The Senior Experience

Student Interview: Katie Drais, Class of 2022

Interviewed by: Isley Whitehead, Class of 2026

Current eighth grader Isley Whitehead interviewed Katie Drais about what her senior year is like during the pandemic. Classes are back in person, establishments are open — but what about prom, college visits and graduation? Here is the lowdown straight from the source — no filters, no hesitancy. Just the voice of a senior, interviewed by a middle schooler.

Isley: Tell me about senior class bonding. How are you and your classmates facilitating bonding?

Katie: Bonding is a great question to start with because, especially in the time of Covid, it’s been a little bit hard to connect with everyone in the way I imagined high school would be. You are not connecting with people in the classrooms; you are not able to pick up on the little, funny moments that you often can back in school. I think that the coordinators, Stacie in particular, have really helped facilitate bonding and group events and things. I know the senior class trips have been really fun. We get three this year! (Which is a perk of being a senior.) But just being able to connect and be open with each other again. At first it was a little difficult bouncing back from Zoomlife but now I think everyone realizes we’re going to be gone next year.

Isley: So then, have you applied to colleges? What was that like?

Katie: Yeah, the college experience [laughs out loud]. The college application experience was a little different, again, because of Covid. I know the grade above me, the seniors last year, were telling me about how they didn’t really get to visit any schools. But stuff was starting to open back up for me. So, I was able to visit where my mom and dad both went to school. And then I did an East Coast college trip this summer and some schools were closed (you weren’t able to go on a tour with the students) but a lot of them opened back up. I was really grateful for that opportunity. And just getting to meet with my college counselor this year. Every senior gets a college counselor at SAAS. And so, being able to have that oneon-one connection and realizing what is important to me in a college helped me narrow down my choices.

Isley: This is kind of fun: senior prom?

Katie and classmates on their visit to Canyonlands National Park during the senior trip in April 2022.

Seniors Katie (right) and Faith Tade at the Seattle Aquarium during Winter Ball in 2022. Seniors Katie (left) and Lucy Netherland cheer on the Cardinals at Fall Mania in the fall of 2021.

“I think it is hilarious to have a senior prank and surprise the administration and the teachers at SAAS because they generally always know what is going on. And so, just to be able to pull that reverse card, even once, is pretty exciting.”

Katie: OMG, I really hope we have senior prom. It is not just a SAAS thing. I love Mania because it is really just a SAAS community event. But being able to have a prom is something that anyone will be able to talk about later in their life. That experience sounds really fun to me, and I really do hope that Covid permits it.

Isley: That is cool. I really hope that you get senior prom. So, I don’t fully know what this is, but, the senior prank? What is that exactly? Katie: The senior prank is, well, from my experience it is when all the seniors get together and there is either a ginormous email chain or a ginormous group text. And the seniors think about what is important to their class, and how far we can we push it without getting in trouble with SAAS. I know in the past, one of my favorite senior pranks has been a ‘bring your pet to school’ day. And everyone brought their pet! And I don’t quite remember who but I remember someone had a goat. Everyone got pictures with the goat and posted them on Instagram. I think that was my sophomore year. I think it is hilarious to have a senior prank and surprise the administration and the teachers at SAAS because they generally always know what is going on. And so, just to be able to pull that reverse card, even once, is pretty exciting.

Isley: When you do graduate, do you think you will miss your teachers? I know my dad has sent some letters and emails to his past teachers. He has always been really excited to talk to them.

Katie: Yeah, I think that is a great question. I think something that is so important to the SAAS community is the teachers. It is something that all the students talk about. I have gone to graduation every year and there is always this part of graduation where students are asked on video which teacher they will miss the most or which teacher has made the most impact on them. And it’s great because no one says the same teacher, like, there is such a wide variety of teachers who know different kids and can connect with kids individually. So yes, I am definitely going to miss my teachers; I have a select few that are my favorites just like I know everyone else has theirs.

Isley: What do you love most about SAAS sports, specifically basketball? I know you played varsity.

Katie: When I came to SAAS my freshman year, the basketball program was so inviting. We had so many hardworking kids, especially older girls, that I looked up to. They taught me how to stand up for myself, how to be aggressive, and how to not be ashamed when I’m talking about basketball. In the past, I have had coaches tell me I am not ever going to be good if I don’t learn to play like a boy. With this team, I learned to be proud of playing as a girl.

The varsity girls basketball team helps Katie hang her banner in the upper school gym in honor of being awarded league MVP.

Katie and Isley on breakaways (pictured separately).

The basketball community at SAAS has been a really supportive community. Other SAAS teams would see me on game day and say, “Oh, who are you playing? Let me see if I can come watch.” Just a simple exchange like that in the hall has really made a difference. Has it been the same supportive environment for you?

Isley: Yeah, basketball has been really fun for me, especially because of my teammates. I feel like we had a really good team this year and it was a great environment. Our coaches were very nice and overall, I feel like it was very inclusive.

How do you think seniors support middle schoolers during performances? I know a ton of seniors and high schoolers were there for Basketball Mania. Katie: I think that it’s kind of multilayered. This year was a little different — we watched End-of-Tri in different places. Usually we all get to be in the same room which is a really fun environment, a lot more than the rooms split up by grade because it is harder to support the middle schoolers then. But, I totally believe that high schoolers want to be able to be there for middle schoolers and have a community where a middle schooler feels comfortable asking a senior, “Hey, where’s this room?”

Isley: Is this your first time being interviewed? And is it fun?

Katie: This is definitely fun. It is more fun than any interviews I have ever done before.

[Offstage: Are you just thinking about the donuts you got before the interview?]

Katie: I am just thinking about the donuts, yes. I was recently interviewed with my mom, I think a month ago, for a video about my preschool. That was kind of funny to go back and reflect on that, and now I am reflecting on high school. But it is definitely different. I don’t remember preschool as much as high school. I have been the interviewee more than the interviewer. So, I am amazed at how you’re killing the game right now. What about you? Have you been the interviewer a lot?

Isley: This is actually going to be my first interview. But so far, it has been pretty good. It is really fun.

Katie: Team SAAS, we did it. Thank you, girl. It was so fun to meet you.

Isley: It was really fun to meet you, too! Katie poses with senior teammates after a game on senior night, 2022.