In fall 2023, an invitation went out to UPrep students: tell us what the UPrep community means to you. They answered through various mediums, including artwork, photography, in paragraph form, poetry, and essays. While we wish there were room for all the entries, the following selection creates a vibrant picture of how our Pumas come together to create a safe, supportive community where students learn to lead a life of learning.

This photo was taken less than a month into school. In just a few weeks, I was able to establish relationships with every single person in that photo. That, in and of itself, is special.” –Caleb G., 9th grade

 

 

Community to me

Is being free;

From all stress and feelings

Of abyss;

From looking at schoolwork

To feeling happy with yourself and accomplishments

Living life to its fullest

Or hunkering down trying to finish your English

essay before 11:59.

All that comes with being a student

Coming to school to see your friends

Or going because academic achievements drive your focus

Watching people struggle

Or helping them when you see them fall;

Being a community comes with people who want to help

instead of being forced to;

Not asking for help, versus teachers asking if you need it.

Friends, teachers, and counselors asking if

you’re doing OK, or you’re struggling in silence.

Being helped or suffering your way through life.

Walking alone in life or with your community

that guides you the right way.

This is what our UPrep community means to me:

They are with you along the way.

–Annie M., 7th grade

“A big part of my time at UPrep is spent coming in and out of the Journalism classroom. Even though I’ve only been on The Puma Press staff for a short time, I’ve found an amazing community, not only with the staff members themselves, but with the connections I have made with people outside the classroom. There were many people who I had seen around school, students as well as teachers, that I had never once spoken to. Through the newspaper, I got to expand the number of people I could smile at and say hi to in the halls. Totally worth the hundreds of hours I have likely spent working on the paper.” –Sydney W., 12th grade

“In visual art, we did a whole class pour painting on a big canvas. The goal for this project was to explore color in different ways, and to work together as a community to create one amazing piece of art. We’re all very proud of what we’ve accomplished as a class.” –Eleanor M., 6th grade

“They asked me, what does community mean to me at UPrep. But what is community? Is it that feeling of belonging or togetherness? Does it mean you are not afraid to be yourself? For me, it’s feeling fearless. Feeling comfortable to get up on stage and make a speech in front of the whole grade or doing a wheelbarrow race for Middle School Games. Whatever community really is, I feel it at UPrep.” –Eden B. S., 6th grade

 

 

“This painting shows how UPrep is inclusive and kind to all people and supportive of many different interests. I painted it with my personal interests in mind to display how UPrep’s environment is more than just a school. It is a fun place where ideas grow and spark, and the community is kind and supportive. I painted it with doodles and art throughout to show how I can unleash my creativity and interests while learning. Overall, it is to show how warm and welcoming UPrep’s community is, and how the school cares not only about education, but also about well-being, fun, and helping our ideas and interests flourish.” –Elif T., 8th grade

Essay by Alina L., 7th grade

There isn’t one single thing that makes the UPrep community so powerful. What I love the most about our community is how everything fits together, kind of like a painting, everything building on each other. One single part of a painting may be unremarkable, but when you add the other components, it becomes intricately beautiful.

One piece of our UPrep painting that I love is all of our staff. The normality of waving to a teacher in the hall and them being there to wave back is often unsubstantial to us in our busy schedules and lives, but having all those connections to all sorts of people can really make you feel supported and welcomed into the UPrep community.

Another thing I love about UPrep is when we go to class, the teacher will always try to teach us to see beauty and fun in life and in the world around us and who we are, even if we don’t always understand. UPrep has expanded my horizons so much and introduced me to many more possibilities in all parts of my life.

The people working at the Commons Café can be just a small part of our day-to-day lives. We see them when we get our food and say our lunch account number, and sometimes you might start a brief conversation, but it’s always cut off by the person behind you saying their number. The people who work here can work so hard just for those few moments. I want to take a moment to give them my gratitude because they really make up a significant part of my day and my UPrep community with their positivity and kindness. I think that they are crucial to our school and routine, and they deserve more recognition as a part of the community.

All of our equipment and the fascinating technology we can learn with in all of our classes inspire wonder. UPrep provides all sorts of technology and materials to learn with, from laser printers to drones and microscopes. All of the tables, chairs, screens, and even the floor beneath our feet were carefully designed and crafted just so we could be here and discover more about the world. The building feels very comforting to me in a way because it feels like a safe space to push your boundaries. UPrep is even building the ULab to better support the learning and growth of our community. When we want to learn something, it’s there for us. It’s that reassurance that something or someone will always be there that is a huge part of feeling belonging and connected at UPrep.

I am immensely thankful to all of my peers, even the ones I might not always get along with. Just being able to have someone to talk to before school or during a break can really save you from lots of loneliness and insecurity about who you are. I can’t say in words how much comfort this brings, because I feel like I can really be myself, meet new people, and enjoy my middle and high school life. I didn’t have many friends before coming to UPrep, but now I have at least three or four close friends who are always there for me and will accept me for who I am.

The community in UPrep, in my opinion, could not be better at giving students a chance to explore, make mistakes, form strong bonds, and learn how to change the world.

In my artwork, the yellow roses represent the friendships I have made at UPrep, and the daffodil represents strength and resilience. The leaves represent the growth we have as a community and the apple represents the amazing teachers. The orange lily represents the confidence I have in us when we work together, and the question mark represents all the possibilities we at UPrep have.” –Dhara P., 7th grade

Community

It’s the word of the year

So let’s take a step

Into the community

At UPrep.

Students in the Commons

Talking before school

Debate team in the Library

Having an intellectual duel

Artwork hung up on every wall

A pie-eating contest in the midst of fall

Spirit days that never fail to impress

When so many Pumas change how they dress

Varsity games that are crowded with fans

Lunchtime concerts from students who play jazz

Flash mobs to songs from the movie “Barbie”

And clubs upon clubs for many a hobby

At our school, there is so much unity

And a wonderful array of opportunities

So I think it’s safe to say

We have a wonderful community.

–Eleena B., 9th grade

“One of my favorite parts of community at UPrep and a way that I have built a lot of relationships is through Community Time and office hours. These free periods built into our schedule give us space to work on homework or projects with our peers, which I appreciate a lot. Even when I am stressed out about a hard test, I know I can look forward to preparing with my friends while catching up and enjoying each other’s company at the same time.” –Ella K., 11th grade

 

 

 

READ MORE ARTICLES FROM THE WINTER ISSUE OF THE UPREP MAGAZINE.