Assumption: A home away from home
Claire Kuhbander
“This will be your home for the next four years.” These words were spoken to my classmates and me when we first entered Assumption High School. At the time, it was hard to imagine that a school could feel like home. But after four years, it’s impossible to imagine being part of any other family.
A home is not just a house; it’s the people and the memories shared within it. Similarly, Assumption is more than just a school. It’s the people and the experiences that make it special. From taking a day off classes to walk the Highlands in our class colors in support of financial aid, to hosting a can drive where students compete to create sculptures with the cans, Assumption ensures that students leave with lasting bonds and memories. The constant effort of faculty, staff, and students transforms this school into a place we all cherish and call home.
One of the defining characteristics of a home is the unconditional love that parents provide. Similarly, Assumption’s faculty and staff offer the same unwavering support. They go above and beyond for students without expectation. Mr. Owen never hesitates to walk a student to her car when she forgets her lunchbox. Dr. Stellino-Smith welcomes my endless questions in Calculus without judgment. Mrs. Rogers and Mrs. Jackson always make time to chat whenever I visit the Guidance and College Counseling Center. These small acts of kindness from faculty and staff members create an environment where students feel loved and accepted, enabling personal growth without fear of judgment.
Assumption also strives to help students become the best versions of themselves, just as parents encourage their children to reach their full potential. With initiatives like RTI time, students have endless opportunities for enrichment, academic help, and personal development. When I was a sophomore, I aimed to take the highest-level math course offered: AP Calculus BC. However, I realized my freshman math placement wouldn’t allow me to reach this goal by graduation. Mrs. Fieldhouse, dean of studies, offered me the chance to take a summer dual credit precalculus course, despite my doubts about its difficulty. Thanks to her encouragement, I succeeded, and this year I am excelling in AP Calculus BC. Her efforts didn’t just help me — she also paved the way for future students to reach this goal without taking a summer course, demonstrating Assumption’s commitment to student success.
As graduation approaches, the thought of leaving Assumption for college is bittersweet. While it will be difficult to say goodbye, I know that the lessons I’ve learned here will stay with me. More importantly, I know that my Assumption family will always welcome me back with open arms whenever I need it.
And now, we will step into the next chapter of our lives. Thanks to Assumption, we are ready to face the challenges ahead. And no matter where life takes us, this place will always feel like home.
Assumption gives freedom to flourish
Sarah Bartley
“Another Bartley sister! Hi, Baby Bartley!” These words rang in my ears as I walked nervously through the enormous halls of Assumption High School as a seventh-grade shadow. Even though I was shadowing, there was no question that I would be attending Assumption. The youngest of four girls, my three older sisters paved the way before me. Assumption High School was the only choice in my family. As I walked the halls and had so many people greet me as “Baby Bartley,” I was nervous that I was just going to be defined by my sisters and stuck in the shadow of their accomplishments.
My fears were quickly alleviated on my first day of school. As I walked into the building, the admissions director greeted me, “Good morning, Sarah!” She hadn’t included my last name. This separation, the opportunity to be seen as an individual, was something that I was going to get very used to over my four years at Assumption High School.
At Assumption, every teacher views each student as an individual with her own dreams and aspirations. I have truly come to love my school, just as all my sisters have, because we were encouraged to find our own paths. Although there has been a Bartley girl at AHS for the past 12 years, I still hear teachers say that they didn’t even make a connection between my sisters and me because of our different personalities and aptitudes. While we are very different, each of us has found our place at Assumption. For example, I have a sister who got a perfect score on her ACT and always felt challenged academically, yet another who has a learning difference and received the academic support she needed to be successful through the learning center. One sister has a passion for helping people with special needs, one has a passion for the arts, and another has a passion for service. One sister was very reserved but found her voice participating in student government. Through clubs, service opportunities, and class scheduling, Assumption High School personalizes the curriculum and opportunities for each student, providing a path to embrace their own gifts, talents, and interests.
Part of the legacy I’ve built at Assumption began with a “Senior Dream” assembly. I had the dream to create a club that would, for the first time in a long time, provide students with the opportunity to lead morning announcements alongside school administration every day. Now it is the end of my senior year, and I am standing in the main office speaking into the PA phone, hearing my voice echo through the halls: “Gooood Morning, Rockets! It’s Sarah B!”
This Senior Dream activity is just one of the many ways that Assumption helps students bring their unique dreams and aspirations to fruition. The senior dream encapsulates Assumption High School. If you can think it up, Assumption will support you, guide you, and help you make your dreams a reality! And though my sisters and I have taken different paths, we have all loved Assumption for empowering us to grow and pursue dreams that are perfectly our own.
Assumption’s emphasis on family leads to strong bonds
Morgan White
Smiling faces lining the sidewalk, the sound of loud cheers echoing from outside my car, and welcome posters being held high all around me. This is how my first day of high school started, and was just a glimpse of the energy I would experience every single day. I can confidently say you’ll never find a school where students are more excited to be there every day than at Assumption.
As I walked into that main entrance for the first time, freshman year, it felt like stepping into an entirely new world. I was nervous, as any freshman would be, but I was welcomed with the warmest smiles and the friendliest personalities, making me feel right at home.
If you were to ask any Assumption alum or current student to describe AHS in one word, the majority would most likely say “family.” While the Oxford Dictionary defines family as “a group of one or more parents and their children living together as a unit,” to many of us, it’s found at 2170 Tyler Lane.
Freshman year I quickly formed strong friendships with my classmates, and each year our bond grew deeper and deeper, thanks to Assumption’s strong emphasis on family. The school has a unique “family” system where each student is placed in one of nine families and stays with them throughout all four years, participating in various activities together. But this sense of family goes beyond just the system — it stretches throughout the entire school, uniting us all as one big, loving family.
During my incredible four years at Assumption, I had the privilege of being part of the cross-country and track team. From the very first day of practice, I knew I had found another family that I would be part of my entire life. Before coming to Assumption, I had no idea that the girls on the team would cheer for each other during practice or help each other improve as athletes, rather than competing against one another. But at Assumption, we’re all on the same team, supporting and encouraging each other every single day.
I’ve not only had the opportunity to make lifelong sisters, but I’ve also been blessed to build meaningful relationships with the faculty, staff and coaches at Assumption — many of whom I will always consider mentors. The adults at Assumption have supported my growth, not just academically, but in all aspects of my life. They have created an environment where I feel comfortable approaching them as friends, and their guidance has been crucial to me.
As a freshman, I was shy, immature, and still finding my way. But now, after 680 days of being part of the Assumption High School family, I can confidently say I have grown into an outgoing, hardworking, and much more mature individual. I know that Assumption High School has played a pivotal role in helping me develop these qualities, along with so many others.
When someone asks me to describe Assumption High School, I will always answer with one word: “family.” I know that many future generations of girls will be able to say the same.
