I've been with SWAT since it first began in early 2015, and I've enjoyed every moment of it.

The first thing I quickly realized when I first joined SWAT was how it was so much more than just a group working to fix technology. There is a huge focus on the advancement of technology, which includes things such as spreading awareness of innovative uses of technology or helping educate people outside the Algonquin community. There was such a vast variety of tasks, each with their own unique merits, that I never, ever, got bored. Furthermore, this class offered a safe haven from the stresses of other APs and was a nice change of pace in the middle of the day.



The SWAT program itself has also grown much faster than I expected. During the first semester, there were only two students including me. Now, just a year later, we have a full-fledged SWAT club, a healthy connection with the Northborough and Southborough public libraries where we host community nights, a solid online presence through this blog and other social media, and a reputation for helpfulness in the community.

This much achievement can all be traced back to the singular effort and dedication of Mrs. Doyle, our instructional technology teacher who created the SWAT program and is the faculty advisor for the SWAT club.

Speaking of the club, it consists of the most helpful people I know. The members of SWAT consistently volunteer at community nights and also help out with many various projects. The SWAT club only started this school year, but it has a strong, tight-knit, group of passionate students.

Through my four years of high school, there has not been a class I enjoyed more that SWAT. It opened up tons of special opportunities that would never have been offered in other traditional classes such as presenting in front of principals and teachers at the Massachusetts DESE conference or helping create a crowd-sourced video that captured the life of a T-Hawk. Choosing SWAT my second semester Junior year was one of the best decisions of my high school career.