The years winding down and it’s time to start thinking about what your plan is. Let’s start at the beginning of quarter 4. Not only are you starting to get a little anxious having graduation right around the quarter, but you still have to stay on top of all your school work. During this time you may acquire this thing called “Senioritis”. For some students, this has been a thing since sophomore year, (we hope it wasn’t you). But pretty much, Senioritis is this thing where you start to get a little lazy with school work, start coming to school late (if at all), and just start going downhill. That is one of the heaviest things that a senior has to watch out for. But if you have no problem with that that surely you’ll be doing just fine.

School work. Oh, that stuff that never goes away. It can be very easy to fall behind in school work with all things coming your way, so let me break it down for you a little.

The Elks Lodge; Senior Athletes had this wonderful opportunity to come together and get a free dinner. That’s right I said Free. This night can be very special for some. This was a senior event that involved, South, North, Lutheran, Kohler, and Howards Grove. It was an event that gave selected students a chance to have a wonderful opportunity and get scholarships out of it. It could be anyone that could get one out of the many awards that they gave out, and Senior Lars Krugel happened to be one. Senior Lars Krugel States; “I won the Dutch Thornsen award for academic excellence on the football team, it felt pretty cool to be awarded the first of all the scholarships. Especially being in the same group as all of the other athletes that I grew up knowing and competing against”. In the end, this was a very good night for the seniors to talk with one another and just overall have a good time.

Senior Lock-in; For the first time ever, the seniors were able to put together a senior lock-in from 9 pm to 5 am on May 10th. This was another great opportunity for all the seniors to have a great time and get together for one of the few last times and just have a fun, exhilarating, good night. From swimming to rollerblading to having a nerf gun fight, it was an overall fun time for the seniors. Senior Helen Flynn states; I really enjoyed the lock-in because there were so many activities. If you didn’t want to swim, you could do karaoke, rollerblade or watch a movie. There was something for everyone which prompted more people to attend. It was great to see so many different friend groups hanging out and having fun together It was also funny to see Mr. Formolo riding longboards down the hall and Mrs. Klingbile playing dodgeball. Everyone had a good time”. As you can see there were so many activities that you could be doing. This event was definitely something to remember and never forget.

Scholarship Night; Scholarship Night is a night that every senior looks forward too. From all the essays and preparing, one had to do just to be eligible for a single scholarship was definitely well worth it in the end. If you received a scholarship, you got an invitation in the mail. Not saying what scholarship you got, nor how much. It only says the rules of the night. So it was very nerve-racking for seniors. You could walk out with one scholarship or even 10! There is no limit on the number that you could receive. Senior Brenna McDonough says; “Scholarship Night was a great experience and something that I looked forward to for a while. It was pretty nerve-wracking though since you never knew when your name was going to be called. I am very thankful that I was able to receive 8 scholarships. This was also a great opportunity to spend time with the senior class. Going into the night I was a little nervous, but I knew that I would be thankful for any scholarship that I was awarded, as it would help me in my future.

This was a very special night and a great way to get that extra help going into college. A once in a lifetime event that can help many seniors pursue their future education.

Senior Walk: It’s almost the big day where you begin a whole new chapter. But first, we have to give the people that helped you get here recognition. With that being said, the senior walk. The Senior Walk is a fantastic way to thank your elementary school teachers as well as middle school teachers. All the students from the schools gather in the halls, having the graduating seniors walk down being big role models for the younger ones. It’s a very special event for not only the younger kids but for the seniors because they can thank their old teacher because if it wasn’t for them the seniors wouldn’t be who they are today. Senior Savannah Brusse states; “I’m very excited to see my fourth-grade class and my sister because I YTY for that class. I’m also very excited to see my CCA class come back to get a last walk through the halls”. This day can be very special as well as very emotional for many many seniors. It goes back to the olden days where some of the greatest memories were made.

The Big Day, Graduation; Well the day is here. The day we’ve all been waiting for. The reason why we gave 100% effort in the work we did over the past 12 years. Graduation. Graduation is probably one of the biggest days of your life. It’s almost like the end of a chapter and the beginning of a new one. This day is filled with an emotional rollercoaster. From happiness to sadness, to anything in between. Senior Jaidan Glavan says; “I am excited to start a new chapter in my life, although I am very scared and anxious about college and being away from my friends and family. I am very thankful for all the memories and friendships I have created throughout high school. I also look forward to making new memories this summer”. This event is almost like an award for the work and dedication you put into your school work over the past 12 years. It gave all of us something to look forward too and something that we’re all super excited for. But graduation isn’t the end. Whether you go into the workforce or college, you have a whole new chapter waiting to be started.

The last quarter of high school for a senior may seem like a lot, but in a blink of an eye, you’ll hear your name get called, you’re going to be the only one up on stage, waiting for your diploma. The key to ending that chapter and starting a brand new one very soon. Graduating or not, always cherish the memories you have. Because in the end, that chapter will be over before you even know it.