Ms. Sarver (Room 118) 6th Hour.

Being a transfer student can be hard and scary, especially when you have social anxiety. You don’t know anybody, nobody knows you. It’s a brand-new start and you get to begin all over again, but how?

Transferring to Dakota High School has been exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time. My expectations were low, and I presumed I’d be coasting through my sophomore year on my own. What I didn’t expect, however, was how welcomed I was going to feel.

The teachers are fantastic. They are passionate about what they do, and they put their all into making each class an environment you want to be included in. Many have decorated their classrooms to help the education of students by creating a comfortable and calm learning environment. Whether it’s by dimming the lights, adding LEDs, or the certain types of artworks displayed on their walls. Not only do the teachers perform well in the classroom, but many have expanded further to take-on an array of clubs, such as, Black Student Union (BSU), Women’s Empowerment Club, Animal Welfare, Muslim Students Association, She’s the First, and so much more!

In addition, Dakota High School is also relatively diverse. Although the statistics out of this world, they are high enough for certain groups of people to feel a sense of belonging. For instance, African American students make up 2.7% of the population at my old school, compared to the 8.9% of African American students enrolled at Dakota. Now, although these numbers aren’t drastically different, if you take into consideration the size and population of the school, it’s pretty significant. Dakota has roughly near 3,000 students, compared to the 1,000 or so at my old school. Being black, specifically mixed, it can be hard to navigate your way through school while feeling different, and alone. Making friends is important, but it’s also important to surround yourself by people you can connect and empathize with. The increased diversity has not only made my transition easier, but now I’m filled with a sense of hope that these last few years of high school will be accompanied by a feeling of belonging and acceptance, and I am beyond ecstatic to see what the future has in store.