Charting Success: Navigating Academia with Leonardo Guerrero
Leonardo Guerrero is a sophomore here at Jimmy Carter Early College High School and takes pride in being a student here.
“Being a student at Jimmy Carter is like being acknowledged for more than just your accolade as a student. Of course, being in an early college is different from a comprehensive school. With the rigorous curriculum that most of us Red Wolves have, being a student here is difficult. But with the small environment here, I have befriended my mentors. Being a student here, I'm given the opportunity to work with passionate teachers who are willing to go out of their way to help me in every subject, academic or personal.”
In pursuit of academic excellence this semester, preparing for the ACT is a very useful step that all students should take advantage of.
“A goal I've set for myself this semester has been to study in advance for my ACT, specifically the math portion. The reason for this is because of how practice-based the ACT is. You are meant to identify patterns instantaneously on the ACT, but with practice, the patterns on the test become muscle memory. For this, I believe practice on the ACT is essential to stand out with your score.”
Mathematics is usually an unlikely subject, but for Leonardo, math is the best subject that connects with everything.
“Math. I love mathematics and have loved it ever since I was a kid. I've always been interested in astronomy, maybe because I was scared about the Earth's gravity pulling everything to it causing Armageddon. This led me to search for 'Why we haven't blown up,' 'What is gravity,' and 'The math behind gravity,' to which I still question. This love for astronomy and math has led me to be fascinated by what I have been taught most, math.”
Navigating the varied demands of academics, extracurricular activities, and personal life requires efficient time management and a delicate balance.
“To balance my school, dual enrollment, journalism practice, clubs, other extracurriculars, and personal life, I make sure to schedule and talk to people in advance. Since I stay after school most days, I have to make sure to have any homework or activity done beforehand considering I get home around 7 pm.”
Embarking on the journey of academic pursuit invariably entails encountering challenges that test our resolve and ingenuity.
“An academic challenge I’ve encountered would have to be UIL Journalism. I have only been in Journalism for a little over a year. For the most part, I’ve been doing well, but for a while, I never put much effort into practicing during my free time. Recently, however, I have tried finding as much free time during school to read as I have found out I retain information better at school. Because of this, I feel I will improve, not just in journalism, but in my general understanding.”
Contemplating the expansive spectrum of future possibilities, one cannot help but ponder the trajectory of their academic and professional journey.
“I am considering working as an aerospace engineer in the future. The field of study this is pertaining to is moreover math. With my love for the field of math, I have wanted to be held responsible for the architecture which will lead us out of this world using a familiar language practiced for hundreds of thousands of years.”
In the complex road of academic pursuits, effective studying techniques and organizational strategies serve as crucial tools for navigating the maze of knowledge and maximizing learning outcomes.
“Some strategies I use to stay organized when it comes to my academics include making notating easy and accessible. I do this by syncing my assignments’ due dates with my calendar app to constantly remind me when I need to finish something.”
Leonardo Guerrero is a Jimmy Carter Early College High School sophomore and takes pride in being a part of the RedWolves.
“Being a student at Jimmy Carter is like being acknowledged for more than just your accolades as a student. Of course, being in an early college is different from being in a comprehensive school, with the rigorous curriculum that most of us Red Wolves have, being a student here is difficult,” said Guerrero, “But with the small environment here, I have befriended my mentors. Being a student here, I’m allowed to work with passionate teachers who are willing to go out of their way to help me in every academic or personal subject.”
Guerrero is focused on leveling up his academic game and has several goals.
“A goal I’ve set for myself this semester has been to study in advance for my ACT, specifically the math portion. The reason for this is how practice-based the ACT is,” said Guerrero. “You are meant to identify patterns instantaneously on the ACT, but with practice, the patterns on the test become muscle memory.
He also believes that practicing for the ACT is essential to achieving a standout score. For him, math is the best subject as it connects everything.
“Math. I love mathematics and have loved it ever since I was a kid. I’ve always been interested in astronomy, maybe because I was scared about the Earth’s gravity pulling everything to it, causing Armageddon,” said Guerrero, “This led me to search for ‘Why we haven’t blown up,’ ‘What is gravity,’ and ‘The math behind gravity,’ to which I still question. This love for astronomy and math has led me to be fascinated by what I have been taught most: math.”
Navigating the varied demands of academics, extracurricular activities, and personal life requires efficient time management and a delicate balance.
“To balance school, dual enrollment, journalism practice, clubs, other extracurriculars, and a personal life, I schedule and talk to people in advance,” said Guerrero, “Since I stay after school most days, I have to make sure to have any homework or activities done beforehand, considering I get home around 7 pm.”
Guerrero makes the most out of challenges and is driven by the need to solve things.
“An academic challenge I’ve encountered would have to be UIL Journalism. I have only been in Journalism for a little over a year. I’ve been doing well for the most part. Still, for a while, I never put much effort into practicing during my free time,” said Guerrero, “Recently, however, I have tried finding as much free time during school to read as I learned I retain information better at school. Because of this, I feel I will improve, not just in journalism, but in my general understanding.”
His future work and career are at the top of his mind as he explores high school and himself.
“I am considering working as an aerospace engineer in the future. The field of study this pertains to is, moreover, math. With my love for math, I have wanted to be held responsible for the architecture that will lead us out of this world using a familiar language practiced for hundreds of thousands of years,” said Guerrero.
Effective studying techniques and organizational strategies are crucial tools for navigating the maze of knowledge and maximizing learning outcomes in the complex road of academic pursuits.
“Some strategies I use to stay organized in my academics include making notating easy and accessible. I do this by syncing my assignments’ due dates with my calendar app, which constantly reminds me when I need to finish something,” said Guerrero.