Dear Los Altos,
I remember waking up with a feeling of excitement with something else that I could not place. I remember rushing to class hoping my teacher would be good. I remember shuffling through hallways moving through the congested paths, trying to make it to my next class between throngs of people. I remember feeling more and more excited about my time in high school as I went from one class to the next. I remember seeing other freshmen, hoping I knew just as much as they did. I remember my teachers, all welcoming to any student that walked through their door. I remember a sense of ease after finishing the day, and a true feeling of excitement to go back tomorrow. Educational systems around the United States are widely criticized for the way that they prepare their students for their life after high school, with many scholars finding flaw after flaw in the way that students are being taught in their K-12 years. In many cases, these problems are apparent and there are obvious signs that show the problems occuring there. While there are many schools that are not exemplary, there are still many others that fit that description. Because of its’ excellent track record in college preparation, high acceptance rates into colleges, its’ pool of resources for students, and a socially aware student population, Los Altos High School is a a model of an exemplary school.
High Graduation rate and college readiness play key parts in allowing students to be as prepared as possible for college and beyond. At Los Altos, there is an abundance of Advanced Placement classes that students are able to take that are the equivalent of college classes. These classes help students get better preparation towards university level classes. The curriculum in these classes forces students to be able to balance the work they receive from these classes with whatever else they may already be taking. Offering over twenty AP classes as well as many other honors courses, Los Altos high school stands out from other institutions. These classes are key parts in preparing students for their futures if they decide to try and go to college. In these course, students not only learn about college level material, but also learn about different learning and study methods that they can continue to use through next level of education.
Although many jobs in the world require college degrees, there are still a variety of opportunities that are available with a high school degree. With a diploma, graduates can still look to go to trade school, get jobs in transportation, repair, supervisors, and much more. Los Altos boasts a ninety-nine percent graduation rate, meaning that out of around a six hundred person senior class, five hundred and ninety four would end up graduating. This does not just come from an easy course-load, students must study in order to get enough credits to graduate. As a college degree is getting to be more and more necessary to succeed in today’s world, graduating with a sense of preparation for college is almost essential and Los Altos High School does a model job at providing both to its’ students.
By providing a variety of resources to the students, the school shows it’s quality and awareness towards how funds go towards bettering the students. With students being more active than ever, clubs are getting even more popular, with more issues to base their clubs off of. Through clubs, students are able to educate themselves and their peers about different issues that they are interested in. It enhances the way students understand the real world, not just what they learn in the classroom. Clubs also allow students to get more experience with their different activities letting them learn new skills they take with them in the future. Los Altos encourages clubs on campus. With many grants, fundraising opportunities, and drives, clubs are able thrive on campus with the resources provided by the school. Recently, the school has focusing on updating their curriculum to stay up to date with the advancing technology using it more progressively the past four years. The school introduced Chromebooks, from a partnership with Google, and gave one to each student so they were able to use them to better their learning experience. With these Chromebooks, students who did not have access to computers were able to take them home and use them for homework, projects, or anything they might find useful in their studies. Adding computers to classes strengthens students learning capabilities allowing them to look up questions they may have about the the class. Implementing new strategies to teachings shows how Los Altos is willing and able to change with the times as society moves forward as well. Financial aid is not just given to clubs however. Money is given to students for different reasons. Different scholarships are available through programs like AVID(Advancement via Individual Determination) or with students just applying for different financial aids that are given. For every event, field trip, or other educational opportunity, Los Altos wants to make sure that each student would be able to participate if they want to without an economic constraint. An abundance of resources is necessary to have a well-functioning school and with their financial aid towards the student body, and a conscious use of funds, Los Altos High School shows its’ success as a high-school.
The socially accepting and aware student body helps the school become an understanding and positive environment to learn in. Part of the mission statement of Los Altos High School found on the Los Altos High School website, states that, “We value the diversity of our paths while promoting a community in which members have an equal opportunity to excel as people and learners.”. Diversity is quite a major part of the high schools’ identity with a melting pot, so to say, of students from different ethnicities and cultures. Each year, the school dedicates a week where students participate in different activities and events during their breaks that observes the cultural identities of the student population. At the end of this week, the entire school gathers together to watch the Diversity Assembly. Here, students can choose to participate in the assembly and show off their diversity through cultural dances and songs, or read poetry about their sexuality, to celebrate and educate the school’s culturally diverse body. Going through four years at Los Altos pushes students to learn and appreciate other cultures. This appreciation allows them to use it to influence others they may encounter in their lives who may not share the same accepting nature that Los Altos holds. Diversity should be seen as something that can enhance a school’s cultural environment and not only help educate their students about material towards their diploma, but there cultural diversity as well.
Los Altos is not without its’ faults however. During Halloween one year, a Latina girl wore a costume that included a red bandana on her head. She was asked by the administration to take off the bandana because they felt that there was some gang representation through that color. A white girl wore a costume with a similar red bandana and was able to wear it the rest of the day. Now this may have just been because the administration had seen one girl and did not see the other, but it still raises some issues about some of the administrative decisions. For the most part, if you remained on good terms with the administration, it would be easy to get along without a problem.
Los Altos High School commits to having a variety of resources for its’ students and shows excellence in it’s graduation rates as well as preparedness for college or the next part of a student’s life while celebrating the diverness of the school at the same time. After recieving education from Los Altos, student will have a better understanding of the world around them as they pursue their careers holding with them the values that they received from their high school. The school should continue to educate young adults and prepare them for the world after school and keep advancing and improving the way that students there will learn.
Sincerely,
Jake Shab
Class of 2018