As the 2016-2017 academic  school year begins to come to an end, there are only three months to spare, many students find the strength to muddle through. As a student at Millennium Brooklyn High School, a question comes to mind; what comes next? What does the future hold as another academic year comes to an end? As stated on the school’s website,  MBHS’ mission is to, “prepare students for college and lifelong success through a rigorous academic program that is driven by project-based and experiential learning”. Throughout the school year, students are pushed to thrive and conquer many obstacles thrown at them academically to eventually fulfill the school’s mission directly.

Li Dong, a junior who currently attends Millennium Brooklyn, is a product of the school’s mission. She described her year as, “definitely challenging because I got a lot more homework this year compared to when I was a sophomore”. As she ends her junior year , referred to as the most challenging but important year, in a student’s high school career she continues to challenge herself as she discusses her summer plans, “ I have a summer internship secured so that will be the majority of my summer, I’ll be interning at a fashion PR company called KCD, it’ll be the first summer where I’ll work and it’ll help me determine whether or not I want to major in communications when I am in college”.

Similarly to Li’s 2016-2017 academic experience Kyle Israel could relate as he reflected on his sophomore year, “I felt that I have done pretty good, but I want to do better and usually do better with my average”. Both students are fulfilling the school’s mission, as they push themselves to perform to their greatest potential. Kyle’s plans for the final upcoming months of school he stated “ I hope to improve my average and prepare myself to do good on my upcoming regents”. With many major upcoming events approaching on Millennium Brooklyn’s calendar such as, the PSAT/SAT for 10th and 11th graders on April 5th,  Colleges that change lives info session and College fair May 21st the next three months has students such as Kyle and Li pushing to finish strong.

Students aren’t the only ones trying to finish off the school year strong, teachers are as well. French teacher and 12th grade advisor Mr.Wallin reflected on his year as he stated, “This year I feel good about some of the steps I have taken to get to know my students better and to create some space for me to think and reflect, as both of them are necessary for me to perform well and to improve”. As many forget, teachers are human beings and they try to get through the year along with their students. Mr.Wallin describes his next three months as he is looking,”forward to continued conversations with seniors as the upcoming transition becomes more and more a reality. The sense of anticipation pushes students to think new thoughts and ask great questions, and I always enjoy any opportunities to participate in that”. He believes that, “There’s also a lot of good energy in the spring, with the approach of warmer weather and summer, and in my experience that results in a lot of fun moments”.

As Mr.Wallin discusses the final chapter of his 2016-2017 academic school year, he reflected on his final experience as a high school student around this time of year, “The time I spent working was incredibly valuable, as it made me appreciate the challenges and benefits of a full-time job, it made me appreciate the opportunity to study full-time at college, and it made me more comfortable interacting with adults as peers”. As many students prepare for the final days of school approaching the days to final vacation, many students at MBHS reflect on their past academic year and prepares them for what lies ahead. The race isn’t for the swift, it’s for those who can endure, as MBHS students wrap up the next three months of academic year 2016-2017.