My mom is a volunteer for AVID at Los Altos and Mountain View High School and every week she tells me different stories about how one kid literally couldn't afford the $45 to attend grad night or how one girl chose to go to Santa Clara University so that she could come home on the weekends to help support her family. On the other hand, most of my friends have travelled out of the country and have their own cars.
I just think it is so crazy that I just happened to grow up in an affluent family and the boy sitting in the back of class could be living off food stamps for all I know.
I can't even imagine how difficult it would be for teens who work to support their family to be in the same class as teens who refuse to wear anything else but True Religion Jeans.
I have so much respect for people my age that work to support their families and make life decisions based on what would be best for their family. They certainly have hearts of gold.
I think it's crazy how at Los Altos High School, so many people live completely opposite lifestyles. I know growing up in Pennsylvania, everyone was the same and lived in the same type of house. At Los Altos, we see students driving to school in cars nicer than some teachers past students waiting at the bus stop to get a ride home. Some times I forget that some students in my class don't have it as good as other and that their lives could be completely different than our own. However, for the most part I feel like kids at Los Altos are pretty sensitive and understanding. I know for me, I've learned so much more and become so much more open minded after living in a place like this vs a place in Pennsylvania where everyone is the same.
ReplyDeleteI think this is an important point to be made, that despite the way you live you never really know what everyone else around you is going through. I think that it is important to appreciate what you have and not to take our life and the opportunities given to you for granted!
ReplyDeleteI think Los Altos really provides a great atmosphere for cultural diversity. I feel like many schools in other states and areas are more secluded or are less diverse. My earlier schools (almond and egan) didn't really have that much diversity. I'm glad I got to attend a diverse school before heading out.
ReplyDeleteThis is so accurate and like David, I am thankful our school is so diverse. I think it helps us keep open minds and prepares us for our future.
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