Sometimes, when you're stuck in the thick of things, it's difficult to imagine the end from the beginning. You know those moments when times are tough and you find yourself asking why? You'd think that I would know this by now but often times when I ask the unanswerable "Why?" question I find that the answer inevitably is, "You'll see."
When I was a kid, I was offered the chance to participate in the Seminar program through the San Diego Unified School district. This was an incredible program that accelerated the curriculum of the 5th and 6th grades and made for a very impressive platform from which to launch my education. When I was told about the program I was told that I would have the decision about participating because it meant leaving my current school and commuting 45 minutes each day to Erickson Elementary. This was a school across town in the perceived "poor part of town." There were other challenges to be has as well. For example, I would never be accepted as mainstream. I would always be a nerd and part of the "smart crowd." Still, when I considered my options and looked for inspiration, I felt strongly that I should go for it.
There were times when it was hard and frustrating and I thought about transferring back to my home school where all my friends were. In fact, 6th grade was even harder. I ended up being the ONLY 6th grade boy in my class. Fortunately, I was in a 5-6th combination class, but having to attend class with a bunch of kids who were both smart and incredibly immature, ...my neck still tenses up at how frustrating it was. At the end of my 6th year, I again had to make a tough decision. Would I continue with the Seminar program for another two years in middle school or return to my local Junior High school where all the neighborhood kids went? One would mean again commuting across town to attend school in a very challenging program and the other would mean being reconnected with my childhood friends who had probably all but forgotten me. I felt strongly that I should return to my local school again.
There was a strange time when I wondered why I had wasted two years of precious time going to another school that didn't seem to benefit me in any way. I had met some interesting people, sure... but what did it matter?! It didn't make sense until I got to high school. See a brand new high school had been built for the kids in my town. Most of the kids who had gone to the seminar program at Challenger middle school across town also filtered into the new Scripps Ranch High School. It was like the friends from childhood and all the friends I had made in the Seminar program were now sandwiched together in one school. This may not mean much to the casual reader, but to a shy kid struggling with who he is and wants to be it was pretty huge. Plus, I was part of both worlds. I was mainstream with all the kids I knew, but was also accepted as a "smart kid" by all the Seminar students. ...anyway, long way of saying that it's sometimes difficult to see how things will turn out.
More to follow.
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