Photo by Janis Lewin

As I walked across Mission High School on Thursday afternoon, I turned to my left and saw the soccer field. From my view, I could see an immense number of students seated together on large tables. Speakers were blasting Bob Marley tunes and chatter from the students filled the air.

“Today was just a day to have fun and eat. It’s Cinco de Mayo,“ said Mission High School student Alec Tatum.

This event was a reward to every student in Mission High School. In a strategic plan to encourage the students to perform their best on the California standardized tests, Mission principal Eric Guthertz made a deal with the students. Prior to the week before testing, Guthertz told the school body that if this year’s scores were an improvement over last year, than he would respond by organizing an event in which fine restaurants from across the Bay Area would cook and cater for the students, free of charge.

The scholars of Mission High School responded in a dramatic manner. They raised the school’s API by a staggering 70 points, doing more than enough to earn the right to feast. Slanted Door, Delfina, Bi-Rite, Pica-Pica, Mission Pie and Anthony’s Cookies are just some of the restaurants and food purveyors that took part in serving the students of Mission High School.

Curry from the Slanted Door. Photo by Janis Lewin.

“They really deserved it, they rose to the occasion and it’s really nice to see their hard work pay off,” said computer art teacher Steven Gipson.

The festivities lasted from 12:30 to  2:30 p.m.

As the school day wound down, I had a chance to catch up with the mastermind of today’s celebration, Principal Guthertz, who was helping to clean up.

He summarized his day with a string of adjectives.

“This was a fabulous, beautiful, nerve-racking, incredible, stressful and wonderful day,” the principal said as he proceeded to put away tables.

Rumors were already swirling among Mission students that if test scores rise once again, a gargantuan boat party will be held.

It appears as if a trend has started around Mission High School. Kids are motivated and the goal to elevate test scores finally holds a little more meaning.

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Richard Lee is a just another ordinary child. He chose to start off reporting mainly to write about Mission High School sports. The primary intent to why he started journalism was to cover basketball games to inform parents and fans of the games when they were not able to attend scheduled contests. His most vital goal is to have more individuals read his works to show that various insights and intellectual thinking can be emitted and purveyed by not only educated adults, but by the budding youth as well.

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  1. “It appears as if a trend has started around Mission High School. Kids are motivated and the goal to elevate test scores finally holds a little more meaning.” It appears that Principal Guthertz has figured out that the way to his students’ minds is through their stomachs. Congratulations on significantly raising your test scores!

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