Stress vs Passion: Different Forms of Rigor

Terri Novacek  00:00

Imagine working hard, but feeling like you're hardly working. One of the many famous sayings of Simon Sinek is working hard for something we don't care about is called stress. Working hard for something we care about is called Passion. Hello, and thank you for listening today as we continue this journey to discover and develop our element, that place where interests and talents collide to bring great things to ourselves and others. I'm Terry Novacek. And today I have the pleasure of introducing two high school students, both who were at one time making their way through advanced courses in high school, but then decided to take a leap and enroll in Dimensions Collaborative School, a tuition free charter school that supports self directed learning, where they could then take more ownership of their learning. They walked away from the stress of meaningless work to take on more rigorous but also more enjoyable work. Here are their stories. Gavin and Huda, thank you so much for joining today. I know you guys have very busy schedules. And I finding that trying to get everybody together at one time is like herding wild cats. So I appreciate you making some time to chat with me about your experiences as a Dimensions student and a self directed learner. Gavin, can you give me a little bit of background about how long you've been with the program and, and what brought you to us?

Gavin True  01:53

So up to sophomore year, I was going to public high school. And then I just realized, like, I wasn't like as focused and I wasn't as you know, determined as I could be in my schooling bike program. And so then when I joined dimensions, I found out I had all these extra opportunities. Like I could take dual credit, I could take concurrent enrollment, like, the classes I was taking were just so much more valuable than what they were at public school. And so I found it to be a better opportunity with my time and just like all around, and it was easier for me. And what grade are you? I'm in 11th grade.

Terri Novacek  02:30

Okay. Is this your first year with Dimensions then?

Gavin True  02:35

This is like my first year and a half, I would say two years.

Terri Novacek  02:38

Yeah. Okay. So you started mid year last year?

Gavin True  02:42

I started two weeks in? Oh, yeah. All righty.

Terri Novacek  02:45

And and so tell me a little bit more about when you say that the experience is so much better. You're getting more out of the classes. What does that look like for you?

Gavin True  02:55

Well, for me right now, I'm taking. I'm taking three classes at MiraCosta. And I'm taking one for Baylor accelerate program, like Baylor University, which is like this is a huge opportunity. And I'm going to be able to put that on like applications later. And it's going to help me get into ultimately, I would like to go to Baylor University. And I think by starting now with their accelerated program, it'll help out in the long run. And I think that's very valuable than just, you know, I just I don't have that same opportunity I public school.

Terri Novacek  03:29

Right. Now, were you in AP classes at your regular high school.

Gavin True  03:34

I wasn't AP classes, but now I'm taking coarse equivalence. And I'm taking classes that are just providing me with college credit.

Terri Novacek  03:42

Right? And do you do anything in the community like any volunteering, or internships or anything like that?

Gavin True  03:49

Right now I'm taking FBLA. And then I'm also I have two jobs. And then I'm still I'm still finding things to join and still looking, but at this point, just FBLA and I am in the National Society of High School scholars now.

Terri Novacek  04:06

Oh, nice. How, what is FBLA?

Gavin True  04:10

It's Future Business Leaders of America. So I'm doing that with Greg Hawkins. And then a few other students, it's like, basically, project and it's like, there's a lot of involvement where you can go meet with other kids from California. And it's like, we all come collectively to share ideas, and like, work on the project together. Everyone has an individual project, and I selected mine. Recently, I came up with what I was writing, and mine involves like creating like a LinkedIn account, investing money. It's just really getting knowledgeable.

Terri Novacek  04:44

I want to make sure I understand this. So you're the project that you do for FBLA. You get to select it and you've chosen one around investments.

Gavin True  04:53

Yeah. Okay. Yeah.

Terri Novacek  04:55

And then what are your two jobs?

Gavin True  04:57

My two jobs I'm work Kenya at fish one on one Cardiff. And I'm also working at surf polo fields. It's like setting up for the girls and boys soccer events just on the weekends.

Terri Novacek  05:11

What made you I mean, it sounds like you were doing really well in your regular school. What made you even want to make a switch?

Gavin True  05:23

Um, I think it just came down to, I wasn't focused in class, I felt like everything didn't really, I wasn't like nothing was being applied what I was learning things being applied to my future. And also, the teachers I felt like didn't care as much like, in classes, a lot of breaks a lot of like phone, a lot of it just didn't feel like there was like a steady stream, like, where are we going? You know, what is this all for? And now I kind of know, like, what's my future is I know what I'm doing.

Terri Novacek  05:53

Alrighty. And Huda, how about you? What's your what's your story? What brought you to us? And and where are you hoping to go?

Huda Woldegiorgis  06:01

So giving little context. This is my first year at dimension. So I've only been here for like a couple of months. But so far, I have enjoyed it. Previously, I went to a charter school, but it was a college prep school. And so the like academically, it was very rigorous. It was a lot of just work, work, work, working hard. Just trying your best so that you can be prepared for college was their goal to send us to a four year university. And I've been at that school since I was in sixth grade. So it was it's a middle and high school. I really enjoyed it in sixth grade, I had friends, it was just things were going well. COVID hit we were at school online, came back to school and things were okay still at school. But last year, the reason why I came to Dimensions is because last year I was kind of in and out of school, due to health reasons. And the thing is about my old school, although I really loved it, although I did benefit from it a lot. I was able to take advanced classes. starting in middle school, like I was placed in like advanced math classes, and I did really well overall. But not being in school all the time last year was hard for me because I had to deal with being stressed about missing school rather than solely focusing on my health, you know. And if I were to return back to that school this year, I would have to repeat like a math class, I was already in an advanced math class, I was in pre calc last year. But because I was kind of in and out, I would have to repeat it again this year if I were to go. And so those things didn't really like, it didn't make me happy. It didn't make me like, I didn't see myself going back and repeating my math class or a Spanish class that I technically don't have to do because I already have the credits to graduate technically. And so things like that. And just overall, the stress of the school constantly having to grind, constantly having to just really do my best in order to kind of survive and just do well at my school is kind of what made me leave. And so being at the school, it's nice because like all those years, I worked hard ever since I was like in sixth grade paid off, because now I don't have to work so hard. Like at school I can, I can have a bit of like a break for myself. Now I'm only taking four classes. And previously, I would have to take eight classes. And I remember I also had like an AP class last year, it was called AP African American Studies. And my previous school, we didn't have the choice to take AP is it's kind of like you have to take it. There's no other class you can take. And so I remember really hating that class, like it was just really irritating. Like, I just really did not like that class. Until like there's pros and cons to that school. But the thing that I like about Dimensions is I have a lot more free time to myself. I'm not constantly having to work so hard. I'm not wasting so much time at school, I get to get out of school earlier. I have independent study, which you know, I have time to work on my own. Like he said, I really resonated with what Gavin said about APs and dual enrollment or concurrent enrollment. I will be taking college classes next semester. And it makes me really happy because I know that I don't have to take AP classes. I can take a class that you know will give me similar points to AP but with not that much struggle or like I don't have to take an AP test at the end of the year which I would have taken if I was at my previous school whether I liked it or not. And So, there are a lot of different benefits for being at this school. And I think that's something that I enjoy the most like having more free time to myself and having not having to take AP classes, being able to take advanced classes, but in a way that will most likely benefit me more, and won't give me as much stress. And this is something I can want to add on to the AP classes taking last year. A friend of mine told me that like at the end of the year after they took the AP test and everything. It's so sad because they literally did not get AP like credit for that class. It was a new class as well. It's called AP African American Study. So it was kind of like a tester class. And after that whole year of working so hard, taking the AP test, at the end of the year, she didn't get the credit that she deserved. And that, that really irritating me that really made me upset. But yeah, I think that's just like, another I guess benefit for this for, for being at the school is I don't have to deal with annoying APS, I can just take college classes that I'm interested in as well. And that will benefit me in the long run.

Terri Novacek  11:11

now have both of you taken an AP test, you've done the course and the test at the end.

Gavin True  11:19

Yeah

Terri Novacek  11:19

I spoke to another or I know of another person who did the AP course. And she did it in in history. And her complaint was kind of to what I'm understanding who does point to be that like, she, she really loves history. But she no longer liked history after her AP course because it was just all about memorize, memorize, memorize, cram all this information, and then take the test and then forget it. And she didn't get that chance to really dive into history and and absorb it and know it and apply it is was that your experience as well.

Gavin True  12:02

100% Yeah,

12:04

I can resonate with the girl that you're talking about. Because I remember like that was the AP African American Studies is obviously a history class. And I was actually really excited to be in class when they they told us that, you know, we're no longer we're no longer going to do AP Euro, we're gonna do AP African American Studies. And so I thought it would be a really interesting class. But once I was in the class, the material was just very, like, hard to be like engaged with it was very mundane, boring. Like, it just wasn't a class that any of us enjoyed. I was just very, it was just hard to be in that class. It's very boring. And as she said, hard to apply as well, because you have to learn so much in such a short amount of time. And yeah, it's just not enjoyable, doesn't feel like you're learning history, applying it. Just you just have to somehow, like cram all of these things in your head and somehow be ready for the test. And

Terri Novacek  13:01

Huda, You've you're just been here a short while but have you had a chance yet to like get out into the community? And, you know, for internships or jobs or volunteering or job shadowing? Anything like that yet?

Huda Woldegiorgis  13:15

Yeah. So I'm hopefully going to enter an ad scripts hospital, I've applied and my interview is actually this Friday. So how will they get in. But I also go to this community East African Community Center. Ethnically, I'm from Ethiopia. And so I've been at that community center, from ever since I was like young, so it's more than 10 years. And I've done different programs such as like Girl Scouts. When I was younger, there was a middle school program called me and my image, which was basically, we learned about self image as middle school girls. And then now I'm a part of the high school program. And we've learned about mental health. We just learned about different things. And I also go on Mondays to help like, I volunteer with the little girls, the Girl Scouts and just help with whatever activities that they're doing. Also, I do, I don't know this. This isn't an internship. It's an after school program. It's called reality changes. It's basically an after school program that kids who came from like low income or families where their parents didn't go to college, and they help teach about college take us on field trips, such as like college tours, the last one being like UC Irvine a few like weeks ago. And then so they kind of focus from nine through 11th grade, they focus on like college prep, learning about college, learning how to do a resume, just those kinds of things. And then in 12th grade, they help you with college apps. So it's a really it's a really nice program.

Terri Novacek  14:54

Well that sounds great. So do you guys keep in touch with Friends from former schools and have your conversations with them changed at all because of your new educational experiences.

Gavin True  15:11

Yes, they've changed. But it's like, almost in a way where I'm like, able to brag about, like how much I'm doing. And it's like, at first I was like, oh, like, I have like, this is my schooling program now. And then over time, I'm like, this is all I'm doing. And everyone's like, how do I do that? And then as time goes on, like, all my friends are like, sick of the same thing. And it's just every day is like, like, there's nothing new. It's just like, with Dimensions, Everything's new. And it's like a constant. Like, I'm just learning more every day. And for me, it's been like, like a brag. And it's like accomplishment for me. It just, it's so much more valuable. And a lot of them are considering joining now after hearing everything. Oh, good.

Terri Novacek  15:55

Look at you starting a trend.

Huda Woldegiorgis  15:59

I do keep up with a friend. From my old school, we see each other reality changes. So every week we see each other and we just talk. To me, there's nothing awkward. It's just really fun to be able to see her again. And like talk because we don't see each other at school every day. And a lot of the kids from my old school do go to reality changes. So I might see a few today too, because I'll go today, like an extra day to do some work. But so far, it hasn't really been awkward. It's been really nice, because it's like, I've made friends here. And now I can still be able to be with like friends with my friends from my period school.

Terri Novacek  16:41

That's great. So you're, you're not living in your own little bubbles. Like, sometimes they say homeschoolers do? Yeah, no. Is there such a thing as a typical day for you? Could you describe a typical day or is just everyday to different?

Gavin True  16:57

Firstly, I think every day is too different. No, one day is the same. Actually. Last week, I went to Big Bear with my family just because we could work remotely. And my dad has a remote job, too. And so we just spent the day up in the mountains. Is it a good time?

Terri Novacek  17:12

Yes. Are the leaves changing up there yet?

Gavin True  17:15

Oh, yeah, there was trees that were just like gold, just like they were so yellow and some red. Yeah, it's it's really pretty. That's neat.

Terri Novacek  17:22

So you're able to have that family time and not miss any of your learning. That's great. And you don't use a learning center at all. Is that right?

Gavin True  17:32

No. Yeah.

Terri Novacek  17:33

Can you work from home? And then who do you use one of the learning centers?

Huda Woldegiorgis  17:38

Yeah, I'm actually at the Learning Center right now. I'd say it's similar and different. It just depends on the day, like, for example, Mondays and Wednesdays, I come to school because I have classes those days. Tuesday, Thursday, I don't have any classes. I usually come like half day, I go, if I have like an appointment, I have to go to or, or go home like, but usually I say I would say that Mondays and Wednesdays are the most, I guess similar? Because I do have classes. But yeah.

Terri Novacek  18:09

So a couple of days was more structure. And then other days with more freedom. Yeah. Okay, great. Anything else you guys would like to share about your experience and your aspirations?

Huda Woldegiorgis  18:23

This is kind of another like opportunity that I've gotten being a dimension so far. Like being able to do Driver's Ed, because I've just gotten my login information, like yesterday or the day before. And I know for sure, I would not be able to do that at my old school. First of all, they wouldn't pay for it. I don't think I don't think that we have like a driver's ed program at my old school. And only that, but if even if I could, I know it'd be so booked and busy, like with all my classes is focusing on school all the time, I'd be really difficult to then focus on driver's ed. That's exciting.

Terri Novacek  19:02

That's very exciting. Good luck with that.

Gavin True  19:06

Yeah, I would say something I've learned or I feel like I've been able to master more than just school. Like, while everyone's at school, I can go, like I've been practicing guitar. I started taking guitar lessons last year. And like what I've learned in a year of just just going on Wednesdays, is like it amazed me. And it's just like the amount of time that I have to focus on other things become like a jack of all trades is and the fact that dimensions will pay for stuff like like a chemistry set, or my guitar lessons. It's just like, my ability to learn is so like, it's so much more. And I've gotten a lot better guitar and I'm just happy that like, if there's something I'm passionate about, like dimensions will help me you know, work towards it. That's great. Yeah. Well, again,

Terri Novacek  19:53

thank you guys so much. This was such a pleasure for me to meet you guys and hear what you're up to and I give you so much credit for just, you know, taking the step that you did and being the self directed learners and, and finding other resources and other mentors to really personalize your learning and, and take charge and go where you want to go. So congratulations on that decision and Anna Houda good luck with your interview this Friday for your internship,

Huda Woldegiorgis  20:26

thank you

Terri Novacek  20:36

to some who does reference to not having to work so hard. Sounds like she may be couldn't hack it and was looking for an easy way out. But as you listen, you come to realize it wasn't the rigor that was the problem. It was the meaninglessness of the work. I know from speaking with her academic counselor that she is not all about finding the easy way. She is about having time to discover and develop her element. She also knows she needs to take care of her health in order to thrive. And she's found a way to do that. Gavin, community college classes accelerated program at Baylor University, Future Business Leaders of America member to jobs and so on and so on. He's clearly not looking for the easy way out. But he is all about quality of life and learning. Even with all he's doing, he still has the ability to enjoy time in the mountains with his family. As we sign off today, think of someone in your life that is feeling caught up in the rat race trying to keep up with others demands or running on a hamster wheel and getting nowhere or caught in a mouse trap feeling captive? Maybe that someone feeling like a rodent is you What is it your life is missing. That could give you the freedom and support to have more control of your life and learning. For Huda and Gavin. The one change they made was enrolling in a different high school program. Dimensions collaborative is designed to build and guide self directed learners and leaders who will become impactful members of their community. That was just what Huda and Gavin needed. What do you want to do? And how can you incorporate that into your work or learning? Identify a strategy that would bring your passion to the forefront of your daily life before tomorrow? Because the longer you put it off, the less likely it is to get done. Before tomorrow. Take the next step. Because the sooner you take that step, the s