Crossing the River: First Week of School at DeBakey 2022-2023

At DeBakey High School, students said goodbye to summer and walked into a new year of learning, growth... and a still very hot Texas sun. August 22nd, 2022 was the day that new faces, both younger and older, appeared through the DeBakey front door - the day where the sound of morning chatter resonated through the air like buzzing bees (or maybe even like my morning buzz notifications), and the moment where excited freshmen high schoolers crossed the river of comfort to meet someone new. During the first week of school, I interviewed students, returning teachers, and took countless photos of memories that ought to last forever... tag along to see!

Ms. Derdlim Magana, a 12th grade health science teacher at DeBakey, sports her royal blue scrubs.

What is everyone most excited about this new school year?
Ms. Magaña, a 12th grade health science teacher, says: “Hopefully getting back on track with the students and getting back into clinical rotations”. Because of COVID-19, DeBakey’s tradition of allowing juniors and seniors to attend clinical rotations in hospital settings was canceled. But, this year holds great promise for the tradition’s return!
Elizabeth Trinh, a freshman at DeBakey, could not contain her excitement when she said “Clubs, I really want to join some clubs this year!” One of DeBakey’s most notable clubs is the Interact Club, a volunteer club that hosts fun events like the Annual Viper Camp! This year, students got the opportunity to play interactive games, get a tour of the school, and receive insight about DeBakey’s culture from upperclassmen. Another fellow freshman at DeBakey said, “I’m excited for [IFEST or Field Day]!” They are totally right, because these events are BEYOND fun!

(from left to right) Elizabeth Trinh, Emma Trinh, and Emma Xi sit together at a lunch table.

What is everyone most nervous about this new school year?
Emma Trinh and Emma Xi, both freshmen at DeBakey, said that they were nervous about the workload, especially in biology. With a STEM based curriculum, DeBakey can definitely be rigorous. But, as a current DeBakey junior, I can say with confidence that this rigor is a gift in disguise! Taking on new challenges, crossing the river of comfort to explore new situations, and walking on thin ropes can encourage people from all walks of life to become better versions of themselves and find their passion in life.

What do you guys hope this new year holds?
Ms. Magana hopes this year holds “Good health and enthusiasm to learn and to be flexible in learning.”
“I hope I make new friends,” says Emma Xi.

As for me, a junior, which is supposedly the hardest year of high school, I hope to grow as an individual, writer, and friend! I hope that I can learn from my mistakes and try new things each day. And maybe even get a good score on my SAT test, which I have barely started studying for... So cheers, wherever one is, to a new, exciting school year!