We asked some of the brightest folks from within the community to reflect back on their days in school and to share with us a story of when they learned a particularly important or impactful lesson. We’ve shared highlights below.

Ngeri Azuewah

In school I learned the value of being meaningfully in community with others. I believe that I was meant to meet every single person that I have encountered on my educational journey from my teachers, to my peers to my administrators. This has manifested in my being connected to peers and past educators in the present because of the connections that we shared in the past. This lesson has stuck with me because these same people are the people that I am able to call upon for anything in the present. It is very important to me to keep a strong community of people close to me because we serve as lifelines to one another. Read more>>

Pati Barreto

I was a very shy and introvert kid in school. Since I remember, my biggest obstacle was to reach out to teachers, asking questions. I scared of being judged and especially to give the incorrect answer. My lesson learned hasn’t been from when I was in school, but mostly the tips and tricks my teachers always gave me and I never took them. I’ve been a photographer for 20 years and my journey started when I moved to Miami for the first time. I joined Miami Ad School and I was the youngest student on Campus and in the Photo Design program (known today as Photography and Video). Read more>>

Adeline-julie Bee

Failure is a skill. My schooling did not follow a well-defined straight line. It went through tests, failures, mistakes, detours, devaluations, questioning, and of course, answers, encouragement, and successes. It is my ability to respond to difficulties that makes me think that, more or less, it was the missteps that built me rather than the other way around. Indeed, if my path had not been chaotic, would it have taught me to adapt so much and to bounce back from the many obstacles with which life has challenged me? Read more>>

Yu Harn (yuko) Hwang

Learning 3D at Gnomon was more than just an educational experience; it was a journey that reshaped my perspective on passion and self-improvement. Being in an environment filled with talented artists often led me to question my own abilities, as I found myself comparing my work to that of my peers. However, I soon realized that my true competition was with myself. By identifying my strengths and areas for growth, I actively sought out tutorials and constructive feedback from my classmates and instructors. Read more>>