"Lailah Taylor is a Vocal Music student in the 8th grade here at Oakland School for the Arts." --Aeryon Jackson
Lailah Taylor is a Vocal Music student in the 8th grade here at Oakland School for the Arts. She has been attending school here since 6th grade. Over time, she has come to form some opinions about what it's like going to school at OSA.
Taylor decided to audition for the vocal department because she was singing so much at school that people were constantly telling her to shut up. There was a singing program that had come to her school, New Highland Academy, that she participated in. She enjoyed the program so much that she thought she might as well audition for OSA!
While Taylor does enjoy going here because ‘’everyone is funny,” she also described the OSA atmosphere as very messy. “There is a lot of drama,” Taylor said, “people just don’t know how to leave things alone.” Even though she does still have second thoughts about attending OSA sometimes, she doesn’t have an option to leave the school. She wants to switch schools because she would like “normal high school experience, but my mom won’t let me.” Sadly, she won’t be able to do what she wants because she wants to respect her mom’s wishes.
When asked about the academics here at OSA, Taylor didn’t have much input “It’s okay,” she said.” I learn stuff.” She didn’t have much to say about it, but when later asked about balancing her academics and her emphasis, her interest spiked. “Yes it is hard because I have to memorize and learn new things for vocal and then I have to also do homework,” she said. I followed up on that, also asking her if she thought the staff communicates well to make sure she isn’t piled with work, and she doesn’t think they do. In fact, she humorously said that they pile up her work on purpose.
When questioned about the differences between OSA and her previous school, Taylor mentioned some things I’m sure others would agree with. She said OSA is smaller, which it is. She also said that students get to go out more, meaning that they get to move from building to building depending on what class they have, and once they hit 9th grade they get to go off campus for lunch. One difference I specifically questioned her about was her opinion on minimum days. She doesn’t mind that minimum days are different from most schools. She likes the shock people have when she tells them that she’s not at school early in the afternoon on a Monday. She does wish our minimum days were on Wednesdays because her other friends that go to other schools all get out early and she doesn’t get to hang out with them.
Taylor decided to audition for the vocal department because she was singing so much at school that people were constantly telling her to shut up. There was a singing program that had come to her school, New Highland Academy, that she participated in. She enjoyed the program so much that she thought she might as well audition for OSA!
While Taylor does enjoy going here because ‘’everyone is funny,” she also described the OSA atmosphere as very messy. “There is a lot of drama,” Taylor said, “people just don’t know how to leave things alone.” Even though she does still have second thoughts about attending OSA sometimes, she doesn’t have an option to leave the school. She wants to switch schools because she would like “normal high school experience, but my mom won’t let me.” Sadly, she won’t be able to do what she wants because she wants to respect her mom’s wishes.
When asked about the academics here at OSA, Taylor didn’t have much input “It’s okay,” she said.” I learn stuff.” She didn’t have much to say about it, but when later asked about balancing her academics and her emphasis, her interest spiked. “Yes it is hard because I have to memorize and learn new things for vocal and then I have to also do homework,” she said. I followed up on that, also asking her if she thought the staff communicates well to make sure she isn’t piled with work, and she doesn’t think they do. In fact, she humorously said that they pile up her work on purpose.
When questioned about the differences between OSA and her previous school, Taylor mentioned some things I’m sure others would agree with. She said OSA is smaller, which it is. She also said that students get to go out more, meaning that they get to move from building to building depending on what class they have, and once they hit 9th grade they get to go off campus for lunch. One difference I specifically questioned her about was her opinion on minimum days. She doesn’t mind that minimum days are different from most schools. She likes the shock people have when she tells them that she’s not at school early in the afternoon on a Monday. She does wish our minimum days were on Wednesdays because her other friends that go to other schools all get out early and she doesn’t get to hang out with them.
