Maria Carrillo High School Program Essay - 1561 Words

Maria Carrillo High School is in the good part of town, less than five minutes from an upscale neighborhood where homes can be purchased for a median of $829,000 (trulia.com). At the front of the school, past the lot of shiny cars, the customary American and Bear Flags blowing in the breeze are accompanied by an unfamiliar blue banner proclaiming Carrillo’s status as a California Distinguished School. This program, intended to honor schools that have â€Å"improved student outcomes† through the implementation of standardized tests, is in the process of being phased out (cde.ca.gov). However, the MCHS website homepage still displays a digitized version of the flag proudly; adjacent is a link to a Newsweek article that ranks the school among the top 500 in America (mchs-santarosa-ca.schoolloop.com). There is every statistical indication that Maria Carrillo is an institution that produces college-ready, motivated students. Even anecdotal evidence, such as a Carrillo alum going on to swim—and medal—at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, seems to affirm the school’s excellence. Stepping foot onto campus does not immediately dispel any of the preconceived notions one may reasonably have after a few Google searches. The facade does not crack so easily. Reportedly designed by a prison architect—complete with a watchtower cleverly repurposed to house a large clock—the school is made up of a dozen or so small, one-story buildings of approximately six classrooms each. Large,