The Tom Tom | May 11, 2018

THE STUDENT VOICE OF ANTIOCH COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL

The Senior Issue

volume 56 . issue 10. may 11, 2018 sequoitmedia.com. @achstomtom. @sequoitsports 1133 main street. antioch, illinois. 60002

table of contents

the tom tom // the senior issue // May 11, 2018

COVER & BACKDROP DESIGNER

editor’s note letters to the seniors staff leaving achs senior baby pictures things you didn’t know teacher memories sequoit to sequoit athlete goodbyes senior map photos of advice military-bound seniors devaughn gaydovchik horton regalado rivera steuer the iron sequoits most likely to... through the years what it feels like

3 4 6 10 12 14 16 17 18 22 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 54 58

GIVING ADVICE, SAYING GOODBYE

Griffin Hackeloer

JASON R. WOOD editor-in-chief // @jason_wood7

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never thought that I’d be terrified to write something. Sure, I wasn’t exactly thrilled to write 10 page essays in school, or goodbye letters and I sure wasn’t excited about writing the I-Search this year, but I was never scared—until now. I’m scared of writing this note.

I’m scared because it means I’m no longer a member of the Tom Tom, and that I have to say goodbye to the place I’ve called home for four years now. While I will always be a Tom Tommer at heart, I’m never going to have to write an online piece again, I’ll never be listed in the staff box again and I’m never going to have to stay until 11 p.m. to crank out a magazine ever again.

Oddly enough, what I fell in love with throughout this program wasn’t writing, or photography or even design (which if you know me, you know that’s all I’ve done for two years now)— it was relationships. See, high school teaches you loads of important things: math equations, how to correctly interpret literature, what parts of the human body perform different functions, how the mind works, how to exercise properly—but nobody ever tells you that the most important things you’ll learn can’t be found in a textbook or a lecture. In my four short years at ACHS, I learned that the things that matter most are the people. You don’t get far

in life because of standardized test scores or grade point averages, you get far by making connections and knowing the right people. There’s no class that’s going to tell you that you’re not the most important person in the world, that’s something that you learn by being a good person. You don’t learn true pain and happiness through curriculum, you learn it through falling in love, whether that’s with a person, place or thing.

Student-athletes, artists and performers alike can all attest to the incredible highs and lows of performing well when called upon, and having to let go when the time comes. High school isn’t important strictly because of the school aspect, it’s the unspoken learning and maturity gained that really makes it worth it.

But, this editor’s note is happy. It’s a chance to remember all of the good memories I’ve had as a Sequoit.

It’s weird to think that in a week we won’t be waking up at 6 a.m., five days a week to walk these same familiar, comforting halls. For some, these four years were the best of their lives. For others, these four years couldn’t have gone faster. Regardless of perspective, our time as Sequoits were defined in one way or another, and, to me, that’s pretty cool.

Because people are what truly matter in life, the Tom Tom seniors wanted to highlight them. Within these pages are scattered the faces, and the stories, of almost the entire senior class. With the exception of a few people who attend tech campus or graduated early that we weren’t able to reach in time; there are more than 290 seniors in this final magazine. Each person shown has their own story to tell, their own personality, but since we couldn’t possibly cover all of them, we wanted to include a taste. Every single person photographed is holding a sign with their final advice included. Hopefully, this gives both the senior class a chance at closure, as well as a meaningful guide to life for those reading.

executive team

JASON R. WOOD Editor-in-Chief PATRICK R. JOHNSON, MJE Adviser JILLIAN M. EVERETT Managing Editor BRANDEN W. GALLIMORE Print Director KAYLEE S. SCHREINER Digital Director NICO L. CHIAPPETTA Public Relations Director CHLOE E.GRASS Creative Director DIANA ANGHEL Print Director ALIYA N. RHODES Creative Director Editorial Board DIGITAL ASSISTANTS Griffin P. Hackeloer Jacob R. Johnson Alex L. Rapp Emily M. Torres

SENIOR EDITORS Lauren N. Bluthardt Jessica L. Lamberty John P. Petty Monica E. Wilhelm

Coordinators SOCIAL MEDIA Jared D. DeBoer Emily C. Hanes Mikayla M. Holway PHOTOGRAPHY Jessica J. Nettgen Steffanie A. Richardson Kat B. Zamudio

TEAM Gianna M. Chiappetta Dan D. Filippone Joseph C. Kestian Benjamin J. Nauman Madisen M. Krapf Eleni A. Sakas Karley K. Rogalski Skyler R. Wackenhuth

staff journalists

Max L. Barton Peter A. Boeh Joyclyn L. Crawford Taylor A. Feltner Merrick W. Foote Avery J. Frasch Kayla E. Grenke Emily A. Higgins Robert S. Hulting Alexandra C. Johnson McKenna R. Kalisz Alexandria Q. Knight

Emily Lara Ella M. Maggio Julia M. Murillo Jadda C. Pope Valerie N. Rasmussen Ashly M. Ring Tyler S. Skutnik Matthew P. Soberano Kevin E. Tamayo Sadie M. Vanderwall Mollie T. Wagner Sierra M. Ward

Haley Aitken Charlotte Bongratz Gavin Calabrese Evan Day Andrew DeBoer Matthew Edmark Brianna Fisher Julia Hackeloer Kaitlyn Howe Jackson Hugener Isabelle Hunter Jake Ilkka Sofia Klem Madison McBride

Alexis Olson Maggie Quirke Alexander Riedel Alessia Rivera Grace Rowe Maya Schon Rilee Schreiner Sarah Smith Cassidy Thomas Katelyn Vaskovsky Beatriz Warnes Alison Weiser Walker Winkler

mission statement

The Tom Tom seeks to not only be the premier source of student news, sports and lifestyles at Antioch Community High School, but it also aspires to do so with integrity, respect, responsibility and pride. The Tom Tom believes wholeheartedly in giving voices to the voiceless through unique engaging methods of storytelling, while engaging with the Antioch community to see diverse and challenging perspectives. In doing so, we choose to tell some of the more challenging or untold stories even when they can be controversial in order to make our community stronger, more caring, and more tolerant. This program envisions a holistic experience of quality journalism through print publications and digital content, as well as promotes student spirit and school culture through innovative and inspiring public relations and advertising campaigns.

We are the Tom Tom. We are originals. It would be an awfully big adventure if you choose to come along with us and work as one community, One Sequoit.

JASON R. WOOD editor-in-chief

THE TOM TOM STAFF

2017-2018

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CLASS OF 2018 | May 11, 2018 | The Senior Issue

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DEAR CLASS OF 2018

ou made it! You made it and I am incredibly proud of you. Over the course of the last four years, I have seen you grow, mature, perform, compete, achieve, fail, succeed, stumble, win, lose, smile, cry and laugh. In the end, you made it and you ought to be incredibly proud of what you have collectively accomplished while at Antioch Community High School. On the precipice of your graduation, it is important to look back on and celebrate where you have been; however, you will soon be charged with looking forward, too. Before you leave ACHS and embark on whatever it is that has called you, I want to offer some sage advice from someone (me) who has been and will continue to be a proud champion of yours. I am talking to each and every one of you…

First, regardless of where you are headed, do your best to enjoy your journey. Life moves incredibly fast and I submit to you that it is a lot more fun when you are enjoying the ups, downs, challenges and victories. As you know, life comes with seemingly unending obstacles. When faced with them and while you are navigating them, try to do so with an attitude of optimism and hope. Surround yourself with others that believe, live and act in a similar way. I can promise you, the tough times will be much more manageable and you’re more likely to find the fun, enjoyment and satisfaction in the entirety of the journey, not just in the accomplishment of the goal or task.

Second, in whatever you do, find your passion within it and know your why. Hard work, extra time, sacrifices and difficult decisions all come much easier when you know why you are doing something. For the past eight years, my why has been my daughters, Calla and Bryn. The only way that I can work to ensure that they benefit from an education that is fraught with access, opportunity, support and a pathway

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for their success, is to ensure it is something we afford every student. So, my work has revolved around creating the conditions that I believe any student would need to be able to feel a sense of belonging and be able to achieve, including my own children. Once I understood my why, my work became more fun, more engaging, and, hopefully, more impactful.

Third, find a sense of urgency in what you do. At times, motivation can be hard to come by. Many of us have been the victim of the rut or the routine that seems mundane and uninspiring. To keep pressing forward, to keep engaging in the work, to keep a sense of focus and to keep your passions burning, find urgency. For me, the urgency lives in the immediacy with which we must ensure our schools are safe, welcoming, inviting and conducive to learning for all.

This sense of urgency makes late nights, deadlines, time away from family and the day-to-day grind both palatable and insanely motivational.

Finally, as quoted in one of my favorite songs by Mumford and Sons, “…with urgency, but not with haste.” In other words, a sense of urgency is great, but you mustn’t work, act, lead, or live hastily. Rather, your decisions, risks and progress toward your goals and in light of your passion must be calculated, thought out and purposeful. To succeed, achieve, and really make a difference inspired by your why, you have to leave your comfort zone. At times, you will have to act, decide, think, move and/or work differently. You must be willing to do so, but make sure you are selective and intentional. Your why, your passion and your dreams are too fragile to run through life with haste.

Class of 2018, I sit here in amazement of what you have achieved and in awe of the incredible potential that lives within each one of you. You have left an impact and legacy on both ACHS and me. Now, you are charged with defining and establishing your impact and legacy on the world. Regardless of where you go or what you do, enjoy the journey, find your passion, act with urgency, and be cautious of haste. You will do incredibly well…I just know it.

All the while, I will be on the sideline cheering and pulling for you. Always, I will be available to champion, support and/or be a resource for your work.

Good luck and thank you for the most important thing of all: the memories.

Dr. Hubbard

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ere’s the deal: getting older is really freaking hard, but there is no way around it.

Our minds, our bodies and our souls age; if you paid any ounce of attention in biology, then you would know that there is no stopping that we get older.

Each year, we celebrate a birthday, and, amidst the presents and cake, blowing out the candles signifies that we’ve taken another trip around the sun. Even the question “How does it feel to be a year older?” gets old. Yet, we accept it because we have no other option.

We celebrate getting older: losing our first teeth, becoming teenagers, getting driver’s licenses, buying those first lottery tickets, remembering the infamous 21st birthdays, experiencing the mid-life crises, living to the BIG 5-0 and more. Getting older also means milestones: graduating from high school and college, getting married, having children, being awarded promotions, buying cars and saying goodbyes.

Face it, seniors, you’re getting older; however, that isn’t my advice.

Instead, no matter how obvious this advice is coming from me, I have three words for you: NEVER GROW UP.

of you. As you get old, you’re undoubtedly going to come across people and situations that will force you to change. You’ve even encountered those now. You know them—the people who told you that you only could be one version of yourself: the athlete, the nerd, the fine arts kid,

See, the difference between getting old and growing up is simple.

Getting old is a fact of life; growing up is a decision—a life choice and a chance to forever believe in what makes us genuine, authentic and true. So, get old, but don’t grow up, and in order not to grow up, you’ve got a few things you can do.

Let your wings spread wide and your talents soar—simply fly. But don’t fly to cast a shadow on others or to look better than the rest.

Fly because it’s your chance to reach for the unattainable and your opportunity to do something that others cannot. And when you strive to achieve what others were unable to do, return to the ground, share what you’ve learned and benefit those around you. When you spread those wings and fly away, coming back home to make where you started a better place is truly one of the most rewarding and selfless things you will ever do.

Your imagination is your greatest gift, but it sadly is the first thing to go when you decide growing up is your priority. You stop picturing a world without boundaries. You stop burning the box and making something from its ashes. You stop dreaming big because you forgot what it means actually to dream. Stop letting people tell you that your idea isn’t good enough and start imagining again because, as long as you can imagine it, it’s worth trying to make happen.

Enjoy the moments and do so without inhibition. I’m not saying to forget that there are rules, but to remember that taking risks, sharing love and relishing in what you have right now are truly all you’ll ever need. What once was helps you be who you are right now; what will be is a product of what you do right now. That means live in the moment— carpe diem, to be clichéd. Stand on your desk and say goodbye to where you’ve spent what will be four of the most formative years of your life because the view will be entirely different, and it might just be the view you need to move on and to be better.

Fail—it’s okay. Fall flat on your face. Feel the pain and embarrassment. Find a way to get up, get better and move on. Failure—unlike the participation ribbons so many of you have been so generously awarded—means you’ve learned because you have to make something of that experience—something of nothing. You fail so you can learn from your mistakes and come back bigger, better, stronger and more you.

You fail, and you learn more than ever who is in your corner and who will be there to pick you back up. You fail because it’s good for you.

Be unapologetically you, and refuse to compromise that version

the loner, the stoner or something un-unique to you.

I’ve done it myself; I’ve tried to change in order to be like a chameleon and fit the situation I’m a part of—including during my time at Antioch Community High School. The more you’re willing to change yourself, the less you’re going to be fulfilled, and the less you’re going to like yourself. The person you are—the one who wants nothing more than to be loved and to be happy—that’s the person who doesn’t need to grow up and the person who will be wildly successful as a result.

Accept yourself—it’s pretty awesome when you do.

Find something to believe in and passionately fight for it. It doesn’t matter what it is you believe in, and it certainly doesn’t mean you’re going to have an easy journey toward getting people to believe in it with you. But what will matter is that you chose to believe, and that you chose to fight for something. And when all else fails and you’ve grown as old as your mind, body and soul allow you to, people won’t look back and remember you for the little wonders you may have left behind; instead, they’ll remember you because you chose to believe in someone, something, someplace, or some idea. And what you chose to stand behind is the legacy that will last forever—a legacy that will eternally be unique to you and will never grow up—nor will it ever grow old.

To you, a class I’ve been so fortunate to grow older with, I hope you are able to imagine nothing less than greatness and strive only for absolute excellence in your future endeavors. Go forth and set the world on fire, because you, the graduating class of 2018, will truly be the difference we need in this world. Just remember: you can’t avoid getting older, but you can choose to never grow up.

Much love.

PJ

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CLASS OF 2018 | May 11, 2018 | The Senior Issue

Six staff members are prepared to retire at the end of this school year, and two others are set to say goodbye for new adventures.

BORRERO

T

he end of the year is coming and it is not only time to watch our seniors move on to the next chapter of their lives, but our influential faculty members as well. It’s a bittersweet goodbye to Wilbur Borrero, Phyllis Fay, Mary Kelly, Toni Leprich, Bruce Peterson and Eric Schevikhoven; all of whom we are thankful to have learned from, taught beside and created memories with throughout their many years at ACHS. WILBUR BORRERO Wilbur Borrero came to Antioch with an open mind and heart in an effort to make a difference in students lives; 15 years later, this dean is ready for new adventures. Positivity is one of the many traits that stand out in Borrero. His willingness to help students throughout all aspects of life makes him an admirable person and role model to this school and community.

“I’ve been blessed in many ways to be able to come to a job that I truly love,” Borrero said.

Borrero is always tolerant and eager to help when things are bothering someone. His exceptional qualities have inspired many students in the past in so many different ways. Borrero has put in great efforts to instill tolerance, kindness and patience onto students and future generations. He has worked tirelessly and now it is time to enjoy all that he has labored for in the past years.

“Our kids here are just tremendous,” Borrero said. “They, as a whole, are very respectful—their ambitions and cheering for their sports pro-

grams—there’s so many good qualities here.”

Although he is in his last year as a dean, Borrero intends to come back during the wrestling seasons to continue coaching.

“As long as they need me, I will coach, so I will be around next year,” Borrero said. “I’ll be in and out of the building, maybe I’ll do some subbing, who knows.”

BRUCE PETERSON Starting his teaching career in 1990, Bruce Peterson worked as a special education teacher at Allendale until moving to Antioch Community High School in 2012. Peterson felt that his strengths as a teacher would be best served by those that have a need for his specific skills. Coming to Antioch, Peterson felt that he was out of his element for a while.

“It was quite overwhelming for me, as I have been teaching in smaller size classrooms and [I] was exposed to a more narrow group of students,” Peterson said. “To come to Antioch Community High School was like going to the big leagues and experiencing the big time.”

SO LONG, FAREWELL Peterson has been a part of the Sequoit staff for five years and has made memories and learned lessons that

MONICA E. WILHELM senior editor // @monicastillhaszerotwitter

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will last him a lifetime. Beyond coming to the “big leagues,” coming to Antioch has given Peterson the ability to exercise and incorporate his personality into his role as a teacher.

“I was able to use my strengths as a teacher to reach out to those students and staff in need,” Peterson said.

Following retirement, Peterson is looking forward to doing whatever he wants, whenever he wants to do it.

“I look forward to not getting up at 5:30 everyday,” Peterson said. “Being able to start some projects that I said I was going to do many years ago. [I want to] be able to visit people and continue to watch my daughter excel in softball.”

Among the many experiences that Peterson will take away from working at Antioch, he is most thankful for the kindness that is so prevalent around this school.

ERIC SCHEVIKHOVEN With schools being highly technologically dependent, desktop specialist Eric Schevikhoven has come to the rescue many times for students and teachers. Schevikhoven came to Antioch just over five years ago after a friend had introduced him to this line of work.

Despite having to deal with technical difficulties on a daily basis, finding his way around Antioch was the biggest challenge for Schevikhoven. Coming off of 25 years in a Fortune 500 company, the students and staff of District 117 have become more personable “clients,” which is something Schevikhoven loves about his job.

“To me, helping a teacher with an issue in their classroom, or an administrator with a hardware or software problem, or a student with their phones, meant more to me than I could ever imagine,” Schevikhoven said.

With kids still in college, Schevikhoven will not be able to fully retire for a couple more years; however, his time at Antioch will not be forgotten.

“My team has helped my knowledge grow in technology,” Schevikhoven said. “My manager has shown me how to see different perspectives. Talks with the staff and students have helped me grow as a person, team member and father. I will never forget those talks.”

MARY KELLY Being a part of the Sequoit family since August of 1997, Mary Kelly originally applied to handle the in-school suspension room.

Turning down the job, Kelly worked as a para-professional and then coordinator of the special education department. Having only four special education teachers in the past has made Kelly proud to see the program grow, develop and more than double in size.

“I enjoyed mentoring several of the teachers in our department,” Kelly said. “I appreciate the opportunities I have had to teach new instructional curriculum at ACHS: forensic science, earth and space systems and a revised business math.”

Kelly plans to continue subbing at Antioch, but she is going to

PETERSON

SCHEVIKHOVEN

miss her daily exchanges with her department colleagues and the math staff.

“When I completed my masters degree in special education, it felt like coming full circle back to education and working with students that struggle,” Kelly said. “ I have been most fortunate to work in an excellent department with some of the most supportive colleagues, and enjoyed the opportunity to co-teach with some of the best teachers at ACHS.” While Kelly looks forward to traveling with her husband, her favorite memories will always be how magical the homecoming parades were with the bonfire and fireworks. Kelly is thankful for the opportunity to be a part of the Sequoit family and will never forget the memories and relationships that she has made along the way.

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CLASS OF 2018 | May 11, 2018 | The Senior Issue

KELLY

LEPRICH

PHYLLIS FAY Twenty-two years ago, Phyllis Fay was looking for a new and stable school district and found herself applying to Antioch Community High School. For 18 years prior to joining the alternative education program, Fay was an assistant principal for student services.

Although working under nine principals in 22 years has been a challenge for Fay, she has had undeniable success under each new perspective. According to Fay, her defining moments have taken place outside of the classroom setting.

“Personally, I am proud of the fact that I earned my doctorate degree at a time when other administrators did not pursue such advanced degrees, all while working full-time in a very demanding position as assistant principal,” Fay said.

Achieving such high academic success is a huge accomplishment for Fay; however, she will always be inspired by how strong and

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willing students are to pull it together despite difficult times, such as the Columbine Tragedy, 9-11 and several deaths which have left a lasting impact on the school and community.

“I am always amazed and honored at the power of youth and the way they can pull it together, sometimes better than adults,” Fay said.

“I am proud to watch former students develop as adults and pursue their dreams.”

While Fay is looking forward to continuing her quilting business, she is thankful for her 22 years and how she learned to let things roll off her back rather than put her in a tailspin.

TONI LEPRICH Having kids graduate from Antioch, visual arts teacher Toni Leprich knew that working here would not only be convenient because of the proximity to her home, but also because of her familiarity with Antioch’s education system.

“You can pretty much have a good education just about anywhere as long as you have the right attitude,” Leprich said. “I hope that I instill that right attitude to my students.”

Besides working in the fine arts department, many of Leprich’s favorite memories took place in her stagecraft class. She loved being a part of the theater program and all the laughs that were shared throughout her time there.

“The students will always be what I will miss the most about retirement,” Leprich said. “The students are why I am here.”

According to Leprich, it is very hard for her to remember names, but she will never forget faces. She can’t wait to see her former students around Antioch in the future, but looks forward to finishing her countless art projects that she has started in the past.

“I have learned to be more organized,” Leprich said. “Also, you don’t have to be a brain surgeon or a lawyer in order to be successful. You can be successful in just about anything that you do.”

Among the many things that Leprich has learned in her 17 years at Antioch, she will always be grateful for the relationships she has made and the lessons she has learned.

KATHARINE GIERTYCH Northwestern University and Scotland exchange student, Katharine Giertych, found herself applying for a maternity-leave position just over six years ago. Realizing her passion for teaching, Giertych stayed at Antioch in an effort to inspire students of all grade levels.

This year, Giertych has found a new calling in San Diego, California where she will be a Girl Scouts of San Diego camp director as well as continuing to fulfill her duties as a teacher.

“I come to work everyday and can say that I love it,” Giertych said.

“Not a lot of people can say that.”

Throughout her many years at Antioch, Giertych has worked tirelessly to help develop programs and events around the school.

Antioch’s broadcast program, SBN, started with the help of Giertych.

Although Giertych was inexperienced going into it, her open mind

GIERTYCH

GLAPAJONE

helped SBN grow into the success it is today.

“This year, I have my seniors graduating out of SBN,” Giertych said. “Five of them are choosing to pursue broadcast next year.

That’s when I knew that I was doing something right for these kids.”

Giertych has not only inspired her broadcast students, but students throughout the whole building. After seeing Writers Week in a neighboring school, Giertych knew that she had to bring it to Antioch. To her, Writers Week is meant to show students what can happen when they follow their dreams.

“I look forward to the unknown,” Giertych said. “It’s an adventure and something new. Knowing what challenges and taking risks can do for you, you can go out and achieve your goals.”

Giertych has not only been a great teacher, but an inspiring one to students and staff around the building. According to Giertych, she will miss her students dearly and her good friends throughout the English department.

“As I hope many of you see, the English department is a family,” Giertych said. “Antioch is a family and that is hard to find.”

ARNOLD GLAPAJONE Finishing his tenth year at Antioch, Arnold Glapajone will be saying a bittersweet goodbye as he looks forward to new opportunities in California. Although motivating students to want to learn math can be challenging, Glapajone is grateful to have had the opportunity to teach and coach basketball from the get-go of his career at Antioch. While Glapajone is going to miss many of his relationships with student and staff members, many of his memories take place on the basketball court.

“A memory that stands out to me is our boys varsity basketball team winning our first regional championship,” Glapajone said. “I was so proud of the players and happy for the rest of the coaching staff as well as the community.”

According to Glapajone, being a teacher and coach allows him to see a very wide spectrum of personalities and backgrounds.

“Working at Antioch has taught me that different people need different things,” Glapajone said.

Glapajone will be greatly missed by his math students and basketball players.

GRADUATION INFORMATION SUNDAY, MAY 20 1 P.M. THE STADIUM STUDENT SPEAKER ZA’TOZIA DUFFIE-WALKER

STAFF SPEAKER AMY SKONBERG OUTSTANDING SENIORS JORDAN DELARA JILLIAN EVERETT

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CLASS OF 2018 | May 11, 2018 | The Senior Issue

YOU GO, BABY

ELLA M. MAGGIO tom tom staff // @ellla.maggio33 SALLY BESSETTE

L

ife really changed when Sally Bessette started public school, compared to her Catholic school experience previously.

“Going to a public school really changed me as a person because it made me more of an open-minded and outgoing person, whereas I used to be more shy and stay at home,” Bessette said.

Bessette has been through a lot of difficult times in her life, but because of these experiences she has become stronger. Her older sister, Alice, has also made a big impact on her life as her role model. When A. Bessette went away to school, she had to find her own identity without her sister. Traveling is also an important part in Bessette’s life; whether it is with her family visiting different states, or traveling abroad with the school, she loves getting to experience new, eye-opening things.

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JOE KAROLEWICZ

A

s Joe Karolewicz has gotten older, he has taken on more responsibilities, which include working at the Antioch Pizza Shop, playing football and trying to do well in school. All of these have helped shape him into the person he is today. Football taught him how to work with others, which then helped make him a great leader; Karolewicz was one of the four football captains his senior year. Working at Antioch Pizza has helped him gain experience in the workforce.

“High school has helped me to develop good time management while balancing school work, football and a job,” Karolewicz said.

His parents also have played a huge role in who he has become because they have always had his back.

SYDNEY KRAUS

O

ver the past few years, Sydney Kraus has realized that life won’t be a fairytale ending.

“Life throws things at you that you have to push yourself through,” Kraus said.

She has also realized that no one has to go through anything alone.

Kraus’ family has been a huge factor in who she has become, essentially creating her support system. “[One thing they taught me was] to not be embarrassed by the things people say,” Kraus said. “If you can make a joke out of it, then no one can hurt you.”

Kraus has realized how important it is to tell her family how much she loves them. Her sister Julia has made the biggest impact on her life because Julia looks up to her which makes her want to be the best person she can be.

DEREK OLSON

A

s Derek Olson has grown, life has gotten a little more stressful and his piled on more responsibilities, but the freedom is refreshing.

Olson is an excellent student, taking rigorous classes while also being a part of the National Honors Society. He has had to develop good time management skills to be able to balance hockey and school. He has been involved in a very high level hockey program, Junior Admirals, for most of his life.

“I believe that participating in a sport is a great way to learn life lessons, like how to work with others, taking criticism from a coach and forming leadership,” Olson said.

His parents and balancing school with hockey has helped make him who he is today.

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18 CLASS OF 2018 | May 11, 2018 | The Senior Issue

CLASS OF

DID YOU KNOW

THESE LITTLE

KNOWN FACTS

ABOUT YOUR

CLASSMATES?

JARED D. DEBOER social media coordinator // @jddeboer098 ALEXANDRIA Q. KNIGHT tom tom staff // @alexknight006

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JAVEN LONDON I was able to run at the age of eight months.

MEGAN NIELSEN My whole entire right leg is a birthmark.

TAYLOR HORNER I can make a horse galloping noise with my nose.

DRAVIN NARAMORE

MORGAN KEEFER

In my free time, I’m a reenactor. Basically, I dress up in uniforms and pretend to be a soldier from

I got bit by a poisonous spider and almost died if I did not get a

past eras.

piece of my leg taken out.

BRIANNA VETTESE I was born with black hair, but it naturally changed blonde as I got older.

TAYLOR COMER I have never watched “Monsters Inc.,” “Finding Nemo” or “Toy Story” in their entirety.

JULIUS CATALAN My dad is 5’10”, mom is 5’3”, but my brother and I are both over 6’3”.

KAITLYN CASTILLO My bloodline comes from 13+ different countries.

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REMINISC

CLASS OF 2018 | May 11, 2018 | The Senior Issue

For some of the Sequoit staff, this senior class left a lasting legacy; here are those memories.

POLAKOW

KAT B. ZAMUDIO photo coordinator // @katzamudio

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he end of the school year is approaching for the seniors, as graduation day is Sunday, May 20. On this day, seniors will be leaving behind not only their classmates, friends and the past four years of memories, but also the teachers who played a big part in their learning. The end of high school can be an emotional time for seniors and their teachers. Every year, teachers see their senior students move on from high school to another part of their journey, and saying goodbye stirs up many emotions. Many teachers have pushed, encouraged and supported their students in their educational, and sometimes even their personal, endeavours, creating trusting friendships.

There is always something bittersweet about leaving one’s childhood behind and having to grow up. At this time of year, it’s a good time to reflect and share good memories of the seniors as they prepare to go onto the next chapter of their lives.

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TAYLOR

MATTHEW LARSEN, Physical Education

KELLY TAYLOR, English

MARNI POLAKOW, Physical Education

“My favorite memory has to be the thrilling win by the football team over our rival Lakes. It seemed as though everyone in town was there, and it was electric to see the senior class go crazy when the team came back and scored the winning touchdown. It was bittersweet for the seniors cheering and for the seniors playing that it was their final Antioch-Lakes rivalry football game. A perfect mark left in Antioch High School’s history.”

“I had a good portion of this class for English 2 and they were extremely creative and enjoyed acting. Brianna Vettese, Dylan Lampert and another group put on an awesome Macbeth rap that will live with me and within the classroom. They also did some amazing battles with swords and were just so much fun and had so much life and personality.

There’s a lot of the class that I will remember fondly.”

“The thing that sticks out the most with this senior class is the relationships I gained through my soccer players. Almost all of my seniors, both on the girls and boys teams, have been with me on the varsity for all four years of their high school careers. I was able to watch them grow and mature and be a part of this process as they progressed throughout high school.

Many are going on to play soccer at the next level and the impact they are leaving on myself and the soccer program are immeasurable.”

ING TREY HICKEY, Fine Arts

SARAH OGBORN, English

DEE ANDERSHOCK, English

“One of my favorite memories of some of my seniors—RJ Vazquez, Jessica Lamberty, and Ryan Campbell—was watching them interact with children. My son, Gavin, absolutely loves coming to school with me so he can “play with his big kid friends.”

This past musical season was especially great as I brought him

“Last year, Emma Vanderwall, who I’ve had for the past three years in yearbook, was in the media lab and was leaning back on her chair. She was sitting there with her feet up and her socks were showing and I say to her, ‘Emma what’s on your socks?!’ and she says, “Oh, I’m so sorry!” because she thought I was going to yell at her because her socks literally say ‘motherf****** girl power’ and so she thought I was going to yell at her for having

much more than in years past and all he wanted to do was play. I had no idea how special it would be seeing the kids I have had for the past four years bonding with my son. It has been such a blessing and I know Gavin will remember them forever.”

swear words on her socks, but in reality I was just thinking that those were the best socks in the whole entire world. So then this year for christmas she got me those same socks. It’s nice being able to see kids feel like they can be silly and express their own personal views, and I really think that this senior class has that ability to do both of those things.”

“One memory that sticks out to me is the first semester Women and Lit class. That group of seniors in that room had a great vibe that no one can manufacture—it’s organic—and when it happens, it’s magic. What is normally a five-minute weekend news update, would turn into a whole hour discussion of life in these times on this planet. That class, if given the chance, could have solved all the problems of world and done so with humor, humility and love. I was lucky enough to get so many of those students back for second semester in the composition class, and added other outstanding students to the mix.

This senior class truly has a special place in my heart. There are a number of students I didn’t even have in class, but who are part of the mix that makes them so memorable. I hope they stay in contact with us in the future so we know where they go and how they fare in the future.”

OGBORN

ANDERSHOCK HICKEY

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SEQUOIT TO SEQUOIT: KNOWN VERSUS UNKNOWN STEFFANIE A. RICHARDSON photo coordinator // @steffanieann88

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hat do you do when you don’t know what to do? I’ve always been back and forth with what I should do for college. I think about it constantly, considering the fact that my dad asks me about it every single day. Not having a plan for college is quite stressful because trying to choose what classes you are going to be taking in college tends to be a little bit more difficult, usually due to the fact that they are chosen based on what you’re going to do in the future.

Going into college and being undecided for a career can stress someone out.

You try to think about what you really stand out in, but what if you don’t stand out in anything? In the back of your head, you are always hearing your father or mother nagging you about what you are going to do for college and your goals for college and life. I have goals and I know that I want to be successful at what I do for a living, but I don’t know what I want to be successful in.

At first, I wanted to be a marine biologist, which sounds so cool because I’d be able to work with sea animals and be in the water, but then I started thinking about other options. I told my whole family that I wanted to be a nurse in the Air Force, and then two months later, that didn’t sound interesting to me anymore. If I’m already having second thoughts about what I want to do for the rest of my life, then I shouldn’t be doing it at all. After that, I wanted to be an underwater welder.

Going from a nurse in the Air Force to an underwater welder is what really freaked me out about the whole idea, since they are two completely different careers. Trying to figure out what you want to do for the rest of your life while only being 17 years old is a ton of pressure to put on a kid.

Being undecided isn’t always a bad thing, but at least having an idea of what you want to do is helpful. I’ve come to the conclusion that I want to do something mechanical; I love doing hands-on jobs, and I hate just sitting still all day.

Once you find something that you love, you’re set and will never look back.

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JULIA M. MURILLO tom tom staff // @juliaaa_murillo

hrough my years of school I had always been asked by teachers, “what do you want to be when you grow up?” How was I supposed to know at seven or eight? I was supposed to decide what I wanted to be or do for the rest of my life right there and then?

Growing up, I always thought I would end up somewhere in law enforcement. I dreamed of being a cop and I spent hours watching the television show “Cops” while singing the theme song. I wanted to be a first responder and have everyone see me as a hero; I would be invincible. As years went by, I had more time to think about it and law enforcement did not feel like the right path for me, but business did.

It’s crazy how many times I changed my mind. To think that entering high school all the classes I chose to take would help me out in law school. I found myself hitting a wall for a period of time; I had no idea what I was going to do. I had the constant pressure on my shoulders of having to figure out what my major was and having to figure it out soon. The next thing I knew, I had schools emailing me asking if I wanted to continue my athletics and education at their school. Wait, I have to know my major and if I want to continue playing sports by a certain deadline? Well, I did, and it was a bumpy ride getting there.

I finally figured it all out: I wanted to major in marketing and minor in sales. It was the perfect choice for me. I can talk for hours on end. I’m good with new people, and I’ve always enjoyed going out and venturing to new places. A business major allows me to have all those things. Sadly, that was only one of many things I needed to figure out.

The next step was which college to choose. Luckily for me, there were only three options and it was a quick decision. I chose to attend University of Wisconsin-Whitewater where I will be in their business program. This will be perfect with all the classes that are available for me to take. It is a nerve-wracking situation, but I’m excited for the new start and to finally be able to accomplish what I have set my mind to do: attend a four-year university, continue my education and be successful in everything I do.

THE SOUND OF THE FINAL BUZZER

As their tassles turn, these senior athletes look to walk away from the sports they’ve seemingly played for a lifetime.

PETER A. BOEH senior editor // @peter24boeh

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here comes a point in an athlete’s life where they have to say goodbye. They have to say goodbye to the thing they treasured most and the relationships they made through that sport. They have to say goodbye to the blood, sweat and tears that they poured into the sport that they have been playing for most of their lives.

Something that athletes can agree on is that saying goodbye to their team is very hard. When athletes play together long enough, they develop a bond and they create chemistry both in the game and out of it. From dancing during practice to weekend-long tournaments, these athletes share memories that will never fade; the hours that they have spent with one another will never go away. Having that family-like bond is one of the best parts about being on the team.

“Teammates provide such unique personalities that come together for practice, and something wrong is bound to happen, but in a good way,” Noah Boehm said. “However, when it came to game time, everyone still was silly and serious at the same time.”

Another thing that seniors will miss is competing. It is that constant adrenaline and determination that an athlete falls in love with. The feeling of putting on the jersey or uniform gives most athletes a feeling like no other.

Sometimes in the moment, athletes may hate how much work the sport took, they still BOEHM come back the next day to do it again.

It gets even more addicting when the

team does well and starts winning or placing high in competitions.

“It is really fun to improve as a team and as an individual, all while getting rewarded and recognized for your hard work,” Danielle Bay said.

As seniors start to look back at their high school careers, they remember all of the fun times first. They remember the times where they were making jokes or pulling pranks on other teammates. Then come the sad moments, the moments that really show why the athlete loved the sport and why he/ she did what he/she did. For most athletes, the saddest moment was the last game, competition, or match they will ever play with Antioch across their chest. Katie Sorensen’s saddest moment was saying goodbye last year to her softball teammates.

“So far, this year there has not really been any sad moments which is great, but out of my four years of playing I think the hardest moment for me was saying goodbye to our seniors last year,” Sorensen said. “They were an amazing group of girls and they really held the team together, so it was a hard goodbye.”

For Bay, her saddest moment was when her team moved on to the second day at state, which would be her last performance as a Sequoit.

“The second day at state was my last competitive performance with my team, so it was really sad thinking in that moment that this was it,” Bay said.

“It was also one of the happiest moments because I had never made it to the finals and being able to accomplish that my senior year was really special.”

For Boehm, his saddest moment was after his last game because of the speeches that were shared.

“The last game when my coach gave my team the last speech [was the saddest moment],” Boehm said. “Everyone was crying, it took so much to get everyone to calm down. Then, one of our captains gave a speech and we started crying again. It was a very impactful night.”

Being a senior is a bittersweet time because it means being excited to start a new journey, but then missing what has to be left behind.

That doesn’t mean that they will not visit. When they come home on breaks, some athletes will go visit coaches at practices and be around the team they were once a part of.

“I am very excited for the next chapter of my life, and I cannot wait to see what college has to offer me,” Sorensen said. “But, on the other hand, I will miss my friends a tremendous amount and leaving my little sister and the rest of my family is something I have not come to terms with yet.”

BAY

SORENSEN

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CLASS OF 2018 | May 11, 2018 | The Senior Issue

OH THE PLACES WE’RE GOING NICOLAS L. CHIAPPETTA public relations director // @nico_chiappetta

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CLASS OF 2018 | May 11, 2018 | The Senior Issue

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STUDENTS NOT INCLUDED ON THE MAP OR IN THIS LIST DID NOT REPORT A SCHOOL CHOICE TO STUDENT SERVICES IN THEIR SENIOR EXIT SURVEY.

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CLASS OF 2018 | May 11, 2018 | The Senior Issue

SEQUOITS WHO SERVE

While some are headed off to college and others going straight to work, these young men are are getting ready to serve our country.

TAYLOR A. FELTNER tom tom staff // @taytayf10

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DE’ANDRE BURNS

e’Andre Burns just recently decided that he wanted to join the military, after he had talked with a recruiter at school in the commons. Burns feels like the Marine Corps offers interesting things, and he wants to do something that gives him meaning and joining the Marines is a perfect fit for him.

“I want to do something that matters and I think that serving my country is something of that caliber,” Burns said.

Burns is not too sure what he wants to do after he serves, but he is thinking of possibly going into law enforcement or business.

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JOHN EMSUN

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ohn Emsun wanted to join the military since he was young because his grandpa had spent time in the Army.

Emsun enlisted into the Army his junior year of high school, then officially joined this past semester.

“I wanted to join because of a very strong love for this country,” Emsun said. “I thought that before I do anything in this country, I should serve it first.”

He wants a combat job, so he chose to be a Cavalry Scout.

When Emsun is done serving, he is thinking about maybe becoming a firefighter.

DREW ECHTERLING rew Echterling decided he wanted to join the military his junior year of high school.

“The reason I planned on joining is to serve my country to the best of my ability and to protect those who cannot protect themselves,” Echterling said.

He enlisted into the Marines because that was the branch that helped connect him the most to the recruiters and helped him get into that certain branch. After Echterling serves, he is hoping to go into law enforcement and continue protecting people around the country.

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ALEJANDRO RICHARDS

lejandro Richards has been wanting to join the military for awhile now.

“When I was little I always wanted to join the military,” Richards said. “I officially decided I wanted to join when I figured out that college wasn’t my best option.”

He is going to join the United States Army because he feels there are many jobs that fit him well in that area. He is not sure whether he is going to serve for a whole 20 years or not yet, but afterwards he wants to work for the police department or at a gun store.

SPENCER KALSTRUP

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pencer Kalstrup always had the military in the back of his mind, but officially decided that he is going to go into the military about a year ago.

“I was interested in serving because of the benefits it offers, like free college and traveling the world,” Kalstrup said.

He is planning on joining the US Air Force because he has an interest in airplanes and has always wanted the chance to fly one. When Kalstrup is done serving, he is not too sure what he will do, but he is excited for the many options he has once he’s out.

JAKE WHITE

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COLIN RADOMSKI

olin Radomski has wanted to join the military

since he was about 12 years old. Radomski hopes to join the Marines.

“It is always something I have wanted to do and I want to be the best of the best,” Radomski said.

After he serves in the Marines, he is thinking about going back to school so he can become a firefighter or just work at a fire department.

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ake White has wanted to go into the military since he was a little boy. His goal is to prove to people that he belongs in this world. White knows he is capable of great things and knows joining the military is a good way to push himself to his absolute limits.

“I fought everyday to be prepared to become a member of the greatest elite fighting force in the military, a United States soldier,” White said.

White enlisted in the Army in the MP Airborne Division and then plans to work his way into special forces. He is planning on being in the Army for the full term, which is 20 years served.

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CLASS OF 2018 | May 11, 2018 | The Senior Issue

JADEN DEVAUGHN

THE GENTLE GIANT

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TRY NEW THINGS JOHN P. PETTY senior editor // @johnppetty

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enior year for a high school student means the final push towards the conclusion of adolescence. Despite high school coming to a close, it is worth looking back on the previous four years to see how things ended up unfolding, as well as the memories made along the way. High school is full of expectations. There are expectations for what classes will be like and who will be in them. There are expectations about fitting in with a friend group and the overall chemistry of the community. There are expec-

“In football we were 9-0 my junior and senior year, which I was proud to be a part of, but some of the decisions made during those seasons made it extremely frustrating for me,” DeVaughn said.

Disappointed but hopeful, DeVaughn finally decided to make a transition that would allow him to go out on what he believed it would be a high note, and the decision would be trying out for the boys tennis team in the spring of 2018. While there was some hesitation, he was eager to see what he could

tations regarding extracurricular activities and the potential relationships with others.

For senior Jaden DeVaughn, high school wasn’t exactly what he expected, but the necessary opportunities were there and perhaps it just took some exploring to find what was right in the long-run. For DeVaughn, plans as an incoming freshman were simple.

“My goals going into high school were to make new friends, enjoy sports and do well in school,” DeVaughn said.

High school for most students can be separated in two main categories; essentially, there is what takes place in or near the classroom, and then there are extracurricular or outside activities that aren’t part of the school day.

Academics can be frustrating and stressful, but with the proper work ethic and organization goals can be achieved. This was the case for DeVaughn as he was able to excel in the classroom, a participant of several honors and Advanced Placement classes all the way from freshman to senior year.

These classes were essential for the growth DeVaughn wanted to see within himself.

“I have achieved most of my set academic goals throughout high school,” he said.

Unlike his academic successes, which proved to be important for the paving of the future, DeVaughn felt as though the majority of his hardships involved sports. He played basketball and football all four years, which he had planned on, and tennis his final year of high school, which was not part of that original freshman plan.

“I planned on playing football and basketball in high school and I ended up not liking it very much because it wasn’t what I expected and high school really made me like these sports less,” DeVaughn said.

Football and basketball at the varsity level ended up having successful years as the football team enjoyed back-to-back undefeated campaigns in the regular season. Also, the varsity basketball team boasted three regional championship victories, the first coming DeVaughn’s sophomore year. Although these were positive memories for DeVaughn, he experienced several frustrations with both sports, including sickness and injury.

make of his final semester of high school sports-wise and multiple friends of his also decided to try out.

“I ended up not liking most of my sports seasons except for my senior year of tennis which I really enjoy,” DeVaughn said. “I like how it’s more laid back and and I also like the overall atmosphere of the guys and the team in general.”

Perhaps it’s only fitting that what’s most enjoyable occurred during his last year at Antioch, but what he will remember most will probably be the people he came in contact with.

“Overall, I liked the friendships I made during my time here,” DeVaughn said.

These friends were made in both, in the classroom and extracurriculars.

They turned out to be the staples of his past four years, even when other parts of high school weren’t as promising.

“Going into high school I expected to stay with my same friends and I ended up making all sorts of new friends and my friend group completely changed,” DeVaughn said.

This was not the only transition of his high school career and, although some parts were difficult, the present has allowed him to eagerly look forward and worry about what is soon to come with open arms.

“My focus has shifted onto what I will do after high school at the University of Iowa where I plan on studying biomedical engineering,” DeVaughn said.

After experiencing it himself, DeVaughn leaves advice for future high school students and those who haven’t yet graduated.

“Take every opportunity to try new things because high school is the time to find things that you really enjoy that you had no idea about,” DeVaughn said.

For DeVaughn, there were several expectations for all the aforementioned parts of high school. Some of these expectations turned out to be as he had planned, while others did not. One thing is for certain though, and it is that expectations and goals can change. Perhaps one of the most important things to remember is that positive experiences await, even if they come in ways that were completely unexpected.

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CLASS OF 2018 | May 11, 2018 | The Senior Issue

BRADLEY GAYDOVCHIK RUN FOREST, RUN!

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YOU ALWAYS HAVE SECOND CHANCES SADIE M. VANDERWALL tom tom staff // @smvanderwall

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eing a student-athlete can be a difficult lifestyle to keep up with. Trying to give two things 100 percent of one’s effort can be draining and seem impossible. The stresses of senior year and college can be hard to cope with, but senior Bradley Gaydovchik has become familiar with the lifestyle of a student-athlete over the past four years and has surpassed expectations of being exceptional at both.

Gaydovchik has been playing sports since he was young began running cross country in sixth grade. Since he excelled in running from the start, he continued to push himself harder in cross country. To Gaydovchik, running gives him a sense of fitness and accomplishment in his life. Cross country requires athletes to have a high amount of endurance and stamina to keep up with the pace of running three miles every race.

“The past four years have been a major learning experience,” Gaydovchik said. “I became a much better student as the years went on and my grades improved significantly. I also learned that if you want to enjoy life, you need to be assertive and not be afraid to work for what you want. Nothing is simply handed to you in life. My commitment to running increased over the years as I began to put in more miles over the summer and on weekends to become the best I can be.”

Gaydovchik has been on the cross country team since freshman year.

He created a strong relationship with his peers and excelled as an individual and as a teammate. Along with cross country, Gaydovchik also participated in track and field and National Honor Society.

“I will miss Antioch’s cross country team,” Gaydovchik said. “I have grown so close with coaches Bailey and Hlinak over the past four years, as well as my fellow teammates. College will not be the same without Fox River Park and summer running with the team.”

Coach Christopher Bailey has watched Gaydovchik grow over the past four years as both a student and a runner.

“Brad is a great leader and motivator in the fact that he keeps everyone loose,” Bailey said. “He is a very funny guy and his teammates love having him around. He has also physically grown and has developed more strength over the past four years.”

Gaydovchik has had many successes over the past four years in sports and school.

“Getting a PR of 18:52 for the three mile in cross country was my greatest achievement,” Gaydovchik said.”This happened my junior year at the Aurora meet. I was also proud of myself when I worked up the courage to ask somebody to homecoming.”

Going into the final year of high school, seniors often have time to reflect on the past four years of their life. The memories seniors made in high school shaped them into who they are today and will be a part of them forever. High school is a time where people grow from a kid into an adult. After four years of hard work and dedication, each senior hopes to leave their mark on the school.

“I hope to be remembered as the guy who says the funniest things at the most random moments,” Gaydovchik said. “I care a lot about other people and their well-being. I love to make people laugh; I don’t like to be a burden and I love the feeling you get from lending a helping hand.”

Gaydovchik used his positive attitude and personality to make plenty of friends. Senior Katelyn Steuer shares a long-time friendship with Gaydovchik.

The two met in kindergarten and have remained friends since.

“I would describe Brad as one-of-a-kind,” Steuer said. “He is always in a good mood and always knows how to make the class laugh. My favorite memory with Brad is when we read a musical in class, he really made the character his own and made it funny. It was definitely what I would look forward to during school.”

In the fall, Gaydovchik will be attending Iowa State University to study civil and environmental engineering. When he is older, he hopes to fix society’s infrastructure and technology to provide a more sustainable and efficient future for humanity and the environment. Although he will not be continuing as an athlete, running will always have a big place in his heart.

“I would love to continue running in college, at least as a club or intramural type program,” Gaydovchik said. “I’m going to run until I die.”

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CLASS OF 2018 | May 11, 2018 | The Senior Issue

JEFF HORTON

CATCH HIM IN THE SPOTLIGHT

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HEY MAN, SCREW IT JASON R. WOOD editor-in-chief // @jason_wood7

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he man without a specific plan. The piano king. The comedian. The actor. The movie-lover. The student. The best friend. Senior Jeff Horton is the jack-of-all-trades.

While he is traditionally known for his witty, realist sense of humor, his oddly articulate way of speaking, and his stellar performances as Eugene in “Grease: The Musical” and Mal Beineke in “The Addams Family” by many more than just his close friends, he wasn’t always that way.

“I’ve had a good time,” Horton said. “Freshman [and] sophomore years were basically still middle school. They weren’t very fun; I didn’t have many friends. Looking back, I know why—I was so boring as a person. Junior year I finally started to do things, so that got less boring. So, I didn’t have a good time freshman and sophomore years, but I got good grades. That’s not really important to me anymore—I’m doing very poorly in all of my classes. But, I’m having such a grand time that it doesn’t really matter to me anymore. Junior and senior years have been the time of my life.”

Horton grew up as a quieter kid, focused solely on doing well in school and watching the occasional movie. That was all he looked forward to—his movies. Now, rather than watching the actors on stage, he’s the one performing.

“The theater is an amazing place,” Horton said. “It’s not always filled with amazing people, but I think that we do have amazing people in the department here.”

Horton owes a lot of his enjoyment of his junior and senior years to his experience in the theater department.

“My least favorite group of people are ‘theater kids,’” Horton said. “But we don’t really have those people here, because our theater department is really small. You bring in people from band, orchestra, sports and then from academics, and it’s like theater is not the only thing. Because of that, because it’s not just theater kids, it is a really close relationship that we have with everybody. Some of my best friends now I’ve just met in the past year because of getting into theater in the spring.”

Because of his involvement in the world of theater as an upperclassman, Horton plans to continue with this passion in college. He plans on studying comedy performance at Columbia College in Chicago. Horton wants to be a comic—not a dramatic actor or a musical actor—specifically a comedic actor.

“In Chicago, they have Second City and [this] major is connected directly to Second City and for a semester you work with them,” Horton said. “Now am I up to that? I don’t know, probably not, I guess we’ll find out.”

His way of telling it how it is and his wide vocabulary is what makes him funny. He’s the nerd, the dissapointed dad and the guy who will just be talking normally and makes it hard not to laugh.

“I’ll just be talking and people will be laughing and I’m like, ‘well they might be laughing at me but, at least they’re laughing and I’ll take that,’” Horton said. “But we’ll see if I’m up to it. Because I do enjoy that. I enjoy performing.”

Horton’s final advice is short and sweet, but worth taking to heart.

“What I tell freshmen a lot is, ‘screw it,’” Horton said. “You don’t need school to be your way to be happy. Most of your happiness comes from outside of school anyways. … if I get mad about something, I stop doing it because I don’t enjoy it anymore. So I just close it and put it away. It’s not worth it—it’s not worth your time.”

It’s this mentality that has changed his high school experience. From a focused, academically-driven student, to a carefree, happy actor, Horton’s shift was a result of him consciously deciding to just say, “screw it.”

“I’m having fun and I am content,” Horton said. “I’m typically overjoyed, but sometimes not. I typically have a lot of energy, but sometimes not. I’m happy where I am. I have no complaints about where I’m at and where I’m going, so I am content.”

He doesn’t want to be the Ivy League scholar. He doesn’t want to be the king of the school or the most popular. Horton is happy just being himself.

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CLASS OF 2018 | May 11, 2018 | The Senior Issue

ALLIE REGALADO

THE ANIMAL ENTHUSIAST

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IT WON’T BE EASY, BUT IT’LL BE WORTH IT JILLIAN M. EVERETT managing editor // @jilly_everett

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hen we were younger, we gave a couple common answers as to

voice to express herself. She is ready to step out of the confines of high

what we wanted to be when we grew up—an astronaut, a veterinarian, a firefighter—and many of these answers are no longer a part of our goals, but for senior Allie Regalado, that is far from the truth. She is pursuing her childhood dreams and making them a reality. She is going to be a vet.

This year, Regalado participated in an internship with the Brentwood Animal Campus in Franklin, Wisconsin. This work-study program allows her to shadow a real veterinarian and help in various ways with the animals. This specific clinic is not an emergency clinic or hospital—it only takes scheduled appointments. Certain mornings consist of different scheduled surgeries, like neuters and dental procedures, and the afternoons are mostly wellness exams and regular appointments. Lately, Regalado does more of what veterinary technicians do; she has taken a blood draw from multiple animals, helped restrain them during different exams and has even expressed anal glands of some animals.

“It is hard work, but I feel like it is so rewarding in order to make a difference,” Regalado said. “Nothing that’s worth it comes easy. You have to put in work.”

Anatomy is her favorite class because it pertains to the field she wants to study, and she is able to apply what she learned in the class to conversations and real life situations at the clinic.

The most influential person in Regalado’s life has been her mom because

school and break the walls that once made up her comfort zone.

“Nobody knows that I’m this quiet person, so if I don’t come off that way, then they’ll never know it,” Regalado said. “[College] will allow me to reinvent myself.”

She applied to three schools in Florida and decided on the University of Florida, where she hopes to one day participate in their veterinary school.

“I heard vet school is more competitive than med school, so it’ll be tough,” Regalado said.

Even though the University of Florida is about 16 hours away from Antioch, Regalado is not worried about feeling alone or homesick. Her grandparents live in Florida, only a few hours away from her school, and her brother goes to Florida Gulf Coast University. Florida is a second home for her and she is eager to have exposure to a different area of the country.

Besides getting into the vet school in Florida, she has some other goals she wants to accomplish after high school. She would like to keep up with her internship for as long as she can during the summer, and keep experiencing anything and everything about being a veterinarian. In general, she wants to challenge herself to be more vocal and put herself out there.

Regalado has always cared about her education; she will be finishing high school with a cumulative grade point average of 4.5. Getting good grades is one of Regalado’s major focuses in college, and setting herself up to succeed in the future is a priority.

she has always supported her no matter what she does, whether it be in life or school.

As for her work with animals, Hannah Shaw, a humane educator and animal rescuer, sparked Regalado’s interest in the animal welfare field. Although she doesn’t know Shaw personally, she follows her on Instagram and has learned about animal welfare through her.

Regalado played high school tennis all four years and was on the varsity team sophomore through senior years; she was also a part of National Honors Society. Though she was more involved in the school than a lot of her peers, she regrets that she did not try to start a new club: an animal rights club. Her passion for helping animals is shaping her future and she wishes she could have shared her knowledge with other high school students, but she hopes to get more involved in college where there are endless opportunities to express her love for animals.

Regalado sees college as a new start, as a place where she can be whoever she wants. She looks forward to being more vocal and use her

Another goal of Regalado’s is to study abroad at some point.

“I’d imagine myself working on animals in Thailand or going to Africa and working with elephants in an elephant sanctuary or something,” Regalado said.

She hopes to make big strides in the animal welfare community; there are different specialties, and she would like to specialize in shelter medicine, to bring the animal wellness aspect into it. Shelter medicine is an area that will have more emergent and interesting cases, compared to the clinic that she interns for at the moment. In many cases, the schedule for the type of vet that she wants to be is not fixed and usually pays less than other types of vets.

“It’s not about the money, it’s about the animals,” Regalado said. “And just making the world a better place to live in. While we are here, we might as well do something good for a living.”

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CLASS OF 2018 | May 11, 2018 | The Senior Issue

CHRISTIAN RIVERA UNDER THE RADAR

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I HAVE THREE WORDS FOR YOU: “DON’T WORRY, BE HAPPY” KAYLEE S. SCHREINER digital director // @kayschr06

Q

uiet. If senior Christian Rivera had to define how his peers and teachers saw him throughout high school, that’s the word he would use—quiet. For many, high school is not what they once expected it to be, and neither did Rivera.

Rivera expected high school to be something out of the movies or a popular television show, but the reality of high school took him by surprise. “[High school] definitely wasn’t what I expected, but that’s almost better,” Rivera said. “I like surprises and the surprise of high school just helped me learn more and be more excited to keep going forward.”

When someone thinks of high school, they think of the stereotypes: the jocks, the cheerleaders, Friday night lights and the popular students running the show… but that was not Rivera’s experience at all.

Rivera participated in both marching band and concert band all four years of high school and besides band being his favorite activity, the band room is also his favorite place to spend time.

“I guess I could have done some other out-of-school activities like sports or something,” Rivera said. “But I’m happy with what I have done and how that played out.”

Even though Rivera may define himself as the stereotypical shy kid—the boy who just does his work, minds his own business and is generally nice to everyone—that generalization did not stop him from choosing what college he will go to next year, finding which profession he hopes to pursue as well.

In high school it is understandable that a person would change their mind about what career they would like to take on for most of their adult life, but luckily for Rivera, his mind was made up about two years ago—he would go to college to study law.

“Two summers ago, I was an intern at a law office,” Rivera said. “I got to go to court with a lawyer and read different cases with him; I think that was one of the major reasons that I picked it because I got that experience pretty early on, earlier than most people. Law is really interesting because it can be taken so many ways; lawyers can help so many different people and there’s different specializations of lawyers [which] cover a wide variety of subjects.”

Many go through dozens of college applications and acceptance letters before finally deciding on the place they intend to spend the next four years of their life at; for Rivera, this decision only involved two schools: Carthage College and Marquette University. With the added benefit of already knowing the career path he wanted to go down, the choice was able to be made much more simple.

“Next year I’ll be going to Marquette University and I chose this school because after visiting there it’s awesome and beautiful,” Rivera said. “The law school there is one of the main reasons why I picked it and the location of Marquette being not so far away [from] Antioch that I‘m home sick, but not so close that I’m [at home].”

There are always people in one’s life that push them to chase their dreams as well as supporting them throughout the entirety of their life; oftentimes, these role models are one’s parents and this is no different for Rivera.

“I think that my parents are my biggest role models,” Rivera said. “They pushed me to do everything: to be in AP classes, to do well in school, to apply to college and to figure out who I want to be and what I want to do.”

High school may seem like an intimidating world filled with unknowns, but Rivera never saw it like that. High school for him was a place where he was able to live as a kid before going off on his own into a new world of freedom and independence. Being a teenager in high school allowed him to make friends that will last a lifetime while simultaneously discovering what it means to be himself.

“High school for me was like the one way of doing everything that I love but also hate at the same time,” Rivera said. ”I love learning but hate homework, love to talk to friends and hang out but hate tests. I think [high school] is the perfect mixture of being able to be yourself but also learn how to struggle and grow.”

Quiet. That may be the one word his peers and teachers used to define him in high school. But, as Rivera leaves the walls of Antioch Community High School that welcomed him for four years, he embraces a loud future full of new friends and experiences at Marquette.

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CLASS OF 2018 | May 11, 2018 | The Senior Issue

KYLIE STEUER IDENTICALLY DIFFERENT

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PUT AS MUCH EFFORT AS POSSIBLE INTO EVERYTHING YOU DO. EMILY C. HANES social media coordinator // @emily_hanes15

A

rmed with a passion for science, senior Kylie Steuer will attend Marquette University to major in biomedical engineering with a minor in German.

“I wanted to go somewhere I felt comfortable and know that I’m going to get everything I need to be successful,” Steuer said.

Though quiet, Steuer has a perseverance for passion and being successful, being one of the few students who managed to remain immune to senioritis.

“I stress out about potentially stressing out,” Steuer said. “So, this means thinking about rushing to get an assignment done at the last minute and being stressed was enough to get me to do my homework.”

From freshman to senior year, students not only grow physically and academically, but personally and intellectually as well. For Steuer, she grew to become more confident. Being a typically shy and quiet person, she believes that over her high school career she has learned how to use her voice to speak out about what she believes in.

“I have learned to speak out when I feel strongly about something, which was something that used to be very hard for me to do, being the shy and quiet person that I am,” she said.

Her teachers and classmates have made the biggest impacts on her high school career, helping her grow into the person she is at the close of her senior year.

“My teachers and classmates always listened when I did have something to say,” Steuer said. “Every voice is given a chance to be heard.”

For many students, graduation is a time to reflect on the past. Whether it be things they have regretted, things they wish they had done, or opportunities they wish they had taken.

“I would have taken German my freshman year,” Steuer said. “It is one of my favorite subjects and I plan on minoring in German in college, so the extra year would have been useful.”

It is also a time to reflect on the best experiences students have had throughout their high school career that they will never forget.

“My freshman year, we did an egg drop in physics, but the goal was not to keep the egg from breaking, but to time it perfectly so that when it was dropped; it landed on Mr. Citron’s head as he walked under the balcony,” Steur said. “I will also never forget finally finishing my I-Search. I spent more hours researching and writing on that project than I’ve ever spent on a single project before and it felt almost surreal to see it all put together.”

Though Steuer focuses hard on her grades and school takes up a majority of the day, she still finds time to pursue her hobbies.

“I’ve played the violin since second grade and it is one of my favorite things to do,” Steuer said. “I also like art and have recreated a couple of paintings out of cut up college advertisements. I have gotten so many mailed to me this year that it felt like a waste to just throw them all away... also cutting them up was very satisfying.”

As senior year comes to a close, students still feel as if it is the end of another school year, not the finale of their high school career. “[It feels] no different than how you feel at the end of any other school year,” Steuer said. “I don’t think it has quite sunk in yet that this is it.”

As graduation quickly approaches and college becomes a closer reality, the ending becomes bittersweet.

“Don’t procrastinate and be aware of deadlines, especially when it comes time to choose and apply to colleges,“ Steuer said. “If you wait, you may pass up opportunities that can change your life.”

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CLASS OF 2018 | May 11, 2018 | The Senior Issue

IRON OVERCOMING AN

DEFICIENCY Three-sport athletes may be a dying breed at ACHS, but for these “Iron Sequoits” their passion, dedication and committment helped them stay on course to ultimate success.

BRANDEN W. GALLIMORE print director // @brandengal

I

ron deficiency: a condition, according to the Mayo Clinic, in which blood lacks adequate healthy red blood cells; however, unlike the medical definition, Antioch Community High School is facing its own type of iron deficiency. Rather than what is considered a life-threatening disease, this deficiency at ACHS, which slowly crept into the history books over time, relates to its athletes—the Sequoit Iron Athletes.

Being an iron athlete is not an easy task to accomplish, which could be why the number of iron athletes decreased over the last twenty years. Being an iron athlete means being in a sport for each of the three athletic seasons throughout all four years of high school. On paper, this feat may not seem like such a difficult task at all, but what most people don’t know is all of the sacrifices these athletes have made in order to achieve this title of being an iron athlete.

Being an iron athlete means being dedicated. It means being passionate about sports and willing to commit to the giant and overwhelming task ahead, and making that choice as an inexperienced freshman and continuing to do so for four years with no breaks; these athletes have received a few days here or there, but no offseason whatsoever. Summer break to these athletes is not a break at all. Spring and winter breaks are consumed with practices, games, events or competitions, or, in many cases, transitioning to the next season while still in the current one.

All of these traits embody this year’s Sequoit Iron Athletes: Jillian Everett, Andrew Hare, Miranda Karellas, John Petty and Alexander Scheider.

“I had to give up hanging with my friends some weekends because I had cheer competitions,” Karellas said. “Or I couldn’t sleepover with all my friends because I had to make sure I woke up early and had enough sleep [for all of my sports].”

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The ability to manage time and set priorities is a necessity to be an iron athlete. Without either of these, it would be impossible to juggle the hundreds of different obstacles life throws everyone’s way.

“It’s been tight at times because you would jump from sport season to another sport season,” Scheider said. “It could be exhausting for four years.”

The greatest part about doing a lot of work with little free time is the pay off. For some people, not being dedicated enough to sacrifice their time with friends or other outside distractions, making the dream of becoming an iron athlete an impossible for them to reach. But for these athletes, the experience of being an iron athlete is what is so beneficial.

“It was completely worth it,” Petty said. “Although getting to things and making the schedule work was tough, my experience was completely positive.”

In today’s society, it seems to be a norm that athletes focus on one sport, and only one sport, rather than expanding their horizon and participating in something new.

These new, time-consuming experiences may not be the easiest to achieve for some, but later in life, reflecting on all the good that has come out of that commitment is definitely something to be proud of.

“Playing three sports all four years of high school has been quite the rollercoaster ride,” Everett said. “But the highest points far outweighed the lows.”

There’s no doubt that life throws curveballs and certain activities take priority over others. It’s impossible for someone to achieve all of their dreams and goals in one day, maybe even in a lifetime, but there are some people that push themselves to the max with what they can do.

“I gave up a lot of free time and sleep in order to play sports,” Hare said. “Balancing my academics and athletics was a struggle.”

The cliché beauty in the struggle and ugliness of success is one that perfectly describes the high school career of these Sequoit Iron Athletes. These five athletes represent a strong work ethic, great determination and the willingness to sacrifice their time for something greater than themselves.

No matter where life takes these student-athletes, they will always leave their mark made of iron.

HARE “IT HAS SHAPED ME INTO A PERSON WHERE I AM DRIVEN AND MORE MATURE.”

(from top left clockwise) Seniors Andrew Hare, John Petty, Jillian Everett, Alexander Scheider and Miranda Karellas each represent a type of athlete that very few are able to identify as, an iron athlete. These five students were recognized at the annual recognition assembly on May 1.

They received a plaque and a round of applause for their time and energy to their respective sports.

PETTY “... THE THOUGHT ‘I’M GOING TO STICK WITH WHAT I TRY’ ALSO PUSHED ME BECAUSE PEOPLE MY AGE ARE NOTORIOUS FOR QUITTING SPORTS, ESPECIALLY FOR REASONS THAT I DON’T THINK ARE JUSTIFIABLE.”

KARELLAS “DOING THREE SPORTS THROUGHOUT HIGH SCHOOL HAS TAUGHT ME SO MUCH ABOUT DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT. IT HAS MADE ME A STRONGER PERSON PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY.”

EVERETT “I BELIEVE THAT BEING COMMITTED TO A TEAM AND A SPORT IS AN ESSENTIAL PART IN THE PROCESS OF GROWING UP. A TEAM MENTALITY NOT ONLY HELPS IN SPORTS, BUT IN ALL WALKS OF LIFE; KNOWING THAT YOU’RE NOT THE BEST PERSON IN THE ROOM IS VITAL.”

SCHEIDER “YOU HAVE FOUR YEARS TO MAKE YOUR MARK AND BE REMEMBERED. BUT DON’T FORGET THAT ALL THINGS MUST END AND ONE DAY AND THERE WILL BE NO NEXT SEASON, SO DO ALL YOU CAN TO MAKE YOURSELF BE REMEMBERED BY THOSE WHO COME AFTER YOU.”

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CLASS OF 2018 | May 11, 2018 | The Senior Issue

M OST L IKELY T O ...

MACKS L. BARTON senior editor // @max_barton13

BE A MUSICIAN

Lexi Miramon - “I believe I was chosen for this because I’ve been a musician since I was in third grade, I’ve never stopping singing and writing, this title 100 percent suits me because it’s true. I plan on making music for the rest of my life. When I leave high school the first thing I will be doing is starting my band and creating; music is my heart and soul and I put all of that into my music I create.”

OWN 20 DOGS Emily Hanes - “I think I was chosen for this because I talk about dogs all the time and point one out every time I see one in public. I literally find every dog adorable and ask to pet any dog that I see. Anyone that knows me, knows that dogs have a special place in my heart and all I post on my Snapchat story a majority of the time is my dog, so I can understand why I would get this title.”

BE A PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE

Monica Wilhelm - “I am honored to be chosen for this title because it has been my dream to be a professional athlete for as long as I can remember. Knowing that people realize that dream and believe in me is one of the best feelings.I don’t think it’s about the title suiting me, but me suiting myself for the title. Being a professional athlete will continue to be my dream and a goal that I plan to accomplish. I hope that one day, this title can suit me fully.”

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BE A GOVERNMENT SPY

Leo Clune - “Honestly, I don’t know why I was chosen.

There must just be something about me that people equate with being a government spy. As for if I think it suits me, I would say yeah. As far as I know, a spy should be some level of honorable and be loyal to their cause. Now, I’m going to start humming the Mission Impossible theme.”

SAVE THE WORLD

Branden Gallimore - “I think it’s an obvious choice. If aliens come and attack the world, then we won’t be able to fist fight them—we’ll have to throw rocks at them. And who better to throw rocks at them than QB #1.”

BECOME PRESIDENT

Ben Lee - “Back in sophomore year I began a campaign.

I called it Lee2036 and what I was doing was ‘starting’ a presidential campaign. At the time it was a semi-serious campaign, but it’s really evolved into my legacy almost as people look to me as the politics guy. Personally, I believe it suits me well. I’m very interested in politics and hope that politics is in my later career. I’m actually going to be a political science major, so I think it makes sense for me to be “most likely to be president.”

SURVIVE A ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE Alex Besson - “I’m not entirely sure, but if I had to guess it would be both my ability to run very long distances without getting tired and lots of experience with zombie-related video games such as “Call Of Duty Black Ops 2.” This title does suit me well because I personally believe that I would be able to survive a zombie apocalypse, and I already have a backup plan in case one happens.”

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CLASS OF 2018 | May 11, 2018 | The Senior Issue

TRIP AT GRADUATION

Jessica Lamberty - “I was chosen for this because I am always falling over, pretty much every step I take. This title is sadly too accurate. I will probably trip and fall at graduation.”

BE LATE FOR GRADUATION

Amanda Rowe - “I think I was chosen for this...um award...I guess? Because I wake up around 7 o’clock everyday, so I’m running late to school most of the time. I usually am around 5 minutes late to school, but when I’m on time I get a round of applause because it’s so rare.”

LIVE TO BE 100

Emily Luc - “I always joke about my baby face, and also given the fact that I’m only 5 feet, I always get mistaken for a kid. So I think I’m going to be looking like a 13 year old for many years. My grandparents on both sides lived for a long time. My grandpa on my dad’s side lived to be about 100, no one knows the exact date, and my grandma on my mom’s side will be turning 100 soon. You’ve got to love those Asian genes.”

BE ABDUCTED BY ALIENS Aubrey Kay - “I think I was chosen most likely to be abducted by aliens because I am out of this world.”

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MAD SCIENTIST

Jacob Frye - “I think I was chosen because most of my friends and the rest of the school know how much I love maths and sciences and felt that I’d be most likely to use them in the future... if to somewhat dubious ends. I do also feel like the title suits me well. I enjoy building robots and some of my chemistry projects when I have time to.”

BE A MOVIE STAR

RJ Vazquez - “I think I was chosen because I have been a major role in the musical for the past three years and I am always singing or dancing.”

TRAVEL THE WORLD

Kalissa Azooz - “I think I was chosen for this because I’ve already traveled so much, especially since I studied abroad in Europe for a year. A lot of people seemed to know about that, and it’s not really a secret that I love to travel; I definitely make it obvious on my social media and while talking about my personal perceptions and experiences. I plan on exploring all seven continents before I graduate college; I’m even backpacking Europe this summer, and I’ve already got planned out where I will study abroad and what languages I’ll learn in college. I’ve always been fascinated with other languages and cultures, so I’m studying international relations in hopes of working in international politics and furthering my view, knowledge and experience of the world.”

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CLASS OF 2018 | May 11, 2018 | The Senior Issue

FOUR YEARS LATER...

From freshmen to seniors, these 15 students had the most iconic glow ups in their high school careers.

JACK ABERNETHY

ASHLY M. RING tom tom Staff // @ashly_ring

H

igh school can be a very influential time in a student’s life. During these short four years, everything changes from your looks to who you were friends with then and now. Although four years can seem like a long time, they go by in the blink of an eye and one may never even see the change until he or she looks at it side-by-side.

Senior year is a time to reflect on what changes you have made to yourself and the person you see yourself becoming.

Even looking back at your freshman year portraits can bring back memories that may have once been forgotten. The growth educationally and personally is something seniors can cherish as they approach their last year.

“Throughout the years at ACHS I have changed completely,” said senior Lauren Placuszok. “I had different friends when I was a freshman and I was overweight too. During the years I realized that I needed to change my whole self. Now, I have the most amazing friends and I feel so much better about my appearance as well.”

THOMAS CERNEY

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MARY COOK

LIAM CZAPLEWSKI

MADISON MAHONEY

ROBERT LONDONO

QUENTIN HILL

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CLASS OF 2018 | May 11, 2018 | The Senior Issue

SAMANTHA KNAB

MARK ROE

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ETHAN KEATING

DAVID YARIS

SADIE VANDERWALL

LAUREN PLACUSZOK

EMMA VANDERWALL

AMY VAZQUEZ

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CLASS OF 2018 | May 11, 2018 | The Senior Issue

WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO HAVE

SENIORITIS

BY BRIANA PINTO as told to lauren bluthardt

A

s I move on from one stage of my life to the next, I cannot help but feel nostalgic.

You come out of middle school with this naive notion of what to expect in the next four years, but I think that is what has influenced me the most. I knew that I wanted to be my best self from day one no matter where I go, and the fact that I had no idea what to expect was something I am now grateful for. Ever since I was young, performing well in academics and extracurriculars has played a large part in my upbringing. My parents have always set expectations for my academics, so after I was doing well in middle school, I didn’t want to come to high school and do bad, so I guess I set expectations for myself because of my family’s viewpoints on school. They definitely value education a lot so their values have also turned into my values, meaning I now value my education as well.

Coming into freshman year I knew I wanted to become active in more activities than I was before. Of course, I was on the Antioch Upper Grade School dance team, as well as choir, but I wanted to get involved in activities foreign to me.

For the past four years, I have been involved in the dance team, interact club, the spring musicals, the fall plays, Madrigal choir (I even take choir as a class), National Honors Society and I think that’s all of them, yeah. When I say it has been a lot to balance both extracurriculars and rigorous Advanced Placement and honors courses, I mean it. And how does this relate to senioritis? Well, I guess you can say I have had a really memorable last four years, but then I fell into senioritis. In a way, senioritis has shown me what the anticipation of moving on has the power to do. I have

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loved every minute of the fall plays and spring musicals, and through that I have made friends, not only people in my own grade, but also with underclassmen as well. I think that senioritis is a way of reminding you of what you will be losing in a few months.

I knew it hit me right after spring break. I had

Senioritis is that self-checkpoint to kind of either get yourself in gear or give up. I think that being a senior is an emotional thing; I mean you definitely have to come to terms with this chapter.

When I think about any regrets I have, I definitely would say I wish I tried new things. I think that it is important to go out of your comfort

just procrastinated on my I-Search and it finally clicked that this was my last semester of high school. I have worked so hard these past four years and I didn’t want to stop, so I made sure to try to make it matter.

Senioritis made it difficult for my academics but only made it easier for my extracurriculars. I have gotten to the point where I just thought “I just do not want to do it anymore.” The best part of my day is going to all my extracurriculars and seeing them come to an end makes me emotional. My best friend Katie and I balled our eyes out the other week just visualizing not continuing on next year in the fall play, or even attending a Sequoit sporting event. The spring musical—”the Addams Family”—was my last chance to show what I can do; also, to show everyone what the senior class is leaving their legacy as. I wanted to show the underclassmen in the musical that here is what we have accomplished this year, and that you can possibly do the same, if not better. I really wanted to leave my mark as someone who was positive to everyone she came across, and I feel like I can give thanks to senioritis for showing me what really matters in the four short years you have at this school. You only have four years to make your mark, so join as many things as you possibly can in order to meet as many people and build as many relationships as possible. It’s your one chance to show colleges and your family, more importantly, yourself, that you have worked hard.

zone and try to make the four years you have here truly special. I regret not taking advantage of all the good things this school has to offer. I wish I tried out for Madrigal choir and all of the other extracurriculars that I once didn’t think I was good enough to be in.

Senioritis is just a part of high school, it really is the quintessential right of path to graduate from high school. I know that I’ve struggled to juggle academics, athletics and clubs, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I think as a class we’ve been here long enough and it is time to move on from the good times and the bad. Senioritis, like an annoying sibling, can show you what matters, but also what you have to look forward to in the coming years. It’s the memories and people that have made the greatest influence on me for the last four years. I’ve completed my time at Antioch Community High School and I believe that it’s important to still make everyday matter in high school because, before you know it, it’s all just a memory.

Future seniors, Don’t forget to make every day matter here!

Join clubs, do the musicals, participate in school sports—when you blink you will be at the finish line, hopefully with a diploma in your hands. Don’t let your senioritis get the best of you in your final months at ACHS; also, don’t let your excitement for the future interrupt your present.

Griffin Hackeloer 59