“Taking an online course is actually a really cool experience! I learned a lot of new facts about French Culture that I didn’t know about before that amazed me. Taking an online course helped advance my education because my teacher was always ready to answer any questions I had at any time and it was also very convenient for me because it was self-paced.” – Amina R.
“Amina strives to do her best and goes beyond the assignments in our course. She reads and replies to all teacher’s comments, asks questions and clarifications regularly to make sure she understands the assignments and does them correctly. She has great time management and study skills that she might be able to share with her peers now she is going to be a peer tutor for NCVPS. She is going to be such an asset for the Peer Tutoring Program at NCVPS!” – Patricia Hooker, NCVPS French Instructor
Amina’s Story
I am an ambitious, hard-working, and dedicated student. A lot of students may say that they are ambitious and strive for success, but sometimes, they are not dedicated and may give up at times. I am always striving for excellence and success and will work hard until I reach my goals and even beyond. I never give up, even when things get tough. If I’m confused about something, I ask my teachers for clarification, and if I see someone that needs help and is struggling, I’m willing to help them understand it.
My background and my family have helped shape me into the person and student I am today. My parents came to the United States from Somalia as immigrants, but luckily they both got scholarships and migrated to different countries to attend university. They always emphasize the importance of education and the value that it has.
I have always been a critical thinker when growing up. I would always watch the news and evaluate different things going on in the world and during my free time, I would learn more. I love learning all school subjects and find enjoyment in doing them because they are all essential in some way to life. I also believe that if you are learning something, you should learn it to the best of your ability and understand it because what’s the point of learning something if you aren’t going to use it and benefit from it.
NCVPS Experience
I took an NCVPS class because the school that I currently attend didn’t have a French teacher for the 2nd semester of the school year, so I had to take French II on NCVPS. My first experience with NCVPS went really well.
Advice I have for other online students is 1) ALWAYS communicate and contact your teacher if you don’t quite understand something or you want her to clarify something. This is essential for your success because a lot of people give up on online courses because they don’t communicate with their teachers. 2) You should also join the meetings that your teacher has every week. These will help you get more information about the topic that you are learning about, get practice with the topic, and a chance to ask your teacher any questions. Even if you feel very confident about the topic, it won’t hurt to gain more knowledge! 3) Utilize the resources your teacher gives you. If you use the tips and videos that your teacher gives you, it will always help you.
Life Outside of School
I enjoy reading, rollerblading and spending time with my family and friends. I am currently in the Student Government at my school, and I am on a basketball team outside of school!
A few of my favorite T.V. shows are The Summer I Turned Pretty, The Glory (A k-drama) and Business Proposal (A k-drama).
Fun Fact: I memorized the US states and capitals and their locations on the map in under an hour!
My favorite snack would probably be Oreos or ice cream (specifically Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream from Ben & Jerry’s).
I don’t think there is just one thing I could not live without, but if I had to choose, I probably wouldn’t be able to live without water/food (literally) or my hijab.
Goals & Future Plans
One of my goals I had this semester was to maintain a 95% or higher in all of my classes, and I have achieved this goal as of now. This goal has been my goal for several years because I am a very ambitious student and love striving for success! I achieved this goal by turning in my work on time, asking my teachers any questions I have, and by prioritizing my time and making a schedule in my agenda. Another goal I have for myself currently is to start finding internships that best fit my interest and scholarships that I can apply to next year or even sooner.
Some future plans I have are to 1) attend a good university (Duke, UNC, or an Ivy League university) and get my bachelor’s and master’s degree. Then I want to work to fulfill my lifelong goal of becoming a doctor by taking the MCAT and attending medical school. I am also thinking about majoring in something regarding politics or law like political science because I’m also really interested in law and the news.
Other plans I have for the future outside of school are to travel more and see different parts of the world.
I will reach these goals by working hard in high school and further on. I will also be able to reach these goals by staying determined, ambitious, and by working hard and displaying perseverance.
One of my favorite quotes is “Knowledge is Power.” If you have knowledge, the opportunities and possibilities are endless.
Personal Notes
I have 4 siblings. I have 2 sisters and 2 brothers. Many people would say that having a lot of siblings can be annoying, but having a lot of siblings is like having built-in friends. I learn a lot of things from my siblings, and they learn a lot of things from me. I’ve also traveled to 3 countries. I went to Amsterdam in The Netherlands, Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the UAE, and Mecca, Medina, Jeddah and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.
