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Voices
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A big issue that we all think about when
going to high school is friends. Going to Comm. Arts might mean leaving
those friends. It’s a hard
choice, but when you go to Comm. Arts, you make many new friends. It’s
a small environment which makes it easy to meet new people. Everyone
is friendly and accepting. You easily make bonds and friendships that
last. I’m glad I chose this school. At CAHS everyone respects themselves enough
to do their best and cares about where they will be in the next ten
years and for the rest of their
lives. In middle school I didn’t really try my best; now at Comm.
Arts I have to try harder to make the kind of grades I like. The reason
I like Communications Arts is that I like a challenge. My first impression about this school was that it was boring. However,
after the first few weeks, I finally started to see the reason people
had so much fun and liked this school. Comm. Arts takes learning to the
next level. I actually have fun in class, and I am actually learning
new things. Comm. Arts is a place that has changed
my life and I’m sure that
of many others. I don’t know what I would do if this school wasn’t
here. One of the many reasons I came here is because I want the best
education possible. I know that by attending Comm. Arts I have a chance
at becoming anyone I want. This school is practically perfect. The principal and vice principal
almost never have to deal with discipline problems or write-ups. Mr.
Buchanan, the principal, can visit the classrooms and Mrs. Barker, the
vice principal, can even teach a class! We have wonderful teachers, counselors,
and administrators. This school doesn’t just show you the way to your future—it
sends you there. The first thought that came to my mind
when I got my acceptance letter was, “How am I going to tell my friends?” My friends and
I grew close over the years and they pretty much felt like my family.
But I gave Communications Arts a try and I love it here. I’ve great
new friends and I keep in touch with my old ones. I want to make something
of myself and not just be another regular person in the crowd; Comm.
Arts is helping me everyday to become that person! I like being treated like an adult. I
don’t want to hear, “Open
your book and read this and do that.” At CAHS it’s different;
the teachers trust you and respect you. Here we all learn differently.
The teachers are dedicated to help you learn and to help you succeed. Some kids know exactly what they want
to do by the time they’re
eleven. I am definitely not one of those people. But the thing about
Comm. Arts is that you’re going to need communication skills in
just about any job you end up in. That’s what this school’s
all about. It may sound like a bunch of super smart kids, and although
there are some of those, for the most part, we’re all just normal
students and teenagers. And with the small number of students, you get
more out of class. I ‘m so happy I applied here and got in because
this school is the best; I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. “They shook my hand; I’m touched,” I
said inside my head as I walked around shaking the hands of all the
students enrolled
at Comm. Arts. I wanted to come here because they actually shook my hand
when I attended the freshmen orientation. Then seeing the video increased
my interest. When I saw it, I made up my mind; I wanted to go to CAHS. I used to hate school, and I didn’t
want to even show up for school. But after I came to Communications
Arts, I look forward to school and
having an awesome day. At Comm. Arts it helps you to overcome your fears. My fear is speaking
in front of an audience. I am really shy, but Comm. Apps. helped me to
overcome this, and now I feel more comfortable speaking. I have always enjoyed watching movies and finding out how they make
those amazing visual effects. I really want to enter this career field,
so when I heard that Comm. Arts had a video tech class and several multimedia
classes, I knew I had to come here. At Communications Arts High School, I have freedom and liberty, with
responsibility. My parents have always pushed me to strive for excellence and to do
something that I love, but that also pays well. My dad says that whatever
I may do, it will require communication skills. At my middle school recruitment presentation, the Comm. Arts people were
excited and really proud of their school. They were also very laid
back and at ease. Because of their attitude and excitement I decided
to choose CAHS. I like the amount of trust the student body is given. I also like that
for the first time I am respected by the teachers. I enjoy the small
classroom environment and knowing almost everyone in the freshman class.
And I especially enjoy the relationship and equality I have with the
upperclassmen. Eighth grade was a great year. My friends and I had so much fun. Life
was so exciting, so I was scared to come to CAHS and not have any of
my friends with me. My parents knew CAHS would help better my education
and college choices, so they made me come. I was very unhappy at first,
but as the year went on, I started making new friends that were really
cool. I think one of the biggest attractions is that Communications Arts is
a school within a school. Even though CAHS is a very small school, you
can still get that access and feel of genuine, wonderful high school
life with Taft: sports, band, etc. I definitely don’t regret switching
high schools to come to CAHS. The small environment allows you to have
so many friends and to get to
know teachers on a more personal basis. The teachers also make class
very fun. At Comm. Arts you get to expand your learning experience by
taking speech class and numerous multimedia classes. Comm. Arts is all I can ask for in a school. This is the first school that I feel like I can be myself in without
caring what everyone else thinks. I really like the speech class, Comm.
Apps. because we discuss a lot of issues in the world and get to hear
everyone else’s opinion, and some times you learn things you
never knew. Intro to Multimedia is another great class because of the
experience you get with the computer. You can’t even imagine
all the new things you learn. The benefits of Communications Arts: 4.1
million dollars in scholarships for last year’s 100+ seniors, the advantage of dual credit and
AP courses to count for college, technology and special courses that
are entwined with the core classes…. It appealed to me that I would actually be someone, not just another
face in the crowd. This school makes learning fun because
it’s not all about the
teachers. The students get opportunities to lead. Coming here might be
challenging, but no one is left behind. Would you want to attend a school where
everyone stuck with their little “clique” and
nobody interacted? How about a school where the students had no voice
and no choices? Well, if you do, CAHS is not the school for you. I was looking for a new challenging school where I could express my
creativity and be my own person. What made me come to Communications Arts was all of the technology they
had to offer. I like working with computers and Communications Arts lets
me do that. If you like graphic design or making web pages or even making
your own videos, Communications Arts has that. One thing that stands out to me is the student-teacher relationship.
Teachers make a real attempt to get to know what kind of thing you like
and how you learn. They care about you even outside of the classroom. What really caught
my eye was the recruitment presentation, and no, not the fancy equipment
they had or the fact that they made a video about the school (which aided
in my decision to come here, though!); it was the kids doing the presentation.
They were that presentation: the looks on their faces, their gung-ho about
everything attitude; that e told the story of the school more than a video
or a pamphlet. They had genuine smiles, and when they talked about how
much CAHS rocked, you couldn't help but believe them. Then they said that
at this school you could bring out your full potential and that nothing
was impossible. I suddenly imagined myself up on that stage. I could be
that. Anyone could, they said. Then…I was hooked. Going to a school
without the people I've known since kindergarten wasn't an easy decision,
but it was definitely the right one. Everyone at Comm. Arts has been so
friendly and helpful, and I've made new friends easily. The teachers are
also awesome and want you to do well and have fun. And at CAHS you don't
have to give up anything either; you can still play sports, and attend
homecoming and the prom. During middle school,
it seemed to me that other kids were just there because they had to be,
not because they wanted to. I wanted to get away from that. I knew the
people at Comm. Arts would be there because they wanted to, not because
they had to, and, so far, it's been what I had hoped for. I didn't want to be
like most of my friends and to a "regular" high school and just
be another number. What I like best about
this school is the attitude everyone has. Everyone wants to learn and
have fun. It always feels relaxed, and all of the awesome teachers don't
really put too much pressure on you. As a person you get to be independent
and take your own responsibility. Comm. Arts is something
to brag about. I take all honors core classes and even though it is challenging,
it's not all about work. I have so much fun here. I've made friends that
will last me a lifetime, and the small classroom environment gives me
the opportunity to ask questions without feeling embarrassed. CAHS is
a wonderful school and the only place I want to be. Choices are hard to
make especially when they affect your life. The choice to go to the right
high school can be tough, but it is important. It determines the college
you'll go to, and it will affect the person you'll become. When I got
to Comm. Arts, I knew right away that it was the right place. If a challenge
is what you're looking for, and I was, then Communications Arts High School
is a great place for a challenge that is fun. One day at lunch I
went to the outdoor classroom. A handful of people had brought their guitars
and basses. These were people I didn't even know. I asked someone for
a spin on his bass and he let me. I don't know if a thing like that would
have happened anywhere else. I feel more independent
than if I went to a regular high school. I used to be so shy
during middle school. I'd never talk during class or raise my hand. Here
at Comm. Arts I'm not afraid to speak out my thoughts or talk in front
of the class because I know the other students won't judge me or make
fun of me. Here everyone cares about one another and about our feelings. I don't think that
I've ever been happier. The most important
quality that I thought Comm. Arts held was student voice. I think it is
very significant part of a high school to hear what the student thinks.
This is why I love Comm. Arts. Eureka! You've got
it: the idea that will make you millions, the idea people will remember
you for, the idea that will help everybody! The only thing is…you
don't know how to get the idea across to others. Being able to communicate
gives you the edge in life and is a skill needed for all sorts of jobs.
CAHS gives you that edge. I wanted a better
path for myself. Not only does this
school encourage you to express your opinions, but it also builds a foundation
for your future. Even though it's only my first year, this school has
already prepared and equipped me. I can just imagine what the following
have in store for me! Finally I have found
a school where I can be myself. What made me decide
to come to this magnet school was that it is a school within a school
which lets me be a part of Taft's sports program. Communications Arts
also doesn't have a set field of work. As I get older, I might change
what I want to do with my life. At first I wasn't sure, but now I know
I made the right choice. I didn't even want
to come to this school because I had to leave all my friends from middle
school. But after attending I realized how many new friends I made in
just one day. Comm. Arts has such a small environment that you get to
know everyone. Plus, the teachers are able to work with you on a one-to-one
basis. And even though some of the work is really hard, it is worth the
challenge. The way the people
smile here… that is what interested me the most. "Can I be happy
like that?" Then I came here, and before I could even say "Hi,"
they infected me with happiness, their confidence. When I saw the student-led
presentations last year, I thought, "Wow, maybe I could be doing
that next year." And Comm. Arts has turned out to be what the recruitment
team said last year. It's challenging. Teachers are great and the lessons
are actually interesting. The outdoor classroom is also great. If you
don't want to eat lunch in the Taft cafeteria, you can eat in different
classrooms or in the outdoor classrooms. You're not limited to the traditional
school environment. When I got my letter,
I did cry…of happiness. I was smiling while tears ran down my cheeks.
My mom was thrilled; she wants me to get all the college credits as possible
with AP/dual credit classes. Now I'm here and I love it. I actually enjoy
school, and I encourage my brother to apply here. He's hard to convince,
but I'll work at it as much as I can. He deserves more than a regular
school can give him. He shouldn't have to settle for "normal"
when he was born to stand out from the crowd. Everyone is willing
to help one another. The reason I decided
to apply to Comm. Arts was because I knew that it would help me in speaking
in front of groups of people. Now that I am here, I think I made a very
good decision. My teachers make me think outside of the box, and the classes
are great. This school doesn't
just lead you to one certain path but in many directions. There are so many
people here with completely different personalities, and they're so comfortable
with expressing what they feel. You find people who seem opposite from
you, but, in reality, you have so much common ground. You don't dread
coming to school every day because all the information you're learning
is somehow fun. Everything you're doing is bettering your chances of getting
into a good university or college, bettering your chances of having the
kind of life you want. I came to Communications
Arts because I wanted to get away from the people I used to hang with
who I got in trouble with. I like this school, and I also play basketball
with the girls at Taft. At Comm. Arts you
get to develop as a person. You learn how to work and communicate with
others and how to speak in public without a problem. It's easier to learn
at CAHS because it provides you with a great learning environment. High school will probably
be the best four years of your life, and I'm glad I chose CAHS instead
of any of the other high schools in San Antonio. Technology is one
of my strongest areas and I enjoy most of it. That was one of the big
selling points of Comm. Arts for me. Another thing that sold me was the
new building coming next year. With this new building comes all new technology
and new ways in which to learn. I thought the teachers
would help me on my speaking skills, and I have improved dramatically!
When I saw the video
that the students made, my eyes were wide. They were not only having a
good time, but they were creative. I wanted to be able to make something
like that and be proud that I made it. The energy that they all exuded
at the middle school visit made me want to be a part of it. "I don't want
to go!" Those were the words I said before I got here. It would be
a hard transition from middle school to high school, but without my friends
("my family" as we called it), I was afraid. But I knew it would
be good for me. Now that I'm here, I really like it. Sometimes it gets
hard for me to talk to my old friends since I don't know what's going
on with them. I like the atmosphere here; you can relate. Now I tell people
everything others told me about CAHS; I hope they aren't like I used to
be and not believe it, What attracted me
the most is that in your junior year you get to take video production, |
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