Senior Amanda Chin graduating a year early
By Sophomore Malaika Jawed, Viking Vibe Staff
Completing graduation requirements a year in advance, Amanda Chin is now a senior, graduating as part of the SBHS Class of 2015 after attending only three years of high school as a student.
"I feel really accomplished," said Amanda, referring to her achievement of being able to graduate an entire academic year earlier.
Entering as a senior in the school system, Amanda receives all senior privileges other than late arrival/early release.
"To be honest I feel like a senior because I put in all the same work just in a shorter time. I don’t really feel like I need another year at the school. It feels natural to me that this is my last year," she added.
Amanda’s counselor, Carla Mail, first recommended this option to her because she considered her eligible for it.
Hesitant that "it would be too strenuous," Amanda initially did not want to miss a whole year of high school. But the idea of starting college early appealed to Amanda after she considered the option and planned everything it out.
Ms. Mail mentioned that any student can skip a year of high school, however, "It’s all about the planning."
An interested student should to talk with his or her counselor during sophomore year at the latest in order to make a proper outline of his/her’s academic year.
Explaining the process she went through, Amanda elaborated that the first step is to get parent/guardian, counselor and principal approval. Next, an individualized plan is drafted according to the student and his or her remaining graduation requirements. The plan then has to be approved by the school administration.
Commenting that this may not be the right path for most students, Ms. Mail also said that the students who decide to take this Option II pathway of alternate education, mostly do so by doubling up on English in their senior year. Others can take online courses as Amanda did.
"Some children are just more mature than others and are ready to move ahead" Ms. Mail said.
Amanda said she is grateful for Ms. Mail’s support throughout the years.
"I was lucky enough to have a counselor who was so understanding through all of this and
really helped me. For me, personally, this all went really smoothly. I had fun taking my extra art class, but the online english was pretty tedious" said Amanda.
All of her credit will be complete by the end of this school year. In addition to taking two classes online, she took an art class.
Other than the extra courses, the senior is taking trigonometry, Biology II, psychology, Global Studies, Holocaust & Genocide, Personal Financial Literacy, Fashion & Design and physical education.
With the high school graduation requirements out of the way, college plans becomes a question. However, Amanda already has her answer.
"I am applying to colleges just as if I went to highschool for four years, The process is really all the same. I took SATs and wrote my Common App and I’ll be sending in my applications soon. I would like to go to a four-year school next year for physical therapy. My top choices right now are Ithaca and University of Delaware," said the soon-to-be high school graduate.
Amanda said, "I’m going to miss my friends and teachers the most. I feel like that’s an easy thing to say and that it is expected, but I made a lot of good friends that I got very close to, and most of them will be graduating after me."
Clearly, Amanda has been successful in her high school career, being the first person from the Class of 2016 to transfer to Class of 2015.
"A lot of kids look at me weird, that I suddenly changed grades and they gossip about it, and have a lot of questions, but I want you to know that I put in a lot of hard work for this," said Amanda, "I took extra classes to meet my requirements."
Among others, she recalls her favorite memories of high school to be in her Biology I class with Ms. Hana Mottley.
"Amanda and I got on famously, because we shared a lot in common: a love for pets, biology, accessorizing outfits and sarcastic jokes! Amanda is very knowledgeable and helpful. She loved giving aid to fellow classmates during lab sessions and exchanging jokes and pet stories with them during the progression of lab work," said Ms. Mottley.
Referring to memories form the past, Ms. Mottley said that if you really want to get to know Amanda’s sense humor, ask her about the "the door incident when she was on crutches a few weeks" or the "baby lizards she and her father were raising."
The aspiring senior hopes "to be out of school and working in a private practice or hospital for physical therapy" in 10 years.
Passing on advice to underclassmen, Amanda said, "Our school has some of the most amazing teachers. They are all there to help you succeed and become a better person. One of the most helpful and best things is developing a good connection with teachers or even other staff members."

