Sayre Area High School
Sayre Area High School
The town I spent most of my first 17 years is a small town of about 7,000 people in northeastern Pennsylvania. Being so small the school system consisted of some four grade schools, one elementary/middle school and one junior/senior high school. Below are a few anecdotes about my experience in this school system which should give you the idea of what life was like growing up in that part of the country. Don't bother spending too much time here-- there really isn't that much to tell...
School Begins
As I mentioned above, the school was both a junior and senior high school. In total there were about 1200 students attending and that included some of the outlying areas' students who were bussed in (before it was 'popular').
Starting in 7th grade, the system divided the students up into 'tracks'. Fortunately, I was in the track for those the system had decided 'could' go to college. Unfortunately, most of my friends at the time were in the other college track so the highlight of my first high school year was lunch!
By this time, I had also been studying music for two years, so I already was pigeonholed by my classmates as one of the 'Band' group. This was fine by me, since at that time I didn't know all that entailed and it gave me another chance to get with my friends at school.
This was also the time at which my singing voice (which was much better then) was 'discovered' and I joined chorus. Of course, that just confirmed my 'music geek' status for the rest of high school...
The Middle Years
So, by the time I get into 8th grade, I've been tracked, pigeonholed and 'clicked' with my friends
As you can imagine, this lead to a rather predictable career in school. Study (at least hard enough to get 'B's'), music practice (at least it got me out of classes once in a while), and hanging out with the five other guys in the click.
Yes, there were the required adolescent rituals-- dates, fights with parents, fights with teachers, but no real trouble. The town was too small and when everyone (and I mean
everyone
) knows you as 'Frank's son', there isn't a whole lot you can get away with so why try?
Senioritis
Fortunately for me, high school only lasts six years. By the time I was a senior, I had pretty much fallen into all the stereotypes of my 'classifications'. It made life easy, if not exciting.
So, being confident in my persona, I took some chances (finally). I switched instruments in band (and learned four new instruments in one year). I joined the yearbook staff as a photographer and (of all things) sports editor, which gave me access to every activity and required me to attend. Our click was breaking up so, other than sticking with my best friend, I broke the mold and even made friends with some of the members of the other clicks!
It was a great time of breaking out and preparing for what would turn out to be the best time in my life (so far ;-)--
college
...