was financially affordable but also provided me with opportunities, academic success and taught me how to become a leader and break those barriers that so many of us faced. Also I felt extremely comfortable around the diverse community with so many Pioneers embracing me and accepting me as a transfer student. I also learned so many valuable lessons and skills like managing responsibilities and time, having empathy, and spreading positivity and joy. These are skills that I knew were inside me but coming together as a community of pioneers, working as a team, becoming an ambassador for the school , and welcoming those potentially interested in attending St. Francis just reminded me of the kind hearts and importance of making every student feel welcomed. It reminds me of that quote because this learning experience has shown me that there’s no such thing as not being able to do something because if you put your mind to it you can, and with the classroom sizes being small each teacher is able to individually help every student achieve their goals. After being so anxious about transferring I found a community that accepts me and embraces my talents and gifts unconditionally, and helps everyone with any of their struggles. With every obstacle you move forward. And I proudly plan to embrace being a pioneer even after graduation. In my heart I believe I've always been a pioneer and it took me transferring to a school with such kindness to remind me of that. I thank all of my teachers and the staff at St. Francis who believe in the success of every student. Whether you’ve been there since coming out of 8th grade or if you’re a transfer student, it doesn’t make you any less greater than what you are.