As University City High School’s seniors prepare for the next upcoming chapters of their lives, some seek to serve others and share their skills and abilities outside the normal classroom setting. The elective called office duty provides a great opportunity. This opportunity has different groups of senior students working alongside attendance clerks, Mr. Thomas Ligon and Ms. Edith Gundi, also known as Princess and King, in the attendance office to help assist guests, students, and parents find their way to classrooms, events and different locations. The office duty students check in late arrivals and checkout early dismissed students, as well as writing and delivering passes to and from classes, making them an essential yet often overlooked part of the UC High community.
Senior Mikey Magpali works in the front office with four other students during his fourth period. Magpali believes that this position is something fun yet quite insightful. “This position has strengthened my communication skills and tested my patience, but it has also improved my ability to keep my composure,” said Magpali. He described his job position as free, exciting, and fun. As Magpali prepares for the next chapter, he wishes to apply this knowledge and insight to help him prepare for life after high school and any challenges that might come alongside this new journey.
Senior Kelsey Ho, who works alongside Magpali, is very grateful for their position and originally chose this elective for the freedom as well as to improve their leadership skills. Ho stated, “My position is so fun. I get to talk to adults, people outside my age group, and this curriculum mainly focuses on leadership and good traits within a leader.” As Ho described their job, their facial expressions and enthusiastic hand movements revealed their pure joy to have this position. Ho’s position has helped them reach outside their comfort zone when talking to adults who are not just a friend’s parent. As they move on from high school, they have gained more confidence knowing they have these leadership abilities to lead them to a successful life.
Office duty is an elective which can better prepare graduating seniors for their futures, as it resembles many professions outside of school where you need to address other people, making it a very popular elective. There were some rumors that this senior-only option would be discontinued for next school year. Many students, including Ho and Magpali, believe it would be a mistake to eliminate this class option because of how much it has helped them. Luckily, Counselor Kim George cleared up the confusion, “We will still be having the course, but it is very limited enrollment based upon District rules.” Although the number of students per period is being lowered, many upcoming seniors who have signed up for the course are grateful the class will still exist and are excited with the possibility of it helping them with their social skills and leadership qualities too.