A Clover Park School District story.
Our Promising Futures featured student this week is Open Doors Youth Reengagement Program senior Shandykane Fredrick.
Fredrick joined Open Doors last September after finding that he had difficulty focusing in a traditional classroom setting. “When I got here, it felt more natural to me,” he said. “I could work on subjects in my own time and focus on them individually instead of learning different topics throughout the day in multiple periods.”
Before joining Open Doors, Fredrick’s most challenging subject was English Language Arts. This past year, his reading comprehension and writing skills have become one of his greatest strengths. He successfully completed all his English courses in just two months. “Because I could focus at my own pace, I got better at comprehending information,” he said. “I can learn languages easier – I’m learning Korean right now – and It’s so much easier for me to write essays.”
A year ago, Fredrick was unsure of his plans for the future. After working with his teachers and guidance counselors at Open Doors, he realized that he wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father and join the U.S. Army. They supported him throughout the military application process and coordinated an Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test. “I would have never taken the ASVAB if I hadn’t gone to Open Doors and the Army, Navy and Marines all reached out to me because I did so well,” he said.
After graduating, Fredrick will fulfill his military duties working in aeronautics at his station in South Korea. He then hopes to become an officer so he can fly planes instead of repair them. One day, he dreams of fulfilling his childhood wish of becoming an astronaut. “I have big ambitions,” he said.
