Dear Future sophomore,

Congrats on completing your freshman year! I’m sure you made so many memories, both fond ones and not so fond ones, during your first year of high school. Through the highs and lows of freshman year, there was, hopefully, always someone there to support you, someone in the Parker community willing to help you through the tougher moments of your freshman year.
As the weather gets warmer and you flip your calendar to June, sophomore year may be creeping up on you unexpectedly. Don’t be scared as September 4 creeps closer and closer. Embrace the start of your sophomore year and all the amazing memories that come with it.
If anything, be happy that you aren’t a freshman anymore. There won’t be a need to sit on the floor by the Draft Gym or math wing while you eat lunch. You’ll be able to finally take your place at the sophomore benches. Don’t be as messy as the class of ‘27 though: challenge yourself and your peers to keep your space as clean as possible and don’t get your tables taken away! Your new sophomore status gives you even more privileges and opportunities. You’ll be exposed to so many more amazing teachers beyond the ones you had freshman year. You might even have two history or science teachers this year, which is an amazing way to form relationships with teachers in every corner of the building. As a sophomore, you can also start thinking about which clubs and extracurriculars you’re really interested in and about what leadership positions you want to hold in your junior and senior years. If you haven’t found your niche, the extracurricular you’re really interested in, sophomore year is an amazing time to join new clubs. Try writing for various publications (especially “The Weekly!”) or even join a new sport!
There are so many amazing memories you’ll make during your sophomore year. The sophomore retreat was one of my favorite retreats I’ve ever been on. It was so fun to connect with my peers at a place that felt like summer camp. Whether I had known someone my whole life or only for the couple of days we were at school before the retreat, I felt closer to everyone in my grade after the amazing, exciting activities we got to do at the sophomore retreat.
Another one of my favorite memories of sophomore year was County Fair. I wore my 2027 shirt with pride that morning as I woke up early to set up the cotton candy booth, and I watched as my friends, some of whom I had never seen take on a leadership position, seamlessly guide my grade through County Fair by making sure the booths were organized and running smoothly. Though the fair may be more appealing to lower schoolers, watching younger community members get excited over something the 10th grade organized is one of my fondest memories of this year. And it showed me how connected each part of the Parker community really is.
Though there are some amazing parts of sophomore year, there are also some bumps in the road, some parts of the year that any experienced sophomore will warn you about. Geometry is a type of thinking you’ve never really explored before and it’s really easy to get tripped up by two column proofs and confusing finds. However, there are so many teachers in the Math and Learning Resources (LR) department who can help you work through these challenges. Don’t be afraid to go to Ms. Holman with questions or stop by Dr. Riff and Mr. Wilson’s room whenever you need help. Parker teachers are always willing and enthusiastic about seeing you improve as a student, learner, and overall thinker, so take advantage of your resources and don’t be afraid to ask for help!
When you put the Odyssey in your backpack for the first time, you may realize that the 400 page book is weighing down your bag. Your teacher handing you the ancient Greek epic for the first time may seem daunting, however you’ll only have to digest about 20 pages at a time and you can always ask your classmates or teachers if a plot line ever confuses you. For me, the jump in rigor from freshman year to sophomore year was daunting. I was overwhelmed with geometry and an English class where I wasn’t receiving an A on every assignment. Throughout the year, however, I became more accepting of the help my teachers offered, the opportunities to improve my work, and the areas where I have room to grow.
This letter is by no means a warning, a tell-tale sign to run away from sophomore year as fast as you can. My 10th grade year was one of my favorite years at Parker. Some of my fondest memories have been made during sophomore year, not just at the big events like the retreat or homecoming, but the small ones at the sophomore benches or the circle tables in the cafeteria. This year, I figured out who my real friends are: the people that will actually stand by me through everything and anything, the girls I think of as my sisters. If sophomore year is ever stumping you, if you feel lost academically or socially, there will always be an older member of the Parker community willing and ready to help though whatever your issue may be. That’s the beauty of sophomore year, your early days of high school, and the Parker community.

Xoxo,
Sascha