When students leave a school and enter a new one, they often experience a mix of emotions. While some may be glad to study in a new environment, others may be nervous about adjusting.
After Clovis Christian High School (CC) closed its doors at the end of last year, junior Tyler Krigbaum transfered to FC. He wanted to take advantage of the school’s athletics and Christian atmosphere, he said.
“After the high school [CC] shut down, I wanted to go to a school to play sports and be in a classroom instead of on computers,” Krigbaum said. “I have never been interested in going to public high school, and I would not have had the same sports opportunities there, either.”
Since Krigbaum had attended CC for all of his previous education, the sudden shift in plans required him to adapt quickly.
“It kind of sucked [when CC closed down] because I had gone there my entire life,” Krigbaum said. “I never thought that it would really close down, because it was just rumor and not a sincere thought. It [CC] was like home to me.”
In addition to academic alterations, Krigbaum faced difficulties as he moved into a new social scene and left his former group of friends.
“It was hard not seeing my friends that I had grown up with every day,” Krigbaum said. “It was hard the first few days getting to know new people, and the change from being the ‘known man’ on campus to no one knowing me was tough.”
For freshman David Taylor, the switch came as one in a series of changes. After moving from Clovis Christian to Mountain View Christian, Taylor settled at FC this year. He appreciates the teachers’ attention to coursework, he said.
“There is more teacher help, and I like that there is more work here,” Taylor said. “At Clovis Christian we had no homework, and they didn’t teach us much. I felt like all we did was watch movies and not do anything; like, we just were sitting there all the time.”
Like Krigbaum, senior John Condra chose to attend FC when Clovis Christian closed, and valued the school’s athletics. Condra was a home-schooled student until his junior year, when he switched to Clovis Christian.
“I didn’t like home school because I was home all day and never got to see my friends,” Condra said. “I liked Clovis Christian because I had real teachers and I got to hang out with friends. I like Fresno Christian because people came up to me, and they were really friendly; I felt like people actually wanted to get to know me.”
In light of Condra’s future plans for the military, FC’s accreditation is another draw.
“One thing I really like about this school, compared to my home school, is that it is accredited,” Condra said. “I want to go into the military, and I need an accredited diploma to be accepted. This is a reason I am happy to come here.”
For more information on new students, read the Sept. 3 article, Freshmen adapt to high school.
