Alumni Reflection – Sean
August 22, 2019
Alumni Reflection
Cassandra Wiesner
I attended IDEAL for 11 years, graduating from IDEAL Middle School in 2012. After IDEAL, I went to Oxbridge Academy of the Palm Beaches for all 4 years of High School and it was a wonderful experience. It is a small school similar to IDEAL, therefore I knew most people there and the teachers. I was the secretary of the Cancer Club for 3 years, helping my best friend who, the president, who started the club my freshman year after he survived cancer. I was also elected Secretary of the Student Government. Being the Secretary of the school, on top of Cancer Club, allowed me to improve my organizational skills and enhance my public speaking thanks to all of the events we planned. I assisted with hosting weekly school assemblies and now being in college, I feel like I can get up in front of people anywhere.
I also participated in the dance team throughout high school, which helped me continue my passion, while still managing my time with school work. Aside from dance, I managed of the boys’ varsity lacrosse team. This was one of my favorite parts of high school experience because I got to learn so much about a sport by doing all the statistics for games; I also gained a passion for watching this sport. Other than dance, I had never been part of a team sport before so this helped me feel involved with a team and feel as though I gained 40 bothers that always had my back. At the end of the 4 years I even received a varsity letter and award for “Most Dedicated and Energetic Manager”. Last but not least, I received an award for the Honors Society. I am currently in North Carolina at High Point University obtaining a bachelor’s degree in strategic communications with a minor in journalism. My experience here has been incredible.
One thing I can say going from IDEAL, to Oxbridge and now being a Junior here at High Point, all these schools have something in common. They all have brought me to think about one thing, they have all helped my to think about the wonderful person Dr. and Mrs. Soderman helped my become. All those assemblies that I would sit through where we would discuss virtues, values, emotional intelligences, I never realized how much they would really matter until I was out in the real world experiencing all of them. IDEAL was always a special school to my family and me. IDEAL helped to teach me skills I see myself cherishing through the rest of my life. I feel that I have a great heart, wonderful values, I know how to be respectful and I know I can handle certain situations, these are all life lessons IDEAL showed me. This has shaped how I presented myself in my internship interviews to how I treat the lady that picks up the garbage after us at school EVERY SINGLE DAY with a smile on her face.
I feel like I have accomplished so much through my years after leaving IDEAL and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I’ve participated in the Entrepreneurship Club, joined Kappa Delta Sorority and went across the world to Australia, not knowing a single soul, to study for a semester. Going across the world and meeting random people was amazing because I was able to introduce myself and spark up a conversation with every person I met, thanks to Wendy Soderman. She showed me how to ALWAYS be polite and look people in the eye. That may sound so simple, but if you knew how many people I saw going to Australia in my program that wouldn’t even introduce themselves or look at me as I said hello, it makes you realize how these little simple things we learn as we are growing up can impact who we are for the REST OF OUR LIVES. Now, I am currently finishing up my Junior year in college, looking at accepting an internship in New York or LA to working in news and journalism and I could not be happier. I am very lucky for the people I have had supporting me in my life because I am so happy of how far I have come.
