Shamar Walters Reflects On His Time at BSGE

Many new students
at BSGE believe that there
is too much work given.
But some of the older kids
think there is a good side of
the heavy workload. One
senior, Shamar Walters, believes
that to younger kids,
it may seem as if the assignments
are overwhelming,
but once you reach the end
of high school, you start to
appreciate everything here.
In a recent
i n t e r v i ew
with Shamar
Wa l t e r s ,
who plans
to go to
American
University
in Washington
D.C.,
he says that
the most
difficult experience
he’s ever had was
going through 11th and
12th grade. He said “you
have a lot of major assignments
happening at the
same time” which makes it
the hardest thing at BSGE.
But, he also says that the
overlapping major assignments
prepare you for everything.
He compares the
work at BSGE to the work
that his friends at other
schools get. He says his
“mentality or mindset…is a
lot more focused because I
went to BSGE.” Compared
to the other schools he’s
known about, “the teachers
[at BSGE] really take their
time to help you.” Walters
is “appreciative that [he’s]
been able to… be taken
care of.” Walters also feels
that he has accomplished a
lot at BSGE and knows that
future seniors will feel that
way to.
Not only does
Shamar, who transferred
late into the 7th grade
school year from another
school, think BSGE is a
good school because of
the work and experience
throughout, but in the interview,
he also said that 11th
and 12th grade are very beneficial.
Walters says “it can
be nice to… know everyone
in your grade and have
a familiarity with people
and see them in the hallway
and in your classes.” He
says that being at BSGE for
about 6 years, he enjoys it
because he knows everyone
in his grade by name and
also tell stories about each
and every one of them. Another
pro of being at BSGE
is that it feels “amazing” to
be graduating. It’s because
he’s been at BSGE ofr 6
years and it feels really good
to have an “appreciation for
what you’ve been able to
accomplish.” He feels good
that he’s been able to complete
high school and that
he’s gone through the hard
homework and all the major
assignments and assessments.
But there are some
cons of BSGE. He explained
what the younger kids have
a lot to (unfortunately) look
forward to in later years at
BSGE. He says that, for
him, after 10th grade, “everything
was harder. Everything
is fully into the IB
program… things are a lot
harder.” Because 7th to 10th
grade is only the Middle
Years Programme, and 11th
and 12th is going into the
IB Diploma Programme, so
it is more challenging and
more is expected from you.
Also, another con is how in
11th and 12th grade, you
have to take a lot of IB exams.
He explains that even
though it’s only a couple of
weeks of school for him, he
says “I still look at the next
three weeks and I have all
these IB exams and it seems
like ‘Yes, it is a short time,’
but that short time seems
so far away [because of the
exams] and you’re caught
in the middle.”
Another thing
that Walters, who plans on
becoming a sportscaster,
says he should tell the 7th
and 8th graders is to “get
drafts in early.” He explains
by saying “anytime you
have a major essay… don’t
just hand in your first draft
as your final draft. [You
should] go to the teacher
and let them read it for you
and let them tell you what’s
wrong with it.” He says that
this process (though tiring)
can help you write a better
essay, and maybe the teachers
who see that you are a
hard working student who
cares about their work will
cut you some slack the next
time you miss out on an assignment.
Shamar says, “…
the teachers here [at BSGE]
really take their time to help
you. I’m appreciative that
I’ve been able to, whenever
I need help… they’re willing
to stay after school …
the teachers go the extra
mile for you.”
Overall, Shamar
Walters, who loves the
fact that he’s leaving high
school soon, says he’s “really
happy” that he stayed
after 8th grade into high
school. Now that he’s
gone through the work at
BSGE, he feels he’s “really
prepared for college.” He
looks at his friends at other
high schools and explains
that he feels he is more prepared
for college than they
are.” Walters feels nostalgic
about leaving BSGE and
greatly, and honestly, appreciates
everything he has
been put through here in
this school.