With a new school year comes new students of all grades transferring to Manitou Springs School District 14 and joining the Mustang herd to take part in Manitou’s wide variety of programs.
The six new transfer students at Manitou Springs High School are excited for opportunity and a new school environment.
Oliver Beckham (9), one of the six new students, expressed excitement about being in a new educational environment. He and his parents live in the area and decided on MSHS as his first public school experience. “We just heard a bunch of good stuff about MSHS,” Beckham said.
Beckham, who has homeschooled up to this point, said that MSHS is more hands on and convenient and offers several new classes previously inaccessible such as Biology.
Another one of the new students, Stewart Geer (10), transitioned from Woodland Park High School as a sophomore. He felt that Woodland Park didn’t fulfill his hopes for a school environment. “I like it here,” Geer said, “I don’t see anybody bullying anybody else.”
Sarah Allison, new to the graduating class of 2026 joins the herd from Mississippi. “I came here because the opportunities here are better,” Allison said. “The classes here are a lot better. I feel like they’re definitely more personal with students than any other school I’ve ever had.”
Allison intends to make the most of her last year preparing her for the future. “I would like to have a lot of experience under my belt for things that I enjoy doing, like art, and being able to talk to people, which is one of the big reasons I did theater and metal smithing,” Allison said. “It’ll be really cool to get hands-on experience.”
From her first week of school, Allison feels that everyone has been nice and welcoming. “I love it here because it’s so pretty, every day I experience a new thing and the people here are so nice,” Allison said.
Pierce Gillard, a teacher in his 10th year at MSHS, has witnessed these transfer students settle into the Mustang herd. “I’ve seen students invite people who are new into their spaces,” Gillard said. “I do think that the majority of students here do a good job of welcoming people in and making space, everyone can know each other and nobody disappears.”
Two weeks into school, Gillard has high hopes for the new students and their future at MSHS, whether it is the student’s last year or the start of their next four. “I hope that they can make strong connections quickly and find spaces, activities, sports or performance endeavors,” Gillard said, “so that they can find meaning in early so that the year can be as impactful as possible.”
