THE MANKAD FORUM E.B.

Elliot Bramson

“Freshman year, I went to Huron for my first three classes. I didn’t know anyone so I would just be on my own. Then I would take the bus, and when I got to CHS halfway through the day, it was a more relaxed, welcoming environment. Everyone is themselves more; that’s a cliche, but it’s true. But I had no passion. I didn’t have many interests, I wasn’t confident and I played basketball, which I enjoyed but didn’t love. I was just going through the motions–It felt like my life hadn’t started yet. I got cut from the basketball team during my junior year, and the more I think about it, the more I feel like that was a turning point in my life. I started going to crew workouts, learned to drive and got my first job, and that was around the same time my grandma passed away. I feel like that was the start of a new life that I’m living now. I knew that there were milestones in my life that I was crossing, but I thought of them as more of external milestones, like getting my driver’s license, but now I realize they were more of internal milestones because I was changing as a person–it wasn’t just that I had done things or had more responsibilities, but I was changing. I’m different now because I have a better sense of who I am. I wish I could tell my freshman self ‘you were at a stagnant point of life, but by the time you get to the end of high school, your life will be so much richer.’”

Kevin Dutton

“It wasn’t that I didn’t like my first year, it was that I really liked Community and Pioneer both. I just didn’t like feeling split between two schools. I didn’t like having to take the bus every single day and pay for it. The walk was really far with my backpack and instrument. Once I was able to drive the higher band classes were later in the day, it made my schedule easier. I was able to drive and I could quickly commute so it wasn’t that much of a hassle. It was nice to be able to continue doing band the way that I wanted to and still be at Community, take the classes that I was interested in and find my niche. I enjoy playing my instrument. I enjoy reading music and I’ll keep trying to get better. I think it’s a unique way to express yourself [in a way] that isn’t through words. I think music is cool because it kind of speaks for itself. I just have an appreciation for it. And maybe I wouldn’t have done it as long if I went to Pioneer full-time. Split enrolling in the afternoon made it hard to be a part of the forum in the afternoon. Now that I’m able to go to afternoon forum, it means more to me. Forum has definitely, for me, been a really defining experience in high school. Being with Maneesha and my friends, we definitely had a very special bond in our forum, and that’s something that I’ll remember. I think like just being with Maneesha, from help with math to support as a teacher and outside of school, just advice on life. My bond with Maneesha has been special and has helped me grow as a person.”