Student Swap

It’s so interesting how two high schools in the same town could be so extremely different. This past March, we took a trip to Wayne Hills and spent a day as students— it was unlike anything we’ve ever done before. It allowed us to experience new classes and interact with other Wayne students. That very same week, we had two Wayne Hills students, Emily Sawyer and Trisha Vyas, join us at Wayne Valley to do the same. 

As soon as we walked into the building we immediately noticed a difference. Not only was the environment completely different, but the hallways didn’t seem nearly as crowded as they do at Wayne Valley. The staircases were also surprisingly smaller, but less crowded as well. Despite being more narrow, the hallways contained vibrant murals and bulletin boards which made them seem bigger and brighter. Obviously, since we aren’t students at Wayne Hills, it was hard for us to navigate the building, but as the day carried on and with help, it became easier and more familiar. 

A big topic of discussion was our hall pass system at Valley. The Wayne Hills students were very interested in learning about it because they don’t use hallpasses, and some teachers don’t even make them ask. They have permission to leave during the period as long as important material isn’t being discussed. Overall, the students and teachers were exceedingly welcoming and created a fun environment for us to be a part of, making sure we were always included as if we had been part of the class the entire year.  

One of the most popular lunch spots near WV is Bagel Stop, so, of course, we had to test out their sister store. Sunrise Bagels had the same menu, but there definitely was an inconsistency between their bagels. We also realized that the store was larger and contained more seating even though not as many students from Hills sit down to eat there. Unlike Valley, Hills has a bus that transports students to and from the shopping center, and down the street so they can buy lunch without worrying about making it back on time for the fifth block. 

Most of the classes we attended that day were smaller, thrived off of discussions, and almost seemed laid back. We loved how it was all collaborative activity, and students were so interested they didn’t even glance at their phones. Speaking of phones, we attended Makers Day in the media center for a large variety of crafts and games. Nobody had an issue with leaving their phones and backpacks near the entrance because the point was to unplug and interact with one another. Honestly, it was so much fun to have casual conversations with new people and bond over similar interests. Makers day also allowed us to have one on one chats with some of the Hill’s students and they talked about their experience in high school so far. 

It’s no debate that we would never trade Valley for Hills, but this experience allowed us to move out of our comfort zones as student writers. Within the Wayne community, we have developed this divide between the opposing sides of town, but after spending a day with our so-called “rivals,” it turns out we aren’t so different after all.