All About Me: Be yourself because nobody else can do it better

1.
Tell us about yourself in a brief autobiography of between 20 - 25 sentences. Where are you from? What do you most like to study? What are your passions and your dreams? Tell us a bit about your personality. Are you outgoing? A leader? Quiet and shy? An observer? What do you want us to know about you?

Hi! My full name is Katherine, but you can call me Katie. I am 16 years old and a junior (11th grade) at Florida Virtual School. It was through Mrs. Brandao, the Club Sponsor for the International Club on FLVS, who was also my previous Global Studies teacher in 9th grade that I was able to learn about the opportunity to apply for the DOTCOM program. I am proud to be a part of a school where students all over the US and the world are able to take classes at FLVS. Not only is FLVS making strides globally, but technically as well. It is ranked number 1 in the Nation for a Virtual Education Program. Each weekday I log on to enter my FLVS courses and I create a schedule for every day to ensure that I complete my required assignments each week. The teachers and students regularly use the latest web technologies available, such as Elluminate, an online meeting “room” with video, voice, application sharing, and whiteboard functions. In addition, FLVS has just created a beta online game version of our newest high school course, “American History”, where students bring history to life in an interactive, 3D environment. Moreover, I have a middle school brother, who was able to skip a grade because of FLVS, and an older brother who is a veteran FLVS student and currently attends a private Florida college. My parents, who have home schooled me since 2nd grade, would say I am ambitious, determined and love working things out like puzzles. My friends would describe me as very friendly, loyal, and non-judgmental. My boyfriend would describe me as peaceful, intuitive and “down to earth”. In addition, people I have worked with or for would say I am good at taking control, being fair, and keeping a positive outlook.

I live in one of the most cultural and community based cities in Florida, West Palm Beach. Florida is often described as the “melting pot” of the world. I have friends of all different, nationalities, races, religions and cultures. FLVS is a prime example of a school bringing students of all different cultures and with different ways of life together. In addition, prestigious schools such as the University of Florida take pride in their rich and diverse culture of students at school, who are brought together by their interests in academics and sports. Furthermore, I moved to Palm Beach County 4 years ago from Fredericksburg Virginia, a town rich with American history. Prior to Virginia, I lived in Albany New York, and I was born in Boston Massachusetts. In addition, my family and I have traveled cross-country on the “auto-train” from Virginia to California, and everywhere in between. Some of the highlights include stopping in New Mexico and purchasing homemade burritos (yum) and beautiful handmade jewelry. In addition, we visited Chicago, the Grand Canyon, and several places in California. Even though I have learned about different cultures by living all along the east coast and traveling around the US, as well as to Canada and Barbados, I would love to have the chance to travel more abroad and widen my knowledge. Moreover, I love to travel and meet new people because I believe that the best way to learn is from personal experiences.


My passion is to make a difference in the lives of others. I have made an impact in the lives of many people through volunteering. My first of many volunteer experiences was joining my youth group on a weeklong summer mission trip called Catholic Heart Work Camp (CHWC) to Bluffton, South Carolina where we fixed up homes, schools, and children centers in the very impoverished town. The hot and stormy weather did not compare to the smiles and graciousness of the kids, parents and teachers that we helped. I am looking forward to the opportunity of attending CHWC again this summer in Tampa, Florida. Another major volunteer project I was a part of was the SHOCK (Students Helping Others Collect Knowledge) program with FLVS. Helping new FLVS students understand and feel comfortable in their new school environment was very rewarding in the sense that I assisted them in bettering their education. I believe that I am a very compassionate and openhearted person because of the experiences that I have received through volunteering. Moreover, I love to be in “the know” about the most current topics and ideas of our world. Through my love of helping others, learning new skills, and traveling to other areas, I have determined that in college, an optional area of study I would enjoy is International Public Health. I believe that my interest in theses different types of areas has developed my open-minded and compassionate personality along with my appreciation for other cultures. Overall, I am the type of person that loves spreading a message.