The Pepperbox | Page 14
A&E
Peace Out A-Town Ty Franklin
T
Photo Editor
his year’s senior class has had a pretty wild ride. The class of 2022 started off high school with a regular freshman year to a cut-short COVID-19 sophomore year, which then resulted in a completely online and socially distanced junior year, and finally, wrapped it up with a chaotic yet thrilling comeback to campus for senior year. Seniors now find themselves with graduation caps and gowns waiting to be worn for the big day, and only 10 days remaining for them in this bizarre period of their lives called high school. Countless memories have been made over the span of the past four years, and seniors have begun to get nostalgic and look back on their time at Arcata. “I was standing on top of the lockers, dancing to Bamboleo, which was pretty cool,” senior Ben Moore said, remembering this gem from his sophomore year. Memories from freshman and sophomore year seem distant for Moore and his peers now. “Definitely just throwing some subwoofers in my buddys car and just bumping music in the parking lot, and having a good time,” senior Billy Baker shared. For Baker and some other seniors at Arcata High this seems to be an everyday occurrence. The big return to campus this year for the class of 2022 was an odd but excitable time. They went from being underclassmen to all of a sudden being the oldest kids around campus. “A bunch of people got together in the parking lot and played wiffleball, and just hung out,” senior Skyler Burlison stated, remembering the first day of senior year. Picking only one memory seems
to be a difficult task, instead the whole experience seems to blend together for most. “I mean it’s kind of like all the little experiences that makeup the whole high school experience,” senior Everett Naman reasoned this about his time at AHS. In addition to these fond times seniors have shared, they have formed unforgettable moments in the athletic world as well. “I hadn’t really been playing any sports, especially during COVID, and I became the team manager for the girls’ team, and it was a great sport to learn and I had a lot of fun,” senior Marley Thrift shared this experience of getting into volleyball. “It was an amazing environment and it was really great to see everyone together showing their spirit,” senior Alex Jioras said about the boys varsity Arcata Invitational Basketball Championship win earlier this year. These are only a handful of the memories that the class of 2022
were fortunate enough to create. The senior class are now adults and are being thrust into the world to make their own decisions and find their way. They’re often asked, “What are you going to do next year?” and rarely, “How do you feel about graduating?” “I felt pretty nervous about my plan, and although I haven’t made a ton of progress with it, I’m super excited, and I can’t wait to move out and get my real life started,” senior Noah Vincent had to say about his plan for next year. “I’m so excited, I’ve never been more excited for anything else. I’m ready for change and ready for something new,” nearly graduated Martina Stoker said. “I am excited to graduate and start the next chapter of my life, but at the same time I am sad about the experiences that my class missed out on because of COVID,” senior Melina Ledwith expressed. “I feel kind of stuck in sophomore year honestly, I don’t feel like a senior, but it’s very whirlwind
Tuesday, June 7th, 2022
that it’s actually happening,” senior Adrianna Rich-Fallon stated about leaving AHS. Excitement and nerves seem to be common words tossed around by these seniors to describe their thoughts about the future. It seems like just yesterday the senior class were freshmen, frantically sprinting around campus introducing themselves to each other. As the days count down, farewells and goodbyes have begun. Arcata High has been a home for the class of 2022 and even though it may not have been a traditional four years, the class has made the most out of their circumstances and shown what it means to be a true tiger. They have persevered through hard times and thrived in the uncomfortable. From a depressing mask filled pandemic to dressing up and sharing a special prom with their friends, they’ve been through it all. It’s been chaotic, exhilarating, but most of all it’s been real. Peace Out, A-Town - Class of 2022.
Seniors are thrilled to have an assembly, two years after the last one took place at AHS
Mr. Clewell/AHS
