“I turned thirteen here and spent my eighteenth birthday on a Realms trip, so I’d have to say my favorite memories at this school have been growing up alongside some of my best friends while traveling all over Utah and well, the world. I’ll definitely never forget when I fed llamas and alpacas though, I think I cried. ”
Some of my favorite projects I’ve worked on have involved a camera. Whether I’ve focused on photography or video making, I always have the most fun creating it, and feel really proud of the end results. Even if it’s nothing fancy, it’s just been a fun hobby to have developed through my high school years.
While attending Realms, I’ve traveled to Costa Rica, Belize, Guatemala, Cuba, Thailand, Peru, and Vietnam. I don’t think I can actually choose a favorite place I’ve been to, each trip has been so unique and I have so many stories from each place. Cuba did feel like I was walking around in a museum though, and that’s a feeling I haven't experienced anywhere else. I think I just really like stepping back and enjoying the beauty of each country and feeling like I’m living on a postcard.
During my time at Realms I have learned that trial and error is important to succeed in anything you can imagine (a.k.a. Making mistakes). It can be as simple as turning in a few drafts to Mike before submitting the final paper, retaking a test in Ashley’s history class because you’ve found a better way to study and keep notes, bruising up on the same climb until you reach the top, to finally gaining balance on a slack line. The list goes on, but basically, making mistakes can end up being great unconscious decisions.
One of the many unique qualities about Realms is that the community is very close-knit. The teachers have always been super flexible to teach in a way that is beneficial to each student. Everyone has their own way of learning, and our teachers have always made sure to learn the way we need to be taught in order to give us the best support and school experience. So shout out to Ashley, Peter, Mike, and Karri for accommodating our educational needs and for being a strong support system.
This fall Akary will be attending Westminster College and plans to study forensic psychology.