FEATURES

MJ Smit Emma Snyder

Elle Smith

Staff Writer

Four years ago I woke up at 5 a.m. for my freshman orientation just so I would have time to curl my hair. Little did I know, that would be the last time I woke up before 7:15 for school — and there would be many uncomfortable rides in my mom’s car, her still in her nightgown, angry and grumbling that I missed the bus. Not to be a sap, but we all talk about how much we hate math class, or getting up early, but as someone whose graduation is coming up a lot faster than I feel ready for, I urge underclassmen to make the best of those moments. I assure you, one day you’ll miss them. If the people at MCHS have taught me anything, it is that, even on my worst days in this building, I was always surrounded by people who cared about me. The same is true for all of students at MCHS. My advice: Don’t let grades stress you out to the point of exhaustion, an assignment or two is never worth a broken heart, but also don’t be a huge procrastinator like I was, it only makes things more draining. And most importantly: put yourself first, and don’t put up with anyone who doesn’t let you be who you are. MJ Smit

Staff Writer

When people say high school goes by fast, they really mean it. One day you’re a freshman struggling to find your classes in a big building, the next you’re a senior about to graduate and walk down the aisle at graduation. Your childhood has gone by in a flash and now you need to work, go to college (if you want), and get a home. I personally thought it all went by slowly until about two weeks ago, when I realized I was going to be going to college and graduating from high school in two weeks. It’s insane to think about now, actually getting to the end of this experience — having made close friends with students and teachers, and then you’re leaving. Making memories for so many years on both campuses hurts when you have to go. Of course, we can all come back and visit, but those memories won’t be made anymore during high school life with friends. I’m really glad some classes I have are doing special things for seniors, like having a senior piece in choir. I am extremely thankful to all of my teachers for everything they’ve done for me. Other staff members and even custodians have done a lot for me, and I am so thankful for all of them. Emma Snyder

News Editor

Every time people find out I am a senior, they always ask me what my future plans are — a relatively easy question to answer. But once, I was asked if I regretted anything about high school. “Only that I hadn’t joined newspaper sooner,” I had said. While that’s true, this question has stuck with me and it’s something that I have thought a lot about. It’s not that I regret a lot of things from high school because I don’t. I am actually proud of the things that I have accomplished in the last four years. It’s just that I have also learned a lot. I know now that high school is an opportunity to try new things and to take chances. I’ve learned not to take myself so seriously that I forget to enjoy experimenting with my elective schedule and discovering new passions. I have learned that high school really is too short to spend time participating in clubs and activities that I don’t enjoy. For a while, I spent so much time filling my schedule with electives I knew I wouldn’t enjoy because it was safe instead of taking a risk and trying something new. Eventually, I decided to start in the journalism program sophomore year despite not understanding what a journalist really was and my senior year, I joined badminton despite having never played before. Both made me uncomfortable at first but, both have also become some of my favorite parts of high school.

Joe Ndu Emma Westermeier

Joe Ndu

Staff Writer Kaitlyn Wenzel

Staff Writer Emma Westermeier

Staff Writer

The only way I can accurately categorize my high school experience has to be through the stages of embarrassment I have undergone and subsequently forced upon my classmates over the years. There are still moments when I go to bed and my mind decides to announce, “Remember that one time you played an out of tune tenor saxophone for a bunch of half awake juniors in your AP U.S. History class? Remember how you thought you were so cool for doing that?” And the truly sad fact was that in the moment, I had entirely convinced myself that a shaky teenage girl playing a mediocre sounding version of King Oliver’s “West End Blues,” was the best representation of the 1920s Jazz Age. In reality, I was desperate for someone to remember at least something about me that seemed interesting — something that didn’t involve the fact that I used to wear the same sweater at least two or three times a week.

But, after high school, people could care less about that type of stuff because they’ve got things like college and bills and insurance policies to worry about. All I’ve learned is that playing a saxophone is not cool and will never be cool unless you can play like a jazzy man from the 1920s. Otherwise, no one’s interested in a fake show.

Some lessons I’ve learned…

Always look to grow stronger.

Always test yourself. Take challenges head on and try new things. You learn from these situations every time you do. Hardships are a part of life. Be grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow from it.

Manage your time effectively.

Stay organized. If you ever get overwhelmed just remember to step back, catch your breath, and deal with what’s in front of you, focusing on one task at a time. Trying to do everything all at once will always overwhelm you, and you’ll get nothing done.

Only your opinion about your-

self is the one that really matters. When I say this, I don’t mean this as an excuse to be arrogant or to always disregard the opinions of others. You should always be open to criticism and seriously consider whether it will benefit you, but you don’t always have to explain yourself to others.

Never lose your self-respect.

Building confidence is vital to how you view yourself. Don’t let other people determine your happiness, because only you can truly define the terms of it. Don’t change yourself because of peer pressure.

Get help whenever you need it.

Learn to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to be “annoying.” If you feel dumb for asking questions, just remember it’s better to ask now rather than keep quiet and fail. Utilize your resources. Teachers are here to help you. Counselors are here to help you. Reach out to as many people as possible. Utilize resources that are in front of you.

Start planning for college early.

It’s unbelievably important to plan for your future early on. I waited until the last minute, and now I’m feeling the effects. While for many students, this school year might not have been the most desired way to finish off this chapter of our life, but I believe it is still a very memorable way to finish. This situation is what made our senior year the most memorable, even if we weren’t able to get the same normal experiences as normal seniors would get. After all, the people around us still did their best to give us those same experiences. I am glad I got to experience my senior year this way because of the different experiences and opportunities I was given, especially by not having to go into the building every day and spend the entirety of my day there. I also found that this experience was able to make my senior year less stressful and a bit easier. I get distracted more easily at school, especially being around so many people and being able to do my school from the comfort of my own home made me more comfortable and my schedule became more flexible. This experience had also made me feel more refreshed. I can start my college experience as a better version of myself after staying away from people for so long and feeling refreshed while not feeling dread to start back up in person. This year, I didn’t attend games, prom or other events, but that still didn’t stop me from having a great year. This year has made me the happiest I have been and I am excited for what’s yet to come.

Not every student becomes valedictorian or gets a full-ride scholarship to the school of their choice. Students who fly under the radar, though, still have a stories to tell, and still cherish their memories at MCHS. Photo By: Kennedy Tetour

Under the radar

Everyday seniors detail what made their experiences special — and how underclassmen can do the same

Ciara Duncan Features Editor

High school is characterized by a multitude of experiences, flashes of memory in the minds of the people that were witness to them. Some of these memories stand out against the rest. Most, however, fade into the background.

Still, for seniors at MCHS, these everyday experiences have been the ones that end up meaning the most. Every senior has them, even those seniors who may not have been on Homecoming court, a Distinguished Warrior, or even captain of their team. These are the experiences that end up defining high school for them. For Jordan Konieczy, this included joining the football team his freshman year. “It lasted all through high school and it was cool to be part of a team,” he says.

Participating in something bigger than yourself is always memorable. For Joseph Ndu, this included being a part of Chautauqua his junior year. “I was Langston Hughes. I gave a speech in front of everyone for the debate and I lost miserably,” he laughs. “Still, it was fun to participate.” During the time of COVID, these events can seem really far away. As graduation approaches, Alexandra Salgado wishes that she could relive the memories she made in her Junior year Spanish for Heritage Learners class. “We had a lot of really good debates and conversations. I was really close with everyone in that class, and Mr. [Otto] Corzo too, so that made it even better.”

For both Konieczy and Ndu, Homecoming was the one thing they truly yearned to experience again. “I was in the middle of the dance circle at last year’s Homecoming. For once in my life, I wasn’t cripplingly socially awkward; I was just dancing,” Ndu says.

Konieczy agrees, stating “The last Homecoming before COVID was probably one of the best Homecomings [the school] had. It was the most fun. All my friends were able to make it that night, and we all went out to eat afterwards.”

These events are ones that seem like they will never happen again, due to the longevity of the pandemic. However, there will be an end at some point, and the future is promising for younger classes to be able to live a more normal high school experience. As a result, the advice seniors have for incoming freshmen is that much more important. “Don’t be afraid to just get out there,” Salgado says. “Join clubs and join sports because a majority of people aren’t going to care. Do as many things as you can and just enjoy the four years you have, because they go by really fast.”

“Keep up with your homework and get involved cause you’re going to regret not doing that,” says Ndu. “You’re going to look back and regret not doing as much as you could. Oh, and stay out of drama. It’s a waste of time and it’s one of the things I’m glad I stayed out of. Just be a good person.” Hollywood likes to make it seem that you only really went to high school if you won prom queen or were student council president or some other crazy, amazing thing. Shockingly, most students don’t end up doing this. Still, their experiences are just as important and memorable as any others, and the advice they give can mean a world of difference.

Never forgotten

Alayna Majkrzak Staff Writer

Tears, diplomas, and graduation caps are a common sights around the school this time of the year. The graduating Class of 2021 has had to endure many hardships with the COVID-19 pandemic coming through and bulldozing a year and a half of their high school career. Despite all of this adversity, this year’s graduating class has impacted MCHS in so many ways. “It is very bittersweet,” says Leah Pelletier, a science teacher at East Campus. “I am sad to see them go. I feel like the time we had was cut short unfairly and they missed out on so much of the fun parts of high school. However, I am so excited to see what life has in store for them in their bright futures.” Seeing seniors move on from MCHS is always difficult, especially for the students and teachers who have been affected most by them, whether through friendships formed between students in two different grades or bonding over a shared love of theatre. “Some of my favorite memories of the Class of 2021 are from the pep rally assemblies,” says McKenna Keegan, a junior at East Campus. “Never have I seen such a collective act of boisterous enthusiasm from a large group of people.”

Whether it was dodge ball, karaoke, or just the school cheer, the Class of 2021 always had the most school spirit and were always the first ones to clap for others and the last ones to sit down. Many teachers have had the privilege of working with this senior class since they were freshmen at MCHS, whether that was through academic classes, athletics, or extracurricular activities. Teachers are also sad to see their

West Campus seniors work on assignments during the second to last week of their school year. Teachers and underclassmen will remember the Class of 2021 as one who persevered through difficulty — and handled it with grace. Photo By: Madison Harvey

Though the Class of 2021 has endured many hardships, they’ve also made a memorable impact

seniors move on, but the do know that their students are going to do amazing things.

Andy Hillier, French teacher and the Drama Club advisor has seen these students grow up and mature through the years. “I think of the students I’ve had for four years,” he says, “and all the great conversations we’ve had. I remember them as freshmen, looking a little lost and wide-eyed, watching them progress through getting their licenses and going to dances, to now seeing them choose colleges and make plans for after graduation.”

This years’ graduating class has gone through a lot, and yet they managed to handle all of the hardships thrown their way with grace. Classmates report that they are accepting and open-minded, and all of the teachers who’ve watched them grow up within these walls have been given a privilege to be able to say they taught this group of students. Junior, Carissa Hudson has seen her senior friends get part of their junior and senior years get ripped away. She watched them handle it with grace, making the most of the situations. “On behalf of myself and every other member of the junior, sophomore, and freshman classes at MCHS, thank you class of 2021 for all that you have done. I know that you will go on to do amazing things.” Within this past year many complex situations have been thrown at the students. This year’s graduating class is certainly a special one that the students beneath them will never be able to replace. The friendships and memories that are so valuable to so many students will be cherished here and no one will be able to forget the impact that the graduating class of 2021 has had on this school.