A Day in the Life - Alex
5:00 am My day at Oakcrest begins with swim team practice at 5:30 a.m. at the Spring Hill Recreational Center. The swim team is a new sport for the Middle School students to participate in and I really enjoy it. I carpool to practice with my friend Amanda, who lives close to me, and after practice the swim coach drives us to school.
7:30 am I get to school about 20 minutes before classes start so that I can unpack my books into my locker and prepare for the busy day ahead.
7:50 am Homeroom is where I begin the school day. The Middle School grades have homeroom everyday and it lasts five minutes. During homeroom, the homeroom teacher reads the daily announcements and tells us if there is a schedule change, or important events and meetings for that day.
8:00 am The first period of the day begins at 8:00 a.m. Today, my first two classes are music and theology. As an eighth grader, I have the privilege of taking guitar lessons during music class from the teacher. When the class is not playing the guitar, we are working on the theory of music and preparing songs for the two concerts that are held during the school year, the winter and spring concerts.
9:45 am Enrichment Period is when students have the choice of attending daily Mass or enrichment reading. Since I am Catholic, if I choose to go to Mass, I am able to receive communion.
10:25 am After Enrichment, it is time for break. During break, I am usually fairly busy. I am a member of the Ambassador Club, so every Tuesday I attend the club’s meeting where members discuss upcoming open houses and activities. If I am not attending a meeting during break, then I usually visit with students in other grades as well as with my friends and enjoy eating the snack that I brought from home. Occasionally I’ll need to make up a quiz, or ask one of my teachers a question and break is a great time for me to do so.
10:45 am Break is over and it is time for me to head to third period, my last class before lunch. Students have the choice of taking a foreign language, either Latin or Spanish. In 6th grade, students are exposed to a little of both languages, so that students can make an informed decision about which class they would like to take. I have chosen to take Spanish and I love it. In 7th and 8th grade, Spanish I is spread out over two years so that by the end of Middle School, we have a good grasp on the concepts of the language and one year of Upper School credit.
11:40 am Lunch time has arrived and, since today is Wednesday, I have a choice of buying Domino’s pizza for a $1.50 a slice. On Thursdays students can pre-order from Chick-Fil-A, and on Fridays Healthe Lunch. I also enjoy bringing pasta and other foods from home that I can heat up in the microwave in the cafeteria.
12:20 pm Fourth period has begun and, as a Middle School student, I take a mini-course each semester. The mini-course program gives students in grades 6-8 the opportunity to enjoy themselves while learning new skills in a variety of interest areas. Past classes have focused on such topics as drama, German, scrap booking, board games, and much more. I take the mini-course “Board Games” where we learn to play a variety of games. It is a great time for everyone to relax and have fun.
1:15 pm Fifth period science class is always interesting. During the first semester we are learning an introduction to chemistry, and, during the second semester we’ll be learning an introduction to physics. This subject requires a ton of math, so I am very grateful to have had such great math teachers during Middle School at Oakcrest.
2:10 pm Last period has finally come and I am excited to be in History class. The 8th grade curriculum is a build-on to what we previously learned in 7th grade Western Civilization while using the same book. My teacher really makes history come to life, through the use of slide shows she has put together as well as the use of fun activities.
3:00 pm School has finished, but more work is to be done. Students participating in after- school sports and activities stay after to practice or rehearse. In the previous fall, I participated in the Middle School Show. It was hard work, but I had an amazing and unforgettable experience while spending time with my friends.
5:00 pm After-school activities are over and it is time for me to get home and do my homework and work on the Veritas Award application. The Veritas Award is a new award that is offered to rising 9th graders and will be awarded to one or two students who best display the qualities of an ideal Oakcrest student through leadership, character, and academic achievement. When I’m finished preparing for the next day, I will go to sleep, hoping to have another day at Oakcrest that is just as enjoyable as the last.
