From the beginning of this school year (2014) I took notice to how I couldn’t tell the difference from freshman to the upperclassman. My friends and I were confused on why the incoming freshman didn’t have the black and yellow lanyards flashing “Freshmen Academy” like we did the previous year. My friends left it alone but the question still lingered on. Now, I finally have the answers I’ve been waiting for.

In my Journalism 3-4 class we recently got asked to partner up and choose a topic. The FRAC topic caught my eye in an instant. Thankfully my partner agreed to the topic. I’m not usually up for the whole interviewing people and getting answers type thing but I really wanted to know why the freshman had the same SLC lanyards we have. So I finally got answers, thanks to a certain teacher.

Before I get to telling you the answers I received I’m going to show you the questions we had to ask to be able to get them. Also my partner and I had to have these questions down before we got to leave class and interview teachers. 1) Why is there no more FRAC? (Obvious question) 2) What happened to it? 3) How are freshman placed into their SLC’s? 4) What was the purpose of FRAC in the first place? 5) Since freshman, were placed into SLC’s are they able to take SLC classes? 6) Are they testing it out or is it a permanent thing? 7) How long has FRAC been around? Lastly, what are the benefits of taking away FRAC?

Now I can tell you about the answers I got from Mr. Areida. My partner asked the questions while I stood in the back and wrote it down. We asked the question ‘How are the freshman placed into their SLC’s’ he answered with “When they pre-registered they had the opportunity to pick one, but if they didn’t they randomly got placed.” Mr. Areida said they thought it would be great to work with the freshman while they got adjusted to the new setting but they really needed to get started. The freshman needed to get integrated right away. “They’re in high school, let them be in high school.” He said when we asked a question on why they took FRAC away.

We then interviewed a freshman teacher, Justin McGehee. He anwered “I don’t know yet,” when asked how do you feel this about this sudden change in no more FRAC. “It’ll give them more time for their SLC.” he also added. We asked him if he openly chose to work with only Freshman and he answered yes. He wanted to work with the Freshman to get use to the idea of high school since the transformation from 8th grade was so vast.

In the end, there is no more FRAC and there are only good reasons as to why. Many felt incoming high school students needed to be part of high school right away because that’s the reality of it. Even though FRAC helped freshmen transition from middle school to high school, in the end they’ll have to get in the jist of everything going on, so why not start now?

So there you have it all you lurkers or genuinley interested people. The questions have been answered thanks to my partner and I. RIP FRAC, who knows if you’ll be missed by anyone.