By Samuel Campbell

1. The Tempe Prep classes cover all the basics you need to apply to most colleges. Many non-Tempe Prep students have to take online or summer courses because they need another year of a foreign language, or maybe a second year of a science. Though we do not have electives, Tempe Prep still offers a wide range of clubs and sports.
2. Another thing unique to Tempe Prep is our Humane Letters class. While there must be some lecturing on history, we get to interact with each other in Socratic discussion. Even in middle school, they discuss the novels they read. Being in online school takes away most of the interaction, so it can be hard sometimes to really discuss and understand a topic.
3. Tempe Prep is also unique in that it is a small school. Due to our size, students and teachers get to have personal connections with each other. When you go tutoring, there are not hundreds of other students. Instead, you get personal help. Also, due to our small student body, there are more opportunities to be a leader. This includes more opportunities to start a new club, become president of a club, or lead the committee to plan homecoming. The opportunities are more prevalent for high schoolers, but middle schoolers still have plenty of options.
4. We also have an amazing group of teachers and faculty. Our teachers and faculty have PhDs, college degrees, and/or years of experience. With how few teachers we have, over half a dozen have PhDs. Many have taught for decades at numerous schools; some have taught for decades at Tempe Prep alone! We really do have some of the brightest minds here teaching at Tempe Prep.
5. Speaking of outstanding faculty, we cannot forget Mrs. Moffit. Among other things, Mrs. Moffit sets up college meetings, organizes lectures, and helps students apply to college. She has helped Tempe Prep students over the years get hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships.
6. Finally, the senior thesis. I am beginning the process right now, and I am not excited. Despite this, I know the benefits of this process. Most of us will do something later in life that will require the ability to write. Whether it is writing essays for college applications, doing lengthy college assignments, or applying to law schools. Whether or not you agree with what Tempe Prep does, you have to agree, we are pretty unique.