THE LAST CHAPTER THE LAST CHAPTER

The sweet smell of summer air filled the Rocklin High stadium- it was graduation night for Claxton Claxton’s older cousin. The silver bleachers quickly filled with excited family members, both young and old. Hundreds of smiles lined the green football field. Students gleaming with pride and excitement. As the orange sun moved across the sky towards the horizon, Claxton knew this was a taste of her future that was quickly approaching. Her fourth and final year was almost here. She explains that, “graduation last year was the most memorable,” because she realized “oh my gosh, I’m a senior now!” The shock and excitement filled her body as she watched the hundreds of students in royal blue caps and gowns stride across the stage one-by-one. This would soon be her: full of dreams and possibilities for

Surrounded by all of her family, it was a bittersweet feeling as sadness also creeped in. Her dampened skin from the fresh summer surroundings matched with many others’ wet, nostalgic, leaving eyes. Although she was thrilled to soon be walking this stage, this day was the start of the end. Claxton explains this as, “An awakening moment. It made me think I’m the next one to go.” Each student has a unique story, an individual experience at Rocklin that will shape them forever, and she was eager to see her ending chapter. Claxton started her senior year with her little kiddy backpack and twelfth grade title. It was a weird feeling, to start off as the youngest and to leave campus as the oldest. Claxton started wide-eyed and terrified, but little did she know four years later she would have lived some of the most exciting