Being a transfer student at any school can be tough, especially if you come in the middle of the year or in the latter part of high school such as junior or senior year. But at ILS transfers are its bread and butter.

We are a small community so when new people join, it’s always exciting.

I myself was a transfer coming to ILS sophomore year, and loving it ever since. Originally, I attended St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Ft. Lauderdale. Given the opportunity to come to ILS and sail, I am grateful for that opportunity.

But just how does ILS differ with transfers compared to other schools?

Here are what some fellow transfer students have to say:

“I was able to make a good amount of friends through the football team, but then I tore my meniscus and had to spend most of my time in the SLC. When I came back though, my teachers helped me get right back on track and they were there for anything. I also made more friends at this time,” said junior Adryan Mendoza.

“I transferred from Doral Academy, and found that at ILS almost everyone was super nice. I never had problems making friends with anyone. Not only were they were super nice, but so were the teachers. They really helped me get used to the classes and schedule at ILS,” said junior Juan Pablo Luzardo, A.K.A Juanpi, who transferred sophomore year.

Transfers come to ILS not just for academics or sports, but also for the opportunities ILS provides such as school retreats, a plethora of clubs, and specialized classes like business or journalism. They also come for the sense of family and community, just how Juanpi and Adryan said, everyone did their best to welcome them into school and it shows.

So, if you know someone looking to transfer, tell them about ILS because there’s no better place.