Your High School Journey Starts Here

Transitioning to TFS: Ninth Grader Kaden Purcell is here to tell you all about it. 

It was actually exciting. I heard about all the opportunities, and then I realized they’re real. Class trips stand out. Traveling to places like Daytona Beach, walking along the shoreline, and riding on the Daytona International Speedway made ninth grade unforgettable. Those shared experiences helped me build friendships quickly, and the trips gave us space to connect outside the classroom.

Sports

Cross country and track were already familiar to me. I’d been running for years, but at TFS, they became more than sports. They became a way to build relationships and to understand the school community more deeply. Through training and meetings, I got to know people I might not have met otherwise.

Academics 

That sense of connection carries into academics, too. When you feel known and supported, it changes everything. You’re more confident, more engaged, and more willing to participate. So, having friends and a community around me didn’t just make school more enjoyable; it helped me do better in it.

Academically, experiences like engineering and hands-on projects pushed me in new directions. I chose to take an engineering class because I hadn’t done anything like it before. It ended up being one of the most rewarding decisions I made. Building projects, such as carpenter bee traps and contributions to Habitat for Humanity, showed me what it means to create something with real impact beyond the classroom.

Clubs and Extracurricular Experiences

One of the biggest barriers for students is their hesitation to try new things. At TFS, the opportunities are there; you just have to step into them. I learned that firsthand as we started the Fly Fishing Club. What began as a casual interest turned into something real. We met, traveled to Batesville, and fished at Larry’s Lodge. It became a way to build experiences I never would have had otherwise.

Being included in planning and leadership has also been meaningful. There’s something powerful about not just participating in school life, but helping shape it.

Clubs like FCA and TOME, along with

arts experiences such as attending productions of Bright Star and Into the Woods, added another layer to my time here. Seeing students bring those performances to life was inspiring in a different way.

Community

Community at TFS is built through the people. I’ve made friends across different cultures and backgrounds, including boarders who brought new perspectives and experiences. Those relationships changed how I see the world. Even simple moments, like when my friend Jayden Zhang from Suzhou, China, shared a quote from Sun Tzu's The Art of War about perseverance after I shared a Bible verse. It gave us a connection. This reflects the kind of thoughtful, unexpected conversations that happen here.

At the center of it all is something simple but true: We Are TFS. It isn’t just a slogan. It reflects a community built on inclusion, opportunity, and the idea that every student has a place, a voice, and a chance to grow into who they’re meant to be.