By Torben Heinbockel 26′
In the life of a student, there are hardly any changes that are bigger and more important than moving from middle to high school. The only change that is even more momentous is to graduate high school after your senior year. Having moved up to Upper School as a ninth grader a few months ago, I can attest to the relevance of such significant transitions. The “rite of passage” into Upper School comes in many forms and covers different aspects of school life. One of them is to walk through the large cement arches while entering the Upper School through one of the four glass entry doors, reminds me every day of this transition. For ninth graders, walking through these doors signifies a big step as it comes with many firsts and plenty of changes. Although some of the aspects of high school are similar to middle school, the overall environment of high school is completely new and different. So, you may ask, what are some of these differences that I now experience in the Upper School?
I left behind the more regimented class schedules in Middle School that were mostly pre-determined and the same for everyone and replaced them with individualized and flexible class choices. The choices are broader, than in Middle School, and more tailored to my specific curiosities and needs. The class offerings in the Upper School symbolize the spacious entry doors. As I walk through these doors, I can expect a new freedom in my education, a wide array of classes, and an improved ability to learn. The Upper School classes allow me to dive deep into subjects that interest me and that I want to know more about. I can honestly say that you will receive a challenging academic experience, some of which will push you beyond your comfort zone. School is about studying academic topics that you have not experienced or conquered yet, finding out where your limits are, and then pushing yourself beyond those artificial limits, growing as a person and scholar.
Students entering Upper School are often concerned about the increased workload because teachers will state that students need to prepare better for this transition. As you can imagine, high school courses are more challenging and will require you to spend considerably more time studying and doing homework. However, the teachers at St. Paul’s Upper School make the transition easier by having a welcoming space, the lounges, that I can visit between classes. In addition, the Oriel is a space on the third floor of the Upper School to receive academic help from teachers.
Areas outside of academics are changing as well. If you felt that school uniforms in Middle School were limiting and did not give you enough room for personal fashion expression, the Upper School allows for more individualized appearances, while still setting some general dress boundaries. In the Upper School, boys are required to wear shirts, ties, and khakis. You can complement your look by wearing a quarter zip or St. Paul’s hoodie. Say goodbye to wearing sneakers and say hello to dress shoes. On Chapel days, all boys are required to wear a sports coat. I can say that my personal tie collection is steadily growing, and I am amazed by the coordination of shirt-tie options that you can come up with!
Self-expression is also evident in your personal choices of student clubs. The number of clubs in Upper School is almost overwhelming, and I am hard pressed to decide which of the many exciting clubs to attend during any given week. Currently, I am giving the Page and the Epistle a try, our Upper School newspaper, which is why you are reading this article. Before the end of the school year, I plan to write several articles for the newspaper covering exciting events happening around the world based on my interests. This is another great prospect offered by the Upper School; one that pushes me to write for a wider audience than the one teacher who reads my homework. Potentially, I will receive feedback from you, the reader, both positive and negative, which might even tell me something about future career choices. Feel free to send your thoughts and ideas to me at theinbockel@stpaulsmd.org.
The Upper School offers opportunities in the arts. I have participated in two theatrical productions since I entered the Upper School: Curtains and Tartuffe. It has been a lot of fun! Getting involved in such productions has allowed me to interact not only with other students from all grades in the Boy’s Upper School, but with students from SPSG as well. It is wonderful to see how cast and crew members encourage each other during the many, many rehearsals, and especially during shows! By engaging students from both schools, the theater productions allow me and others to practice daily how to connect and make SP a truly unified school. In addition, the choral arts allow me to travel locally, nationally, and internationally which gives students more chances to perform in front of new audiences and to showcase their vocal talents. For example, in early February of this year, choral arts students in the Upper Schools went to the Washington National Cathedral to enjoy a day of singing (Choral Evensong) together with students from other schools that are part of the Mid-Atlantic Episcopal School Association.
Additionally, as an Upper School student, I am required to fulfill service hours in the community. This is such a great idea because it connects me with various service organizations in the area. My first service hours were spent as a crew leader at a church camp for elementary school children during the summer. I loved the interactions that I had with younger kids and got a sense of what it is like to be a teacher and mentor and how I could make a positive contribution to their lives.
As I walk through the glass doors of the Upper School and attend classes every day in this magnificent new building I call my home, I am experiencing the transition from the lower school days to my new life as a high schooler. I can observe from the outside what is going on inside of the Upper School, everything from language classes, math classes, history classes, to hands-on physics projects, to name only a few. As I glance out from the safety of the school into the unknown world of colleges and potential jobs that await me, I know that I will be prepared for my next journey. In that sense, the transition to Upper School is just a welcome prelude to the big transition to college and beyond. As I move through high school, I grow more independent, which will prepare me for the challenges ahead. I look forward to the next three and a half years as I walk through the doors of the Upper School every day, and through the many doors that St. Paul’s has opened for me.
Photo by Torben Heinbockel ’26
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