Core Competency

Personal Awareness & Responsibility:

Strengths:
1.) I use a variety of strategies to manage my personal wellbeing:

I get stressed and anxious at times; it is usually because of school. It was a major problem for me back in
elementary school and middle school because I didn’t use different strategies to help me calm down and get
back on track. I’ve been able to manage to get better by using different techniques, which include talking and
letting it out with someone I feel comfortable with, listening to music, anxiety controlling YouTube sounds,
going on walks with my dog, exercising at the gym and watching tv.

2.) I take personal responsibility for my choices and actions:

I’ve always known that slacking off at school won’t get me anywhere and that it’s a waste of time. Which is
why no matter how exhausted I am I’ll always make sure to do my assignments properly and hand them in on
time. If I have a test or quiz, I make sure to prepare for it well in advance to ensure I’ll do as well as possible.
Most importantly I always try to do my best in school even if I don't always get perfect grades, I know
working hard is what is important.

Weakness:
I can express my needs and seek help when needed:

This weakness goes two ways. The first one is that I do not always open up on how I feel and it’s not because
I don’t have anyone to talk to, I just struggle sometimes talking about things, it’s not as bad as it was before
but I would say it’s still a weakness of mine. The second one is asking for extra help on assignments, this is
due to the fact that I struggle with my level of comfort with teachers, which makes asking for help more
difficult.

Social Responsibility:
Strengths:
Building Relationships:

I’ve always been able to make new close or friendly friendships with people I either meet in school or outside
school, and we’ve always gotten along and be there for each other fully or minimally and always have a fun
time together. On my extende family, like my aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents we don’t see each
other often, because most of them live in Ecuador but when we do see them, I always make sure to spend as
much time as I as possible, have conversations with them, to build our relantionship. In general, with my
family and friends I always treat them how I want to be treated, as this makes a big difference.

Solving Problems in Peaceful Ways:

I don’t like drama in real life, so I make sure to handle problems in a respectful and responsible way. I would
rather talk it out maturely with the person that I am having a problem with, rather than not talking about it
and keep the problem going on without being resolved.

Weakness:

Valuing Diversity:

I think as an individual who has a social media platform, I could try post more on my Instagram stories, for
example, about serious problems going on around the world that I may not have before, and how those
problems affect others. I think it’s important for me to spread awareness of ongoing struggles that people
may not care enough about, so I want to try to start helping others.

Critical Thinking:
Strengths:
Question & Investigate:

When learning about new topics I’m not familiar with, I can ask questions that would allow me to gather the
information that I need. By doing this I get a better understanding and draw my own conclusions. I can get
this information by gathering proper research, asking questions to someone who knows the topic well, or
talking to my peers to see what they know.

Develop and Design:

I can figure out different ways to express what I have learned, and I can do that by solving any struggles or
explaining my side to what I understand of the topic. When I do an assignment, I know why I am doing it and
who I am speaking to in what I write. I also know where I’m doing well and where I may need help as I go
along with my work.

Weakness:

Analyze and Critique:

Even though I’m good at analyzing and critiquing my work, I’m not the best with my work where I need to be
defend and back it up with evidence on my own, which I definetely want to work on for possible future
assignments when I start attending university.

Creative Thinking:
Strengths:

Novelty & Value:

In English class I can take a topic and find a way to make it unique and interesting for the reader to read it
and be engaged with it. I’ll follow the steps and criteria of how it must be done to make it successful.

Developing Ideas:

I like to expand my ideas in different ways so I can pick the correct one, so I make a written list or just a list in
my head and even ask others what idea they think is best so I can have more input.

Weakness:

Generating Ideas:

When it comes to generate new ideas from scratch, I do struggle as I find it hard to esatblish a topic to then
build ideas around it.

Communication:
Strengths:

Collaborate to plan, carry out, and review:

With presentation projects I have always preferred to work with my friends or classmates because it makes it
easier to combine ideas on what we should do, and we can work together as a team. If I don’t do it with a
friend or friends and I, do it with someone new, I think it’s a great way to talk to and to work with someone
else because it is a great way for me to get to know other people.

Explain/recount and reflect on experiences and accomplishments:

I can reflect on my process of learning by talking about my experiences or any challenges I may have had and
what I learned from them and how I’ve grown to fix any of the problems I have faced. For instance, I learn
from any mistakes I’ve made on my work from the feedback from my teachers so that I can resolve it and
make sure I don’t do it again.

Weakness:

Connect and Share with Others:

I’m not very good at debating and sharing my opinion in group discussions. For example in English last
semester we had a to analyze a story and answer questions about it, on a class environment where we sat in
a circle to discuss. It was difficult for me to open up and share what I thought because it can feel awkward for
me to have so many eyes looking at me while I’m saying what I think of a question. So, I hope if I have this
type of situations in University, I will be able to have the confidence to speak up more.

Personal & Cultural Identity:

Strengths:

Personal Values & Choices:

I am who I am today because of my mom and dad, they have always taught me to be kind, respectful,
mature, have good manners, be thoughtful, and stand up for myself. I have always appreciated them for
raising me the way that they did so I can grow up to be a good person. I value everything they have done for
me by being there for me, helping me with my homework, spending time with me, making me feel better,
giving me everything to survive. So, I am very grateful for having such loving parents.

Personal Strengths and Abilities:

I know that one of my most important strengths and ability is being kind, friendly, and respectful to those
around me, even total strangers. These are the most important qualities everyone should have, and I am glad
I’m one of them, even though I don’t really like a certain person I know that it’s always better to just ignore
them and don’t acknowledge that, to avoid being unfriendly like they are.

Weakness:

Relationships and Cultural Identity:

I find it hard to define myself in relation to how others define themselves in the environment in which I spend
my time. I think that my struggle is because I accept others as they are, but don’t know how to use that to
better relate to them.