Having to leave her life behind in Oak Park, sophomore Amiya Rogers moved to Downers Grove a little over a year ago before the start of her freshman year at DGS.

Rogers’s journey to DGS has made a positive impact on her life. Though it wasn’t easy at first, conflict aroused between Rogers and her mother.

“[When moving] I was really mad about it. My mother said we were going to move. Then she said we were going to stay at Oak Park, but in the end, we ended up moving [to Downers Grove.] I was really mad because… I didn’t know anybody,” Rogers said.

Rogers had to say her goodbyes to the area that she grew up in, the friends that she had made throughout the years and all the moments that she had in Oak Park.

“I was mad until I met my new best friends [on the DGS Volleyball team freshman year],” Rogers said. “[Being on the team] made me like Volleyball a lot more,”  

Rogers described how the teachers at DGS helped her get out of her comfort zone.

“My math teacher Ms. Johnson [has impacted me because] she would be really helpful. Also, she noticed and acknowledged me for my hard work with Mustang Way cookies,” Rogers said.

With Rogers establishing new friendships with the teachers and students around her, she started to grow more fond of the area. She noticed that Oak Park and Downers Grove were more alike than different.

“You just see a lot of more older people in Oak Park than you do here,” Rogers said.

Rogers is already setting goals for herself to achieve throughout the 2018-2019 school year.

“[My goals are] to get good grades, meet new people and having a successful volleyball season. After volleyball season, I plan on trying out for club volleyball,” Rogers said.

With many new students moving into the area yearly, Rogers suggested several tips that would help them not feel lonely.

“[I would tell them] to participate in school events, sports and activities. Also, to try to start conversations first with others than waiting for them to talk to you,” Rogers said.