Lutheran West | Jackeline Castro

Jackeline Castro

Class of 2008

When I was first asked to write how Lutheran West has influenced me, I thought it would be an easy task. However, after starting, I found it difficult to narrow my thoughts down to two or three things to write about. To be frank, Lutheran West has made me who I am today.

One very important principle I learned at Lutheran West was how to study. Lutheran West is not an easy school academically. So many friends that I have made at college did not attend such academically challenging high schools. Therefore, they never truly learned how to study. One specific example concerns writing. By taking full advantage of the A.P. (Advanced Placement) courses I was taught how to write well, critical for success not only in life, but also in college classes and career choices. The A.P. classes also taught me how to handle a heavier work load. In college, and in law school down the line, such work is the norm. In short, Lutheran West taught me a great deal about studying and managing my time in order to receive good grades.

Most importantly, Lutheran West helped mold me into a young woman of God. It’s not easy in college to balance school work, extra-curricular activities, a job and a social life. Adding a spiritual life to the equation in some ways makes it harder, but had I chosen to subtract that area from my life or lessen it, I wouldn’t be able to perform as well in the other areas I seek to balance. I feel blessed to have walked into campus life with a solid foundation in my faith that Lutheran West helped me build over the four years. For many, including myself, college is a time of trial and error. As a Christian, however, I know my guidelines and have a stronger reasoning behind my decisions. The Christian atmosphere which Lutheran West fosters helped my faith grow and both strengthen and prepare me for life beyond the walls of high school.

To put it simply, I believe that Lutheran West helped put me a step ahead of the game in attending college because of its core values of academics and focus upon walking with Christ. Most importantly, it made me who I am today and I would not have chosen to attend any other high school.

Josh Lyons

Class of 2007

...the material I was studying in my college classes was identical to the material covered in my high school classes! It put me ahead of the game...