By: Elizabeth Trower
Wow these three weeks flew by. Now it is time to say our goodbyes and head back to our schools, but the thing is we aren’t the same person we were when we arrived. We all have changed whether it is in a small or big way we have all grown. And it has been a change for the better. For some it has been being able to open up with people on discussing hard truths. For some it has been connecting with 329 people who get one another and understand the reality of giftedness and what each goes through being a gifted student at their school. And for some it has been the things they have learned and the experiences they have had these past three weeks that has changed their opinions, or allowed them to really find their inner self. Either way the 329 scholars that left their families three weeks ago to attend MSA are leaving with more knowledge on the world, their friends and family, and most of all their selves.
MSA was a powerful and wonderful experience for the scholars attending. With the jammed packed days it was filled with many opportunities and guest speakers who played a huge role on impacting the scholars. The scholars were given the privilege to try new majors that might have opened up new career paths. Not only were they taught many valuable lessons on life, they were able to express themselves in ways they never had before. At MSA the scholars were encouraged to show their true self, because they were in an environment where they weren’t judged. In three weeks the scholars have connected with one another and made many new friendships that will last them a lifetime, all the while discovering their true self and worth.
Even with MSA coming to a closing, that doesn’t mean that our experience has come to an end. If fact this is just the beginning of something that will last a lifetime. The experience held at MSA is going to stay with the scholars as they part ways and go back to their daily lives. The goal is for the scholars to take what they learned in these three short weeks and share it with the rest of the world.
With the end of the week floating around in the back of our minds we were encouraged to live this last week, to enjoy it. The quote we heard Monday was this “Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.” This reminded the scholars that even though the last day of MSA was approaching, we still had time to spend with one another. We still had time to gather all the last bits of information and knowledge we could. We still had time to spend making great memories with the people we had become close with in such a short amount of time. We still had time.
Throughout the week in COR PSD, scholars were asked about future goals and plans they had, that they wanted to accomplish before and after MSA. The scholars were to write their goals down and find a fellow scholar that they thought could hold them accountable for making these dreams and goals come true. This was preparing them for life after MSA. How were they going to take all the knowledge they gained from the academy and use it in the real world? MSAN discussed with scholars on how they felt MSA had impacted them, how they felt they had changed, and how they were going into week four.There may not be an actual week four at MSA, but that is because week four lasts well beyond seven days, it lasts forever.
MSA isn’t an experience that everyone is granted with, so when it the opportunity comes knocking at your door, it is wise to take it. To the scholars that came this year, it was so fun connecting with everyone, learning your stories and going on this amazing journey together. It was remarkable seeing us grow into individuals that will use their talents and abilities to impact all the people in our life. To the staff and faculty, thank you for all your hard work and dedication for continuing to put on an academy that impacts every student that walks through the doors of MSA. To the teachers, that you for dedicating your time to teach scholars the greatest lessons of life and encouraging them to try something new and explore what the world has to offer them. To the guest speakers, thank you for sharing your stories with us and inspiring us to always follow our dreams because nothing is impossible. To the RAs thanks for being great role models for all of the scholars and sharing your own MSA experiences to make us feel more at home. To our families, thank you for supporting us during these unforgettable three weeks, with the kind letters and cards letting us know how much you love us. Lastly to the future scholars, you may think it is scary to leave your family for three weeks, but I promise you won’t want to miss it. You will come here discover things about yourself that you wouldn’t have found otherwise. You will walk in as a determined student who is eager to learn all you can, and you will leave as a MSA scholar who gained knowledge that you can’t find elsewhere. Knowledge that is powerful and the key to success in life.
MSA has become a second home to 329 students of Missouri. They were brought together not knowing what was in stored for them. Over three weeks they learned, grew, developed, and gained different outlooks on the world. These 329 scholars are all going to do amazing things in life. They will use their giftedness to change the world.
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