At the beginning of her first year at Dewey, Chang JungYoon (10 Burlington) often chose to stay quiet in class, worried that her English might not be good enough. By the end of the year, her homeroom teacher was describing her as “a leader among her peers.”
That change did not happen overnight.
For JungYoon, it came through many small decisions: speaking up even when she was unsure, presenting in front of others, reading more, practising her writing, and trying again after making mistakes. Along the way, one of Dewey’s four Core Values — Lifelong Learning — began to take on a more personal meaning.
In the Journey Program, much of her academic work is in English, from research and projects to reading and essay writing. At first, keeping up was difficult. But with encouragement from her teachers, JungYoon gradually pushed herself beyond the fear of getting things wrong. Little by little, she became more confident in expressing her ideas and taking part in class. “This experience taught me that consistent effort is more important than immediate results,” she said.
Group projects brought another lesson. JungYoon began to see collaboration less as a matter of proving whose idea was right and more as learning how to listen, contribute, take responsibility, and build something stronger together. Her final Humanities project, Personal Manifesto, gave her another opportunity to explore ideas around responsibility and job security.
Her growth was also visible to Mr. Nick, her homeroom teacher. “Over the past school year, I watched her go from a shy, new student to a leader among her peers. She showed dedication to her work and a willingness to achieve the high expectations set by her teachers. I enjoyed watching her work with groupmates and hearing her contributions to presentations,” he shared.
Beyond the classroom, JungYoon continues to follow wherever her curiosity leads. Engineering, machines, and technology particularly fascinate her — especially the way different parts come together to make something work. When a question catches her attention, she wants to look a little closer and understand a little more.
Perhaps that is what Lifelong Learning has come to mean for JungYoon. Learning does not have to end when an assignment is submitted or a test is over. Sometimes, it begins with a question. Sometimes, with a mistake. And sometimes, simply with the willingness to try once more.
Looking ahead, JungYoon is in no hurry to have everything figured out. For now, she wants to stay curious, take responsibility for her choices, and keep learning as she goes. Because growth is rarely one dramatic breakthrough. More often, it is what happens when we keep showing up, one small step at a time.
