Mariam Hassan is a freshman at Lakeville South High School. I asked her about the struggles and benefits of going to Lakeville South compared to Prior Lake.

Q: What school did you attend in middle school? Also, what high school do you attend now?

A: I attended Hidden Oaks Middle School in Prior Lake, Minnesota. Now I go to Lakeville South High School in Lakeville, Minnesota.

Q: What is your favorite thing about Lakeville South High School?

A: I really like the school spirit at Lakeville South. Everyone is involved in the games and spirit week, which makes it fun for me to participate. I also think that the students here have a lot of energy which also makes it fun to participate.

Q: What was your favorite thing about attending Hidden Oaks Middle School?

A: I loved spending so much time with my best friends in school, they really encouraged me to reach my academic goals. They were also really supportive of when I told them I had to move to Lakeville.

Q: Do you find a difference in qualities of teachers at Prior Lake compared to Lakeville South?

A: I think I do notice the difference, but that is only because of the switch between middle school and high school. I think that teachers in middle school have more time to get to know every student and their strengths and weaknesses. Whereas in high school the teachers have more students and less time to get to know every student.

Q: What are some of the activities that Lakeville South offers that Prior Lake doesn’t?

A: At Lakeville South there is a debate club which I’m pretty sure doesn’t exist at Prior Lake. I think that the clubs offered at Lakeville South are much more diverse than the clubs offered at Prior Lake, which has benefited me.

Q: Are the students pretty welcoming to new students at Lakeville South?

A: Yes, I think they are pretty welcoming but high school is kind of the same everywhere. There are cliques like there are at any high school. There are also students who are not as welcoming as others.

Q: If you had the chance, what would you change about Lakeville South?

A: I wish Lakeville South had more of a diverse student body. Almost all of the students here are white which makes it difficult for students to learn about different cultures from their peers. I also wish that some of the clubs weren’t considered embarrassing. One of the clubs in particular is the Diversity club no one wants to join out of fear of what other students will think about them.

Q: What were some of the challenges of moving from all your close friends to a unfamiliar school?

A: I was scared that I wouldn’t make new friends at Lakeville South. I realize now that it was an irrational fear because I’ve made a lot of new friends who I am close with.

Q: Would you go back to Prior Lake if you could?

A: I wouldn’t be mad if I was forced to go back because I still have some of my best friends at Prior Lake, but I have also developed a close bond with the people that I’ve met at Lakeville through school, swimming, and mock trial.