Wow, it has been forever since I have written a blog. Hi-Point and a “typical” high school are way different. Here at Hi-Point we get to use our laptops in every class. Each student has a laptop. We usually use the laptop to type notes and sometimes receive emails that contain assignments. This year I have used my computer for more than I have ever used it. At my home school I only used the computer occasionally unless I was scheduled for an online class. At OHP my lab uses our computers everyday because I am in a lab that requires it as part of our curriculum. We learn a lot about technology.

For math instead of having to buy a $40 calculator we have a program for it on our laptop. English class we have used the internet to read books instead of carrying large textbooks around. Most of the classes have all their books online or in a PDF form so all we have to do is have our computer. We use computers a lot which makes OHP completely different from a usual high school. If you like using computers and not carrying books, OHP is great for that!

Class at OHP is different than how classes were at Bellefontaine High School.  A lot of schools now are doing block scheduling which is like 90 minute periods! At OHP you have your lab for approximately 2 and ½ hours each day and our academics run 40 minutes long each class, and you take 3 academic classes each semester. My classes I started out in the beginning of the year I still am in, and that goes for most everyone unless they decide to switch out of a class for whatever reason. Class work is just as important as lab work because you have to pass everything in order to be able to attend Convocation at the end of your senior year!
In the class room, the work is a little bit different than my home school because we do a lot on our laptops! We gather research, study a subject, and create projects using our computers instead of textbooks. Some classes still have textbooks, but it’s rare that you are assigned a book and have to carry it with you everyday to class and home!
Everyone has access to this online management system called Angel, which all of our academic teachers post what we are doing in class, homework, quizzes, tests, etc., which is pretty sweet because if you’re absent you can log in at home or from whereever and see what you missed, do the work and submit it to be graded. It’s an easy way to see what you missed while you were absent from class if you’re gone with your lab on a field trip or if you are privileged enough to be a lead ambassador  and are gone with Miss Spain.
Academics are important at OHP,too!! We are awarded honor roll and merit roll just like home schools do, and Hi-Point has incentive days for perfect attendance. This year we went bowling and had a movie shown in a room off of the cafeteria on a big screen with snacks and refreshments!  Not to mention if you keep your grades up and have perfect attendance you can receive your laptop for free at the end of your senior year so you can use it for college! Teachers at OHP do care about whether you are understanding the material and there is also a class called intervention where you can go for extra help, a quiet study, or be assigned to if you have missing work! The teachers in intervention are there to help you, and you’re not sent there for punishment, it’s because your teacher wants you to get your grades up so you can pass their class!

One of our student ambassadors promoting the laptop program at an event.

Hi guys, so have you ever had to take notes and you got behind?  Have you ever forgot a pencil and you couldn’t take notes because of it?  At Hi-Point all of us have laptop computers.  Not only do we use the computers in lab to do our lab work, but we also use them in academic classes, as well.  In academic classes we read the books, take notes and e-mail assignments.  We use these computers almost every day in class.  The teacher puts the notes on the projector and we type them up.  No more carrying around heavy textbooks that weigh your book bag down.  Your laptop is used to learn everything.