When I told Julian, a student from a neighboring high school that I attend Gateway, he was astonished that I chose to attend here and actually pitied me. He thought it lame that I went to a school that didn't provide what he called a "real high school experience." He argued that due to Gateway's small size I didn't have as many classes to choose from; I didn't have the anonymity of being in a large class; and I didn't have teachers who would just give you an easy A. He insinuated that all of these things were negative. He went on to say that I was also missing out on a lot of fun. Gateway doesn't have a football team, or a homecoming dance, or any exclusive cliques. What Julian failed to realize, however, is that while the positive – albeit somewhat questionably so aspects of a large high school environment may not exist at Gateway, it is the opposite of those characteristics that give Gateway a life of its own. One of the coolest parts of that life is Project Week.
Gateway High School dedicates a week every January to Project Week. Students step out of the day-to-day classroom routine and choose one of over 15 different courses to participate in for the duration of the week. The courses include anything from Zombie Makeup to Surfing to Dorm Room Cooking. Here is a mere sampling of Project Week course options from this "not real high school."
The Physics of Snow Sports
Most high school students don't get the opportunity to camp out with their physics classmates or teacher. Every year, students who attend Mr. Woolgar's exciting snow-filled adventure say that it was the best time of their livesand for good reason, too, because the students get to go skiing, tubing, and snowboarding at Tahoe during the week. The "physics" part of the name comes from the fact that Mr. Woolgar, the chaperone, is a physics teacher. You have to have taken physics with him to be a part of this Project Week course. Students apply concepts they learn in his class to real life, such as friction, angular momentum, and acceleration. Gateway's science curriculum includes handson learning, and The Physics of Snowsports exhibits that well. My friends who took this last year said it was a defining adventure that sums up what the Gateway experience is about. Whether it is seeing other beginner snowboarders fall, living together in a cabin, or singing along to the radio during the long drive, all Gateway students feel that they are part of a big family, striving to learn and grow together.
Robotics
The Gateway Robotics Team is up and running and more prepared than last year for their sixweek long build season, during which they design and construct a competition robot from scratch. The Robotics Project Week course, which takes place during the first week of build season, is a mentally rigorous and exciting course that challenges any and all students to collaborate on building the robot. "I've never had to think so hard in my life," said a student who took the course last year. "I came in here with no experience in robotics or using power tools at all. The learning curve was huge, but we all thought it was really worth it." In this course, students have to leverage their skills, using the brainpower from peers of all grades to make a unique, competitionworthy robot. Students can expect to become confident by the end of the week in solving any problem that crosses their path and understanding the complexity behind everyday things such as a watch or table.
Sports, Sports, Sports!
What other school gives students the opportunity to play sports for a week, all day and every day? In this popular course, students engage in a physically demanding week of full-day exercise, by pushing themselves to their limits and going the extra mile to get physically ready for either a club sport or other competition. By the time students finish this course, they have played dodgeball, football, volleyball, soccer, tennis, basketball, kickball, and even laser tag! Trust me, this course alone is more physically demanding than any regular football team practice.
These courses offer only a glimpse into Gateway's unique life and culture. While it may be true that Gateway is different from most other schools, it should be pretty obvious by now that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. To all of you out there who take excessive pride in attending a "normal" public high school (that means you, Julian!), I'm afraid to say that you're the one missing out.
Note from the editor: Justin Chen, a Gateway High School Senior, is currently interning in the Communications Department of Gateway Public Schools. As part of his training, he has been tasked with covering topics pertinent to the high school community. This is the second in the series.