Q & A: Freshman Feels
What’s it really like to be a new ninth grader on campus?


Our Odyssey reporters, including Faith Cooper, Ashley Griswold, Edynn Hosier, Rachael Kee, Alam Mendoza, Jasmine Meza, Sarah Rodriguez, and Ella Villamero combed the campus to ask our newest and youngest students about their first days as Trojans. Here are some of their responses:
How difficult has the transition to high school student been for you?
Alicia Aguilera: “It was weird and scary at first.”
Jacob Falcon: “The workload is a lot easier.”
Cierra Forman: “It’s been pretty easy so far. They kinda ease us into high school before it gets real rough.”
Heather Hiday: “It’s kind of hard finding your classes.”
Nathan Lazarovitz: “It wasn’t very hard. It’s just a little bit of a different environment.”

Phillip McKinney: “The transition’s been pretty easy.”
Samuel Stevens: “Really not hard at all because the teachers are very welcoming.”

What’s the biggest change that you’ve noticed?

Mialynn Castillo: “A lot more people, and a lot more homework.”
Riley Cole: “The school is way bigger. A lot more walking.”
Jacob Falcon: “A lot of people are taller than me.”
Cierra: “It is a bit crowded-during passing periods. There are a lot of people that you have to maneuver around to get to your next class. And if you have to go to the bathroom, there’s always at least five students in there.”
Steven Goddard: “The amount of students.”
Jacob Gregory: “Work increased.”
Loralei Hadley: “The teachers.”
Heather: “Everybody’s different. It’s weird. There are so many different groups.”
Marco Jimenez: “The phone policy.”
Nathan: “It’s a way bigger school.”
Adrian Marcum: “Having classes with [students from] different grades.”
Sam: “Definitely the people because there is more of a variety.”
What are your plans for senior year?
Mialynn: “I want to learn more languages, get a scholarship, and join a sport or club.”

Jacob Falcon: “I want to be one of the best black belts in my mixed martial arts class.”
Cierra: “To work hard, and to get to my dream college, and to just live my life. My dream college is Cornish College of the Arts in Washington.”
Loralei Hadley: “To prepare to go off to college.”

Heather: “To at least be on varsity basketball and have a good GPA.”
Marco: “Being a part of basketball.”
Nathan: “To be a good student.”
Phillip: “I want to graduate.”
Samuel: “I don’t have any yet.”
Tristen Taylor: “Get school over with and work on becoming a paramedic.”

What are you most excited about?
Alicia: “I’m looking forward to prom.”

AJ Carlos: “Trying out for the soccer team.”
Mialynn: “I’m looking forward to joining soccer and hanging out with my friends at school events.”
Riley: “To join the robotics club!”
Jacob Falcon: “The free lunches are pretty good, and I’m looking forward to the criminal justice class.”

Cierra: “Probably the sports games. Those are fun. Especially us playing and winning.”
Steven: “To do dual enrollment through CMC.”
Matthew Gonzalez: “Meeting new people.”
Jacob Gregory: “Graduating.”
Loralei: “Sports.”
Heather: “Beating Twentynine.”
Marco: “The rules are different. They are just better — more freedom.”
Adrian: “Meeting new people!”
Dakota Polze: “Senior year.”
Samuel: “ Probably going to after school games.”
What’s your favorite thing about YVHS?

Alicia: “That I’ve met a lot of different and new people.”
AJ: “I can go to school with a lot of my friends who are sophomores and juniors.”
Riley: “Shorter lunch lines!”
Cierra: “The teachers. Some of my favorites are Ms. Jungwirth and Mrs. Weber. They make class fun, they go super easy on us at first, and then they help us when we get in trouble. I just love them.”
Jacob Gregory: “The teachers.”

Matthew: “The teachers. My favorite is Martin in geology.”
Loralei: “The people.”
Heather: “It has a really good atmosphere.”
Nathan: “Being able to hang out with my friends and learn at the same time.”
Sam: “Their baseball program.”
Tristen: “The culture.”
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