The Transition Back
Angel Alba | Maui High School, Class of 2026
Now that the summer chapter has ended, a new chapter begins, bringing readiness and possibly a change in the community. All year round, you take a glimpse of the past and learn from what you did, when, who and how to advance from it. Every mistake comes with a solution and every missed opportunity comes with a possibility. “The Transition Back” illustrates the progression of shifting back from where you left off, and striving for the best puts you to the test.
Transitioning back does not necessarily mean things are kept the same but with modifications. Ehra Louise Guiwa shares her thoughts about a change in her school environment, aiming to boost student engagement. She shares, “As a part of the student government, we do a lot of activities that try to boost student engagement, and most of the time the students aren’t as active as we hoped.”
Ehra is a student at Maui High School and seeks to increase student engagement to benefit the sense of spirit for Saber Pride at Maui High. As for another Maui High School student, Leia Hook, she agrees with Ehra, explaining, “I believe that people should participate more in the activities we have at school and should have more school pride.”
Having school spirit brings a sense of pride and belonging to your school and every small participation counts. You are given the voice and opportunity to speak up and to share your thoughts, ideas or dreams. You are given the chance to speak your mind without any judgment, as said in Mathew 7:1, “Judge not, that you be not judged.”
Frances Riley Robinol is a Maui High School student who suggests bringing down the negativity being spread in her school community, “even if it’s judging the way someone is or how much they try for their grades,” she says.
In her reasoning, “school is somewhere that you should feel free to be yourself and to try on your academics, and people who judge are people who should learn to be more empathetic of others and to be more kind.” Being able to create a school environment rooted in empathy and free from judgment and having students like Frances reminds us everyone deserves the space to grow, express themselves and be treated with respect.
Transitioning back also refers to a new mindset and new goals. Drifting back on track, goals are set to keep others prepared for the next page in their chapter. Frances and Leia both have set a task to achieve outstanding grades by putting time and effort into their work. Frances also looks forward to working with and finishing off the year with HOSA by dedicating her time to HOSA. As for Ehra, she too is on the same boat in attaining a great score on her exams with dedication and guidance.
Even though she has academic goals set aside, Ehra plans to live her sophomore year to the fullest! She states, “We only get to have the ‘high school experience’ once in our lives, so why not go all out with it?” With clear goals, strong motivation and a desire to make the most of every moment, these students show transitioning back to school is not just about academics but also about embracing the full high school experience.
Starting a new school year is more than picking up from where we left off; it is about moving forward with purpose. Whether it is through setting academic goals, building school spirit or fostering kindness and empathy. This fresh chapter is an opportunity not only to succeed individually but also to create a more connected, supportive environment for everyone. And with voices like Frances, Leia, and Ehra leading the way, they show transitioning back means embracing challenges, uplifting one another and making the most of the time we have. As mentioned in the beginning, striving for the best puts you to the test.
Google® Is Not Everything…… is a monthly column authored by high school students. The column’s title emphasizes that education is more than just googling a topic. Google® is a registered trademark. This month’s guest columnist is Angel Alba, a Senior at Maui High School. She is a Class Representative for the Class of 2026 at Maui High School, a Cultural Representative of Maui High’s Filipino Cultural Club, a part of HOSA, Upward Bound, and a Filipino folk-dance group named “La Galería: Compañía Baile Filipino.” Angel is in the Nursing pathway at Maui High and aspires to be a pediatric nurse. In her free time, she enjoys creating blogs, building Lego structures, going to the gym, singing karaoke, watching dramas or movies that interest her and spending quality time with her friends and family. She is the daughter of Normalita Alba and Pablito Alba, Jr.