AS THE first semester of the 2024-25 school year comes to an end, many Lancers will be changing their schedules. Whether it’s no longer needing certain classes, wanting to explore new ones, or needing required credits, many students will see a shift in their schedules for the upcoming semester. And there’s a mass change day on Friday, Jan. 10 where students will negotiate with teachers to change schedules all at once.
Alexis Resendis (12) says the first semester has been very stressful. “I’ve been trying my best to turn in all my assignments and get my work done,” Resendis said. He says his focus has been catching up on credits due to falling behind in previous school years.
“For this semester, I’m planning on taking study skills and credit recovery. I’m just wanting to catch up on credits, turn in and finish all my packets so I can graduate and get out of here. I have nothing else I’m focused on but this. This is all I want to work hard for,” Resendis said. He says he is confident that his efforts will pay off during the second semester.
Jesse Linares (12) says his semester has gone well. “This semester has been great for me. I finally got straight A’s. My favorite class has been ROTC,” Linares said. He says he plans to continue with ROTC during the second semester to finish his ROTC career before graduating. “I have other classes I’m excited about, but ROTC has been and still is my primary favorite. ROTC is a very exciting class,” Linares said. He says ROTC is his passion, and he hopes to pursue it both during and after high school.
Mr. Babcock, a counselor, says he has been happy to see his students improve over time. “As many of these students get older, they begin to realize the importance of coming to school and passing their classes. Many times, when students first start their high school experience, they don’t care much about passing their classes, but they begin to get a sense of maturity and start focusing on their success. This is something I love to see as a counselor,” Babcock said.
Babcock also says he recommends that Lancers focus on required classes. “Obviously, I recommend all my students take classes that will go toward their required credits for graduation, for example, math, science, history, and English. But outside of required classes, I also recommend taking classes you’re curious about. High school is a great opportunity to explore many different classes that can get you interested in a certain career. Granger offers these classes for either no cost or a low cost. For example, outside of high school, any other programs will be costly to learn about a certain career. Granger is a great opportunity, and I recommend exploring while you can!” Babcock said.
As the second half of the school year approaches, Lancers need to stay focused and finish the year strong—whether it’s graduating, setting themselves up for the next school year, or staying caught up. For any questions or concerns about schedules or classes, students can visit the counseling office or find information at the grangercounselingcenter.com website.
