"The end of the school year is fast approaching, and soon 8th graders will transition into high school." --Grace Triantafyllos
The end of the school year is fast approaching, and soon 8th graders will transition into high school. For the last few months, 8th graders have been looking into schools and filling out applications in preparation for next school year.
“[Preparing for high school has been] difficult, because I’ve been very indecisive about where I want to go,” says Aeryon Jackson, an 8th grade Literary Arts student.
“It’s been kind of stressful because I think I’m finding out today if I got into other high schools,” says Shayna Barzell-Weber, another Literary Arts student. “So that’s a little stressful because if I did, then I don’t know if I’m staying here or not.”
“When it comes to moving to a new grade, I get really nervous really fast, and then, you know, that new grade just comes and I’m just like, ‘woah, this is cool!’” says 8th grade vocalist Safia Blake. “But you know, preparing for high school has been kind of stressful, because 8th grade is not what I expected. So I’m just like, ‘high school’s probably going to be worse!’ I just feel like--I want to have all of my friends there, because I’m going to be really sad if I don’t have any of them with me.”
For many, high school and the time leading up to it can be stressful. Getting ready for high school comes with all sorts of challenges. “[The most stressful part of preparing for high school is] all the deadlines and pressure that’s put upon oneself to take interviews, really refine habits, and just knowing that these next years will really count when applying to colleges,” says an 8th grade student that prefers to remain anonymous. “That that’s a big factor in deciding what high school I might attend.”
The prospect of high school evokes all sorts of anxiety and panic. Many students feel pressured by the influence that high school has on their college education and future. “I’m a little worried because of my grades. I don’t do very good in school. I don’t try very hard. And I feel like when you get to highschool that’s when it actually starts mattering,” says Barzell-Weber. “Middle School is like practice for something that really matters. I just don’t want to not get into college. It would be really sad if I just didn’t get into college because I failed school.”
“I feel [high school] is a big turning point in my educational journey, and it will influence a lot of my future from here on out. It’s a big step, a big choice, and frankly, I’m not sure I feel ready for it,” the anonymous student says.
Blake says that she looks forward to highschool. “I think it’s a cool thing. Since I was, like, seven or something like that, I’ve been thinking about prom and school dances and all that, and highschool relationships. And you know, when you find that one and you get married to that person, and you’re like, ‘Oh my god, we’ve been dating since we were in high school,’” she says.
Jackson’s take on high school is the polar opposite. “People are excited for high school until you get there. But then you realize you have to be there for four years! And then you’ve got college. And I understand that learning never stops, but like, highschool isn’t something I’m looking forward to. College, yes.”
There’s a myriad of options to choose from when looking for high schools. Both Jackson and Barzell-Weber are considering Skyline High School, Oakland Technical High School, and Oakland School for the Arts. “[I’m considering] OSA because I’m already here, you know what I’m saying? [I’m considering] Oakland Tech because--I don’t really know. I just feel like out of all the options that there are, Oakland Tech and Skyline are probably some of the smarter choices and the better schools in OUSD,” says Jackson.
“I’m for sure going to get into Skyline, but I kind of really want to go to Tech,” says Barzell-Weber. “But I don’t think I’m going to get in since a lot of people want to go there and I don’t live near there and I don’t have a sibling there or anything, so I have a lower chance of getting in. But, I don’t know. Because the thing is, at OSA--most things about OSA are just not my favorite, but I really like Lit. Arts, so I wouldn’t want to--I’d still want to be able to do that every day. That makes [the decision] a little stressful.” Despite her doubts, minutes after being interviewed, Barzell-Weber received a call notifying her that she had been accepted to Oakland Tech.
“I’m either going to stay here, because I have a lot of friends here, and it’s a good school, and it looks good on a college application to say that you graduated from an art school. Or, I’m going to go to Albany high school, just because it’s less than a mile away from my house,” says theatre student Isaiah Johnson. “Our school has a better theatre program, but [Albany] has a bigger theater itself, and their drama club gets to go to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival every year, and there’s just a lot of cool stuff. But at the same time, the last time I went to an Albany school I got bullied, so I don’t know where I’m going to go.”
The anonymous student has applied to public, private, and charter schools. “I’ve applied to College Preparatory School, Head Royce, Oakland Tech and a number of other public OUSD schools,” they say. “My main choices would either be staying at OSA or one of those two private schools--College Preparatory School or Head Royce--because I feel that those three schools could ready me for college the most effectively.”
“I’m just going to come to OSA again. I was thinking about changing, but then I was like, ‘I don’t want to go anywhere else. I kind of just want to stay here and be with all of those friends that I really care about,’” says Blake.
Even if some of the students stay at OSA, the experience may differ from middle school. “I feel like the 3rd floor is a lot more quiet and calm,” says Barzell-Weber. “Like, it has a more calm vibe. And also, I don't know, I feel like middle school at OSA is very like, ‘Oh, don’t go off campus, don’t do this, don’t do that. But once you’re in highschool, it’s kind of just like--it gets a lot more chill and relaxed.”
“I’m hoping the people get a little less immature, because some of the people are really immature,” says Johnson. “Well, since I’m in theatre, and in high school you go into a certain track for theatre, I think I’ll be able to narrow in on what I actually want to do in theatre, and just [have] more specific tailoring to what I want to do. And it’s going to be good.”
“OSA was originally just a high school, I believe, and I feel that that would have given them more time to develop that school specifically,” the anonymous student says. “I’ve heard good things about their high school program. The highschool schedule is longer and that will--that along with the different order of classes, I think, will lead to a more organized school day.”
OSA is a very unique school because of its specific catering to the arts, and switching schools might alter the way students practice their artforms. “The other school I’m planning on going [to], it has a drama club but no actual class, so I think it’ll be less work, but also less rewarding,” says Johnson.
“I think if I leave OSA, I think I’m for sure still going to write on my own time, but it just won’t be-- I definitely won’t do it as much because I won’t have a 2 hour, 3 hour class every day,” says Barzell-Weber. “And, I feel like I’ll probably get a lot worse at writing. But I just write for my own brain, so, I’ll still write a lot.”
Jackson has always been passionate about her art form and often writes on her own time. “If I leave, I don’t think it will affect how I practice my art form at all, because before I even went to OSA, I was always reading and writing and I would always enter different writing competitions and I would even take college writing courses at UC Berkeley, so I don’t think it would affect me at all,” says Jackson.
“I think that OSA is a special place because of the focus on the arts, and I feel that I will definitely lose a lot of the nourishment in the arts, but I love what I do and will try to keep it up as much as possible along with my outside lessons,” the anonymous student says.
High school is an important time in a person’s life that can influence much of their future, and it’s important to take your aspirations into consideration when choosing what highschool to go to.
“I have three things that I wanna possibly do: an actor, a musician, or a chef,” says Johnson. “It’s kind of made me want to stay here more because two of the things are arts, and it’s an art school, but at the same time, here you can only do one art. You can’t do music and theatre, but they said with the new block schedule that you’re going to be able to do electives of other arts, so that made it more likely for me to stay here.”
“I am very interested in scientific areas such as theoretical physics, computer science, and biotech, and those might be incentives to attend Oakland Tech,” says the anonymous student. “CPS is also a promising choice, as stated in the name, College Preparatory School. But I’m just looking for a highschool with a strong focus in science and arts.”
For Blake, OSA seems to be a good school in relation to her hopes for the future. “I want to be a singer and a fashion designer so I can make my own clothes when I go to perform so I don’t have to--get other people’s clothes. I don’t know, something like that. That’s what I want to do,” she says.
Of course, everyone has their fears about high school itself. “[I’m dreading] everything,” Barzell-Weber says. “I don’t know, I just don’t want to fail, like I said before. I want to get into college. I don’t want to do bad in school.”
“I’m a little worried that if I leave OSA, it’ll be a completely new environment, with nothing to base my expectations off of. I feel like there might be peer pressure or excessive negativity or bullying. I feel that OSA has a much more welcoming environment than some other schools and institutions,” says the anonymous student.
Though getting ready for high school causes stress a lot of people, there are still numerous things to look forward to. “I’d say [I’m most looking forward to] more freedom in terms of courses we can choose to take and various requirements for taking specific courses. I also like AP and honors classes. Those sound fun,” says the anonymous student.
“One [thing I’m looking forward to] is off-campus lunch, because it’s little, but I’m really excited for that. Also, I’m just excited to start the whole process of trying to find a college to go to, because it seems a little bit stressful, but also fun to try to get in. I don’t know, though,” says Johnson.
If Jackson stays at OSA, she has a big project to look forward to. “We get to make our senior books. So that would be the one thing I’m really looking forward to when it comes to OSA,” she says. “But other than that, I just really want to do a sport.”
Hopefully, the 8th graders will transition into high school and look back on their middle school years fondly.
Unfortunately, not everyone does. “Oh, [middle school] has been pretty trash, actually,” Jackson said, laughing. “Middle school sucks. It’s so boring. Nothing happens.”
“Uuuuugh. Gross. If you haven’t noticed, my grade, um, is a mess. So, you know, there’s a lot of loudness and a lot of annoyingness,” says Barzell-Weber.
Even though middle school really sucks sometimes, it does have its moments. “[Middle school] has really been all over the place,” the anonymous student says. “I’ve had some great moments and some definitely not so great moments, but I’m rather glad that I chose to attend OSA because it’s definitely a great experience that some people aren’t fortunate enough to really have. But, yeah, if I don’t stay here for high school, I’m glad that I at least attended middle school here.”
“It’s been really good. In 6th grade I got bullied a bit, but the faculty took care of that right away and it didn’t happen any more. So it’s been really good,” says Johnson.
“My middle school experience has actually been really cool. I’ve met some really great people, and I just think that the teachers here are really nice and they help you to be a greater person--to be more than you were before. And it’s cool,” says Blake. “But there’s also those haters out there that I want to just dump into a trash can, but that’s all.”
Though all of the interviewees had very different middle school experiences over all, they all seemed to agree that the best part is the people that you meet and the friendships you make.
“[The best part is] being with my friends and family. And by family, I mean school family. Not real family. I mean I love them, but you know, I love my school kids,” says Blake.
“Just being able to be with people who have the same interests as me and being able to work on my art every day,” says Johnson.
The 8th graders also passed along some tips for those of us that will have to get ready for high school in the future. “Just try to keep your grades up,” says Johnson. “I know it’s hard, but just do your best and study for every test.”
“Start thinking about it early.” says Jackson. “Honestly? Cause I’m over here, last minute, I don’t know what I’m going to do, like… I don’t know what I’m gonna do! That’s a problem!”
“Don’t do bad in school,” says Barzell-Weber. “Try. Don’t do what I did. Just actually try and care.”
“[Preparing for high school has been] difficult, because I’ve been very indecisive about where I want to go,” says Aeryon Jackson, an 8th grade Literary Arts student.
“It’s been kind of stressful because I think I’m finding out today if I got into other high schools,” says Shayna Barzell-Weber, another Literary Arts student. “So that’s a little stressful because if I did, then I don’t know if I’m staying here or not.”
“When it comes to moving to a new grade, I get really nervous really fast, and then, you know, that new grade just comes and I’m just like, ‘woah, this is cool!’” says 8th grade vocalist Safia Blake. “But you know, preparing for high school has been kind of stressful, because 8th grade is not what I expected. So I’m just like, ‘high school’s probably going to be worse!’ I just feel like--I want to have all of my friends there, because I’m going to be really sad if I don’t have any of them with me.”
For many, high school and the time leading up to it can be stressful. Getting ready for high school comes with all sorts of challenges. “[The most stressful part of preparing for high school is] all the deadlines and pressure that’s put upon oneself to take interviews, really refine habits, and just knowing that these next years will really count when applying to colleges,” says an 8th grade student that prefers to remain anonymous. “That that’s a big factor in deciding what high school I might attend.”
The prospect of high school evokes all sorts of anxiety and panic. Many students feel pressured by the influence that high school has on their college education and future. “I’m a little worried because of my grades. I don’t do very good in school. I don’t try very hard. And I feel like when you get to highschool that’s when it actually starts mattering,” says Barzell-Weber. “Middle School is like practice for something that really matters. I just don’t want to not get into college. It would be really sad if I just didn’t get into college because I failed school.”
“I feel [high school] is a big turning point in my educational journey, and it will influence a lot of my future from here on out. It’s a big step, a big choice, and frankly, I’m not sure I feel ready for it,” the anonymous student says.
Blake says that she looks forward to highschool. “I think it’s a cool thing. Since I was, like, seven or something like that, I’ve been thinking about prom and school dances and all that, and highschool relationships. And you know, when you find that one and you get married to that person, and you’re like, ‘Oh my god, we’ve been dating since we were in high school,’” she says.
Jackson’s take on high school is the polar opposite. “People are excited for high school until you get there. But then you realize you have to be there for four years! And then you’ve got college. And I understand that learning never stops, but like, highschool isn’t something I’m looking forward to. College, yes.”
There’s a myriad of options to choose from when looking for high schools. Both Jackson and Barzell-Weber are considering Skyline High School, Oakland Technical High School, and Oakland School for the Arts. “[I’m considering] OSA because I’m already here, you know what I’m saying? [I’m considering] Oakland Tech because--I don’t really know. I just feel like out of all the options that there are, Oakland Tech and Skyline are probably some of the smarter choices and the better schools in OUSD,” says Jackson.
“I’m for sure going to get into Skyline, but I kind of really want to go to Tech,” says Barzell-Weber. “But I don’t think I’m going to get in since a lot of people want to go there and I don’t live near there and I don’t have a sibling there or anything, so I have a lower chance of getting in. But, I don’t know. Because the thing is, at OSA--most things about OSA are just not my favorite, but I really like Lit. Arts, so I wouldn’t want to--I’d still want to be able to do that every day. That makes [the decision] a little stressful.” Despite her doubts, minutes after being interviewed, Barzell-Weber received a call notifying her that she had been accepted to Oakland Tech.
“I’m either going to stay here, because I have a lot of friends here, and it’s a good school, and it looks good on a college application to say that you graduated from an art school. Or, I’m going to go to Albany high school, just because it’s less than a mile away from my house,” says theatre student Isaiah Johnson. “Our school has a better theatre program, but [Albany] has a bigger theater itself, and their drama club gets to go to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival every year, and there’s just a lot of cool stuff. But at the same time, the last time I went to an Albany school I got bullied, so I don’t know where I’m going to go.”
The anonymous student has applied to public, private, and charter schools. “I’ve applied to College Preparatory School, Head Royce, Oakland Tech and a number of other public OUSD schools,” they say. “My main choices would either be staying at OSA or one of those two private schools--College Preparatory School or Head Royce--because I feel that those three schools could ready me for college the most effectively.”
“I’m just going to come to OSA again. I was thinking about changing, but then I was like, ‘I don’t want to go anywhere else. I kind of just want to stay here and be with all of those friends that I really care about,’” says Blake.
Even if some of the students stay at OSA, the experience may differ from middle school. “I feel like the 3rd floor is a lot more quiet and calm,” says Barzell-Weber. “Like, it has a more calm vibe. And also, I don't know, I feel like middle school at OSA is very like, ‘Oh, don’t go off campus, don’t do this, don’t do that. But once you’re in highschool, it’s kind of just like--it gets a lot more chill and relaxed.”
“I’m hoping the people get a little less immature, because some of the people are really immature,” says Johnson. “Well, since I’m in theatre, and in high school you go into a certain track for theatre, I think I’ll be able to narrow in on what I actually want to do in theatre, and just [have] more specific tailoring to what I want to do. And it’s going to be good.”
“OSA was originally just a high school, I believe, and I feel that that would have given them more time to develop that school specifically,” the anonymous student says. “I’ve heard good things about their high school program. The highschool schedule is longer and that will--that along with the different order of classes, I think, will lead to a more organized school day.”
OSA is a very unique school because of its specific catering to the arts, and switching schools might alter the way students practice their artforms. “The other school I’m planning on going [to], it has a drama club but no actual class, so I think it’ll be less work, but also less rewarding,” says Johnson.
“I think if I leave OSA, I think I’m for sure still going to write on my own time, but it just won’t be-- I definitely won’t do it as much because I won’t have a 2 hour, 3 hour class every day,” says Barzell-Weber. “And, I feel like I’ll probably get a lot worse at writing. But I just write for my own brain, so, I’ll still write a lot.”
Jackson has always been passionate about her art form and often writes on her own time. “If I leave, I don’t think it will affect how I practice my art form at all, because before I even went to OSA, I was always reading and writing and I would always enter different writing competitions and I would even take college writing courses at UC Berkeley, so I don’t think it would affect me at all,” says Jackson.
“I think that OSA is a special place because of the focus on the arts, and I feel that I will definitely lose a lot of the nourishment in the arts, but I love what I do and will try to keep it up as much as possible along with my outside lessons,” the anonymous student says.
High school is an important time in a person’s life that can influence much of their future, and it’s important to take your aspirations into consideration when choosing what highschool to go to.
“I have three things that I wanna possibly do: an actor, a musician, or a chef,” says Johnson. “It’s kind of made me want to stay here more because two of the things are arts, and it’s an art school, but at the same time, here you can only do one art. You can’t do music and theatre, but they said with the new block schedule that you’re going to be able to do electives of other arts, so that made it more likely for me to stay here.”
“I am very interested in scientific areas such as theoretical physics, computer science, and biotech, and those might be incentives to attend Oakland Tech,” says the anonymous student. “CPS is also a promising choice, as stated in the name, College Preparatory School. But I’m just looking for a highschool with a strong focus in science and arts.”
For Blake, OSA seems to be a good school in relation to her hopes for the future. “I want to be a singer and a fashion designer so I can make my own clothes when I go to perform so I don’t have to--get other people’s clothes. I don’t know, something like that. That’s what I want to do,” she says.
Of course, everyone has their fears about high school itself. “[I’m dreading] everything,” Barzell-Weber says. “I don’t know, I just don’t want to fail, like I said before. I want to get into college. I don’t want to do bad in school.”
“I’m a little worried that if I leave OSA, it’ll be a completely new environment, with nothing to base my expectations off of. I feel like there might be peer pressure or excessive negativity or bullying. I feel that OSA has a much more welcoming environment than some other schools and institutions,” says the anonymous student.
Though getting ready for high school causes stress a lot of people, there are still numerous things to look forward to. “I’d say [I’m most looking forward to] more freedom in terms of courses we can choose to take and various requirements for taking specific courses. I also like AP and honors classes. Those sound fun,” says the anonymous student.
“One [thing I’m looking forward to] is off-campus lunch, because it’s little, but I’m really excited for that. Also, I’m just excited to start the whole process of trying to find a college to go to, because it seems a little bit stressful, but also fun to try to get in. I don’t know, though,” says Johnson.
If Jackson stays at OSA, she has a big project to look forward to. “We get to make our senior books. So that would be the one thing I’m really looking forward to when it comes to OSA,” she says. “But other than that, I just really want to do a sport.”
Hopefully, the 8th graders will transition into high school and look back on their middle school years fondly.
Unfortunately, not everyone does. “Oh, [middle school] has been pretty trash, actually,” Jackson said, laughing. “Middle school sucks. It’s so boring. Nothing happens.”
“Uuuuugh. Gross. If you haven’t noticed, my grade, um, is a mess. So, you know, there’s a lot of loudness and a lot of annoyingness,” says Barzell-Weber.
Even though middle school really sucks sometimes, it does have its moments. “[Middle school] has really been all over the place,” the anonymous student says. “I’ve had some great moments and some definitely not so great moments, but I’m rather glad that I chose to attend OSA because it’s definitely a great experience that some people aren’t fortunate enough to really have. But, yeah, if I don’t stay here for high school, I’m glad that I at least attended middle school here.”
“It’s been really good. In 6th grade I got bullied a bit, but the faculty took care of that right away and it didn’t happen any more. So it’s been really good,” says Johnson.
“My middle school experience has actually been really cool. I’ve met some really great people, and I just think that the teachers here are really nice and they help you to be a greater person--to be more than you were before. And it’s cool,” says Blake. “But there’s also those haters out there that I want to just dump into a trash can, but that’s all.”
Though all of the interviewees had very different middle school experiences over all, they all seemed to agree that the best part is the people that you meet and the friendships you make.
“[The best part is] being with my friends and family. And by family, I mean school family. Not real family. I mean I love them, but you know, I love my school kids,” says Blake.
“Just being able to be with people who have the same interests as me and being able to work on my art every day,” says Johnson.
The 8th graders also passed along some tips for those of us that will have to get ready for high school in the future. “Just try to keep your grades up,” says Johnson. “I know it’s hard, but just do your best and study for every test.”
“Start thinking about it early.” says Jackson. “Honestly? Cause I’m over here, last minute, I don’t know what I’m going to do, like… I don’t know what I’m gonna do! That’s a problem!”
“Don’t do bad in school,” says Barzell-Weber. “Try. Don’t do what I did. Just actually try and care.”
