As our final year comes to a close, the seniors here at NHHS would like to pass on the knowledge they have learned over the past four years. Whether they learned knowledge on a field, court, sideline, or classroom, the class of 2019 would like to pass along some advice to the incoming freshmen.
When the seniors were asked how they would describe their high school experience, they replied with:
“It was like an emotional roller coaster. Yet, I had a lot of fun throughout the ups and downs,” Julia Unnerstall stated.
Olivia Williams had this to say, “High school has had a lot of ups and downs, but for me, high school has been awesome. I have made so many new friends and memories that I will remember for a long time!”
They were then asked what advice they would like to give to underclassmen.
Callie Weatherly responded with, “Don't sweat the small stuff. Seriously, whatever the bullies are saying won't matter in the future. What will is your grades and your involvement throughout your schooling. Just focus on that and brush all the other stuff off.”
“....cherish the time [you] have at New Haven High,” Olivia Williams shared. “Time flies. I feel like just yesterday was the first day of freshman year and now I'm choosing colleges, picking my major, and crying about student debt. High school truly does go by in the blink of an eye. So, cherish the time you have while in high school. Make memories with your friends and have fun!”
“I waited until the last possible minute to join clubs, and now that I'm graduating, I feel as though I did not have enough time to enjoy high school for what it really was. I think that getting involved could have opened so many new friendships to me. My advice would be to actually get out there and get involved,” Miranda Durbin explained.
“I cannot express this enough, but don't let the drama take over your experience,” Elsie McNabb stressed. “Have fun and make memories. Once you graduate, the drama will not matter-- what will matter is the memories you made and the chances you took.”
“Don't put too much on your plate,” Julia Unnerstall continued, “but put just enough so you get the full experience. I also wouldn't do something that you'll regret later in life. Most of all, don't be the person that peaks in high school.”
Some teachers have also impacted students lives here at New Haven.
Ms. McCroskey impacted some students because “She didn't show me the answers to my problems; instead, she guided me in the right direction. The world needs more teachers like her,” Julia Unnerstall explained.
Olivia Williams said, “Mrs. Anderson has been one of my favorite teachers. She has been such a wonderful FBLA sponsor and has helped me get more involved in the club. I am her teacher aid this year and she made it so enjoyable. I love going to her class. She has made me so involved with FBLA. I would have never thought about running for an officer position if it wasn't for her. She has truly made my high school career wonderful!”
Callie Weatherly had many teachers influence her, some with personal issues and others with actual schooling. “I had some hardships throughout high school-- mainly due to my mother passing away. All of the teachers helped me through it and they were all understanding, but Mrs. Borcherding helped me create a beautiful artwork expressing my feelings throughout that school year. And then this school year, Ms. McCroskey helped me put the event into words for an essay prompt. Before that, I talked about it but it was just, ‘My mom passed away; I was crushed,’ because I had no idea what else to say. Not only can I talk about the event more openly, but she, in a way, has helped me work through some lasting grief.”
She continued, “I feel like Mr. Tucker has helped me the most [during schooling]. He helped to create a love for history within me. So much so that I plan to major in history. My only issue is deciding if I want to do Education, Preservation, or both. Mr. Tucker had come into my place of work to eat one morning, and he talked with me about how to figure out which one I would be best in. He could have turned me away since I was asking him outside of the school setting, but he didn't. He took time out of his own time to help me.”
Miranda Durbin had a few different teachers/staff members help her too. “My freshman year, I auditioned for the marching band auxiliary for the next year, my sophomore year. Ms. Kelly (previous English teacher) really inspired me to give it my best shot, and she guided me through everything. When she left, I was heartbroken, but our new coach, Sheila Meyer, really filled her shoes so much better than anyone could have imagined.”
She continued: “Ms. McCroskey helped me understand how to use my talent for writing and she encouraged me to continue writing. Because of her, I will continue writing, and I will never forget the advice and guidance she showed me throughout the entire journey with her.”
As we leave you all in our final year at New Haven, we want you to know to savor the moments at NHHS. Your senior year will come in a blur and end all too fast. Classes will end, sports will be a thing of the past, and friendships will fade. The moments you make-- they will last a lifetime. So, live in the moment. Don’t rush through school. Don’t wish for it to come to an end. Take your time, and enjoy the small things in life.