ACCOMPLISHMENT
The Words and Stories of the Scholar Apprentices and other Students

Learning and developing scholarly skills with Mr. Shon has helped me a lot in improving my higher literacy in English and overall thinking skills.
Last year, I prepared for my admission examination with Mr. Shon, who was very helpful because he explained many of the concepts in a way that made everything seem a lot easier. Preparing for standardized tests with Mr. Shon was very effective because he explains the complex parts in a way that no other teachers can. He gives examples and breaks down the concepts that are in the reading passages, making them easier and understandable. It is also really fun to listen to his examples, and some of them are quite humorous! Before meeting with Mr. Shon, my reading skills were not so good, but after practicing and reading some books that require higher literacy skills, I kind of got the hang of it. It turns out that the reading sections aren’t as difficult as I thought a year ago when I first took the examination.
With Mr. Shon’s guidance and support, I was able to get into Crystal Springs Uplands High School. Now Mr. Shon and I are working on Confucius and European History, after having finished Plato. From his way of teaching, I am able to fully understand the complex philosophies of ancient thinkers, and paraphrase the meanings of different parts of difficult classics such the Analects of Confucius. I find Mr. Shon’s class very interesting and meaningful. The things he taught me are all used or practiced in my everyday life, and I am very happy that I have this opportunity to be Mr. Shon’s apprentice.
Chloe continues studying with Headmaster Shon as one of his Scholar Apprentices in preparation of advancing her academic career at one of the world’s top universities. After having obtained top scores on her admissions examination, and having recieved perfect grades for the year, she was one of a “handful of students” admitted as a transfer student into the very selective Crystal Springs Uplands High School. Currently, she continues to exercise dedication toward deepening her moral and academic talents to her fullest potential with Headmaster Shon, thereby walking the path of a genuine scholar.
This class provided me with strength during the college admissions process. By myself, I found that just starting the college writing process was challenging and I had no ideas for my essays. Once I started taking this class, I had plenty of ideas and I grew confident in writing about myself. Furthermore, it was relieving to know that a professional was reviewing my writing to ensure that my essays illustrate me to colleges in the best manner. I was even confident enough to reach out for scholarship opportunities because I knew I had a fighting chance with the help I received on these supplemental essays.
Moreover, I was able to find a balance between academics, college work, and my own leisure time. I often hear stories from my peers about long nights working on their essays and even missing school just to work on their college applications before the deadline. I was not like that. Thanks to this class, I was able to finish my essays to my satisfaction before the deadline and still have time to maintain my grades and stay in touch with my family and friends. Overall, I felt like I had less burden than some of my fellow peers who were also going through the college admissions process.
Looking back, I’m glad I made this decision to get help during the college writing process and I highly recommend this class to all seniors. I became more confident in my writing and saved myself from the stress that usually plagues first-semester seniors. Most importantly, when I send my essays to colleges, I’m confident that they show a different perspective of me and portray my best qualities.
Jasmine will attend the very selective Combined Baccalaureate and Doctor of Dental Surgery Degree Program at the University of Pacific, ensuring her a doctorate in the field of dental and oral medicine. She has elected to continue studying with Headmaster Shon as one of his leading scholar apprentices, as she aspires toward achieving great moral, scientific, and official leadership in her chosen field.
Humanities Student Jonathan H., sophomore year, on his academic achievements