Alexis
Alexis grew up across the street from Atlantis Academy Palm Beaches and attended the program for most of her school career. She said the school became a second home for her and she loved every minute of her time as a student.
During her junior and senior years, she participated in our school’s mentorship program, practicing reading with a first-grade student with autism. This experience sparked a passion in Alexis and led her to pursue a career in education. While a student at Atlantis Academy, Alexis also participated in our performing arts programs, singing during special programs and leading the dance group. She is now a professional performer with the Pembroke Pines Theatre of the Performing Arts and a local murder mystery dinner program.
After graduating from Atlantis, Alexis graduated Summa Cum Laude from Palm Beach State College with an associate’s degree and from Florida Atlantic University with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. She now works as a substitute teacher in the Palm Beach County school system and tutors students.
Alexis credits her experiences at Atlantis for preparing her for her future in education and performing. She said, “Atlantis Academy taught me I can be whatever I want to be if I work hard to succeed.”
Cherie
“Everything happens for a reason in life, and I believe that I was meant to come to Atlantis Academy. I attended Atlantis Academy from third grade to my senior year of high school, and the school became my family. I have created many memories and bonds with my fellow students and staff. The small classroom sizes allowed me to make those bonds. I remember in art class; the students would help paint and create decorations for the different holiday events and dances that Atlantis Academy would host. There also was an annual physical day where every grade would participate in fun physical activities that the physical education teacher would host. Besides the activities, classes were still hard. I was able to find great teachers to tutor me on the subjects that I had difficulty in. I excelled in my classes because of the teachers taking their time out to help me. My experience at Atlantis Academy, helped me prepare for my future in college.
I continued my education at Palm Beach State College after my high school graduation. The class sizes were small, which made me comfortable in my new environment. I did not know what I wanted to do when I started looking at my future career. However, I did know that I wanted a career in helping people. In my first year of college, I joined an organization called TRiO. TRiO helped me with my decision-making throughout my entire time at Palm Beach State College. I learned about finances, toured colleges, and made my decision on pursuing a career path in health science. During my progress at Palm Beach State there were courses that I needed to be helped in. They have great tutors and tutoring centers. I stayed in those tutoring centers all day to understand the material. Towards my sophomore year, I joined Phi Theta Kappa and Palm Beach State Honors College. The aforementioned organizations taught me a wide range of the world’s culture and history in my courses. I persevered and completed my graduation. I graduated from Palm Beach State College with an Associate in Arts Degree.
I am currently attending the University of Central Florida to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Science, Pre-Clinic Track. University life is very different from a small college. The campus and classes are bigger. I became accustomed to the new changes because I felt ready from my experiences. In addition, UCF has a lively and diverse campus culture that makes life less stressful for a moment. There are clubs and entertainment for almost everything. On the other hand, I still focus on my classes with all that is going on in my life. In my spare time, I volunteer at a local Orlando hospital. I also volunteered at different medical offices during my time at Palm Beach State College. My goal is to gain experience in a hospital or medical environment.
I had teachers that helped me grow throughout my entire life. High school is what made it a true family. I always try to come to visit the school when I get a chance. I am a proud Alumni from Atlantis Academy and Palm Beach State College. I am working on my goal to become an Alumni of the University of Central Florida. My life and the educational journey will continue, and I will become something great.”
