Ja'Nyah Villa
Students line up at the door at the end of Den, glued to their screens, counting down the minutes until the bell dismisses them.
Senior Reporter Ja’Nyah Villa is a two-year member of the Wildcat Chronicle who often writes opinion articles. The views expressed in this piece are her own.
As the bell rings to dismiss students from the third hour, classrooms erupt with loud sighs, dragging feet, and miffed grumbles from students. These students are on their way to Den, or the Student Support Initiative added to the daily bell schedule in 2022.
Before a schedule change occurred in January, students could use Den as a study period every other day, and the days in between were used for “lessons”, also known as games. However, returning from winter break, students were informed of a schedule change. Now, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, sophomores and seniors have study period days while freshmen and juniors are forced to participate in challenges and team-builders. The roles reverse on Thursdays and Fridays.
The original schedule was imperfect, but this new one, which feels as if it includes more games, seems to waste effort and time.
Many, though of course not all, students report negative views on Den. A number of those surveyed indicated they do not enjoy Den lessons, and would rather the time be spent doing something “more productive,” meaning they would prefer to use the time as a study period.
“Every second in Den feels like hours. I constantly look at the clock only to be disappointed that only a minute has passed since I last checked,” sophomore Milly Mora-Zarco said.
Not allowing students time to do homework during Den leaves them stressed and wondering when they will have the opportunity to finish their assignments after school.
“I just think Den should be removed entirely to reduce the length of the day, or maybe add extra time to the lunch periods,” said sophomore Dylan Mason.
Some students have homework, extracurriculars, and jobs to do after school. If Den offered more time for students to work productively, it could reduce their after-hour workload. Likewise, if Den was used as a study period more regularly, students who do take study hall could have room for more electives, and perhaps boost their GPAs because they could take a class that is worth credit, unlike study hall.
Multiple students have reported hardly getting any sleep at night, as they stay up late to finish homework and study for upcoming tests. While some at WEGO would not bat an eye at this information, students’ health should be prioritized over a couple of ungraded, uneducational lessons.
Den could be used to be a homeroom where students could get work done, complete retakes, socialize, and take a break through the day, and it is – sometimes.
“I think I’m more productive in den because I have things to do after school,” senior Ayelin Vellikara said.
On lesson days, however, it is a waste of time that leaves students bored and with an extra workload. Lately, it feels as if students would benefit more from having Den eradicated from their schedules altogether. The games are dull and not made for teenagers, and the lessons are repetitive.
“Sometimes the activities are boring, and I don’t think we should be forced to do them,” Vellikara said.
This is not to mention the after-high school “What will your future look like?” question that keeps popping up in Den. The school seems to ask us the same question every couple of months, and the latest iteration is just as obnoxious as always.
Of course, one’s Den teacher can make or break the class. There are those teachers who are laid back, make bonds with their students, and are pleasant to be around. Then some are talkative, heavily enforce unnecessary classroom rules, and take lesson days far too seriously.
“Some people love it, depending on the teacher,” Mora-Zarco said.
The class would be more helpful if students had the choice to do other things like study on their assigned “game days” – er, lesson days. At the very least, students should be able to opt out of lesson days to finish work or visit Academic Support. And if Den continues to feel like an awkwardly forced social environment and less like a helpful resource for students, it should be cut from schedules in upcoming years for the benefit of new students coming to WEGO.
Revision
March 14
The article was updated to include an additional quote from a previously interview source.