Thank you to everyone who helped me go to this program and helped me through it, it was a life changing experience and I will never have the words to express just how grateful I am. The program itself was not what I expected, later I realized that that was a good thing. I was able to learn new things as well as advance on things I already knew. We worked with Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator with one instructor, Gigi, and worked with markers and clothing with the other instructor Vasi. One of the most important lessons I have learned from this program is that no one's opinion matters more than the other; not yours, not your teacher and not even professionals. The work you create is yours and yours alone but everyone is allowed to have a say, which I believe makes it Art. Not that everyone looks at it, not that it's hung in a museum, but that everyone can have their say about it and be impacted by the piece in a certain way. The other kids in my class really banded together, we had a few friends from other classes but we really stuck together. My classmates Jenny, Adriana, Alina and I would eat lunch together every day. If we were early enough, Alina and I commuted in from New Jersey and the Bronx respectively, we would go up to the cafeteria where we would find Jenny and Adriana eating breakfast. The four of us sat together in class, we asked each other for help, we would go to the art store and the printing lab together, and we ate together at some point every day. I am unsure about any other culture but I know that the Latin community places a very heavy importance on eating together. Eating is something you do with family and friends, where you talk about your day, and where you bond together. Adriana being from Puerto Rico and Alina and I being from Colombia, we realized this fact and made it a point to sit and eat together every day. It was a home away from home before I knew it. I have a favorite coffee shop near the campus, there's a Chipotle down the street where I can go get a taste of home when I miss it, there is a Japanese deli around the corner where I can get my favorite Japanese desserts, and Washington Square Park is a little stroll away from the main building. 13th and 5th quickly became something that was mine, something that I have gratefully shared with family and friends. The smothering heat of the city will always be something that stands out in my memory, as well and the sweaty crowd of the subway, but the feeling I have when I reflect is that of family and home.

This school year has been by far the most challenging. With AP tests and the normal allotment of high school drama, it's been hard to keep my grades and my spirits up, but I did it! My American Studies teacher taught me that "Nothing worth doing is easy," and my chemistry teacher taught me that "Words have meaning". I've explored abstract concepts like beauty, dignity, and time. Looking back, I couldn't be happier with my growth and the shedding of my former self.

Looking forward, I couldn't be more excited to spend my summer at Parsons and be immersed in the 'art world.' Learning new techniques and having a class that solely revolves around something I'm passionate about -- I'm exhilarated just thinking about it! There aren't words to explain how grateful I am to those who have helped me along the way and have supported me on my journey!