[Student Reporters] Commute is No Easy Subject

Joanne Yi / 12th LACES High School

Grace Kim a senior at LACES is committed to waking up every morning at five. She leaves the house to walk to the nearby intersection where a school bus picks her up every morning at 6:30. Tired from lack of sleep she finally arrives at school an hour later ready for another day of school.

Commute is a huge aspect of school life for LACES students. Because the administration is selective and tries to accept a diverse group of students every year all areas of the county are represented in the school population. However this means that students who live far away must put in the extra effort to travel back and forth daily.

"I'm used to it. Unlike most kids who end up pressing the snooze button on their alarms I get up knowing that I need to catch the bus to go to school" Kim said. She has been commuting from her house near Union Station for almost five years now. Simultaneously her dedication to rising early has cut back on the time she has at night.

"When I get home and after I eat dinner I get really tired" Kim said. "I sleep at ten which is pretty early compared to other students that stay up later. I can't do that though because my body can't take it." She like many students take advantage of the transportation system that LACES provides for most students.

"I somewhat appreciate the transportation system because my parents have to go to work in the morning and they don't have time to drop us off." But the system is not perfect. "We always have to sit three to a seat and there is virtually no space. You get tired of sitting down for a long time which becomes uncomfortable."

Some students choose alternatives. Senior Ruben Rodriguez used to ride the school bus until this year. "I prefer to take the [public bus] because the school bus gets too loud and there are too many little kids."

Senior Zachary Lew who now drives to school used to carpool with two other LACES families. "I prefer driving because I don't have to worry about keeping up with other people but carpooling worked well and was a cheaper option."

So why do these students travel so far to go to school?

"LACES is such a great school" said Rodriguez. Kim also thinks that the commute is worth the effort. "The nearby schools are overcrowded. I am fortunate to be at a magnet school that can provide me with good education."