Attending West Portal Lutheran School was a blessing and privilege that shaped the life I live today. Below is a recounting of some of my memories as a student, including lessons learned, and my path beyond middle school.
Classroom Recollections Turned Life-Long Lessons
In 1993, when I was 11 years old, my parents enrolled me at West Portal Lutheran School. Mrs. Finley was my first teacher. She welcomed me, listened to me, and made me feel a part of the school. Each morning, we began class with a prayer which was sung: “God has created a new day, silver and green and gold. Live that the sunset may find us worthy his gifts to hold.” Mrs. Finley’s summer school class was my first hands-on experience commingling faith with daily activities.
In 6th grade, Mr. Morris taught us how to diagram sentences grammatically. He would call on students to go up to the chalk board, listen to a sentence he would speak, and then diagram it in front of the class. Sometimes sentences were so long that they could not fit on one chalk board alone. When it was my turn, I felt nervous because I did not want to fail in front of the class. But once I stopped paying attention to the faces staring at me, and really focused on the sentence, I was able to draw the diagram correctly. The experience was not only a confidence booster, but a reminder to have faith in my ability.
In 7th grade, Mrs. Bruggeman-Wong, who taught humanities, helped us develop our reading and writing skills. One day she told us we were “ice-skating” through assignments. Whether we were writing essays, short answers, or working on projects like a booklet about our ethnic heritage, I had never before considered comparing the process of assignment completion to ice skating. But that day, I experienced a light bulb moment: rushing through work just to “get it over with” was like wasting a chance to learn. My takeaway was that assignments required focus and engagement. They were to be completed meaningfully and to the best of my ability. Doing so was the first step to manage the stress of test taking: investing the time and effort into learning the material in the first place.
Educational Foundation and Social/Emotional Insights
In 1996, by the time graduation arrived, I had made academic strides and grown personally. I learned German, how to play the recorder, and participated in Speech. My report card showed strong grades and class ranking. I was accepted into Lowell and Mercy. I was awarded “Most Congenial Girl”. In addition to an educational foundation, I departed West Portal Lutheran School with a number of insights that would serve me in high school and beyond: I gained confidence in my ability to think critically; I learned how to listen; I understood for the first time that no one is perfect, and that making mistakes is a natural part of learning; and I felt comfortable asking for help. Although I was sad to be leaving my friends and teachers, I was not scared. I knew that I was ready and prepared for whatever high school held in store for me.
High School: Classes and Youth Group
In Fall 1996, I entered Mercy High School, San Francisco. Freshman year academics were rather straightforward. In Sophomore year, I began taking honors classes. By Junior year, I was taking Advanced Placement classes. Having taken two years of German at West Portal Lutheran helped me learn how to go about learning another language: Spanish. Thinking about grammar structures and vocabulary came easily because I had done it before. There were a number of West Portal Lutheran students who went to Mercy, and some of my closest relationships were with them. In addition to focusing on academics, a group of us also ran Cross Country and Track and Field. Some of my closest friends were those with whom I studied and ran. In 2000, when our class graduated, there were four of us with grade point averages within a hundredth of a point of each other. The Mercy High School administration allowed all four of us to share the Valedictorian role, and three of the four of us were West Portal Lutheran School graduates.
I was welcomed into West Portal Lutheran Church’s high school youth group led by
Mr. Holt, our Youth Director. This group offered me service opportunities for four years. This
membership was particularly special because my peers and I grew up together in fellowship. We attended Bible studies. We performed skits and staffed fundraising dinners and other events. Easter brunch was often directed by Mr. Holt. I was surprised to learn that not only could my 7th and 8th grade History and Religion teacher crack eggs with one hand, but he could orchestrate a delicious meal for the entire congregation. Youth group allowed us to travel beyond the city and state. We went to Portland, Oregon to participate in a program supporting inner city youth. We traveled to Couer d’ Alene, Idaho, helping paint cabins for a local camp. We took summer trips to Lake Berryessa where we enjoyed swimming and water skiing. Connecting with my peers through fellowship activities for four years granted me a sense of belonging that was invaluable.
Coming of Age: College and Beyond
The support I received at home, at Mercy High School, and from the West Portal Lutheran Church high school youth group helped me navigate coming of age. When I finished high school, although I knew there was growth to be had as a person, I did not have to manage the identity crisis that some young people experience. I comfortably chose for myself the type of person I was going to be in the world: a person who cared about my
family, friends, and community and helped them when I could; a person who strived to observe both the golden and silver rules; a person who was humble. I knew that college and life beyond would necessitate hard work, yet I felt comfortable and ready to begin those next challenges because my sense of self was established.
As an undergraduate, I attended the University of San Francisco, studying abroad in Mexico (2002) and El Salvador (2003). I completed my Bachelor of Arts and Sciences degree in Latin American Studies and History in December 2003, graduating summa cum laude. I entered the labor market in the food and beverage industry. Years later, I went in a different direction into the legal industry. In 2013, while working full time, I completed a Master of Arts degree in Public Administration with an emphasis in Non-Profit Management at San Francisco State University, graduating cum laude. Years after completing my second degree, I went in yet another direction into residential property management.
Although being an adult in the working world makes me feel accomplished and economically
stable, I miss being a student and the sense of discovery that comes with learning in an academic setting. I do not discount the possibility of returning to school in the future. Right now, however, focusing on family makes the most sense. I am married, work full time, and have an 8 year-old daughter. She attends West Portal Lutheran School as a 2nd grader. I am so grateful that she has the opportunity to attend the school that shaped me as she begins her own social, emotional, and educational formation.
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