Skylar Dunn
Advanced Technologies Academy '10
What is your name?
Skylar Dunn
What CCSD Magnet
School(s) did you attend and what year did you graduate?
Advanced Technologies Academy, c/o
2010
What
college/university did/do you attend?
University of Southern California,
c/o 2015
What is your current
occupation?
Legal Project Assistant at the law
offices of Mitchell, Silberberg & Knupp.
What was your
favorite thing about attending a Magnet School?
Reflecting on my time at A-Tech, it
is impossible to pick only one. I enjoyed being able to specialize in Business
early on and attending a school filled with individuals who cared about their
education and future as much as I did.
What’s your proudest
achievement since graduating from High School?
Becoming the first in my family to
receive a college degree
How did attending a
Magnet School help prepare you for college and/or your current profession?
Attending A-Tech definitely gave me
a competitive edge when I got to college. It was the first place that showed me
what long nights and early mornings really meant, a lifestyle I became
accustomed to both in college and now in the working world. Further, it helped
me to understand that nothing is given to you. Everything must be earned and I
think my time at A-Tech, though I hated it at the time, taught me a bunch of
valuable lessons that prepared me for life after high school, and looking back
on it I appreciate it now more as an adult.
If you could have one
superpower, what would it be and how could you use it?
I’ve always wanted to make a
difference by leaving a lasting impact in the world, so if I could have one
super power I would have healing power and I would use it to cure the sick and
hurt people around the world.
What teacher inspired
you most? How?
I have two. The first is Dr.
Dajuane Anderson, my middle school math teacher. Dr. Anderson was the first
black male educator that I encountered. He was tough on me and every other
black male he taught because he believed in us. He showed me that I was more
than my athletic ability. He taught me that it was ok to be black and academically
gifted and that I didn’t have to go to the NBA or NFL to be successful, and for
that I am forever grateful. Essentially, he inspired me to pursue my purpose my
way and let no one define me.The second is Ms. Liberty Leavitt. I first
encountered Ms. Leavitt when I was in the 6th grade. She was a young, vibrant
teacher with a very promising career. I believe she was my social studies
teacher at the time. I gave her a tough time, but she could tell I was smart
and she never gave up on me. Our relationship grew over the course of my middle
school career and she became more of a mom to me than my teacher. When I was
accepted to A-Tech for high school, Ms. Leavitt had moved back to Colorado to teach
high school. We had had a conversation during my freshman year as we often did and I told her I wanted her
to be my teacher again, and the rest is history, literally. The following year,
my sophomore year at A-Tech, Ms. Leavitt was my World History Honors teacher.
My junior and senior years at A-Tech I was her student aid and also a student
ambassador for Ms. Leavitt, when she became the recruiting coordinator for our school.
Needless to say she just has not been able to get rid of me. While I was a student
at USC, Ms. Leavitt would travel to Southern California with her family to
check on me and watch football games. Ms. Leavitt has been one of the constant
factors in not only my educational endeavors, but also my growth and development
as a young man. As an educator Ms. Leavitt has inspired me to never give up and
to love people unconditionally despite any differences between us. The way she
accepted my peers and me when I was just an 11 year old kid says a lot about
her and how much she cares for her students. I knew then she was a special
human being and I am just blessed that she is forever apart of my life. Ms.
Leavitt has inspired me in more ways than one, and I can go on and on, but I
will say she has inspired me to be great and to accept others no matter what.
She is like my mom and I am her son, and no one can change that.
What advice do you
have for students today?
First and foremost is to be careful
when leaving a foot print on social media—it is not hard for people to find you
online, and you never want to rob yourself of an opportunity because of a social
media mishap. My next piece of advice for students is to remember that you are
competing against global society not just students in your school or in the
Clark County School District. I would also like them to understand that life is
so much bigger than Las Vegas, so if you have the opportunity to go away for
school and experience life elsewhere do that, study abroad, travel, and never
limit yourself. Lastly, it is ok to push yourself beyond your normal parameters
(or comfort zone), when you do this you know you are growing, when you are
growing you are learning, and you should never stop learning. Be committed to
being a lifelong learner.
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