Freshmen Sophia Smith and Austin Dixon sit in the School of Inquiry, working on their projects. Photo by Janessa Salazar
By Eric Burch
As the school year comes to a close, the freshman class of 2016 is on their way to becoming the sophomore class of 2016.
Freshmen have almost finished their first year and while there were ups, there were also downs of the year. While some people have gone to school in the Plymouth system their entire life, some moved here a few years ago, many years ago, or even just last year. “I moved here from Walkerton schools for 6th grade,” said Morganne Kviz. While Kviz has not been here her whole school life, Tyler Irwin has, “Yes, I have [been here] ever since kindergarten.” Like Kviz, Kaylie Barden said that she has not been in the Plymouth system her entire school career, and also that she “used to live in California.”
People can ask students if it was unnerving to start going to high school. As most topics, students had different answers. Leticia Torres said that she “was actually really nervous.” JoAnna Mendez said that she was nervous “because I had gone to a private school my whole life and I didn’t know a lot of people coming into such a big new school.” While some of the students interviewed said the school was intimidating, others had different and less fearful opinions. Sophia Smith was not nervous at all, “No I wasn’t really nervous because I was a member of the Plymouth High School Winter Performance Ensemble my 8th grade year so I kinda knew my way around. Also, I’m friends with more sophomores, juniors, and seniors than I am friends with freshman anyways.”
Some freshmen have taken it upon themselves to make goals to achieve during the year. Torres said, “I had plans to get straight A’s and join sports and clubs.” She proceeded to say that she had fulfilled her plans. Torres had, in her opinion, really great grades, and joined four clubs. “I just planned to try and make friends and keep good grades like I had in past years,” said Kazia Goncher, “I did follow through with [the plans]. I have become friends with a lot of new people this year.” Unlike Torres and Goncher, Joshua Olvera did not have a plan to begin the school year with. Irwin had planned to try out for the basketball team, but wanted to focus on his grades his first year.
Students grow up in different environments when they grow up in different schools, things like the teams they root for, the colors they wear at games, the types of classes they can take, and other things. Plymouth High School varies from other schools. Kayla Brissette said that,“At other schools I have been to [they have been] strict with many rules and dress codes.” Nicole Pyatskowit agrees with the statement that Plymouth has more class opportunities than other schools. She said, “This school provides more activities and classes than most.” Along with PHS being different than other high schools, the high school has the potential to be very different than elementary or junior high school. Goncher said, “The biggest difference I believe is the teachers tend to trust us more and most people are more mature.” Jordan Bowering said that he feels the school is much larger than the other schools in the Plymouth school district. Kviz agrees with Bowering, and also said that the “mixture of grades in the classes” was very different than how it was in lower level schools.
Between the School of Inquiry and the classic schooling system, there is at least one common denominator. Some classes require more work than others, and that depends on the student as well as on the class they are taking.. School of Inquiry student Smith said that the hardest class that she has taken is Spanish. “I know the material, but when it comes time for tests it’s like the information decided to take a vacation!” While School of Inquiry student Austin Dixon said that one of hardest classes was a SOI class, called Global Perspectives Honors. He “lost some hair over that class.”
While the Class of 2013 is ending their high school career, the Class of 2016 has just begun. The freshman class has a journey to prepare for life skills, and students will choose what career to prepare for.