Jackson Carver graduated from The Children’s School, a private preschool, elementary and middle school in Atlanta, in 2023, and now attends Greater Atlanta Christian School where he’s a part of the Class of 2027. We asked Jackson about his transition from middle school to high school, and how it felt going from a progressive, child-centered school like TCS to a more traditional school like GAC.
Catch up with TCS alumni Kaya and Lula to learn more about how TCS prepared them to thrive in high school and beyond!
Here’s what Jackson had to say about the transition and moving from a school without grades to one that assigns grades:
Q: What classes did you take last year (freshman year) in high school?
Jackson: I took geometry, biology, health, English, Bible class, and Spanish.
Q: How’s your GPA?
Jackson: I have a 4.0 GPA.
Q: What was it like going from TCS, where you didn’t have grades, to a school with grades?
Jackson: I thought the transition would be tough, but grades are really just feedback, like critiques. At TCS, it was more about making improvements. I was worried at first, but it wasn’t as hard as I thought. The main difference is now I do things just for the grade, whereas at TCS, we did it to learn and grow.
Q: How do you think TCS prepared you to succeed in high school?
Jackson: TCS prepared me very well, especially with project-based learning. At the time, I didn’t always like it, but now I realize how much it helped. I know how to do presentations easily—what takes my classmates five days, I can do in two because I’ve been doing it since elementary school.
Q: How is your approach to learning different in high school compared to TCS?
Jackson: At TCS, we did things like art just to appreciate it, but in high school, it’s more about meeting requirements. You’re learning for the grade, not for the experience. Sometimes I pick classes because they seem easier, but at TCS, it was about growing and learning.
Q: Do you have a favorite memory from TCS?
Jackson: My favorite memory is from fourth grade when we went to St. Simons for Outdoor Education. I didn’t want to do it at first, but I’m glad TCS made us participate. It was a great experience to learn more about myself and what I’m capable of.
Q: What did you learn from Outdoor Ed?
Jackson: I learned how to disconnect from electronics and do things for myself. It wasn’t about “surviving the wilderness,” but more about getting out of my comfort zone and appreciating the experience. I even learned to sleep on the ground, which was kind of fun!
