The CCHS / SUNY Experience: Our Sophomores and Juniors Reflect On SUNY Courses,The College Environment, and Personal Growth
Interviews by Zarah Cabañas, CCHS Faculty
COLIN, 11th Grade
“Last semester I took Geography, Shakespeare, and we have a college class here [at CCHS], Western Civilization. These past semesters, we were pretty much [at SUNY] all the time, all day.
“I feel like [Homestead] did a good job preparing us for that because since eighth grade I feel like we've been doing work like this, so it wasn't much of an academic transition. But socially...it's just a whole different vibe up there. You have more responsibility.
“Pre-Calc was challenging. I'm just not a big science and math kind of person...and I think that that was the real test of self motivation and determination. I just kind of had to [get through it], there wasn't really an option not to. I got a B, so it was pretty good.
“| am planning to graduate with an Associate's degree. I think it'll really help me get through what I want to get through faster because I'm thinking about law.”
NATALIE, 11th Grade
“Spring semester, I took Geography, Principles of Bio I, Western Civ, and Shakespeare.....I would like to pursue something in medicine, so I would like to still take anatomy and physiology at SUNY and more bio and math as well.
“Bio was a challenging course. A lot of people don't do well in it or either fail it or drop it, but it's a class where you just have to put the work in. So I studied and I did very well in the course.... If I had any questions with the material that I was learning, I could ask [CCHS Teacher] Abi to proofread my lab report or anything like that...so there was support from the Homestead campus with our college classes if necessary.
“I'm...figuring out study skills and academic skills, but also...what interests me and what courses interest me and what makes me happy and makes me want to learn, which definitely is bio. I definitely enjoyed that class a lot.”
KABIR, 11th Grade
“I took Sociology, which was very interesting, and I took World Cultures...Comp I, and Western Civilization with [CCHS Teacher] Mr. Jim Fyfe himself.
“Something that's really nice is I learned more personally by just talking to [my professors] about a certain subject, and that's basically what happened all year for me, which was honestly amazing. In Western Civilization, sure, okay, there was the classic way of teaching where Jim had a board and then he would tell you this, this and this, and he would give you dates. But the way he explained it...was a very social and almost one-to-one way of talking, which for me was amazing. And it was the same thing in Sociology.
“That was the first time I've ever had something like that in school. Honestly. It was a lot of fun and it was the first year of my life where I was like, wow, in school, this is really fun. It was something to look forward to.”
SINDHU, 11th Grade
“In the fall semester, I had Psychology, Media and Society and Contemporary Issues in Literature. This semester, I had Geography, Sociology, Shakespeare, Chemistry, Western Civ, and Art.
“My [Shakespeare] professor...was absolutely wonderful. The way that she taught was so engaging. We'd have in-class debates, which I really thrive on. My most challenging [class] would probably also be Shakespeare because...it was a steady load of work. It was a lot, but it wasn't so hard because I was interested.
“We have been working on our college essays. [CCHS Director of College Counseling] Matthew is helping us.... He was a college admissions person, so he knows the ins and outs of what kind of essay we need to have. So he's been helping us with that a lot.
“I think [an Associate degree] is great opportunity because I can go to a college and not only save money by going for two years less, but if I want to get a different degree, I can choose that path. Or have a degree that I can work with [and] use in the real world.... It's good to have that kind of stepping stone.”
JASON, 11th Grade
“I took...Digital Electronics, Computer Logic and Reasoning, which was a C++course, Calculus II, Western Civilization, [and] Sociology. I really liked Calc II and Computer Logic and Reasoning [since] I'm into math and sciences. I had a bunch of coding labs[which] bled over a little bit into Digital Electronics. We coded in C++ for a mechanical elevator using an Arduino micro controller.
“I feel like I was ready for this level of courses for a while. I didn't really have a problem transitioning....I need to finish the degree at SUNY and begin applying to the colleges I want to go to.
“I'm looking at some of the Ivies and...some of the really good math and science schools that specialize in that. And I'm also looking into stuff for soccer as well. I want it to be a good school that has a team.”
TINA, 10th Grade
“This spring semester, I took World Geography, Intro to Sociology, Principles of Bio II, Statistics, Western Civ..... I want to be a doctor. I'll already have some of the prerequisites for college as a human biology major, so maybe it can even help me graduate a little earlier in college.
“In Intro to Biology, we got to write essays about topics we're passionate about in medicine and biology. I did a lot of hands-on work with enzymes and proteins and...this semester I got to work with a colony of flies and plants and breeding plants, which is definitely a new interest for me.
“[It’s] what set me up to do laboratory research and biomedicine over at Brown [University] this summer. I love working with the chemicals and the medicine. It's something I favor more than just sitting in a classroom for a couple hours.
“I think the Homestead has really helped me because I'm a very hands-on learner and I think that is one of the core fundamentals of Montessori. That's definitely one of the reasons I chose to come here over all the other schools, either in the city or up here..... I see a bright future for myself and where I'm going. I'm really aiming towards a lot of top schools...where I can grow and expand.”
BYRON, 11th Grade
“I am really into programming, so I'm taking...Python, C++, HTML because when I leave here, I want to go to a CUNY school in New York City to get a computer science degree...since I want to be a software engineer.
“So all the professors that I've met are great. [They] made each lesson really intriguing...and all of the professors, they look like they want to be there. They're excited to teach you, and that's what I really like...because they teach better when they are excited about what they're teaching. So that was what really struck out to me when I was at SUNY. The [professors] explain everything well. They're super nice, they're amazing.
“I think the good thing about SUNY...is when you leave high school and you go to college, you'll already have the college experience. And what my dad always tells me, you get the mindset of a college student. I'm forever grateful that I now have that mindset. And now because of that, I've gotten straight A’s.
“The life lessons that they teach you in Montessori really helped me transition to college because it was like, you got to be mature in college. You can't be screwing around. You got to be focused and you got to know how to behave in society. And I think that's what Montessori teaches really well.”