My fondest high school memory is not easy to pin down. This journey has been extremely memorable; full of good times, laughs and hard-work.
However, I have to hand the fondest memory award to the day I won the elections for senior class president. My hard-work campaigning had paid off, and my journey into 12th-grade politics began. I knew from that moment I had about 145 people to please, and I knew the road would be tough. I knew the job would require me to listen, work with others, take the lead and, most of all, be responsible.
Though there were tough times: People not working with me, procrastination and plans utterly failing, I learned that failure leads to lessons learned. Those lessons taught me what cannot be printed in the pages of a textbook, but what you have to learn by falling on your bottom a few times.
The opportunities that being Stivers School for the Arts class of 2014 president have brought me prepared me for so much more than planning spirit weeks and picnics, but also for college and the fast-approaching “real-world.” That is why being the class president is my fondest high school memory.
Kayla Carson, Stivers School for the Arts
I had the honor of co-leading our student cheering section — The Hawk’s Nest — this year along with two of my great friends, Colin Austin and Nick Kimmey. One memory that truly stands out was watching our boys basketball team make it to the district finals game this past season. I believe that we have the greatest fan base and student section in the area, and it was a privilege to be a part of that my senior year.
Cheering alongside more than 200 other Fairborn High School students dressed in our Hawk Nation shirts and waiving our spirit towels at the district finals game was a moment I’ll never forget. We played Moeller, one of the highest-ranked teams in Ohio. Our boys played hard and kept the game from being a blowout, which was what most critics said it would be.
I was proud to be from Fairborn and to show our school pride. Even though we lost, we stood united, and that will be a lifelong memory.
Lizzie Wilson, Fairborn High School
As a student of the Dayton Regional STEM School, choosing one favorite memory of high school is tough — there were so many great experiences. Picking just one, though, leads me to recall my time during Modeling and Simulation, a three-week course that I took during my sophomore year. It was part of a program called Intersession where students would pick one class with a more unique focus than what a normal class would offer, and they would have only that class, all day for three weeks.
Modeling and Simulation was such a good time for a couple reasons. It gave me the chance to do something that I loved, which was create 3-D models of objects on the computer. This was extra cool because I was doing this along with 30 or so other people who also loved doing that, together creating a computer model of our entire school. Having a group of people work together to create something big like that was a really neat process.
Kennan French, Dayton Regional STEM School
Since the first days of walking in the doors of Chaminade Julienne Catholic High School, our class has been challenged to apply the lessons of our religion curriculum to our own lives.
As a non-Catholic, I didn’t really know how important that message would be until we experienced it ourselves. Freshman year I observed how we became a close-knit family.
Through our four years, my class has grown closer in our faith by sharing our positive and negative times with one another while on retreat. All students in all grades are encouraged to participate in retreats. The time spent together outside of the classroom helps us grow in spirit, both individually and as a whole. Retreats naturally become more meaningful with each year of high school. Anticipation builds up to senior year and Kairos retreat, which perfectly completes the experience of being a CJ student.
Ciara Crane, Chaminade Julienne High School
High school has flown by, and it seems only yesterday I was attending freshman orientation to learn my way around the building. Now I can walk around Beavercreek High School with my eyes closed.
My feet seem to take me to the same room every time I come to school in the morning, though. The sounds of pianos, voices, drums and other musical instruments radiate from behind the door, and the room contains a group of people that have practiced, performed and grown together since before the beginning of the school year.
Luckily, I am a part of this wonderful, dramatic group called Beavercreek “Friends” Show Choir. Once I pass through the choir room doors, I know that I am able to be who I want, and no one will think twice because we are all “crazy choir kids.” During a three-month period, we practice two to three times a week, and then pack up to attend competitions that take up all of a Saturday. This may sound grueling and tiring to most, yet these competitions are the most exciting part of the school year for me.
Our group is a family, and just like regular families, we fight and bicker. At the end of the day, however, we are able to put differences aside and share the stage with each other because we all share a common goal: to give the very best performance we can.
I had no idea I would devote this much of my life to Show Choir in high school, but it has helped sculpt me into the young adult I am today, and for that, I’m happy I stuck with it.
Rebecca Mullins, Beavercreek High School
I will remember prom, the football games and the pep rallies.
All of the dances have been fun in high school, but prom always seems to be the best. At Troy, we only allow the upperclassmen to go, which kind of gets rid of all of the awkwardness. Even if we don’t exactly know each other, we will all dance and have a good time together, like one big happy family.
Prom is also the classier and decorated dance and is put on at the Dayton Art Institute, instead of just having it in our high school gym.
I will also remember all of the football games. I have grown up with football and always wished that I could sit in the high school section. Finally, when I got to high school I was allowed and it was so much fun.
My friends and I would always dress to the theme and yell as loud as we could. Senior year was probably the best though. All of the seniors dressed up and went crazy together; it was definitely everything that I imagined it being as a kid.
Finally, I will remember the pep rallies. I was in charge of planning them and I was also the MC, so I guess it makes sense that I would remember them. I loved getting in front of the whole school and getting everyone all riled up. I am excited to begin a new chapter in my life, but I will definitely miss how involved I was in this school, my teachers, and my Trojan family.
Annie Denlinger, Troy High School
Walking through the doors of Chaminade Julienne Catholic High School was the most exciting and anxious moment of my life.
Coming from a school I’d been at since Kindergarten to a whole new environment scared me. I didn’t know anyone except a few grade school classmates. My first few days were a blur and it didn’t start feeling like home until we had our first pep rally — it’s a day I’ll never forget.
A CJ pep rally is like none other. Although my freshman classmates and I were new to the experience, we all immediately felt a sense of family spirit. I had always heard that when you attend CJ, everyone in the school becomes your family and I felt that bond. As the whole school stood together with our arms on each other’s shoulders singing our alma mater, I knew I was supposed to be an Eagle. No matter how far I go or where life takes me, I’ll forever be part of the CJ family.
Khayla Harris, Chaminade Julienne High School
Growing up with my twin sister, Gaby, has been one of the most amazing and unique experiences. We grew up loving each other, and always have had each other’s back. She has always been the one who laughed at my awful jokes, taught me how to “look like a lady,” and, most importantly, how to be a great friend.
As our senior year is coming to a close, my sister and I have gotten closer than ever. On prom night, she and I were getting ready when she paused from doing my make-up and said, “I can’t believe senior year is almost over.” We both started to get all misty-eyed as we realized that next August, we’d lose our best friend.
Besides being filled with sadness, we were also overcome with a sense of pride — she and I had been through so much together. I had looked up to her for so long, and the time was coming for us to part our separate ways. Even though I will miss her more than anything, I also know that our relationship will only get stronger. She’s already made plans to have frequent Skype calls and plenty of visits up to Ohio State. That’s what I love about Gaby; she’s always got time to hang out with her sister.
I’m so incredibly proud to have made so many memories with her over these past 18 years because what’s the point in making memories if you don’t have someone there to share them with?
High school has been a great chance for us to discover who we are, but now that we’re about to enter into the real world, we can sit back and simply enjoy who we’ve become. I’m so proud of her and I can’t wait to make even more memories with her.
Isabella “Izzy” Bowling, Springboro High School
What I’ll remember most about my high school career is the people and teachers that I’ve met over the years. We have such a great Trojan Family atmosphere at Troy High School and that is because of the students and staff.
I will miss being a student at Troy, but I know I’ll always be a part of the Trojan Family.
Courtney Burgasser, Troy High School
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