On November 15, Falk Middle School hosted eighth-graders and their families for “Ask a High Schooler Night,” a special event that brought Falk alumni back to discuss their high school experiences with an audience of soon-to-be-high-schooler and their families. 

Current students heard from Falk alumni who are now attending the following high schools: 

• Oakland Catholic  
• Winchester Thurston  
• Shady Side Academy
• Allderdice  
• Obama  
• CAPA  
• Ellis School

The high schoolers spoke about how a Falk Lab School education prepared them for the next stop on their educational journey, what kinds of adjustments they found themselves making, and how their current schools compare to Falk. Returning students spoke about the transition from a small school like Falk to a large public school like Obama or Allderdice, or a larger private school like Winchester Thurston.

“They all felt that Falk prepared them well for ninth grade,” said Sarah Faulx, Falk Lab School’s Middle School Counselor, who organized the event. 

Current Falk students asked the high schoolers questions like “What’s a day in the life of a student look like at your school?” and “Does your school offer any interesting classes that I’ve probably never taken before?” along with questions about extracurricular activities. 

In addition to giving current students an opportunity to have their questions answered, Ask a High Schooler provided them with information about different high schools. 

“One of the goals was to get them to branch out,” said Faulx. “There may be more options out there that fit what their needs are. Some of them may come away from the event saying, ‘I had no idea CAPA could offer that,’ for example, or ‘I learned more about Obama.’” 

That kind of information plays a valuable role in current Middle Schoolers’ decision process as they plan tours of different high schools over the fall and winter, and attend Falk Lab School’s high school fair in the spring.  

That event will also be open to seventh-grade families, who are welcome to visit different tables representing area high schools, pick up brochures on different schools, and talk with school personnel. There, seventh-grade families can sign up for summer sessions with Faulx to discuss their high school plans. 

One of her big takeaways from the event, Faulx said, was how proud Falk alumni were of having attended the school, and how excited they were to tell current students about where they are now. 

“My hope is that that will be these students someday,” she said, “up onstage saying how happy and proud they are of where they are in high school, and being reflective of their time at Falk.”