What makes Irvington the perfect school for its 2400+ students? Is it the charmingly quaint classrooms with chipped paint and dysfunctional seating arrangements? Is it the melodic fire alarms that seem to ring at the perfect moment? Is it the mirrorless bathrooms which strive to break down superficial beauty standards? Well, it’s a combination of all of that, and more.  

As a school committed to teaching its students the importance of environmentalism and social justice through its quirky benchmarks, Irvington itself succeeds in upholding these values. It is a sanctuary for the biodiverse flora that grow freely in its hallways, and a welcoming habitat for fauna that unreservedly roam our great fields. Irvington provides the perfect damp, dark atmosphere required for fungi and mold to multiply within lockers and sinks, and has the ideal dried grass for geese to scat on and naturally fertilize the school. Not only do we protect these overpopulated species, but they in turn also help beautify the school and improve students’ mental health. Irvington’s affinity for bird poop, bacteria, and fires forces students and staff to be less materialistic, as most materials are prone to become ruined, contaminated, or potentially even burned. This non-materialistic lifestyle cultivated by Irvington promotes inner wellbeing and happiness, which explains why Fremont was voted as one of the happiest cities in the nation. 

Not only does Irvington take social responsibility for the environment and its students’ health, it also prepares them to be adaptable and distinguished. Whether it’s Denies’ flipped classroom teaching style, Hallford’s ambiguous biblical essay prompts, or Chung’s next to impossible calculus tests, Irvington students learn to handle whatever is thrown at them. We become adept at failing better each time, and our poor GPAs are highly reflective of that, making us beneficially distinctive in college admissions. Students are also required to complete benchmark projects which instill real-world, tangible skills. From plucking weeds at Tule Pond to saving the bees by layering mulch (which I think deters bees) and incorrectly citing in MLA no matter how many times you try, these formative experiences build character and a strong work ethic in every student. 

Additionally, as a nationally acclaimed arts magnet school, Irvington encourages its students’ artistic expression through murals, and more murals. While at first glance you may not understand what any of the drawings represent because of their incoherent and incomprehensible nature, this itself speaks to the chaos of high school. The unique art style is reflective of a broader, tumultuous experience that is shared among Irvington students who go through everything–failure, fights, fire alarms, and QUEST (yay). To better understand the high school condition, take time to observe the murals in the senior and freshman hallways, and understand how the colors and symbols intentionally represent our transition from childhood to adulthood as we enter the wilderness of standardized tests and are tempted to cheat on them, but ultimately conquer these trials and graduate more knowledgeable. 

Irvington, home of the Vikings, is also home to much more than that. It’s home to invasive species wildlife, students’ creative expression (almost too creative), and some *highly* rewarding benchmark projects. It’s our home away from home, away from home, away from home…, which makes it the perfect school for YOU.