Meet LPS Focus Program Scholar: Miles, Bay High

Lincoln Public Schools Focus Programs are a customized high school experience rooted in connection and opportunities. 

LPS offers almost a dozen focus programs for our scholars to choose their journeys like Southeast High School senior Miles. 

Miles is a talented musician who was introduced to music at an early age. He plays seven different instruments and he’s in four different bands.

The young musician was able to incorporate his love for music into his school day by attending one of LPS’ newest focus programs – Bay High.

Read more about Miles’ Bay High experience in this Q&A as he’s September’s featured Focus Scholar. 

Name: Miles

Home High School: Southeast High School

Grade: 12

Focus Program: Bay High

Why did you choose Bay High?

I chose Bay High because it offered some unique and different music pathways that my home high school did not offer. It piqued my interest, and I was hooked. I was also interested in coding and photography, so it pretty much offered everything I wanted to do, all in the same building.

What do you like most about Bay High?

I definitely like the collective diversity of people from all areas of Lincoln, and the world. We have people from Asia, Brazil and many places within the U.S. Everyone has their own story that is unique and unlike most people. Everyone at Bay High is family.

What makes Bay High different?

The relationships that students have with the teachers and mentors. It feels like we are all on the same level, and it's never a dull moment. It really does feel like a big family, and we all respect and help each other build ourselves up. If there is ever a misunderstanding, all we have to do is talk it through, and the problem is solved. We are all on the same page.

How do you get to explore your passions or interests at Bay High?

I really get to dig into live sound, and music production. One of my main passions is playing live on stage, and here at The Bay (Bay High), I am able to put on my own shows, without having to do as much work as most would think. 

I also set up and run sound and lights for shows that I'm not performing in, and I love it just as much. I also get to build my own instruments, which is pretty much unheard of for a high school student.

How has attending Bay High empowered you as a student?

I definitely feel like I can do anything I put my mind to here at The Bay (Bay High). Last year, I had never thought of building an instrument, let alone a guitar. When they introduced the passion project, I almost instantly knew that I could build a guitar, and they would support me. So that’s just what I did. Now, I'm going to build a guitar pedal, which is a bit more practical for live use. If I had been at LSE (Southeast) all year, I would have never gotten this opportunity during school.

How has being a part of a LPS Focus Program added to your high school experience?

I feel like this has been the best part of my high school experience. When I joined The Bay (Bay High), there was a creative spark in my mind and I really invested myself into music. I was able to form my own band called MMA (Miles, Mason and Asher) and we are definitely on the come up within the Lincoln music scene, and I give a lot of props to The Bay for fueling this fire we have started.

How has Bay High prepared you for the future?

It definitely doesn't feel like high school, but it feels like a workspace. Everyone here works great with each other, and everyone knows everybody by name. I know this has shaped how my future looks because if I were stuck at a desk all day, I would not be as extroverted. I really like talking to people more than I used to because I now realize that everyone has their own story.

Why are focus programs like Bay High important to high school students?

It builds important relationships between people you thought you would never be friends with. It also gives a sort of break from the regular lecturing that a teacher might give, and puts more students in a room to learn what they are actually interested in. It's all about networking as well as furthering your education.

What is the greatest thing you’ve learned since attending Bay High? 

Treat everyone with respect. You never know what someone is going through, and you never know how cool someone may be until you get to know them. It's like the old saying, never judge a book by its cover. Everyone here has an open book with the next chapter waiting to be written.

Choose your passion. Choose your community. Choose your future with LPS Focus Programs. 
 

Explore LPS Focus Programs at our next Open House on Oct. 3, 6:30 p.m. at Southwest High School. 

Learn more about Bay High at https://bayhigh.lps.org/  or more LPS Focus Programs at home.lps.org/focus.

 

 

---