It’s the end of middle school in 2021, and a student gets told that they will not be with all the other grades in  high school. They get told that their first year back from covid will be isolated at East campus or now, the Freshman Campus, as a separate campus from the rest of the upperclassmen. 

This year marks the four year anniversary of Freshman Campus, but it also marks the first cycle of students to go through it. The senior class of 2025 will be the first class to start at freshman campus and finish their journey at Upper Campus. 

The class of 2025 seniors have a different experience from any of the other underclassmen. With these seniors being the “guinea pigs” for Freshman Campus. Some things have changed, but some have also stayed the same.

Senior Billy Denecke talks about what he loved about Freshman Campus and what has changed since he left.

“I remember some of my funniest times going outside and playing football or just eating outside, enjoying the environment,” Denecke says. “The teachers were amazing. It’s very different. Going from middle school to high school, freshman year you just experience so much.”

Senior Aiden Fogelson talks about what he liked about Freshman Campus.

“I like how connected we felt as a class,” Fogelson says, “I know before us, it was split, so, some people you might have seen or known, either during middle school or just around, that you didn’t like to see as much, it was hard to see them.”

Although not everything was amazing at Freshman Campus there were some downsides to it as well.

“Some of the bad sides about freshman campus is that we were only freshmen, only freshmen with barriers,” Denecke says. “That’s it, and we didn’t really get to mingle with other grades like we do at Upper Campus. The only opportunity you have is after school activities, sports and stuff. You feel excluded, I would say, like, you don’t feel as connected.”

For Fogelson, moving between campuses was difficult. “It’s kind of hard to get from one to another, without outside help that is,” he says.

“Focus on your classes. I slacked off my freshman year, and I passed my classes and my GPA was not the best. Then after I realized that I actually had to focus on my classes, study and feel more proactive. Freshman year, you think it’s going to be easy as middle school, it is not. You have to go out, you have to actually realize that it’s not as easy even though it seems easy, you have to go out and you have to realize that.”

As the class of 2025 comes up on graduation they look back at the memories they made at Freshman Campus with both the good and the bad in mind. At the end of the day, though, the advice he would give freshmen is simple and wise.

“Just find your people,” Fogelson says.

The Class of 2025 will be the first graduating class that started its high school experience at the Freshman Campus

It’s the end of middle school in 2021, and a student gets told that they will not be with all the other grades in high school. They get told that their first year back from covid will be isolated at East campus or now, the Freshman Campus, as a separate campus from the rest of the upperclassmen.

This year marks the four year anniversary of Freshman Campus, but it also marks the first cycle of students to go through it. The senior class of 2025 will be the first class to start at freshman campus and finish their journey at Upper Campus.

The class of 2025 seniors have a different experience from any of the other underclassmen. With these seniors being the “guinea pigs” for Freshman Campus. Some things have changed, but some have also stayed the same.

Senior Billy Denecke talks about what he loved about Freshman Campus and what has changed since he left.

“I remember some of my funniest times going outside and playing football or just eating outside, enjoying the environment,” Denecke says. “The teachers were amazing. It’s very different. Going from middle school to high school, freshman year you just experience so much.”

Senior Aiden Fogelson talks about what he liked about Freshman Campus.

“I like how connected we felt as a class,” Fogelson says, “I know before us, it was split, so, some people you might have seen or known, either during middle school or just around, that you didn’t like to see as much, it was hard to see them.”

Although not everything was amazing at Freshman Campus there were some downsides to it as well.

“Some of the bad sides about freshman campus is that we were only freshmen, only freshmen with barriers,” Denecke says. “That’s it, and we didn’t really get to mingle with other grades like we do at Upper Campus. The only opportunity you have is after school activities, sports and stuff. You feel excluded, I would say, like, you don’t feel as connected.”

For Fogelson, moving between campuses was difficult. “It’s kind of hard to get from one to another, without outside help that is,” he says.

“Focus on your classes. I slacked off my freshman year, and I passed my classes and my GPA was not the best. Then after I realized that I actually had to focus on my classes, study and feel more proactive. Freshman year, you think it’s going to be easy as middle school, it is not. You have to go out, you have to actually realize that it’s not as easy even though it seems easy, you have to go out and you have to realize that.”

As the class of 2025 comes up on graduation they look back at the memories they made at Freshman Campus with both the good and the bad in mind. At the end of the day, though, the advice he would give freshmen is simple and wise.

“Just find your people,” Fogelson says.