Extra Curricula
Peer Tutor, Harvard Research Lab Intern, National Honors Society Secretary, CRLS Medical Club President, Freshman Mentor, CRLS Tour Guide for Transfer Students, Breakthrough Greater Boston Volunteer, Pearl K. Wise Library Volunteer, CRLS Muslim Student Association, Henna Club
Favorite Class at CRLS
There are so many to choose from but I guess I’ll go with my top two.
One of my favorite subjects in CRLS was history. I really liked how the courses incorporated a blend of the past and how it influenced the present as we know it. I liked how history courses were more about discussing big themes than it was about memorizing dates.
Another one of my absolute favorite subject was Arabic. The Arabic classes at CRLS are interactive and all about exposing students to the various cultures of the Middle Eastern countries as much as it was about learning the language; in these courses, I learned about history of the Arab world as well as the politics and much, much more.
Favorite Teacher
I learned a lot from each and every teacher I’ve had in my time here at CRLS. They take their jobs seriously and they truly care about their students. I am very thankful for all the teachers I’ve had this far. I’m going to pick three of these amazing teachers to talk about.
Mr. Dagher is an incredible teacher with a sense of humor and he always knows how to liven up a classroom. He teaches all the Arabic courses and I had him as a teacher for all four years of high school. He knows how to really get students interacted with what they are learning; he isn’t afraid of having those hard conversations with the class, ranging from the Middle East quagmire to the effects of western influences. In order to teach his classes about Arab culture, he exposes them to Arabic music every day. All of his classes have such comfortable and welcoming atmospheres where students are always encouraged to be themselves and speak their minds. Over all else, he is understanding and he truly cares about all his students.
Ms. Arocho was my teacher AP Biology, hands down one of the harder courses I’ve taken in my time at CRLS. However, she is always around to help students when they need it; and yes this includes during her own lunchtime and till 5PM the day before midterms. She does a great job at keeping all the juniors and seniors that she has calm and motivated (regardless of their senioritis and the so-called-junioritis). She is probably one of the most patient teachers I have had. She is always happy to help even if it means writing a recommendation on short notice or staining her lips and teeth purple for the sake of her students’ experiment. She is always there for students to talk to, whether it be about something academic or personal.
Ms. Leonard taught me that math isn’t one dimensional (quite literally) and it can be applied to various aspects of life. I had her for Calculus and, to be very honest, I dreaded the class at the beginning of the year. However, she did an amazing job at making the interactive and fun (especially with trivia in the middle of math problems and first-ever Calculus Beach Trip). She is always there for her students, whether it be at both lunches or before school at 7:20AM.
What did you like most about CRLS? Why?
CRLS really takes its mottos seriously - one of which is opportunity. There are so many options offered by the school; four years is not nearly enough to try them all. There are so many ways to get involved in the community, whether it be by volunteering at the tutoring center or at a homeless shelter. There are so many ways to enhance and challenge your intellect (taking courses at Harvard for example). The thing that I liked the most about the school is you never run out of things to do.
What is something people unfamiliar with CRLS should know about the school? Why?
I think people often think that since CRLS is such a big school, it’s hard to really find your place here. That’s a big misconception. CRLS is made up of various clubs and extracurriculars as well as academic courses. There’s something for everyone. At the end of the day, even though students often gravitate towards different groups of people, we’re one big community/family. You are never alone and there’s always someone there for you to talk to.
Advice to Incoming Freshmen
Never forget to go out of your comfort zone to try something new - broaden your horizons. Join clubs you’ve never heard of before and who knows you might actually like it. Even though it might seem a little daunting, always try to have conversations with people who might not share the same views as you; this goes a long way in adding to your perspective. And overall, just have fun. There’s only four years in high school and they’ll go by faster than you can imagine.
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