Students Take the Wheel!

When deciding how to improve a school, it’s typically the faculty or administration making the changes and putting in input. Although they are the people in charge of the school, the students are the ones learning and working towards their futures five days a week for seven hours. It’s about time the student’s voices are heard and recognized. So, what are the ways students believe the school could be improved?

    First, let’s focus on what we already love about Cavelero Mid-High. If you read my first article, you’ll remember how I advocated for more inclusivity for students with dietary restrictions in the cafeteria. Not even a week after that article was published, the cafeteria was filled with posters advertising gluten-free and vegan options. I’m not sure if this was Cavelero Mid-High taking constructive criticism or not, but if so, it exceeded my expectations. I am so happy that we now can provide every student with the nutritious lunch they deserve. 

     Another part of Cavelero that students enjoy are the after-school activities provided. When asked what makes being a student at this school worth it, 9th grader Sofia Mitchell responds, “Definitely a lot of the sports activities and clubs that are provided…they’re definitely one of the best things.” Although it only contains 8th and 9th graders, Cavelero Mid-High provides as many sports as a high school or a college; tennis, soccer, softball, basketball, volleyball, track, and more. We also have a variety of clubs including robotics and DECA. There’s something for everyone here, and that’s what makes Cavelero thrive. Similarly, 8th grader Jackson Evans believes the community is the best part. 

“The community here is great, and the staff here is great. I love every part of it,” says Evans. This student puts it perfectly, the Cavelero community is tightly knit and loving. We strive to accept everyone, no matter what. 

      As much as we love Cavelero, nothing and no one is perfect. Riley Gibson, a 9th grader, commented on teaching styles: “How [teachers] teach recently is not really connecting with the students… it’s not very beneficial for our futures.” Gibson also comments on how a good teacher “can figure out [concepts] that apply to [the students]”, meaning a good teacher addresses each student’s learning needs. With a vast amount of teens attending Cavelero Mid-High, figuring out and applying everyone’s learning styles to a single curriculum can be very difficult. However hard it may be, there’s a very easy answer to this problem: Polls. At the beginning of each semester, send out a poll to every student asking them about their preferences on how they want to grasp concepts. This will allow teachers to know that they need to teach with more visuals or add more hands-on assignments. We, as Cavelero Colts, should be learning in the best way possible so we can actually store the information and remember it. I believe we can achieve this goal. 

The years we go to school are arguably the most critical years. We make lifelong friends, we develop into our best selves, and, obviously, we learn. These are the years we need to make count, and we should be doing it in the best possible place. Thanks to student input, we can make Cavelero the school of our dreams. In the words of the great Malala Yousafzai, a student and advocate for education, “Let us remember: One book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world.”