A Day in the Life of a Hunter Magnet Student
A Day in the Life of a Magnet Student Brrinngg! While most kids repeatedly hit the snooze button in the morning, dreading the school day, I pop right up. I can’t wait to enter the doors of Hunter Elementary GT/AG Basics. I am a 5th grade Magnet student who lives in North Raleigh. As I walk through the halls, I am greeted by my friends, some of whom are very different from me. Our school really has a diverse population made up of different cultures, religious beliefs, races, economic statuses, and walks of life. And I really consider that to be one of my school’s biggest strengths.
As soon as I get to school, I check in with my homeroom teacher and then head to the set of HMTV, Hunter Magnet’s very own daily broadcasting television show. We have less than 30 minutes to prepare for today’s show. We have a “behind the scenes” tech crew, but I am one of the anchors today. (We rotate anchors to give lots of kids experience). We practice the announcements on the teleprompter prior to the broadcast. Along with the normal daily announcements, some of the special events include: “Reminder to all students in the Shutterbug elective: Walking field trip to take digital pictures of the capital city today! Attention all science lovers: Science night is tonight at 6:00! Stop by to check out the Wax Museum on the 2nd grade hallway!” And as always we remind every student at our school to be a Hunter STAR by showing positive Self-discipline, Teamwork, Attitude, and Respect!”
All kids at my school rotate through specials including music, art, P.E., dance, drama, guidance, and computer. I am currently in the music rotation. I can’t wait to play “Recorder Karate”! The increasingly difficult songs I learn on the recorder will help me to earn the highly sought after Black Belt! After specials, I go to my Basics I class, followed by my Basics II class. Because I was identified Academically Gifted (AG) at the end of my 3rd grade year, I am grouped with other students who have similar abilities for my Basics (reading and math). We have excellent teachers who intentionally design their lessons around the needs of students without using mandated textbooks. As a result, our hands-on, interactive lessons are geared towards higher order thinking and towards stimulating creativity for all learners, AG and non-AG.
I have been a student at Hunter since kindergarten and have been impacted not only by the teachers and their drive for academic excellence, but also by the wide array of elective offerings provided during the school day. I have had the opportunity over the years to take over 40 electives and the best thing is that my parents and I have been able to design a curriculum that matches my desires and passions. Because I love math and science, I have taken Aeronautics, Chemistry, Logic and Problem solving, Hard-Hatting in a Geo World, Web Design, and Microscopic Living. But many of my friends, male and female, who have gifts/passions in the performing arts, have participated in our award-winning Band and Orchestra programs, our Show Choir, our Dance Ensemble, and our Theater Production electives. Their performances are almost professional! I am so amazed each time I see them! Others of my friends have participated in Track, Yearbook, Spanish, Odyssey of the Mind, Science Olympiad, Scholastic Pursuit, and an amazing array of Art electives.
So you ask, “How do you choose?!” Well, my teachers encourage me to find what I love and pursue my passions. Our motto is “Where Dreamers Become Stars”. The students at my school are given the freedom to dream big and to follow those dreams. If kids have lots of passions, they can explore as many avenues as they wish. For me, I have explored many electives through the years, but I have a clear sense that my niche is in the areas of science and math. Gotta go! Tonight is “Science Night”. Not only will I get to present my science project on the “Effects of Friction on a K-Nex Design”, but I also get to meet real scientists from the Raleigh area and the Research Triangle Park who will set up hands-on interactive stations throughout the school. I saw the list of presentations for tonight’s line up. Some of them include: Rock Science with Guitars, Biochemistry, Poultry Science, Plug-In Hybrid Cars, NCSU Engineering, Dermatology, Exploding Water Bottles, G-Force in the Gym, Rockets and Aeronautics, Electronics Animation, Meteorology, and more. WOW! This is better than Disney World!
From the mouths of students: “Hunter’s diversity is the best part. I love going to school with kids from different cultures and different walks of life. It’s taught me to appreciate others and to get along with others who are not just like me.” Annabel, 5th grade, Hunter
"After taking the Theater Production elective, I realized how much I love acting. It has really opened doors for me to do other things.” Kenna, 2010 Hunter graduate
