[The following is a contribution to my blog from an Acton Eagle who wanted to remain anonymous. It is written in response to my question, “What do you want your parents to understand most about your life and learning?”]

Life itself is a big challenge. And middle school is just another part of it. I’m not just talking academically, I’m also talking about life at this age.  I’m not here to say that Acton Academy is perfect, challenging, and life-fulfilling because then I would be lying.

Acton Academy is a messy, hard way of learning.  It throws messy challenges at you that equipped you for real life situations and make you a wiser being. It gets rough. But in the long term, it’s good for me.

I spend my life juggling school, sports, social, scouts, and family like an amateur jester. I’m only good at juggling three things at a time. It’s a stretch to do five, but I manage. And it seems to repeat itself over and over, the cycle of my life, the juggling, if you will.

I often get bored of life.  I often get bored of school. I often wonder if I can run away and live in the jungle. But I’d probably get eaten by a bear. My point is, is that for me, life seems to be moving at a slow, unexciting pace. I’m not saying my life is bad, I’m just telling the truth.

Although life is moving slowly and is challenging, I love my school and love my life.  I love how God created humans so magnificently smart. I love the earth.

In conclusion, I’m in a slump, (not moving anywhere, stuck) but life is not a bad thing, and school is not a bad thing. They’re both rocky, sometimes boring paths and that’s just how they were made. And that’s how human beings grow, from experience and mistakes on the rocky path of life.