It’s that time of the year again when the end of the school year is in sight. We’ve worked hard for half the year and aced our first semester, and now spring is upon us. There’s nothing students love more than to look forward to those glorious summer days once the end of the semester is near, but for some seniors it is the last time they will step foot back on campus or in their school.
Moving on – whether it be to college or the real adult world out there – can lead to lots of fun adventures and opportunities. We asked some of our seniors what they were most looking forward to after graduation, what their future plans may be, and what they’ve appreciated most about their experiences so far. Let’s see what our seniors have to say and what advice they have to give to those of us who still have a bit more time before we walk the stage at our graduation!
Sarah Ungerleider, Graduating High School Senior, Pennsylvania
“I can’t believe how much I’ve grown in high school. I have become more confident, gained leadership skills, and made amazing friends. I’ve been given many opportunities to succeed in academics and sports. High school is now almost over, and of course I’m sad, but I’m also ready for my next adventure. I’ll be attending Principia College in the fall! I’m looking forward to playing volleyball for them and, though I haven’t picked a major yet, am interested in environmental science and English.”
Skyla Luciani, Graduating High School Senior, Missouri
“I am extremely grateful that I have been able to attend Principia for my four years in high school. With graduation coming so soon, I have had a chance to look back and reflect on the past years. Prin has given me so many great opportunities and a learning experience I couldn’t have gotten anywhere else. I am grateful for the people who have been there supporting me through this journey and I am excited for the future. One thought that I have always held onto is the Golden Rule – Treat others as you would want to be treated. I think this was really important for me during these four years because high school is full of interactions with other people. Seeing everyone as God sees them can be hard and I have been through many trials with this idea. However, without these trials I wouldn’t obtain the knowledge that I have today. I am grateful for going through the hard experiences especially because I have found that is the best way to evaluate yourself. I believe everything happens for a reason because you would never not be in your right place. You learn so much from every event that happens in life and high school has been quite the experience. From the sports field to the classroom or even out in a tiny sailboat on the Atlantic Ocean with classmates, there is no spot where God is not. The simplest acknowledgment that you are not alone is so comforting. There may be times when it seems like you have no friends and it happened to me, but it gave me the chance to find the confidence in myself and grow closer to God. Everything happens for a reason and I know that wherever my journey continues after high school, I will be with God and expressing him in all that I do.”
Ted Newcombe, Graduating High School Senior, New York
“Looking back on my high school career, I am grateful to have learned the ways of life and to have come of age through the lenses of Christian Science. Once it is all said and done, I hope to attend either Rutgers University or Penn State and pursue pre-law studies while taking part in the ROTC program through the Navy. If not, my options are open; whether it be attending a different school or enlisting in the navy. During the final summer before my first semester of college or even boot camp, I hope to expand my knowledge and understanding of Christian Science at Crystal Lake Camps as a camp counselor while interacting with fellow members of the Christian Science community on a daily basis and having the opportunity to experience new ideas and healings in a loving and peaceful environment.”
Amanda Kamau, Graduating High School Senior, Missouri
“As senior year is slowly coming to end, I’ve had time to reflect on the past three and a half years of high school and recognize my growth. As an incoming freshman, I had no idea about all the lessons I was bound to learn in high school. I am so grateful for all the teachers, mentors, counselors, and friends that have stuck by me through the years and helped me with every trial. In these couple of years, I’ve had many wonderful experiences that I’m eternally grateful for such as traveling, learning how to lead, and meeting lifelong friends. I know all of these experiences and opportunities will benefit me in my future as a college student. I am excited to see what God has in store for me in the next chapters of my life.”
Grace Foster, Graduating High School Senior, Connecticut
“Finally. I am now a second semester senior in high school. These four years have flown by! This semester I am taking really interesting classes such as Animal Behavior, Rhetoric & Persuasion, and Environmental Science. These courses require a lot of work, but they are so interesting to learn about. Although I am ready to leave, in my final semester before my next adventure, I want to soak everything up: enjoying my last two track meets ever, the end of my high school track career, walking from class to class, seeing underclassmen friends, etc. The most insane part of all this is after living in the same town for 17 years. My dad is retiring and we will probably be moving away. I struggle with the idea of possibly not seeing my current friends after high school and losing my connection with Connecticut. To help myself get through it, I remember the quote from Mary Baker Eddy, “Space is no separator of hearts” (Mis. 150:10). The qualities we see expressed in the people we know today will be present in different forms throughout our lives. I only need to be optimistic for the things to come and know I can never truly be separated by distance. There is never a point in the future where I need to be afraid of change or the unknown because what is good will endure.”
Sara Stephenson, Graduating College Senior, Principia College
“I want to spend my final semester simply loving. I have been given so much and soon it will be my gift I give back, but I also have this present moment to be in. I have been given an amazing amount of tools to shine and help others shine. Being responsible for my own adventure does seem scary, but I am certain God has each day filled with his infinite ideas. This final semester has been the accumulation of being fearless and finding ways to let love be unconditional. I am incredibly excited for what is in store for m, and I am very grateful to have lived in a place so dedicated to my learning and growth.”
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