How Mission Middle College Has Changed My Life
After living in Provo, Utah for fourteen years, I moved to Sunnyvale, California and was enrolled at Adrian C. Wilcox High School in the Santa Clara Unified School District.
Then I learned why this was such a problem.
The number of teachers that don't care about teaching, about their students' grades, about their students' welfare is unbelievable. I had bad teachers in Provo, just as every school or school district does... but it was overwhelmingly more noticeable and prominent when I started my education in California.
AP classes are pushed at us, with teachers and counselors saying not to load yourself down with too many - while still expecting you to take all Honors and AP classes because that is their image of a perfect student and has been created and considered as the singular path to success.
I played the game for a while. Freshmen couldn't take AP classes, so I took the Honors classes that I could. Sophomores could only take AP European History, so when the time came - I did. I had a full schedule of Honors classes, an AP class, and other classes I needed to take to fulfill graduation requirements. I also auditioned for Alice in Wonderland at my school and was cast as Alice. I was involved in theater instead of in multiple clubs. I had a full schedule, but I didn't think it mattered. I was used to being busy.
I was wrong.
When homework, rehearsals, church, and family responsibilities stacked up - I got legitimately physically ill. Every teacher loaded up the homework, not caring that you had 5-7 other classes with the same homework load. And we didn't even have a block schedule; not really. Multiple teachers weren't sympathetic to the student's pleas under the pressure of it all. AP Euro was especially bad. We started homework June after our Freshman year and carried on under the immense weight of hours of homework until May when we took the AP exam. We didn't get breaks from homework over any of the school holidays or weekends. I often had to opt out of family plans for homework and I was up until midnight or later most nights doing homework.
And I was still going to early morning Seminary every morning. Which means I had to wake up between 4:30am-5:20am, depending on the day.
Some of you may think that I was bringing this upon myself; that I should have made my load easier or lighter. Let me explain:
-School never takes precedence over my religion
-Family is a number one priority, same as church
-I believe in getting a full education to further my knowledge and career options
...and I did make efforts to lighten my load or find ways to get to bed earlier.
I did homework in any spare moments: during lunch, rehearsal breaks, in the car, during breakfast...
I even switched a class at the end of 3rd quarter to a study hall so that I wouldn't drown in AP Euro - which would also affect my well being in various other classes. I got a lot of flack from teachers for doing so. No, not flack. Abuse. I wasn't dropping a class that would affect my graduation status, as I had fulfilled the requirement. I wasn't dropping the class because I was failing and wanted an easy out. I didn't drop the class because the teacher was an emotional manipulative mess, although that was a pull to leave the class.
When I did drop the class, I had to go through the process of talking to my counselor and my teacher. (Let it be said that my counselor backed me the whole way.) I had to discuss with this teacher why I was dropping the class and get permission to do so without a transcripted F. When I approached my teacher in a kind and respectful manner to do so, another teacher of mine - who was also an abusive and angry teacher - was present. This teacher was not asked to leave when I asked for a private conversation with the teacher of the class I was needing to drop. They both stayed and hounded me, abused me verbally, and threw me under the bus. They said I had bitten off too much to chew and that I wasn't being responsible. They said that it wasn't their fault that I wanted to be in some play and fill up my hours with rehearsals. They basically told me I was a coward and an idiot for being in Alice in Wonderland and attending Seminary when I had classes to worry about. Their sharp words cut into me and I did my best to respectfully communicate with them, hold my head high figuratively and not cry in front of them, and to explain my situation. I was hounded and told that I would get and F if I dropped the class and that my mother would be contacted.
Icried bawled as I walked to my French class that day.
Luckily, I have a mother who owns a pair of kick-butt-boots and I was able to drop the class without an F and get a study period - which saved my bacon. My teachers did nothing to aid me and few of them were even concerned about my welfare. Despite this savior of a study period, I still got so sick that I was running fevers of 101.5 to 103, nearly lost my voice, and had continual aches and pains for months. When I went to see my pediatrician at Kaiser, they couldn't even figure out what was wrong.
I soon learned about Mission Middle College. Also, I got a 4 on the AP Exam, but cried continually and almost died in the process.
As I looked into applying to Mission Middle College, I was "counseled" by friends and teachers to steer clear of the program; that it was for failure students who couldn't socialize. I ignored them and applied anyway, seeking a higher education with a more mature environment that would SUPPORT ME AND MY EDUCATIONAL PATH. I was not receiving much needed support nor quality education from the high school.
When I had my interview with the instructors of Mission Middle College, I was nervous but relieved that they understood my plight and wanted to help. They barely knew me and were already backing my needs and educational desires.
I jumped for joy when I got my acceptance to Mission Middle College.
I left Wilcox behind, only really missing the theater kids, who were my real and only support group.
At Mission Middle College, our instructors are counselors, teachers, personal confidants and cheerleaders, motivators to students and motivators unto themselves, realistic, intelligent, and insightful.
By joining Mission Middle College, I have gained an educational and personal/emotional support group, a higher education that actually adds to my knowledge and improves my life, and have become a healthier person.
My two years at Wilcox before coming to Mission Middle College included the constant bad habit of nail biting, the beginning of a minor case of trichotillomania, an unknown physical illness that lasted 3-4 months, and the quick gain of 15 pounds that grew to 20 extra pounds.
By joining Mission Middle College, I have stopped biting my nails, partially curbed my minor case of trichotillomania, and gotten back to a weight of about 126 pounds. (I'm about 5'4")
During my two years at Wilcox, I only saw my transcript ONCE and knew nothing about how it worked, why it looked the way it did, and how my classes/grades affected my GPA. I had no say in when I got my transcript and how things came to be.
At Mission Middle College, I constantly get my transcript so that I can check the transcription of my classes and grades - which often gets messed up by the school district in their vengeful attack on the students who are a part of Mission Middle College in addition to the ignorance of the registrars, and I am taught about how the system works. I understand class weights, GPA calculations, and unit amounts. I know how to read my transcript and how to notice if something is incorrect or not transcripted at all.
At Wilcox, I was pointed towards failure.
At Mission Middle College, we succeed.
We get hit by missiles from the school district as they try to halt our progress.
We fight back for our proper educational rights.
We succeed.
There are so many stories of students who have gone through Mission Middle College that would inspire, and have inspired, many. There are stories of students who were slipping through the cracks at the high school but were noticed and supported at Mission Middle College. There are stories of students whose transcripts were attacked WHEN THE WEIGHTING OF CLASSES WAS ALTERED - CHANGING GPAs AND QUALIFICATION(S) FOR CAL-GRANT, COLLEGE ACCEPTANCE, AND OTHER SCHOLARSHIPS and their class rank was PURPOSELY CHANGED TO PROHIBIT THEM FROM VALEDICTORIAN STATUS.
It's far past time to speak out.
Public education in the Santa Clara Unified School District almost literally killed me - and many other students can say the same.
Mission Middle College saved my life and got me and my path for success re-aligned.
Mission Middle College's mascot is a Phoenix. How telling that we chose a creature that rises magnificently from the ashes. How telling that the program continues to have masses of applicants, clinging to the possibility of escape from the District's clutches and destruction.
Now that you know all the details, how can you not say also, "How Telling."
Now that you know all the details, how can you not also BE TELLING others.
Don't let this slip through the cracks as the District lets students slip through the cracks.
Then I learned why this was such a problem.
The number of teachers that don't care about teaching, about their students' grades, about their students' welfare is unbelievable. I had bad teachers in Provo, just as every school or school district does... but it was overwhelmingly more noticeable and prominent when I started my education in California.
AP classes are pushed at us, with teachers and counselors saying not to load yourself down with too many - while still expecting you to take all Honors and AP classes because that is their image of a perfect student and has been created and considered as the singular path to success.
I played the game for a while. Freshmen couldn't take AP classes, so I took the Honors classes that I could. Sophomores could only take AP European History, so when the time came - I did. I had a full schedule of Honors classes, an AP class, and other classes I needed to take to fulfill graduation requirements. I also auditioned for Alice in Wonderland at my school and was cast as Alice. I was involved in theater instead of in multiple clubs. I had a full schedule, but I didn't think it mattered. I was used to being busy.
I was wrong.
When homework, rehearsals, church, and family responsibilities stacked up - I got legitimately physically ill. Every teacher loaded up the homework, not caring that you had 5-7 other classes with the same homework load. And we didn't even have a block schedule; not really. Multiple teachers weren't sympathetic to the student's pleas under the pressure of it all. AP Euro was especially bad. We started homework June after our Freshman year and carried on under the immense weight of hours of homework until May when we took the AP exam. We didn't get breaks from homework over any of the school holidays or weekends. I often had to opt out of family plans for homework and I was up until midnight or later most nights doing homework.
And I was still going to early morning Seminary every morning. Which means I had to wake up between 4:30am-5:20am, depending on the day.
Some of you may think that I was bringing this upon myself; that I should have made my load easier or lighter. Let me explain:
-School never takes precedence over my religion
-Family is a number one priority, same as church
-I believe in getting a full education to further my knowledge and career options
...and I did make efforts to lighten my load or find ways to get to bed earlier.
I did homework in any spare moments: during lunch, rehearsal breaks, in the car, during breakfast...
I even switched a class at the end of 3rd quarter to a study hall so that I wouldn't drown in AP Euro - which would also affect my well being in various other classes. I got a lot of flack from teachers for doing so. No, not flack. Abuse. I wasn't dropping a class that would affect my graduation status, as I had fulfilled the requirement. I wasn't dropping the class because I was failing and wanted an easy out. I didn't drop the class because the teacher was an emotional manipulative mess, although that was a pull to leave the class.
When I did drop the class, I had to go through the process of talking to my counselor and my teacher. (Let it be said that my counselor backed me the whole way.) I had to discuss with this teacher why I was dropping the class and get permission to do so without a transcripted F. When I approached my teacher in a kind and respectful manner to do so, another teacher of mine - who was also an abusive and angry teacher - was present. This teacher was not asked to leave when I asked for a private conversation with the teacher of the class I was needing to drop. They both stayed and hounded me, abused me verbally, and threw me under the bus. They said I had bitten off too much to chew and that I wasn't being responsible. They said that it wasn't their fault that I wanted to be in some play and fill up my hours with rehearsals. They basically told me I was a coward and an idiot for being in Alice in Wonderland and attending Seminary when I had classes to worry about. Their sharp words cut into me and I did my best to respectfully communicate with them, hold my head high figuratively and not cry in front of them, and to explain my situation. I was hounded and told that I would get and F if I dropped the class and that my mother would be contacted.
I
Luckily, I have a mother who owns a pair of kick-butt-boots and I was able to drop the class without an F and get a study period - which saved my bacon. My teachers did nothing to aid me and few of them were even concerned about my welfare. Despite this savior of a study period, I still got so sick that I was running fevers of 101.5 to 103, nearly lost my voice, and had continual aches and pains for months. When I went to see my pediatrician at Kaiser, they couldn't even figure out what was wrong.
I soon learned about Mission Middle College. Also, I got a 4 on the AP Exam, but cried continually and almost died in the process.
As I looked into applying to Mission Middle College, I was "counseled" by friends and teachers to steer clear of the program; that it was for failure students who couldn't socialize. I ignored them and applied anyway, seeking a higher education with a more mature environment that would SUPPORT ME AND MY EDUCATIONAL PATH. I was not receiving much needed support nor quality education from the high school.
When I had my interview with the instructors of Mission Middle College, I was nervous but relieved that they understood my plight and wanted to help. They barely knew me and were already backing my needs and educational desires.
I jumped for joy when I got my acceptance to Mission Middle College.
I left Wilcox behind, only really missing the theater kids, who were my real and only support group.
At Mission Middle College, our instructors are counselors, teachers, personal confidants and cheerleaders, motivators to students and motivators unto themselves, realistic, intelligent, and insightful.
By joining Mission Middle College, I have gained an educational and personal/emotional support group, a higher education that actually adds to my knowledge and improves my life, and have become a healthier person.
My two years at Wilcox before coming to Mission Middle College included the constant bad habit of nail biting, the beginning of a minor case of trichotillomania, an unknown physical illness that lasted 3-4 months, and the quick gain of 15 pounds that grew to 20 extra pounds.
By joining Mission Middle College, I have stopped biting my nails, partially curbed my minor case of trichotillomania, and gotten back to a weight of about 126 pounds. (I'm about 5'4")
During my two years at Wilcox, I only saw my transcript ONCE and knew nothing about how it worked, why it looked the way it did, and how my classes/grades affected my GPA. I had no say in when I got my transcript and how things came to be.
At Mission Middle College, I constantly get my transcript so that I can check the transcription of my classes and grades - which often gets messed up by the school district in their vengeful attack on the students who are a part of Mission Middle College in addition to the ignorance of the registrars, and I am taught about how the system works. I understand class weights, GPA calculations, and unit amounts. I know how to read my transcript and how to notice if something is incorrect or not transcripted at all.
At Wilcox, I was pointed towards failure.
At Mission Middle College, we succeed.
We get hit by missiles from the school district as they try to halt our progress.
We fight back for our proper educational rights.
We succeed.
There are so many stories of students who have gone through Mission Middle College that would inspire, and have inspired, many. There are stories of students who were slipping through the cracks at the high school but were noticed and supported at Mission Middle College. There are stories of students whose transcripts were attacked WHEN THE WEIGHTING OF CLASSES WAS ALTERED - CHANGING GPAs AND QUALIFICATION(S) FOR CAL-GRANT, COLLEGE ACCEPTANCE, AND OTHER SCHOLARSHIPS and their class rank was PURPOSELY CHANGED TO PROHIBIT THEM FROM VALEDICTORIAN STATUS.
It's far past time to speak out.
Public education in the Santa Clara Unified School District almost literally killed me - and many other students can say the same.
Mission Middle College saved my life and got me and my path for success re-aligned.
Mission Middle College's mascot is a Phoenix. How telling that we chose a creature that rises magnificently from the ashes. How telling that the program continues to have masses of applicants, clinging to the possibility of escape from the District's clutches and destruction.
Now that you know all the details, how can you not say also, "How Telling."
Now that you know all the details, how can you not also BE TELLING others.
Don't let this slip through the cracks as the District lets students slip through the cracks.
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