The 9th Grade Experience

The first year at Emmaus High School for the Class of 2023 will be one that they surely will never forget. Over the next two weeks, we hear the words of over 40 freshmen who offered reflections on their year, tips for upcoming 9th graders, and what they learned about themselves through this challenging time.

Once again joining the podcast to read student's reflections are my children, Cole, 11; Grace, 9; and Joy, 6; and a new special guest, my wife, Jen, who talks about her own 9th grade experience.

Whether it has been on the football field on Friday nights, at community events, or posing under a billboard congratulating the Class of 2020, the Hornet mascot has become an unmistakeable symbol of Emmaus High School over the last three years. But, despite being so visible, how much do you know about the student in the costume and his family?

On this episode, we hear from the Hornet himself, graduating senior Zachary Conner, his mom Jennifer, and his soon-to-be 9th grade brother Andrew about what it has been like to watch the Hornet mascot grow and evolve.

Zach and his mom share the story of his 9th grade year, which despite strong grades, was filled with depression and a longing to find a spot to fit in. Little did Zach and his family know that a random tweet before his sophomore year looking for students interested in becoming a mascot would change his high school path.

We also listen to Andrew explain his experience becoming the LMMS mascot, his hopes for continuing with it at the high school, and how he is preparing for his arrival at EHS in the fall.

Finally, we get some tips for parents from Jennifer, about things to look for in your 9th grader that may be signs to watch for and the importance of getting involved and finding your way.

There is no way that 9th Grade Assistant Principal Jordan Fortier could have envisioned his first year as the freshmen-level principal finishing the way that it has. But it has created a moment that our students will not soon forget and will impact their remaining years here at Emmaus High School.

During this conversation, Fortier discusses how his 9th grade year, which included some personal challenges, helped to guide him into a career in education and gave him a perspective about how important the social/emotional learning perspective is in his job. He also shares what he would like to see a 9th grade student look like at the end of the year and encourages them to not let anyone else write their story.

At the end of the episode, Fortier shares what upcoming 9th graders can do to prepare themselves for next school year, no matter what school looks like.

As we head into the Memorial Day Weekend, the podcast is trying a new format - a shorter episode without a guest.

I wanted to share a personal reflection that I had after visiting school for the first time since late March. Every member of the Emmaus High School community has been experiencing this shutdown in their own way during the last two months. We have been saying even though the building is closed, our school is still open.

But when I stepped foot inside of a practically empty EHS building, the feeling of closure really hit home. What follows is a reflection on my possible final visit to building during the 2019-2020 school year.

This week, we will take a slight break from the weekly Coronavirus updates to reflect back and look forward as we celebrate the one-year anniversary of the release of the podcast. It is a time of great thanks and recognition for the many students and staff that have participated in telling the stories of our 9th graders here at Emmaus High School. Even in these uncertain and crazy times, we can come back to the idea that we have amazing people doing amazing things at our school!

To celebrate and get perspective from the district level, there was no better choice than to feature EPSD Superintendent Kristen Campbell on this episode.

Of course, we ask Mrs. Campbell about her 9th grade experience, but we also get perspective on what it is like to lead a school district through this time and how she is dealing with the challenges. We talk about how the district's focus on technology just happened to come at the right time and how to build a culture when people are scattered throughout the district and not in our buildings. We finish with Campbell's vision of what she hopes the 9th grade experience should be like for all students, including her own children, as we prepare them to become members of the global community.