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As Trinity Episcopal School 8th Grade students and families begin the process of picking a high school, Trinity alumni who have been in their shoes returned to campus on Sept. 21, to offer advice on this next chapter of their lives.

“You’re going to end up where you’re supposed to be,” said Avery Scannell TES ‘24, who was joined on the panel by Irie King TES ‘23, Anna Warner TES ‘23, Carolyn Marino TES ‘24, and William Rojas TES ‘25. The discussion was moderated by Lilla Clark, 8th Grade Language Arts Teacher and High School Counselor.

The one-hour session touched on the transition from Trinity to high school, academic workloads and options for advanced courses, balancing schoolwork and extracurricular activities, and how Trinity prepared students for high school.

Finding a High School

Scannell, who now attends Providence Day School, advised 8th Grade students to consider all options for high school, public and private. Applying to and touring several high schools not only helped see what each school offers, it also prepared her for considering colleges.

“All of the things I had to think about when I was applying for high school are coming up again with my college search,” she said. Her mindset shifted from worrying she wouldn’t get into a school, to thinking about how she could thrive at each one.

Asked for advice on the in-person interview portion of the high school application, Scannell said students need to be themselves. “I know it’s really hard to relax in those situations, but they’re really just trying to know who you are,” she said. “Of course they look at your grades, but I genuinely think they really just want to know who you are as a person.”

Irie King, a senior at Charlotte Latin High School, added: “Don’t work yourself up too much. You’re going to go to high school.”

Find Your People - and Your Teachers

Once a student is in high school, the alumni said it was important to start making connections with classmates and teachers, especially when going to a larger high school.

“I strongly recommend you join a club or a sports team,” said William Rojas, a sophomore at East Mecklenburg High School. “It was one of the things that helped my transition to high school. I got to know so many new people and I established a lot of new connections and friends.”

Scannell added: “Lean on people who are going through the same thing as you, and find people who have been there for a long time to help guide you.”

Anna Warner, a senior at Myers Park High School, said being in a club or some other extracurricular group has college application benefits in addition to the social advantages.

“We have so many clubs (at Myers Park),” she said. “If you can think of it, there’s probably a club for it. And if there’s not, you can create your own.”

The alumni stressed the importance of building strong relationships with teachers, starting with the first day of freshman year.

Carolyn Marino, a sophomore at Providence High School, said teachers appreciate seeing a student being engaged and interested in a class, which will pay off in the future when students need a college recommendation.

“It’s on you to establish that trust and that relationship,” she said.

The panel said students should take any opportunity to meet with teachers during office hours to work through anything needing extra help.

“Make sure you’re leaning on your teachers because it’s really going to make a difference in your freshman year,” said Warner.

Finding a Sustainable Course Load

While students might be tempted to heap as many advanced courses as possible onto their schedules, the alumni cautioned students to start slowly when they reach high school.

“It’s better to go into a class that you’re prepared for and get a good grade than to take a class that might be too much for you and get a bad grade,” Marino said.

Warner, who is taking four Advanced Placement courses in her senior year at Myers Park, said students should only consider it if they can set aside the time to study. “Be prepared for what you’re signing up for,” she said, “because if you have to switch to another class, you’ll already be behind in it.”

Alumni said deciding whether to take an honors or AP course is another reason to have a good relationship with teachers who know a students’ ability to keep up with the demands of the class.

Scannell advised students not to place too much emphasis on the number of advanced courses they take, if any.

“I’m taking APs because of the (colleges) I’m targeting for myself, and it was the best choice for me, but I have friends that aren’t taking as many, and they’re set for great colleges as well,” she said. “In the end, it’s just another number.”

Prepared for High School Because of Trinity

When asked how Trinity prepared them for high school, the alumni returned to the relationship-building with their teachers.

King said proactive communication with teachers was key to her high school transition and was a skill she developed at Trinity.

“It’s going to be a lot choppier if you don’t talk to your teachers,” she said. “They are going to help you, just go and ask them.”

Scannell added: “At Providence Day, it’s so important to have a close-knit relationship with all of your teachers, and Trinity helped me build those relationships.”

Marino said Trinity prepared her to be an independent learner who has to initiate help when she needs it and ask questions of her teachers.

“In high school, you’re your own person now, and you’re the one who has to put in the work and effort,” she said. “Trinity gave me the independence to know what I need to be a better student.”