To The Kids That Weren't in IB

What often comes along with graduating high school is a chance to looks back at one’s experience and achievements throughout their entire school career. One of these achievements South prides itself on offering, is the IB, or International Baccalaureate program. This program is known for its rigorous and challenging criteria– extended essays, oral presentations, summer reading, and more. However, these classes aren’t for everyone, and that’s ok. Making it through high school is an achievement in itself, regardless of the level of difficulty classes were.
Honor roll is another thing at South that becomes a topic of praise. A GPA is a number, not something that determines worthiness or seals fate. Just because one might have never made honor roll does not mean they are any less smart than those kids who had a perfect 4.0 throughout their entire four years.
And to the students who think attending community college is something to be ashamed of, there is something wrong with that mindset itself. The stigmas attached to community college are that it’s a last resort, or a place where people with not so great credentials go, but in reality, community college is a great way to save money– especially with the new Oregon Promise Grant– and because of this, it allows one to try out different classes rather than attending a university where switching majors potentially means losing out on a lot of money, or having to transfer schools because the one you attend doesn’t offer what you would like to switch to. This happens a lot more than one might think.
For some, a huge achievement might be that fact they were able to get out of bed in the morning, for others that might be graduating with an IB diploma. Regardless of academic achievement, graduating seniors have done it, they have completed high school, endured four years of early mornings, late nights, tests, homework, notes, essays. They all have that to be proud of.