2020 High School Yearbook

BRANDYWINE BUCHANAN CASSOPOLIS

Leader

Publications

DOWAGIAC EDWARDSBURG NILES

h g i H

Y l oo h c S

k oo b r a e

Congratulations

Brandywine Class of 2020!

Brandywine Community Schools United in Educational Excellence

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HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK • CLASS OF 20202

table of contents

GRADUATE PHOTOS 8 Brandywine 13 Buchanan 18 Cassopolis 23 Dowagiac 31 Edwardsburg 41 Niles 49 Cedar Lane

ESSAYS 6 The ‘Coronavirus Class of 2020’

by Verena Daniel 21 Being apart, but coming together by Mollie Harris 29 Eyes on the Prize by Jossalyn Rogalski 50 Community support softens the blow by Kade Wagley

CLASS OF 2020 • HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK

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CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2020!

Over the past 73 years, many young people have worked, often their first jobs, at Shelton Farms. We are proud knowing that we may have contributed to their greater success as they move forward to reach their goals.

Thanks to each of you for your contributions.

Zakiyyah Abdullah BRANDYWINE

Joseph Bartkowiak NILES

Kodi Beckman NILES

Austen Hamilton NILES

Joshua Thiel EDWARDSBURG

Alyssa Kuha HOME SCHOOL

Quintin Mwale BRANDYWINE

Samantha Papczynski EDWARDSBURG

Kelsey Ropp BUCHANAN

WE WISH YOU ALL THE BEST FOR A BRIGHT AND FULFILLING FUTURE! M-51 at Bell Road, Niles (269) 684-0190 Meat: 684-6850 Wholesale: 684-3230 sheltonfarms.com

CLASS OF 2020 HAS

GONE THE DISTANCE I

n boxing, when a boxer finishes a fight without being knocked out, it’s called “going the distance.”

To earn this recognition, these athletes have overcome adversity in the ring. They have taken punches, but kept fighting.

They have been knocked to the ground and gotten right back up.

Less than two months ago, seniors across the country were knocked down by that same word — “distance” — their senior year ended in one sharp blow as the government and health officials advised social distancing was the only way to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Much like the boxers in the ring, these young adults bounced back. They took the punches like champs, and they kept fighting.

Left with little closure to the hard work they had put in for the past 13 years, these soon-to-be graduates rallied around each other. They hosted virtual proms and Zoom study sessions. They adapted to new ways

Ambrosia Neldon is the general manager at Leader Publications. She can be reached at (269) 687-7700, or by email at ambrosia.neldon@leaderpub.com

of learning. They celebrated with drive-by birthdays and decorated porches.

They took adversity in stride — and they came back swinging.

When social distancing first began, the staff at Leader Publications was full of sympathy for the Class of 2020. In hopes of making them feel special, we turned our annual black and white graduation newspaper section into a full-color, glossy magazine. We set up scholarships for an essay contest, hoping to give these students an outlet to vent their frustrations about COVID-19 and the way it wrecked their senior year.

When the submissions started pouring in, we realized these young adults were not seeking sympathy. They were not bitter.

Instead, they were determined to make the best of a bad situation.

Over and over again, essay writers celebrated the fact that the Class of 2020 is full of fighters. Born shortly after the September 11 tragedy, these 18-year-olds have already survived a terrorist attack, an economic recession, a horrific slew of mass shootings throughout our country, and now a global pandemic.

These seniors have made it clear that these tragedies have only made them stronger, and that they have been repeatedly reminded to count their blessings.

Instead of mourning loss, these young adults are celebrating making history.

As they finish their high school career and take the first steps into their futures, our local seniors can celebrate the proverbial arm raise at the end of the fight, a sign they have won the battle.

Class of 2020, distance may have changed your senior year, but like all the best boxers, you have gone the distance.

AND THE WINNERS ARE...

Missed proms, canceled sports seasons and delayed graduation ceremonies are just a few of the many unexpected changes seniors in the Class of 2020 have experienced since March 2020. Though most can empathize with the enormous loss these young adults have experienced, only one sector of our population can put into words what these senoirs are feeling: The seniors themselves.

So, as we prepared our annual High School Yearbook, graduating seniors were given the opportunity to submit essays answering the question, “Twenty years from now, what will the Class of 2020 be remembered for?”

Throughout this magazine are five of the best submissions submitted as part of the essay contests. Thew inners include: • First place: “Celebrating the ‘Coronavirus Class of 2020,’”

by Verena Daniel, Brandywine High School • Second place: “Being apart, but coming together,” by Margaret “Mollie” Harris, Edwardsburg High School • Third place: “Eyes on the prize,” by Jossalyn Rogalski, Dowagiac Union High School • Honorable mention: “Community support softens the blow,” by Kade Wagley, Niles High School Winners will receive cash scholarships for their wins.

Other participants will be published inside the Niles Daily Star and Dowagiac Daily News, as space allows.

We would like to thank each senior who took time to express their feelings about their senior year, and congratulate the entire Class of 2020 for a job well done, and wish you the best on all that is to come!

FIRST PLACE

CELEBRATING THE

‘CORONAVIRUS

CLASS of 2020’

BY VERENA DANIEL BRANDYWINE CLASS OF 2020

I

sat in my car an extra minute on the morning of March 13, trying to figure out how to make my early final day of high school last a little longer.

That day was a blur of discussions about what online learning would look like for the few weeks we were scheduled to be out of the classroom. In the middle of all of that, our class met in the gym to take the senior class photo. As I waited to be placed with my row by the photographer, I looked around the gym and at each of my classmates, watching them talking and laughing in groups. I desperately wanted to drink in these last moments.

Even with the excitement that the end of year photo brought, the room felt heavy with emotion. Confusion, sadness, uncertainty. Behind every smile we put on for the camera, I know we all wondered when, if ever, we would be celebrating together again.

The feelings and thoughts I had in the days immediately following were unexplainable. Not only was I wondering what I’d be missing in those few weeks, I was worried about what we would be missing out on if we drew closer to April, and the

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HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK • CLASS OF 20202

situation wasn’t any better.

I thought endlessly about my last quiz bowl season being cut short, and my last season of track and field that I had waited for all year being impacted as well. I thought about the possibility of prom, graduation and so many other big events being canceled, and not having one last chance to dress up and dance the night away with my best friends. I was disappointed about the honors assembly being canceled, and our class never getting to be recognized for our hard work over the last four years.

I constantly checked the news, hoping for signs that the social distancing measures were working, and we’d be going back to school in time. I realized I would probably never be back at school, and came to terms with it as best I could.

It felt like something was missing. After 13 years of school, having it all end practically overnight made it hard to find closure.

I know I’m not alone in feeling like this, not by a long shot. I know the entire class of 2020 is going through this together.

Through this unprecedented time, we’re realizing how resilient we are. For many of us, this is the first major crisis we’ve faced in our young lives. It’s kind of interesting timing in a way. Most of us were born in the immediate aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks.

We came into the world as it was picking up the pieces and figuring out how to heal from that horrific day.

As my senior class enters adulthood, we find ourselves thrust into another catastrophe. It only makes sense that as we leave this phase of our lives, we’re doing it in a time that will be talked about in “I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing” conversations years from now.

We knew lots of changes were coming this year after graduation, and we were just getting excited to start our college

and career journeys. But now, on top of navigating the transition from high school to the real world, we’re also figuring out how to handle this new way of life in a world facing a pandemic.

We’re experiencing feelings of loss that are called invalid, or belittled by comparisons to worse situations.

We feel out of touch with our friends and classmates because we might live in a world where technology can facilitate social interaction, but it doesn’t replace seeing our friends every day. But our class is finding the light at the end of the tunnel despite these dark times.

The Class of 2020, with immense support from our families and communities, is finding joy and happiness in new places. We’re taking a step back and reflecting on the hands we’ve been dealt.

This isn’t how we expected, or wanted, our high school experience to end by any means. But we know that there is an end to every good thing. We’re choosing to appreciate the time we’ve had together and continuing to look to the future for hope.

There are better days ahead. There is a new adventure waiting for us when this global crisis is finally over. It may take some time for us to be able to celebrate our academic achievements at graduation, but for now, we celebrate our memories with each other. We celebrate seeing our bonds withstanding extended time away from one another, and we celebrate this new and rare experience and all it can teach us.

That’s what we’ll be remembered for. We’ve decided that there’s not much we can do to make the school closure any less disappointing, but there’s so much we can do for ourselves and each other during this time.

We’ve learned the value of everyday life that we once took for granted.

We will be remembered as the class that came together and held virtual classes and backyard proms with siblings and close friends, and decorated our doors to show our class pride. We will be remembered as the ones who used our time in quarantine to continue working towards our diploma through online classes along with finding new hobbies and ways to spend our time.

Twenty years from now, we’ll be remembered as the graduating class that used unconventional means to overcome the circumstances facing us.

Ultimately, we’ll forever be known as the Coronavirus Class of 2020, the ones who took an untimely and unprecedented event in stride and didn’t let adversity get in the way of their atypical graduation season.

For four years, we watched as you put in long hours practicing plays, making friends, volunteering in your community and studying for classes. We have watched as you bounced back when you’ve fallen, and shared your pride as you handled wins and losses with grace and class —

because that’s what Bobcats do.

Your senior year may not have ended as you hoped it would, but we know you will take it all in stride —

because that’s what Bobcats do.

Congratulations, seniors!

Come back and see us!

BRANDYWINE ATHLETIC BOOSTERS & ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT

Congratulations to the entire Class of 2020 but a special thanks to these loyal customers who have excelled in academics, athletics —

and chicken wings!

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NOLAN GARRARD

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BRANDYWINE

bobcats Zakiyyah Abdullah Jordan Abrams Samantha Anders Mason Barenie Brandon Bauman

Anthony Bentley Jaelen Briggs Aurora Brittin Jordan Brown Shane Brown

Kennedy Byrd Jacob Carew Bryce Colwell Maigon Conrad Katelyn Cooke

Emmika Cornell Mathew Cox Verena Daniel Krishna Devdhara Jada Dixon

Carrigan Duffield Jalen Dunifin Bethany Duval Madelyn Eggers Ashlyn Farmer

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HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK • CLASS OF 2020

BRANDYWINE

bobcats Brandon Fisher Caleb Gamble Brent Hemminger Chase Hersman Sarah Hicks

Christopher Hollerbach Daniel Ibanez-Molina Michael Ingle Connor Janowiak Johnathan Johnson

Steven Kendall Jr. Brandon Kirkendall Nevaeh Koch Haley Kozuch Logan Kuntz

Breanna Lauer Aaron Lauri Patrick Linn Abigail Lusagala Jaycee Mark

Alysa Marlin Reese McKee Gabrielle Mervine Ty Mickiewcz

CLASS OF 2020 • HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK

9

BRANDYWINE

bobcats Jacob Miller Nicholas Needham Delani Nelson Ryan Nieb Cameron Osborn

Christopher Pagan Ian Perkins Brandon Perry Tiffany Pflug Amanda Pierce

Austin Pontius Brock Prenkert Mabel Quinn Alexis Rhodes Keegan Rieth

Franchesca Rivera Dayton Robison Gavin Rodgers Rohfls Tomas Roman

Tricia Ritchey Jesus Ruiz Emily Sallee Morgan Sanderson Gwenyth Schimmel

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HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK • CLASS OF 2020

BRANDYWINE

bobcats Megan Schmidt Kennedy Schulist Kimberly Solloway Caitlin Stanner Anthony Stockdale

Camron Stout Hayley Takach Jean Thurston Zarah Vandygriff Alyssa VanLue

Timothy Walker Jacob Wolfinger Ethan Worrell Rebecca Zemanek Skylar Zimmerle

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CORRECTION A story in last Saturday’s Niles Daily News about local municipalities responding to the filing date extension incorrectly identified the political affiliation of Cass County District three Commissioner candidate Skip Dyes. Dyes is running as a Republican. We regret the error and are happy to correct it.

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CLASS OF 2020 • HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK

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BUCHANAN

bucks Carter Aalfs Dedrick Adkerson Amel Allaoui Lucille Arbanas Camryn Baber

Mary Becvar Annette Borst Jonathan Brock-Ondresky Kolleen Bromley Kelsey Brown

Darrin Burgoyne Cameron Chandler Brooke Clanton Madison Cole Bryce Colwell

Collin Cozadd Joebe Cronin Austynn Dalton Hannah Donnelly Hillary Dortch

Trinity Driver Kendell Dunkel Daniela Estebes Stone Fox Ezekiel Furst

CLASS OF 2020 • HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK

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BUCHANAN

bucks Kollin Gallegos Shailin Golden Isaiah Gray Annmarie Hansen Rockey Harding Jr.

Caitlynn Harrell Carteer Harrington Gage Harris Travis Harris Abigail Hickok

Jesse Hogue Lauren Hogue Jacob Hoover Rose Johnson Nora Kaltenbach

Joseph Kara Patrick Kean Kyle Kennedy Tyler Klopfenstein Brayden Krueger

Talea Lavanway Brighton Lee Cole Lee Ethan Lentsch Catherine Lietz

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HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK • CLASS OF 2020

BUCHANAN

bucks Kegan Lingle Austin Lloyd Camden Lorance Emma Lozmack Christina Mason

Reese Matlock Alexis McClaran Nik McCllen Gabriel McCollum Sean McNeely

Timothy Miller Jr. Kadin Mills Tayona Newbern Gabriel Newport Joshua Newport

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SERVING NILES, BUCHANAN AND EDWARDSBURG

Established 1886

CALL TODAY

business in to grow your 683-2100.

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CONSTRUCTION

$6

MOVES ON

00/MONTH

Work on the Pucker Street Dam resumes Ted Majerek turns 94, celebrates with parade P2

All-State: Area players on BCAM’s Best list P13

CORRECTION A story in last Saturday’s Niles Daily News about local municipalities responding to the filing date extension incorrectly identified the political affiliation of Cass County District three Commissioner candidate Skip Dyes. Dyes is running as a Republican. We regret the error and are happy to correct it.

CALL (269) 687-7717 OR VISIT LEADERPUB.COM

Niles Daily Star Thursday, April 30-Saturday, May 2, 2020

CLASS OF 2020 • HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK

15

BUCHANAN

bucks Madison Newport Skyler Nixon Ronald Oatsvall Joshua Pierce Maranda Ray

Charles Reeves Hunter Riggins Natalie Riley Riley Samuel Ashleigh Roberts

Kelsey Ropp Robert Ruth Devon Schmidkunz Isaac Schrumpf Mia Sipe

Jade Smith Jasmine Smith Matthew Snodgrass Chloe Spitz Kaleb Steakley

Joseph Thayer Danzyk Thompson Jaylen Thompson Logan Thompson Halee Tittle

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HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK • CLASS OF 2020

BUCHANAN

bucks Anna Tobler Keziah Triggs Kyle Turner Brett Valentine Bradley Vanoverberghe

Hannah Vergon Zane Westgate Austin Wiggins Garrett Williams Zynisha Willis

Donovan Wingrove Christopher Young

We are grateful for those who have our back in this important time. The list is long, but we want to thank our first responders and front-line workers Especially in critical times, newspapers have your back.

COVID-19 is a national story that is impacting you at home and at work. Your local newspaper is keeping you informed with current events in your neighborhood and is bringing communities together in challenging times.

From the actions your local government is taking, to lists of local stores that are delivering and tips on what to do while you’re at home, your local newspaper is committed to bringing you the news you need, when you need it.

CLASS OF 2020 • HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK

17

CASSOPOLIS

rangers Nathaniel Affriseo Matthew Anderson Evin Aragon Tyler Baxter-Greenleaf Samantha Bogue

Jonathan Brooks Ky’ante Buck Sabrina Bukowski Ally Burdet Michael Todd Bussey

Darren Chanthavongsavath Hailey Christopher Gage Collins Aysia Conley Megan Evans

Owen Gardner Angel Gary Salina Gary Darrion Gatson Tristin Gless

Gabe Goodger Grayson Hagenbuch Christopher Harding Jermaine Hart Jr. Chiara Isanto

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HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK • CLASS OF 2020

CASSOPOLIS

rangers Malik Jamison Justin King Kennady King Joshua Lawson Jonathan Leach

Louisa Lohse Enrique Matamoros Vincente McGee Savage McGee Kaylee Morse

Preston Mott Jillian Muncey Lillie Noble Elizabeth Ocampo Destiny Ottinger

Kaitlyn Owen Rayvon Pitts Shannon Platt Kham Ratsamy Phou Ratsamy

Andrew Rininger Sarah Schneider Ethan Sheets Gakuto Shitomi Jason Sopaseuth

CLASS OF 2020 • HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK

19

CASSOPOLIS

rangers Kailen Soapraseuth Mackenzee Souers Fabiola Tosetti Katelyn Waldschmidt Abbigayle Wallace

Jonathan Westphal Brett Williams Ryan Williams Gloria Yuhas Nicholas Zimmerman

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SECOND PLACE

BEING APART, BUT COMING TOGETHER throughout our lives.

It is heartwarming to see how the community and the country has embraced the Class of 2020. People have started local and national adopt-a-senior programs. Through these amazing programs, I have received cards, letters and small gifts from strangers across the country who have seniors that are also mourning the loss of their final year of high school. These are people I will never meet, yet they took time out of their day to send me words of encouragement.

Despite our geographic differences, we share a commonality. In my own community, I have received well wishes, congratulations and gifts from people I considered only casual acquaintances. I don’t know these people — or I don’t know them well — but they want me and my fellow classmates of the Class of 2020 to know that they sympathize with our situation and that they support our future endeavors.

What will the Class of 2020 be remembered for in 20 years? The obvious answer is that we will be remembered as the “Class of Quarantine” or the class that can say “Coronavirus ate my senior year.” But, if I dig a little deeper, I would have to say that we are the class that learned that we can be together even when we are apart, the class that learned that education continues outside the classroom and the class that witnessed the power of community.

BY MARGARET “MOLLIE” HARRIS EDWARDSBURG CLASS OF 2020

T

he year 2020 has certainly not gone as I imagined.

In a matter of a few weeks, I – and my fellow seniors of the Class of 2020 – lost several of the important rites of passage that typically marks the countdown to graduation.

No classes. No prom. No school trips. No spring sports. We may not even have a graduation ceremony. We walked the halls for the last time as seniors and didn’t even know it. We have all been separated — stuck in our homes and not able to see the people we have been with nearly every day since kindergarten. We are no longer one collective unit. We are apart.

Yet, in our isolation, I have found that we are not alone. The Class of 2020 grew up on social media, and even though our parents may complain about it, the connections we have with others via social media has been a tremendous help during a time of social distancing.

We can still see our friends, family and even our teachers on Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Zoom, FaceTime, TikTok and Skype. I may not be able to be with my friends, but I can still be part of their lives, and they can be part of mine. We may be texting each other from our separate bedrooms, but we are still together.

Education goes beyond the classroom.

Although the members of the Class of 2020 missed out on the final few months of their high school careers, learning didn’t stop. I have watched videos of my classmates building things, working on cars, welding, redecorating, sewing, crocheting, baking, dancing and painting. I am also using this time to learn about things I didn’t study in school, like budgeting, investing in the stock market and how to make informed purchasing decisions.

The Class of 2020 may not be in the classrooms of the high school, but we are learning real-world lessons that will help us

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CLASS OF 2020 • HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK

21

DOWAGIAC

chieftains Markam Alexander Elizabet Aranda Alexis Baker Jacob Beach Michael Berry

Alyssa Boese Savannah Bowker Shelby Boyd Elizabeth Brito William Brock

Trae Brookins Dashawn Brooks Audriauna Brown Hailey Byrd Jose Carrillo

Kole Checkley Arianna Conley William Craft Keila Crocker Kylee Cromer

Matthew Curtis Jenna Davis Charles Dease Dakota Depoy Mallary Dohm

CLASS OF 2020 • HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK

23

DOWAGIAC

chieftains

Nickolas Dussel Haydyn First Rebecca Franklin Lacey Fry Mekenna Gaideski

Stacia Gallegos Mathew Galvan Mikaylah Gardner-Dejoinville Gregory Goodrich Lukas Green

Jordan Greenman Nathan Hammond Nicole Harley Cole Hartline John Hassle

Aubry Hazlegrove Madison Helmuth Al Dreon Henderson De Ondray Henry Maddison Hill

Alexis Hills Sarah Hippensteel Renee Hoekstra Alexis Huizar Tyler Huston

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HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK • CLASS OF 2020

DOWAGIAC

chieftains Austin Igert McKenzie Janssen Drew Jarvis Marissa Jones Gavin Judd

Anthony Kidd Ryan Kiggins Makayla Koncsol Austin Kuhl Deimetrius Lanier

Adrian Lee William Leonard Adam Lindsey Shawn Little Deeana Lucio

Caleb Luthringer Leticia Marquez Jordan McConnell Benjamin McCrorey Alexander McIntosh

Makayla Mellema Daana Mireles Veloz Jordan Morseau Matthew Mosier Cailyn Murphy

CLASS OF 2020 • HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK

25

DOWAGIAC

chieftains David Napier Matthew Nelson Benjamin Owen Hiris Paredes Lamberto Paredes

Ryan Payne Maren Peterson Dominic Phillips Ethan Phillips Evan Phillips

Madison Potter Desiree Raab Steven Randle Mercedez Reece Destiny Reed

TaJaun Reed Bethany Richey Billy Roden David Rodriguez Jossalyn Rogalski

Alexis Ross Austin Ross Alexa Scherer Michael Schlup Leah Scholten

CLASS OF 2020 • HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK

27

DOWAGIAC

chieftains

Christopher Schultz Erin Schultz William Smiechowski Luke Staten Kaitlyn Stilwell

Jacob Stokes Lynsie Stolpe Morgan Welch Nicole Whan Skylan Whitaker-Baham

Greta Whitaker Shelby Whitaker Isabella Whitmore Raegan Wild Hunter Williamson

Adam Wilson Cristian Wilson Justice Wirick Garrelts Anthoney Withers Brent Yeager

Alessandra Zaghetti

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HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK • CLASS OF 2020

THIRD PLACE

EYES ON THE PRIZE

BY JOSSALYN ROGALSKI DOWAGIAC CLASS OF 2020

T

he class of 2020 seems to have been introduced to life within a dark time, only to find themselves finishing high school in yet another unfortunate time.

The majority of this class was brought into the world around the time of 9/11; one member of our class was even born on this day. We were raised alongside terrorist attacks, the Great Recession, civil wars and much more. We blossomed and discovered who we were, all while the pressures of society reigned down around us due to our increasing reliance on technology and social media.

Even when threats of school shootings were prevalent, and we all feared for our safety, we continued to go to school in order to better ourselves to have a finer future.

Throughout all of this, we still managed to never lose sight of who we were and who we wanted to become.

Each of us had our own goals, and we all lived separate lives, yet we all lived as one within our small town because we were Dowagiac United.

At Dowagiac, the class of 2020 has experienced some remarkable things in our school’s history. The majority of this class remembers our school’s involvement in the MHSAA’s battle of the fans that we won in 2015. We were all in seventh grade at the time, but most of us still recall a group of high schoolers coming to the middle

school’s performing arts center to perform their cheers and involve the rest of the community.

Based on conversations with others in my class, we believe that this sort of pep rally helped to solidify a spirited attitude within those who can recall this event, and many wish it could have been brought back for younger classes today. The class of 2020 remained leaders within the community and helped to keep the spirited attitude of Dowagiac alive.

As commonly seen within our high school, the younger classes tend to not be as spirited or involved in special events, so I simply hope the future of Dowagiac can keep the spirit alive and leave a legacy of their own.

Some members of the class of 2020 have already accomplished great things, while others are still on their own journey to success. In

terms of athletics, the class of 2020 at Dowagiac Union High School contains many scholar athletes who have been a part of many great teams.

For the past three years, the boys’ soccer team has won the district championship, while the wrestling team also has won regionals the past three years. Two members of the wrestling team have also reached 100 career wins, while a member of the boys’ basketball team reached a goal of 1,000 points in his career. The boys’ basketball team with members of the class of 2020 also won districts last year and were recently set to compete in the district finals before the games were canceled due to COVID-19. One girl within the class of 2020 also previously played at state in girl’s golf, while the team narrowly missed going there themselves. There are a large variety of seniors planning on playing sports at a college level.

Many other students within the class of 2020 have helped achieve great things — the Rotary Interact Club, which was being led with the help of many seniors, was previously raising money for a school in Africa needing help with a new water system and supplies for needy children. They also started the first “Giving Tree” at the high school during Christmas to give back to local families. Another class of 2020 member began an antialcohol campaign, but was never able to complete the project as the school year was cut short.

EDWARDSBURG

eddies Breanna Allen Kaitlynne Allen Jocelyn Anderson Kierstyn Armstrong Delaney Baker

Thomas Bangston Dakota Barnes Mallory Barnosky Loryn Bartley Claire Bartz

Cameron Beaver Braden Bell Bryce Blue Courtney Bogunia Alyssa Bollinger

Maggie Born Hannah Bourland Haley Bowman Linkin Bressler Hannah Brown

Braden Burgess Skyelar Burlingham Emma Burnett Brady Bushong Cayden Calhoun

CLASS OF 2020 • HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK

31

EDWARDSBURG

eddies

Evan Carter Sarah Casey Anthony Castelluci Isabel Cervantes Anna Cleveland

Cody Closson Madison Coryn Haylie Costa Cheyenne Councell Brendan Covyeou

Logan Cox Benjamin Cramer Tyler Dahms Khate Delda Threcia Delda

Dyllan DeVoe Dacey Divane Brianna Dixon Daniel Doyle Connor Dudlak

Leah Eaton Aubrey Eberlein Tyler Ellis Caitlin Esarey Brooke Fawcett

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HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK • CLASS OF 2020

EDWARDSBURG

eddies Hunter Ferguson Isabelle Ferguson Chancellor Ferrel Christine Firestone Samuel Fish

Cameron Flanery Gabrielle Francis McGuire Gaideski Sophia Georgeoff Hunter Gibson

Savanah Gray Ethan Griffin Marie Gruver Antony Guarino Christopher Guernsey

Nathan Gustafson Jocelyn Hack Madison Hall Margaret Harris Rebecca Harris

William Harris Gavin Herbert Kirstin Herremans Derek Hess Chloé Hildebrand-Leng

CLASS OF 2020 • HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK

33

EDWARDSBURG

eddies

Colin Hilgendorf Alexandrea Hill Cole Hoven Daykota Howe Luke Hudak

Jonathon Huffman Evan Hunsberger Emma Hurley Dillon Hursh Allison Ianello

Shelby Ison Isabella Jackson Bryce Johnson Skyler Johnson Alec Jones

Faith Jones Joseph Jones Taylor Kendall Chaise Kennedy Gretchen Klinger

Pauline Knilas Silas Krueger Abbey Krugh Margaret Lalonde JoDee Lambert

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HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK • CLASS OF 2020

EDWARDSBURG

eddies Madeline LaPierre Gracie Larey Noah Layher Joshua Lee Jack Leman

Brendan Leniski Brenna Lewis Ashlend Light Ashlee Low Mason Marazita

Killian Marshall Gianna Matthews Vanessa Mayou Samantha McCollough Brianna McCreery

Gavin McDonnough Bailey McGivern Joshua McIntire Khynin McLeish Sophia Mick

Kyra Miller Savannah Minnick Avery Mitchell Michael Moran Dylan Morley

CLASS OF 2020 • HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK

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EDWARDSBURG

eddies

Harrison Nadai Lucrecia Navarro Conner Nelson Alec Nunemaker Brett Nunemaker

Louis O’Brien Grace Orpurt Samantha Papczynski Olivia Paulus Dalton Payne

Bryanna Perez Carter Pethick Devin Pethick Madisyn Philpot Aleia Pompey

Josh Priebe Thomas Queener Kaleb Ragland Jacob Reece Celeste Reed

Ethan Richardson Zoe Roark Jacob Robertson Jeanine Rowe Sara Ryan

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HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK • CLASS OF 2020

EDWARDSBURG

eddies Brodie Sallee Summer Savage Eva Schley Kaitlynn Schoenborn Taten Schrock

Payton Schwindaman Bradley Sharp McKenna Shoupe Nic Sibley Nicolas Sickmiller

Colby Sidenbender Alyssa Simmons Mary Simons Ashley Smith Graciana Smith

Juve Soto Kerith Spake Alexis Stacy Ellie Stankiewicz Nicolas Stauffer

Seth Strunk Zachary Strycker Kayla Sutton Amyah Swartz Alexis Swihart

CLASS OF 2020 • HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK

37

EDWARDSBURG

eddies

Matthew Tharp Joshua Thiel Cameron Thompson Noah Tinkham Aaron Toms

Rachael Toney Makayla Tramble Michael Trout Caitlin Travatore Kiana Troyer

Gavin VanDusen Joseph Wachowiak Braden Waggoner Ezekiel Walker Trinity Ward

Madison Watchorn Sophia Whittaker Gabrielle Wilcoxson Alicia Wilson Samantha Wilson

Maxwell Wimberely Emily Winzeler Justyn Withers Olivia Wordleman Nolan Wright

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HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK • CLASS OF 2020

EDWARDSBURG

eddies Caitlan Wyant Madeline Young Caitlin Ziesmer

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NILES

vikings Edgar Aguirre Morales Nicholas Ahlgrim Aubrey Allen Martina Aparo Zoie Appleberry

Emma Azpeitia Taylor Bailey Javond Ball Elisabeth Balog Tyler Balloon

Kelsey Barkman Joey Bartkowiak Daniel Bates Garrick Bates Kyle Beckwith

Rebekka Benjamin Jaida Bills Jacob Bixby Andrew Boling Ryder Borowitz

Rachel Bowman Ryan Bowman Travis Boykin Skyler Brawley Willow Brawley

CLASS OF 2020 • HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK

41

NILES

vikings

Josh Brown Chase Bruckner Dylan Canniff Jazmin Capula Elena Carey

Bailey Ciciora Hayley Clark Abigail Coffee Hunter Connell Brandon Crawford

Allison Crites Emma Damouth Reese Davies Marie Anna De Santo Alexander Degraff

Megan Diaz Jackson Dierlam Alexandria Dunnuck Jade Ellison Alexia Engdahl

Connor Farr Marc Fisher Angelina Fisk Grace Florkowski Makenna Fonseca

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HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK • CLASS OF 2020

NILES

vikings Meagan Franch Ryan Franco Thomas Gaedtke Audriana Ganus Nolan Garrard

Craig Gibson Kaylen Gibson Nathan Goins Jacob Gondeck Michaela Gonzales

Drew Gourlay Jordan Gourlay Kaydi Grayam Austen Hamilton Nathaniel Hardesty

Lauren Harringer Austin Hattenbach David Haynes Caleb Heighway Mason Henderson

Paris Higgs Lilly Honeycutt Sophia Hover Shelby Jaynes Reilly Johnson

CLASS OF 2020 • HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK

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NILES

vikings

Michael Kaufman Nathaniel Kinne James Knight Brett Koebel Ryan Kosten

Desirae Krill Tori Kyles Brayden Lake Cameron Listenberger Christopher Listenberger

Grace Lister Erica Lovett Jackson Lyden Jesus Magno-Garcia Jaiden Mangold

Blake Mann Zoey Martin Nicholas Martz Tre’Vin Mason Kimberly Mata

Alencio McClendon Olivia McIntosh Ashleigh McIntyre Jacob McKay Paige McKean

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HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK • CLASS OF 2020

NILES

vikings Joseph McLalin Skylar Flewellen-Means Abigail Mellinger Eric Messenger Brendan Miller

Madalyn Miller Nate Millin Rachel Moore Oswaldo Moreno Ethan Morris

Javon Morris Johnae Moten Eliska Muellerova Nicholas Nasstrom Nikki Nate

Tommy Nate Demarien Nichols Keila Ornelas-Ortiz Jean-EdithOsborne Alycia Patterson

Bianca Pickens Yahaira Pizana Kaleb Powers Jayla Preston Sydney Prillwitz

CLASS OF 2020 • HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK

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NILES

vikings

Jacob Purvis Hendrick Raab Kim Rader Tammy Reynolds Austin Rice

Kyra Richards Zachary Robb Justin Rogers Maeli Rogers Maysa Rollf

Brad Roman Christina Rose Sullivan Rudolph Jason Ruiz Zachary Ryman

Dylan Salinas Bree Sayer Carson Schiele Abbi Schoenleber Allison Scott

Amani Scott Paige Scott Adam Shepherd Cori Simpson Caiden Smith

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HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK • CLASS OF 2020

NILES

vikings Malik Smith Jaybriona Snowden Wes Sobolewski Darian Sosa Ydalee Sotelo

Seth Springer Zach Suddon Zoey Swisher Taylor Tabbert Emma Taylor

Devin Temple Jacob Thacker Erin Thomas Kaylee Thompson Mathew Thompson

Troy Thrush Connor Tibbitts Kayla Trueblood Emelyn Tucker Merek Turay

Bradley Vance Jacob Vandenburg Luis Morales Vazquez Kade Wagley Jenaysha Warren

CLASS OF 2020 • HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK

47

NILES

vikings

Morgan Warren Shaye Webb E’lexius Williams Leon Williams Taleace Willis

Curious Wilson Jacob Wolf Samantha Woolverton Matthew Yardley Caitlin Young

Niah Zavitz Jamison Zimmerman

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HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK • CLASS OF 2020

CEDAR LANE

vikings Derrick Brown Halie Clark Steven Cox Isaiah Dewey Gabriel Hardesty

Fallyn Long Dustin Marsiglio Devin McCartney Tyler McGowan Hayle McLeod

Destiny Mena Logan Moffitt Daulton Morgan Calvin Payne Guadalupe Rodriguez

Whitney Sarvis Anmol Singh Wes Sobolewski Jade True Max Wilson

CLASS OF 2020 • HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK

49

HONORABLE MENTION

COMMUNITY SUPPORT SOFTENS THE BLOW

Q

BY KADE WAGLEY NILES CLASS OF 2020

uarantine, face masks, pandemic, social distancing, shortages of toilet paper and disinfectant wipes, school closure and the cancellation of prom, graduation and spring sports are all things most people think they will remember about the Class of 2020.

Although this may be true, the real answer lies deeper beneath the surface and in the hearts of the community. When the heart stopping choice to close schools and end the Class of 2020’s senior year was made, not only were the students heartbroken, but the entire community felt the pain as if it were their own. Instead of standing by, the parents and community members rallied together to make every attempt to lessen the sadness the seniors were all feeling by trying to make their hearts a little fuller.

It started out small by the community turning on their porch lights at 8:20 p.m.

(20:20 military time) for 20 minutes every Friday for the class of 2020. Many families decorated their front doors and submitted pictures to the Niles Daily Star that were printed in the daily paper. Small businesses began making T-shirts, mugs and yard signs for seniors to remember this time. Local photographers offered free sessions for seniors to have cap and gown photographs.

Friends and family members also chose to start the “Adopt” a Senior Facebook

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HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK • CLASS OF 2020

group, where hundreds of parents, relatives, business owners and community members begged to adopt (and spoil) their very own senior. Many of these adopted parents were struggling themselves without secure employment and income, but they didn’t hesitate to help a senior or two.

During the Shelter in Place, seniors were still expected to continue school work, and most did without question, but this time with even more dedication from the teachers who willingly worked extra hard to keep students focused on their goals. These educators made themselves available through social media and even personal phone calls just to be able to check on the well-being of their students academically

but, more specifically, emotionally.

During this time, the Class of 2020 created an incredible bond regardless of past friendships, social groups, future plans or various walks of life. They have supported each other during this difficult time just like that which was modeled by our Niles residents and teachers. Because of these strong connections, I believe the Class of 2020 will be remembered by our teachers, classmates, families and community for being passionate about reaching their goals in a time that it would have been easy to give up.

In addition, the Class of 2020 grew up being involved in the community by volunteering, participating in sports and being dedicated to academics.

With that being said, the Class of 2020 will most definitely be remembered for having perseverance, dedication, but most importantly a lifelong connection to the small community of Niles. The Class of 2020 will not forget what the pandemic took from them, but they will also never forget how the community embraced them. Our small town came together and proved to us all that while things don’t always go as planned, that we are in fact “All in This Together.”

Twenty years from now it will be easy to recognize these graduates because they will be passionate about their desire to give back to the community that went above and beyond to take care of each and every member of the Class of 2020.

Congratulations to the

Class of 2020

WE ARE PROUD OF OUR GRADUATES!

CLASS OF 2020 • HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK

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HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK • CLASS OF 20202