Plymouth High School proudly shows off a few of the many colleges that are available to students. Photo by: Alicia Sanchez
By Alicia Sanchez
Last week, Plymouth High School’s seniors contemplated multiple questions about their future hopes and dreams, and out of the five responses, they were all positive.
The question, “What do you want to be when you’re older?” is often asked of young children, but it carries much more weight with high school students. The career they choose to pursue can determine their entire future: their home, their family, their hopes and their dreams.
The career one chooses depends on his or her college degree, which, in turn, depends on his or her high school education. Of the five students who were asked, a majority believed that Plymouth High School has prepared them for their future. Senior Hayley Snyder said, “I believe that my time at PHS has prepared me for the future by giving me an education that will help me get wherever I am going.” Of course, not everyone believes that every class is a vital part of one’s education. Some students argue that they do not need certain classes in order to get their future job. Another senior, Morgan Hite, stated, “Most of the things I have learned at PHS are not going to help me in the future; there is no need for me to have some of these classes.”
Some students find that working hard in high school can pay off later in life. Photo by: Alicia Sanchez
With their grades on their thoughts, each senior had the type of college he or she wanted to attend on their minds. Some colleges that seniors have been accepted into include Grace College, Ancilla College and Indiana University South Bend (IUSB). Snyder, is going to attend Penn Foster, an online college, which differs, in some ways, from traditional colleges. Hite was undecided, but says she wants to go to a “culinary college.”
The amount of education one needs depends largely upon the career one wishes to pursue. When asked about it, Snyder answered, “I see myself working in a zoo as a veterinary technician.” She added, “I chose this career because I really like animals and I want to be able to help them.” Another senior, Cheyanne Schwertner, aspires to be a psychologist for troubled teens. “I’ve been around teens with addictions and demons,” said Schwertner, “I know most of the works inside and out and would love to help those overcome them and be successful.” Seniors Katie Sommers and Karina Contreras both wish to join the field of criminal justice. “I am going to college for criminology and psychology,” Sommers stated. Contreras agreed, saying, “I see myself having a criminal justice degree and maybe doing some music.” Hite just wants to open up a bakery. “Right now I only have two things on my bucket-list, getting married, and owning my own cupcake shop.”
Though one would expect teenagers to dream of large houses and expensive cars, Plymouth’s seniors were surprisingly very practical. Sommers even went as far as to stating that she would have “no need of a big fancy home,” which is how the other seniors seem to feel. They don’t mind what they have as long as they “have a roof over [their] head and something to get [them] to and from work,” said Snyder, but according to Hite, “having a place to live will definitely come first.”
Students can visit the guidance office for college pamphlets. Photo by: Alicia Sanchez
Career choices, colleges, and weather are all major factors affecting students’ decisions on where to live. Though most seniors would prefer to stay in Plymouth and the surrounding areas due to familial reasons, a few students expressed their desire to leave Indiana for states like California, Texas, and Arizona. Sommers puts it this way, “After this winter I may consider moving some place with no snow.”
All in all, Plymouth High School’s seniors are looking forward to and are excited about their future prospects. When asked about her dreams for the future, Schwertner put it simply, “I want to be happy with who I am and my life after high school.”