Perspectives on South

Students, staff share how they see things from where they are within the South community.

For roughly 10 years, Tamara Torrence has been a math teacher at South. Before working at South, Torrence worked at Sheldon High School and taught fifth grade at Camas Ridge Elementary School. I sat down with Torrence to learn a little more about her perspective of South.

How do you feel about the environment at South? Is it different from other schools?

I think it’s pretty intense academically here. Students put a lot of pressure on themselves to take a lot of really challenging classes. I think that it’s [been] the expectation for students to take those classes both before and after COVID, but the effort the students are willing to put in has changed a lot.

What do you feel like South emphasizes? What should it put more emphasis on?

I don’t know if the school emphasizes it, but I think that students and families emphasize academics. I just wish that people would put more emphasis on what classes they want to take versus what they think they should take. A lot of classes just cause an enormous amount of stress and [students] are not necessarily interested in the topic.

Do you feel like South is supportive to all students both emotionally and educationally?

Well, I feel like it’s pretty cliquey, and I think that alienates some students from feeling accepted here; but that’s pretty universal for high school. I think that we should work to change that so that everyone knows they have a space.

What’s your favorite part about working at South?

I just love teaching students math, especially statistics. I also love teaching calculus. Working with the students and planning my day just makes me really happy.

Andy Tsai,  a junior from Taiwan, is doing a full-year exchange program here at South. Tsai indulged us with his own ideas on how he views South.

What made you want to do an exchange program?

Fun and a challenge! I wanted a new experience, and I picked America, and then the program chose for me to go here.

What do you like about South?

I feel like it’s more creative and free. All the schools in Asia are much more strict. They sometimes feel like a prison. So, it just feels a lot less strict here.

What do you feel South emphasizes? What should it put more emphasis on?

Apparently everyone says the academics here are really good. I’ve heard that South doesn’t necessarily have as good of sports as some other schools.

How is South different from other schools that you went to?

Like I said, it feels more free and that you have more choices. It’s an open campus, so you can just go out and have lunch and stuff. You can’t do that back in Taiwan; it’s really interesting.

What’s your favorite memory so far?

Homecoming! It was quite fun. We don’t do that kind of stuff in Taiwan because, as I said, it’s pretty much a prison. So I really liked the dance. It was a really cool experience.

Jamey Heather Davis has been a math teacher at South for around seven years and previously taught at LCC. Davis gave some insight into her views of South. .

What do you feel like South emphasizes? What should it put more emphasis on?

I’m actually kind of confused about what we’re emphasizing nowadays. The direction from [the administration] is AVID style learning. But as far as content in general, I don’t really know, especially with the new semester system. There are classes that can’t cover what they used to cover in the same amount of time. So, I would like to say academics, but feel like it’s more focused on learning styles than a specific content.

How is the South environment different from other schools?

I mean, it’s hard to say since I haven’t taught in any other high schools. But when I was subbing, I felt like the South students were more obsessed with grades than the other high schools, including Willamette. I am not sure about the diversity, but South is, you know, a pretty white school. Then again, Eugene is pretty white. I will say that at least the staff and students that I’ve come across have been pretty welcoming to me as a trans woman, so that’s that’s nice. I’m not sure how the other high schools would be, though maybe they’d be fine . 

Do you feel like South is supportive to all students both emotionally and educationally?

I feel like it tries to be supportive educationally, and I know many of the staff are really trying to be welcoming. You know, though, we all have our own unconscious bias, and I’ve heard tales that make me wonder about some of the things teachers have said. Hopefully, I’m not one of them, but I don’t know.

What’s your favorite part about working here?

My favorite thing about working here is getting to know young adults before they move on into adulthood. I mean, teenagers can be a nightmare. But I think when you treat teenagers like potential adults, you can learn a lot from them, and they have a lot to share and to give. So it’s been great getting to know people this age.

Ben Scott has worked at South as a custodian for almost a year. I got the chance to talk with him about his experiences at South.

What do you feel like South emphasizes? What should it put more emphasis on?

I think South has put more of an emphasis on security and restrictions this year. Although, it should [put more of an emphasis] on making sure kids clean up after themselves. It makes our job harder when we have to change the garbage cans, and they’re just overflowing. And the main [problem] is the eating in classes. I know it’s hard because there’s a long time between meals and stuff, but it just makes it really hard to clean up.

What’s your favorite part about working here?

I love the interaction with students, the other staff, and just the well-being of coming to work. And feeling like you just love your job, not just coming to work and getting the job done.

Frida Kullberg is a senior from Sweden doing a full-year exchange program at South. I got the opportunity to talk to her about her perspective on South as a school and as an environment.

What made you want to do an exchange program?

I’ve known this since I was nine years old. I always wanted to do one because my dad did it when he was younger, and he told me about it. I watched all the high school movies, and I was like, “I want that, I want to feel like that.” I was kind of disappointed but, you know, it’s still fun. When I was 10 years old, I started planning my outfits that I was going to wear in high school.

What do you like about South?

Well, the organization picked Eugene, but I knew I wanted to go to America, and I really like South. It’s very different from the [schools] in Sweden. I like that you have classes with different people and that the bell rings so that everyone changes classes at the same time, because in Sweden you just don’t have that. Everyone has been so kind though.

What do you feel South emphasizes? What should it put more emphasis on?

I would say it’s very academic. But I like that they’re talking about the heavier things, like suicide prevention and mental health issues. I also like that they have diversity and have speakers come in to talk about different groups.

How is the South environment different from other schools that you went to?

In Sweden, you have to dress up more for schoolYou can’t really go in pajamas or sweatpants. I honestly like that you can do that here. It’s more laid back. Kids sometimes skip class, which you can’t do in Sweden, because otherwise you don’t get paid. We usually get $125 per month to go to school. 

What’s your favorite memory so far?

I think my favorite memory so far is my first American football game. It was so fun! Everyone was so nice and interested that I was an exchange student. I was talking to everyone, and we got ice cream afterwards. There was a sunset and warm weather, too. It was just so pretty, and I loved it.

By Jada Jones

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