Flatlanders say YHS is worth the long drive

Leigh Carter &Marissa Zamora

We are often asked why we come so far to go to Yosemite High School (YHS). We are from the Madera Ranchos; some might refer to us as flatlanders.

Our day starts off by a routine buzzer of the alarm clock at 5:20 am. Good morning sleeping world! The bus comes around 6a.m. to 6:50 a.m. for its morning round. At the earliest, we can get home at about 4 p.m. without after school activities. So why do we do it? Sure we can commute to closer schools such as Buchanan, Madera High or Independence High, but we are happy where we are.

Yosemite High gives us more than the other schools offer. For example, YHS has more campus per student than students per campus. The atmosphere and surroundings of trees and the natural streams outside the classroom windows alone is a far better place to be than the other choices of schools we had. When valley fog suffocates us, it is a nice escape to get out of it. Overcrowding is a major nuisance at any school, but here it isn’t as bad. Our school population is sometimes an entire grade level at an other school. OK, so maybe we are exaggerating a little bit, but not that much.

Marissa Zamora:

“The reason why I choose to stay up at YHS is because it gives me a better opportunity than a school closer to me has. The kids up here seem to have a better attitude towards graduation and life in general. The teachers give you more options to think about in the future.”

Leigh Carter:

“I like YHS because it is a small school. It is less intimidating by not having a gazillion other kids trample you in the hallways.”

Teachers and staff seem to be a lot more helpful and one-on-one with the students. It is nice for some of the staff members to know your name as you pass. The Special Friends have a great opportunity to go to a school where their peers will give them a friendly high-five at the sports games. It is easy to complain about high school in general, but in reality, it is not that bad.