With an unofficial estimate of 75 transfer students so far this year, Glenwood Springs High School is growing at a shocking rate. Students are still enrolling and transferring, so the already high number of transfers is still climbing.

     Transfer students are defined as students who have moved from a different high school, or who have switched over from the high school they were expected to attend, ex: a student who went to Basalt Middle School and instead of attending Basalt High School, they decide to go to GSHS.

     “The rumor around the valley is that students come to Glenwood for football, or the jazz program, or something like that. But truth is, the reasons aren't that specific,” Counselor Wade Lewis said. “The first kids say that they transferred for the opportunities. But most students after that say they transferred because now all their friends go here.”

     Freshman Scott Hayden left his friends and his sister behind at Coal Ridge to attend Glenwood. “Glenwood offers better classes. Also with sports I have a better chance to be looked at by colleges,” Hayden said.

     Lewis argues that this is only because of the size of our school. “We're a bigger school, so we have more variety in sports, activities, and classes. In proportion to our number of students, Glenwood has the same opportunities,” Lewis said.

     An interesting trend seen by the school is that many students are coming straight from Riverside Middle School in New Castle and completely bypassing Coal Ridge. Many of the transfers this year are freshman and didn’t even give their home high school a try. “I was going to have to do it eventually, but I didn’t want to transfer after my freshman year,” Hayden said.

     Of course not all transfer students are only considering their future when transferring. “The girls are hotter at Glenwood,” Hayden said. He also says his favorite thing about GSHS is the off campus lunches.

     Many transfer students commute every day all the way from Rifle or Basalt just to come to GSHS. Students should feel lucky to have such a desired high school in the palm of their hand.