high school realities are a-changin'

1. Online learning is still exploding in popularity. In our district:

In an entirely different Olympia School District program, officials plan to initially limit fall enrollment in online high school classes to 40 students.

However, as the school year progresses, enrollment could double, said Joy Walton, the Olympia Regional Learning Academy's administrator.

"It's hard to know what demand will be," she said. "We're constantly learning."

The district first began offering the classes — which include core subjects such as science, math, English and more — in 2006.

The online offerings aren't necessarily for students who need to make up credits. Instead, the program could be attractive to students who could struggle in a traditional high school because they have health problems or must work, Walton has said.

2. Sports and activities are more and more becoming the province of the privileged.

For clubs and other activities, students need to purchase an ASB card, which can be as much as $40. However, actual costs for necessary equipment can be much more than that, as Thompson discovered when joining cheerleading last year.

For students in band, purchasing musical instruments can cost thousands of dollars. A clarinet can run $3,000 with hundreds more in accessories. Then someone like Sheller, who is also in color guard, can end up paying $200 to $300 for a flag.

Schools can make some accommodations--students receiving free and reduced lunch can have certain fees waived--but for most involved in activities, fundraising is a way of life.