At AHSl we are fortunate enough to experience a learning center with different cultures, customs, and beliefs. The veterans of AHS are used to our melting pot of various races. However, our newest faces, the freshman, are only now discovering the wonderful perspective we have on our world thanks to our wide spread range of backgrounds.
“I went to school in Columbia,” said freshman, Mateo Leon. On whether the different cultures surprised him, he said, “It’s surprising, but diversity is great!.” Mateo, who is originally from Columbia, came from a house hold that speaks both Spanish and English, which is very common for students here at AHS. He is very enticed by our expansive menagerie of nationalities saying, “Being at Annandale, I learn about different cultures. Everybody is okay with new people and different cultures.”
Mateo’s views towards our widespread backgrounds mirrors the feelings of many here at AHS. Sophmore Leya Santiago just arrived to Annandale from Japan, where she lived on a military base with her family. Although she presided at an American base, she attended an international school. On how she felt about such a diverse school like Annandale, she said, “I think its pretty cool!” When asked whether or not she felt the cultural diffusion affected the way students interact and learn, she responded, “No, I haven’t really noticed. It seems like everyone gets along pretty well.”
Indira Gautam, a sophmore, has also appreciated AHS for its different heritages and cultures saying, “It’s really cool to see people who are completely different learn about each others cultures and stuff. It helps us understand each other a lot more.“ Indira’s family is a rich blend of different backgrounds. Within her family, there are practicing Hindus, Buddhists, and Catholics. They also come from different countries such as Nepal and China. Indira originally lived in Napal, but her parents moved to America after falling in love with the U.S in their travels. They also felt it would provide a better education for her and her younger sister.
Having friends and peers of different descents has even helped students with their curriculum. Freshman Diego Matnani said, “In history, we were learning about religion, and they were able to tell us about theirs,” speaking about his fellow classmate’s ability to explain their religion in a deeper way than that of a textbook. Most everyone here at AHS has expierenced this, finding that having such an array of different religious, ethnic, and cultural make ups packed into one school has helped them prepare for the real world. Where some schools are predominately one type of person or another, the real world outside of our classes and hallways holds someone from every country, religion, race, and creed with an abundance of different beliefs.
Spending the next 4 years at Annandale with projects and extracurricular activities piling up is a daunting thought to freshmen, who are still trying to find their way. However, making long-lasting friendships from people of all walks of life will make it a more enjoyable journey and will only help you out later on in life. Freshman Jarod Golub noted this, saying “I get to make friends with people from different countries. It just makes for a better environment.”
By Chloe Loving and Joe Sehrer
Staff Writers