How Students Feel About Crossroads

Crossroads Alternative High School. To many students, former students, teachers, and civilians in the community hearing about Crossroads might make them feel happy, nostalgic, just simply think about the good times they’ve had and could have, and the great benefits that come with becoming a part of the Crossroads family. To a few others, our school is like the ‘devil’, you could say. They almost want nothing to do with it. It’s somewhere where the bad kids go. Instead of going through regular high school, some might wrongly assume that Crossroads is a way to get out easier, and they might see it as people switching here to be unfair.

            At a regular high school, crowds and crowds of students flood the school every day. Loud booms of screams, laughter, and other mysterious sounds erupt through the halls, echoing off the tall walls and windows. There’s always the separate individual groups, or the cliché name, ‘cliques’. The preppy ones, sporty, hippies, nerds, etc. With all these different groups, people become insecure and worried about what ‘group’ they might be associated with. Even though there is more students at a normal high school, not as many of them know what it’s like to deal with things like childhood trauma, family problems, etc. so they might come off as less understanding or not sympathetic.

            In Crossroads, it’s almost the exact opposite. Of course at our school there is still groups, but it’s more just separated into different friend groups, who wouldn’t be against someone new sitting with them and joining them. Instead of being segregated into multiple categories, our whole school is one big group of people, maybe besides a handful, who care for each other and knows what it feels like to feel vulnerable, useless, depressed, and any other negative feelings they might have developed in the past few years.

-Jordan Trussell

Where do I start, maybe with the teachers who make the school so great? Of course I don’t have every teacher but the ones I do make my day so much brighter. I start my day with lovely Kayla Land for world history. She is so joyful in the mornings which really help when you’re tired. She writes great Power Points to discuss every day in class including an entry task to make you think, notes to take and remember, and our class outline whether we’re starting a new project or just a worksheet. She is amazing and I enjoy her as a teacher. Next is to the new addition to the Crossroads family, Mr. Rose. He is a science teacher and the specific class he teaches me is physics, which isn’t a very easy subject at all times. He provides great notes and is always around to help and explain. Physics equations are quite hard to remember for me so he is always happy to help and lets us take our time. Off and up to Mrs. Orr, my math teacher who thinks I’m a bundle of sass and smarts. She always, always helps with explaining and making sure we understand the task. She’s pretty cool because she accepts late work until the quarter ends which comes in handy because third period geometry can get pretty rowdy. She is an all-around favorite and she is for sure the school mom. 

Fourth period is check and connect which is short but never dull with Matlack. He always has something for us to do every day and at the end of the week he checks our grades to see how we are doing. He is a great motivator and always makes sure I’m doing well in the grade region because he knows I hate anything less than a B, and I’ll beat myself up on it. Thanks for being so invested Matlack, much appreciated. After everyone races to get into the lunch line, where we have a great server and cashier. They’re nice faces to see after getting through half the day. Lunch is everyone’s favorite time, it’s where we can all eat and enjoy our friends. Then up the stairs and to Roberts for two whole periods. She is the best I swear, I love both her classes, health lit comp and journalism. She’s unlike anyone, not only a friend in school but helpful. I enjoy having her around my life because she makes everything a little bit happier.

 Lastly I’m off to go see Carlson for relaxing yoga to replenish me from a busy day. She routinely ask us what poses we want to do most and if we feel okay or not. She takes our insight into consideration which is helpful because some days no one is feeling up to much or are cranky. She’s very compassionate and is light energy in yoga, you can really use your mind and body for the better of yourself without stress of interruption. What I can say about my experience so far at Crossroads is this is not a normal school; we are a community and a family. We all have the support we need to grow and develop good life skill and knowledge. We also have the time we need that is fair to us to learn and excel. I love my Crossroads friends and family they are amazing in all ways even with struggles.

-Samantha Mason

Crossroads is such an amazing school, and I am so glad I decided to come to Crossroads. I transferred from Granite Falls High school to Crossroads the start of my junior year. I don’t like schools that have a lot of kids and Crossroads is a smaller school. Also many of my friends go to Crossroads. This

school is also a great place to come if you are behind in school because they offer packet classes. We also have open doors for some of the students that have a hard time coming to school or if they work. There is also a daycare for people that have babies, such as teen moms. The daycare also helps out a lot with the parents and getting clothes or stuff. Just in general our school does a great job at providing food or clothes for the people that need it. A lot of kids that come to Crossroads have personal issues or just kind of a difficult life and at Crossroads and we are basically like a big family because we all look out for each other. The teachers here are also very caring for their students and they care about us. The teachers also look out for us and help us in school and make sure we are passing our classes. We get a lot of new students, and when they come to our school, we like to make sure they feel welcomed here and that they are part of our school. Our school is a much smaller school than many others and the thing I like about that is that there is less people in the classes so we can get more one on one help and it is easier to focus with less distractions. The staff at Crossroads is all amazing and crossroads is by far the best school I have gone too. I am glad I decided to make the switch because coming to crossroads made me a lot happier and all together it is a better school.

-Kendal Guzman

Crossroads is a very positive place to be. The staff here are a group of very caring and supporting people. They'll work with you anyway to make sure you achieve your goals and graduate. They will ride your butt till you get your work done. It's not just the staff that are there for us, we're also there for the staff when you're having a tough time. Students will write letters or make posters for them just to let them know that they’re loved. It's more personal here at this lovely school and you can grow some pretty amazing relationships with some of the staff members. My favorite part about this school is the daycare. The daycare is for the mamas of this school; they can drop them off and go get that education. They also provide transportation for them and their babies! There are also programs for kids who work and don't time to go to school full time. Crossroads is very creative and realistic; the students are crazy creative and it’s amazing. You can really learn a lot here; not just academically but personally you learn. I personally am a whole different person from Crossroads. It has impacted me for the better and helped get through school in a better way. This is a comfortable place to be, where a lot of people aren't afraid to be themselves. I love Crossroads, it's a very determined, supportive, positive, happy school and I don't think you could find another school like it!

-Alex Chavez

Oh Crossroads, what can I say about you... Where do I start? There is so much about this school that is amazing. I think the main thing is probably its positivity. You walk in and the vibes are just happy. The staff works their best to keep students happy. Teachers wants the best for every student, and will work with everyone individually if that’s what it takes. They are there to support your every move and be there for you if you fall, which is truly amazing. This school also gives many other programs for students who work, or have kids. It gives them an opportunity to still get school done and work. Another thing about Crossroads that just amazes me, is the daycare! Students who have their babies at school can drop them off there before class, and it makes it way easier on them. This school really works to lift the weight off students’ shoulders, every day of the week. I couldn’t be anymore happy to attend this school during this time of my life. They’ve helped so much, mentally and physically. Shoot, they’ve helped everyone. Almost every student attending this kick butt school have a close bond with some staff, and that’s something you don’t see a lot. Many students feel comfortable coming here, and letting teachers help. It’s sweet when you see the punks actually doing their work, because they feel motivated. It’s truly amazing… the vibes this school gives. There is so much good about this school, so much! The support is unreal here, no doubt.

-Mal Byron

Like many others, at first I fell for the stigma. Crossroads was nothing but a whisper in the back of my head, and a threatening one at that. There were of course vague rumors floating around about the school; of violence, mischief, and drugs. There were stories too though I don’t necessarily remember any, but the impression stuck. So in the end, it was hard not to feel like the school was a physical representation of failure, though I knew it was anything but that, and was aware of the sub-par qualities of our countries education system. The rumors of crossroads even ended up becoming more positive in the end. More and more friends of mine were leaving the high school for any number of reasons, because boy are there many.
In the end though, It was still hard not to feel the way I did with the pressure from my parents and peers, because to them, it was that, failure. I figured “not me” and thought I’d just ride it out at my other school, even though I disliked it there. I would just get in, get out. It didn't happen that way. I don't need to go into detail, many people at Crossroads understand. I had a struggle, what kind isn't important, but the fact is the same. I wasn’t successful, outside forces were holding me back, and I was failing all my classes but one. Even then, I held onto a passing grade by nothing more than a thread. To say it was difficult was an understatement.

Then one day Jackie pulled me into her office and suggested I try crossroads. I was stubborn, or maybe not even stubborn, just tired. I was too tired to look for another route, so I just stuck with what I was given. Wake up, do the necessary, sleep, repeat. There wasn't much time for anything else, and I had very few resources so it's not like I had a way to look for anything else, and I had no idea who or what to ask anyways. But this was different. And option was put before me, so, I asked questions, and there was no more push, I was gonna go to Crossroads.

So, I went, and I was scared. Anyone thrown into a new school would be, and this wasn't a regular school either. But I went all the same, and though I was anxious, I felt relatively welcome. I knew some of the attending class already, and It also helped that the staff was so welcoming. I remember success academy, and I also remember how emotional it was, and the very real struggle that was clear a lot of us had been through. So, though different, that's a connecting factor. Perhaps the fact that were all just different kinds of misfits, but misfits all the same, connects us. Were all fish, or deer, or maybe even a toad, who were judged on our ability to climb a tree. Well, each of us are finding different ways to get to that topmost branch. It's such a stark contrast to a regular high school, the teachers are understanding that life steps in the way sometimes. There's a genuine connection with your teachers and peers because of the small population. It’s clear to see all the care and effort that teachers go to for the well-being of students.

I also liked how the school was geared towards the students’ success. My parents were an obstacle for a long time, and their decisions stood in the way of my education multiple times. So, after switching, I became much more in charge of my education, and much more independent. It was nice to be able to take the reins, so to speak, when I had originally felt like wood drifting at sea. Crossroads has its faults for sure, but I’ve made some of the best friends I’ve ever had there. I’ve felt unsafe in some ways, but safer in others. And I know I have the staff to thank for my success. All of those who go out of their way to help students to do their best. Those who put so much energy into keeping everyone safe. So, to close out, thanks Crossroads, thanks for the new friends and family. And lastly, a huge thanks to all the staff/teachers, thank you for doing so much to help us all grow, learn, and keep safe. I know a lot of us may not show it very well, but we appreciate it.

-Vail Bates