Attending a school such as, Hyde Leadership Charter School, one could notice that it comes with a list of unique qualities. Despite our high school probably being a lot different from most, those small little charms did nothing but add to our experiences. These are 20 signs you went to Hyde Leadership Charter School!
It might as well be one of the most irritating and uplifting part of everyone’s morning. Whether it’s the first thing you hear when you walk into homeroom or the dreadful theme that follows you as you stomp into the main office to collect and add to the stash pile of late passes in your locker. Honestly and frighteningly, it’s become such a normal part of my day that I freak out when I don’t hear it.
When it comes to class time at Hyde, one thing’s for certain, it can be unpredictable to both students and faculty. To be completely straightforward, there have been instances when students walk into class, expecting the usual 45 minute lecture period-only for it to turn into a ten minute fun class discussion about everyone’s weekend. But hey, what you do with your mercurial class times vary. You might even get to spend over an hour laying under a desk while your history teacher read you a children’s book with a meter stick in her hands as a means of defense during a hard lock down.
Hand signs and signals are a very important part of the Hyde culture, something that is drilled into the minds of even our little Kindergartners. In fact, it’s become such an instant response that the space that I am in doesn’t even matter at this point. A distant memory of my sixth grade year still lingers in my mind. I will never forget the moment that we were all on a bus, someone made a comment, and a chorus of obnoxious “dittos” trailed after-unnecessarily emphasized.
Wherever you are, the saying, “Keep it cleaner than you found it,” is about universally known. It’s pretty much an axiomatic phrase that you will hear or have heard in every moment of your Hyde high school career. And don’t be surprised when you see your dean occasionally walk into a classroom just to sweep up a plastic bag, or shuffle down the stairs to snatch up a wad of gum, while muttering the phrase like a mantra, “Keep it cleaner than you found it.”
No shade to the Boys Hyde Lions Team, but the girls team is obviously better (shout out to the excellence that we call the Female Lions)! But, you’ll never find the “bleachers”, which are technically a straight row of blue chairs, empty at any game. If you have been at Hyde student in the Bronx, NY location, then you are no stranger to cheering on the boys and scrambling for chants as they get owned on the court. I am however proud to say that they are improving greatly; which is what we’re truly cheering for.
I get really proud hearing my mom talk about how she walked home with my teachers and had a genuine conversation with them. It gets really funny when I realize that some of my classmates have faculty as regular customers at their family hair salon. And it gets really heart warming when I learn of a faculty member adopting a Hyde student. Since Hyde is a small, tight knit community, there’s no doubt that they considered themselves a part of the guest list to your family’s Thanksgiving.
You’ve got to be a Hyde student if you’ve stepped your toe into the warm waters and called your teachers by not only their first names, but their first, middle, last name, and created a nickname for them! Plus, you’re always going to the staff team for advice or even just chatting about a show that you all happened to get ticked off by. The Hyde staff is literally family to all of us and our real families. And we can always count on them to give us endless warm hugs or speed dial our parents when we’re in trouble.
I think that anyone can adhere to the proven fact that every student sleeps in some type of Hyde gear. Hyde gives away a lot of free shirts, and sometimes they just happen to become my new PJs. And they are very COMFORTABLE. Hey, I think that my Hyde fam can agree that we may not be all about playing basketball, but our basketball shorts are life right now.
We do this everyday and it’s literally as bad as signalling the ditto and disagree hand signs. It’s the best way to start the day. And trust me, you don’t get away with a limp or awkward handshake. You will continue to be yanked back until you’ve got the basics down. Even if you’re about to be late to your first class.
Stranger danger is a real thing. But, unfortunately not for Hyde students. There’s always a “hi” and a “bye” coming from complete strangers that are actually really nice. So don’t be a stranger. Say hi back, because that community is also one of your own.
Hyde is very crazy about reaching their students on a highly emotional level, all for the intention of personal growth. So, you’ve lived through the numerous school meetings, academic assemblies, discovery groups, senior retreat, and senior evals-talking about your feelings isn’t foreign. In fact, it helps so much that you just talk naturally in other professional spaces. But don’t forget to filter yourself.
Not only are we hanging out in a terribly small room with an unhealthy food assortment, but there are also two dozen students and faculty ready to chill and watch movies. Film festivals are a way of finally seeing the strenuous work that we had to complete in order to publish these movies and applaud the energy, time, and location. It’s serves at a great way to recruit more underclassmen into the class and the club. Also, a great time for constructive criticism.
Just like we do with family, the students swindle the teachers into doing things for us. Like taking us out for lunch. So, maybe they aren’t the cool uncles and aunts that buy us great meals all the time. But, as a student you count the trip and the occasional free Hershey bar as a blessing.
Most events at Hyde are student led, and we have to thank the student leadership teams for being such active members in our school spirit. From the corny spirit weeks to the sometimes deserted school parties, we can count on our student orgs to hype us all up. And hey, if you haven’t pelted your teachers will water balloons and hosed them down on the roof, then you have not lived.
Sometimes we can’t always take the wins, and Hyde varsity teams aren’t all that much of a stranger to losses. The best feeling however is knowing that you did your best and going back home to indulge in some junk food and ice cream that you would have to burn off later at practice.
Literally. Every homeroom has a different teacher, a different grade, and whether the room is quiet and stiff or loud and energetic, it’ll be quite evident when you walk in. It’s funny though, you’d expect the library to be a quiet homeroom, think again.
It’s cute honestly. People either get really sappy and brag about their favorite teacher. Or you hear the occasional, “why don’t students get appreciated too?”.
Senior seminar? Talking about our feelings and crying in front of everyone? Definitely an experience that everyone was apprehensive about, but as a Hyde student it really opens your eyes to the amount of growth and the dynamic relationships that you’ve built over your own journey.
The Monday after I graduated high school, I came back to Hyde to hang out and grab free metro cards. But that’s besides the point. No one can ever say that they never return to Hyde after graduation. It’s false, you’ll miss it. I miss it. And it’s always fun to see the changes and talk about how the underclassmen will bring the school to its downfall one day.
And here I am talking about it through this article. The Hyde experience is like no other and it’s always a pleasure to reflect on my personal growth. And by personal growth, I don’t mean the two inches I grew over the four years. Even though it’s hackneyed, I’ll continue to follow the popular mantra: “Make Every Moment Matter”.
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