Rick Hansen: My experience

10/14/2022

Rick Hansen Secondary School (Image source: https://www.abbyschools.ca/schools/rick-hansen-secondary)

Joseph C. Shields, Student of Rick Hansen Secondary School

Living in the Bradner area and as a former Bradner Elementary student, I can say that I loved Bradner. I've always loved the area. And the school plays a key part in keeping the Bradner tradition alive. After Bradner I went to Eugene Reimer Middle School. Which was a mostly positive experience, of course any school has their flaws but I would say Eugene Reimer, being smaller is still a good school by all means.

Let's start with the elephant in the room. Drugs, Well I'm not going to say Rick Hansen is better or worse than other schools, the drugs are blatantly a thing that happens. But I will say that I don't think that it is worse or better than other major schools inside of the Abbotsford School District. I believe that it is a problem, but I wouldn't call that problem a major issue within the school's functions. As most of it happens at the school's local “Trail” as the students call it. Which is outside of school grounds.

Gangs, oh this one is going to be a surprise to a lot of readers who read this. But there is almost no gang activity in Rick Hansen Secondary. At least so far as I've seen. Any gang activity inside of Rick Hansen is on par with Abbotsford Secondary School or WJ Mouat Secondary School. And with this comes a lot of rumors and awful bias that I've seen against the school. When in reality it's not as bad as many presume.

Staffing, as most other schools in Abbotsford right now, we're experiencing staffing shortages. This is an apparent and disastrous problem that leaves classrooms unattended. Well it is not directly the schools fault, it is notable that most other teachers will be sent to Abby Senior or other bigger schools in Abbotsford, as Rick Hansen is almost just like a training ground for newer teachers.

As I've stated before, Rick Hansen has its flaws - but as some students put it... “We just don't cover it up.” - Anonymous.

Rick Hansen has all the flaws of other secondary schools inside of the Abbotsford School District. But unlike other schools, its harder to cover up which makes it better.