The Life of A Junior by Jurnee Carr, Miss Teen International 2011

High school is such a fun time in a teenager’s life. Driving to school, cheering on your school team at Friday night basketball games, and going to prom are huge highlights! As a junior I have had an incredible 2 and a half years of enjoying high school! My high school is a little bit different than most; it’s year-round! This means that we go for 9 weeks of instructional time and have a 3 week break! Yes, I love it! I am also dual enrolled at the local university, completing college hours on top my high school credits.

My typical high school day consists of French 2 in the morning, then Advanced Algebra 2, next comes Environmental Science, and finally, U.S. History. After I am done with these classes at the high school, I venture over to the university to take English and Religion. Dual enrolling has been an incredible experience! Not only do I complete hours towards my future college degree, but I also get to meet new people and prepare myself for a real college atmosphere.

Junior year is very crucial. This is the year to start looking into colleges and thinking about what you would like to major in college. My ultimate educational goal is a Doctorate of Ministry. Needless to say, this will take a while to complete so I have begun researching all colleges that will offer the best education for this specific degree. Yes, college research is tedious, but you get to scope out the perfect college for you and discover what cool things they have to offer! Who knows? Maybe you’ll end up studying abroad in England! The possibilities are endless!

Another great aspect of high school is the countless opportunities to get involved and meet new friends! Conditioning just started for basketball, and I have had a fun time not only working on my personal and team basketball skills, but getting to know each team member a little better. My school is all about the freedom of the student body. We each have the opportunity to join as many clubs as we wish and create new clubs of our own! A friend and I started a Christian girl’s group that meets during lunch to have Bible study. Key Club is another way to get involved in the community! Also, showing your involvement in sports, clubs, and extracurricular activities stands out on college applications!

Sadly, high school is only four years. I encourage you to make the most out of every day that you spend at a desk, work diligently on your studies, and be the best you that you can be! The harder you work now, the easier it will be in your future. Four years go by fast; take it all in and make the most of it and yourself!