Through the chaos of classes, clubs and sports at South Windsor High School, the freshman class of 2029 have been adjusting to the building that will be their home for the next four years.
The transition from Timothy Edwards Middle School, with organized ‘teams’ of students, classes confined to a single hallway, and a singular smaller building, has undoubtedly been tough. The first few weeks of school were full of commotion as freshmen tried to find their classes, interpret the grading system, and sign up for activities.
Moving from a school where the youngest students are fresh from elementary school and the oldest have barely reached their teenage years, to a school with adults applying to college and earning a driver’s license was obviously an intense transformation.
By December, freshmen have become accustomed to daily life at SWHS, and recently reflected on their school environment in a survey given out to randomly selected freshmen.
The survey determined that the hardest class, with 36.4%, was Honors Physical Science. This class has been extremely challenging due to the quick-paced and expansive curriculum, as well as difficult assessments. Since late November, the class has been working to build elaborate catapults to demonstrate forces and energies.
On the other hand, the most enjoyable class, with a 27.3% majority, was Honors Modern World History. Students in this class take a journey through the events that shaped the modern world, participating in engaging activities and making thoughtful connections.
Spanish class was cited as a favorite elective alongside art classes like pottery wheel. While Spanish is technically an elective, almost all freshmen have to take a language in order to fulfill their credits for the year.
“In my opinion, the best elective is art related, as that is satisfying and fun for me because I am a very crafty person,” SWHS freshman Mia DeLany said.
Aside from classes, the Pep Rally and Homecoming Dance tied for the most enjoyable school event so far, with 36.4% a piece.
When asked what clubs or activities the freshmen participated in, it was found that the most popular clubs for freshmen were Model Congress, the SWHS Writing Center Tutoring Program, and Science Olympiad, as well as groups like Drama and Model United Nations.
The only question without a clear consensus was concerning a favorite teacher. In fact, the only teacher who was voted twice was Mrs. Stewart, a Modern World History teacher.
There is still so much more for freshmen to experience and learn in their time at SWHS. As they slowly move towards the looming prospect of post-secondary education and adult life, high school is not only a time to study and achieve, but also to have fun and spend time with friends.
“I really hope that freshman year will continue to be challenging, but in a good way,” freshman Lily Flynn said.
