Students at Klein Oak are expected to be in class by 7:25 am. For a lot of us, our day starts at the tardy bell. But some classmates’ days start way before that.

Some kids here are setting their alarms for 4 or 5am to take part in everything from bible studies to morning workouts. Pursuing passions and interests isn’t only an after-school event, and to many students, getting up a little earlier is beneficial and even more rewarding.

“When I get up in the morning, it’s exciting because I get to go in and skate. It’s something that I love to do”, Kaitlyn Fallowfield, a Senior at Oak, says. “Self-improvement is really important and that’s what keeps me going.”

Other individuals are depended on to get up in the morning. Kortney Lyle, an agriculture student has to take care of her animals for agriculture class.

“I go to the barn every morning, feed my animals, and clean their pens,” Lyle said. When asked what she gains from it she stated, “it’s really fun and the results are worth it in the end”.

While some people go elsewhere for morning activities, many participate in events here at the school. Gayle Gregory, who teaches Environmental Science AP here at oak, lends her guidance to the school swim team before school.

“When they have practice at 5:30am, I’ll come in and help out with coaching on deck…I put my alarm clock on the other side of the room…when the alarm clock goes off I have to literally get out of bed to turn it off.” Gregory is a veteran when it comes to getting up far before the sun does. “I was trained early, I’ve always had morning practice”.

It may be hard to wake up in the morning for school, but these individuals have taken on the extra responsibility to face that challenge head on every morning to pursue their interests. Maybe 7:25 am isn’t so bad.