MHSHS Academic Updates
The Academic Challenges and Advice that the Sophomores Have
Written by Akib Mortoza
As the first marking period comes to a close, many sophomore students will be reflecting on their first marking period of the year. Many of the sophomores used new studying strategies to get through a myriad of challenging tests and quizzes. For instance, Henrik Tully, a sophomore, had to use different strategies for the map quizzes in Ms. Veras’ class. First, he studied the countries on and off daily, so it stays fresh in his mind. Secondly, he printed out blank maps and connected the countries to subjects that he was familiar with so he could remember them easily while taking the quizzes. Because of these strategies, the quizzes weren’t very challenging, as he got 100 on all of them. He said that the most important part about academics is managing your time wisely and staying away from distractions. Another sophomore, Eric Chen, said that a study habit that helped him was active recall and using Cornell notes, which helps him remember. He faced a few challenges in the first marking period, as he was having a hard time in AP Physics. He said that when you are confused, you should search up videos online to help you, or just use Khan Academy. These two students demonstrate how to be diligent with our studies to be successful, and ultimately, try our best.
How confident do you feel about your progress?
Written by Mahira Khan
As we are almost halfway into the second marking period, it is very important to look back at ourselves and see what we are able to do better. Students should be reflecting on their grades and finding ways to improve for the next half of the second quarter. There are many ways that this can be done, some being: putting more effort into studying, completing homework, and going to office hours or extra help.
A sophomore named Maddisyn Dasilva was asked how and what she would do to improve for the next half of the quarter. Maddisyn stated, “I’d like to improve on some things by studying more with effort and getting many projects”. She was also asked what seemed difficult this quarter and why. She expressed that, “Since we are learning more things this semester, things are getting difficult. For example, the topics that I am learning now in class”. The last question Maddisyn was asked was about how she productively spends her free time. She said, “On the days there aren't many homeworks, it’s easier to spend the leisure time on extra studying”. Elena Flores, a sophomore, was also asked how she wanted to improve for the next half of the quarter and what she would do in order to achieve this goal. Elena stated, “I’d like to study more for AGT since the course itself is challenging and practice playing my violin more for orchestra.” Afterwards, Elena was asked what seemed easy and difficult this quarter. She responded with, “The English readings are pretty easy to understand but the AGT curriculum seems very difficult.”
Tenzin Pendon, a sophomore, was asked what she would like to improve on for the next half of the quarter. She voiced that, “The thing I would like to improve on for the second half of the quarter would be to get even better grades and aim for 92+ for all my classes”. The second question that was asked was how she will approach these goals. She stated, “I would improve for the second half of the quarter by studying more harder and developing more skills to help me with school”. The last question she was asked was, what subjects seem difficult and easy and what her reasoning behind these statements was. She responded to this question with, “I would say the subject I understand the most would be math, because I enjoy the subject and there aren’t really any subjects that are difficult, because as long as I’m being attentive in class and take notes, the work makes sense”. Another sophomore, Yaretzi Ayala, was asked what she would like to improve on for the second half of the quarter. She stated, “I would like to improve my grades this semester by doing time management”. The next question she was asked was, what seems easy and difficult this quarter. She answered the question with, “What seems easy is keeping consistent grades. What seems difficult however is keeping the motivation for the work”.
Therefore, there are many different things students can do to improve their work and achieve their goals. Sometimes achieving your goals can be difficult and stressful, but one of the best ways to power through it is to manage your time effectively.
A Holiday Season At MHSHS
By: Selim Albakry
As we roll into the holiday season here at MHSHS, there are a lot of exciting events and ideas circulating throughout the school. Although summer seems to be a favorite, no one can deny the thrill that this time of year brings. From the turkey at the center of the dinner table to the faint scents of pine coming from the glowing Christmas tree, you cannot help but smile at the fact that it is finally time for the holidays. The Sprite Cranberry ads, Black Friday sales, and the holiday music can only cause people to exude with cheer and joy.
Although, in my opinion, the best part about this time of year is sharing memorable experiences and core moments with the people I love. The sheer happiness I get from spending time with family is priceless. Enough about me though, because students all across the school and even at the college campus also have a lot of fun! In this article, we’re going to catch a glimpse of the numerous activities your fellow peers enjoy at this time of year.
Jana Albakry, senior attending classes at the college campus, was asked how she enjoys her time during the holiday season. She stated that her “favorite and preferred activity is taking a nap. Actually, many naps.'' She then elaborated on this by saying that “nothing’s better than sleeping knowing that you don't have school tomorrow.” In addition, when she was asked what her favorite holiday food was, she answered that she deeply enjoys “sweet potato pie with whipped cream.” Finally when Jana was asked about her favorite school activity for the holidays, she stated that she heard “lots about the senior potluck” and that she “can't wait to finally go to it this year!”
Furthermore, when asking my fellow freshman peer and classmate Manav Ghosh what he does during this time of year, he stated that he “loves to ice-skate! The weather’s perfect for it and although falling several times on the ice can hurt, it never fails to be super fun.” When he was then asked what his favorite food to eat in the holiday season was, he enthusiastically proclaimed that “even though it's not an actual meal, marshmallows and hot chocolate is my go to snack and always hits in the freezing cold.” Manav was asked what school activities he looks forward to in the coming weeks, his answer was that he “can't wait for the dress down day!”
Ultimately, there are various ways people celebrate and enjoy this festive time of year. As a fellow student and peer of yours here at MHSHS, I extend my best wishes and holiday spirits to you all!
How Do Teachers And Students Feel About Their Work?
By: Manav Ghosh
The first marking period has ended, transitioning into an important second quarter. Teachers and students often don’t realize the pressure they experience during the quarter. Through interviews, let's see how teachers and students feel about their work this year.
For starters, Selim Albakry has mentioned that the amount of work was manageable; however, he needed more guidance from teachers. He specifically said, “I believe there’s a relative and balanced amount of homework for each class. I get home pretty late but I am able to manage my work at a reasonable time. But what could really improve these tasks would be the directions given. I feel that if the teachers gave more examples on how to do our assignments, we would be able to move at whatever pace the teachers are moving at.”
However, other students believe that the deadline for assignments should be later. Kelsang Chyapa stated, “The homework assignments need to be due later due to the fact that it all piles up too fast without students realizing it. This leads me to procrastinate. I was not satisfied with my average last quarter. I could have improved them if teachers had given more classwork instead of homework. I want to improve this year by sticking to my plan time for the homework and using the planners more often.”
Teachers have a lot to do, making and grading assignments whilst helping students who are struggling. Ms. Heft has seen some changes such as the participation between students. According to Ms. Heft, “I can’t be biased in this situation, but I am seeing a lot of similarities in how the students are doing their work. This year, they are helping each other to solve problems in the class.” She said, “I usually have all the materials a week in advance, and we use a pacing chart so that if anything goes wrong, we can use the plans from last year.” To conclude, Ms. Heft is organized and has everything planned out for students so that they get the best learning experience. While students have their own assignments to complete, teachers similarly have to assign and grade assignments. They may not be aware of the stresses others may face.
Academic Insights of the New Year
By: Manav Ghosh
Welcome back to the monthly academic updates, during the last marking period, many students have made changes in their academic performance. Now that students are more comfortable with the transition and the new school, it’s easier to do the work given by teachers. However, a few students still have difficulties keeping their grades up.
To start, Lex, a sophomore student has felt good about her performance in the second marking period. She stated, “My average was really good this marking period and all of them were above 90. I'm incredibly proud of my academic performance and achievements during this marking period. It feels rewarding to see my hard work pay off, and I'm excited about the progress I've made. The sense of accomplishment motivates me to continue pushing myself in my studies. I’ve also been recently more invested in the school community.” I believe that it is important to do more than simply get good grades, like being invested in the school community as it helps Lex to feel more confident in her achievements.
With accomplishments, there were also some challenges that we students faced. Alaynah, a freshman, stated, “I feel like the biggest challenge I faced during this marking period was managing my sleep schedule with the workload of homework and studying that I had to do. I was staying up till indecent hours working on homework because I am a big procrastinator, this was affecting me a lot because I was barely getting sleep and I would have no energy during school hours. I overcame this challenge by being more organized, setting a specific time for me to start work, and timing it out so that I would finish at a decent time.” Most of the time, we can see our own mistakes, and fix them. Sometimes, it takes another viewpoint to implement an effective management system.
Test, Stress, and Grades
By: Selim Albakry
As the marking period approaches its end, we reached out to students to capture their varied sentiments surrounding this pivotal time in the academic calendar. Freshman student, Marcus Penaherrara, stated, “This marking period has been a journey of growth for me. I dedicated more energy and time to studying more thoroughly, and making sure that I am fully prepared for the many tests we have to take.” When asked why he has made this shift, he said, “I learned a lot from the first quarter. I learned that I can't take shortcuts or the easy way out of anything I do. Because time and time again this laziness led me to not maintain the grades I wished to maintain.” Finally when Marcus was asked how he deals with such a stressful time of year, he expressed that “. However, it seems like the stress is unbearable at these times, I manage to deal with it by manipulating and managing my time in a way where I am not fixated on only academic-related things. My time management skills have taught me to give myself some time to do things I enjoy, which ultimately leads to less stress and better grades for me!” Additionally, another freshman, Manav Ghosh, was asked how he deals with the stress of midterms. He responded by saying that “It’s been a roller coaster. Juggling multiple subjects and extracurriculars was tough. But overall, I’m pleased by my academic progress and grades so far!” It is clear that, although this is a demanding time of year, students have been able to grow from their mistakes and find a way to deal with the stress that this season brings successfully.