By DMA Freshman Thomas Esterling

I have had a great time in Optimistic Mindset. From the first day of class, I knew it was going to be a block where you can talk freely and discuss things with the class that you usually wouldn’t in another class. Mr. Shelton taught the class how to have civil discussions about confrontational subjects without getting upset and learning to understand where the other person is coming from. I have made new friends in this class too that I think will stick with me throughout high school. This class never stresses me out with a crazy load of homework or an insane amount of classwork. Walking from my 3rd block to my 4th block lightens up my day because it gives me a break from the classic school style and puts me somewhere where learning new things is fun. We have watched many videos in Optimistic Mindset that go perfectly with the lessons and genuinely help me in my day-to-day life with just little simple tips. Some important values that this class taught me are: how to keep your composure when having discussions, how to improve your well-being with social connections, and how getting more sleep can lead to countless benefits. Simple things we have gone over each day have led to a monumental impact on my day-to-day life. Me and my classmates all have a similar goal now and it’s to help the mental health of our generation. We need to start with spreading the word and listening to and understanding others’ problems to help. I want to thank Mr. Shelton and this great group of students for this opportunity in my freshman year. It’s also crazy how I was able to have a class with my sister who is a senior and I’m a freshman. My sister introduced me to a couple new friends and cool classmates that I wouldn’t have been as comfortable talking to if she wasn’t there to introduce me.