After almost four years of being beacons of leadership, delivering exemplary Talking Leaves, and challenging the mind, nurturing the heart, and celebrating human dignity, the Class of 2024 has found itself in the throes of senioritis. As Editor-in-Chief of The Barefoot Times and a member of the graduating class myself, I have certainly been neglecting my duties. So I’ve been wondering: now that the seniors have been accepted into college, is our school going to fall apart?

Comfortable, beloved, playful, creative, old, sturdy, and a little beat up, Sequoyah’s structure was one of the main attractions of the school’s K-8 campus. And, after delighting children, teachers, and parents for generations, the structure has finally come down. Some things have changed on the campus over the years, with windstorms damaging the iconic climbing tree in 2012 and new buildings and basketball court being added during the upper expansion of 2013, but the structure, built under former Head of School Hannah McLaren, remained a constant for the students and alums of Sequoyah’s K-8.

Morning Meeting at Sequoyah is a huge part of the daily life of the community, offering a good opportunity for student connection.

Advisory. Let me say it again: advisory. Freshmen may know it as the “rest period,” the “forced friend group,” or the “chaotic mess of teenagers all trying to get their opinions across.” It is a period that takes 35 minutes out of your seven hours at Sequoyah. It is time for a teacher to impart life lessons and wisdom to young students. It is a place where differing opinions are welcomed, and a core part of some students’ lives.

Before we get started, let’s cover what you need to know to adequately answer the question: “What is the Sequoyah Birthday Song?” It’s the song Sequoyahns sing, yell, and shout to one another when celebrating a birthday. But shouldn’t it be called “Sequoyah’s Birthday Song?”

Welcome to the ultimate after-school homework strategy. Imagine waving goodbye to last-minute cram sessions and diving into a structured plan that boosts productivity and crushes assignments.

Take a walk around campus and notice the students in the classrooms, the people on the benches, the random assortment of plants and trees, and the pavement beneath you. Many things make up a school, a campus, a community; one often-overlooked aspect of Sequoyah’s high school is its doodles.

When you hear snapping, you might think of poetry circles, community groups, activist circles, or hippie things, but if you’re a Sequoyah high school student, you most definitely think about… high school.

Lunchtimes at Sequoyah’s high school can be relaxed, rousing, and reflective, featuring music performances, potlucks, and, most commonly, clubs!

There’s a grocery store in Pasadena that has become a hub for the students and families of Sequoyah School. With many locations scattered throughout the city, Trader Joe’s has not only made grocery shopping a breeze for students, it has also become known for providing fresh and affordable products.

Being a teenager is hard. It’s full of new responsibilities and requires juggling social, academic, and personal life. You may think getting a job could add to that stress or that you’re not old enough to get a job; however, even as a freshman there are many opportunities available.

Sequoyah’s high school has a very interesting campus, which it shares with the Neighborhood Unitarian Universalist Church. Yet, despite its inviting appearance, with the main building resembling a treehouse, once you have spent a couple months, or even years at the school, you start to notice how small the campus can feel.