When school schedules were handed out for the first time, every student’s eyes were immediately drawn to what used to be “first period.” Instead of a typical class, the time previously allotted for first period has been replaced with a 30 minute period, known as Reaching Independent Success for Everyone (R.I.S.E).
The purpose of R.I.S.E. is to offer students support in classes, get organized for each day, prepare for various standardized tests and help with college planning. The time change from Enrichment to R.I.S.E. resulted in numerous changes throughout the school, affecting sports, clubs and class schedules. While some students favor this new adjustment, others fear its impact on their routine.
“[R.I.S.E. gives my] mind more time to wake up and get ready for the day,” sophomore Nirav Neupane said. “I have time to finish homework before all class periods, including first.”
R.I.S.E. also affects Texas High’s student-athletes by changing the times they train and prepare for each day. Athletes have expressed mixed feelings over this rearrangement.
“[R.I.S.E.] allows more time to swim, which will, in turn, cause us to have more time to train. This is vital for the upcoming competition season and our success,” sophomore swimmer Reagan Ramage said. “[The time change] does not give me a rest between practice and school, and sometimes a break is good to have.”
Ramage is not the only athlete struggling with this new change. Duncan Powell, a runner on the Boys Varsity Cross Country team, is grateful for the opportunities R.I.S.E. has provided him.
“I get done with cross country at around 7:50 a.m. and have a lot of time to shower and change,” Powell said. “[However], I wish [R.I.S.E could] be an extra 10 minutes long.”
Varsity sophomore soccer player Colin Pritchett is also grateful for the time extension that R.I.S.E. gives his team.
“R.I.S.E. is great, as it allows time for us to take a shower in the morning and not cut into practice time. The extra time helps reset my morning and reshape my day. It’s a great way to get exercise and have fun while being at school,” Pritchett said. “However, some students with early morning classes, like band and soccer, may need that time for studying and could see it as a disruption. ”
Junior Mia Perri’s personal experience dealing with this change in scheduling affects her academic performance and overall schoolwork. Her thoughts on this create valuable insight into the average student’s experience at Texas High.
“Last year, with enrichment in between classes, my mind was able to rest before going into the next period,” Perri said. “This year I have three APs in a row, and my mind [gets] very tired, so I [have begun] to lose focus towards the end [of the day].”
Overall, R.I.S.E. has both positive and negative effects. Although it has provided some students with more opportunities than they were previously offered, many are still adjusting to its impact on their day-to-day school life. Athletes have been greatly impacted by this disruption due to changes in their schedules to adjust to this new period. In the end, R.I.S.E. has caused a divide in students’ opinions on how and when they would rather spend their time during this period.
