Walking around a new school might be easy for most, but when it is 10 times smaller than your old school, which burned down in a fire, it is a hard adjustment. 

Following the Palisades Fire, high school students from Palisades Charter High have transferred to new schools for the second semester of the 2024-2025 school year. Palisades High has transitioned onto an online schedule, meeting through Zoom. This has caused several students to leave the school and attend other educational institutions including Milken. 

As a transfer student, I can say the transition has been difficult for me but also worthwhile. Milken offers a tight Jewish community for students to flourish while also receiving a great education. Milken’s opportunities for students allow them to connect with others while also gaining insight into specific topics they are interested in. 

When I transferred, I joined the Mock Trial team at Milken, pursuing this program for the first time in my life. The program has helped me develop new bonds with people of the same interest, and I also get to learn different aspects of law. 

While programs at Milken have been amazing, I got to join the varsity soccer team midway through their season. The soccer program is filled with amazing students and staff who offered a warm welcome to transfer students affected by the fire. 

Milken’s staff have been very helpful during this transition, accommodating all transfer students who are not familiar with the Milken lifestyle. The academic support team has helped structure all my classes despite not having recommendations from previous Pali teachers. 

This support and love from all of Milken’s staff and students has made this transition mostly easy and has made me feel like this is where I belong.