As eighth graders prepare to leave middle school behind, students may feel a mix of excitement, nervousness and uncertainty about what lies ahead. For students like Max Felde from Robert Frost Middle School and Saida Mardi from Cabin John Middle School, the transition to high school represents more than just moving to a new building. It is a chance to experience new classes, meet new people, participate in different activities and begin a new stage of their lives.
Felde is especially excited about the opportunities that this school offers. After spending years in the same environment, he said he feels ready for a change and a fresh start. While he has become comfortable at Frost, he said he believes high school will bring new challenges and experiences that will help him develop. “I’ve gotten a little tired and way too used to everything at Frost, so I’m ready for a fresh start,” he said.
One of the biggest reasons Felde is looking forward to high school is the school’s sports facilities. As someone interested in athletics, he is excited about having access to better spaces for sports, especially the turf field. He is planning to try out for both the soccer and volleyball teams and is looking forward to becoming more involved in school activities.
However, the transition here is complicated by the school’s current building conditions and the upcoming move to the Crown site. Felde said he understands that the move is necessary because Crown will offer a newer and more modern facility. At the same time, he feels that the situation could have been handled differently if more attention had been given to repairs over the years. “I believe that if the Board [of Education] allocated more time and effort to Wootton in prior years, we wouldn’t be in this situation,” Felde said.
Felde said he believes the move to Crown is essential, he also recognizes that decisions involving schools are not simple. Budget constraints and other challenges make renovations difficult, and he understands why the change is happening. For him, the most important thing is making the best of the situation and enjoying his time at this school before moving to the Crown site.
Mardi shares some of Felde’s excitement but also has her own concerns about entering high school. She describes leaving middle school as nerve-wracking, but she also sees it as an important new chapter. Cabin John has helped prepare her for high school through programs like RIASEC, as well as activities that explain registration, classes and what students should expect here.
Although Mardi is excited about entering a new school, she said she feels nervous about the school’s current state. She knows the building is much older and has not been updated much since it opened, but also understands that her time there will not be permanent. She is more optimistic about the Crown site because it will be a newer building, though she wonders how the school experience will compare after the move.
Another major question surrounding Crown is the mixing of students from different schools. Saida said there may be challenges when students from different backgrounds come together, but overall believes that the outcome depends on how everyone handles the transition. Rather than focusing only on possible problems, she said that students will play an important role in creating the school’s environment and reputation. “At the end of the day, it’ll be up to us, the students, to establish our credibility and reputation,” Mardi said.
While the move to the Crown site and the current deteriorating building are major concerns for the future freshmen, both Felde and Mardi said they are looking forward to the social side of high school and hoping to attend events such as football games and dances and meet new classmates. “Although the conditions aren’t ideal, we won’t be here for long and I want to enjoy the short year we will have being Wootton’s final freshman class,” Felde said.
The move to high school represents an important step for eighth graders as they leave behind the familiarity of middle school and enter a new environment. Although there are concerns about the building, the move to Crown, and changes ahead, students like Felde and Mardi are focused on the opportunities that come with the transition. High school will bring new challenges, but it will also bring new friendships, activities and experiences that will shape the next chapter of their lives.
