More after-school help needed for kids with no Wifi at home

Airport High School is a well-known West Columbia institution for many good reasons including Charity Drive but also for some negative publicity lately too.

Even though Airport has its ups and downs the students think they are getting a great education. When asked if he thinks AHS offers a good education, Faith D. said, “Yes, I do think Airport offers a good education. We have lots of technology.” By technology, she means Promethean boards for the teacher and students to teach and share information, iPads to do their work and and even take notes on. There are computers in the library as well.

Personally, I think that this school doesn’t offer enough. Some students may not have WiFi at home. Not having WiFi can make it quite difficult to get a full education or even finish assignments on time. Faith D. says, “I just try and finish my assignments at school,” but sometimes it is nearly impossible. Homework on Google Classroom can be hard to complete with no WiFi but one can always stay after school with a teacher or until the office lady says, “All students not under the direct supervision of a teacher or administrator should be out of the building at this time.” The library has closed at this point.

The teachers are always willing to help if you ask them a question or if you are having trouble in class. Maybe your grade drops below a 60. That is a passing D. Let’s say it drops to a 56 failing grade. During E-block you can stay and get extra help. In a way this helps a lot for some, for others if you get stuck in e-block and have to go to BC for a class you miss lunch to get on the bus but for the most part it is helpful.

Some people say the amount of bad kids can disrupt a proper education. Airport has about a 50/50 “bad” to good ratio. Honestly the only way a “bad” kid can disrupt your education is if you join him or her in their bad behavior or provoke it.

William M., a sophomore, says, “I rarely use any of the stuff I have learned at Airport.” For some this is true and for others lt is not like those going into particular fields like cosmetology. The school offers welding as well.

Airport has built a CATE building with all the classes it doesn’t offer here to offer a wider variation of educational opportunities

The Kate building is offering home economics something the school hasn’t had in a long time but as of next year will be offering.

Airport could easily make its education better by updating the library computers, allowing kids to stay after school to use the WiFi for their homework assignments, and having an after school WiFi club in the library that way no one is just roaming. Something just as easy as having e-block after first block then having second block then lunch could work too. That way instead of the students thinking I’m missing lunch they will get more out of it and everyone will have to stay and learn something.

Overall, I love attending Airport but wish there were more opportunities for academic help after school.