By Alexis Galarza, Destiny Medicine-Cloud and Luz Magaña Posted June 6, 2024
Walking through the glass hallway for the first time as a freshman is already intimidating as it is, imagine doing it with masks and having to stay six feet apart. The time when we were meant to find who we are was stripped from us. Covid-19 consumed our lives everywhere we went.
Luckily the class of 2024 was able to get through these tough times and truly live through the “high school experience”.
After four fast years, the time has finally come to go all our separate ways and complete our future endeavors. However, before we do so we must remember where we came from.
You could have been a Sonoma Heights “Tiger”, or a Grass Valley “Super Kid”, or a Grammar School “Frog”, but eventually we all became Buckaroos together.
Throughout our 12-year sentence, we all walked the same halls, took the same tests, and learned the same material. While studying academics, we also created close friendships and became who we are today.
Now that we have all gone our separate ways, all we will have left of this time are the memories we hold close to our hearts.
“I am going to miss seeing my friends every day,” said Billy DeLong. “It will be so different just because I have seen the same people every day for 12 years”.
For 12 years, seniors have gotten to know each other better. We know everyone’s favorite spots to eat, favorite hangouts, and mannerisms.
“My favorite thing to do was to drive around with my friends and have bonfires where we could all hang out,” said Chris Gildone.
However, things were only sometimes like this.
“My freshman year it was a lot more fun because all of the seniors I had been friends with were still here,” said Gildone. “It’s just weird now that we’re the seniors”.
Although the class of 2024 has gotten three full years of high school we still remember what it was like during Covid-19.
“I remember having to come into school on different days and everyone had to wear masks,” said Bella Herrera. “I’m glad we got to experience our senior year and being able to come every day.”
For other students, Covid-19 was an ankle monitor.
“I was homeschooled during Covid-19 and I felt like I was kept in my house for a while, and didn’t get the high school experience until I came back,” said Maya Hernandez.
Some of our most memorable memories are made while being in high school. They are memories taken with us throughout our lives that we will tell family and friends forever.
“Looking back I am grateful to have been a part of the wrestling team and the support I had from coaches,” said Jaycee Harber.
With memories come valuable lessons we learn throughout high school, from navigating through high school to lessons we will take with us forever.
“You don’t have to be the best of the best of the best,” said Harber. “If you’re struggling just try your best and it won’t affect you in the long run, nobody is going to look back at your high school years and say, ‘You got a bad grade on your sophomore English test’.”
Having to go through COVID-19 and finally being a high schooler made things so much more intimidating and memories seem unreal for some people.
“COVID just made a lot of memories seem super distant thinking about it now, knowing that I am not coming back next year is bittersweet,” said Itati Ochoa.
Even with having to experience the COVID-19 pandemic, it was still something we all went through together.
“When looking back I remembered being horrified because I knew nothing about the school or the people here but now it’s just another place that I got the chance to experience,” said Ochoa.
In high school, you learn a lot of lessons that most of us will take with us after high school.
“I’ve learned that there are many difficult things you will have to go through but I learned to move on and look forward and don’t sit on the past,” said Sara Cox.
As seniors progress they learn lessons that change them.
“Most things are different the way the school is and all of the people change throughout both, in negative and positive aspects and people are more mature so your perspective on things change,” said Cox.
Being a senior can be scary to some because a new life begins after graduation, and you might not be sure what that life will be.
“It’s scary to be a senior because there’s a lot to plan for the last four years for me,” said Chandler Leiter. “It has been a struggle to figure out what I’m going to do for the rest of my life in only four years.”
Being a senior means figuring out what is in store for your future.
“Going into high school I did not know what my future had in store for me,” said Maddison McClure. “I was just a lost high school student with no direction, but after being a part of Lowry athletics and clubs, I found my people.”
For some people high school is the best time of their lives and for others, it is just something that they need to finish in order to start their lives.
“Like other students, school has not been my favorite activity to go to,” said Sofia Mayorga. “I struggled attending school, but through these past four years, I have made memories that will last me a lifetime.”
Forming bonds and friendships is one of the most memorable experiences that there is. The high school experience is the foundation of one’s future.
“I have made friendships that I will carry with me throughout the rest of my life,” said Mayorga.
While some of us are excited to leave this school and get on with our lives. Many are saddened and are going to miss coming to class, participating in school activities, and being surrounded with their peers.
“Going to school for the last twelve years, I have made friendships that I will carry with me through the rest of my life,” said Payton Brown. I have formed bonds with my peers that I will truly miss, yet I am excited to see what is in store for my future.”
From walking the halls at our elementary school we all became proud Buckaroos and will leave a mark on our school.
“Going into school my freshman year, I did not imagine all that I would be able to accomplish in these four years,” said Alia Novi. “I have been a part of Lowry athletics and will continue my education and soccer career at Blue Mountain Community College. As a freshman, I would have never imagined where I would have ended up attending school, but I know that this is the right fit for me. I am both excited and sad to start my next chapter.”
Being a senior means being prepared for all of the changes that will come. Our four years of high school have prepared us to face the real world.
“Coming to high school during a global pandemic was definitely a challenge my peers and myself had to overcome,” said Jackie Sanchez. “These high school challenges are ones that I will never forget and will be told to the future generations. My high school journey was not glamorous, but it was unforgettable.”
As we are all closing this major chapter in our lives, we cannot forget where we came from and the challenges we had to overcome. Class of 2024, good luck as we all embark on this new journey in our lives.
