Roots and Wings

Can't Complete High School? Go right to college...

My brother emailed me this New York Times article about people going to college without completing high school. I'm assuming that you (whoever you are) know that I spent a week at my local public high school and then left and went to Foothill, my local community college. Fortunately, as my brother pointed out when I was trying to decide if I should try out high school or just go straight to Foothill, the high school started August 23rd and Foothill started a month later so I could try out the high school and see how it went and then I would still have time to get to Foothill for the fall quarter! And that's just what I did. It was actually pretty weird. I spent the summer at Foothill working on the summer musical, and I'm really glad I did because I met some really cool people who I ended up being at school with. Then I got ready for high school, went there for a week and got sort of into "school mode." Then I left after a week and then I was back in summer for like 3 weeks! Then I started school again... it was odd, but I like it, Foothill (most of the time).

So... uhh that was off topic but still on topic.. I read this NY times article and I thought it would be mostly about students who left high school early and went straight to college (like I did) like the title suggests.. but most of it was about people older than high school (and college) age who hadn't completed high school but still have had the chance to attend college. There was only one paragraph on the second page (you'll see it) about a 16 year old guy who left high school early. It wasn't a bad article or anything, it was informative, but just not about what I'm as interested in. However, I do think that the group of people who are mainly discussed in the article are a group that is really interesting and I didn't know a whole lot about them. But I do also think that the group of people I'm included in aren't discussed that much either. There's the group who aren't interested in high school and learning at all but are probably really smart, they just aren't turned on at all. And there many programs for these kinds of people.. but what about the really incredibly turned on students who aren't interested in going to high school either? They are at risk as well because they could become really turned off to learning if no one (teachers, mentors, friends) helps them and makes sure they're learning more and more all the time. I'm so glad that my parents, friends, or anyone that has an influence on me made me stay in high school because I knew and still know, I just had this gut feeling that being at this place for four long years could potentially turn me off to learning. I know that after a year in high school for my brother started to feel like he didn't want to go to school, he didn't want to learn. And I know that I wouldn't want to feel that way. I'm afraid that many students in high school are getting turned off to learning new things. But I guess I don't know that much about other people, but I do know about myself. So whatever floats your boat, I really don't care if anyone else likes or wants to go to high school. I won't make you leave if you don't make me stay.

posted by Cassie @ 9:39:00 PM