Being a student at a technology-based school is very different, but what most people may not think about is what it is like to be a teacher at Empire. Many people think that at technology-based schools, our computer is our teacher. While it is true that we utilize our laptops for most assignments, the way we learn is through our teachers. They don't just hand us packets, they teach us. We have scheduled classes just as normal schools do and, personally, my laptop is not the focus of my classes but rather an integral tool that helps me learn.

Empire teachers also have more immediate resources to show their students. Links to Web sites from their blogs make teaching easier than traditional instruction. There are quite a few days when we have in-class projects and we are on our computers researching for the assignment. The lessons do not really have to be as structured as normal schools. Nor do they have to be as creative when coming up with paper resources, etc.

I have experienced technology-based and regular high schools. From my view, it is the teachers that make the difference. At Empire, the teachers seem to put more trust into you. Their expectations are higher. I feel that when adults trust teens, teens in turn feel more mature and behave better. The teachers at Empire interact with the students and really help us understand what we need to know.

If I was given the choice, I could not choose between a great teacher and a laptop. They both play an important role in my education at Empire. I am lucky to have both.

Taylor Sawma
Sophomore, Empire High School