Different Worlds... But We Are All The Same

This week I began observation in the physical education classes at Meigs High School. I learned about the school in general, as well as classes individually. The more time I spent observing the classes, I started to realize similarities and differences to my past high school experiences. I discovered information this week that I never thought I would be interested in, however I believe it is important to know the school that I will spend hours in during my observation.
Meigs High School embodies 632 ninth through twelfth grade students. Ninety-eight percent of those students are white Caucasians, leaving only two percent to other ethnicities. There is not even one other ethnicity that encompasses ten individuals. As I discovered information about the school and its students, I learned that sixty percent of the student body is economically disadvantaged. Basically, this statistic shows that 379 of the 632 students enrolled at the school are receiving reduced price or free lunch. According to the information in found on school’s report cards this is a high end percentage of students. Another statistic I discovered was that nineteen percent of the student body has a disability of some kind. These disabilities include everything from learning disabilities to severe handicaps. For example, twenty-eight percent of the students are on an IEP.
The school is equipped with all the essentials required for a functioning school. The office is located right inside the main doors, and is available for the students when they need assistance. The guidance counselors are also available for help with schooling or future plans. The building itself is in good condition, and has had some obvious renovations since the building opened. The library, gym, and computer labs are available for non-core subject education. With these extra facilities available the school is able to have many after school programs. The athletes have interscholastic sports, while other students can participate in religious, cultural, or fun clubs and groups that give them something to be a part of.
The gymnasium is where I spent my time during observation. The physical education teacher’s name is Tim Dunn. Throughout the day he teaches freshmen and sophomores with an occasional junior thrown into his classes. The first period class is composed of twenty one students, including eleven females and ten males. Twenty of the students were white Caucasian, and one student was African American. I noticed one girl in particular who was excessively overweight. Her body composition restricted her ability to move quickly or effectively. The second class was relatively small. Only nine boys and five girls combined to make a class of fourteen students. Once again, only one African American student was enrolled in the class, and all the others were white Caucasian. There were no obvious disabilities with the students in this class, but I was told that there was a student who has severe back problems who cannot do much in terms of participation. Finally, the third period class had eighteen students. The thirteen girls outnumbered the boys who represented only five-eighteenths of the class. Just like the other two classes, all but one student were white Caucasians. However the other student was Hispanic, not African American like the previous periods. All of these students participated in physical education class on the hardwood floor in the gym. The basketball court is lined in maroon lines which are used for organizing in the physical education class. The rest of the gym was full of school spirit. There is a maroon and gold stripe that runs around the entire gym, and the curtain on the stage is equipped with the acronym for the school. Even though the gym at Meigs high school is obviously old, the place is well kept and has been updated. All of the equipment used inside the gym is in well repair and useable by the students.
The environment at Meigs High School was new for me. I grew up in a thriving town that was awarded the sixteenth best place to live in the United States. My high school was only nine years old, and I had 600 people in my class alone. Even without freshmen on campus, I attended school with roughly 2000 students. I would see a new face pretty much every day, and I have a feeling that probably does not happen at Meigs. I do not believe the size of Meigs is a bad thing. I always thought small town’s feel where I knew everyone would be great. At my high school, everyone had their little group of friends and that was it. Size is not the only difference I noticed. According to my high school’s report card, the percent of students who receive reduced or free lunch was two percent. Once again, a number that is much different from what I observed. Even though my high school experience was different, I am sure it had its similarities. As I walked around the gymnasium and listened to the students conversations I began to realize something. I realized that even though Meigs and West Chester are on different sides of the state, all of the students are still teenagers trying to survive some of the toughest years of their lives. I am sure everyone worries about the same things; grades, relationships, getting in trouble, sports anxiety, and wanting to be liked by their peers.
Observing at Meigs and learning information about the whole school, as well as individual physical education classes, has made me realize that no matter what school is school. Even though not everyone has the same experiences, does not mean that any area is better than anywhere else.