Michelle Monier | Editor-in-Chief
May 28th, 2025
Following in the footsteps of two older brothers, I had my entire SCHS path laid out in front of me before even stepping on campus.
Flashing forward to today, a few days out from graduation, let’s just say I didn’t accomplish all I planned, but I also accomplished a lot I never even dreamt about. I have never been more proud of my experiences, and more importantly, never so grateful for the opportunities and environment to change that SCHS provided. I have been able to grow as a person, and as I reflect on the last four years, I would like to write a letter to the place it all occurred: San Clemente High School.
In my opinion, SCHS does a wonderful job creating an environment for students to make decisions, change their minds, and grow their individuality. There are amazing academic and athletic opportunities: with SCHS providing an IB program, a myriad of AP courses, and competitive and decorated athletic teams.
The other side of the push for student greatness is an overpowering pressure to reach materialistic and societal goals. As I sat at this year’s Senior Awards, the pressure for students to procure as many medals and pieces of fabric to prove their individual worth was indisputable. Those with only one stole or medal were directly compared to those stacking up multiple. In college acceptances, students committing to high-ranking universities are set at the forefront of congratulations and accolades. Students choosing lower ranking schools on the basis of more opportunity and personal happiness are viewed as lesser, not to mention those students choosing a non four-year path or alternative post-graduation plan. Throughout senior year, I felt SCHS, from students to staff, measured students, with their eighteen years of accomplishments, on one scale and within one year. I call this out not to be negative, but in order to acknowledge our actions and hopefully instate a form of reflection and hopeful change.
Like I stated earlier, I am immensely proud to call myself a Triton, and largely due to the programs and opportunities this school provides. The CTE (Career Technical Education) program offers a litany of courses to students, from Auto Academy to dentistry and medical prep courses, which offer young adults a glimpse into future careers and pathways. I chose to apply to and enroll in our journalism programs, which I had the honor of becoming a co-Editor-in-Chief of Newspaper and Yearbook. These programs, and their advisors, are the main reasons why SCHS is such an amazing public school and why I enjoyed my high school so much; and I implore every student at SCHS to look into the CTE and CCA courses.
However, there are also some faults in how SCHS upholds these programs. The vast majority of students are not aware of CTE classes, simply due to a lack of prioritization and publicity. Our 8th Grade Expo and middle school tours tout our athletics and academics, but typically fall short on spreading the importance of these extracurricular classes, especially those in the creative arts. I only found out about CCA courses when I went searching for them, a step that occurred by chance. Don’t get me wrong, our athletics are outstanding, with notable scholar athletes and a significant number of athletic scholarship recipients. But we also have nationally awarded journalism publications, a community-backed Auto program, and after-school courses that propel students directly into a career field. The CTE program has worked to bolster their reputation (for example their CTE Ambassadors program) but this needs to be a greater school-backed initiative. Without increasing the viewability of these programs, SCHS is selling itself short on student-experience.
As my time at SCHS comes to an end, I wish for one more thing for the future: an increased open-mindedness and care among both students and staff.
For students, I’ve seen a drop-off in involvement and attention. With AI tools and continuously improving technology, the easy option for school work is becoming increasingly more attractive. But with that also comes a decreasing work-ethic and involvement within our school. Our education is a privilege, an opportunity constantly under threat, and we’ve collectively lost the drive to acknowledge and practice this privilege. Which will bleed directly into our futures, allowing for increased deterioration of our institutions on account of chosen ignorance.
For staff, there are often too many times where students are put into a box with unwavering perimeters. Individual connection and personalized guidance needs to be put at the forefront of leadership. In my opinion, staff should treat students like the young adults they want them to be, not like children.
So as this school year is brought to a close, I leave SCHS indefinitely grateful for the education and personal development it provided me. And as the next school year unfolds in the fall, I am indefinitely hopeful for continuous improvement and progression at SCHS.
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