I ‘m going to tell you, HOW IS A SCHOOL DAY in a village of the New York state, in America, even if some of you have certainly spent years over there!
In the New York state, you mainly start school at 7.30 am and finish it at 2.20 pm. The day is divided in 8 periods of 45 minutes. You have a break between the first and the second period, which lasts 10 minutes, then you have break for lunch during 30 minutes. At the beginning of the first period, we have to rise and say THE PLEDGE ALLIGIANCE : « I pledge the allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all » and then we have to listen the announcements of the day, said by the principal. (mostly he congratulates the sport teams)
The high school is divided in 4 sections. Freshmen or 9th grade( la 3eme), Sophomore, 10th grade (seconde), Junior, 11th grade (premiere) and the Senior, 12th (terminale).
At the beginning of the year you can chose your schedules. It mostly depends on the grade you are..
You don’t do twice the same schedule, except if you didn’t passed it the previous year.
You have a lot of schedules : mine were, English 12th (like senior), Supa calc ( the highest level of mathematic class you can find in the high school. It is just for the senior class, who graduate), gym (each two days), US history, chemistry, art and Spanish. But you could have biology, earth sciences, physics, French, politics, world history, literature, writing class, sculpture, mechanics, photography class….and on and on.
In four years high school, you have to do all of the schedules.
Although everything was in a foreign language, it was VERY easy. Indeed, the NY state, is known as the lowest level of studies in the USA.
At midday, we all go to lunch in the cafeteria. You can bring your own meal (mostly composed of the little sandwich, with crisps and fruits) or you could pay your meal in the cafeteria. Nevertheless, the meal are not very balanced, you almost don’t have veggies, and it’s not a real meal, as we have in our high school, it’s not a « complete » lunch!
After that, we stay in the gym, which is our « playground ». We play basket ball, or volley ball, or we work on our tests. You can also stay in the library..
When the classes are over, you can be part of extra scholar activities.
On one hand, You have sport activities. You change each activities according to the season.
In fall, boys play soccer, football (americain), Lacrosse. The girls can do tennis, soccer, field hockey, and swimming.
In winter, boys have basket ball, wrestling and swimming. Girls do volley ball, cheerleading and basket ball.
In Spring, girls do track, softball (baseball for girl), and boys do baseball, and tennis..
On the other hand, you have the artistic activities, in 9th period. You have a marching band, a jazz band, a choir, and drama.
We have these activities everyday. Practice during 2 hours, and we play against other schools of the same district. There is a championship in each activities, even in artistic activities.
Moreover, during the year, there are events, called BALS! At the beginning of the school year, you have the Homecoming bal, where the students elect the queen and the king, and the court. Girls are well dressed, and boys are classy.
Then you also have a bal for Halloween, and valentine’s day. But the most important above all is PROM (le fameux ball de promotion). It is as you can see in movies, or TV shows. I don’t even need to describe this event to you.
And at the end of the school year, you have GRADUATION, only for seniors. They receive their diploma of the end of their studies, and they wear caps and gowns. They also receive the yearbook, with the pictures of the classmates and the event of the year. (you need to be graduated to go to college).
From the eye of a French person, an American school seems very extraordinary the first time.. You have the feeling that you are in an teenagers TV show! There’re lockers, there is the captain of the basket ball team who every girls want to go out with, the cutest cheerleader, the gym with the school colors, the single table, the American flag in each class, and the portrait of every American president. It’s totally the same. And THAT IS VERY FREAKY.