At North Hollywood High School we offer a wide range of academies, ranging from the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and HGM (Highly Gifted Magnet program) to a Zoo Magnet.
For students who are a part of the “School for Advanced Studies,” also known as SAS. SAS is one of the largest academies at NHHS, and pushes its students to seek higher classes, AP courses or Dual Enrollment, building better habits for the future.
Given that these students typically take AP courses that load a great deal of information meant to prepare them for a college level exam, this begs the question: how have these classes influenced these students and their work habits?
Melissa Marcial, a junior in SAS, thinks higher level courses she’s taken have helped her with studying and prioritizing school work. “I guess you could say being a part of SAS has helped me, I mean the more AP classes I take, the less I can slack off,” and “Although these classes can be so overwhelming sometimes, the fact that I’ve been taking higher classes [honors] since, like, the 6th grade, it just feels like something habitual at this point,” states Marcial.
Marcial has been taking honor classes since middle school, so it’s no wonder it’s like second nature to stick to a routine of completing homework daily.
Being involved in higher studies can be rewarding for some students, since the education they receive can benefit their understanding of a subject more than, say, a student only taking normal classes. Another academic advantage is that they can also receive college credit when passing their AP exams with a 3 or higher.
SAS math teacher Roberto Queiro doesn’t think that being a part of the SAS automatically makes students more productive when it comes to their studies. “Some of these students are just lazy,” and “even in my AP Statistics class, these kids choose not to turn in their homework.” states Mr. Queiro.
Although SAS strives to push their students to take advanced higher classes, like Dual Enrollment or AP courses, that doesn’t mean those hard classes are necessarily reflected onto the character of the students.
While some students may show unproductive work habits despite the fact that they are in an SLC that strives for academic excellence, it doesn’t take away from the students that truly attempt to strive for better habits and high grades.
Angel Quan, a junior in SAS has personally benefited from being apart of the academy by gaining productive work habits. “Being a part of SAS has made me more productive because of the teachers involved!” states Quan “My honors teachers and AP teachers alike have provided workloads that encourage and force me to learn how to manage my time more effectively while also having time for my extracurriculars.”
English teachers such as Ms.Trejo are positively ecstatic to be a part of the SAS family. “I love these kids so much! We’re a huge academy full of kids ready to learn and apply habits for classes like AP’s and dual enrollment towards their future” and “I love being apart of this academy, I love collaborating with other teachers [during meetings] on creative ways to teach kids or different teaching styles so I can apply my next lesson.” states Trejo.
It’s an amalgamation of teachers who are passionate about the subject they teach– that can effectively provide homework that is informational– and students who play their part in being involved in their own studies. These things both help and push students to be more productive, manage their time better, and involve themselves in a classroom environment.
