What's it like at Parkway?

When the term”Parkway” is used, there are different things that come to mind. Some people know extensively about Parkway because they’ve currently attend Parkway, while others only have a faint notion from what their friends have told them. However, an interview with Amanda McClain, a junior and 2-year attendee of Parkway, describes her day-to-day life in Parkway. She describes how she attends morning classes at Carlynton until 4th period, where she is called down to the bus to leave for Parkway. A Parkway student can either buy their lunch before they get on the bus, or pack their lunch and quickly eat during the 10-minute bus ride. Once at Parkway, she leaves her bookbag in her designated locker and signs in to Digital Multimedia, or DMM. There, she learns various graphic design skills and practices. If she chooses to, she can use her degree from Parkway to go directly to the workforce and be hired by a company.

Amanda states that she wanted to share what life is like at Parkway for students who are interested in Parkway, but are too intimidated by the changes in schedule or unfamiliarity of what working at Parkway is like. And she also has advice, both to current Parkway members and those considering joining: Do The Work. She explains that some students believe that since they can go directly to work after high school they don’t need to do any of the schoolwork. Others are dedicated to the work, but aren’t aware of the rigor from doing both Parkway and schoolwork. Yet others also don’t take Parkway seriously, since they either view it as an opportunity to miss school or don’t realize the relevance of what’s being taught at Parkway. Amanda’s advice is to work both hard at Carlynton and Parkway, because not only do both schools give the full amount of work regardless of what the other school assigns, but each lesson in Parkway teaches a valuable skill to use in the workforce. Despite the rigor, Amanda thoroughly enjoys the time she spends at Parkway. “Every day I learn something new. It’s amazing how what I learn in Parkway directly applies to my future career. I hope that others can share in the same joy that I experience and consider joining Parkway."

Abigail McClain, 11th grade student

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