How much has high school changed in the past few decades? In our current podcast and blog series, High School Time Machine, we are learning that it’s not as different as it seems.
So far, we’ve dropped 5 episodes covering themes from experiencing unexpected loss to finding a purpose to coasting through classes, and more. Each episode features one story from a current LuHi student and one story from a current LuHi staff member. You can listen to them all here.
Some things never change
Across every episode, we’re reminded that the heart of high school hasn’t changed—students still want to belong, still fear failing publicly, still wonder who they’re becoming. Whether you were in high school in the ‘80s, ‘90s, ‘00s, or now, plenty of shared-life experiences happen. Teachers can speak into their students’ lives. Parents can observe their students’ struggles and remember their own. Students can hear from adults in their lives and know they aren’t alone.
One thread tying these stories together is: the most important thing usually isn’t the most important thing.
We heard it in the Losing the Big Game stories where both storytellers shared that after the unexpected loss, they got out of bed the next morning and life was largely unchanged. They still had their friends, families, and routines.
We heard it in the Coasting vs Committed stories: it isn’t really about grades. Even though grades are one of the most common stressors in a high schooler’s experience, what matters more is attitude, effort, and discovering what motivates you.
We heard it in the Purpose stories, where all three storytellers shared that the path they thought their lives would take wasn’t the path they ultimately followed. Growth comes from not getting your way.
We heard it in the Siblings stories where both storytellers found it was nice to have someone to lean on. They still got to walk their own paths. They just didn’t have to do it alone.
And we heard it in the Being All In stories where doing the scary thing led to new friends, new experiences, and a whole lot of personal growth.
We’ll hear that same theme in our next four episodes as well: that what feels most important in the moment often isn’t what matters most in the long run. So stay tuned for stories about:
-
Parent sacrifice
-
Friendships
-
Vulnerability
-
Student accomplishments
For Parents
So parents, if you are feeling like you don’t know how to relate to your student because the pressures they face are too big and too new, today’s culture is too foreign to how you grew up, and the digital world is overwhelming, this series is for you. Our hope is that these stories help open the door to a deeper understanding between you and your student.
For Students
Students, from this series, we hope you hear that you are not alone. Not only are your classmates navigating similar struggles, but your parents and teachers did too. They get it on a deeper level than you might know.
At LuHi, our desire is to foster a strong Christian community. So no matter how the high school landscape changes, our students hear the deep, unchanging truth of Scripture. That they are loved, they are known, and they are not walking these 4 years alone. Every student should belong. But at LuHi, we desire every student to belong and be built up in a Christian community. Because hearing the truth about Jesus and learning what it’s like to be part of His body brings hope and identity.
We’re only halfway through the series, so keep listening! You can catch up on past episodes and hear our new ones on any platform you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear from you. Email us anytime at podcast@lhsparker.org.
-1.jpg)
