I am a senior at Richland High. It bothers me that the students at Richland High are often painted to only be jocks and partiers. I do realize that not everyone has this view, and that it is true to a certain extent, but few people talk about the level of academics we do have. There are six people in the Class of 2012 that currently have a 4.0 GPA. I know for a fact that most schools can't brag about six. Yet for some reason that is not what people focus on when Richland High comes up in conversation.

On the note of being a sports-centered school, our sports teams also consistently earn awards for a high level of academic achievement. We are not just a bunch of jocks; many of us are student athletes. Personally, I participate in track and field and every year our varsity has earned an award for academic excellence.

We may not have as many high-level, specialized classes as our counterpart Hanford High, but that doesn't mean we have to get the reputation for having jocks alone. Richland High is more than the athletics, despite common belief.

McKenzie Webb, Richland