In the chaotic halls of Hickman High School, junior Sadie Poelma stands out not just for her easy going personality but for the unique educational path that brought her here. 

After years in a small private school and an intense online learning experience, Sadie has returned to a traditional classroom setting, embracing the social connections and new opportunities that come with it.Before Hickman, Sadie’s education looked very different. She spent her early years at Christian Fellowship Private School, but it wasn’t the right fit for her. 

“My school was really small, and I didn’t really love that, because everyone knew each other, and it’s a lot of super rich kids and just not the nicest people. And also, I had a lot of anxiety at the time. I was stressed all the time because I was always around mean people,” Sadie said.

The environment wasn’t what she needed, and when COVID-19 hit, the transition to online learning felt like a relief. However,her time in an online academy was no walk in the park. The coursework was rigorous, comparable to an AP class here, pushing her to stay disciplined without the structure of a traditional classroom. With no teachers in the room to offer immediate help and no classmates to collaborate with, she had to manage her time and workload entirely on her own. 

 “I think the program that I did… it was a lot harder than my private school… it was extra work outside the class that you had to do,” she said. 

Though it helped her grow academically, the isolation of learning from home took its toll. 

“I was ready to go back to school because I was kind of tired of feeling lonely being at home all the time. My mom said I was “a hermit” because I was just very isolated at home,” Sadie said.

This desire for connection pushed her to enroll at Hickman, where she would experience the challenges of in-person school once again—but this time, with a new perspective.

Walking into a big public high school for the first time was overwhelming. 

“For the first month, I really didn’t like it, honestly… I didn’t really meet that many people yet,” Sadie said. 

The transition was difficult, but as she settled in, she started to find her people.

Academically, she quickly noticed a shift from her rigorous online courses. 

“I don’t want to sound stuck up, but I feel like… the classes I’m taking are a lot easier than the classes I took online,” she said.

While this adjustment gave her more confidence, it was the social experience she valued most.

One of the first people Sadie connected with at Hickman was junior Bailey Klenke, who met her in psychology class. 

“My first impression was that she was super sweet,” Bailey said. 

Over time, she saw deeper layers of Sadie’s personality emerge.

 “One of her strengths is her motivation to get things done and her relationship with God,” she said.

Sadie’s ability to form strong friendships became even clearer as she started spending time with junior Addison Semple. At first, Addison thought Sadie was shy, but that impression quickly changed. 

“Sadie is not really shy or quiet at all; she is very outgoing and fun, which I love,” she said. 

Their friendship grew through morning catch-ups, lunch outings, and shared excitement over Gracie Abrams’ music.

Beyond close-knit friendships, Sadie has also made connections with classmates like sophomore Peyton Scholten, who met her in Spanish class. 

“She seemed nice and easy to talk to,” Peyton said. “All that has changed is just growing to like her more and finding out that she is so funny!”

What makes Sadie unique, according to her friends, is her ability to bring joy into any situation. 

“She always has something to talk about and has very quick and funny comebacks no matter the situation,” Peyton said.

Sadie’s friendships aren’t just built on deep conversations—they’re also full of laughter. Some of her best memories include driving around town with Addison Semple and Bailey Klenke, playing a game where they blast embarrassing music with the windows down to see who will roll their window up first. 

“There have been many times when we have gone past people and Sadie just sings the songs to them, or she just hides her face away pretending she doesn’t know us,” Addison said.

Sadie has also changed in important ways since coming to Hickman. Her friends have noticed her newfound confidence. 

“She is more confident in herself, by the way she ‘presents’ herself and based on the fact she has been able to gain so many new friends in the only six months we have been in school,” Addison said.

Even in difficult moments, like the transition to public school, Sadie has a way of looking at life with perspective. 

“Life comes as it does and you just have to grow from it; it always ends how it’s supposed to,” she said.