Lulu, Class of 2028
Prayer Request: Pray for my well-being and my recovery. That I can be successful in this journey and have the will and determination to move forward in life.
“Trust is a major building block. Without it, everything can fall apart. If you can’t trust people, how are you supposed to grow?” Lulu, a freshman said “It can get lonely if you can’t trust people. I can say that from experience.” Lulu has spent time reflecting on her personal growth and stated that trust is something she has experienced in her short time at Eastside Academy. “There is always someone to talk to. Everyone here is supportive and nice, which is different than schools I went to before.” Before, Lulu struggled with wanting to come to school every day. “Since being at EA, I am always interested in what is happening in my classes and I want to come to school. I thought I didn’t like science, but this year I have found Biology really interesting.”
Her teacher, Jeff, shared this about how Lulu engages in the classroom: “Lulu inspires me with her curious nature that sparks great questions and her bravery to ask those questions without hesitation.”
Lulu has been open about her previous academic struggles and believing in herself. “The main thing that I have learned about myself this year is that I can accomplish anything if I put my mind to it. I have been told that before, but I didn’t believe it until Eastside Academy. I feel comfortable asking for help from my teachers. I feel more confident in my academics. I know that even if it’s hard, I can push through it. EA works to impact the lives of students who have been told their story has been written. This has been Lulu’s experience in the one semester she has been attending. “Everyone collectively has made a positive impact on my growth this year” “From my mentor to my teachers and other students, they have all helped me prove myself.”
Self-expression is very important to Lulu, “I want people to say that I am not afraid to be myself.” Lulu has a knack for creativity which Eastside Academy sees daily in Lulu’s incredible fashion sense and through her work in our baking and craft club. In her free time she sews, paints, crochets and draws; enjoys patchwork, often painting on fabric and then embroidering and sewing her creations onto her current pieces. Lulu gathers most of her fashion inspiration from Vivienne Westwood. Lulu is excited for her next three years and graduating from Eastside Academy. Post graduation Lulu is dreaming about being a preschool teacher or being a fashion designer.
All of our students are on a journey to restore their trust in others. We all have different ideas or definitions of trust. For Lulu, “trust means someone who cares for me, someone I can lean on, who I can talk to when I am frustrated. Someone I can rely on.” We model to each student and students model to each other, that trust is earned when we are vulnerable. “In our Recovery class, all my classmates share their story and in doing that it makes it easy to trust them. I like that the staff shares their stories during Chapel as well. I feel that at EA, I can trust everyone.”
Change continues to happen at Eastside Academy in the lives of our students thanks to your support!
