Ella’s transition is from homeschool, which makes her experience unique, but she too is glad to be in high school. “There is a significant adjustment in how the social aspect of high school operates,” she said. “I skipped 8th grade to become a freshman, which required me to deal with meeting new people and introducing myself, as opposed to knowing the same kids since kindergarten.”
Elisabeth Ray said that the transition is bringing more demands. “My parents put more pressure on me because if I got a C, I wouldn't be able to participate in any of my extracurricular activities, but in Middle school, the grade level would be an F,” she said. “I have to work harder in high school.”
Still, Lis and her classmates do not consider the work too hard. “Nothing is easy, but it also is new and exciting,” Ella remarked. “I have never felt overwhelmed so far in my 4 weeks of school; this is because I usually stay on top of my assignments and stay organized.”
Luis Rodriguez likes it all. He said that "high school has been fun: I like the teachers, and they seem to be loose and fun." He also values the fact “that now that I am in high school, I have more freedom because I have access to off-campus lunches.
Lis explained, "When we got to go into high school, we had this freedom that we didn't have in middle school. I get to go off campus and enjoy a breeze that I wouldn't have gotten if I was in middle school."