To our community: we are changing the tone in the next couple of blog postings. We would like you to see a sampling of the many letters our SEA members receive from their former students. We have obtained the writer's permission to post their letter to the Strongsville Community. Enjoy!
One of the best measures of a successful high school education is the extent to which the students feel prepared and in a position to be successful at the undergraduate level. Using this means of analysis, I would certainly say that Strongsville High School provided a successful and meaningful foundation on which to build upon graduation.
As a senior biochemistry major at the University of Mount Union, I can attest to the exceptional foundation that Strongsville High School provided. As a freshman, new to the undergraduate level of work and standards, I found myself far better prepared than most of my peers. Whether it was in a freshman calculus course or an honors composition seminar, each day was a continual reminder of the great effort and commitment of each SHS faculty member who I had the pleasure of encountering. What distinguished me from students from other districts was the extreme amount of critical thinking and application of concepts of which I was familiar.
More importantly than academic success, SHS was most influential in demonstrating to me the ways in which to become an effective leader and a more mature student. Faculty and Administration always held students to a higher standard and pushed students to think “outside the box” and truly be individuals. As the Senior Class President of ’07, I had the pleasure of interacting with a diverse group of people throughout SHS. These interactions were crucial in developing my leadership skills and primed me to become a critical leader at the collegiate level.
The exceptional experiences and education that I received at SHS were instrumental into developing me into the student and leader that I am today. Currently I am the Senior Class President at the University of Mount Union (Class of ’11), I am a presidential scholar, serve on a number of faculty and administrative committees, I am the president of two campus organizations and a founder of a third organization. I plan to continue my education in dental school upon graduation and pursue a career in oral and maxillofacial surgery.
I owe a great deal to the faculty and mentors that I encountered during my time at SHS. I was fortunate to learn from teachers who brought their passion for their courses and their life’s experiences to the classroom each day. These are the same individuals who worked tirelessly to provide me with practical applications of the concepts being covered and pushed me to grow as a student. I feel fortunate to be a Strongsville High School alumnus and cannot speak highly enough about the education and preparation that I received.
Michael Border
Class of ‘07
(Editors Note: It's letters like these that really mean a lot to us. Regardless of what others have said about us in the press, letters like this let us know we fulfilling our end of the deal as responsible Educators of our Community's children. Best Wishes to all!)
