The stereotypical “High School Musical” social classes are an outdated system that needlessly divides students. In my time at Mill Valley, I have had the opportunity to mingle with people of all backgrounds and interests. These experiences range from things like taking welding classes at CTEC, being on the sidelines with the football team every Friday and reaching out of my comfort zone to try things like enrolling in Drama or taking on a leadership position in the JagWire.

Through these experiences, I have learned that most Mill Valley students are surprisingly similar. I have made connections with people in all of the classes I’ve been in and realized that most students could easily be friends without the restraints of old-fashioned social constructs.

Students need to realize that while high school is an important time to learn about who you are and who you do and do not work well with, it’s not the time to shut out those who don’t appear to be like you. While it seems far-fetched, connections made in high school could last a lifetime, all you have to do is reach out and engage with the people around you. Ultimately, we are all teenagers learning how to live life together.