Middle College: Where young adults thrive

Giulia Curcelli does not go to school with most of the other juniors of Saratoga, but that is not to say she doesn’t go to school.
Curcelli, who attended SHS as an underclassman, now attends the Middle College Program at West Valley College.

According to Curcelli, more than 100 students from Saratoga, Los Gatos and Campbell participate in the program, about half of whom are juniors. The program, open only to upperclassmen, allows students to fulfill all their high school requirements in a college setting, simultaneously racking up college credits. All classes are held at West Valley College.
Curcelli said she didn’t “click” with the environment at Saratoga High.
“When looking into the program, I liked the wider range of classes that I would be able to take and I liked the diversity amongst all of the students,” Curcelli said.
Unlike some college preparatory schools, the Middle College Program tuition is completely free, making it attractive to students looking for the college experience but worried about potential costs.
This is because the Middle College program is considered part of the district, and the kids in the program are still considered high school students. They are just on a “different track,” so to speak. Students need only pay for their textbooks.
Curcelli is taking English, calculus, yoga, Italian and U.S. History this semester. She goes to class four days a week, Monday through Thursday.
Curcelli’s classes take place at wider ranging times than at Saratoga High. For instance, she has math class Tuesday and Thursday nights from 6:30 to 9.
Curcelli plans to take Film Appreciation over the winter break, and will take History of Rock and Roll next semester. Both are online courses.
Although Middle College offers considerable freedom in terms of choosing classes, Curcelli said the cons might outweigh the pros for many kids.
Although Middle College student athletes can practice with the West Valley teams, they cannot compete with them. Also, students who are members of drama productions, student government, most clubs, journalism and MAP will be unable to continue their participation in these programs if they choose to attend Middle College.
“There are fewer typical high school experiences,” Curcelli said, “but there are tons of other benefits. For me personally, Middle College lets me build my own schedule, so I have more time for things like volunteering and exploring other interests.”
Curcelli said one of the things holding her back at SHS was the newspaper class; she had been a reporter/layout artist and was slated to become one of the business managers for the Falcon had she continued. Curcelli said that had it not been for the newspaper, the decision to make the switch to Middle College would have a been an easy one.
“The biggest factor holding me at the high school was definitely being on the newspaper staff,” Curcelli said. “I wavered back and forth between my two options a lot because of newspaper, and I do miss being on staff.”
Curcelli said that she finds Middle College less competitive than SHS. She said this is a plus, finding the academic environment of high school often tense and off-putting.
“The teachers [in the Middle College] focus more on each student’s success and I feel like I can grow more when I’m not worried about competing with other people,” Curcelli said. “Even in my high school core classes, my teachers have more college-like philosophies. They really focus on eliminating busy work, and they are always available to help students.”
Although she is a proponent of Middle College academics, Curcelli now has to make an effort if she ever wants to meet with her high school friends.
“Facebook, texting and FaceTime are all really helpful for keeping in touch with friends from the high school,” Curcelli said. “I actually feel like I have a lot more of a social life now. Before, I would usually only see my friends at lunch and I was always really busy, but now that I go out of my way to see them, I enjoy the time I spend with them a lot more.”
Curcelli said she enjoys Middle College enough that she is not thinking of coming back to SHS.
“For me, Middle College primarily means two things: first, I can enjoy my education while still learning, and second, I can have a life outside of school,” Curcelli said.
Visit the lgsuhsd.org website for more information.