From one school, to another, to one more, junior George Hatchett has had his fair share of first days in new places.

George found his way to FHC as a sophomore in the fall of 2018. Before that, he went to City Middle School for a few years and switched over to Ottawa Hills as a freshman. He then found himself at the front entrance of FHC about a year later.

His reasons for school-hopping from City Middle School to Ottawa Hills came down to the people there and the connections he made—or the lack thereof.

“City High wasn’t a good fit for me,” George said. “There were a lot of smart, awkward kids who had no social lives. I’d try to talk to someone, and they wouldn’t talk to me. So for me, being someone who likes to talk, it wasn’t a good fit for me.”

Unfortunately, Ottawa Hills wasn’t the best arrangement for him either. The school brought its own set of problems for George.

“At Ottawa Hills, I fit in a little bit too much,” George said. “I had too many friends, and they were distractions; I got way too comfortable there. School wasn’t my top priority while I was there, so I had to switch.”

Luckily, he found the perfect balance for his social life and school when he transferred over to FHC. He found he could focus on his academics while still being able to socialize with his peers in a non-distracting way.

“I don’t have as many friends[at FHC],” George said. “So there [are] not that many distractions and the friends I do have are mostly uplifting towards me.”

Considering that the two schools he attended before his sophomore year were rather different, he was pleasantly surprised by what he found at FHC. He immediately noticed the immense pride the school takes in being Rangers.

“It was a huge culture shock switching from those schools to FHC,” George said. “I came here, and the culture was very different. We [care] more about school spirit here.”

Not only did George find the perfect school for him, but he also joined the basketball team. Here, he found a new group of people that he spent so much time with and that were passionate about the same activity: basketball.

“We all have a nice, strong bond on the team,” George said. “We might get mad at each other once in a while, but we’re still locked in.”

Through all of the switching schools, George’s family has always been his motivation for his hard work.

He has his twelve siblings with him through it all. For most people, twelve family members—not including their mother or father— would include their extended family, but for George, that’s just the people he gets to call his siblings.

Most people would gawk at that number of people in their house on a daily basis, especially when it comes to getting up and ready in the mornings.

“With two bathrooms—not including my parents’—mornings can get really crazy,” George said. “It’s always pretty chaotic when everyone’s there.”

Despite all the insane mornings, George feels lucky to be surrounded by a family who cares for him. With a village of twelve behind him, he always feels the love.

“Every day brings its own challenges growing up with that many people,” George said. “Most of the time it’s just chaos, and mornings are really crazy. But we all have a close bond with one another, and I’m thankful for them.”

Through all the headaches of finding the school for him, George’s family has been by his side through all his trials and tribulations.

“Compared to City and Ottawa Hills, FHC is a better fit better for me altogether,” George said. “I have my family to thank for always being there to support me through all of it.”