As the writer of the “What Grinds My Gears” blog, I spend a great deal of time complaining and stirring the pot to find a good story. However, today I have decided to take a new turn on my thoughts and consider what we all have to be thankful for as Thanksgiving approaches.

While many of us whine that our small school cannot compete with larger schools and we miss out on so many opportunities, oftentimes those complaints may be the complete opposite of the truth.

Leechburg may not offer all of the miscellaneous clubs, sports and activities that larger schools offer, but the small school atmosphere allows us to participate in as many clubs and activities as we please. Many larger school districts limit students’ activities, but we enjoy the freedom to pursue as many activities as we want. We can play in a sport every season if we choose, and if players leave or quit a team, usually they have opted out themselves.

Also, our school board has shown a willingness to expand the number of clubs and activities with the addition of the golf team and Bible Club. Additionally, the district has shown it can change along with the students. There was no veto or even the slightest objection when the TrottyVeck staff decided last year that it was time to publish totally online. Yes, more freedom of choice is something we all have to be thankful for.
Many other schools, both large and small, do not offer a seminar period simply because there is no way to transport all the high school students home. We are fortunate to have a seminar period which allows us time for extra help, time to get together with clubs and time to make up work when we miss class because of the many clubs we’ve joined and sports we play.

For its size and budget, this district keeps current with the pace of technology in the 21st century. Even though the computers and other classroom equipment do not work perfectly all the time, this school district offers more computer labs and computers per student and teacher than most in this area. And almost every classroom has a Promethean or Smart Board, a rare luxury not only for many large and small schools but also for some college and university classrooms.

With the opportunity to pursue all of our extracurricular desires comes a unity among the student body. We Leechburg students do not suffer as severely because of cliques as students from other larger schools may. For instance, one of the Quiz Bowl “nerds” may also happen to be one of the biggest, baddest middle linebackers to ever play football at Leechburg. Also, one of the band or chorus “geeks” might happen to shine in all of Leechburg’s sports. Our size promotes unity if only because there is no escaping interaction with our classmates who may be in every class with us all day. We get to know each other better and find a common ground.

Our small school also offers students and teachers the opportunity to develop a good rapport. With a handful of class sizes as small as four or five students and many more with between 10 and 15 in the class, students and teachers are able to enjoy solid working relationships. Some might say that this situation doesn’t prepare us for “the real world.” We are too coddled, even babied. We’ll never make it in the “real world” because the “real world” is harsh and never waits for anyone.

Frankly, though, what is the “real world”? For us, the real world is the one that we live in today. The teachers that we have for class year after year may end up being the friends that we take with us throughout our lives in the “real world” as we remember and live by the lessons they taught us.

Leechburg’s size also works to its advantage when it comes to safety. Most of us feel very secure, very safe when we are in school. Almost every day, students at larger schools face metal detectors, security guards and threats of violence. The fact the teachers know almost all of us students worked to our advantage last year when a teacher quickly noticed that the two intruders walking in the hall were not part of our student body or staff. Most students felt more annoyed by the lockdown that ensued than felt the danger that could have materialized had the two freely roamed throughout the school.

Maybe all the time we spend running around to meet with ten different clubs isn’t so bad. Maybe rather than counting down the days until we get out of this place we should stop complaining and just enjoy all the good things our school has to offer.

Rather than begging to merge with Kiski or Apollo or Freeport or Armstrong or whatever the rumor of the month happens to be, maybe we should think about all the years our tiny community has stuck together and made financial sacrifices to keep the school district here, alive and well, even though some think its time ran out a while ago.

Maybe, just maybe, we should be thankful this year that this place, our school, isn’t so bad after all.