12 Years, 7 Schools

Over the course of my K-12 education, I have attended 7 different schools: 3 elementary, 2 middle, and 2 high. I have been enrolled in American public schools, an English elementary school, a private international school, and a DODEA (Department of Defense Education) school. I guess, you could say, I have truly experienced nearly every form of education.

However, of all the schools I have attended, my absolute favorite was ACS Hillingdon International School in London, England.

For my 6th and 7th grade years, I attended ACS. Located in the suburb of Uxbridge, London, the school is a converted mansion originally built in 1858 by the Mills family, the barons of Hillingdon who owned the home for 5 generations. The house served as a nursing home in the 1920s. During WW2, it was bombed seven times. After the war, and until 1977, the mansion was converted into a convent for girls. Finally, in 1978, ACS International Schools purchased the building and extended the house to include a gym, cafeteria, and a new wing.

As an 11 year old, ACS was my own personal heaven. The school’s courtyard included extensive landscaping, tennis courts, an astroturf, park equipment, and access to Hillingdon Court Park. Recess in a 250 year old manor just doesn’t compare.

I attribute most of my love for international relations to this school. When I attended, nearly 60% of the student population were international students. ACS gave me my best friends; from Boston, Massachusetts, to Shanghai, China, to Perth, Australia. Being immersed in such a rich and diverse culture exposed me to different opinions and beliefs at a young age. Our ability to communicate and befriend each other, despite our differences, is what I attribute to cultivating my love for foreign diplomacy. As a middle schooler, learning to deal with those who are different from you is a challenge in itself. But, I believe that ACS gave me the skills and opportunity to not only develop into a young adult, but also into an advocate for international cooperation.

https://smapse.com/acs-hillingdon-international-school/

https://www.acs-schools.com/hillingdon/about

Over the course of my two years at ACS, I was involved in theater, philanthropy, and community service. My life has been a series of odd full circle moments. In 2015, my family moved from London to Omaha, Nebraska. However, after we moved to Cambridge, England in 2018, I joined Model United Nations (MUN) for my DODEA high school. Of all of the schools across the United Kingdom, ACS Hillingdon hosted a MUN conference, coincidentally where my DODEA high school, Lakenheath HS was invited to attend. Debating in my old school, ACS, for my new school, Lakenheath, was overwhelming, to say the least. Standing, once again, in ACS’s auditorium, flashbacks to gymnastics routines during PE, talent shows, and musicals flooded my mind as I inquired the speaker on the floor. Engaging in diplomacy and debate at the school that cultivated my love for it all.

I will forever be indebted to ACS Hillingdon. The people I met, the memories I made, and the opportunities and experiences I had shaped me into who I am today. In fact, I still make it a priority to visit those friends from long ago. I think I will continue to make that effort for a long time.

Boston Meetup 2016 (left to right: me, Therese (Australia), Lauren (Boston))

7th Grade Class (Spring 2015)