As a kid that was homeschooled up until 7th grade I did a lot of critical thinking with hands-on projects. Anywhere from building a giant periodic table, to working on math problems with whiteboards. With this knowledge of myself as a learner, I knew Animas was probably going to be the high school that I would thrive in best. After my 8th grade year at Mountain Middle I knew that if I were to go to Durango High School, I wouldn’t be challenged, nor happy, to the extent that I want to be. Looking at Animas and how they operate, I knew it was going to be a school that would both challenge me and allow for deeper interpersonal connections to classmates and teachers. The decision to go to Animas has definitely paid off, as I enjoy the atmosphere of school and have been able to create some beautiful pieces of refined work.