3 minute read
A Sweet Start
A Sweet START SIXTH-GRADERS SHARE LIFE SO FAR AT GPS
From their first steps onto campus on Opening Day to now—halfway through their first year at GPS—our sixth-graders have grown tremendously. They have all embraced the sisterhood with fervor, stepped out of their comfort zones, and approached each new challenge with openness and confidence. We asked four girls who have really jumped in with both feet how year one at GPS has been so far.
LONDYN BUSBY
MY FAVORITE PART OF GPS IS PROBABLY THE ENVIRONMENT AND NOT HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT BOYS IN CLASS. IT’S NICE TO JUST HAVE A GROUP OF GIRLS TO HANG OUT WITH THAT YOU KNOW YOU CAN TRUST. IT IS ALSO NICE TO KNOW THAT YOUR TEACHERS CAN TRUST YOU, AND YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THEM THINKING THAT YOU’RE NOT DOING WHAT YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO.
During one of the first weeks of school, I got to deliver one of the flowers to Mrs. Cover at her installation. I was a little bit nervous, because I had to stand up and talk in front of people I had never even talked to before, but it was cool to represent my class. I feel like leadership is just something that kind of comes naturally to me. I really like to help people and make sure they know what they’re doing. I think the qualities that make a good leader are kindness and caring for others.
GRACIE WILBOURN
I thought GPS was going to be this strict school that had a lot of rules you had to follow and get in trouble if you didn’t. But when I came here, it was like a whole new world. Everyone is so nice! The teachers are loving, kind, and sweet, and the homework is an acceptable amount that you can get finished. The girls are really nice, too. I’m a type 1 diabetic, and I thought they would all judge me, but it’s been really easy to make friends.
I PLAYED SOFTBALL THIS YEAR, AND MY FAVORITE PART WAS PROBABLY JUST HANGING OUT WITH FRIENDS AND SPENDING QUALITY TIME WITH THEM. I WANT TO TRY VOLLEYBALL NEXT YEAR. AT THIS SCHOOL, YOU HAVE SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES. I
THINK I EVEN WANT TO BE A TEACHER AT GPS WHEN I GROW UP.
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DAISY HAMMOND *
I PICKED GPS BECAUSE MY PARENTS AND I REALLY LIKED HOW UPBEAT AND CHEERFUL IT WAS WHEN WE VISITED, AND I WOULD SAY IT’S BEEN EVEN BETTER THAN EXPECTED SO FAR. THAT’S PROBABLY BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A LOT HARDER TO FIND FRIENDS SINCE I CAME FROM A SCHOOL WHERE I DIDN’T KNOW ANYONE. IT’S ACTUALLY BEEN REALLY EASY TO FIND FRIENDS.
A lot of them I met doing theater. I played young Anna in Frozen JR. I thought it was really fun, and it wasn’t stressful at all. I felt like it was really worth doing. My favorite parts of it were the performances and the people. We were all really close. Our final performance was great, but we were all so sad it was over. I want to act in future productions at GPS.
«ELLE BOAL
What I’ve learned so far is definitely the importance of supporting each other. Even if you don’t know someone, if she's crying because she twisted her ankle, everyone is there to make her feel better. School-wise, I like the pace. The teachers make sure everyone is keeping up, but it’s nice to not be spending five days on one topic. I’ve learned a lot, and it’s really interactive. I really like science. We are studying ponds, and we created our own ponds and put organisms in them. Today we did water quality testing. It makes me feel grown up.
