Mlouke Kharbouch, Class of 2014There were many great moments in my ASM career but the most memorable ones would have to be my engagement in the extracurricular activities program such as joining the basketball team and Model United Nations. These clubs encouraged students to thrive outside of the classroom setting. I was the basketball captain for almost 4 years which taught me valuable skills such as leadership, teamwork, and “people’s skills”. These skills are what continue to make me a good pilot and leader. I remember the trips of both MASAC and MUN and how they brought so many people from different cities together. The friendships that were made are unforgettable and long lasting. I still talk to other alumni and we can all agree that those trips will always be some of our best memories. For Model UN, I got to attend conferences both nationally and internationally. Traveling and learning about the different cultures that the world had to offer truly prepared me for my career today. ASM always strived to allow students to find their passion and dreams. The curriculum ensured that there was a wide range of classes in which students could discover what they admire. ASM allowed me to try out multiple different fields of study. For example I did MUN for a few years and explored that side of political science. But then I found my passion through aviation and ASM gave me the space to grow and dive deeper into my passion. Also, with new universities visiting ASM and presenting on campus, I had several opportunities to learn more about what each university offered whether it was in the US, the UK or elsewhere in the world.One the best aspects of ASM would have to be the small classes. The intimate setting of the classroom allowed for personal relationships between students and teachers to flourish. Being in a small community where everyone knew everyone ensured that students were comfortable not only around other students but also around teachers. There wasn’t a boundary between staff and learners. It felt easy to be myself around teachers due to the relationships that a small classroom encouraged. The teachers always went above and beyond to help us achieve everything we wanted. For example, I remember Ms. Marx, my English teacher and College Counselor, who helped me prepare a great college application that ended up getting me into my dream university and earning me a scholarship. They were more than just our teachers, they were our mentors too. Thank you for making me the person that I am today: Mr. Hetzer, Mr. Davis, Dr. Brovkin, Ms. Ulsh, Mr. Williams, Mrs. Aires, Ms. Marx, Mrs. Atika… My experiences at ASM can be described as overall very positive. Being in a community where students were prioritized felt rewarding. My classmates became family and my teachers became mentors. The same students that I started KG-1 with are the ones I graduated with. Its safe to say that we were more than just classmates, we are family. There were times where school felt overwhelming and stressful. I believe the process of finding your passion and figuring out what your goals in life are will make you feel a bit overwhelmed. But ASM made sure to provide that guidance and assistance that all students need to have to help them figure out who they are and what they want to become.