A Passion for Learning

Along with academics, the administration supports the arts at a time when other schools are cutting funding. Programs such as our award-winning band, led by director Quincy Griffin, have flourished. The Marching Raiders won a spot in the pre-game show at the 2008 Orange Bowl. In addition, our fine-arts department is preparing a showcase of student work to be displayed at a local gallery. The development of the arts reflects our dedication to open opportunities to all students.

The greatest quality of Rickards is our diversity. Rickards has students from more than 25 ethnic groups and every socioeconomic class in Tallahassee. This diversity is supported through two initiatives. Every spring, Rickards presents "Pangaea," a student-run show celebrating the cultures found in our population. Also, all students are able to obtain college credit through AP and IB exams for free. These initiatives prepare students for the future, making the opportunities found at Rickards High School the crowning achievements of a great institution.

Tafi Mukunyadzi, senior
Little Rock Central High School, Little Rock, Ark.
Between innocence and adulthood lies a bubble that must be inhabited with great caution. The four-year shelter that is high school is extremely critical in a teenager's life. You begin to see the fragments of who you are and what you want to become.

A good high school is not hard to come by. It's comprised of hardworking teachers, a good curriculum and happy students. America has an abundance of these elements. To find a great high school is a bit more difficult. It is less about idealism and more about realism. That bubble should be about training for the real world. The school that goes beyond expectations is the one that gives you the roadmap to where you want to go, but doesn't drive the car for you. Little Rock Central High has given me an excellent roadmap and the keys, as well.

My school not only has vast array of AP classes taught by fantastic teachers, but also a sense of evolution that contributes to its uniqueness. Central is a microcosm of the real world. In 1957, nine African-Americans integrated Central High. As the nation watched, the Little Rock Nine led the way, fought for equality by facing daunting obstacles within a school guarded by statues of four Greek goddesses that represent Ambition, Personality, Opportunity and Preparation. Today, we are a glorious mix of races, backgrounds and opinions that set us apart from any other high school in America. Students constantly examine the school's history so that the Little Rock Nine's struggle will not have been in vain. The diversity that I see in Central's 2,400 students illustrates the progress that we have made in the last 50 years and the progress to come in the next 50 years. I see 2,400 maps, 2,400 sets of keys and 2,400 vibrant destinations.

Sarah Taylor & James Godoy, staff
Eastern Sierra Academy, Bridgeport, Calif.
"25 students."