8th Graders Shadow NP3 High School Classes

By Mickaela Del Pozo
Staff Writer | The Pacific Times

NP3 eighth graders visited high school classes on Tuesday, Feb. 12 during the annual “Shadow Showcase.”

Middle school students experienced various high school classes in three 15-minute increments during the high school’s fourth period. Eighth graders visit the high school once during the school year to prepare for their high school career.

“I learned that high school is easier than it sounds,” said eighth grader Iman Rashid. “I’m excited to come to NP3 high school.”

Eighth graders curious about high school watched the older students work or sat through teacher lectures. The younger students used the showcase to ask questions about high school like the grading system and their class options.

Many teachers organized their lessons to incorporate the middle school students. For example, students in the AP Seminar class taught eighth graders about Advanced Placement classes and the AP Capstone program new to NP3.

The AP Seminar students led an activity for each group of middle school students to allow them to experience different components of AP Capstone, known as QUEST. The younger students participated in debates about education and practiced their speaking skills through games.

“I think (the activities were) helpful to the middle schoolers except it felt like we only saw a small amount of them,” said junior Charles Paltzer, a student in AP Seminar. “We saw three rounds of 6-12 students and we couldn’t actually talk to a full class size of students.”

Paltzer added, “If we talked to a class size of students, the activities would have felt more important to us and the middle school students.”