Answers from Analy Seniors 2023

What selected graduates have to say about their school experience

Last year, Nicole Ochoa Wilkinson conducted interviews with seniors graduating in 2022, which we published here. This year, she interviewed seniors graduating in 2023 and here are their answers.

It is always an honor to elevate the student perspective. This year’s empathy interviews were inspired in part by the 2023 student Youth Truth data; please check this data set out for yourself and ask the students in your lives to give you the story behind the data!

Compared to other participating high schools, Analy students rated this Youth Truth theme the highest in their answers: How often do you work with other students for your classes because your teachers ask or tell you to? (which is in the Belonging & Peer Collaboration theme) 

• What does it mean to you to collaborate? 

  • “Talking with [my peers] to solve a problem.” 

  • “To share ideas and thoughts and to consider what someone else has to say… It’s easier for me to work with other people’s thoughts and ideas… I get energy working with other people.” 

  • “Working with [peers] you don’t already know or hear from.” When asked if they felt like a skilled collaborator, they said, “Absolutely… Being involved in FFA speaking contests and conferences all around California has helped me build a network across the state. I’m comfortable [working with] anyone.” 

• What has been your most memorable opportunity to collaborate with your peers? 

  • “Honestly, I can’t think of anything memorable.” 

  • The student described making a video for his Economics class with a classmate; they said, “It was supposed to be about our futures… I’m a visual learner so [the project went well].” 

  • “This year a friend of mine competed for [FFA] state talent with his mariachi music and I got the whole crowd to cheer him on.” When asked what it’s like to participate in FFA as a Latino student, they said, “The cultures are already blended… an example is that this year there was a speaking contest for the FFA Creed in Spanish.” 

Compared to other participating high schools, Analy students rated this theme the lowest: My school has helped me understand the steps I need to take in order to have the career that I want. (which is in the College & Career Readiness theme) 

• What do you imagine when you think about your future career?

  • “I used to want to be a welder but not anymore… I’m thinking about working in a warehouse.” 

  • “I plan to study business and real estate at the Santa Rosa Junior College and I have a backup plan of joining the military.” 

  • “I’ve always wanted to be a firefighter but through my experience in FFA I’m now focused on forestry and natural resources… I’m connected to the manager of Shone Farms who speaks Spanish so he’s able to connect with my mom which is really cool.” 

• When or where have you had a chance to think about life after high school?

  • “Sandy [the Workability Coordinator on campus] wants to help [students] so bad… I also work with my grandpa a lot and he’s taught me how to do all kinds of helpful things [that will be helpful in life after high school].” 

  • “My outreach therapist has helped me [plan for life after high school] more [than their academic counselor]. He makes sure I’m passing my classes and talks with me every week. I feel like he actually understands me and wants to help me.” 

  • “The [Career and College Coordinators] helped me take fire classes at the Santa Rosa Junior College and they made it easy to understand scholarships.” 

• What do you wish the adults on campus knew about students?

  • “When adults are too strict or aggressive we shut down.” 

  • “I’m bilingual but I never took Spanish classes… I feel like [my counselor] never told me to take those classes.” The student expressed a desire to be connected with more adults on campus. They continued by noting that the campus supervisor role has “cool people to talk to but it can be weird in the bathrooms… I don’t mind them checking for vaping and bad behavior but looking into stalls doesn’t respect student boundaries.” 

  • “Students like teachers with high standards… Something else is that last year with the promposal incident it started to feel like all kids who wear boots, jeans, and snapback hats to school were stereotyped as ‘ag kids’ when not all kids who wear boots, jeans, and snapback hats are involved in agriculture work or classes.”

• If you had a magic wand, what changes would you make to our school?

  • “I would make it so no adult ever targeted my Mexican [peers]… It’s gotten better over the years but I got searched multiple times because I was tired and supposedly looked high.” 

  • “I would try to get people to socialize and join more clubs… I met a lot of friends in clubs.” 

  • “I would make it so everyone realized that we have the best FFA chapter in the state.” 

The AHS Class of 2023 has demonstrated true resilience over their high school years. I wish them all the best as they step into the next chapter of their lives. Congratulations, graduates!