[Part II] Two Years In: How the Class of 2023 is Navigating the Social Transition and Getting Involved in Extracurriculars in High School

Here now is the second installment of our report on how our Class of 2023 is doing in high school!

Our first post shared the academic transition from middle school to high school. You can read the first post here.

We recently caught up with seven students from the Marin Horizon Class of 2023 to hear about their transition to high school and how they’ve grown academically, socially, and personally since moving on.

Three of our alumni—Rocco, Tenzing, and Sidney—are now at Marin Academy in San Rafael, one – Shane – is attending The Branson School in Ross, and three – Payson, Piper, and Carlotta – are attending Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley.

How was the social transition from middle to high school?

Piper:

MHS has a very diverse group, but Tam has an even bigger one. It was cool to see how people from different areas and economic statuses collide and interact, and it’s cool to meet people from other walks of life.

Rocco:

At Marin Academy (MA) there are people that share my interests and my personality. It really feels like a community. At some schools I really didn’t feel that. It was a little difficult in the beginning, from a social standpoint. The main shift for me was the size of the school, learning everyone’s names. I’m enjoying school now. Socially, it’s a very connected school.

Sidney:

Well my best friend Lara who also went to MHS her whole life also went to Marin Academy. She lives right next to me and we carpool together. But I’ve been able to branch out and make friends with a bunch of different people. I think that because I have people from MHS I was able to be more comfortable reaching out to others. It’s been really nice to have a larger school, and talk to everyone else in your classes. It makes things more interesting.

Carlotta:

It was definitely a lot. I think I was nervous. MHS is so small and such a tight community. Going to Tam, everybody already knew people from MVMS, so people already had their friend groups. I was new so it definitely took me a while to find a good friend group. I stuck with people I already knew from MHS for most of the first year. Sophomore year, I found my people. I’m part of the drama department, I’m really involved in that. I’m taking the Honors Directing class, where you direct a mini play during the year. It’s taught me so much and I’ve met a lot of friends through that.

Payson:

It was pretty easy because a bunch of my friends are also attending Tam. I had met them on a basketball team [before arriving at Tam], so I have a big friend group from that.

Tenzing:

I was at [MHS] for like ten years, so [our class] was pretty tight. Everyone knows each other and there’s just really a nice community when you’ve known everybody for ten years. I was ready to make new friends, but it’s still nice to stay in touch with old friends, you know. A bunch of kids [from MHS] are at MA which is pretty awesome.

Are there extracurricular activities you’re involved in?

Shane:

I really care about music and [Branson] has a good music program. I play the guitar. I've been taking music classes which is really nice. I took Music 1 last year and I’m taking Music 2 this year. They split you up and have you play songs with other people which is really fun. I'm hoping to try out for a band next year.

As far as sports, I started doing cross country and track, which I did not do before, but I’m really enjoying. I’m [also] in Yearbook right now, which is really fun.

Payson:

I’m on the mountain biking race team for Tam, and I also ride with friends. We train on this side of Mount Tam and in the Headlands. I’ve been surfing recently, fishing, playing golf, and hiking. A lot of that’s from Joel [Booth]. He was my favorite teacher and really got me into the outdoors. We’d go to Old Mill, Three Wells, and go on trail runs. We got to experience a lot more in PE than others [in Middle School].

This summer, I’m going to Alaska for a backpacking trip for 30 days with NOLS.

Piper:

I like writing. I’m doing track – I like to run. I like to explore a lot. I’m going on a service trip to Vietnam this summer which I’m really excited about. Definitely, Joel contributed to that because he said, “you have to do it once” and “just get out there and do new things.” The eighth grade trip going river rafting definitely fueled an adventurous, try-new-things kind of thing in me.

Tenzing:

I taught chess in eighth grade at MHS when I was here. I still teach for other public elementary schools. I run the Marin chapter of a nonprofit called Chess Pals. So, basically I just organize other high school students who are very good chess players and they teach largely for free at elementary public schools, and also at the Vivalon Senior Center in San Rafael. I got started with that at MHS and then the person who leads [Chess Pals] heard about that and then came and hired me.

Sidney:

I play tennis, and I am into photography, and then I’m also part of my school’s Youth Grants Board. (Marin Academy students apply and are selected to participate on the board annually). We first sent out applications to students in other high schools to fill out, and if they have an idea for a project that they need money for they fill out the application and send it back to us. We review all the applications and decide where we want to allocate money. Only Marin Academy students are on the board, but we can give grants to students at other high schools.

Read more...

Part I: The Academic Journey

Part III: Self-Advocacy in High School (Coming Soon)