With the beginning of a new school year came a fresh new batch of students: the class of 2027, Kingsway’s freshman class this year. Experiencing new events, like pep rallies, dances and clubs, students were full of a variety of emotions. 

Many found their way into Kingsway’s academies and clubs, hoping to expand their interests. Maya Jaiswal, a student in the S.T.E.M. academy and Kingsway’s marching band, said, “I’m currently part of the Kingsway marching band, I’m looking to audition for the musical— but I’m not sure about that yet— and I wanted to see if it’s possible to join a model UN because I think that would be a really interesting experience.” 

A unique factor about Kingsway is the opportunity to participate in one of its academies: the S.T.E.M. and Business Leadership Academies (B.L.A).  Melanie Ortiz Vicente and Jude Palazzo, both members of B.L.A., describe the benefits of being able to participate in D.E.C.A., an organization and club that provides future entrepreneurs with the preparation for their careers. Jude said, “My favorite part [of the academy] so far is the seminar class we have. This has benefitted me by letting me learn new business topics and by giving me insight and practice for the D.E.C.A. program.” 

Many of the academy students also take more challenging classes, including honors and advanced placement (AP). Patrick, or Pat, Civaterese, a student-athlete who is also a member of the S.T.E.M. academy, said, “I expected them [advanced courses] to be a challenge, but I’m always up for a challenge and I feel like taking these classes will help me with my career path.” 

Many students like Pat are appreciative of Kingsway’s advanced course set-up and are looking forward to having a great start to their academic journey. No matter which obstacles one faces with starting high school, taking them on with determination and rigor is bound to bring success, just as the class of 2027 has demonstrated. This is the end of ‘A Fresh Look’ edition one, tune in next time!