For the past two years, they”ve pondered the mysteries of the universe together, but Friday afternoon, the biggest problem Columbus High School”s International Baccalaureate seniors faced was how to keep Zachary Thomas” cap soundly on his head during Saturday”s graduation. “I don”t know, maybe your head”s too big or something,” P.J. Lowe said, grinning as Marissa Hackler handed Thomas his stole and honors cords.
To say they are close to one another is an understatement.
“We”re like a dys…”
“Functional family,” Lowe said, finishing Hackler”s sentence.
As the first graduating class at CHS to complete the IB diploma program, the 21 participants may also be the greatest ambassadors the Columbus Municipal School District has for a rigorous academic curriculum proponents say goes beyond Advanced Placement classes, creating lifelong learners and preparing students to compete in a global economy.
IB Coordinator Lori Cargile said when the program first began, it was hard to sell parents and students on the idea.
Some days, it”s still a challenge, but it”s getting easier.
”We”ve eliminated some of the unknowns”
“We”re doing better now, because we”ve eliminated some of the unknowns,” Cargile said. “Parents are — and should be — protective of their children”s education, but having a group that”s completed the process will help. It”s one thing for me to say it”s great and wonderful, but to see our seniors, that”s really starting to turn around the way the community perceives it.”
She said mainly parents fear putting their child in a rigorous program that, once started, cannot be dropped and by which students are graded not only by local teachers but also by instructors around the world. Though all students who meet Mississippi requirements receive a Columbus High School diploma, there is no guarantee they will meet the requirements to receive one from IB.
This year”s senior class will not know until July whether they received the coveted diploma, which — according to a CHS brochure — “is accepted by universities worldwide as an indicator of academic excellence.”
”IB doesn”t consume their whole life”
The biggest misconception about the program, Cargile said, is the fear by both students and parents that the heavy academic requirements will put a damper on sports and extracurricular activities.
“A lot of people think once students enter IB, that means no more athletics, no more cheerleading, and that”s just not true,” Cargile said. “IB doesn”t consume their whole life.”
Courtney Stanback, who teaches two IB courses at Columbus High School, said that was her husband”s fear when their daughter, Rachel Stanback, indicated interest.
Instead, Rachel surprised them. She served as senior class vice president and editor of the yearbook. She fulfilled the required community service component of IB by volunteering with Habitat for Humanity and other organizations. She is also valedictorian of the CHS Class of 2011.
Most of the 21 IB students — all of whom are ranked in the top 25 of their class of 233 — hold equally active extracurricular lives.
Hackler was a varsity cheerleader. Thomas played football and soccer. Lowe played baseball. All three said instead of cutting into their free time, IB taught them to manage their time more wisely.
Ricky Truitt, who is headed to the University of Southern Mississippi to study music production, described the IB diploma program as “AP (Advanced Placement) on steroids.”
Instead of having one or two advanced classes interspersed with core curriculum, IB students have an entirely separate curriculum in which every class is intensely advanced.
Still, he said, his studies never interfered with his job at Malco Theater or having fun with his friends.
“There weren”t too many times I managed my time so poorly that I couldn”t do what I wanted,” Truitt said. “It was rough when we were in it, but now that we”re done, it was worth it.”
”I had no idea how hard it would be”
Hackler, who plans to attend Mississippi State to study foreign language education, said she didn”t know what to expect when she signed up for IB. She thought it would be slightly harder than accelerated classes.
“I had no idea how hard it would be,” Hackler said. “It”s one of the most challenging experiences you can get in high school to prepare you for college.”
Thomas, who plans to study chemistry with an emphasis on biochemistry at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, said there were times when he felt he would never see the light at the end of the tunnel, but now that it”s coming to an end, he”s sorry his time in the program is over.
“We knew it would be tough, but you don”t really understand until you”re going through it,” Thomas said. “We had a good time though. I wouldn”t change a thing.”
”They”ve been the light in my day”
Graduation is a bittersweet moment for the IB instructors as well. Sarah Oswalt, who teaches IB visual arts, began to cry Friday afternoon as she talked about what the 2011 senior class has meant to her, not only as a teacher but also as an artist.
“I have so many good memories with them,” Oswalt said. “They”ve been the light in my day. They came in bright-eyed and ready to try things, and I really fell in love with being able to open these doors for them. A lot of them had never even thought of picking up a paintbrush, and to watch them discover creativity within themselves was an amazing experience.”
She said in standard classes, art is secondary to the core curriculum, but in IB, all classes are on an equal level, providing a more well-rounded learning experience for students and a rewarding teaching experience for instructors.
Jermaine Thompson, who teaches IB as well as AP English, agreed.
“We”re in a global economy, and our students need to be able to compete anywhere in the world,” he said. “It”s as close to college as you”re going to get in a high school setting. IB doesn”t take your life; it just compels you to organize it better.”
As for the students, after two intense years of being together “almost constantly,” they seemed half-wistful and half-giddy Friday as they spent their final hours at Columbus High School.
Lowe, who plans to study business as Jackson State, said he was looking forward to graduation.
“I don”t get excited about much,” Lowe said, “But I”m ready to go on and start something new.”
Developed in Geneva, Switzerland in 1968, the International Baccalaureate program has spread to 3,255 schools in 141 countries, with 751 schools in the United States offering IB diplomas.
CHS, which adopted the curriculum in 2007, is one of only four schools in Mississippi to make the leap. Two years from now, if Columbus Middle School is approved as an IB World School as well, CMSD will become one of only 10 school districts in the country where IB is available for K-12 students.
Carmen K. Sisson is the former news editor at The Dispatch.
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