Vasila Egamova (287)

You are walking down a hallway, in a place that feels familiar, yet undeniably advanced. As education across the nation grapples with rapid technological advancements and shifting social needs, it makes you wonder what a school that is already 186 years old will look like in 2050. Central High is a school of many legacies and much prestige, so it makes you wonder what the future holds for a school in a society that is rapidly advancing. 

Many students have predicted that the building will be largely unchanged, even as construction begins for the long-awaited Music Arts Building. Judy Elbrokoiry (287) said, “The Central High School building will still look the same, but it is going to become more polished.” Several students voiced the same opinion that there will not be any major architectural additions to the building other than the Music Arts Building. 

Lunch is a highlight of the day for most people, although opinions on the actual school food are very mixed. There are definitely students who prefer to eat anything rather than the school lunch given, but many are also perfectly fine with it. When asked if the school lunch would remain the same, many students did not have high hopes for the school lunch and had low expectations. Alissa Lylyk (287) said, “Hopefully, the school food will improve nationwide.”  Additionally, some students said they thought the portions of the food would shrink. 

Academically, many are curious about what subjects could be taught in the future. Some hoped for more specialized subjects, such as additions to the AP catalog. For example, when asked if they wanted new AP subjects, students said they wanted AP Asian History, AP Philosophy, or AP Physiology. Like many of the students, Wanshan Xie (287) said, “Science and math classes are going to get increasingly tough.” It is likely that, as the years go on, many of the subjects will get stricter and tougher because of academic demands. 

The real excitement many people have for the future is the advancements in technology. Students predicted that AI would have taken over everything, even vending machines. However, some students said they also predict the Wi-Fi will still be as slow. Many students also said the teachers would get stricter when it comes to technology use in learning and assessments. 

The last question was the most important: What would students be like in 2050? These answers from students, however, were pessimistic. Some feared that the students would become “snobby” and have way too much of an attitude towards the teachers. Suggesting that the students would become very disrespectful in many aspects of communication. Many predicted the students would be “dumb” and less capable of thinking independently because of the use of AI.  

The responses in this article show the students’ views toward a future of AI development and social needs. It shows both the excitement and the concern that these students have for Central High. Many of these students are currently excited by the technological advancements, but also express their uncertainty about the future of rapid innovations in technology in our modern world and the future. What do you think Central High will look like in 2050?