Figueroa 1

Debbie Figueroa

Professor Lawson

English 113B

Project Space

May 12, 2017

Word count: 1215

The VAAS-WAY

The Valley Academy of Arts and Sciences or VAAS for short is a high school, VAAS is

located in the city of Granada Hills, California and it holds roughly 1600 students, these students

come from everywhere from exchanged students from France and Syria to exchange students from

South Korea. VAAS welcomes students from everywhere and lets the students express themselves in

any and everyway they can possible. One of the people who created VAAS was Ronald Harris who

is currently an AP Literature teacher. He had a vision along with Principal Kelley Hannock, that

VAAS would be a place that the students would create a culture within themselves and they call this

culture the VAAS-WAY.VAAS was described as a safe space by students and staff, a space where

students can be themselves. To have students from different places and different identities isn't really

seen much out in the real world. To have a space where everyone can be he or herself and enjoy

everything together without being divided by their ethnicities or where a culture does not influence

them. And that's what the VAAS-WAY means.

The students like to celebrate each day by doing something different. A student who

submits a music playlist chose every day the leadership committee plays music during lunch that.

The student who is chosen has a playlist already made and they get the chance to play it during

lunch, the music genre is based off what the student wants. During the visit there was music playing

in Spanish that was the music choice for that day, students were surrounding the stage and dancing
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with other students. Some students who didn't know how to dance to the music were dancing and

enjoying themselves. But not only do they play music they also play games that gives each student a

chance to be involved. Their lunchtime isn't just a break in between classes; it gives the students a

chance to get involved with their peers and school.

The faculty is really involved with that student s education and lives. One of the teachers

there is Mr. Padgett, he is an 11th grade English teacher that not only loves his job but enjoys

working with his students as well. In Mr. Padgetts classroom is really vibrant and full of character.

Walking in the first thing you see is the G.S.A flag, which is Gay. Straight. Alliance. That is his club

that gets students and staff awareness of the LGBT community. But only his room has a kind of

subculture each room that the teachers at VAAS have attract a certain crowd regarding what the

student is interested in.

In the classroom of Mr. Cho it's a chemistry class and in that class the students sit in their

own chosen seats and in that class they seem to of formed a sort of clique between each other. The

room is filled with different ethnic groups and being in the room the students with different

languages that they speak go around the room. Theres students speaking in Spanish and others

speaking Arabic. Although an ethnic group does seem to stand out more, that still doesnt determine

whether the students associate with each other. They all hang out with whom they want but that does

not mean that they have to be rude to others. In the eyes of VAAS students everyone is the same and

equal, whether its race or gender or anything everyone are equal.

Some of the parents of the kids argue that this way can coddle kids into thinking that the

world would be like that after they leave. But these kids are the future for our society, they might not

be enough to make immediate change but it could slowly begin to change everyone around us. The

VAAS-WAY is not just a set of rules for students to follow but its also a philosophy they can live

by. They kids can change everything little by little, they see how society is supposed to be, and they

are not trying to make like a separate society. They students just want to change the way people are
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now to a better way, they see the good in society and see there can be change, and change for the

better for the people.

VAAS has many different forms of art a student could express himself or herself in.

Theres multiple clubs and elective classes that offer students the chance to be able to show their

true colors without being judged for outcast. VAAS has a zero tolerance for bullying and will not

stand for anyone causing trouble at that school. VAAS likes to celebrate the staff and the students by

having family nights at the school; one of the events is the pancake breakfast. The pancake breakfast

is an event where students and teachers good to school on Saturday and the teachers make breakfast

for the students. The dean Mr. Tyni gladly helps to make the breakfast, they all show up early

morning and it ends at 12 in the afternoon. They have music and they have families come and enjoy

their time at their kids school. The way the students and the teachers just come together and have

fun together is amazing. The connection a student gets with the staff isnt like a regular high school.

Students who have left the student to advance to the next step in their lifes claim that its the hardest

thing for them to do. VAAS alumni say It feels like you're leaving your family behind they also

put out there that VAAS showed them how to live their life the VAAS-WAY, meaning that you show

except people for who they are. VAAS doesnt just share this culture amongst themselves but with

all the students families. VAAS helps not only the families of the students but also the community

around them; they have helped families in need. They also encourage their students to get involved

in outside school activities and volunteer in community centers to help those in need.

Although VAAS doesn't have an ethnicity division they all come together as one culture.

Its a place where the students have created sort of a culture within themselves. The students have

formed this safe culture that shows them the good in society. VAAS shows the students how to live

their life not the negative way but the positive way, and not only that they also teach their students

good lesson for life, not just basic subjects but also useful techniques. VAAS is not just any kind of

high school, it teaches kids that it is okay to be you and not hide from who you are and like to do.
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Whether it is to dance or work on art or love science and more, you were not considered weird if

you were passionate about something, you were seen as someone who has it together because you

know what you like. This culture that VAAS has created is a welcoming space and it accepts the

students and staff for who they are and where they come from. The Valley Academy of Arts and

Sciences has shown the students a culture, which is the VAAS-WAY.