Meeting Street – Brentwood alumna Erin Efa is one of the school’s first students to be accepted to Academic Magnet High, one of the best public magnet schools in the country. She reflected on her time at Meeting Street – Brentwood and shared her experience with Meeting Street Schools staff during Launch Day on July 30. Below is her speech.
My name is Erin Efa and I am a rising sophomore at Academic Magnet High School. I am honored to stand before you today and share a little about my amazing teachers who helped me to get where I am today. My dream is to work in the medical field and become a nurse, just like my incredible Mom.
I’m a proud product of Meeting Street – Brentwood, a place that changed me forever. My teachers saw in me potential that even I couldn’t see.
When I was in seventh grade, I was enrolled in an eighth grade math classes – one year ahead of where I “should” have been. Mrs. Murrell, my math teacher, pulled me aside and told me she thought I should skip ahead to Algebra 1.
I was worried. I thought it would be hard and I didn’t know if I could do it. But she believed in me and challenged me to push myself. She also let me know that if it didn’t work out, I always could go back to where I was.
As it turns out, Algebra 1 was pretty easy. Math always had been my strongest subject, but I learned something new about myself – I realized I could do something really hard if I committed to it. It’s because of teachers such as Mrs. Murrell that I was able to get a 100 on the End of Course exam as a seventh grader. And I learned a big lesson – to never doubt myself and to believe in my abilities.
At Brentwood, I was in a community filled with incredible people. Meeting Street – Brentwood made me want to be a role model and a leader. It made me want to make my parents proud. It made me want to do my best academically. Because of Meeting Street – Brentwood, I wanted people to see me for the better.
I first heard about Academic Magnet High School from our Alumni Transitions Coordinator Mrs. Curtis. Academic Magnet has a highly selective admissions process, and it ranks among the top 10 public schools in the country. It seemed like the right place for me because it would best prepare me for my future.
Because of the teachers who had helped me along the way, I felt more confident. With this confidence, I only applied to Magnet. It was a risk, but I trusted my academic skills. In the end, that risk paid off. Being accepted to Academic Magnet High is one of my biggest accomplishments in life.
Meeting Street – Brentwood holds a special place in my heart and can never be replaced. Every single one of my teachers taught me something memorable.
Ms. Gibson, Ms. Riley, Ms. Mondschein, just to name a few, all had something in common. Do you know what that is? It’s their smile. Their smile brought fun and joy into their classrooms. Their positivity was contagious, and it made students feel engaged in learning and believe in themselves. Even now that I’m no longer at Brentwood, I still remember that feeling of being in their classrooms.
So, teachers, I want to challenge you to approach teaching with as much joy as you can. You have the chance to make a lasting impact on your students. You are shaping future leaders, and you can help them realize their goals and dreams.
I think the poet Maya Angelou said it best: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Finally, I want to say thank you. Thank you to my family who always has been there for me, providing me with their love and support. They continue to push me to do well and I will continue to try to rise to their expectations. And thank you to Meeting Street – Brentwood and all Meeting Street Schools staff. I wouldn’t be where I am today without you.
I wish you a school year filled with growth and joy for you and your students.
Thank you.
