Ashton Richey, a senior at SHS, transferred from Center Grove High School to SHS her junior year. Richey had to leave her comfort zone and move mid-year, but she was the most concerned about leaving her friends behind.

“I was scared and apprehensive, but I was excited too,” Richey said. “I had friends here, but a new school is scary.”

Richey is one of the many students who transfer to SHS every year. Coming to a new school can affect these students in many ways. Whether it is socially, emotionally or academically, students experience many changes when moving.

Jessica Hensley, the registrar at SHS, assists new students during their transition. She appoints student workers to show the new students around and to explain how things work at SHS. Hensley believes that new students have an easier time adjusting to the school, because many students help them. However, Hensley thinks that switching schools can still have negative effects.

“I do feel that students can be affected in a negative way when they move to another school,” Hensley said. “I think it can affect their grades and other things too depending on when they move.”

Another student who has transferred to SHS, sophomore Hailey Sturm, moved here when her sophomore year began. She is a part of the 201 students that have transferred to SHS this year. Sturm transferred to SHS from Perry Meridian High School at the beginning of this school year.

Sturm feels that moving to SHS has been easy so far, and she feels that people at SHS have welcomed her.

“It was easy to make friends,” Sturm said. “I already had some friends so they introduced me to other people too.”

Being the new student was nothing new for Sturm either. Sturm has moved schools before in her 11 years of education. Out of all the times she has moved, Sturm feels that her move to SHS has been the best experience.

Hensley hopes that all the transferring students have experiences like Sturm.

“Unfortunately, I don’t know how students feel after they move,” Hensley said. “I hope their experiences are good, and I hope they are adjusting easy.”

Sturm felt very welcomed from the people of SHS, but the curriculum was a different story. When moving schools, Sturm says the way teachers explain and teach the material can be drastically different. Teachers at a different school might use completely different techniques than those at another.

“The teachers at Perry all teach a different style than teachers here,” Sturm said. “It’s kind of hard to get used to the different ways they teach.”

Hensley believes that this is usually the case. She feels that depending on when a student moves, it can be easier or harder for them.

“You know, moving here as a freshman at the beginning of the year is easy, because everyone else is new too,” Hensley said. “Then moving at the beginning of the year at another grade level is a little harder, and moving in the middle of a school year is even harder.”

Richey, on the other hand, found learning at SHS was easier for her despite moving in the middle of the year. Richey feels that even though she was placed in a new school halfway through all her classes, she picked up the material easier.

The hardest part of moving to SHS for Richey, though, was leaving her friends at Center Grove, a place where she felt content.

“I was so comfortable at my old school with all my friends,” Richey said. “So, I was put in an uncomfortable situation having to move in the middle of the year.”

Another hardship for Richey when transferring was the difference in the environments. She had trouble getting used to the block scheduling and remembering her classes. Richey also felt that the amount of groups and diversity was a change from her old school.

“It’s very diverse here, and at Center Grove it wasn’t,” Richey said. “So that was different to me.”

Hensley thinks that the diversity at SHS is what makes it easy for students to adjust. She feels that there is something for everyone to be a part of. Richey also agrees saying that people are very welcoming.

Besides all of their obstacles while moving to SHS, Richey and Sturm both have had some very great experiences. Both said they have made plenty of new friends and have adapted to the school well. Richey has received better grades, and Sturm has become more sociable with others.