Students walk the halls in apprehension, wondering what the new year will bring and with their backpacks heavy with assignments and expectations. For freshmen, every corner holds a new challenge: a schedule of advanced classes and the pressure to keep up.
This year brings new opportunities, especially for freshmen. This will be the first time the current and future freshmen classes are able to experience the weight of dual-credit classes. These classes put them on the pathway to potentially earn their associate degree by the time they graduate.
“I feel like these classes bring me more anxiety than all my other classes put together, and it brings an automatic headache and stress along with it,” freshman Matie Vargas Juarez said.
This overwhelming pressure comes from the strict templates and daily expectations as required for any student taking these classes. However, administration sees value in taking these classes early in order for students to earn college credit.
“The freshman dual-credit class, known as Education 1300, is really just an extension of AVID I,” Associate Principal Mr. Daniel Horton said. “The purpose of these courses is to give individuals an idea of what college is going to be like and help them learn how to play the role of a college student.”
While the workload can be intimidating, administrators believe that the structure of these courses is meant to prepare the freshmen students rather than overwhelm them.
“I want them to gain the confidence that they are capable of doing much more than what they think,” AVID teacher Mrs. Sara Quiñones said. “I think a lot of them need to see that they’re capable, so they will gain more confidence.”
These new classes add an extra challenge to freshman schedules and provide even more opportunities for freshmen to explore and experience life as high school students.
“It has helped me with overcoming challenges that I haven’t dealt with before, definitely making it a new experience,” Vargas Juarez said.
For many freshmen, this experience is not just about getting through a difficult class but about being a part of a new pathway being introduced at the school.
“This is the first year we’ve been designated as a P-TECH [Pathways in Early College High School] and that has to start with a fresh cohort,” Horton said. “It’s a multi-year process which is why it begins with this year’s freshmen.”
Upperclassmen agree that to succeed in these higher level classes it all depends on the student, their willingness to work and how much they personally want to be successful.
“A lot of being prepared comes down to the individual,” junior Juliana Teschan said. “If the freshmen want to be successful in the next grade, then they will be successful.”
While these classes may be more challenging than others, their teachers believe this is what they need to not only be successful but to see all of their potential.
“I think giving them just a little push will help them see their potential because they all have potential, but some of them don’t see it,” Quiñones said. “I think taking this rigorous class will help with that.”
