K.H.

Kurt Hausman

“I would say to the incoming freshmen class that you have to go out there and try new things in the community. I mean, I came to Community and I thought I was going to do jazz band all throughout my time at Community. I started my first semester, and it was the worst grade I’ve gotten in a class. I had to learn how to play the piano and I didn’t know how to play the piano. But I worked really hard. I had fun in the class, but I realized it wasn’t for me, and so I had to convince myself to kind of let myself let that go. Even though you know, my parents wanted me to continue to do music because I have done music my whole life. The Jazz teacher was impressed with how I had progressed from not knowing anything about piano to being able to play it at a concert, but I wasn’t really enjoying it. So I had to be done with it. You have to be willing to not let one bad experience let you down. I joined journalism, and I came in with an attitude of I don’t know if I belong. I was intimidated by how good everyone’s writing was. I knew The Communicator was highly awarded and was well regarded, so I wasn’t sure where I was going to fit in. It took me a while to kind of find my place or trust that I was valued in this community of really good writers. But I think opening up to the older kids in journalism, and putting more effort into my writing is what got me to where I am today. I’ve been writing for the Communicator for three years, and it’s been the thing I’ve been most involved in at Community. I’d say whatever it is you’re interested in, go try it and see if you like it, because even if you don’t you’re always going to think about what if I had tried this? And it’s perfectly fine to not like something and move on from it.”

Ireland Johnson

“I’ve learned more independence from the freedom you have in new classes and really just being able to get your own work done without reminders from your teachers. I’ll just miss the community that the seniors have built, my group of friends and all the memories that everybody’s made in the school. I think my favorite memory probably has to be in ecology or any science class in the school because of the teachers and how fun everybody is. During the Great Lakes projects, I didn’t really know much about them in the beginning and learning about them with everybody and being able to get that done in the group was nice. The group of people that I hang out with has changed. I feel like I surround myself with a smaller group of people now, and I’m not really concerned with what other people think I just kind of do what I do. I would give other freshmen the advice to join clubs and do a lot of after-school activities because that’s what makes high school really fun is being able to make a community and make a group out of what you’re doing.”