Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.
Rejection taught me my best lessons. My dream high school had always been Yeshiva University High School for Girls (YUHSG) in Hollis Hills, Queens. However, due to my low grades, I was rejected by the high school and my dream ended there. I was emotionally torn and felt hopeless about my future. My principal, seemingly ambivalent about my distress, spoke candidly with me, suggested that I was not “good enough” or “bright enough” to attend YUHSG and recommended that I apply to the lowest-ranked Jewish private high school. I dejectedly nodded, withholding my tears, and walked away. It was among the bleakest moments of my life.
That same day, my parents, upon the recommendation of a close relative, enrolled me in a tutoring program called Kweller Prep. Frances Kweller, the director or the program, saw the sadness in my eyes and approached me. When she asked me what was wrong, I explained to her what occurred earlier that day with my principal, and she quickly and perkily responded with, “Well, why don’t you just look into attending a public high school?” I explained to her that my parents are orthodox Jews, and that, in my case, public high schools were not an option. Nonetheless, Ms. Kweller presented me with a 500-plus-page book to take home, listing all the public schools throughout New York City. She didn’t take no for an answer and instructed me to do the same. “Just believe in yourself,” she urged, “and stay away from negativity.”
That evening, I searched through the directory along with my younger sister. To my surprise, we located an excellent public high school which was just minutes away from my home. Francis Lewis – one of the top-ranked high schools in Queens- which had an outstanding math and science program. It also featured a wide variety of academics, sports, and extracurricular activities.
Then, the hard part was bringing the idea of leaving Yeshiva to my father. Unable to muster the courage to do it myself, I asked Frances Kweller to call my father for me. She dialed his cell a minute later, then, as I anxiously awaited my father’s response, I was shocked when he calmly said to her, “OK.” I sighed a breath of relief and felt more confident about myself. My principal, however, had something different to say. She pressured me to reconsider my decision to leave the Jewish School system and attend a public high school. Despite the guilt trip, I remained resilient and confident with my decision.
Surprisingly enough, convincing my father was the easy part. I had already missed the deadline for the Francis Lewis High School application. My mother and I scheduled a meeting with the assistant principal, Ms. Palomino. I had never been that nervous in my entire life. When she saw my transcript, she didn’t seem pleased. She explained to me that my grades didn't meet the requirements for Francis Lewis High School. At that point, I was speechless and all I could utter was, “so, I can’t come here?” After a few moments of silence, Ms. Palomino, finally said, “ You know what? I’ll give you a chance.” After she uttered these words, I burst into tears of joy and I couldn't stop thanking her. She explained to me that I would only be allowed to stay if I maintain a passing GPA. From that day on, I made a promise to myself to try my hardest no matter what. My father was happy to hear the good news, but he explained that he would only agree to let me attend Francis Lewis High School if I continued to follow all my religious customs. Without hesitation, I agreed. I also made him promise me to keep me in Kweller Prep.
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