Student Reflections on the CRILA Experience
I am very proud of what this group has accomplished, both individually and as a whole. In accepting my invitation to be a part of CRILA 8 last April, I had high hopes for this opportunity. I was hoping to gain confidence, build relationships, and act on my idealistic goals. And I hoped to expand my comfort zone and learn from the 29 other CRILA members. Looking back, I exceeded my expectation in all of those areas. My comfort zone has expanded its radius exponentially; I have built relationships that I’m certain will last me a lifetime; I have been able to chase after my dreams; my confidence has boosted significantly; and my understanding of others has helped shape me into a the type of leader I never thought I could be. In writing to myself at the beginning of the Leadership Academy, I didn’t quite get it. I didn’t quite understand the extent to which this program would mold me into the leader I now am. I sincerely believe I’m a better person because of CRILA, and I can honestly say I see the world from so many more perspectives than I did, which will allow me to continue to grow. After this long, amazing journey, the big question is where do I go from here?
- CRILA 8 Student
From here, I will never stop improving myself. The biggest life lesson I have gotten out of being a member of CRILA 8 is that there is always room for improvement. Leaders never stop asking what they can do better, what they should not do next time, or what they can continue doing. I will make sure to always improve and be a leader filled with genuine goodness.
- CRILA 8 Student
I definitely will miss CRILA. It was a never-ending journey filled with surprises and discoveries. My number one obligation to myself is to be satisfied with the person I am and not to second-guess the body, mind, heart, and soul God gave me. They are all gifts that make me, me. It is my responsibility to use those gifts to acquire skills and perspectives to achieve the goals I set before myself and most importantly lead others. To be more specific, I really and truly hope to be a role model for others. I want other students to see that they have the potential to be a model student as well. Not out of jealousy or pressure from their parents, but because they genuinely want to. I’m not just going to be a role model for the one year I have left in high school, but for the many years I have left in my life. I want to keep growing and accomplishing any goal I set my eyes on, and never stop.
- CRILA 8 Student
I feel that CRILA has helped me thoroughly understand myself and those around me. After I came back from Colorado, I was immediately aware of what my biggest weakness was. My weakness wasn’t that I couldn’t climb the mountain while hiking or reach the top of the cliff while rock climbing, my weakness was that I didn’t believe I could do any of those activities. I didn’t believe that I had any potential at all, but with the encouragement of my advisors and my fellow CRILA members, I realized my potential.
- CRILA 8 Student
I worked with kids from different towns all over Connecticut that, though quite uniform in standards, varied a lot from my small town of Simsbury. This aspect of the program certainly brought different perspectives and helped diversify what would be just a group of 30 high school kids. Looking around the room during our last meeting as CRILA 8, I reflected on each person that I had shared this wonderful experience with. I thought about how I had seen, with my own eyes, them growing into leaders.
- CRILA 8 Student
I have learned so much in the past year. Applying for and entering CRILA 8 was the most fulfilling decision I have made in my short life; the leadership and life lessons I’ve learned are priceless. Through understanding myself, I’ve begun to understand others. Each physical, emotional, and psychological challenge has been worth it, and I do not regret a moment.
- CRILA 8 Student
CRILA has taught me lessons about life and leadership that I will always carry with me, and I am thankful for that. I have felt the joy of giving in service to others, the anguish that sets in after recognizing a false peak and the rush of joy upon reaching a true one, the fundamental worth of a little fresh air, and the extravagance of simplicity. I intend to continue to enjoy these true facts of life for the rest of my own.
- CRILA 7 Student
Looking back, I realize that applying to be in the CRILA class is the single most significant choice of have made in my short life thus far. It took the past me and has transformed him into a much happier member of society ready to implement his new leadership skills into his daily life. I was blessed with the chance to meet so many great friends and mentors and because of this, I am personally obligated to prove that the past year was not time wasted for any of us. Using my new skills, I hope to give back to my community in an entirely new way.
- CRILA 7 Student
One specific activity that burns the most in my memory from Colorado is an activity we did as a CRILA unit. We all began in a line in the dining hall. Questions regarding demographics, religion, sexual orientation/preferences, social standing, financial wealth, etc. were asked to us. If it was applicable or had happened to us as individuals and depending on the question, we took a step either forward or backward. That activity burned itself in my memory so deeply because I was unaccustomed to being in such a diverse group of people. Perhaps it is not so much the diversity of our group that stuck with me, but the fact that to the majority I will never know exactly what questions my
fellow CRILA members answered to end up where they were standing—and that is alright, because it does not matter to me where my friends came from, it matters that they are with me.
- CRILA 7 Student
My experience through CRILA has opened my life to new opportunities. Leadership has been and always will play a critical role in my life. I will learn how to become a better leader everyday with each new experience. My biggest accomplishment though the program was really getting to understand myself. This understanding made it so much easier to communicate to the rest of my peers. Leadership is not just leading your peers but rather helping them through and learning at the same time. You must be understanding and have the courage to follow through with your dreams.
- CRILA 7 Student
Over the past year, I have learned much about myself, but most importantly, I have admitted that I am uncomfortable with failure. While in Colorado, I was given time to reflect upon my thoughts. During my solo night, I immediately thought about my failures rather than my accomplishments. I thought about what I do with my free time at home and realized that I rarely give myself time to think in silence. My mind is constantly bombarded with thoughts
about school, family, and friends. If I have free time to relax, I usually fill the empty space with music or television. When given this silent time to think during the trip to Colorado, I realized that I cannot easily forget about my failures. Thus, when I returned to Connecticut, I began implementing time to reflect upon myself during the week. I stopped listening to music during my distance runs and used the time to think about my successes and what I have learned from my failures. Rather than think about how disappointing my failures are, I have learned to only remember the lessons I have gained from them. I can confidently say that my experience in CRILA has been both rewarding and unforgettable. It has provided me with the opportunity to reflect upon myself and leadership style, something I never would have done on my own. Whenever I meet a roadblock I think to myself, I climbed Mt. Galena; I can do anything.
- CRILA 7 Student
- CRILA 7 Student
Looking back, I realize that applying to be in the CRILA class is the single most significant choice of have made in my short life thus far. It took the past me and has transformed him into a much happier member of society ready to implement his new leadership skills into his daily life. I was blessed with the chance to meet so many great friends and mentors and because of this, I am personally obligated to prove that the past year was not time wasted for any of us. Using my new skills, I hope to give back to my community in an entirely new way.
- CRILA 7 Student
One specific activity that burns the most in my memory from Colorado is an activity we did as a CRILA unit. We all began in a line in the dining hall. Questions regarding demographics, religion, sexual orientation/preferences, social standing, financial wealth, etc. were asked to us. If it was applicable or had happened to us as individuals and depending on the question, we took a step either forward or backward. That activity burned itself in my memory so deeply because I was unaccustomed to being in such a diverse group of people. Perhaps it is not so much the diversity of our group that stuck with me, but the fact that to the majority I will never know exactly what questions my
fellow CRILA members answered to end up where they were standing—and that is alright, because it does not matter to me where my friends came from, it matters that they are with me.
- CRILA 7 Student
My experience through CRILA has opened my life to new opportunities. Leadership has been and always will play a critical role in my life. I will learn how to become a better leader everyday with each new experience. My biggest accomplishment though the program was really getting to understand myself. This understanding made it so much easier to communicate to the rest of my peers. Leadership is not just leading your peers but rather helping them through and learning at the same time. You must be understanding and have the courage to follow through with your dreams.
- CRILA 7 Student
Over the past year, I have learned much about myself, but most importantly, I have admitted that I am uncomfortable with failure. While in Colorado, I was given time to reflect upon my thoughts. During my solo night, I immediately thought about my failures rather than my accomplishments. I thought about what I do with my free time at home and realized that I rarely give myself time to think in silence. My mind is constantly bombarded with thoughts
about school, family, and friends. If I have free time to relax, I usually fill the empty space with music or television. When given this silent time to think during the trip to Colorado, I realized that I cannot easily forget about my failures. Thus, when I returned to Connecticut, I began implementing time to reflect upon myself during the week. I stopped listening to music during my distance runs and used the time to think about my successes and what I have learned from my failures. Rather than think about how disappointing my failures are, I have learned to only remember the lessons I have gained from them. I can confidently say that my experience in CRILA has been both rewarding and unforgettable. It has provided me with the opportunity to reflect upon myself and leadership style, something I never would have done on my own. Whenever I meet a roadblock I think to myself, I climbed Mt. Galena; I can do anything.
- CRILA 7 Student