I have completed my first year of college and I cannot say enough about how much CCA prepared me for everything that college brought academically, socially, and spiritually. CCA helped move me from a shy student who did everything to avoid the stage, to a student who was excited to address the USLR with my Thesis Defense and again as Valedictorian. 

 I am studying Political Science at American University and it has been a very smooth academic transition. The public speaking and argument skills that I developed through Rhetoric classes while at CCA drastically improved my ability to lead and clearly articulate ideas. There are books and readings from my English and Bible classes throughout high school that I still hold onto and bring to college with me.  

CCA is where I discovered what I wanted to study in college. Mr. Wegerzyn had his U.S. History students recreate the Constitutional Convention. It was through that experience I developed an appreciation and fascination for the way our government works. I still have the copy of the U.S. Constitution that was in our reading packet for that unit. I got to further confirm that is what I wanted to study by writing my Senior Thesis on the Electoral College.  

While at CCA I had the privilege of being involved in many extracurricular activities. Helping create and then oversee the first ever student-run newspaper was a leadership challenge I still look back on and learn from. Working with Mr. Hoover and Mrs. Coleman on the sound for two musicals are experiences I will always remember. I used tricks from those shows at my summer job working as a Technician at Canobie Lake Park. 

CCA also prepared me spiritually for college. AU is not a Christian University and I felt ready to move into that environment because of Mr. Lawrenz’s Bible classes. There have been a couple papers I have written in my classes that used things I learned from him. I have read books that I fundamentally disagree with but, I am able to articulate why and defend my beliefs in class because I was prepared.  I would not trade my time at CCA for anything. I am forever grateful for every faculty and staff member that helped shape me into the person I am today.  

Mitchel is pictured at the American University Founders Day Ball at the Newseum in Washington, D.C.