Armando Santos Jr

Adele Harrison Middle School

My life in middle schools was really just living life mentality. Really got out this bubble of the goodie little kid I was, up until 6th grade. I was never scared of a consequence or anybody that got in my way, I'd say I felt untouchable after I move to Fairfield, CA and then back to Sonoma. My first day at my new school in Fairfield was a big reality check for me because I instantly got punked on, saw Mutiple fights- just everything I basically never had seen before in a very small town surrounded by mountains and vineyards. But afterwhile my family moved back to Sonoma and that's when my life start going downhill, but at the time I never saw it as that. I got back mid 7th grade and already had this reputation of this independent leader that was also a troublemaker, that would get detention every week and just skip school to smoke or drink and a mentality of "I don't need school or anybody telling me what to do". 
But then 8th grade came and I was basically doing the same troublemaker stuff I had been doing until I had a conversation with one of my teachers about high school and how it would be like. He told me "You aren't going to make it to high school if you keep acting the way you are". It hit me right then and there, that I'm just going downhill in life and just knowing I might get left behind while everyone else graduates really got to me. So, I got my myself together before it was too late and did non-stop homework and extra homework, also started going to school every day and just stayed to myself basically. Next thing I know I was allowed to graduate with my class, and then high school came.

Sonoma Valley High School
and
Pacific Sands Academy

I was so excited to start high school but was nervous because of the reputation I had with the older kids, but I made the best of it until I started hanging out with an old group of friends. I started getting into trouble again and was soon put under as gang affiliated which kind of confirmed my reputation in other people's eyes, and that caused me to get in a lot of fights to defend myself or my friends which were a little bit smaller than me since I was a little bigger than my age. I started doing the same thing I was doing in middle school but just worse because at 15, I had more access to things I should have not been around, and before I knew it, I was going downhill again and this time it was too late. I already failed 2 years and had the mentality that I'm going to fail the next two, but I only got as far as Junior year to realize that I don't have enough credits to graduate to and I fully gave up on education. Until I realized I have to succeed at something in order to get somewhere in life and that meant I had to get my diploma. I found Pacific Sands Academy where I was able to earn credits for my life skills and experiences and for reflecting on my education up to this point. 

Since joining Pacific Sands Academy, I've been working full time with my dad doing drywall, basically as a taper. This means I finish off the drywall with bumpy or smooth textures which are then ready for the painters to paint. Because of the recent California fires, there's been a lot of construction. I also go to my uncles auto shop when my dad doesn't have work for me, and help him out with various projects. 

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Goals

I want to get my license for drywall work and start a business with my dad.

For more information about my academic experience, skills and training, don’t hesitate to get in touch.