Freshman year isn’t always the easiest year in high school. I asked a few 9th grade students from different towns about their views on their introduction to Poland Regional High School.

Ryan Reid, from Minot said that he thinks that PRHS is a good high school. On the first day of school when all of the freshman walked through the door for the first time they were greeted by all the teachers clapping. Ryan said that he thought it was cool. His views on PRHS haven’t really changed. When asked if he liked the grading system Ryan said, “I guess I like it; it’s something new.” (The Minot grading system goes by letters). He thinks that the workload in the 9th grade isn’t much different than the workload in the 8th grade.

Lauren Burgess, also from Minot, said, ” I was happy [to be at PRHS], and [the greeting on the first day of school] made me feel welcome.” Lauren’s views on the high school haven’t changed. She likes the grading system for the same reason Ryan does, because it’s different. At her old school they went by the alphabet [A, B, C, D, F] system. She says that the workload in the 9th grade isn’t much harder than it was in the 8th grade.

Ashley Kasik is from Mechanic Falls. She says that she felt like PRHS would be different than the school she came from (Elm Street). She said, ” the greeting was kind of weird, I didn’t think [that] they needed to do that.” She also doesn’t think that the high school is all that [great]. Ashley says that she doesn’t like the grading system because she is used to the grading system that goes by letters. When asked if she had any embarrassing first day stories, Ashley said, ” none I want to share”. She doesn’t think the workload is harder but she said, “it’s just more work.”

Chanel Gordon, also from Mechanic Falls, says she hated PRHS on the first day and she was frightened. Chanel says she doesn’t hate PRHS anymore, but she thinks it is still boring. When asked about the grading system she said, ” I don’t like it because it’s stupid. Why would anyone like it?” On her first day at PRHS she said that she tripped over her bag, in the gym locker room. Chanel says that she hasn’t gotten any homework yet.

Angel Bailey from Poland says the first day was confusing. When she was greeted by the clapping she said she was scared. Her views on the high school haven’t really changed since then. Angel said that she thinks the grading system sucks because it is confusing. Since she went to BMWMS last year, the grading system isn’t different. Angel says the workload isn’t harder at all.