The Lake - Senior Edition

ke that jump, you ll / the lake the built a wall / ho screams out, the ame / hope if eve hoose to stay/ ho ive, and it hurts ay class of 2015 i

hi there, graduates We made it.

It’s over, the end of the road is here, and we don’t know about you, but we are finally taking that deep, big breath of relief and thinking, “holy crap! it’s all over.” As we reminisce on the past, we find ourselves thinking that we didn’t just survive, we didn’t just make it, each and everyone of us in the Class of 2015 at Standley Lake freaking lived.

Just as our class song, “I Lived” by OneRepublic, states, through thick and thin, we were reveling in all that life threw at us, the good and the bad, always thirsty for more of the thing we call life.

We wanted the last stories that you read about you and your fellow classmates to reflect exactly that: despite the struggles we faced, the mountains we had to climb, and the obstacles we overcame, we came out victorious knowing we rejoiced in all life had to offer. We lived through all the overwhelming, ridiculously beautiful parts life had to offer and we lived through all the heart wrenching, devastating, almost unbearable parts life had to offer. But now, here we are, Class of 2015, and we can say with full conviction, “We lived.” xoxo, chabrina this is page 2

Hope when you take that jump, you don’t fear the fall . . .

Mitch Russo ‘15 and Bre Wakefield ‘15 write letters before they part ways when Mitch becomes a Marine

dear Mitch, The day you called me when you got done with MEPS, the first thing you said on the phone was “July 13,” I’ve never cried harder in my life because it was just all so real. I’m so proud of you because this is just such a big decision. I’m not sad that you’re leaving, I’m sad that I’ll be without you for three months. But I’m so much more proud of you than any sadness could ever count. I’m not sad that you’re becoming a Marine, I’m more proud. I’ve never been more proud in my life. I never thought I could be so proud of somebody and be so excited for you. It just makes me love you all the more because you’re just such an amazing man and it’s such a great step. You’re going to be such an amazing Marine.

Love, Bre

dear Bre,

No matter what happens and no matter where I go, you better come with me. You’re my best friend, I could never get through this without you. You’re not just my girlfriend, you’re a huge piece of my life and I wouldn’t want anyone other than you next to me on this journey. I’m excited to say not only did we make it through all four years of high school, but we will make it through all of the years to come. And you know I always say, “A Marine doesn’t fight because he hates what’s in front of him, he fights because he loves what he left behind.”

Love, Mitch

Hope when the water rises, you built a wall . . . “the most inspiring thing was how adults let us take the lead. As soon as we got involved, we decided what we wanted to do and they supported us.”

- Bethany keupp ‘15 on the jeffco student protests

Hope When the crowd screams out, it’s screaming your name . . .

Quarterback Jacob Naranjo ‘15 receives crowd support throughout his Gator football years

collegiate athletes

The defense stops the other team from scoring a touchdown and the Quarterback runs onto the field. He throws a football back and forth with another teammate to warm up before they take the field under the Friday Night Lights at NAAC.

Dominic Casas:

The crowd begins to cheer loud.

They scream his name.

Throughout his time as a Gator, they were screaming his name.

“My dad has been my coach since second grade,” Jacob Naranjo ‘15 has been a key player to Standley Lake’s football team—the quarterback. His parents were on the bleachers, shouting his name across the field.

“Come on Jacob!” Before the play starts, he takes one last glance into the sea of people in the student section.

And there she is. She’s always standing in the crowd, wearing his jersey and cheering. She was screaming his name.

Tori Baca ‘15 has been a constant supporter of Naranjo throughout his high school football career. “It’s been awesome to see him have this ability and opportunity,” Baca said.

Colorado Mesa University, Football

jeremy minnick: lamar community college, golf

Jacqui dunnigan:

samAntha garcia:

Otero Junior College, Golf

otero junior college, softball

connor durant:

morgan Rubendall:

Csu-pueblo, Football

adams state university, Soccer

grant gladstone:

caylie Hartman:

Csu-pueblo, Football

Otero junior college, soccer

“The Smoky Hill game, junior year, we had to come back from behind and we won it with like a minute left in the game,” Naranjo said.

Casey Torbet:

Cody Calcagno:

Colorado college, basketball

colorado mesa university, soccer

His memories contain the crowd and how they screamed his name, supporting him.

taylor MCrae:

Danielle Lombardi:

colorado school of mines, Soccer

Regis Universityy, Dance

Natalie Schievelbein

Brittany Marks

His girlfriend, his parents, his teammates, his fellow Gators in the crowd.

Grandview University, Dance

cu-Boulder, Dance

Jordan Ireland:

caitlin torgerson:

Being that he has been a part of the game for so long, it’s become a way of life. “I always played other sports on the off season,” Naranjo said. “But, it was always football for me. Football was the main one.”

They were screaming his name. | Mezhgan Aslamy | Sarah Bennett | Laurel Nordquist-Zukin | Tina Muscarelli

concordia university, gymnastics

Colorado Mesa University, diving

kelsie winterfield:

madi schmidt:

Capital University, volleyball

University of northern co, softball

this is page 3

hope if everybody runs, you choose to stay . . .

the moment we became gator strong

“I think it was last year, with Vince. That was the thing that affected me the most because it was really shocking. It affected me a lot more than I wanted it to, and we had a close connection in the IB class too, so that was harder. School was a lot harder for that whole semester, it triggered a lot of things in the whole class. We got through it together. Because we had to, we needed each other.”

Being proud to be a gator started that day for me, on the protest for Jeffco Stand Up. I had honestly felt that no one cared about learning or being here before it. To me, being out there, and seeing everyone out there that I didn’t expect to be...at eight o’clock on a Thursday morning was awesome. It made me realize that I had been wrong about a lot of things.”

“Wish Week really affected me because my brother had cancer. I remember that whole week was a good week because it was a great cause for people in those positions. My brother had a brain tumor. I remember the aftermath of it, which was a lot harder for me. I was eight, and didn‘t really understand but pretty much the next year when I was nine I ended up taking care of him-it hit me full blown.”

-Jacks Curtiss ‘15

-hannah furlong ‘15

-Jordan gray ‘15 | Jamey Burky | Natasha McCone

hope that you fall in love, and it hurts so bad . . .

“I’ve learned that even when you think you’ve figured yourself out, there’s still things that complicate it, and it’s a process, and it’s hard.” this is page 4

bianca martinez ‘15 on growing as a person in the lgbt community

| Jamey Burky | Emma Marlow

the only way you can know is to give it all you have...

duncan tillman ‘15 runs for change Running down the muddy, rock filled track, his breath coming in and out, in and out, he watched as everyone passed him by. As he finally finished the mile, the big red numbers told him his mile time: 12:00.

Five years later, as he runs down the same muddy, rock filled track, his breath is steady and he is no longer watching everyone pass him by. As he finishes his final lap, the big red numbers show his current mile time: 6:55.

Duncan Tillman ‘15 gave everything he had to learn how to run, to overcome what everyone thought he couldn’t overcome, and to prove to himself that he could be a fast runner.

“I wanted to prove to myself that I could get better at running, it was really just for my-

self,” Tillman said.

When Jake Linford, former SLHS cross country teammate, bet Tillman that if he beat a 24 minute 5K, he and the rest of the team would shave their heads. Tillman ran a 22.5 minute 5K. “He didn’t think I could do it because my time for freshman year was 30 minutes,” Tillman said. “ When I broke the time by a minute and a half, it was exciting.”

The hours spent training, running, sweating, and breathing, Tillman finally reached his goal.

He proved not only to everyone around him that he could become a runner, but he proved to himself that by giving all the he had, he could do anything he wanted. | Sabrina Pacha

julia vasquez ‘15 embraces medal change She gets in line to receive her medal. She blocks out all of the chatter around her. Her nervous competitors are but a figment of imagination at this point.

She is nearing her fate, she is hoping for a silver medal, but the cosmos rearrange. In that moment she received a bronze medal.

For Julia Vasquez ‘15, her day was turned around when the announcers revealed how well she performed.

Vasquez felt uneased towards the end of her presentation, as if all of the hard work was not given the credit she felt she deserved. She said, “They judged all of us that hard, nobody else got higher.”

She felt that her heart could be seen in her presentation and that her delivery was more seamless than the night before but she knew something could have been improved.

Vasquez competed in early childhood education, this is where she had to create a lessonbased on a situation that could range from fire safety to organization procedures.

“I would have pushed myself more,” she said.

“I would’ve worked a lot harder at stars night to make everything better and really understand the project. It would have ended in a better result.”

With the situation in mind, Vasquez prepared to the best she could. She felt she had no prevail in the end. “I was upset with myself because my performance was so bad,” she said.

“I could get a better medal.”

Vasquez said, “Of course.”

When they came back to school after a four day weekend, Vasquez looked at the rubric alongside her and she found out that she infact got silver. | Emma Marlow

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and i hope that you don’t suffer but take the pain . . .

hannah white ‘15 endures loss of brother

Because she only missed a week and a half of school.

Because she walks through the halls holding herself together a little different.

Because she knows she is stronger now.

Because Hannah White ‘15 experienced a loss so heavy it takes a lifetime to heal. “It was the year before my brother graduated when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer,” White said. “He was 17.”

Shelby, White’s brother, was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2005. He battled the disease for eight years until October 2013.

“We were told it was back and spread throughout his body,” White said. “We knew for a week. We knew when we had a few days. [The night he died] I woke up at 2:36 with this weird feeling. I don’t know what it was but the next morning my mom told me it happened between 2-3 a.m. and I told her I knew.”

Because it was a normal Thursday.

“I was in relief. I knew how hard it was, especially when we visited him,” White said.

Because her mom lost a baby, they persevered through the pain together.

“My mom is just so amazing,” White said. “[After it happened] I wanted everyone to be okay, especially my mom but she was just so strong.” A tragedy like the one her family faced is one that could never happen easily. “Family is all you have so it was a huge realization how family is so important and they will always be there,” White said.

Going back to school was not easy for White, but the positivity helped them tremendously. “My mom was so positive,” White said. “She really helped and pushed us to go to school. She would say, ‘He would want you to go’ and that is so true.”

Because time went on.

The school year continued. The sun rises every morning, and sets every night. White acknowledged moving on is the best way to heal. “How could you not move on after seeing how fast life can be taken away, how could you not want to move on,” White said.

Because she see’s the world different now.

“I enjoy the little things so much more and I look at people differently,” White said. “I think of the quote ‘Everyone is fighting their own battle I don’t know about.’ So I know that if people just payed more attention to everyone, we would all understand each other better. And now I’m like ‘wow that sunrise is gorgeous! This is going to be the best day ever! I realized we just don’t have that much time.”

Because her family suffered.

Hannah White ‘15 took the pain.

this is page 6

| Morgan Rubendall | Alie Settje

hope when the moment comes, you’ll say

i did it all. . .

this is page 7

I owned every second that this world could give. . .

Seniors awarded full ride scholarships through Daniels, Boettcher, and gates millennium

Erin Garst ‘15 will attend the University of colorado boulder with the daniels fund scholarship to study neuroscience.

Sarina Phu ‘15 will attend the University of denver with the boettcher scholarship to study International studies.

Rachel Conner ‘15 will attend Columbia University with the daniels fund scholarship to study chemical engineering.

Chaye Gutierrez ‘15 Will attend the University of Denver with the boettcher scholarship to study strategic communications.

Brindan Adhikari ‘15 will attend the University of colorado boulder with the gates millennium scholarship to study Aerospace Engineering.

I saw so many places, the things that i did . . .

In four years, the class of 2015 has traveled the globe. from spain to germany to Northern Africa, seniors have experienced new cultures while stepping out of their comfort zone, creating memories.

this is page 8

With every broken bone, i swear i lived . . .

Rachel Harrelson ‘15 shatters stereotypical high school expectation of apathy to build upon her nursing career With a culture that depicts high school in a preppy light such as the movie franchise, High School Musical, or as a dramatic party scene shown in all the ABC Family tv shows, it’s easy to create a stereotype of what a high school student should be like.

The pile of missing homework is pushed to the corner of the desk, as hundreds of texts from friends take priority. Popularity levels increase, while GPA decreases.

Rachel Harrelson ‘15 managed to take hold of her education and recreate herself for her future. “Freshman year was pretty difficult, I struggled. I didn’t go to class, I ditched quite a bit and that was pretty bad,” Harrelson said.

Harrelson was overwhelmed by the trasition from middle school to high school, digging herself deeper into a hole full of missing

assignments, unexcused absences, and F’s.

It wasn’t until she found her true passion, that she turned her grades around. “I did turn it around my junior year, because I knew I wanted to be a nurse. I knew that in order to do that, I needed grades to show it, I needed the attendance, and I needed to show that I cared,” Harrelson said.

Junior year, Harrelson not only boosted her grades, but she managed a 3.5 GPA and landed a spot on the honor roll. Setting goals kept her focused on a path and future she dreamed of, a path to nursing.

Harrelson proved others wrong and learned to balance school with a promising future in nursing. “I volunteer at Boulder Community Hospital, I’m a PCA (Patient Care Assistant) there and I do that as often as I can. Every Thursday I go to this Fire Academy, which is

for firefighters and EMT paramedics,” Harrelson said.

Harrelson broke the stereotype, and turned her high school career around even after a few trying years. “I have goals and thats why I am doing all these things, because I’m so motivated,” Harrelson said. “Knowing that you can come back from the deep end, is huge. Know no matter how low you get, its going to be harder, but it’s possible.”

Harrelson has proven that a few numbers on a GPA freshman year don’t have to define the future. With determination, a goal was set in mind to shatter the stereotype and strive for excellence. | Mezhgan Aslamy | Morgan Whitley

Xavier Torrez ‘15 overcomes academic struggles The status quo is for senioritis to hit: you start off as a stellar 4.0 freshman, and as the hard classes, your license, and working come into play, keeping the grades up is no longer an easy task. Then there’s Xavier Torrez.

“I think I just wanted to change. I was just tired of not doing well. It was the summer before my sophomore year when I decided to turn things around. I definitely improved every year,” Torrez said.

Improvement doesn’t describe Xavier’s achievements adequately. His GPA went from 1.8, to 2.5, to 3.0, and finishing with a perfect 4.0 his senior year. “I think it was mainly just

effort. I really just needed to put forth more effort. It’s definitely came a long way academically,” Torrez said.

In terms of effort, Xavier learned the reality of the habits our Link Leaders were attempting to engrain in our brains--actually going to each class and studying.

From a freshman boy who puts hanging out with his friends before class-time, to a soon-tobe UNC student, Xavier Torrez succeeded in the difficult task of changing habits.

| Brittany Marks

this is page9 9

hope that you spend Mcrae ‘15 your Taylor succeeds in sports, academics days, but they all add up. . .

She’s taken her last steps on the turf she called home for the last four years. However, as she stepped off the grass, towards the locker rooms at NAAC, she knew that moment wouldn’t be the end of her soccer career. Although her time as a Gator has come to an end, Taylor McRae ‘15 feels ready to make the field at the Colorado School of Mines her new home.

Along with playing varsity soccer, McRae participated in club soccer, both on top of balancing her GPA in the IB program.

Not only does McRae have her teammates to lean on but also her IB family. “Some of my very best friends are in IB,” she said. “It’s crazy how long night homework session glue you together. I would do anything for them, they’re my school family.”

Without her passion for soccer, McRae says the stress of endless notecards, hours of studying, and numerous essays that IB requires would have taken over her life.

McRae’s coach has also had a huge influence on her desire to become a better player. “I have grown so much because of my coach,” McRae said. “I’ve never had a coach that hasn’t made me better in some way.”

As she moves on to the next chapter of her soccer career, she’ll say farewell to her days playing competitive soccer. To McRae, 10 years of competitive soccer flew by.

this is page 10

Although McRae will be taking on new challenges between academics and athletics at Mines, she won’t forget the friends she made on the field and inside the walls of Standley Lake High School. | Laurel Nordquist-Zukin | Alie Settje

JEFF Wright ‘15 finds passion through robotics team Jeff Wright ‘15 sits in his physics class staring blindly at the notes on the board--his brain is somewhere else. He isn’t calculating wave lengths, but is problem solving on how to improve his newest creation.

Jeff has not had the normal high school experience for one reason: The robotics team. On the outside it may appear to be a gathering of “those smart kids” who have nothing better to do, but the team has made Jeff’s high school what it is.

“I spend every off-hour in that room.When the competition was going on it was, including off hours, 20 hours a week,” Wright said.

Jeff has always had a passion for the problem-solving aspect of the technical field, and the 20 hours each week spent in the lab have had great impacts on jeff, “I would have never gotten to use the skills that I have, and put them into purpose. I would just be thinking ‘oh that’s cool and I’d like to do that’ But with the robotics, it allowed me to actually open up to it, and see that this is truly what i want to do.”

Mr. Shane Stalter has recognized Jeff’s aptitude for this technical field, “Jeff has been the backbone of the team for the last two years, he’s our number one programer, our number one controller and problem solver. Yes there’s frustration, but he’s the kind of guy that frustration keeps him up at night, which is a great quality,” Statler said.

The hours spent towards the robotics team, has pushed Jeff closer to his future in technology and problem solving. | Brittany Marks

And when that sun goes down, hope you raise your cup. . .

prAAAAAM

“I really thought the venue was really cool and really fit the theme of the Titanic. I also loved dinner. But I didn’t really do anything after. I just went home while everyone else went out.”

Ty Schnurr ‘15

how to have the coolest grad party on the block

“Honestly, high school has been a crazy experience. If you look back, we have all grown up and matured so much and made the best out of whatever situation we were in, and that is what counts. I am so ready to be out at this point, and ‘bittersweet’ is the perfect word to describe it. I feel like our class has come together, and we have all gotten really close.”

Caleb Scholling ‘15 on the closing of our high school careers

Set up an area with Have a time capenvelopes and have sule and let all people write their your guests make a name and address on prediction about your front so you can send future in the next 20 them a thank you note. years. | Laurel Nordquist-Zukin | Brittany Marks

| Sarah Bennett | Laurel Nordquist-Zukin | Morgan Rubendall

Dress up your des- don’t underestiserts with a cap and mate the power of gown or shape them Pinterest for more like a diploma . you ideas to make your graduated! remind party poppin’. your guests of it.

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Oh, I wish I could wi joy and letters from our moms all your pain . . . dear ryan,

Remember the time the car ran out of gas on I-70. Thankfully it coasted out of traffic to a small strip next to the onramp. Cars flew by at 65-75 mph.

AHHHHHHH!!!!! After always telling you to keep your gas tank at least ½ full, I had made a dumb mistake! You were working at the zoo, I called and you came right away to take care of me.

It probably didn’t seem like a big deal to you, but that’s when it became so clear to me that you had grown up.

dear seniors,

Just four short years ago we walked through the front doors of SLHS not knowing what to expect. How would the first day go? Would we make a good impression? Was it truly going to be like the movies? That first day, your first day, was my first day.

While you were learning what high school is all about, trying to pass your first AP test, learning how to talk to girls, trying out for the varsity team, I was learning from you. Class Your dad and I have been so blessed for of 2015, over the last four years you the past 18 years. We have always said have taught me more than I could it would fly by and we wanted to enjoy have ever taught you! You were my every moment. Win or lose, it was a teacher. privilege to attend as many of your sport Much of the learning we have done events as we could. Your unique passion over the last four years has been a working at the Denver Zoo opened up a result of some tumultuous times at whole new world for you. We are proud the Lake. However, you have demonof the accomplishments you made there strated such courage and grace in the with the highlight of working directly face of every challenge. You must with the pachyderms and staff. I know when you leave for college and have to know, that you are leaving SLHS a much better place than when you give up that program it is going to hit arrived. You are an incredible group you hard, but it also gave you dreams and direction for your future. You have of young men and women and I can’t thank you enough for sharing your so many awesome memories to take with you. The same goes for when you resilience with me. have to leave the special people in your Next August, when school starts life from Standley. It doesn’t have to be again, it will be the first time I am a goodbye forever, but things will change teacher without you. And as much and I know it will be hard when it is as “I wish that I could witness all time to go. your joy and all your pain”, you have another grand adventure waiting for As your parents, it will be really hard for us to say goodbye next fall, but we you! I am proud of you all in so many know it’s time. We will always be here different ways. I know you are going to do great things, wild things, things to share in the highs and the lows and everyday life…for those things that you no one expects! want to share. We are proud of the man I am so thankful that I got to be a that you have become. The man that part of your journey. Best of luck in will even help out his mom who is stuck all that you do! on I-70 because she ran out of gas, and never once gave her any flack because she hadn’t followed her own advice about keeping the gas tank ½ full!

from Momma Hayashi

We say goodbye to our favorite teacher who gives his whole heart to each and everyone of his students. All the best to Mr. Ben Reed as he continues to support and push his students to be the best people they can be.

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from momma Seberg

witness all your mom and daughter have bond lasting a lifetime Grand Junction, Colorado to attend Mesa University.

They walk in together side by side.

“The adjustment will be rough,” Hannah said. “My number one worry has been my mom. Being four hours away will be very challenging.”

This is nothing new--they are inseparable.

Hannah Belich ‘15 and her mom Terri sit down in the seats at Starbucks giggling, of course.

Their relationship goes beyond traditional mother and daughter roles.

“She has been there to guide me through life, give advice and be a shoulder to cry on but she is so much different, she truly is my best friend,” Hannah said.

Terri reminisces about her childhood. Her own parents inspired her to become the mother she is today. She wants to be there for the bad days, good days, rainy days and everyday. Terri does not miss a beat.

“I want to be there for all of her stuff,” Terri said. “When she’s happy and excited I want to see because she just radiates. Its a privilege.”

4

things you need to know about college that no one will tell you

Tearing up, Terri takes a deep breath. “I think it will be healthy for us to find our own independence,” Terri said. “We will have a good understanding about how much we cherish our closeness when we don’t have it. But, I know we will never feel out of touch.

Four hours is not that bad, I would drive 400 hours just to see her.”

Smiling at her mom, her best friend, Hannah said, “That is the biggest reason I am the way I am.

My mom has been such a great example of compassion and being a great person to others which really influenced me.”

Four hours is nothing.

They know they will only be a phone call away, when they wish to witness all the joy and all the pain.

In the fall Hannah will move to

| Alie Settje

1.

2.

by SLHS grads Rhett Gutierrez and Mike Maher

Dorm food can be good... if you’re a little creative and open-minded.

Having a roommate doesn’t mean you never get any privacy. It means you have significantly less privacy.

3.

4.

The “Freshman 15” is as real as you let it be.

You’ll learn how to live on a budget reallll quick. Use your graduation money wisely.

| Chaye Gutierrez

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I swear I. . . . . . Found Love . . . ran about 3,874.59 miles in high school Okay, I don’t know the exact number but I do know I ran in about 40 cross country meets, 40 track meets, two half-marathons, suffered running hills in 90 degree weather in July, and threw up hundreds of times because of it.

But the two lessons running has taught go beyond the turf track.

Lesson one: perseverance. When the wind is not at your back, you must keep running. Life works the same way. Even on my worst days, the Earth continues to spin.

Lesson two: we need each other.

Mutual suffering builds a bond greater than anything. I couldn’t have made it through high school without the crazy car rides, off hour shenanigans, and coffee dates. I would not have made it this far without the teacher who pushed me to write better stories and become a better person. And I would not be the same person without the best friend in the world who has been by my side for 15 years. But, most importantly, my mom. She has been the one cheering me on at every moment; she is my teammate for life. Truly, every teacher, coach, team-mate, classmate, boyfriend, friend and my sisters have made me the person I am today. I am immensely thankful for the amazing people I have met. We have been running a four year race called high school, and the finish line is right there.

We made it. | Alie Settje

It wasn’t with the boy from the summer before junior year, it wasn’t in the one who I let down one too many times, and it wasn’t in the last real heartbreak. But eventually, I found love.

I found it in my best friend and her ability to love me back on the days when I probably deserved it least. I knew it was love when she left me doorstep-surprises on sad days and knew my Starbucks order by heart, right down to the number of raspberry pumps. I found it in room B135, filled with passionate little hearts that beat for joy when every morning brought its new set of breaking news (and its fair share of challenges). They taught me more about bravery than I’ll ever be able to thank them for.

I found it in parents who not only understood, but cherished, moments of creative inspiration that often led to a messy dining room table for weeks on end. They were always the first to ask what they could do to help, even if it meant crafting a light installation in three hours the night before Day Without Hate. I found it in the teacher who never allowed me to settle for “good enough” and knew that I was capable of way more than I ever realized. I came in here four years ago thinking love was a boy and his letterman’s jacket and a side-smile in the hallway. I leave here knowing that it’s so much more. | Chaye Gutierrez

. . . am on my way

I swear I managed to go the distance (yes, this is from Disney’s Hercules). I swear I faced every feat and found where I belonged. Just as Hercules went through the 12 labors, I went through 12 years of school. In my 9th year, I became a member of the most insane and extraordinary group called FCCLA. It’s just like a sorority to me. I traveled all four years with these girls and the advisers, and I’ve learned so much about myself. I learned that I am a stylist at heart and that I can put outfits together because that skill was burned and forged into my skin. I learned that I shouldn’t be nervous to give speeches to my peers. I mean, how hard is it to talk? I learned that, like Hercules, I can take on beasts. Beasts like essays, that is.

Remember that scene when Hercules (spoiler alert) regained his godhood and saw Mt. Olympus right in front of him? In that scene, he found where he belonged after becoming a true hero. Like Hercules, I became a true hero to myself. Like Hercules, I went the distance. | Emma Marlow

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. . . Found a family

As a freshman, I was a completely different person. I had no idea who I was then. Perhaps like every member of the class of 2015, I was lost searching for a purpose, and I found it. I found it in a cold room at the very end of the Art Hall, with crappy cell phone reception, I was about as far from people as one could get here, but then I found people who I had never expected to speak to in my life. I found friends. I found a second family who too were in this cold room, but with a touch of passion and determination, we created something special. . . something very special. We created a collection of pieces of paper with words and pictures on them. Those words and photos made us laugh, they made us cry, they made us proud of what we did.

I have this family, this entire network of people. Whether we’re popular or sit alone at lunch, whether we’re athletes or mathletes, we shared that one passion---journalism.

We’re family, we’ll always remember each other. And to think it all started in that cold room at the end of the Art Hall. | Jamey Burky

. . . can feel

Four years of high school not only matured me, but for a while, caused me to dull every moment’s feelings. I couldn’t feel the difference between yesterday and the last. I didn’t understand what it was like to feel. Until I felt everything. There are things you cannot control. I learned this as I spontaneously let loose one Thursday night and drove home alone with the music blasting until it made me feel. I couldn’t control how incredibly happy I felt. I felt so happy it hurt to smile. I tried frowning to hide the smile until that made it worse and I started laughing. The person from the car next to me thought I was going crazy. I couldn’t control every smile and giggle that I blurted out at every inappropriate moment.

Maybe I was crazy. I was in the realm of acceptance. For most human beings, the idea is insane.

I accepted the fact that I can use my knowledge towards things other than school. I accepted that I was passionate about learning and decided to join the challenge IB had to give me. I accepted that at times I was my only friend.

Through every acceptance I felt my heart grow. You can’t control how you genuinely feel. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. But you can control what you do with those feelings. | Mezhgan Aslamy

.My. .grandmother reincarnated once said, “We

must allow ourselves all of the lives we need.” At times, these people I have been all run together like watercolors. At times, it feels like a concrete wall stands between them. It was a lifetime ago that I walked into this school without knowing a single one of you. In my past life, I was intimidated by all of you, all of me, and all of the world. Through a series of tyrants and some undoubtedly dark moments I have somehow become this crazy optimist, and fighter for benevolence. This doesn’t really feel like growing up to me. This feels like waking up. | Natasha McCone

. . . Am a crier These past four years were the emotional roller coaster it was predicted to be: there really were the top of the hill moments where I felt untouchable, and the low points where I can’t imagine how things could get worse. I am currently at the part of the roller coaster where it flattened out, and I’m waiting for the arm rests to be lifted: I’m still exhilarated by the ride, but I just want to get things going. Every point, high or low, I’ve cried. I cried when I got 4th at Nationals for poms, when I realized I was truly in love, when I lost almost all of the people I considered my “best friends,” and when I made a D1 school’s dance team. I realize that I’m a baby. I cry over anything. But every tear is something that made me who I am today: an 18-year-old girl who is absolutely terrified, but ready to begin the rest of her life. I want to thank not only the numerous tears, but those who helped me through them to clear my eyes to see that everything will be okay. | Brittany Marks

. . . found myself

In eighth grade it’s fair to say, I didn’t exist. I built a wall around myself so that no one could approach or speak to me, in fear of being hurt by others. Once I reached high school, however, I wanted to leave the shadow of my eighth grade self behind and reinvent a whole new me. However, “that shy girl,” “that smart girl,”and “that awkward girl” were descriptions still attached to my persona. In order to become someone I could be proud of, I had to learn to let go. In the past four years, I found myself through a few true friends who showed me the value in sharing my passions and voice with the world because I mattered. I found myself in a room full of 30 creative, kind, and ambitious students. I discovered my passion for telling stories and making people laugh and smile through words. I disregarded titles because people are people no matter who they know or what they do. It was only four years, and I am still only eighteen years old with more growing to do, but I found myself in high school. I let go of the invisible girl in eighth grade and progressed into someone I was proud of, someone people actually wanted to know.

. . . cried, laughed, broke down, and got back up

. . . Did my best Struggle has taken on a whole new meaning since I walked through those doors four years ago. High school has so much more to it than countless hours worth of homework, and spending seven hours a day sitting at a desk. It has more meaning than that, whether we believe it or not. Through all of the pointless fights with friends, and those days where I couldn’t quite get myself to get out of bed, high school changed me. Four years ago, I walked into a school of unfamiliar faces and not sure what to expect, but I did my best. We all fight our own battles on a daily basis, but we made it. Through all of the tears shed, and the sleepless nights, three trips to Starbucks in a day, and struggling on a level that we never knew existed, but thank goodness for all of my support systems, including my parents, my teachers, and my best friend, we really did make it, and I did my best, and that was my goal the entire time.

I can’t say I don’t have regrets. I absolutely do. But despite these regrets, I know they have led me to aspects of my life that I cherish the most. Choosing to be an IB student and co-Editor-in-Chief of The Lake, amongst working five days out of the seven day week and volunteering at my church proved to be time-consuming, stressful, and overwhelming. It also gave me the opportunity to form a friendship that I know is rare and one of it’s kind. We cried together, we stressed together, we laughed together, we lost other friends and boys together, but through it all we remained stronger than before. I met inspiring, passionate teachers who showed me what it meant to be an incredible human being that stands up for your beliefs, that educates themselves, that cares for others, that constantly strives to be a better person. These teachers, I will never forget because they have shaped me to become the person I am today. I tested myself, only to find out I am much stronger than I ever thought I was. Through the times I swore to my parents I could never make it out of these four years alive, I somehow gathered my strength with the help of my amazing support system and kept going. I now know that when people say, “It will be okay,” it truly will. Yes, there were tears, laughter, but most of all there was a lot of love that got me through the madness that we call high school. | Sabrina Pacha

. . . Made it

After spending 2,340 days (yeah that’s kindergarten through senior year) aka 16,380 hours, aka 982,800 minutes in school, it’s crazy to think that I’m done. We’re done. Just let that sink in for a moment. School has been all we have ever known. Every single one of us. We wake up at 6:00 a.m. and all go to the same place and learn generally the same things for seven hours. But now, that’s all over. We’re going to different colleges in different states to meet different people. I finally made it through my first huge chapter of life. I made it. We made it. We walked through those front doors four years ago and got in line for our Class of 2015 shirts, all thinking that that seems so far away. But now, here it is. We’re about to walk across that stage and shake Mr. Pierson’s hand and take our diplomas in hand.

. . . thank you In high school, I met some of the most amazing people, I met some of the worst people, but everyone I associated myself with had such a great impact on me.

So I’m going to use this editorial to thank you. Thank you to my parents who pushed me to become the person I am today. Thank you to the person I grew up with who put up with me and loved me through these fifteen years of friendship. Thank you to that one teacher that pushed me to be the best I could be even when I had absolutely no motivation to try and letting me cry in their classroom time after time. Thank you to the person who was there for me when I felt like the world was against me. Thank you to the people who pushed me to be the best soccer player I could be. Thank you to the people who broke me because that was the moment that made me stronger. Thank you to the people who inspired me to be a better person and taught me to have an open mind. Thank you to my other half for making me understand that the best friend you could have is your sister. But most of all, thank you to everyone I know will always be by my side even when I move four hours away for college. Thank you to the people I have met in these four years. Whether we are still friends or not, I swear. . . I thank you. | Morgan Rubendall

| Tina Muscarelli

. . .Lived | Sarah Bennett

| Morgan Whitley

this is the end. bye seniors :)

ope when you tak on’t fear the fal ater rises, you b hen the crowd s creaming your na ody runs, you cho hat you fall in liv ad / the only way the lake senior staff Editors-in-Chief |

Chaye Gutierrez Sabrina Pacha

team Editors | Jamey Burky Brittany Marks Tina Muscarelli Alie Settje Morgan Whitley

Staff Writers | Mezhgan Aslamy Sarah Bennett Emma Marlow Natasha McCone Laurel Nordquist-Zukin Morgan Rubendall