the oracle: Through_the_years FreshmEn Page_3__________
Freshmen Infographic by Jasmine Inthabounh
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How high school has affected us as freshmen by Ashley George & 10 reasons people hate being freshmen by Laura Christensen
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Jazmine Mixon: Naturl born dancer by Ian McIntire & Kayli Breeling: Making an impact by Kathleen Tran
Sophomores Sophomore Infographic by Kenzie Schnathorst
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Sophomore Life: Not the youngest, but not the oldest by Somerle Rhiner and Noemy Salgado
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Obituary: Kendall Foster
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JuniorS
Junior Infographic by Megan Bohall
Surviving junior year for dummies by Madi
Page_10_________ Houska Page_11_________
“Sprint, Stride, Fight, Finish.” - Coach Gregory Holland by Colt Wyatt
Page_12_________ 10 symptoms of junioritis by Janiecia McCaleb Page_13_________ Individuality by Angelica Reyes
Seniors
Senior Infographic by Nathaniel Cobb
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Talk with your feet, Play with your heart by Aeris __________page_15 Heckman Stress University by Tajohnie Milton
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Dear Freshman Self by Hannah McNichols
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Ending the year with everlasting memories by Tanna Jones Glowin’ Up: Senior transformations from freshman year by Nathaniel Cobb
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Freshmen in Extracurricular Activities Other: 35 Sports: 43
Cheerleading: 3 Robotics: 1 Movement 515: 4 Drama: 5
Freshmen
Jizet Vazquez gives advice to new freshmen and says, “Incoming freshmen should focus in school since it’s the first year of high school. This is a big step and leads to where you’re at in the future.” Faith Bosteder says, “to do homework and turn it in on time because once you get behind it’s hard to [get] caught up.” Johan Ruiz would tell incoming freshmen, “to really think about their future and have a backup plan that way you are happy in the future.”
Design: J. Inthabounh
How high school has affected us as freshmen
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Ashley George, Reporter The transition from middle school to high school has impacted me severely. A whole new building with a lot more people older than me is terrifying, especially when all of the upperclassmen find freshmen immature and incapable. When you get to high school, you really start thinking about the future, which can be scary. Thinking about future jobs, college and what you want to do with your life is intimidating. When you enter high school, reality sets in. You understand very quickly that some big decisions will be made within the next four years.
Isabella Howe:
Isabel Camacho:
“High school has helped me plan out my future and meet new people and explore my interests.”
Hailey Heck:
“High school has made me realize that not everything has a happy ending and that you have to be mature to be ready for the real world because everything goes by really quickly once you’re older.”
“Being a freshman is difficult and it’s a big change. But you start to think and plan for your future, which is pretty rad.”
Hailey Gilmore: “I’ve learned that no matter what people come and go but no matter what they’re still good memories to talk about.”
Morgan Perdue: “It just made me realize that it gets more stressful every year and just opened my eyes and made me shape up.”
Photo Credit: A. George Photo Credit: Laura Christensen
1. 10. Freshmen have to worry about their GPA more since it’s the beginning of their high school career.
9.
Freshmen have to get used to a new environment and new school building than where they were before.
Being put into categories (stereotypes).
2. Freshmen feel like people are always looking down on them and not holding them to full accountability of what they can do.
10 Reasons People Hate Being Freshmen
8.
4.
Laura Christensen, Reporter
Some upperclassmen think it’s weird for freshmen to hang out with them.
5. 7. Freshmen can’t go to prom unless invited by upperclassmen.
Freshmen
6. Freshmen aren’t offered the same classes that upperclassmen can take.
3.
Upperclassmen think they’re better than them.
If freshmen do become friends with seniors they leave that year and you only get one year in school with them.
Freshmen can’t do all the activities and some sports that you can do when you’re older.
Design: A.George/L.Christensen
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Kayli Breeling: Making an impact Kathleen Tran, Reporter “Do your best and hope for the best,” said Breeling. Kayli Breeling is a freshman at North High School. She hopes to change the world one day. For most people, starting high school can seem scary and nerveracking, but eventually you get used to it. Breeling expressed her initial state of mind before, “I was afraid it would be too difficult for me,” but now as we approach the end of the year she says, “I’m looking forward to graduating and moving on to something more challenging.” Breeling has been playing the viola since fourth grade and is a part of North’s orchestra. “The
songs can be difficult, but my teacher Mrs. Beyer doesn’t expect you to be good but to try,” she explained. Aside from orchestra, Breeling enjoys reading. Her favorite book is I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson. “It had insight on depression, siblings, love and all that,” she said on why she considered it her favorite. For Breeling, a perfect day is quite simple. “It would be raining. I’d probably just read all day and pet my cats.” She feels what sets her apart from her classmates is her passion for learning. In the future, she plans to go to Iowa State and become a teacher.
Breeling wants to use her position to help people. “I just want to impact somebody else’s life because I don’t want to die knowing that nobody ever benefited from me,” she expressed.
Breeling poses with her viola that she has played since 5th grade. Photo Credit: Kathleen Tran
Jazmine Mixon: Natural born dancer Ian McIntire, Reporter
Q: What kind of dance do you do? A: I’m on a competition team that does jazz, tap, ballet, lyrical, acro, and open.
Mixon has been dancing for years, since she was three. She also has done gymnastics. She is planning to take dance to a career level as she practices 24/7. Photos Courtesy: Jazmine Mixon
Freshmen
Q:When did you start dancing? A: I started when I was three, then took a little break, and went back when I was 10. During the break, I did gymnastics and played basketball.
Q: Who or what influenced you to start dancing? A: I have always loved to dance. Like when I was younger, I would always make up my own dances with my little sister and show my family, and also I wanted to dance with my cousin so we started up together. Q: How many hours a week do you practice? A: About 12 hours.
Q: How much longer do you plan on dancing? A: I want to dance for the rest of my life to be honest, as a career. Q: Who is your biggest influence in dance? A: Sophia Lucia is a really big influence because she is perfect in every way. Also, my dance teachers because they are always motivating me to be the best I can be. Q: What advice do you have for future dance students? A: Don’t ever think you’re not good enough to dance. It honestly just takes practice & determination. Everyone is special in their own way.
Design: K. Tran / I. McIntire
147 male sophomores
128 female sophomores
Design: K. Schnathorst
Pyo Aung
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A sophomore artist from Burma
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Pastel art piece by Aung.
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Pyo Aung, sophomore, was born in Myanmar (Burma) and came to America when he was six years old. Aung has a very popular hobby of drawing that he picked up when he was about five to six years old. When asked how he learned to draw so well and so detailed Aung said, “Well no one really ever taught me to draw. I just grew up practicing art. When I came to America from Burma there were books about art everywhere, and that’s where I got all my detailing from.” Aung has always wanted to use his drawing skills to make art. But as he gets older he wants to help people more with their art, rather than making it into a career for himself. “Drawing is probably going to stay just a hobby for me, but it will always be a permanent lifestyle for me,” he said.
Drawing is probably going to stay just a hobby for me, but it will always be a permanent lifestyle for me.
Sophomores
Design: K. Schnathorst
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Noemy Salgado, Reporter
Somerle Rhiner, Co-Sports Editor When it comes to being a sophomore, we can’t talk bad about the freshman because just last year we were freshman. We can’t talk about the juniors and seniors because we don’t know what their struggles are. Being sophomores, we are at the awkward stage in high school. The upperclassmen like to call us immature and make fun of how we are not grown yet. They say that we haven't experienced the hard life of worrying about our future, when in all reality we are. I worry about my future and so do other people, we have two more years to think about what we want to do, not just a couple months. They say that we shouldn’t worry and that being a sophomore is stress-free, when in reality it is everything but stressfree. As being a sophomore, I say that all years are important and that we shouldn't be serious only our junior year. There isn't anything wrong with being a sophomore, it just all great because people think that we are immature and not responsible, which isn't true. Some sophomores are immature and irresponsible but not all of us are like that, some of us actually care about our future.
Some of us are more responsible than the juniors and seniors, and have already tried and sketched out our lives. Upperclassmen also say that we don’t have a lot of work and that we have a lot of spare time on our hands, which we actually don’t, some of us are involved in sports, having a job, needing time for homework and trying to maintain a social life. Being sophomore is very stressful; high school is very stressful. We are the middle children that no one really pays attention to unless you are popular then you get all the attention and half the time our friends are upperclassmen. Being in the awkward phase is the hardest because it doesn't matter what we do, we are always going to be the awkward ones. We don’t take the ACT test and we don’t sign up for colleges or anything that important this year or our freshman year. A lot of people mess up because they think that only our junior year determines everything, which also isn't true. Another misconception is that our senior year is to chill and relax. Where do we stand? We are the middle child in the family.
Being a sophomore can be intimidating and you might care a lot about what others might say about you, but don’t worry, just be yourself and you will enjoy every day of high school. If you feel alone, get involved in school activities, so you can feel like you are known and you can make plenty of friends from different grades. I worry about my high school years and you should too. High school is very stressful, especially if you are involved in multiple activities, if you work and if you’re just busy all the time. Many say that your junior year is the most important year in high school, when all grades are very important. Your freshman year is when your GPA is very important, that is what decides what classes you get into in high school, also colleges look at your freshman year, so do good your freshman and sophomore year and don’t lose your balance. Always concentrate and ask for help if you don’t know what you’re doing, don’t be afraid to do anything.
Obituary Kendall Foster, 17 May 14, 1998 – April 27, 2016
Kendall Foster, former sophomore, died unexpectedly Wednesday, April 27. He was a polar bear basketball player for the sophomore team. Photo Courtesy: Infinite Campus
Sophomores
Kendall Foster (otherwise known as ‘Peanut’) was loved and cared for by many. Kendall was very popular among his peers as he played on North’s sophomore basketball team. After the news of their loss, students at North High were writing letters and notes to Kendall and putting them in his locker throughout the day, April 28. Many students from North and also from other schools wore blue and yellow the day after Kendall’s passing in honor of him. Kendall loved to play basketball. His coach, Chad Ryan, said, “I remember him as a quiet kid with a great smile.” Kendall had tons of potential, and was motivated. He was a good teammate who kept his teammates loose, Coach Ryan said. He was very focused on balancing his work life and his school life so he could continue to play for the North High Polar Bears. Kendall is survived by his parents, Kenyatta Foster Sr. and Magan Jackson; siblings, Keadra, Kenyatta Jr., Keemarey, Kenatha, Kendrick, Kenya, Kenyetta, Kentarey, Kia, Keemoney, Kenyon, Takyla and Talisa and a host of other relatives and friends.
Design: S.Rhiner / N.Salgado
N Number of Juniors
9
Juniors
Design: M. Bohall
Surviving Junior Year For Dummies
Madison Houska, Reporter
The first day of your junior year is a piece of cake. Just like all of the years before, teachers introduce themselves and talk about what the year will look like. You then introduce yourself and talk about the things you’re looking forward to. Easy, right? Funny how by the middle of the year you’re not sure what day it is or the last time you weren’t stressed out. Being a junior myself, I think it’s safe to say that junior year, if not mentally prepared, is a giant smack in the face... am I right? Thought so. Your junior year is the most important year of your high school career. There’s the ACT, AP testing, your last year of Iowa assessments, college visits, heavier class loads, the infamous “what do you want to do with your life” and the dreaded “what do you want to go to college for?” However, I’m here to tell you that if you can manage to get through your junior year, everything is going to be okay. First off, balance is key. Knowing how much time you’ve got to work with and prioritizing what needs done will help you stay stress-free. If it helps, you can make a checklist, set a reminder on your phone, whatever helps you stay organized. For myself, I know that I get overwhelmed when all my teachers plan tests in the same week. When this happens, I make a list of everything that needs done and then I put it in
order from what needs done first to what I still have time to get done. This way I don’t forget about things and I am able to get them done on time and in a stress-free manner. Second, I cannot stress how beneficial going to draft skinny is. Not just for juniors, but for any grade level. Use this time to your advantage; we are purposely given this time to help us stay caught up in classes. Miss a test when you’re home sick? Boom, draft skinny saves the day. Need a little extra help in math? Ask your math teacher to draft you so you can get the help you need. Draft skinny summed up is pure brilliance. It is in your best interest to take advantage of these great opportunities. Lastly, know your limits. You simply cannot do everything, you are only one person. Determine what activities and sports you really want to participate in and how much time each of them requires. Metaphorically speaking, many times our eyes are bigger than our stom-
achs. But with the proper time management, you can find a way to be involved without stacking too much on your plate. Hopefully with these tips you’re feeling a little better about getting through junior year. Now you can finish the race with the right organization and time management, and don’t forget to have a positive attitude. They say the early bird gets the worm, but the organized student gets the stress-free year.
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Not all doors are obstacles, sometimes your answer is behind the door you never opened.
Juniors
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Design: M. Houska
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Colt Wyatt, Sports Editor Just imagine being a head track coach for 16 consecutive years and not winning a meet in over 10 of those years. North head track coach Gregory Holland has been teaching at North for 24 consecutive years and the head track coach for the last 16 years, going the last 10 without taking first place. Well this year that changed. “I started doing it when I was the head football coach because I wanted my players to be involved in the off season and now I’ve grown to like it for its own qualities. Watching kids improve and their excitement after achieving an accomplishment. ” Holland stated. Holland has a set of boys that he has been working with since day one. Andrew Phillips, Kameron Russell and Devon King all currently juniors at North. Phillips and Russell who have been running for North and Holland since their freshman year at North and King starting out his sophomore year. “I started running track my freshman year because I thought that I would be ineligible for baseball. The day I found out I wouldn’t be, I wanted to quit but I decided to stick it through. Sadly the season ended early for me
Juniors
due to a shoulder injury” said Russell. This year has already been a big year for North, not being known to be the best on the athletic side; the football team won their first game in over 40 years, the boys basketball team went 18-6 on the season, so far the boys soccer team is 10-6 and the boys track team won their first meet in the past 10 years. “It makes me feel determined about my senior year to go out and do even
better” Phillips said. For the people that actually put it in the work in the off season and do other sports to stay in shape in the offseason it feels good to win a meet or a game. “Honestly it felt nice, but it did not
make me content. It just made me want to go out and win a couple more with the same people before this season ends. Why stop at just one win, when we are more than capable of taking two, or equally capable of taking three” Russell stated. King has been running track since he was in the 4th grade, all the way back to elementary. King did not run his freshman year however. King currently participates in the 400 meter hurdles, 4x400
meter dash, and the 4x110 meter shuttle hurdle relay. “My favorite race to run is probably the 400 meter hurdles because if you do that race you are a real track star, no matter if you win or lose because in my eyes it’s the hardest race of them all” King stated. Phillips and Russell who both participate in the 4x100 meter relay, the only race that qualified for the Drake Relays for North, broke the record for the fastest 4x100 meter dash running a 44.20 at the Interstate I-35 meet where they won their first meet in 10 years. The 4x100 meter dash consists of four runners that each run 100 meters and hand off a relay baton between runners. You have 18 total events between running and throwing. You have the 100 meter dash, 110 meter hurdles, 200 meter dash, 400 meter dash, 400 meter hurdles, 800 meter run, 1600 meter run, 3200 meter run, 4x100 meter relay, 4x110 meter shuttle hurdle relay, 4x200 meter relay, 4x400 meter relay, 4x800 meter relay, 1600 medley relay, long jump, high jump, shot put and discus. Top Left: Head Coach Gregory Holland, he has been the head coach of the North High track team for 16 years. Top Right: Junior Kameron Russell waits in his blocks to get ready to run the 400 meter dash. Middle: Junior Devyn King mid air as he hurdles a hurdle in the 4x110 meter shuttle hurdle relay. Bottom: Junior Andrew Phillips gets set in the blocks as he starts for the 4x100 team. Photos courtesy of Jolena Le.
Design: C. Wyatt
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10 symptoms of Junioritis
Junioritis; A time when being a junior isn’t good enough and being a senior isn’t close enough, and graduation is barely even visible.
Janiecia McCaleb, Reporter
1.The biggest struggle in your life becomes getting up for school in the morning: Hearing your alarm going off, demanding your attention as you hit snooze once, then twice, and maybe even a third time. You finally gather yourself enough to think about getting up; however you’re not quite there. Finally, you sit at the end of your bed, pick up your phone, check your notifications, and look at the time. It reads somewhere around 6 a.m. It then hits you that the reason you’re even up is for school, and that reason just doesn’t seem good enough. 2. Doing poorly in a class no longer upsets you: Your attitude about doing poorly in a class is no longer a thing. That bad grade no longer gets a reaction. You’re just nonchalant, you just kind of shrug it off; and in your head you just think, “I don’t really care, its whatever.” 3. Skipping class becomes more of an urge: Skipping class seems a lot better than actually going to class. That test you’re going to miss can be made up, and that assignment can be turned in later. You think of every excuse to skip, as you convince yourself that it’s fine; and it’s just a one time thing. However, we all know it isn’t. 4. From the moment you walk in the class, until the moment you walk out your eyes are on the clock: The desire for class to be over no longer begins when there’s around 20 minutes left. It starts the moment you walk in; you walk in the classroom and before you even sit down in your seat; your eyes find their way to the clock. The 10 minutes that pass by feel like 40; and as you watch the thin red hand rotate around the clock each individual minute feels as if it’s five. 5. Last minute work completion: Knowing you have an assignment due (keep in mind it’s been assigned for quite sometime now); yet you wait until the night before or maybe even the day of to make an effort to get it done. It’s not something that happens every once in awhile, it’s become a norm. Something you’ve become accustom to. 6. Lack of motivation: Nothing motivates you to try harder or do better. The bare minimum is now good enough, and the idea of what your parents will do when you bring home that bad grade isn’t scary enough. College seems optional and you start to convince yourself that maybe it just isn’t even for you. The idea of having a ridiculous job that requires no schooling isn’t any longer a joke or something that just stays in your head; it now verbally comes out of your mouth and you’re almost really considering it. 7. Having the overpowering need to rebel: Deliberately disobeying your teachers, ignoring the threat they give to call or email your parents, the reaction you used to have when your teacher made that threat to straighten you up, and bargaining with them to convince them to keep it in the classroom. Your reaction is now a slight shrug followed with the response, “Do you want their number? How about I call them for you.” 8.Gaining a strong annoyance for underclassmen: An underclassmen no longer has to even give you a legit reason not to like them. You no longer discriminate. You just decide you don’t like any of them. You don’t hesitate to snap at them and you let them know that you have superiority over them. 9. Loss of interest in your appearance: How you look when going to school is no longer a stressful event. It’s more like an “it’s whatever” kind of thing. In your head you think, “Sweats are fine. Who am I getting dressed for anyway? I’m lucky my socks are even the same height.” Your “bum” days are now an everyday thing. And you have absolutely no shame. 10. “I can’t wait until I graduate” becomes a phrase frequently used: Announcing that you can’t wait to graduate isn’t something you say every once in a while. It’s not something you say once a day, it’s more like once or twice every 20-30 minutes. And when you say it, you genuinely mean it, you couldn’t be more sincere. Even though graduation is literally right around the corner, it’s not close enough. And thinking about another entire year here makes you both slightly sick and kind of agitated. If any of those symptoms apply to you, I feel you. I would love to give you all some positive advice on how this time is going to fly by and how much it should mean to you. However, I’m having a little trouble convincing myself that. I will say that when I do leave, I’m sure I’ll somewhat miss it here. But I’m also sure I’ll get over it.
Juniors
Design: J. McCaleb Photo Credit: Google.com
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Angelica Reyes, News Editor When you say the word “me,” you probably feel pretty clear about what that means, but what if you were to describe who exactly you are? Is it your style or your way of thinking or certain physical characteristics that define you? Whatever it may be, every individual at one point in their life struggles to embrace the characteristics that make them unique. When a person can embrace their flaws and accept himself or herself it’s proven that they live a happier life. Junior Harry Nguyen being a person who has struggled to be himself at a young age to the mature optimistic person he is today says, “The opportunity to stand out in the crowd and make a man of myself” is what inspires him to be who he is. He says, “I believe in individuality and everyone has different qualities that make them
who they are. I struggle because any time I tried to be myself I was an outcast. I would try to form myself into a group but it wasn’t me. Being yourself can be risky. But in the long-run, you know you’re capable of being a good self. Anyone is capable of taking the risk. Even if some people don’t understand, you can find a way to pursue the life and work you’ve always wanted. Nguyen says his best advice for anyone is “Just do you, boo, everybody’s going to judge and learn to live with that and be happy.”
“Embrace your individuality. Love what you love without judgment.”
“I realized that when you are your own self you can get attention for that. But like the good attention, and you usually stand out for being that.” Juniors
Design: A.Reyes
14
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Seniors
45%
20%
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Design: N. Cobb
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By: Tajohnie Milton As the end of the year rapidly approaches a lot of seniors may be coming to the realization that not only are they unsure of what they want to do in the future but college is definitely not the route they want to embark on. For some reason the idea of high school seniors not wanting to attend college in the fall is heavily frowned upon. Society holds a certain stigma that if you don’t attend college immediately after high school, you’re a failure. Let’s get one thing clear, college isn’t a one-size fits all glove. Some people aren’t ready for college after graduating high school. Others simply don’t want to go. The opinions and expectations from parents or counselors should never be the reason anyone decides to attend college. Immense amounts of pressure are placed on the shoulders of undecided seniors regarding why and where they should attend college. Then, if they
Seniors
cave in and decide to go to college, they’re then pressured into selecting a major solely on the financial aspect that fails to reflect any personal interests whatsoever.
school, the mental health of students is usually in shambles. But even after four years, you still have no clue about what you’re interested in, or what you want to study and where, that is perfectly fine.
Every single senior has heard that haunting question, “What are you doing after high school?” It’s a heavily laden question, for some reason surpass anyone’s comprehension, people are expected to know the answer to immediately after high school.
It is your life and you should do what makes you happy. Take a step back and some time for yourself. You just spent four years doing what others wanted you to do, it might be time to figure out what you like to do.
Senior year of high school can be one of the most stressful years of life. People are constantly bombarding you with questions like, “Where are you going to college? What are you going to major in? What are you planning on doing with that degree?” Somewhere in the mist of hair tearing out, tears and lack of sleep, some may come to the valid realization that they simply don’t know yet, which is absolutely viable. By the end of senior year in high
Whether that be working or traveling, take some time to explore who you are and what you like. Read a few books. Fall in love with as many things as you possibly can. You might end up learning a lot about yourself, which is something they cannot teach you in school. Don’t be in such a rush to start your future that you overlook the greatness of the present. Your life is happening right now. Life and education should be a measure of personal growth, not a race to the finish.
Design: T. Milton
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Hannah McNichols, Co Editor-in-Chief Today is your first day of high school. You are probably experiencing many emotions at the moment, fear being the most prevalent. Fear of the unknown – the change that you are about to experience. Although you keep hearing that high school will be the best four years of your life, you don’t have 100 percent faith in that statement. You have four years in this building – you might as well calm down and “get on with the program.” There is nothing to worry about when it comes to high school. You will make new friends, and you will build stronger relationships with the friends you already have. And the older, slightly intimidating students in the grades above you? Don’t let yourself be intimidated by them. They are nice – if you let yourself be less guarded and broaden your horizons, you will learn that you might have more in common with the older kids than the kids in your own grade, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. There are two key parts of high school, your classes and your social life. If you can get a balance on both of those, you will do amazing. We’ll start with your classes since that’s the reason you’re here in the first place. Keep putting your classes first no matter what happens. If that means skipping the Friday night football game to stay in and work on homework, do it. Maybe next time you won’t procrastinate as
Seniors
much. Make relationships with your teachers, this comes in handy. You never know when you’ll need them the next four years. Core class teachers may move up and the mean old English teacher you have now, may just be your senior year English teacher also. Or hey – one of your elective teachers may end up being administration some day. Treat them, as you want them to treat you, and your grades. While you’re working for your high school diploma, don’t forget to have fun, just find an even balance. When you’re studying for your math test the next day and your friends want to go do something, go for it. Make the memories you’ll never forget. Make memories but keep your GPA in mind. If you’re thinking about college right now, stop. You have time, freshy. You honestly do not have to worry about that until junior year. Focus on yourself and building your GPA while you can. Don’t stress about college applications or what you want to do for the rest of your life until junior year. Yes, junior year. Then you can start thinking about it. Don’t wait until senior year because then you will feel stressed. Go on college visits, have an idea, that way senior year you can have your options narrowed down because let me tell you, college deadlines sneak up on you so fast. Now that I’ve touched on the three most important things of high school, here are my last
pieces of advice before you take on your high school career. 1. Friends come and go, but the ones who are true to you and love you for who you are will be there when you need the moral support. When you find those friends, never let them go. Make them like non-biological siblings so you can say anything you feel without worrying about if they will be mad at you. If your friends become jealous of your achievements or don’t support your dreams, don’t sweat it – they will show you what you want and need in a friend. 2. Always strive to achieve YOUR best. You will see students, both in your grade and in grades above you, who will receive the awards you want or get into the colleges you dream of. Always be proud of your accomplishments, because what you don’t think is your best might be another person’s definition of the same word. 3. Never become influenced by what other people tell you will be good for you. 4. The most important piece of advice I could give you is this: never be anyone but yourself. Never change for anyone (boys, girls, friends, etc.) in order to feel accepted. Always stick to your beliefs, which will be the driving forces behind every decision you make in high school. I hope this helps and welcome to North High School.
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Design Credit: H. McNichols
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nding the year with We, seniors, are coming to a point in our lives that change us from children to adults. We step onto the next step of our lives that will affect our future forever. Looking back to every day we’ve stepped through those front doors we have made a mark in someone’s mind that will always be there whether it’s only thought about for those short seconds afterwards or a nonstop reoccurrence. Even if we don’t visit after we graduate we will always remember being a North High student. We were the beginning of change in almost every program we’ve had throughout the many years. Looking back on your high school career, what is one memory that will always stand out to you and will always remind you of how it was like being a polar bear?
Photo Credit: Heather Schroeder
Dorothea Polk
“Through my four years in high school at North I’ve had some of the best times of my life. I’ve had the opportunity to take advanced courses, courses working towards my career and make some of the most amazing relationships in the midst of it all. In high school, I made a ton of friends and I wouldn’t be who I am today without everyone who came along in
Mattey Rodgers
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Seniors
“Something I’ll always look back on is spending time with all of my friends. We were always doing something. From being a freshman and ‘sneaking’ out of the school during lunch like all of the upperclassmen, to sophomore year driving around in the back of trucks when it started to get nice out. Spending most of our other time playing volleyball every chance we could. I will always remember almost failing Spanish and asking my best friend for help literally every other day. Everyday at school is usually memorable for me; North is such an interesting place to be.”
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Faith Toweh
“I’ve had a lot of great memories throughout my four years at
my life. One of the most amazing relationships I made was the one I have with my boyfriend of almost three years now, he helped me realize I was capable of doing anything I dreamt of doing. The other relationships I made in high school with teachers and administrators were like no other. They all believe you can do anything you aspire. From academics to sports to school clubs, I wouldn’t change my high school years for anything and I was blessed to have so many amazing people come along the way.” North. From basketball games, football games and spirit stick battles. To meeting Brandon from Pretty Little Liars, which happens to be my favorite show. A Memory that I will always think back on when I think of high school is when I got to meet the President of the United States. I remember waiting for hours for him to show up and when he finally walked across the stage I was shocked; I couldn’t believe I was in the same room as the president. It felt so unreal it was breathtaking, especially when he shook my hand. It was an amazing experience.”
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