Paper 2 Section B

    I am a new student in this charter school located on Marco Island, Florida. It is a smaller school, with approximately 300 students. I heard the old school was in trailers, as the building is fresh and brand new. I'm grateful that I got here when I did as I would not have wanted to go to school in a bunch of trailers. The school gives off a jolly look as it is colorful and smaller than the usual school building. The school almost resembles an aquarium with the ocean theme and the manta rays, which is the mascot, located everywhere. I was a little nervous at first as the scenery was completely new and nothing like I had ever seen before.
    
    I walk in through the front door, which is activated by a keycard. The faculty give out keycards to each student so they can access all the doors. I thought that the school was high-tech at first whenever I received the keycard, but that seems to be the only technological aspect worth mentioning within the school. There are 3D printers, but they are almost never in use. After I walk through the door, I am greeted by the dean, Mr. Ray. The dean is a very nice person who lights up a room whenever he enters one. It is clear that everyone in the school, staff and students, treats him with respect. Mr. Ray introduces me to the principal, Ms. Scott. She is a kind person who treats the students as kids of her own. It is clear that she loves her job. I get a good impression from the school based on the principal and dean, which are two people that students don’t usually want to speak to on many occasions. The staff as a whole are caring and kind towards the students, or my first impression of them is.

    After I my pleasant introductions with the staff, I get to tour my classes. I chose mainly honors classes to get a diploma and scholarship for college. These classes are hard and not very enjoyable, but they get me where I want to go. The school offers it, which is another positive aspect of the school. The negative aspects of the school start with the teaching in my opinion. Some teachers just hand out work and expect it to be done with positive inclining results as the semester goes on, but this doesn’t help students grow. In my opinion, the teachers at this school that help the students individually and connect with them on a personal level are the teachers that truly help the students. There are a lot of those at this school as it is a smaller school. But, with the handful that actually help the students, there are a select few that do not execute their job well.

    The security in the school is top notch. Any threat to the school is next to none. This is another positive aspect of the school as I want a school that will protect me and eliminate threats beforec they even become one, which is exactly what Marco Island academy does.

    Overall, the school is excellent for my first impression. Even though it is smaller, it provides the same advantages and social aspects that a bigger, public school offers. I am very happy with my decision to come to Marco Island Academy and I encourage others flood the doors as well.

9.1 Exam Style Question

 (a) 

Welcome New Students!

Here at this school we always do our best in everything we do. The standard for the students here is to always give it your all. Nothing less is expected. But, this school is also all about enjoying your high school experience. As long as you try your best and have fun with it, high school will be a blast!

The Journey Starts Here

Your whole life is ahead of you and it starts here. High school is one of the most important times in almost anybody’s life. The lessons you will learn here will stick with you for the rest of your life. High school is also incredibly important because it sets up your future. Getting good grades and staying out of trouble will set you up for life after this place. It is important to always remember to do the right thing, it will play a magnificent factor in your future. 

Setting an Example

At this point in your life it is important to grow. Instead of maintaining the immaturity of young age, this school will help you become a leader or role model. That is the goal at the end of the day, to become the best person you can be. This school will set that up for you, but the rest is on you. The decisions you make today will determine tomorrow. 

Life After High School

One of the many goals in high school is to graduate. At this school, graduation is guaranteed if the work is put in. Many hours and days of your present life will be taken up by school. But it is important to stay focused on the goal and accomplish it at the end of your high school career. 

Social Aspect 

Friendship and relationships are important to anyone, especially someone growing and maturing such as a high school student. At this school, there are plenty of other individuals to meet. Your social life can flourish here as this school has a reputation for being open-minded and caring for each and every person that walks through the entrance. The standard here is to be kind to everyone, no matter the situation. 

Standard of Kindness

At this school, anything less than kindness and companionship for each other is looked down upon. Every student and staff member is part of a big family here, so we treat everyone as if they were our own family. 

(b) 

The assignment was to create a leaflet for students entering a new high school. Meaning that the linguistic choices within my response would affect the readers. The effect that is supposed to be given to the audience is one of persuasion. While the students are already going to that high school, the persuasion lies with the experience of the high school. The goal is to show how beneficial and satisfactory the school is. The leaflet I wrote is descriptive, meaning that I’m describing a certain person, place, or object. In this case, I’m describing a place, the high school that the new students are attending. I reference the school in only positive ways. For example, I wrote “Your social life can flourish here as this school has a reputation for being open-minded and caring for each and every person that walks through the entrance”. This sentence specifically, shines a light on the culture of the school and how beneficial it is. The words such as “flourish” and “through the entrance” give an effect towards the reader, this effect is one of support as the sentence shows the student that they are supported at this high school.