The French program is the most recent victim of a vicious plague ravaging the campus. Its power seems, to many, insurmountable. The monster of the recession rears its ugly head and brings lowered enrollment.
While the previous thought may seem melodramatic, students have lamented the issue of a smaller school as such. Students departing for Clovis North Educational Center and home-schooling have been mourned as if their departure means the demise of Fresno Christian. However, this doom is not representative of the hopeful reality.
The onus is not on those who have deserted, but on those who remain; their attitude will decide how these changes will affect the campus.
But this responsibility is not a matter of blind positive-thinking while the monster rages outside. In fact, a shrunken school has many advantages; for example, smaller class sizes, which facilitate discussion and extra help. More lockers are available, allowing students to secure one on the coveted top-tier.
Many students grieving 50 extra kids do not realize the social benefits of the change. Although the fact that the entire student body can fit inside Ground Zero cements the downsizing, it also promotes a new sense of unity. It is entirely possible to know everyone on campus, expanding friendship opportunities instead of limiting them.
While it seems the economic downturn has impacted this campus alone, smaller enrollment is a universal change this school year – in effect at California State University, Fresno, Fresno Pacific University and Fresno City College.
In addition, the features that are individual to FC have not migrated with the masses. Student-teacher relationships continue to develop; a Christian world view is still taught; and SAT scores return exceptionally high.
Nevertheless, it can be argued that these benefits do not outweigh the damages. These include the cancellation of small classes, as well as of the softball and game cheer teams.
The picketing of both pros and cons is unhelpful in the face of this change. Fresno Christian’s success will not be determined by a surplus of top lockers or lack of French curriculum, but by the way the student body reacts.
If the students embrace the coziness of an all-school powwow in Ground Zero, enrollment numbers are unimportant. The power of outlook is quintessential as Fresno Christian rides out the drought.