Humans of CGS
What makes CGS so great? The people! Get to know the diverse group of humans that make CGS such a wonderful place.
Emmet Moran
“I was raised to not take anything for granted which has been helping me a lot recently of the pandemic.”
“I commute from Bridgeport and am a first-generation American from Ireland. I was raised to not take anything for granted which has been helping me a lot recently of the pandemic. The hardest thing for me right now, especially with school, is staying on top of everything I'm doing. I'm a procrastinator so it's hard to know what to do when you don’t have a teacher telling you deadlines and stuff like that.
I struggle to pay attention and it's harder to receive the attention I need from teachers. Although I feel like I am getting more one on one teaching because of the separation from virtual learners and physical learners. I have less time to do things because of the pandemic and it has really made my commute horrible but CGS has given me a good environment and friends to support me and my mental state right now.”
Annika and Sofia Snow
“You might be good at something that your sibling might not be, and they might be better at something than you are and you shouldn’t base how you think of yourself on other people. Comparing yourself to your siblings or others is just not worth it.”
— Sofia Snow
Annika and Sofia Snow are both students at CGS. While many others go to school school with their siblings, there is definitely something unique about their experience; they are identical twins. Having siblings in the same school can be difficult itself, let alone having a sibling in the same grade and many of the same classes as you. “When both her and I are in the same [remote] class -- we have a couple classes together -- we have to sit in different rooms because of the bad echo when we both want to talk,” said Sofia. “It gets very confusing.”
“It also gets frustrating when we are in the same class and we have different views on what we're learning, or coming up with different answers since we sometimes get mad at each other.” said Annika. However, there are obvious benefits to going to the same school as your sibling. Annika pointed out the fact that they get very similar work. “We can help each other out a lot, which we do, with homework or similar assignments. It’s not like we have to call somebody or text somebody, since there's someone right here. But oh my gosh, it’s so annoying when one of us is in the middle of doing work and the other is like “I don’t understand, can you help me” while you are already busy, but they don’t want to wait, and it just creates this back and forth of asking for help.”
As they are in the same grade, they have pretty much the same classmates. However, this doesn’t seem to bother them.
“We like sharing friends since it makes things easier, and we can all hang out together. It would also be pretty awkward if we didn’t have the same friends, since we see everyone at school. Sometimes, I wish I did have my own friends since we are always together, but we both enjoy being with the same people, so it works out.” - Sofia
As Annika said, “I guess it’s just the fact that we like the same people, and we see the same people as friends. It’s not that we want to choose somebody else, it’s just we happened to see the same people as friends. The fact that we are twins and are both in CGS means that we see each other a lot when we are in-person for school, more so than other twins since we go to a relatively small school. We have a lot of the same teachers and do a lot of the same things, so our paths schedules often overlap.”
Sofia adds: “Going to school with your sibling…, you’re in the same household, so it can get chaotic with remote school when all of your siblings are online at the same time. I can understand how difficult it can be to go to school with siblings, whether or not they are the same age as you.”
“But then again, you also know somebody,” Annika interjects. “Like if you’re new to a school, for example last year we didn’t know too many people at CGS, you have your sibling there with you, which is somebody at least.”
Since they have similar classes and teachers there is one obvious question: Does it get annoying when you are often mistaken for each other”
As they stated in perfect unison: “It doesn’t bother me.” As Annika said, “At this point, we've just gotten so used to being mistaken for each other that when somebody says “Sofia”, I just turn around. People call me Sofia all the time.” “Even with our parents, we’ll answer for each other, even when the other one was called.”, added Sofia.
Lastly, their advice for siblings going into high school together?; don’t compare yourself. “Don’t base your academics or friends, or anything really on your sibling, do what you want. Or say that your sibling has better grades than you in one class, don’t base everything off of that, go at your own pace.
“You might be good at something that your sibling might not be, and they might be better at something than you are and you shouldn’t base how you think of yourself on other people. Comparing yourself to your siblings or others is just not worth it.”
Raphael Betances
“With all of the bad things happening in the world, I’d rather be a menace for society, than to one.”
— Rafael “Rafy” Betances
Known to his “boys” as Rafy, Raphael Betances is a native to the looping streets of South Norwalk. A towering man even amongst the most built in stature, he is typically regarded for the energy he radiates in whatever room he inhabits.
Let’s take a look on what shaped his character considered by many to be the light in the darkness, bringing happiness to those when it’s most needed.
“Growing up, I was quick to realize that society has no grown-ups as I once thought in elementary school, when we had teachers and their “helpful” aides making it clear that, they’re the grown-up, I’m the child.
Upon coming to CGS almost 4 years ago, I established the idea that the degree of authority isn’t exactly written in age but in power. Whether that be wealth, popularity, or simply influence; it made sense as to why many people were greedy for it, willing to betray even their own for a small ounce of what people call “clout”. While it’s understandable that people need to “do what they need to do” to get where they are in life, it certainly didn’t justify the amount of selfishness we see so often. Just a few hours ago, I’m quite sure you’re familiar with the news surrounding Pop Smoke’s death. He was killed over a $2,000 piece of jewelry. $2,000. Just for a sense of accomplishment over something material. It makes me sick.
When people are acting a certain way, I felt that, rather than pointing a finger at those who make everything wrong, it’s best for me to do what’s right so perhaps people can follow. Criticism helps, but if I’m not improving, what’s the use?
From that fact alone, I do everything I can to be the best person I can be. Whether it be uplifting the homies, hyping my friends and family up, or simply making someone’s day, I think it really gives me true happiness.
Beyond that, I’ve just been working on myself as well since the pandemic began. Working out more often and hanging out with people I care for the most, it’s been a great to see improvement when my frame of reference isn’t someone else’s success, but of my own.
I don’t believe there’s any grown-ups in this world. Yes, there’s adults and there’s kids. But in reality, I believe the true grown-ups are those who are humble and kind. Those who see others past themselves. And those who don’t, well, they come in all ages. True power comes from humility, not ego.
With all of the bad things happening in the world, I’d rather be a menace for society, than to one.”
Interview arranged by Noah Miranda.