Student life is one of the most important and essential things to building a school. Education is crucial to a student’s development, but the students’ social life can be just as important.

It’s also the people that make the place, and not the place that makes the people, so it’s very important to make sure that students in schools are getting the right treatment.

For many students, the average day consists of getting up, going to school, retaining information for seven hours, attending activities outside of school like sports or clubs, getting home and trying to do homework, and repeat.

The education system should focus on the creativity and insightfulness of students to provide useful life skills.

Central Kitsap High School is a four-year comprehensive school located in Kitsap County that serves its community by providing education to over 1,000 students for grades 9-12.

CKHS is a high performing school in terms of academics and it’s expected of all students to perform as such. 

Support is provided to help students achieve this goal, as CK believes that all students are capable. The staff is determined to help students through giving their full effort and attention when aiding them in areas of need.

However, this isn’t exactly what has been happening in terms of their students.

For CK to function; every student’s voice to be heard in some way, shape, or form.

In the endless battle between skill and knowledge, it’s vital to point out that every student retains information differently, thinks differently, likes different activities, and has a different mindset.

When asked what the atmosphere of CKHS is, students have lots of strong opinions.

“I think it’s definitely been a good open community since I’ve been here,” Camryn Bishop, junior at CKHS, said. “There’s definitely a lot of people so you’re exposed to a lot of new experiences but my overall experience with the school has been good.”

Some people have great experiences with the school and very positive experiences. 

Sally Corder, junior at CKHS, said, “I love the teachers, staff, and the sports. I’ve had a very good experience with that.”

Catherine Vlach, senior at CKHS, said, “So far I’ve enjoyed my experience here and I don’t really have any negative things to say about it.”

“I feel like it’s all alright but they have stuff to work on,” said Blake Reynolds, junior at CKHS.

Prestle Agana, freshmen at CKHS, states, “It’s a pretty good school, for the state of Washington is probably one of the better schools out there.”

Every school has pros and cons that determine if the environment is positive or negative. Hearing all the different student voices helps itemize the good and bad qualities and see all the aspects.

“I think everyone I’ve met has been very understanding and welcoming and that’s been nice,” Bishop said.

Central Kitsap High School has been one of the better schools in terms of welcoming people from outside the district or new people.

“I’ve have a lot good teachers that really care me as a person and how I do in there class,” said Vlach.

Central Kitsap High School also has very educated teachers that are good at teaching their students.

Palmer said, “I think our teachers are well educated and are able to teach us pretty well.”

Fortunately, some people have had a great experience with CK.

“I’ve had a good experience and a lot of teachers that I’ve been able to connect with which has helped,” said Corder. “So overall I’ve had a positive experience with CK.”

“I would say the course selection and what the school offers is a highlight,” said Jackson Moyer, junior at CKHS.

As known to some, Central Kitsap High School was rebuilt in 2020 giving opportunities and opening doors to the students. 

“There’s a lot of new stuff here,” said Agana. “There’s a lot of room and and there’s a lot of chances to do a lot of things…the shop is a good space and the CTE building.”

CK also has a really good sports team as the girls cross country won state and the swim team placed 11th out of 37.

“One pro here at CK is the sports teams,” said Aidan Hermida, junior and track runner at CKHS.

When asked the cons of CK lots of students said it was how crowded the school was.

“There’s too many people here that live further away coming to the school and it makes people that live close to the school can’t get in and some of the classrooms are also a little crowded,” said Agana.

Similar to Agana, Palmer talks about the hall crowding.

“I think the hall size is too small and we’re all just crowded in the hallway,” said Palmer.

Hermida said, “One con is the hallways because they’re just so cramped.”

Not everyone is so fortunate and has had a good experience with CK.

Bishop said, “I’ve heard that some people have not been able to experience the same thing as me. They weren’t as welcomed and were met with problems like discrimination. So that’s always something to work on.”

The food has been a complaint for a while as Reynolds said, “The food here sucks.”

What should be known is when there’s a problem, there’s always a solution.

“Even after spring break, just jumping right back into what we did either before spring and new material or giving students homework over spring break – I just feel like it’s spring break for a reason,” said Agana. “Some students have to worry about getting new work or finishing old work and getting back from vacation, it can be stressful.”

Giving students breaks is important, but checking in on the student is just as important.

Palmer said, “I think asking the students how they are doing in the class and kind of making so there focus more on the student instead of the class as a whole and sometimes one student as an individual needs something different than the whole class.”

“A lot of teachers should do mental check-ins, especially during finals week because it was stressful for a lot of people,” said Agana. “Even for normal tests teachers should check because there can be test anxiety. I think that teachers can be more aware of that and help students and give good opportunities.

It’s also important to keep the students informed about what’s happening around the school whether a broadcast or even an announcement.

“I think just keeping us informed on the things that are happening because I feel like they kind of try to shield us from it but we’re going to find out eventually,” Bishop said.

Since most students have 6 class periods it’s essential that students are given the time they need to get their work done.

Reynolds said, “Nothing could be better except for giving us more time for us to do our homework.”

Reynolds isn’t the only person that feels this way. Junior at CKHS, Jackson Moyer also feels like students should have more time to work.

“The unnecessary things in advisory like Suite 360 and if the staff could eliminate that it would help substantially,” said Moyer.

Along with letting the students work, senior at CKHS, Catherine Vlach, thinks grading assignments should be on a certain scale and not a different scale for every class.

Vlach said, “I do think there should be one grading scale instead of having homework weighed  as this and tests weighed as that. I think there should be one specific scale like 60% for tests and 40% for assignments or 70% for tests and 30% for assignments.”

Some students like Aidan Hermida, junior at CKHS, thinks that some old rules should come back.

“I think that the staff should bring back the One Minute Early rule like last year,” said Hermida.

For those who don’t know, the One Minute Early rule was a rule last year where the odd number classes get out a minute early, and then next month the even number classes get out a minute early and that would switch consistently every month.

Sally Corder, junior at CKHS, appreciates the school, along with the optimistic atmosphere the teachers provide.

Corder said, “I always appreciate teachers just like checking in and asking how I am just always makes me happy. Connecting and sharing about our day. In Mr. Welkin’s class we do roses, buds, and thorns every Thursday which is kind of fun and helps you get to know your classmates.”

Whether it’s breaks being breaks, more work time being given, or even old rules coming back it’s important that the students’ voice and their opinions are heard and the needs of the students are met because the student body makes Central Kitsap High School.