Etowah may seem just like any other high school to some students, but to new Eagles, it can be quite intimidating for just how unique of a high school it really is.
Eagle Mountain’s size is sometimes referred to as being almost like a small college campus with its different buildings being designated to specific subjects. For those who came from middle school, the size change is major, and it can be a very scary adjustment.
“[Etowah is] definitely different because my old school was one building, but I like it because it gives me a chance to move around during the day between classes and [be able] to go outside for a little bit,” Ashley Miller, senior, said.
With such a big campus, it can be difficult to get to class on time, so there are two different bells after each class period that release students. The first bell is known as the cross campus release (CCR) bell, and this is for students who need to cross between the main and east campuses. This is vastly different for new students who are used to leaving at one bell.
“Coming from Michigan where the districts [are small] and the high schools are all only one building, to now [being at] an eight building school is a lot, but it is really nice to see the difference,” Kaelyn Browning, freshman, said.
Most schools have one lunchroom that all students are required to eat in, but for Etowah, this is not the case. Due to the open campus, Eagle Mountain contains two lunchrooms, one at east and one at main. However, students in the lunchroom are not allowed to leave at the CCR bell, so they must plan accordingly.
“I like how much longer lunch is now because I can actually work on homework or study before my other classes. Having two lunchrooms is different but cool because I like [how] the East one is way quieter than main, so if I wanted it to be quieter, I would definitely sit at East,” Trinity Crowell, freshman, said.
Etowah has proven to be quite unique in many ways, especially with their open campus, the CCR bells, and two different lunchrooms. Eagle Mountain can be pretty scary and will definitely be an adjustment for new students, but as everyone has had to adjust to it at somepoint, they will get the hang of it and feel just like an Eagle in no time.
