Due to the planned rezoning for the 2016-2017 school year, students from select neighborhoods were switched from the Jersey Village High School zone to Cypress Ridge High School zone. The transfer of students was the result of the opening of the new high school, Cypress Park and to help alleviate overcrowding at other high school and middle school campuses.

The proposal for the rezoning was first announced in a Nov. 16 , 2015 board meeting and approved on the Jan. 19  of the following year.

These students were taken from what they knew and placed into an entirely new environment.  However, the students who were incorporated into the Ram Nation, freshman Brenda Ulloa, Khushi Patel and senior Robert Riles, have mixed emotions about this switch and being away from their friends.

Ulloa does not see the switch as such a big obstacle in her relationship with her friends.

“At first I was like I wanted to be with them, but I mean I still see them on the weekends and stuff,” Ulloa said.

Ulloa also points out that Cypress Ridge is a big school and not as crowded as Jersey Village. Which is shown due to Jersey Village High School having 3,559 students while Cypress Ridge High School has 2,999 students attending.

On the other end of the spectrum, fellow Patel is having a difficult time with the separation.

“I’m not able to be with my friends and siblings,” Patel said. “It made me feel upset and angry,” Patel stated.

Patel’s family feels okay with the switch as Patel as long as she is getting a good education. As she says her parents say, “Education is education.”

Football player Riles had a very different transition than Ulloa and Patel; his move was slightly complicated by his previous position on the varsity football team at Jersey Village. “I’m the new kid so there’s a lot of orientation things and getting to know the team,” Riles said.

Riles has experienced something like RAM P.R.I.D.E. at his former school, but found the Ram school spirit to be more evident.

“[Falcon Pride] is not as intense as it is here,” Riles said.

Riles was used to a different school schedule  so it was really hard for him to adjust to the set schedule of seven periods a day.

“[Jersey Village  has a] block schedule there where we got out at one o’clock on Thursdays compared to here where it’s 2:40,” Riles said.

Ultimately the opening of Parks and eventually the unnamed school #12 has pushed some students to experience a new environment.and ultimately different outlook on high school.