Philadelphia students are often faced with a harsh dilemma Mondays- Fridays when they are going to school. That is: to either be on time or get proper rest. This challenge is different for some students who may live only a couple minutes away from their school, but is exacerbated for those that live an hour or more away from their place of education. Neighborhood schools in Philly have always been easily accessible and free to attend. So why is it that so many Philadelphia students choose to travel outside of their cache and sacrifice their beloved sleep schedule?
What time do you wake up?
What time do you wake up?
Prestonia Billa is a 2022 highschool graduate that attended neighborhood schools all throughout her life. This changed however, her 9th grade year when her mother recommended she went somewhere “better” for highschool. She chose Roxborough highschool which is roughly a 30 minute drive from where she lives. However, on the bus, the travel time is triple that.
The change in environment daily commute was a culture shock, but Billa says she adapted pretty quickly and learned the fastest route out of the many alternatives available, to get to school.
“Including the time I had to wait for each bus to come because I was never really sure and the time I had to walk to my school from the bus stop, It took me about 1 hour and a half on a good day” - Lena
Then why did she go? It seems like waking up 3-4 hours earlier than the time you’re expected to arrive at school seems like a nonsensical thing to do. Especially with many students being involved in extracurricular sports and clubs like Prestonia was.
I did it because the education was better, kids actually wanted to learn there, and that’s what my mom wanted for me. She didn’t want me in a neighborhood school. She said I had more potential” - Lena
Roxborough High School is just one of the many schools that seem to attract students from all different areas of Philly. Schools like SLA, Central, CAPA, Masterman, Palumbo and even here at Carver are top performing schools in Philly, so it’s likely that people would attend these places. Since the graduate left school in 2022, she's had some mixed feelings concerning her decision of attending a high school so far away.
"It definitely feels like time wasted for me, I didn’t go to college and just started working immediately so no matter where I got my high school diploma I’d still be in the same position.” - Lena
So, in the end, The long bus rides and walks to school weren't worth it? Rosa Keen is a 2010 graduate that attended Martin Luther King High School for freshman year and Central High School for 10th-12th grade. She recalls the moment her mother decided to have her transferred. She was 15 and had already finished the first two semesters at King. There are multiple break-ins into lockers by other students. Her mother noticed missing coats and hats and decided it would be best to take her out of that environment. Once she transferred to Central in 10th grade, her grades improved, she was more sociable and overall happier. Kids were more well behaved, and it seems people there actually cared about the work they were doing. The future of students were looked at in a positive light by staff and teachers whereas in other low-funded schools, the sutures of students aren’t really thought of.
“I’m happy I did it. When I was younger I guess I didn’t see the significance but now that I’m older I see how some of my friends from King turned out and my friends from Central and there’s definitely a difference.” - Rosa
This pressure from parents wanting “better” for their kids often leads to a rush for leaving neighborhood schools and attending these “good” schools. But what’s the difference? All of the schools mentioned above are all public schools. Central and Roxborough aren’t private institutions with more money coming from donors, they are just the same as King and under the Philadelphia school district. So why is it that these schools have a better quality of education?
“Well obviously a school like Central is better than like Bodine.” - Aaron
The question of the school district's true intentions come into question when comparing these neighborhood schools. It is true that some schools receive more funding than others, and because of this, the price of education has been raised higher and higher. Which leaves parents with the question, is sending your child far out of cache really worth it for a good education?
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