As a junior in high school, Nate strives to become a “Golden Scorpion,” which is an award and title given to seniors who participate in athletics for all 12 seasons of high school, have a 3.5 GPA or higher, and are nominated by coaches and the Athletic Director. Nate sees this as his ultimate short-term goal, as it is a huge challenge and, though he would likely be doing most of the activities anyways, he sees the Golden Scorpion as a “reinforcement” of his dedication to his achievements. 

Though most know that Nate can often be found playing sports or studying for classes, he is also an avid music enthusiast, listening to artists ranging from Katy Perry to Billy Joel, and not a day seems to go by without jamming to a song that got stuck in his head. One of the biggest challenges that Nate finds himself facing in his high school career is keeping himself up to the level that he expects himself to be, and managing all his time wisely, whilst reserving some time for self-growth and improvement. Nate wants to do his best to strive for the results that he wants not only in high school, but in life as well. “You can be someone who lets it go and is happy with being where you are, or you can have a goal in mind and do your best to get to that goal. I’m trying to be that second person.”

Morning
Nate wakes up at 6:49 every morning, so that he has one minute to lay in bed and then he gets up by 6:50. Next, he gets breakfast, and tries to be out the door and driving by 7:35 every morning. Occasionally, Nate will drive his siblings to school with him or, if his parents decide to take his siblings, he will go by himself. To add some extra energy to the start of his day, Nate will jam out to music in the car, be it pop from the 2000s, or more classic hits. Recently, Nate’s jams have been music like Rihanna, One Republic, and The Script. Upon arriving to school, Nate will hang out at school and get ready for his first class.

The Sage Ridge day is split into 6, 1-hour class blocks with a morning break and mid-day lunch placed evenly between. Students take 8 classes and drop 2 each day. 

8-9 AM | AP Language and Composition 
Using as its backdrop a survey of American literature from the colonial period to the present, AP Language and Composition examines the complex and manifold relationships among thought, language, and action as it pertains to the development of American culture. Reading authors such as Franklin, Douglass, Hawthorne, Emerson, Twain, Fitzgerald, and Ellison, students gain an understanding of the forces behind each literary period and the discourse between authors in successive generations. 

Nate, who is fond of reading and writing, enjoys AP English with Mr. Sloyan. Recently he has found himself enjoying the works of Nathaniel Hawthorne, as he finds them interesting and fun to explore. He found Emerson and Thoreau more difficult to read, but he still enjoyed the process of it and is looking forward to all the readings this year. 

9-10 AM | Study Hall
Nate’s first of two study halls, for which he is very grateful. On average, Nate should have about 3.5 hours of homework per night and, due to his busy schedule, the very notion of that is quite stressful. Nate works hard in this first study hall to try and limit the amount of homework that he will have to do later.

10-10:25 AM | Break
During break, Nate’s activities alternate. He tends to just wander around and “see where the day takes [him].” Occasionally he will study for an upcoming quiz or test, or sometimes just relax and talk to friends.

10:25-11:25 AM | AP United States History
The Advanced Placement U.S. History survey course covers American history from pre-contact to the present. Using chronological and thematic approaches to the material, the course exposes students to extensive primary and secondary sources and to the interpretations of various historians.

The history class that Nate has this year has been quite different to the other years, he notes. The fast-paced style of an AP class has been difficult to keep up with, but he enjoys the class and is interested in the various different topics that they study. He appreciates Dr. Sullivan’s classroom discussions, heavily based on participation.

11:25-12:25 AM | AP Calculus BC
AP Calculus BC is roughly equivalent to both first and second semester college calculus courses; it extends the content learned in AB to different types of equations and introduces the topic of sequences and series. - College Board

In his calculus class with Mr. Johnston, Nate is one of only 3 students. He really appreciates his teacher Mr. Johnston because, despite the difficulty of the class, Mr. Johnston makes it fun and interesting as well as educational. Nate appreciates the small size of the class, as there is room to stop and review any topics if someone is having difficulty understanding. Nate also enjoys calculus, as it provides “all the answers to the unanswered questions in math,”  and he finds it satisfying, as he had formed many questions in Pre-Calculus. 

12:25-1:15 PM | Lunch 
During lunch, Nate will usually have lunch in the loft, and then proceed to “throw the football around” with his friends, or occasionally do homework or study for any upcoming quizzes or tests. His activities during lunch usually depend on the day.

1:15 PM - 2:15 | Honors Chemistry
This course explores major themes in contemporary general chemistry with emphasis on the connection between seemingly abstract molecular interactions and human-scale, observable and often measurable processes.

Despite being warned previously about the difficulty of Chemistry, Nate finds the class not only interesting, but also enjoyable at times. In particular, Nate found dimensional analysis interesting because it was "satisfying and useful to convert a seemingly useless rate or number to something of significance." He understands the concepts and appreciates Dr. de Lancey’s straightforward style of teaching.

2:15 PM - 3:15 | AP Latin
AP Latin is designed to provide advanced high school students with a rich and rigorous Latin course, approximately equivalent to an upper-intermediate college or university Latin course. Students who successfully complete the course are able to read, understand, translate, and analyze Latin poetry and prose. 

Nate likes Dr. Simms and his style of teaching. Nate appreciates his “fun spirit” and his deep level of understanding for how best to prepare them for their AP exam. It is also more of an independent class, and Nate appreciates the responsibility that comes with it, so that they can focus on what they struggle with during class. AP Latin is the most difficult class for Nate, as it is hard to really decipher the correct way of approaching translation as “there is no person from Rome to make it easier.” The structure of Latin poetry is particularly difficult for Nate to navigate, and it takes a lot of work to do each line. Still, Nate perseveres.

Additional Classes
Two classes are dropped each day, but here is a glimpse at what else enriches Nate's experience:

Study Hall
Nate’s second study hall is Nate’s last chance to do homework before the day finishes, but also a chance to unwind if he feels like he has accomplished the majority of his homework, and thus he really appreciates the extra time.

Fitness Elective
Students will learn the basic fundamentals of strength training, aerobic training, and overall fitness training and conditioning. Course includes both lecture and activity sessions. Students will be empowered to make wise choices, meet challenges, and develop positive behaviors in fitness, wellness, and movement activity for a lifetime.

Fitness class is one of Nate’s favorite parts of the day, as he really does love playing games and being active. It originally started as a wellness and health class, but has now transitioned to an active “Physical Education” like class, which Nate really appreciates. He gets to see a lot of his friends in that class, and “playing sports with your friends is about all you could want,” according to Nate.

After School
Though his after school activities do change, Nate is quite busy after school regardless of the day. Nate is participating in Sage Ridge Varsity Boys Soccer. He thinks that the team is doing well, as they have a winning record this year. He’s excited to move up to the 3A league, and he’s confident that, especially with the strength of the soccer players in this year's 11th grade class, they can even make it to postseason games. Practices are usually held after school from 3:30 - 4:45. Depending on the day, Nate will get home from school ranging from 3:30-5:30, after which he starts his homework immediately. On average, Nate has about 30 minutes to 1 hour of free time each day, but he is used to the busy lifestyle and it is manageable for him. On a typical day, Nate will go to bed at around 10pm, and he tries to stick to this schedule, as sleep is really important to him. Later throughout the year, Nate is planning on joining the Sage Ridge Scorpion basketball team, as well as the Scorpion swim team.

Weekend Activities and Extracurriculars
During the weekends and sometimes during the week, Nate participates in a club soccer team which mainly plays games in California, meaning he has to drive up to 8 hours each time they have a game. At the moment, his team, Nevada United ‘03 Boys coached by John Zebrack, is first in his league and one of the top 8 teams of Northern California, and ranked 4th in the Nation. Nate is very proud of how far the team has come over the years, and they’re “that one team from [Northern] Nevada that’s crushing it.” 

On top of his 2 different soccer teams, Nate is also doing athletic training sessions with his coach Max McManus, which he attends once a week. The training sessions are usually very intense, and usually filled with “grueling exercises” for an hour and ten minutes. Regardless, Nate does not shy away from the challenge and the rewards of hard work are obvious in his life. 

- Interviewed by Tessa Mendez-Leal ('21)
 

Taking on several different leadership positions for activism in the community, Leila has spent much of her time during high school contributing to impactful changes in both the Reno community as well as the Sage Ridge community. 

The Sage Ridge day is split into 6, 1-hour class blocks with a morning break and mid-day lunch placed evenly between. Students take 8 classes and drop 2 each day. 

Arrival
Leila is clearly an extremely active participant of the community. Still, Leila is, as expected, a very normal and humorous high school student. Discussing her daily routine, she mentioned that she does the same things as everyone else -- she wakes up, goes through a morning routine, and heads out to school. Arriving about five minutes early every morning, Leila goes to class. 

8-9 AM | American Literature
Using as its backdrop a survey of American letters from the colonial period to the present, American Literature CP examines the complex and manifold relationships among language, thought, and action as it pertains to the development of American culture.

“American Literature is a hard class because there is a lot of reading, especially of books that are not exactly written in a spoken language, but Mr. Sloyan helps guide students in the right direction when analyzing writing and understanding it. I love being able to read an extremely challenging book and then being able to analyze it and understand the claim of the book.” Again, it is clear that Leila enjoys learning, especially in the context of the relationships she forms with her teacher. 

9-10 AM | Precalculus
This course covers the full spectrum of trigonometry including dual definitions in terms of the unit circle and right triangles, analytic trigonometry, polar coordinates with complex numbers, analytic geometry, parametrics, and transcendental functions.

As shown, Leila recognizes the important role her teachers play in her education and Leila feels that despite Precalculus being a difficult subject, she “always looks forward to going to that class,” since she states that “Mr. Thibault is one of the kindest and most supportive” teachers. 

10-10:25 AM | Break
Sometimes, Leila will do homework during break but as part of her Student Government duties, she will sometimes spend her breaks running the Snack Bar in the Student Loft.

10:25-11:25 AM | Study Hall
Leila says that this is the “best time to just chill out, refresh, do some work, and restart.” The work that she does during her study hall varies every day, and she gets as much done as she can in order to make her after school schedule less hectic. However, since her break and lunch period is usually filled with some activity, her study hall acts as one of her only breaks before continuing on with her busy day.

11:25-12:25 AM | Ceramics
Students create both functional and decorative sculptural objects and these projects are used as the basis of exploration of personal aesthetic ideas. Extended hand building techniques, decorating, glazing, and firing types are explored. 

Leila mentions that Ceramics is an extremely fun, relaxing, and calming class. This is a time where her creativity is able to shine, especially because it is “taught by one of the most creative and funny teachers,” Mr. Brown. While she works on Ceramics, she is often able to talk to her peers and Mr. Brown to make the time even more relaxing. 

12:25-1:15 PM | Lunch 
Just as with break, Leila almost always has something to do during lunch. Whether it be a student government meeting, running Snack Bar in the Loft, or something else, she is generally occupied at this time. If she isn’t made busy with a club, she generally works on homework during this “free time” in an empty classroom. She enjoys lunch because by this time, she is usually hungry and the food she eats gives her the energy to go through the rest of the day. As a result, Leila believes that the last two classes after lunch are the “peak of the day”, since this is the time when she is the “most attentive.”

1:15 PM - 2:15 | Spanish III/Pre-AP
The goal of Pre-AP Spanish is to prepare students for taking AP Spanish Language in the following year. Class is conducted in Spanish only and consists of higher level discussions inspired by cultural themes introduced from the AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam. 

Leila describes Mr. Garzon as the “kindest and most loving teacher” with the “sweetest heart.” In addition, Mr. Garzon is “extremely supportive” to all his students, recognizing the difficulty of learning a second language. Because of this, she loves the environment in this class. Reflecting on how the class has gone this year, she mentioned one memory from the class that highlights how personalized her experience at a small school like Sage Ridge has been: “When I won state [for Golf] for the second year in a row, Senor Garzon sang me a 'champion' song in Spanish, which was very sweet!” 

2:15 PM - 3:15 | Art Mash Up
How can we use the inherent qualities of materials to inspire our working process and the content of our work? How can we create meaning by layering images, techniques, and materials? Mash Up Studio Art depends heavily on considering the process of making and how it informs artists as they work. 

Leila spends her Elective Period in another class with Mr. Brown. She mentions how in this class, Mr. Brown is very “calm and understanding” of mistakes and encourages them to make a perfectly welcoming learning environment. 

Additional Classes
Two classes are dropped each day, but here is a glimpse at what else enriches Leila's experience:

Chemistry
This course explores major themes in contemporary general chemistry with emphasis on the connection between seemingly abstract molecular interactions and human-scale, observable and often measurable processes.

As shown, Leila recognizes the important role her teachers play in her education and development as a student. For Chemistry, she appreciates the amount of effort that Dr. de Lancey puts into ensuring that students are able to learn such a complicated subject. “I absolutely love Dr. D and his class! He takes a really hard subject to learn and makes it fun and learnable. He is extremely supportive of students and his emphasis on how he will always make or have time for his students is very kind and appreciated.” 

US History
The U.S. History survey course covers American history from pre-contact to the present. Using chronological and thematic approaches to the material, the course exposes students to extensive primary and secondary sources and to the interpretations of various historians.

Leila enjoys her history class with Dr. Sullivan very much. Particularly, she feels that Dr. Sullivan is a great teacher who makes the class better for her: “I love Dr. Sullivan's vast knowledge about the topics we talk about, and her great sense of humor.”

After School
After school, Leila will sometimes go home, but she often has golf practice or, once a month, a meeting for Nevada Youth Legislature, a program that allows students to work closely with 21 Nevada State Senators, Assemblymen and Assemblywomen, and other members of the Nevada Youth Legislature to create a bill that is presented to the state legislature during the year to solve a problem of the students’ choice. “It’s a great process!” she mentioned about working in the program. 

Currently, Leila’s first idea for a bill is one that would enforce mental health education in schools, for both students and teachers, throughout the community. “Mental health struggles are everywhere in schools but unfortunately, since they’re never taught how to, teachers don’t know how to deal with these issues.” Her second idea for a bill recommends the implementation of age-appropriate sex ed throughout a student’s schooling, as she believes this will solve many problems that are too present in society today in an effective manner. 

“Education is key.” As I was interviewing Leila, several students in the classroom chimed in, mentioning how strongly they believed in the issues that Leila has been actively fighting for. Using her daily experiences as a teenager and interactions with her peers, Leila is not only able to understand the issues that are most important to the community around her, but she is also able to take action to remediate these issues. 

These traits extend to Leila’s success as a golfer. During the golf season, Leila golfs and practices every day after school. Specifically, she mentions how there is a negative stereotype of many of the people she plays with in the 2A division. She says that she finds fun in “proving those people [making the stereotypes] wrong and motivating everyone.” This experience, for her, has taught her a lot about how substantive people truly are. 

In addition, she has learned a lot of other lessons in self-advocacy through the sport. She again mentions that in addition to the stereotyping, there is a lot of disrespect and discrimination present in the golfing community and management. Instead of allowing this to discourage her, however, Leila, as the resilient advocate she is, reacts by saying that “You learn how to deal with it and tell people ‘that ain’t right!’”

Despite her success as a student, leader, and golfer, Leila continuously mentioned how much she has learned through her experiences. By taking advantage of these experiences, Leila has clearly been able to grow immensely as a person, learning life lessons and skills that even many adults still lack. She isn’t completely sure about what the future will hold, but through her leadership and advocacy skills, we’re confident she will have success!

- Interview by Aryan Shukla ('20)

He is also a leader on the Sage Ridge debate team and the Editor-in-Chief for the school magazine. He might not sleep as much as he should, but he certainly is pursuing a life full of knowledge. 

The Sage Ridge day is split into 6, 1-hour class blocks with a morning break and mid-day lunch placed evenly between. Students take 8 classes and drop 2 each day. 

Arrival
Aryan doesn’t usually have time for breakfast. However, he has a system down, and gets everything he needs to do done in time. He might not eat breakfast, but he usually takes a bagel and puts it into his lunchbox. Aryan talks to friends if he has time, but he often has to run to class.

8 - 9 AM | Independent Study: Communication Technology
Instead of taking a study hall, Aryan wanted to take this period as an opportunity to take his education a step further. He decided to help out Mrs. Thibault, Director of Communications, with marketing and communications. He typically gets a lot of work done on the website or other publication and design projects.

9 - 10 AM | Media Arts
In this class students elevate and hone their skills in photography, videography, digital design, and  journalism as they broadcast the insider's story of Sage Ridge by publishing the yearbook, social media posts, and the student-run magazine, The Ridge.

As the Editor-in-Chief of The Ridge, having this class as a time to work on it can be a welcome advantage. Last year, Aryan managed to restart The Ridge with a very limited number of people. Originally a newspaper, The Ridge had not been published consistently in the couple years before Aryan took over. He has been interested in graphic design in the past, and this was the perfect opportunity to help the school out. This year, though, he has helpers in the Media Arts class. “It helps to have a staff, but there are more expectations that you have to deal with. You have to make sure that everyone is on the same page.”

10 - 10:25 AM | Break
Aryan checks homework answers with his friend Siena, talks to teachers about schoolwork, or he buys something from the snack bar.

10:25 - 11:25 AM | AP English: Literature and Composition
Advanced Placement Literature and Composition is taught through an in-depth focus on British literature and is designed for students who wish to read and write at an advanced level. The course introduces students to British literature, surveying primary and secondary epics, lyric poetry, drama, essays, novels, and short works of fiction. Students read, among other authors, Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton, Wilde, and Achebe.

As a senior, Aryan has really been enjoying reading Shakespeare’s Hamlet. A lot of the themes that are discussed in class can be related to modern life, and this is especially evident during seminar discussions. “The seminar discussions are quite useful. It is better to talk to classmates.” Any class that has seminars is a favorite for Aryan. 

11:25 - 12:25 PM | Senior Seminar 
Our Senior Seminar is designed to be a bridge course between high school and college. This course asks the student to critically examine the historical and cultural genesis of the foundational values of our representative system of governance and our belief that such a thing as “civil” or “human” rights exists. The readings explicate the origins and universalization of these values and celebrate the struggles of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries to defend the idea that all men—and women—are created equal and with certain “inalienable rights.”

Aryan is glad that he gets to talk to his classmates about cool stuff, such as human nature, human rights, etc. “This community has really helped be become close to my classmates.” This class is really interesting because discussions get philosophical and are usually about the development of human rights. Listening to his peers’ different perspectives is very interesting, especially when talking about how we have gotten to the point we have today.

12:25 - 1:15 PM Lunch 
Aryan often has meetings at lunch. One day per week, he meets with the Speech & Debate team and one day he meets with the editor-in-chief of the yearbook. When he has the time, however, you can often find him talking with his friends in the Loft during lunch. 

1:15 - 2:15 PM | AP Chemistry
Subject matter students learned in Chemistry is revisited in greater depth in this class.  The emphasis of this course involves striving for systematic, detailed understanding of the subject matter using hands-on, algebra-based classroom problem-solving sessions and laboratory experiments to lend relevance and enhance the grasp of conceptual material.

Aryan said, “I really like doing labs.” He feels that he can learn a lot more easily through labs, because you are more involved in what you are learning. Actually handling the chemicals they talk about in class makes everything seem a lot more relevant.

2:15 - 3:15 PM | AP Physics
AP Physics C is a comprehensive, calculus-based course covering topics for two seperate AP exams. Mechanics is covered first, and sometimes taken as a single year long class, or additionally electricity & magnetism is also studied. 

Although this class only includes two students during Aryan’s period, it certainly isn’t a negative thing. Having such a small class makes Aryan feel that they can really interact with their teacher, as well as with each other.

Additional Classes
AP Statistics
AP Statistics is the high school equivalent of a one semester, introductory college statistics course. In this course, as they prepare to take the AP Statistics exam, students develop strategies for collecting, organizing, analyzing, and drawing conclusions from data. Students design, administer, and tabulate results from surveys and experiments. 

Aryan finds this class interesting because it has made clear how inaccurately a lot of statistics are interpreted in the real world. He says that the class has been very eye-opening and that “what we interpret as an accurate source of statistics is almost never truly accurate because there are so many factors involved.”

Multivariable Calculus
Multivariable calculus is an extension of AP calculus BC and is generally the third quarter or semester of college calculus. It is considered a second year university level course that extends the tools and techniques of single variable calculus to functions of several variables and applications in three-dimensional space and beyond. The purpose of offering this course at Sage Ridge is to offer a challenging math course for seniors who finished AP Calculus their junior year and to keep calculus and math skills fresh for these mathematically oriented students.

Aryan thinks that it is really nice that Sage Ridge is able to offer this course for its students. Learning about three-dimensional models in math is really important for the real world. He says that it has made calculus more applicable to the real world.

After School
Aryan usually has something to do after school, often with debate, or even working the lights for the school’s theater. Even when most after school activities aren’t happening on Friday, Aryan volunteers at our local library. When he goes home, Aryan works on extracurricular work first and then does homework at his desk, usually with his dog somewhere nearby. If he has time, he might stick in college applications. Before he goes to bed, he reads in his last bit of free time.

- Written by Kira Romberg ('22)
 

She has breakfast and then gets ready for school, which she usually gets to via carpool. She arrives to school and starts her day off with her first class.

The Sage Ridge day is split into 6, 1-hour class blocks with a morning break and mid-day lunch placed evenly between. Students take 8 classes and drop 2 each day. 

8-9 AM | Music 6-7
Music 6–7 is designed to expand upon learned concepts through composition, vocal performance, and performance on guitar as well as on percussion instruments. Students will learn the complete diatonic tone set, advanced rhythmic patterns, and intermediate harmonic progressions. 

Sitara’s first class today is her music class. She likes this class because it is super relaxing while still being engaging. She says that Mr. Vitale, her music teacher, makes her class fun because he is very enthusiastic and connects well with his students.

9-10 AM | Math Class
This class teaches students to use symbols and sets; variables and open sentences; solve equations and systems of equations; solve inequalities and systems of inequalities; use exponents, polynomials and factoring; solve quadratic equations and functions; and explore probability and statistics. This class leads students into the college preparatory mathematics sequence, which culminates with Trigonometry, Advanced Placement Calculus or other advanced math classes. 

Her second class is math class with Mrs. Tyrel. Math is not a stressful subject for Sitara due to the fact that she has a very good teacher. Her teacher makes the class very enjoyable, and not like they are just doing busy work. The hardest part of this class is the homework because she gets a good amount of it.

10-10:25 AM | Break
Sitara uses her break as an opportunity to be productive and get some of her homework done.

10:25-11:25 AM | Physical Education
This physical education class utilizes a variety of activities and resources to provide students with the knowledge, skills, confidence and motivation to pursue a healthy, fit lifestyle. Students will participate in daily physical activity, as well as daily practice of social skills. 

Her third class of the day is Physical Education (PE) with Mrs. Kratzer. She enjoys PE because it is a nice way to decompress and helps her to relax. She says that Mrs. Kratzer wants them to be the best athletes ever.

11:25-12:25 AM | Study Hall
During her fourth class, Sitara has Study Hall or Campus Meeting, depending on the day. She likes to be able to have Study Hall because she really appreciates the extra time she has to do her homework throughout the day. It is one of her favorite periods because it helps her move on with her day because she gets her work done and will not be as stressed by the end of the day when she gets home.

12:25-1:15 PM | Lunch 
Students eat and get to talk and play with their friends. The 50-minute block is plenty of time for both!

1:15 PM - 2:15 | Science
Emphasis is placed on technology in science and safety, a more comprehensive study of the nature of matter and energy, an overview of chemical bonding and materials science, and the chemistry of water and organic compounds in relation to living organisms. Students end the year with a study of the nature of science through discussions of molecular and classical genetics. 

Her fifth class is Science with Mrs. Gallivan. She does not stress out too much about science even though she considers herself more interested in the Humanities than the Sciences. Overall she enjoys the class.

2:15 PM - 3:15 | Latin
Latin is the basis for many institutions we have today, most notably our own English. In this course students shall begin the study of the Latin language. Emphasis will be placed on learning to read and comprehend Latin sentences. Students shall also begin learning basic Latin syntax, such as verb conjugations, prepositions, and the case system.

Her sixth class is Latin, which she really loves. Her teacher, Mrs. Kiely, is great because she is super fun and makes the class interesting and enjoyable.

Additional Classes:
Two classes are dropped each day, but here is a glimpse at what else enriches the experience:

Ancient World History
The goal for this course is to familiarize the student with a fundamental body of history, ideas, and concepts that form the basis for understanding the world in which we live. Units include  River Valley Civilizations, Mesopotamian Empires, Greece, Rome, China as the Middle Kingdom, the Islamic World, the Americas, and world religions.

Her seventh class is History which she also loves. She likes that this class gives the students a little more independence. Mr. Cvetich wants her and her classmates to be "independent scholars."

Introduction to World Literature
In this course, students will come both to understand and to appreciate the vital role that stories play in giving meaning and continuity to the human experience. Introduction to World Literature explores novels, plays, poems, and short stories from all parts of the globe by a multitude of voices from many different lands.

Her ninth class is English with Mrs. Kuhen. This is one of her more strict classes because Mrs. Kuhen gives no room for goofing off because she is very dedicated to her job.

After School
After school Sitara has many activities. When it is theater season she does theater until 5 or 5:30 and after that she has fencing. She tries to do as much homework as possible during both theater and fencing. She fences for four hours and then gets home around 9:00 or 9:30, when she has dinner, finishes up the homework she did not do and then gets ready for bed. 
 

When one enters the grade 3 classroom, the free reading corner is typically noticed first. These books range in subject and encourage students to choose books that fit their interests. Next to the free reading corner sits a whole shelf of craft supplies for projects. Students have tables that easily move into various configurations rather than desks, which means student supplies are kept in their cubbies and students move throughout the room as class subjects change. 

"Mrs Bratt is nice and really fun. She has a lot of games that are fun for learning." - Novella

Mrs. Bratt, our grade 3 teacher, is a treasure who has enriched the lives of many Reno-area children during her career. She keeps the classroom silly and relaxed throughout the day. Even with the light atmosphere, Mrs. Bratt talks to kids like they are people who can understand the world and have clarity about the expectations put upon them. Basing her lessons on the brain development of children and giving them opportunities for creative expression, grade 3 often works in cooperative learning groups and receives tickets for positive reinforcement. 

The Sage Ridge day is split into 6, 1-hour class blocks with a morning break and mid-day lunch placed evenly between. Students take 8 classes and drop 2 each day. 

Arrival
When a grade 3 student arrives at Sage Ridge they typically unpack their bag into their cubby and then grab a stool. Stools are a prized possession that they all share because they rock. The age-appropriate furniture allows students to move while they learn, helping many to focus. "And they are fun!"

Once settled, it is time to get ready for the day. Grade 3 students rotate jobs, so a small group of them are always responsible for raising the school flag each morning. They take this service to the school community very seriously. Their coordinated effort ensures the flag is properly cared for each day. 

Students also turn in their homework to the homework box and prepare for a day of learning!

8-10 AM | Morning Self-Contained Block
Integrated Literacy I: Reading & Writing
In reading, grade 3 works on novel studies, which ask the students to dive deeper into what the author is telling the audience and experience things they don't normally experience. In other words, grade 3 students begin to read to learn, rather than learn to read. 

In writing, students use the concepts of mechanics, grammar, and the rules of English and incorporate them into their writing. Students write personal narratives, fiction, letters, opinion pieces, and poetry. To increase an understanding of spelling, students learn to identify word patterns. 

"I enjoyed writing the packet for my student-led conference because it prepared me for my conference and I like to write." - Jane 

10-10:25 AM | Break
Morning break is a time for snack and recess on the playground. Squeals of excitement are obvious as students hang on the bars, teeter on the seesaw, and play grounders -- a game of tag in which the leader must close their eyes if they ascend the playground equipment.  And if a student forgot their snack, Mrs. Bratt has a backup stash!

10:25-11:25 AM | Math
Math is taught through guided lessons, often with manipulatives and partner practice. Students learn by working together on problems teaching place value to 100,000, rounding, estimation, bar models to solve word problems, multiplication, division, geometry, angles, and fractions. Hands-on learning with manipulatives makes the math come to life and helps students realize they can solve anything if they are in a real world situation.

Mrs. Bratt frequently uses the ELMO digital document camera to demonstrate with the manipulatives and show student work. Laptop computers are provided by the school in the Lower School for each student's exclusive use. These computers remain at school and allow students to engage in a wide range of technology-enhanced lessons and build their computer skills. 

11:25-12:25 AM | Science
Science is a full class just like any other at Sage Ridge, rather than an occasional group activity at many elementary schools. A combination of play, research, hands-on activities, and projects help students explore the topics of celestial bodies, the periodic table of elements, matter, chemical and physical changes, earth changes, life cycles, sound, and electricity. When students learn about sound they make their own pan flutes. 

"I liked learning about planets, asteroids, comets, meteors, and phases of the moon. We pretended we were meteoroids in the asteroid belt and crashed into each other!" -Karen

12:25-1:15 PM | Lunch and Recess
Students eat and get to talk and play with their friends. The 50-minute block is plenty of time for both!

1:15 PM - 2:15 | History
Grade 3 investigates history with an eye towards project-based investigations. Students learn about important historical figures, Native American cultures, early American history, and the symbols of America through reading, projects, research, and modeling. In the fall, for example, students create models of the Mayflower and research its structure and journey. 

2:15 PM - 3:15 | Physical Education
Physical education is also a full class at Sage Ridge. Grade 3 students engage in a variety of active games as they learn to work together and make healthy choices.

"PE with Ms. Kratzer is nice and fun. She has great activities like tunnel tag, which is tag but if you get tagged you get unfrozen by someone crawling under you." - Jane

Additional Classes
Two classes are dropped each day, but here is a glimpse at what else enriches the grade 3 experience:

Enrichment Classes
Grade 3 students switch enrichment classes each semester. This year, students explore visual art and music.

"I like art. Ms. Iverson teaches us art things like watercolors. I also like theatre because they put on great plays. I am excited to see Matilda because my sister is in it."  - Violet

D-Block
Our self-contained, lower school classes use this time for what best meets the needs of their students. Once a week they attend the Lower/Middle School student-led meeting.  Otherwise they engage in discussions about the school's pillars, deepen their understanding of social-emotional skills, dialogue about grade-level issues, or receive extra help. This time is an essential part of our program as it allows teachers to tailor the day according to what most serves the class each week. 

After School
Students in grade 3 participate in a wide variety of activities in the community after school. They also talk to their parents about their school day. Mrs. Bratt keeps and sends home behavior charts. These are not punitive tools, but teach students to own their behaviors by explaining them to their parents. Students are then rewarded for returning the card with parent signature to signify that they talked together. This system is just another example of how we build self-confidence through both building intellect and character. 

Even while taking four AP classes, he is one of the friendliest people in the Upper School, and always makes time to have a little fun with his friends.

The Sage Ridge day is split into 6, 1-hour class blocks with a morning break and mid-day lunch placed evenly between. Students take 8 classes and drop 2 each day. 

Arrival
On a normal day, Griffin wakes up at 6:20 am. Though Griffin is organized, and never in a rush during the morning, making breakfast and getting ready takes time. Soon, Griffin is on his way to school. 

8-9 AM | AP United States History
The Advanced Placement U.S. History survey course covers American history from pre-contact to the present. Using chronological and thematic approaches to the material, the course exposes students to extensive primary and secondary sources and to the interpretations of various historians.

When Griffin arrives at school on one of these days, his first period is AP US History. Learning about information that is so relevant to our daily lives is super interesting for him, and the class is one of the more enjoyable because of it. As lessons have become closer and closer to our current time period, they have become even more engaging for Griffin.

9-10 AM | Anatomy & Physiology
This year-long course focuses on the structure and function of the human body, using organ systems to integrate concepts of anatomical location and physiological function. The class is taught with a hands-on approach using resting and exercise physiology labs, videos/films, in-class and off campus activities, animal dissection, human cadaver labs, field trips, individual and small group research projects and discussions, and oral presentations.

Since Griffin is very interested in going into pre-med during college, this class is really engaging for him. Although it’s very hard to decide what you want to do in the future as a junior in high school, Griffin certainly feels interested in medical technology, or in becoming some kind of doctor. As this class focuses on the human body, he feels that this class could be very useful when understanding proper anatomical location, and it might even allow him to get a feel for how doctors see the human body.

10-10:25 AM | Break
During break, Griffin often tries to get some homework done. If he isn’t doing homework, Griffin will often be found playing volleyball or basketball with his friends. Even when it’s cold outside, the Great Space is a good place for students to play sports.

10:25-11:25 AM | Honors Chemistry
This course explores major themes in contemporary general chemistry with emphasis on the connection between seemingly abstract molecular interactions and human-scale, observable and often measurable processes.

For Griffin, this class is really interesting, and a great combination of both complex math and science. Students are learning about the world around them, and it is therefore one of his favorite classes. 

11:25-12:25 AM | Study Hall
F period is a study hall, and Griffin often uses it to do homework, including his Spanish work. His Spanish class drops today, but he is really enjoying learning the language. He says that learning Spanish is really rewarding because it gives him "the ability to talk to most of [his] family relatives who speak Spanish as a primary or only language.”

12:25-1:15 PM Lunch 
Griffin normally eats lunch in the Loft with his friends. On a nice day, Griffin will soon be outside of the Loft with other students, who often are playing Spikeball, volleyball, football, or even just eating outside.

1:15 PM - 2:15 | AP Calculus AB
AP Calculus AB is roughly equivalent to a first semester college calculus course devoted to topics in differential and integral calculus. - College Board

Griffin thinks this is a hard class, but he enjoys having Mr. Johnston. Mr. Johnston incorporates things from his own life into math, such as his dog, to make problems more relatable to students. For many students, having a way to see the concepts they are learning apply to real life is very important. Teachers, therefore, can be the most important part of any classroom, and Mr. Johnston is no exception.

2:15 PM - 3:15 | Fitness Elective
Students will learn the basic fundamentals of strength training, aerobic training, and overall fitness training and conditioning. Course includes both lecture and activity sessions. Students will be empowered to make wise choices, meet challenges, and develop positive behaviors in fitness, wellness, and movement activity for a lifetime.

Fitness is really fun and he is glad that he picked it. It is really interesting to learn about new sports such as handball, especially with friends.

Additional Classes
Two classes are dropped each day, but here is a glimpse at what else enriches Griffin's experience:
AP Language and Composition 
Using as its backdrop a survey of American literature from the colonial period to the present, AP Language and Composition examines the complex and manifold relationships among thought, language, and action as it pertains to the development of American culture. Reading authors such as Franklin, Douglass, Hawthorne, Emerson, Twain, Fitzgerald, and Ellison, students gain an understanding of the forces behind each literary period and the discourse between authors in successive generations. 

New stories are “very interesting and fun to read” in Mr. Sloyan’s class. Edgar Allan Poe, for example, is read near the beginning of Grade 11, and Griffin has had a lot of fun being able to analyze these works for himself.

AP Spanish Language and Culture
The AP Spanish Language and Culture course is designed to help students be successful in advancing their abilities to communicate in Spanish, and more specifically to acquire the skills and knowledge needed to do well on the AP Spanish Language and Culture Examination. The program provides a solid framework for students to develop language skills through the analysis and discussion of engaging and culturally-relevant texts. 

After School
After school, Griffin does a lot as well. He is on the soccer team this year, which is new for him, but he is learning a lot and having a lot of fun. In other seasons, Griffin has played basketball and has even been on the Sage Ridge debate team. 

Griffin is also very passionate about art and photography. A self proclaimed “sketcher,” he loves drawing, and he uses many different mediums to create art that connects him with others. In the past, he has even created art for others, such as posters to ask their date to JA. He also loves using photography to connect with family and friends. Though Griffin isn’t taking an art class at Sage Ridge this year, he said that they are typically “a great place to practice your art skills and go headfirst into new styles of art with interesting projects.”

With all this on his plate, Griffin can be really busy a lot of the time. Homework can be a lot, especially since he is taking four AP classes. Though he considers himself more organized than many, it is still hard to keep consistent for any student who does as much as Griffin. Griffin rises to the challenges of Sage Ridge life and take it with a smile on his face the whole way through.

- Interview by Kira Romberg ('22)
 

Students are always bustling about and collaboratively working at three clusters of whiteboard-topped tables that fit neatly together like flowers. Mrs. Kirkwood brings a sense of community and creativity to all the students do!

"Mrs. Kirkwood is nice and does fun stuff. When she gets mad she doesn’t yell. She just says 'let’s not do that' and stays calm. She also shares her life with us." - Carrie

The Sage Ridge day is split into 6, 1-hour class blocks with a morning break and mid-day lunch placed evenly between. Students take 8 classes and drop 2 each day. 

Arrival
Grade 4 students enter their classroom loaded with the resources they utilized for the night's homework. They unpack their bags into the individual cubbies that help them stay organized and keep their items accessible. 

Cubbies also contain the laptop computers provided by the school for each student's exclusive use. These computers remain at school and allow students to engage in a wide range of technology-enhanced lessons and build their computer skills.

8-9 AM | Enrichment Classes
Grade 4 students switch enrichment classes each quarter. For 8-9 weeks each, students explore visual art, music, theatre, and computer science.

9-10 AM | Physical Education
Physical Education is a full class just like any other at Sage Ridge, rather than an occasional group activity or parent-organized event. Girls learn with Ms. Kratzer and boys learn with Mr. Farnsworth. Students learn the fundamentals of basketball, football, volleyball, and more while deepening their understanding of a healthy lifestyle. Occasionally the boys and girls play games with each other. "One fun game involved needing to collect 'money' from the bag, then do what it said, like do 10 burpees or something. It was fun." Students also play a modified dodgeball that somehow incorporates jobs, hula hoops, and a hula hut. The team with most hula hoops wins. 

10-10:25 AM | Break
Morning break is a time for snack and recess on the playground. Squeals of excitement are obvious as students hang on the bars, shoot hoops, and play self-organized games. 

10:25-12:25 AM | Morning Self-Contained Block
Integrated Literacy II: Reading & Writing
With a 2-hour block, students grow their comprehension and communication skills. Typical reading lessons may be facilitated by a few different types of activities. Students often read in differentiated small groups with their teacher in order to work on fluency and comprehension. Students may also rotate through stations targeting their work on vocabulary, spelling, independent reading, and paired discussion. Discussions are incorporated in different modalities, small group, partner discussion, whole class, and student-led discussions. 

Writing is taught through assignments small and large. Weekly Writing always focuses on learning and applying new skills using grammar fundamentals, mechanics, and conventions of writing. Unit Writing then asks students to apply their skills to multi-paragraph pieces. 4th grade focuses on narratives, opinion writing, expository writing, and persuasive writing.

"We don't get too much homework. It is practice, but it's a good amount." - Bryn

12:25-1:15 PM | Lunch and Recess
Students eat and get to talk and play with their friends. The 50-minute block is plenty of time for both!

1:15 PM-3:15 | Afternoon Self-Contained Block 
History
Grade 4 curriculum educates students on Nevada state history. Through reading and small group activities, students learn about the state symbols, state geography, first peoples in the state, impact of the gold rush, and economy of mining in the state. Cross-curricular reading and writing ties together history and literacy  through the use of historical fiction. Final projects allow students to summarize their learning through creative outlets. 

Math
Grade 4 math class is a lively exploration of place values, addition/subtraction up to the millions, multiplication, division, multi-step word problems will all four operations, fractions, decimals, units of measurement (metric/standard), and angle study. Most classes begin with teacher instruction, transition into small group work to practice, and then wrap up with review. 

Additional Classes
Two classes are dropped each day, but here is a glimpse at what else enriches the grade 4 experience:

Science
Science in grade 4 is a full class just like any other at Sage Ridge. Students engage in a variety of activities through the  year that teach them to "think like a scientist." Students learn to conduct controlled experiments, measure accurately, interpret their data, and apply what they conclude. Hands-on activities are mixed in with videos and demonstrations as students learn about soil, weathering, erosion, mapping, natural resources, forest ecosystems, electric circuits, inventions, and discoveries. 

D-Block
Our self-contained, lower school classes use this time for what best meets the needs of their students. Once a week they attend the Lower/Middle School student-led meeting.  Otherwise they engage in discussions about the school's pillars, deepen their understanding of social-emotional skills, dialogue about grade-level issues, or receive extra help. This time is an essential part of our program as it allows teachers to tailor the day according to what most serves the class each week. 

After School
After school many students stay for extended care study hall or participate in local extracurriculars, such as soccer, dance, or reading. Homework is always a piece of what they do, but Sage Ridge students also enjoy watching YouTube and participating in extracurriculars such as Girls On The Run.