My public schooling experience
Aug. 23rd, 2004 10:48 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
greybetaPeering into the well of introspection, I see that it's a bit dry. Hmmm, tomorrow is the first day of the academic calendar for Fort Smith Public Schools. I suppose I should sum up a little about my experience in them, since I did spend my whole public education in that system.
For kindergarten through third grade, I went to Raymond Orr Elementary. Not too much to remember there, except for the people I met like my old friend who's going to become an Episcopal priest. In fourth grade, I moved to Beard, where I went to grade school through the sixth grade. I made some more good friends and won three straight geography bees (yet again why I know so many world capitals).
My junior high years, seventh grade through ninth grade, were spent at Ramsey. To me, these were the worst years. Kids can be really cruel at this age. You were old enough to know things, but no one had a car to go anywhere. It was still pretty cool as I got to befriend Andy and Maph. I got second in the Sebastian county spelling bee in my eighth grade year. Along with the hot tempered Adam Tabakin, I helped the Math Counts team to two state trophies, a fourth place one and a second place one. I also managed to win a first place trophy in a state algebra contest.
At Southside I got to know Jameson and Mike better. I knew of my roommate Howard at Ramsey, but the first time we really got to talk was in Mrs. McBride's Spanish II class of our sophomore year in high school. In high school I got my first hint that I would do too much when I tried out a bunch of stuff. I became embittered working at Carmike Cinemas during this time as well. Some of the highlights include being an Asian farmer in Oklahoma!, doing extemperaneous speaking for forensics, and winning a state calculus competition. Capturing a science bowl championship and regional MVP were my most successful achievements in my somewhat illustrious Quiz Bowl career (though I haven't tried Academic Bowl in college due to burnout).
I could pull out a whole lot more stuff out of my paper journal, but that's all I can think of at this point. The Ft. Smith system could be surprisingly good because it was able to attract a number of good teachers. There were a lot of problems, mostly due to the fact that the state system is terrible. I've heard that the administration often mismanages the money. Whatever the case may be, you can call me one of their pure products.
That's not necessarily a good thing.
For kindergarten through third grade, I went to Raymond Orr Elementary. Not too much to remember there, except for the people I met like my old friend who's going to become an Episcopal priest. In fourth grade, I moved to Beard, where I went to grade school through the sixth grade. I made some more good friends and won three straight geography bees (yet again why I know so many world capitals).
My junior high years, seventh grade through ninth grade, were spent at Ramsey. To me, these were the worst years. Kids can be really cruel at this age. You were old enough to know things, but no one had a car to go anywhere. It was still pretty cool as I got to befriend Andy and Maph. I got second in the Sebastian county spelling bee in my eighth grade year. Along with the hot tempered Adam Tabakin, I helped the Math Counts team to two state trophies, a fourth place one and a second place one. I also managed to win a first place trophy in a state algebra contest.
At Southside I got to know Jameson and Mike better. I knew of my roommate Howard at Ramsey, but the first time we really got to talk was in Mrs. McBride's Spanish II class of our sophomore year in high school. In high school I got my first hint that I would do too much when I tried out a bunch of stuff. I became embittered working at Carmike Cinemas during this time as well. Some of the highlights include being an Asian farmer in Oklahoma!, doing extemperaneous speaking for forensics, and winning a state calculus competition. Capturing a science bowl championship and regional MVP were my most successful achievements in my somewhat illustrious Quiz Bowl career (though I haven't tried Academic Bowl in college due to burnout).
I could pull out a whole lot more stuff out of my paper journal, but that's all I can think of at this point. The Ft. Smith system could be surprisingly good because it was able to attract a number of good teachers. There were a lot of problems, mostly due to the fact that the state system is terrible. I've heard that the administration often mismanages the money. Whatever the case may be, you can call me one of their pure products.
That's not necessarily a good thing.
