New students explore what PHS has to offer this school year.

Freshmen Carly Bland and sister junior Jessi Bland have recently moved to Piedmont from Modesto, California.

Carly said she chose PHS because of how great of a community Piedmont is and how great the academics are.

“I am mainly looking forward to the strong academic programs at PHS and also many activities such as Day of the Green, school dances, volleyball and attending football games,” Carly said.

Jessi said her mom also thought they would like the school.

“My mom really liked the area and felt like it was a very good, strong school, and it would be good for my sister and I,” Jessi said.

Carly said she likes PHS so far and that it is not what she expected it to be.

“I thought I would come in feeling extremely alone and out of place on the first day of school, however everyone is so welcoming and friendly,” Carly said.

Jessi said she also likes PHS so far and that it is what she expected it to be like.

“It is of course difficult transitioning junior year in a new school, but so far it has been good, everyone has been very nice and outgoing,” Jessi said. “People had told me how good of a school it was and how great the education was so it is what I expected.”

Senior Andrea Alexander Marec is a foreign exchange student from Genoa, Italy.

“I live with [freshman Sam Watters] and his family, I’m the 7th Exchange Student that they [have hosted],” Marec said.

Marec said he did not chose to go to California to study.

“I’ve just done a long sheet with all information of myself,” Marec said, “Then this sheet has been sent to the USA and any family in all the USA could take me, I’m just lucky, really lucky to be here in California.”

Marec said he likes PHS so far but thinks education in Italy is better.

“Everything is like a movie,” Marec said. “There are so many differences between here and Italy. I think that in Italy you receive a stronger education.”

Jessi said that the classes are different compared to her old high school.

“The classes here compared to my old school are very very different, they are so much more rigorous, “ Jessi said. “It goes to show that this school really does give an excellent education and that I am very fortunate to be going here.”

Marec said that in Italy they have 5 year high schools.

“I did 3 years of high school in Italy, so I’m a senior, but when I’m gonna back in Italy I will have another year of high school,” Marec said.

Marec said that Italian high schools are harder and stricter but here people are friendlier.

“Here you change class and classmates every period, in Italy you stay in the same class with the same classmates and only the teacher changes class,” Marec said.

Marec said that in Italy the sports are different at the high school level.

“We don’t have practice all together and we don’t really feel like a strong united High School team,” Marec said.

Jessi said that she is looking forward to attending school events this year.

“I’m really looking forward to getting off crutches so I can go to football games, sporting events and I’m excited for Day on the Green and the dances,” Jessi said.

Carly said she likes going to school with her sister.

“I really like going to school with my sister because I feel like there is always someone I can go to for anything I need even though everyone else is supportive at PHS too,” Carly said.