When students see North Atlanta for the first time their eyes widen. It is clear from just one look at the former IBM building–turned school, that North Atlanta is not your average high school. Even on a rainy day, students can overlook Atlanta’s beautiful canopy of trees as they watch the raindrops form ripples on the lake. Students watch the clouds move across the sky and view the fields where future champions make their marks on the road to fame. In and out of the classroom students enjoy the beauty NAHS has to offer. But has this beauty become unrecognized over time? Students take a moment to reflect.
While the campus is unique in countless ways, many students feel the building itself is not very attractive during the day, but acknowledge that at night, it can be recognized from afar by its stunning gradient of vibrant colors. “It’s more about what’s around the building, and not the building itself,” said sophomore Genevieve Sharma. “When you look at the school from the outside it’s not pretty but looking out the window, it’s absolutely beautiful.”
While some students forget about the impressive view every once in a while, most students still find themselves admiring it from time to time. Turtle counting and naming have become fond activities for NAHS students. Window cleaning days are an especially exciting distraction for students and teachers alike. Students rush to the windows to watch the workers cleaning from swaying ropes, an experience most high school students would never witness during their average school day. “If I’m not paying attention in class I’m looking outside: turtles, planes, trees, you name it,” said sophomore Avery Austin.
While the campus is gorgeous, many students like sophomore Taylor Freeman believe more should be done to make the campus even better. Such a unique space to learn in can only be fully appreciated when the initiative is taken by students to take care of it. “The view is amazing but I wish everyone could come together to make NAHS better by cleaning up,” said Freeman.
For seniors, while their time at North Atlanta’s campus will soon come to an end, their appreciation for the location and the view still remains. “I haven’t done work in years because of that view,” said senior Yakov Vinik. “Whenever I show students at other schools a picture of my school their jaws drop.”
It is clear that North Atlanta students do not attend the average school but they are okay with that. In fact, they love it. Let’s remember to look out the window every now and then and count a turtle or two because that’s what North Atlanta is all about.
