A Touch of Class

Kiki Grimes, Staff Writer

MMP KikiSay goodbye to those long summer days lounging by the pool, and watching movies late into the night, and say hello to the new and upcoming school year.

Get ready to learn, see, share, try, explore, and do more with the new adventures this year has to offer. With the biggest freshman class, 556 students to be exact, that has ever walked in the doors of Ralston Valley, this school year is already starting off with a bang.

Transitioning from middle school to high school as we all know is a big change in scenery. For these new freshmen everything from the size of the school to the freedom of an open campus is so exciting and new.

Kevin Simon, just one sole freshman out of the colossal sea of new faces, is excited about high school and these possibilities within RV. “It feels great to be a freshman,” Simon said. “I am looking forward to making new friends and getting good grades.”

Although this transition from middle school to high school can be very exciting, it can also be very stressful and overwhelming. For those students who feel like this MMP (Mustang Mentor Program) is a very useful tool in helping those particular students ease their way into high school.

Junior MMP mentor, Kali Grubb, states that MMP “allows freshmen access to people close to their age gap who have high school experience that is specific to Ralston Valley”

However, it’s not all about the Class of 2018.

With ACT’s, graduation, SAT’s, and even the simplicity of not being at the bottom of the food chain, every grade has something to look forwards to this school year.

For those newly born sophomores, this new school year holds more opportunities than it did last year. Having a year under her belt at RV, sophomore Riley Takata concludes that being a sophomore is “a lot better than being a freshman,”

Takata’s opinion was shared by numerous classmates.

“I feel like I have more power,” said fellow sophomore Chloe Gillach.

That statement couldn’t be more true. With the teachers treating these students as actual adults and not as freshmen, and not mention the classes being harder, these sophomores are getting a taste of how the real world works.

However, for juniors this reality check is even more prominent. With ACT’s right around the corner the stress is piling up for these students. As we all know one’s ACT’s can really influence one’s choices of colleges. The importance of ACT”s and the pressure to score a decent score is the buzz of the junior class.

Junior Lily Nowicki, states that “I feel the pressure of ACT scores because it determines where you spend the beginning of adulthood and college”

Wow, that’s a lot of pressure for sure for those juniors! Nonetheless, it is the senior class that truly feels the pressure of the college process.

Bella James, a senior, states that the college application process “is hard but fun”.

Senior year in high school is a wonderful time, with students filled with a wide range of emotions, expectations and plans. As a matter of fact all of high school is this way. Just remember to always have fun, and when school does get too stressful just to take a deep breath and smile.