Off the I-15

As I sat in the Barstow Community College gymnasium on Monday night watching the Silver Valley High School graduation ceremony, it occurred to me that my own high school graduation would have been eight years ago if I’d had one. But I never went through a high school graduation of my own. There were plenty of other graduations: grade school, middle school, two and four-year college. But, unlike the 99 people who walked across the stage on Monday, I don’t have a high school diploma.

I left high school in Tucson after my sophomore year, took the G.E.D. test and went straight to community college. I was too smart for my own good, bored by high school, and at the age of 16, I was already impatient to start my adult life. Some people tried to talk me out of it, from my friends at school, to the counselor I talked to at the community college, who went on about how I would miss all the precious memories of high school football games and dances. I wasn’t too worried about it.

At community college, I got to learn about subjects that I picked, in classrooms full of people who wanted to be there bad enough to pay for it. I got my first experience in journalism. I still had my friends and I still made it to four-year college and, eventually, to a “career.” I never regretted making the choice I did.

But that was me. I wouldn’t make a blanket statement that all kids should follow the same path. A lot of people have a great high school experience. Some people look back on those four years as the best of their lives. Some people have great teachers (I had a few, too) who inspire them and pique their interest in topics they never would have looked at otherwise. A lot of people make life long friends.

I don’t think there’s any single “right” direction to take in life, as long as you take the one that feel right to you, utilizes your talents, and makes you happy. The kids I talked to at the Silver Valley graduation seemed excited for the next phase in their lives. I was impressed by how many already knew what direction they wanted to head in, whether it’s fighting fires, running a beauty shop or searching for buried oasis sites in Egypt.

Eight years down the line, they might find they have ended up somewhere completely unexpected, but at least they’re starting out with a dream and a plan.

Abby Sewell | reporter

I cover government and education for the paper. Between the Planning Commission, the City Council, two school boards and the occasional Barstow Community College board meeting, I spend a lot of time in public meetings. As such, I spend a lot of time with my posterior in folding chairs while I furiously take notes and officials discuss official business officially. While not scribbling unintelligibly in a notepad, I have time to think about equally weighty matters — like the comfort of Barstow’s public meeting accommodations. So here goes with my highly unscientific five star rating system: Barstow Unified School District — Four and half stars What can I say? Lots of legroom at the meeting table, plenty of space for note-taking or storing a camera bag and a comfy cushioned swivel chair, doesn’t get any better than that. The best part: I get an assigned seat and a little name plate that says “press.” I don’t really care where I sit, but I like the table and legroom. Barstow City Council — Four stars The council chambers hold standard metal chairs, sure— but there’s a folding table as a hard surface for note taking, a nice view of the action and water pitchers. Barstow Planning Commission— Three and a half stars Held in the same room as the City Council meeting. Same room, same chairs, same folding table. Life is good except — no water. No water, no disposable cups, no relief for the parched throat that inevitably occurs at the end of a long working day. Silver Valley School Board— Three stars Sorry, school board, no offense. I like the people, but the meeting setup could be better. Metal chairs are standard enough, but the room is pretty cramped, and I’m always afraid I’ll accidentally kick or trip the speakers who approach the microphone to give comment. And for those of you who are curious of what it takes to earn a five-star meeting seat ranking, the answer is simple: a plush recliner, a personal water cooler, and a bigscreen TV to catch all the meeting action (or a Seinfeld rerun). — Jason Smith | Staff Writer