Junior Kelsy Risner who is taking extra classes to graduate early said, “I do not mind taking the hard classes because I want to impress the schools that look at me.” Photo By: Janessa Salazar
By Courteney Keller
Walking across the stage and being handed the high school diploma is on high school students’ minds. High school students can not wait for graduation, while others just wish it would all just slow down.
Seniors go to school every day from class to class until the last day of school, but others push themselves so they are able to finish high school and graduate early. Senior Kelcy Berger said, “I wanted to start my prerequisites for college, that way I could be ahead when I start full time in the fall. I also only needed four credits to graduate high school.” Sometimes juniors decide they want to graduate a full year early. Junior Kelsy Risner said, “I had 33 credits after my sophomore year was complete, so I had more than enough credits to graduate early. I also want to stay ahead of the game and get in and out of college faster so that I can begin my nursing career as early as possible.”
When deciding to graduate early and do some extra work, there are always supporters around. Senior Isabel Seago is graduating at the end of second trimester. She has great supporters behind her like her family, that all tell her to listen to what her heart tells her to do. While having to take more classes, it may cause some extra stress to a teenager’s life while others do not mind the pressure. Senior Michael Bloomfield who graduates at the end of second trimester said, “There were times I was overwhelmed but I learned to deal with it over time.” Some did not have any trouble with stress. Senior Brycelyn Garza who also graduates after second trimester said, “It did not stress me out because I always had a study hall during the school year and I had just one class during the summer.”
Senior Brycelyn Garza who is thinking about graduation said, “I’m excited and nervous at the same time. I have been waiting to graduate for a long time. I am nervous because it came really fast.” Photo By: Janessa Salazar
Taking summer courses can help get ahead of the game. Senior Alexis Dean who graduates after second trimester said, “I took biology the summer before my freshman year, U.S history the summer before my junior year and government and econ the summer before my senior year.” Seago said, “I took biology in Summer School in the beginning of my freshman year, but other than that I did not take summer school.”
When graduating early one may decide to attend college early too. Senior Megan Deon who is graduating after first trimester said, “I am attending IUSB in the Spring on early acceptance. I found this will be helpful in obtaining my goals in the future and I receive more scholarship money.” Garza is also going to be taking some college classes, which also means deciding on a career choice earlier to start studying. Deon who wants to work with children and family services said, “My ultimate goal is to be involved or start my own home for women and children to help them in specific needs such as abuse or needing an extra supporting hand.”
The younger students who wish to graduate early look to this years 2014 class for advice. Risner said, “I would say get the mandatory classes, such as fine arts, P.E., Speech, etc., done early. That’s what helped me boost my credits. I also took two high school classes when I was still at Lincoln Junior High. I would also tell them to work hard at everything they do, and to go for all of the dreams they have in mind. Nothing is impossible, and I am learning that more and more everyday. Three years is a very short time to get all of your high school goals accomplished. So in order to do something like this, you really have to push yourself to be the best you can be.” Bloomfield said, “Don’t give up and try hard in all your classes.”
Thinking ahead to June and the graduation ceremony, many thoughts go through the mind of seniors. Berger said, “I am pretty excited. I never thought I would fly through school so quickly, but it is so worth it. And I now cannot wait to be finished.” Dean, said she is, “kind of nervous because it is the ending of our childhood and also it is on Friday the 13th. I feel like we are all going to fall on our faces.”
As seniors graduate they say goodbye to friends they have grown up with over the years and say hello to the future realizing graduation is not the end; it is just the beginning.