As one of the largest school districts in Kentucky, Jefferson County has 24 public and 35 private high schools. This statistic allows for many options for students to explore and find their perfect fit. Manual is one of the top ranked schools in Louisville with the most applicants, and it consistently has large incoming class sizes. One reason why this continues to occur is because of the countless unique classes and specific magnets Manual offers each year.
Manual has five magnets that an applicant can choose from and many other things that specifically drew Manual students to choose this top-ranked school over others. The best account for this is current Manual students. Students Abby Grigsby (11,HSU) and Olivia Haddox (10,YPAS) share their experiences at Manual and why they chose Manual over any other JCPS or private school in Louisville.
Olivia Haddox grew up attending St. Agnes Catholic School from kindergarten to eighth grade. St. Agnes had smaller class sizes, uniforms and strict rules that kept order in the school. Haddox grew up very close to all of her classmates because of the smaller class sizes, but after a while, it got repetitive.
“I really wanted to start a new life. A total change was necessary for me. I really wanted to make some new friends,” Haddox said. Although she had no problem with the people she was with, change is normal with the transition from middle school to high school. While she still keeps in touch with her friends from St. Agnes, she is thankful for the large student body at Manual and the people that she has met here because, unlike St. Agnes, there are so many different people from all walks of life to connect with at Manual.
“The YPAS magnet is so unique and I love performing so I knew that this school would allow me to continue my performance training in and outside of the classroom,” Haddox said when asked about her chosen magnet.
“I am so glad I chose Manual because I cannot imagine my life without the people I’ve met here and the experiences I have had here,” Haddox said.
Unlike Haddox, Abby Grigsby grew up in JCPS schools. She attended Crosby Middle School where, like Manual, is a public school with big class sizes.
“Although still a public school, Crosby was much different than Manual in the sense that people were not as motivated to learn there as they are here. As an academically motivated student I knew that I would thrive in a school like Manual,” Grigsby said. She also emphasized how important course variety was to her and how she enjoyed the idea of handpicking her schedule to her interests instead of being thrown into classes she did not actually enjoy. She explained that a lot of other schools she looked at were more restricted in their course selection which was unfavorable when making her decision.
“I do not feel like I am taking classes because I’m required to and it is much more fun,” Grigsby said.
These are just two of the hundreds of reasons why students ultimately decided to come to Manual over any other school. If you were to ask any Manual student walking the halls of Manual why they came here, they would likely mention the overall uniqueness of our school and how the environment is special compared to any other school they may have visited.
In conclusion, Manual truly is unlike any other school in JCPS. Its magnet programs and unique coursework are one of a kind and are some of the reasons why it continues to be ranked #1 in the state every year.
