Sahej Claire is a new sophomore who transferred from Mira Loma High School. Claire attended Country Day from third to fifth grade.
Q: What is it like coming back to SCDS?
A: I’m really excited about coming back. I had a great time here when I was younger, and while I don’t regret leaving, I’m definitely looking forward to finishing high school at SCDS.
Q: Why did you decide to return?
A: It’s a lot easier for my parents because my brother and I are at the same school now, so the schedules aren’t different.
Also the classes at Mira Loma were getting kind of crazy because we did a lot of busy work instead of critical thinking and comprehending, which is an obvious difference compared to Country Day.
Q: Are you interested in any sports?
A: I really enjoy volleyball, but I’m doing crew this year at the Sacramento State Aquatic Center.
Q: What are some of your hobbies?
A: Reading, singing, volleyball, watching crime shows and writing.
Q: How long have you been singing?
A: I’ve been singing for as long as I can remember. I’d tell my parents to raise the volume of the radio in the car so I could sing along to the music that was playing. I started choir at an organization called Sacramento Children’s Chorus four years ago, then switched to voice lessons about a year and a half ago.
Q: What’s your favorite crime show?
A: “Bones.” I love how they use really scientific terminology for everything. And they do a lot of anatomical and physiological stuff, which is something I really enjoy learning about.
My second favorite would be “Castle,” which was the first crime show I watched.
Q: What subjects are you most interested in?
A: Definitely the sciences, but I also really love English.
Q: How is Country Day different from Mira Loma?
A: The class aesthetic is a lot more open and in depth, and you’re able to move at your own pace rather than that of the teacher. The classes are a lot smaller, too, so you’re able to get to know the teachers more and connect with other students, especially those in different grades.
Q: What type of programs did you participate in at your other schools?
A: I was in the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB MYP) at (Winston Churchill Middle School) and Mira Loma. You still go to normal classes. There’s just a more advanced curriculum.
Claire visited the Hope sculpture by Robert Indiana on 53rd Street in New York City.
Q: What did you do this summer?
A: My mom and I traveled to New York. We went to see the show “Matilda” on Broadway and to go to the top of the Empire State Building. I loved the view up there, especially because we went at night.
My family along with a lot of my cousins went to Half Moon Bay, Calif., which is a tradition of ours every summer. It was very laidback, and we got to make s’mores around a fire pit and go down to the beach. The weather there is a lot cooler than it is here in Sacramento, so I was really happy about that.
—By Ulises Barajas
