It seems like school just started yesterday, but we’re already well into the second quarter. You know what that means? 8th Grade Tours! While you have probably noticed new kids or heard the announcements in the middle of the 3rd period, it might have been a while since some of us had gone through a tour here. 2025 is our last year to give APS students a tour of the original career center building before we move into the Grace Hopper Center. So, let’s reminisce of what happened during the Arlington Tech tours we took when we were 8th graders.
Even though I’m a freshman, I vaguely remember my tours, so I went to the halls and asked some 9th and 11th grade students if they remember their 8th grade tours. From a survey of 10 people, all of them remember their tours, and most of them were attracted to the wide variety of electives offered. The specific electives listed were: auto shop, carpentry, tv production, medical technician, and aviation. All surveyed students said that the classes interested them, and the elective classes made them think about whether or not they wanted to pursue a career in that field.
Now, of course, liking something and acting on it are very different things. We asked them what helped make the final choice and apply to and enroll in Arlington Tech. The level of education was the highest percentile reason, with half of the students surveyed saying that they came here for the college education and opportunities. Other answers included the electives, school size, and even one accidental application. But, no matter what the process was, we all took the tours, and in the end we all decided to come here to ACC.
Dr. Van Lare is quite sad that this is the last tour in this building. She will miss the tours and the space we have here in the Arlington Career Center, but she said she’d especially miss the Commons and the fact that teachers are always running into each other. In a bigger building, that might change. I also asked what her favorite part of touring is, and she answered that student questions are her absolute favorite and a great part of the job. She added that she’s disappointed when students don’t have questions or don’t seem interested in the classes or the school.
In the middle of the tour, I was able to interview some of the Kenmore students on their way to Mr. Nystrom’s room to check out the engineering department. Their names were Emerald and Faeven. When I asked if the school seemed exciting, they said they liked the environment of the school so far, and that it looks like an exciting place. Then I asked what their favorite class was so far. They both said they liked what the cooking class had to offer, and it is their favorite. My final question was asking if they had any worries about attending the school full time. They said that, as of now, it’s too small, and the size of the building reminded them of an elementary school. But they added that they are excited for the building to be bigger next year.
With the touring season finally wrapping up, we end a tradition of touring the Career Center. As we make the Grace Hopper Center as our new home, we will always remember the first time we toured the Arlington Career Center, because we were once those 8th graders. We were the 8th graders who chose Arlington Tech, and we were the lucky 8th graders who were chosen by the lottery. Now as our seniors wrap up their last year, I’m sure the new freshmen will begin to rule the school with the new building and 8th grade tours will have a brand new view.
