2016 Senior Essay Entry: Ashley Lamoureux

The dynamic of life at North depends on the performance of the students in all areas: academics, athletics, and the arts. In my opinion, it is these opportunities for participation that make North Attleboro High School a truly unique and wonderful place. My experience at North was defined by my participation in various facets of our school. It was through these activities that I became friends with many different people and learned several valuable life lessons. I know that the lessons instilled in me through these experiences have shaped me into the person I am today and will continue to guide me in the future.

              As a self-diagnosed over-achiever, I constantly push myself to achieve more when it comes to academics. One valuable lesson that I have learned through my higher level courses is that Life is Not a Competition. My group of close friends happens to consist of students in the top 10-20% of our class. Naturally, we share many classes and teachers. It can be quite easy for someone like me to become mentally self-destructive and depressed when constantly comparing myself to the others who are also over-achievers. Through my struggles in my math classes to my failure to infiltrate the class top ten, I have learned that comparing myself to others will not help me to improve: it will only bring me down. I discovered that to be successful and to find happiness I must work to better myself instead of trying to be better than someone else.

              In my struggles with math I learned a valuable life lesson: The Importance of Integrity. In my junior year I signed up for Honors level Trig/Pre-Calculus. When I entered the class I knew that it would be difficult for me to do well. A couple of weeks in I was given the option to drop to level one. Aside from the numerous scheduling issues that move would cause, one of which was dropping concert band, I felt as though dropping the class would feel as if I quit. I felt as though I had already made a commitment to take the class. Quitting has never really been my style, but I could quit and receive a higher average in the level one class or stay and fight for a good grade in the honors level. In the end, I decided to stay in the higher level class. Even though I did not do as well as I would have in another level, I learned that I am capable of doing math and completing an insanely difficult class. Through this struggle I learned that following through on one’s commitments and having the integrity to finish strong despite the outcome, is an essential part of succeeding in life.

             Along with my participation in academics at North, I was also present in the Athletic Department. The summer before my freshman year I decided to try out for the field hockey team. Those two weeks consisted of the most mentally and physically exhausting days of my life. To me, all of the pain, pasta, and ice packs I put into that week became worth it when I found out that I had made the team. The Act of Persevering is something that I learned at North before my high school career even started. My participation on the field hockey team showed me that I am stronger than I believe. Even after running a suicide down the field, exhausted and in pain, I learned that I can hop back on the end line and run another one and then go to marching band rehearsal and march a couple of miles. Learning perseverance has allowed me to become more self- confident that even when I think I cannot, I know that I can.

             Along with playing field hockey for four years, I participated on the swim team for four years.  It was through my position as Captain for my senior season that I discovered that There is a Difference Between Being in Charge and Being a Leader. At first I was unsure how to lead the members of the swim team. I tried many different approaches and nothing felt quite right. It felt like I was yelling at people to do what I wanted and having them not listen. Working with the team led me to discover that leadership is more than holding a title or telling people what to do. I learned how to lead by example and to not just yell, but to show. Leadership also means putting others first. Caring for the well-being of the swimmers, more than simply wanting them to follow me, helped me to become someone worth following.

         My participation in the Music Department has been an amazing influence on my life. I learned that creating art or music is not easy. True art is an expression of emotions. It moves and changes and allows others to express themselves through it. In order to truly learn an instrument or to succeed in life, one must have a great deal of Self- Discipline. The students of the music department work tirelessly to train their voices, their ears, and their muscles in order to be better musicians. After school everyday of the week, the music hallway is always full of people practicing for various ensembles or drilling scales and rhythms. To these students, music is not an activity to join, but a way of life. Participation in the Music and Art departments means more than just showing up. In addition to discipline, a person must have Dedication in order to produce amazing art. The devotion and genuine love for music that I have seen in others has taught me that dedication can better my performance in any area and in turn, bring me happiness. I have discovered that doing what I love and loving what I do is the best way to lead a fulfilled life.

           I truly believe that the programs at North Attleboro High School would not have this amazing affect on students without the efforts of our faculty and staff. They truly exemplify dedication.  You can see how much they put of themselves into every performance and competition. My time at North has been shaped by so many of these individuals and their programs. I am confident that I will be capable of handling any problems that I may face in the future because of the lessons I have been taught through my time and participation at North Attleboro High School.