With each new year, there are always changes.

Whether it be new students, new teachers, clubs or activities, it seems like nothing ever stays the same at East.

One big change at Charger Nation this year is the complete reconstruction of houses. Houses at Bullitt East were created so that students could find a home or belonging at school. In hopes to connect students, and make an already overcrowded school feel smaller in a sense, houses have been a part of Bullitt East Tradition for five years.

This year everything has changed. Instead of having ten different houses that students select based on their personal interests, students will now be placed in houses based on their class. There will be a different house for each grade, making the number of students in each individual house much greater.

A big negative to houses in year’s past was the lack of participation in certain activities. Now with more people in each house, it is expected that participation among students will increase. “We know that students were unhappy and teachers were often frustrated with houses in years past. Hopefully, going forward, everyone (students and teachers included) are able to be more invested since there is a natural competition between each class,” said Madelyn Mann, headmaster of the junior class.

Each house will have different themes, meanings, and names. The names were voted upon in the first house meetings held on August 11. Freshman will be Thorhauntu, sophomores will be Spero, juniors are Pisti, and seniors are Fortis.  

With this transition, the people who are in a position of authority in houses will be redirected as well. This is Mann’s first year as a headmaster, making her workload of responsibility much heavier this year. “My responsibilities as headmaster include organizing events with students, facilitating whole-house meetings, seeking out student volunteers for house projects, identifying students with special skills needed to complete projects, supplying teachers in my house with materials and instructions on what specifically they need to do, and some other tasks that may come up throughout the year,” said Mann. It’s a lot of work, but it is worth it in the long run.

This year there will not be just one person who runs each house. Instead, there will be “a core group of teacher-leaders/headmasters,” said Mann.

Though there may be challenges, as there are with anything new, Charger Nation is still excited. “I think it’s great to work on the natural competitiveness that students have and I think it will enhance student involvement since more of their friends are likely to be in their house,” said Mann.  

Houses were originally made to connect students and teachers while keeping them engaged and involved. A lot has changed, but the goal is still the same.