Michael Myers
Senior Michael Myers has been enrolled in the Middle College program since junior year.
“The environment that Middle College advertised sounded like a better fit for me than Lynbrook’s competitive environment,” Myers said.
Although Myers was worried about leaving his friends at Lynbrook, being able to stay connected with them through high school events ultimately convinced him to attend.
“Michael is a really talkative guy,” Kwan said. “I didn’t get to see that in high school, but in Middle College, I got to see him blossom.”
As an officer of De Anza TableTop Club with senior and friend Preston Kwan, Myers values the chance to get involved on campus. The club is open to all students at De Anza and offers a space for playing board games and conversation.
Myers is currently taking a business analytics course and has explored creative work in a Photoshop class. In his final quarters of Middle College, he is considering staying an extra year at De Anza to apply for De Anza’s Transfer Admissions Guarantee program, which guarantees admission to certain University of California schools for qualified students.
“I’m still not fully certain what I want to major in,” Myers said. “But De Anza has helped me narrow my choice to something business or political science-related.”
Dylan Liu
Involved with De Anza College’s Dual Enrollment program since freshman year, junior Dylan Liu chose to transfer to Middle College in junior year due to timing conflicts with competitive swimming. Having missed several days of school for swim meets and recruiting visits, Middle College’s flexible class schedule appealed to her.
“The only mandatory class time is from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., and then you can choose when you want to take the rest of your classes,” Liu said. “For me, I’m doing two online classes, and since I’m missing so much school, I have one evening class from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m twice a week.”
The Middle College schedule differs per day. During the first two hours of the required 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. timeslot, she takes social studies on Mondays and Wednesdays and English on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The last hour is a designated work period. On Fridays, Middle College students participate in a mix of both classes and a short advisory period known as “Fun Fridays” to strengthen their class bond.
“Middle College tries to build a good community where everyone is super friendly with each other and can get to know everyone really well,” Liu said. “Fun Fridays are also a nice way to relax and have fun.”
Minnie Menon
Junior Minnie Menon applied to Middle College not just for a change of pace, but to grow as an independent learner. De Anza’s wide course selection and close-knit community allows her to have an active role in her learning.
“It’s such a safe space,” Menon said. “You can really speak your mind and people aren’t going to judge you for it.”
The fast-paced college environment pushed her to find balance in her busy schedule by prioritizing tasks and taking it one assignment at a time. As the youngest and only girl in her Introduction to Engineering class, Menon also learned to speak up for herself in the classroom.
“It was discouraging at first,” Menon said. “But it’s helped me build confidence and prepare for college.”
Menon often felt overwhelmed at Lynbrook, where her focus on schoolwork left her little room to explore passions and socialize. Through lunch breaks and “Fun Friday” activities like costume contests and games of Mafia, Menon formed new friendships and strengthened her sense of community at Middle College.
“I wouldn’t give this up for anything,” Menon said. “It has been such a healing process.”
Preston Kwan
Senior Preston Kwan has spent his time in Middle College discovering the freedom and flexibility of a college environment, affording him time to invest in his personal hobbies.
“I get to skateboard now for two hours before school, which I wouldn’t be able to do if I was still at Lynbrook,” Kwan said.
As an officer of De Anza TableTop Club, Kwan connects with like-minded peers who share a genuine passion for games and conversation.
“You don’t really notice it when you’re at Lynbrook, but a lot of people are doing things for the resume,” Kwan said. “These people are doing it for the love of the game.”
Although Kwan regularly attends Lynbrook events to see his old friends, the program has provided reassurance that he can still make new friends on De Anza’s campus.
“As a new Middle College student, I was scared I wouldn’t have any friends,” senior Jason Chu said. “On the first day, Preston introduced me to his friends and I’m thankful for the time I’ve spent with them.”
Kwan has gained valuable experience from his time in Middle College, including learning how to use Canvas and adapting to the ways professors teach, skills which will help him transition to college.
Sreyes Chetput
Inspired by his cousin’s positive experience in Middle College, junior Sreyes Chetput applied to Middle College program. Chetput was certain about the career he would pursue — computer science — and Middle College’s extensive variety of courses fit well with his goal. However, his passion for Lynbrook DECA initially made him hesitate.
“DECA was my make or break,” Chetput said. “Once I found out DECA was also at De Anza, I decided to do Middle College.”
Chetput joined De Anza’s chapter of DECA and became the financial officer. With a smaller student body, Middle College fosters student unity.
“Everyone is much more disconnected in a high school setting,” Chetput said. “But everyone in Middle College is really close, which is surprising because that’s not what I expected.”
Chetput and the DECA officer team collaborated with the De Anza’s Women In Business club to organize the annual two-day De Anza Business Conference. By networking during the conference, Chetput gained a new perception of the community college students around him.
“People tend to look down on community college by thinking that those who attend aren’t smart,” Chetput said. “But there is a surprising amount of people who are genuinely passionate, interested and incredibly smart in their respective majors.”
Mia Gonzales
A typical day for Gonzales begins at 8:30 a.m., as her schedule is filled with morning classes. Gonzales’s schedule is similar to students in Lynbrook, yet she came to Middle College for a change of pace.
“The Lynbrook environment wasn’t bad, but it just wasn’t for me,” Gonzales said. “I also wanted to take different classes which Middle College gave me the opportunity to do.”
Although Middle College’s scheduling is flexible, Gonzales faces challenges with her schedule due to her extracurricular athletics, but she eventually improved her time management.
“I’m wrestling and working out a good amount right now, so I can’t take evening classes,” Gonzales said. “This can get frustrating when you have very specific courses you want to take.”
Her first Middle College class on Friday begins at 12:30 p.m. Her friends also start class at that time, so they often bond together before class. Despite the difference in schedules, Gonzales sees her friends more than she initially thought.
“I thought we would only see each other in class,” Gonzales said. “But after my first class of the day, we all hang out in the cafeteria, and it’s nice catching up with everybody. It’s a lot more socializing than I thought it was going to be.”
