Adam Socha (16′) | Our Students Our Stories

Rotary Club of Beloit
Student of the Week
November 2015

College Preparation

Like his sisters before him – Caitlyn, Class of ’12 and Kara, Class of ’14 – when Adam walks across the stage in cap and gown come June, he will have a head start on the short and long term future, say Dawn and Tim.

“BMHS helped all three of our children prepare for college by offering AP classes and giving them the opportunity to be a Porter Scholar,” says Dawn. “Our two daughters entered UW-Madison as second semester freshmen.  I anticipate Adam will also. Not only does this save money, but it allows them some leeway on their class load.”

Continuing, Dawn said, “I think Adam is well prepared for college because he has already taken college classes through Porter Scholar (at Beloit College) and has had the opportunity to spend time on campus and interact with the college kids.  This has also given him the opportunity to see how different college classes are from high school and that college professors have a different teaching style than high school teachers.”

High School Experience

On the BMHS campus, Adam had excellent class experiences, as did his sisters. Dawn and Tim say. “Mr. Hoey (who teaches in the social studies department) and Mr. Cappozielo (in family consumer education) have been especially helpful. Adam felt they taught him in a way that showed what the ‘real world’ would be like after graduation. They prepared him for life outside the school. …The high school has prepared him for a post secondary education by providing the necessary preparatory classes to help him succeed.”

As part of his BMHS academics, Dawn added, “Adam has also been involved in the Advanced Learners Program, which used to be called Gifted and Talented. He has been involved in this since elementary school.  He started in the Math 24 program at Morgan and continued to be involved in high school. In high school, he was able to continue his involvement by proctoring the competitions and serving as a role model for the younger students.”

Extra-curricular Opportunities

Beyond academics, Dawn and Tim say, “Our children were also involved in clubs and sports. The leadership opportunities given to (our daughters) …helped them advocate for themselves in college by giving them confidence.” Dawn and Tim say they are certain this will be true for Adam as well.

Specifically, Dawn says, “Adam was the president of Key Club for two years.  This taught him valuable leadership skills.  He was also the treasurer of Environmental Club for two years.  He has been a member of NHS for two years.  He has also been in the band for two years. He actually started in band in 5th grade and continued through 8th grade. He took a break in 9th and 10th and picked it back up in 11th.

“All of these have taught him how to be a part of a team and to work with others to make things happen, which are invaluable life lessons.”

Lessons Learned

About lessons they learned as parents along the way, Dawn and Tim, say, “It is important to keep involved in yours child’s educational endeavor and to utilize the opportunities the high school has to offer.”

The post Adam Socha (16′) | Our Students Our Stories appeared first on School District of Beloit News.