Middle Schoolers at Heart?

by Kayla Degnan, Reporter

Learning through a bright screen for the first part of their freshman year, the class of 2024 has experienced three different schedules in the short time they have been bearcats. From distance learning as freshmen, then later switching to an in-person schedule that was broken up into mornings and afternoons, that same year, the decision by the school board on Aug. 11 to allow students to be in-person for eight hours a day for the 2021-22 school year came as a surprise. With 85% out of 90 students preferring a full day at school rather than the abridged hybrid schedule from the prior year, many have gone through a series of emotions: relieved to finally be on campus, confused by their lack of experience, and ecstatic for the new year.

According to a survey offered to tenth graders, being on campus for a full six period day after 17 months of either no or some time on campus created an awkward atmosphere for 47 out of 90 tenth graders that felt more like freshmen than sophomores. The same survey demonstrated that 52.2% felt as if they were still in middle school or still stuck in freshman year because of the haphazard transition in the school schedules.

Over 55% students enjoyed being back on campus while 28% were somewhat happy coming back to eight hour school days. Bianca Rangel, a sophomore coming from Daniel E. Lewis middle school has experienced both the positive and negative aspects of returning to school.

Rangel is in her second year of the cheer and stunt program, a base on the varsity cheer team. She had started her cheering career last year during the schedules, being an athlete and a dedicated student. Rangel had ended her freshman year with a 4.0 GPA even during her difficulty in the hybrid schedule.

“It’s affected me in the sense that I’m not home, so I don’t have much time for myself or my schoolwork, so I just have to stay up later.” Rangel said.

In order to prepare for the imminence of college, Keller chose to train her to become a service dog before her high school years are up.

Junior Zoe Smith has been a friend of Keller’s since kindergarten. The two challenge each other often and are very close. Smith has seen Keller through all of her medical struggles, and she couldn’t be more proud of her.

Zoe Smith, 11

“She doesn’t let her lasting injury hold her back, even if she needs to take breaks in between,” Smith said.

She has seen how Keller doesn’t use her conditions to her advantage in any way. Instead, she overcomes her problems and finds a way to solve them herself.

“She hasn’t given up on a normal life or used her predicament as an excuse to get out of anything,” Smith said.

Outside of being her service dog, Tahoe also loves the outdoors. The two spend time at the beach or hiking very often, even though Tahoe hates water. She also adores the snow.

“We went to Yosemitie and we got out of the car and she raced around in the snow and then pounced in it and fell through a large portion of the snow,” Keller said.

With Tahoe by her side, Keller looks forward to her future in the medical field. Without having to worry about her medical conditions, she can follow her hopes and show her ability to be independent. After accepting her degree in medicine, she’ll walk with Tahoe’s leash in hand and a life she finds fulfilling at her fingertips.

“I don’t sit on my couch all day, and I’m not at home all day. I can go outside.” Tobin said, a Varsity track and field athlete during the 2020-2021 school year

During hybrid learning, right when I would go into my breaks for class I would go and help my younger siblings with their schoolwork or their meetings, my parents weren’t home because of work, and then right after school I’d either go to work or to go straight to [cheer] practice.

Bianca Rangel, 10

Rangel has liked schedule more so than the hybrid because she is able to see her friends more and understand concepts better from her teachers. She enjoys learning hands on from her teachers while immersing herself in a normal classroom environment filled with 30 to 35 students per class.

Sophomore Jack Tobin has also had similar struggles with the transition. He found that it impacted his lifestyle and involvement with extracurriculars.

By the end of his freshman year and season, Tobin reached a vaulting height of 10’6 foot tall pole. Through his involvement in sports and the ability to be in person during school, Tobin perfected the key to success in pole vaulting, his academic eligibility. With his 4.2 GPA, Tobin is striving to keep his grades up in rigorous classes so that he will be able to vault once again this spring.

Both agreed an experience they missed participating in are school dances. So on September 17 when PRHS hosted its first dance of the 2020-21 school year, called the Pound the Hounds, Tobin and Rangel enjoyed the spirited, lighthearted atmosphere that surrounded them on the dance floor.

“I would have wished to experience more dances my freshman year, because I had a lot of fun,” Rangel said.

The experiences have been different for both but they have not been the only ones to undergo a pretentious start of the school year. From screens to laughing with their peers, being able to hear the sound of voices not muffled by a speaker and the crinkle in their eyes has been a positive experience sophomores., being back on campus.