Thinking of her future, junior Yoselin Galeano realizes that she wants to be a dentist. Photo by: Elizabeth Jackson
By Elizabeth Jackson
Plymouth may mean a lifetime of childhood sports and summertime at the Blueberry festivals with the very best of friends, but that is not the case for all students.
When looking at clouds, people may see different shapes, have different views. That may not be an exception for students when they think of Plymouth High School. “I see a school that is trying its best to help everyone reach their goals,” is what senior Hayley Long sees when looking at PHS. Goals are not the only thing that students see when looking at the school. Sophomore Josh Kuhn sees PHS a little differently. Not only does he see goals, he sees a challenge. “I see a diverse and intricate system of challenges and opportunities. I see a very safe and fun environment that makes learning a priority.” Not all people see PHS as a school trying to get ahead. The school might not be something symbolic, but something physical. “The only thing I see is a school,” said senior Joseph Schooler. Although the school may not be very important to all students, the town itself is another matter.
The PHS band’s name is “The Pride of Plymouth,” therefore, it is not hard to realize that Plymouth has pride in everything done in the town. Freshman Adrianna Enders said, “It means everything to me I grew up here and lived here my whole life. I love this town and everyone in it.” Sixteen out of the nineteen people surveyed had positive words to say about the town, including senior Rachael Principe. “This town, to me, means pride. The whole town always comes together when something happens and we have pride in what we do.” Although majority of students interviewed claimed to have liked the town, they wish to get away from the town so they can pursue their plans for after high school.
With Morgan Uceny having gone to the Summer of 2012 Olympics, and with her having been from Plymouth, she has proven that even if one were to come from a small town, anyone can make something of themselves. A small number of the current students of PHS vow to do the same. “My goal would have to be going to college then training into the Olympics,” said junior Mason Reed. Plymouth is known for excelling in sports, and in nearly all of the sports, running is involved. Reed wants to make his way to the Olympics, and ultimately, junior Shelby Harrell has a similar goal. “After high school, I would like to run collegiately, and go for a masters in journalism.” Sports are not the only plans for the futures of PHS students. Students also have plans to pursue the college of their choosing. “I’m going to attend Ball State University, I have an undecided major but I am going to get a major or minor in music.” This is freshman Sophia Smith’s plan for the future. The plans for the future might have to be a little revised when one thinks long term about what a person’s life will be in the future.
Imagining life in 5-10 years may not be easy for all students. Some may not know where they are planning on going, and some may know exactly what they would like to do. However, thinking about the future will benefit all high school students in the long run. “I am in a nice house with a family and still living in Plymouth.” said junior Ryan Mareska about his life in the future. Not all students will have the same exact goals for life. Junior Yoselin Galeano sees her life differently. She stated, “My life would be pictured as working as a dentist and building my own house, however I desire it to be.” A person may go anywhere in life, whether they travel the world, move to New York, or stay in the house they grew up in. Although people from Plymouth may go anywhere in life, the town will always be here.
With Plymouth being “Indiana’s Education Destination,” it is not hard to tell that the community is involved in everything being done in the town. It may be hard for PHS students to leave when graduation time rolls around, but it is something most of the students do when moving to go to college, working, military, or just to leave the town. When leaving, a question comes to mind, “Are you ever coming back?” Sophomore Cassie Quissel shows her future plans by saying, “No, I wouldn’t come back because I want to start fresh. I want to live somewhere warm.” The weather in Plymouth may be a factor for Quissel, but that is not the only reason for students wanting to get away from the town. For senior Maiyah Czarnecki, she would like to get away from her past and keep moving forward. She shows proof of this by saying, “No. It was a great place to start, showing me what the real world is like, but I would like to keep moving forward instead of staying where my past decisions were made.” Not all students think of Plymouth as a place for just the past. It may also mean their future. Enders agrees by saying, “Yes, I would definitely come back to Plymouth. My whole family lives here and my friends. I wouldn’t miss anything more than not seeing my friends and family.” Long has no doubt that she will come back to Plymouth after college. “…it’s not that bad of a town and this is where I grew up, and this is where I want my kids to grow up.” When thinking of the future, one must also think of what house they would like to live in and how they would like to live.
As soon as students are older and deciding to settle down, there are many different places an adult would like to live. Senior Mariah Harty plans on sticking with her current idea of where she would like to reside when finally settled down. “Rockford, IL. Living in a two-story house, basement, attic, 3 bedroom, 2 full bathrooms, maybe three, a huge backyard, a wrap around porch, and a pool!“ Not all students are exactly sure where they would like to spend the rest of their lives, they just have a general idea. Senior Traci Longanecker is sure of where she would like to live. “I wouldn’t mind living in a nice large house near the ocean.” Not all students plan on leaving Plymouth when they decide to settle down. Whether it be because they want their children to grow up in the town where they did, or their family lives in Plymouth, there are a few that wish to stay in Plymouth. “I would like to live in Plymouth right next to my parents so I can go and visit them or my kids can visit them whenever they want. I would like to be a stay at home mom,” says junior Allie Rust. Not all students are positive of where they would like to reside, they just have a general idea. “Somewhere in Indiana, because I like Indiana a lot. Living in a decent sized house in the suburbs is fine with me,” says sophomore Nadia Baca. Not all PHS students enjoy the small towns in the Midwest. They prefer big towns with big houses. Junior Devorha Vargas is one of the students that plan on moving to a big city to live in a large house. “I would plan to live in Chicago, or a big city that has a lake, a huge house or condominium, [and it has to have] big rooms and restrooms.” Not all students are sure of what they want and where they would like to go, but they all have a goal for a place in which they would like to live.