Junior Marianna Rodriguez formerly attended IDEA Mission.
As Rodriguez enters Jimmy Carter ECHS for the first time, she contemplates what lies ahead. Rodriguez is both learning and adapting to a new world.
“This district is much more lenient than IDEA,” said Rodriguez. “You can be more flexible with work, and they offer many more resources.”
Rodriguez mentions she can now have more flexible classes since she is no longer restricted to taking only AP classes, as she used to. This allows her to take college-level courses and have the flexibility to focus on her needs and build friendships, while in her previous school, she had to adhere to a strict curriculum.
“If I want to make those friends, I have to put myself out there,” Rodriguez said, “I have to actually do something, whereas over there, we grew up with each other, so we were friendly with each other.”
The most challenging thing about moving here, Rodriguez said, would be branching out. It’s awkward since she moved here at the beginning of her junior year, the middle of her high school career.
“I like how this school offers a lot of clubs and opportunities to be more engaged with your community,” Rodriguez said. “My old school only had like two clubs to offer, so I appreciate the variety this school has.”
This year, she plans to join University Interscholastic League (UIL) Journalism.
Although moving schools has significantly changed her routine, she enjoys the new opportunities JCEC can provide. Newfound freedom allows Rodriguez to explore more, and she believes that the IDEA school she left behind was not the right fit for her.