As students, we are constantly graded, watched and judged. Although this is routinely for our own benefit in the school atmosphere, the we are often left feeling like we are in the line of fire when it comes to academic success and actions.

This month, however, The Feather would like to turn the table on the administration by taking some time to assess our assessors and critique the various aspects of student life on campus.

Academics: B- FC wouldn’t be the same without the chill atmosphere where anyone can get out of class if they’re asking someone to Night of the Stars (NOTS). However, academics can be compromised at times when the relaxed ambience shadows the actual work. Though it’d be a shame to lose the classic FC aura, perhaps classes could keep a more strict focus on the curriculum.

Arts: B Although some campus artistic groups have much smaller numbers than in past years, the arts department can put on some great shows. The second annual Round the Table Carol Sing proved to be a success for both nights of its performance, and the drama class staged a very impressive show of The Gift of the Magi. Sports tend to steal the limelight, but the arts are certainly to be praised. We would love to see more concerts and ways to view the many artistic groups on campus.

Lunch: D- Since the menu switched to Revolution Foods, the lunch line has been noticeably shorter. Luckily, for seniors, there is always the hope of going off campus. The Feather, and probably a vast majority of the student body, would be relieved to have the old lunch system back.

Chapel: B We like a good message whether it comes from a special guest, worship or simply a familiar face with a mic. On one hand, FC has seen some fantastic speakers such as Dr. Mark Whitacre and Dr. Stanley Lindquist, but small groups and sermon videos, though effective in theory, have room for improvement. For a speaker to effectively convey a message, it is helpful to have their actual presence. The Feather would love to see more inspired words from students, teachers and anyone who has something worth saying.

That being said, a vast majority of Thursday chapels have featured interesting speakers, such as faculty, alumni and clubs. It is understandable that videos are sometimes necessary as backup plans when original chapel plans fall through, and considering the fact that small groups were officially started this school year to break down barriers and spread social groups, there is certainly evidence of success. The room for improvement is left with organization. If small group questions were planned further in advance and had more of a structure, their original objective would be more evidently fulfilled.

Clubs: A Clubs have been somewhat on the decline this year in comparison to last year. What happened to the Planeteers and Ukulele clubs? On the other hand, groups like the California Scholarship Federation are thriving, and the new American Sign Language Club is both innovative and a big hit. Though there aren’t as many clubs, a large portion of the student body is involved with at least one.

Formals: A- NOTS season has only just begun, and as far as we can tell, FC’s formal events are promising this year. The theme, “Night in Paris,” is creative and has tons of potential. When it comes time for Sadies, we hope to see leadership raise the bar once again. While 2010’s trip to Magic Mountain was a hit, last year’s seemed to fall a bit flat in comparison.

Spirit: B+ Throughout the year, there are plenty of chances for students to demonstrate school spirit. Considering the school’s small size, there is definitely evidence of participation, especially at big sporting events and events like Homecoming. In those situations, the Nut House is unbridled and red hot. Where FC really lacks support is in the day-to-day, more common things like soccer games. A small group of students show up, but there is plenty of room in the bleachers for more!

Pep rallies: B- The year was kicked off with a couple of awesome rallies, namely the rave-like one that was held last semester. For what seems like the first time in school history, the student body was actually pumped up! There haven’t been many rallies since then, but there is clearly potential, and we want to see more of what the leadership team has in store.

For more editorials, read the Dec. 15 article, EDITORIAL: Spread Christmas through inclusion.