Throughout the 8th grade year, many students find themselves pondering over the same question, “Where am I headed next year?” It can be stressful for kids to decide where they want to spend the next four years of their life, especially after they have spent so many years with their peers in the halls of St. Robert. St. Robert does try to help and support students with this difficult decision that can shape their futures in a very large way.

Throughout this trimester, many high schools have visited St. Robert. Each school attempted to make a convincing case to persuade the eighth graders to attend their high school.. The schools that have presented thus far include Pius XI, DSHA, MUHS, Dominican, and St. Thomas Moore. The meetings were held in classrooms and presenters used a variety of tactics to keep students engaged and excited about their school. Some of the visiting schools  gave out candy, hosted raffles, facilitated kahoots, and displayed  intriguing videos to grab their audience. During these visits, the high schools each gave a brief overview about their school philosophy and encouraged students to shadow.

Shadowing is when a kid who has interest in a certain school “shadows” a current high schooler attending there in order to get a good feel of what the school is really like behind the curtains. Many students find shadowing a vital opportunity to fully explore the school and factor new pros and cons into their decision. Shadowing provides kids with an opportunity to walk the halls as a highschooler, something that a presentation can barely scratch the surface of.

Many students who have shadowed this year already have returned to St. Robert with good reports. However, after seeing it for themselves, some aspects of the high school experience  have left kids worried about the things waiting for them upon their graduation. People have raved about the great lunch at Marquette High, and how nice the teachers were. Others, however, have ranted about how much homework students were given. Many students have become frantic about the homework load and the rigorous academics found at the high schools.

8th grade year can be a stressful time for students, as they are trying to balance their current school work and the tough decision of picking a high school. Despite this fact, many 8th grade students feel that the shadowing and in-school visits have allowed them to learn something new and gain perspective on their experience at St. Robert. These 8th graders may even hold a similar suggestion to the rest of the students at St. Robert: Savor your time here. Good times fly by, and although high school seems like the perfect place to be, grade school is something to be cherished as well.