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Starting Fresh at STE

By James McWhinnie, Saint Thomas' Episcopal School, School Buzz Reporter | September 17, 2018

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Bill Wei, Bret Ramsey, Sebastian Breeland, James McWhinnie

STE freshmen meeting in homeroom (pictured, from left) Bill Wei, homeroom teacher Mr. Bret Ramsey, Sebastian Breeland and James McWhinnie.

As a new freshman, it’s natural to be nervous on the first day of school. As soon as I walked through the doors at Saint Thomas’ Episcopal School (STE) in August, I was greeted by a friend from my former school. We went to my homeroom and met my teacher, Mr. Ramsey. I was one of the first people there, so I found my seat and more of my classmates started coming in. I started talking to the people sitting next to me and got to know them a little better.

Once everyone arrived to homeroom we went over everything that was upcoming this year. I then headed to my first class, met my new teacher, and got to know my classmates better. After attending my classes and chapel, I met up with my new friends and headed to lunch. We then continued to follow our class schedules for the remainder of the school day. As I prepared to go home, I realized that while I had started the day with a great deal of anxiety given the new environment, I ended the day having met a lot of welcoming people and enjoying an wesome
experience in all of my classes.

Fast-forward two weeks and all of us sit in the homeroom of Mr. Ramsey’s class waiting eagerly for the school day to start. So far I have gotten to know almost every person in the grade. If you took a look at the friendships that bind our freshman class, you would definitely think that we had been there for much longer. We’re all kind to each other and inclusive. No one is being left out, which seems to characterize the overall culture at STE. As soon as I walked through the doors of my new school, I felt accepted and I think that this is a great example of how STE has an amazing community that feels like a second family.