Among the rumors here at Wheat Ridge High School, Jefferson High School was heard to be a very small school full of “very bad kids”.

So, I went to Jefferson High School to see for myself if these rumors were true. Jefferson High School is not like other high schools in the Jeffco area. Jefferson has grades 7-12, due to Wheat Ridge 5-8 having low student test scores, and a high teacher turnover rate, which at one point was at about 70%. By December of 2014, Wheat Ridge middle was considered a failing school by the state education department for four years. By the end of 2014-2015 school year, the Middle school was terminated, and turned into Stevens Elementary. Jefferson High School started 7-12 in the 2015-2016 school year.
Jefferson is not too different from us here at Wheat Ridge High School. Just the majority of people, and, obviously, here at the Farm, we don’t have middle schoolers. Jefferson High School is well organized with the separation of the students. For example, the sports at Jefferson High School are separated; middle school and high school students both have their own teams. The dances and classes during the day are very different as well. At Jefferson, they have different dances for the middle school students and the high school students. For the Middle School students they have a few dances like a Valentine’s dance, Spring Dance, and Winter Dances. And like usual high school students, they have Homecoming, Sadie’s, and Prom. The classes are also all separated. There are no classes where middle school and high school students are together. The only time they really see each other is during their passing period.
Many of the high school students at Jefferson don’t like having middle schoolers throughout the school, yet some don’t really notice, like the experience, or don’t have the time to care. Some of the middle school kids do get treated differently because most are a lot smaller than the High School students. Some of the middle schoolers tend to be very distant, they like to keep everything to themselves and not intervene with the bigger kids.
I visited Jefferson and interviewed some high school students, asking questions like if they agreed or liked having the middle school students around. Nanci Berrocal, a student at Jefferson high school says, “I personally don’t like having middle schoolers here because they’re younger, and they’re lot less mature, and also tend to be really nervous around the big kids.”
I asked another student if the school ever gets crowded, as well as if she likes having the younger students around. Freshman Nataly Luna says, “Since this school is a little smaller, it does get all crowded, but I’m happy that middle schoolers and high schoolers are together, so I can see what it’s like to have them around.” It’s fun to hear that some high school students like to experience wild seventh and eighth graders running around.
Jefferson has a very big population for a very small school. A little over 800 students for a one floored school. Just like here at the Farm, the hallways are crazy crowded, and loud. But we all manage to get through the day. The school year is almost over and everyone is super excited to get away from all that drama, and the eighth graders are finally going to be up with the high school students.