The Wolverine Senior Section - 2014 Edition

Class of 2014

Volume XV

The Wolverine

inside Senior ABCs

Top Trends of High School

Parting Words of Wisdom

A Wolverine tradition, the Senior ABCs showcase the highlights of senior year through the alphabet.

Take a trip down memory lane through a list of the most unforgettable fads of 2011-2014.

The Class of 2014 has been through a lot.

Three members of the Senior Class offer up advice to their younger counterparts.

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Page 11

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10

A:

All for One and 1 4 All Our senior t-shirts that we received early in the school year have these words printed on them. Along with being a catchy motto, these words have proved to be true in our efforts to unify our class. Not only during homecoming, but through the rest of the year, we have been supportive of one another.

B:

Bless Whether it’s “Bless Dr. Schafer for letting us use our notecards on this quiz,” or “Bless my mom for letting me leave school early,” we have all found a way to be thankful for the good things in life using this “blessed” word. This word was derived and created by Kayla Hall if you have questions about the usage.

C:

Cougars Some have called it “the plague,” but others see it as a positive relationship that has formed between the senior girls and the junior and sophomore boys. Whatever it is, it seems to be spreading, and even I have been a victim. (A lucky victim, shout out to Trey Tumlin)

D:

Despicable Me Minions The senior class dressed up as minions on “Character Day” during homecoming week. It’s safe to say that we bought up all the overalls at every thrift store in Cobb County.

Matt Zibanejadrad, also known as Gru, led us in our minion takeover.

E:

Easy Senior Year?

If you’ve ever heard that senior year is the easiest and least stressful year, that’s probably not true. Of course, it is what you make it to be. But with college planning on top of schoolwork and a social life, this year has been exciting, but not “easy.”

F:

Filming on Campus The Walker News Network, or WNN, has been an exciting addition to campus.

Anchors Jesse and Nissa have done an outstanding job, and Karmin never fails to give us accurate weather updates.

Hopefully the WNN will continue in the future.

G:

Grease is the Word With multiple sold out shows, incredible dance numbers, and a complex set, Grease was phenomenal this year. It was performed at Walker ten years ago, and many of the cast members returned to see this recent production.

H:

Hawaiian Day The day before Spring Break, the senior class decided to dress up in their favorite tropical attire, despite the rainy, overcast weather. It definitely helped to start off the break right, and we hope we started a new tradition.

I:

Icy Roads Remember when it took everyone upwards of six hours to get home when the roads iced over? Apart from being a very stressful day, SnowJam 2014 gave us a chance to see the kindness in strangers as we all struggled to get home after school or work.

J:

Jenny Hawk Who has organized major events for our class every year? Jenny Hawk. Who unified our group of 84 high school seniors? Jenny Hawk. Who has led our class to two victories in homecoming walk outs? Jenny Hawk. I rest my case.

K:

Kian Runs Away Flashback to Senior Walk: Kian calmly walks up for his picture and poses with his dad.

After the picture is taken, Kian begins to run across the basketball court to his friends, leaving his father behind. This was probably the funniest mo-

ment of the ceremony.

L:

Let Me Take a Selfie A song about taking a selfie? Only in America…

M:

Mass Exodus to the “Prom”ise Land After the upperclassmen learned that school would be held on prom day, questions were raised as to whether we could leave early for appointments. We were allowed to check out at 12:30 p.m. with permission from a parent, but the ridiculously long line that formed outside the Upper School office made it impossible to leave on time. Luckily, we all made it to the dance.

N O:

: Nah…

Obsolete: The status of the dress code. Every day is a t-shirt day at The Walker School! The ever-changing dress code is one of the Wonders of Walker so enjoy this phase while it lasts!

P:

“Please…”

“Please move out of the middle of the hallway,” the frustrated senior said to the oblivious freshman. They have so much to learn...

U:

UAB: Unverified Absence It’s no secret that seniors give zero bothers about attendance, but personal days and sleeping in can really add up, especially when it comes time to exempt exams.

V:

Vineyard Vines Vineyard Vines has taken the school by storm. As a favorite brand on campus, especially with the senior class, Vineyard Vines attire became quite prevalent. Unfortunately, Vineyard Vines t-shirts are not dress code approved, but it’s already been established that the dress code is no longer in existence.

W:

Where’s Abi???

It’s like “Where’s Waldo,” but everyone is looking for Abisola Ologunja. She was last seen hunting for bae during one of her various free periods.

If found, please return to the senior squad.

X: Y:

XOXO, Seniors You know you love us.

Quizlet Quizlet saved so many lives in AP Psych. Senioritis makes it impossible to actually write out all those vocab words.

You’re Welcome Whether it was helping an underclassman with scheduling, college planning, or where to park in the parking lot, the seniors were happy to hand out free advice on how to survive the rest of high school, and help prepare the younger grades for what’s to come.

We are happy we could help.

You’re welcome.

R:

Z:

Q:

Riiiiip Verb. To bless someone to rest in peace when their next calculus test might be the last time they are seen alive. Origin: unknown.

S:

Snowpocalypse 2.0 and 2.0B Did we even go to school in February?

T

: Time’s Up!

Zibanejadrad (Zee-baane-shad-rod) Matt Z has made quite a name for himself with his carefree personality and always kind words. His performance as Danny in the musical Grease earned him school-wide notoriety, and his last name is perfect for these ABC’s.

By Mary Grace Walsh and Victoria Hudson

11 Valedictorian and Salutatorian Annabelle Mathis and Hannah Uher

I

t was a tight race this year in calculating the class of 2014’s valedictorian and salutatorian. After hours of hard work, Annabelle Mathis earns the title of valedictorian and Hannah Uher the salutatorian. Not only do both of these students excel academically but are also widely involved in other aspects of the school, making them very well-rounded individuals. or this upcoming fall semester, Annabelle Mathis will be attending the Georgia Institute of Technology with an intended major in aerospace engineering. Of all the classes she has taken throughout her Walker career, AP Physics would have to be her favorite. On top of 10 academic medals so far, she is a part of Mu Alpha Theta, History Honor Society, Parkhurst Honor Society, Latin Honor Society, and National Honor Society and she will be graduating Summa Cum Laude. Mathis attributes her academic achievement to one key thing. Mathis said, “I spell ‘dog’ d-o-g not d-a-w-g.” While still maintaining an incredible GPA, she makes time for other activities aside from academics. She has been a part of several athletic teams at

F

F

Walker including track, cross country, and basketball. FCA and Latin club are also on her list of extracurricular activities. Of her favorite memory at Walker Mathis said, “I won the Yellow Slicker Award in 5th grade in recognition of my natural talent in opening car doors!” Her dream job is to one day be a taste-tester for Ghirardelli. Annabelle Mathis has clearly made her mark on Walker in more ways than one. annah Uher takes the title of salutatorian for the class of 2014. She will be attending Brandeis University in Massachusetts. She plans to be a Theatre Arts major. She is a part of Tri-M Music Honor Society, National Honor Society, the International Thespian Society, Mu Alpha Theta, Delta Epsilon Phi, and Walker’s History and Social Science Honor Society. Being so involved in the drama department and so academically gifted, she has two favorite classes at Walker. “First would be Mrs. Arjona’s Directing Seminar. It was great to learn about the whole process of being a director and see the final product on stage. As far academic classes go, I’d say AP Micro and Macroeconomics, because it

H

is unlike any other class I have taken so far and has many real world applications.” Of her academic success, she said, “I don’t really have one secret or special thing I do to be successful. I work hard, like so many of my classmates, but I work until I’m proud of what I’ve done so I can put my best foot forward.” her has many beloved memories at Walker but the one’s she holds dearest are the ones she had in the Drama Department. She loved going everyday to work with a magnificent group of talented people who never failed to make her smile.

Uher does incredible work for the Drama Department backstage as Stage Manager.

Although the audience might not see her during the performance, her hard work on costumes, set, and other aspects shine on stage. She also enjoys being a part of the women’s a cappella group, the Barrettes, and show choir. She hopes to see herself one day working professionally as a stage manager in theatre or possibly on TV. Walker will miss her greatly in the Drama Department as well as in the classroom.

U

By Hensley Babb

Top Trends of 2014 and Before

ollowing fads and wanting to be accepted by others is a normal part of life. As the current seniors were just entering high school, there were plenty of fads and popular things that they should now be proud or ashamed of. In 2010, there were a few phenomena that swept the young crowd. These include Angry Birds and the ever so trendy “selfie.” With the release of the iPhone 4 in 2010 with the new front-facing camera, it made the selfie a very easy and acceptable thing to take. Its popularity is still rising and according to Ben Zigterman at BGR, a mobile and tech news site, it is estimated that there will be a total of 1 trillion selfies taken in 2014. Angry Birds is an app created by Rovio that was released on December 11, 2009. This app took over 2010 and made everyone into gamers. This app created games for different platforms, comics, television shows and even a movie. With all of those combined, there have been 2 billion copies sold.

2011

brought a sudden fascination with physical fads, like “planking” and “owling.” To those of you who are not familiar with planking, it is when you lie flat like a board in any place possible, like a field or against something abstract. When asked to comment, senior Logan Breton said, “I planked on a statue once, only to be told that it was sacred by a priest. Of course I am embarrassed to be a part of this fad because looking back, it was pointless.” Owling is when you get into a crouching position, get on something tall, and act like an owl. There’s not much to it. saw the rise of Instagram and the phrase “YOLO.” Instagram is a transformative photo and video sharing social network, but it’s also a place for people to put up pictures of their semi-interesting food choices. It was released in 2010, but it gained popularity by snagging over 100 million users as of April 2012. The phrase “YOLO,” standing for You Only Live Once, was

2012

brought on by the singer Drake in the Song “The Motto,” which was released in November of 2009. The phrase rapidly took over 2012, and one couldn’t go a few hours without someone yelling that phrase. It was inescapable. It meant that one should live life to its fullest, but it was misinterpreted as an excuse to do something stupid. , the final year of the fads in high school for the seniors (excluding 2014): A massive celebrity followed in 2013 was Miley Cyrus. Her drastic change was so appealing to us, that it made her into an even a bigger celebrity. Of course, with her she brought the famed twerking into the younger population, which is a hip thrusting, low squatting, and sexually provocative dance. Probably the most annoying and childish fad of 2013 was the song “The Fox” by Ylvis.

2013

By Hunter Robertson

12 Parting Words of Wisdom

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he end of the school year is approaching quickly, and the Class of 2014 is about to start an entirely new chapter in their lives. The senior class will be attending a variety of colleges throughout the United States. Despite the seniors’ different college choices, it is clear that they are all very excited. Graduating from high school is something that everyone will eventually have to face.

Even Walker’s current pre-school class of 2027 will have to face graduation some day. With that being said, here are a few parting words of wisdom from a few of the current seniors.

“Take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way, it has the potential to change your life. I found my career path in taking up class office: event planning,” said Jenny Hawk, one of eight lifers at Walker. In her fourteen year career at Walker, Hawk has become widely known around the community for her extensive school involvement and all-around friendly nature. Next year, Hawk will be attending Virginia Tech.

“I guess my best advice on getting through high school would be to make sure you have something that relaxes you and helps clear your mind. Once you’ve found that, do your best to make a little time to do the activity everyday. It does wonders for your overall mood, stress level, and concentration. As you can probably guess, my activity is running,” said Luke Lammert, a textbook Walker student. Apart from his impressive academics, Lammert is a gifted runner and a positive, friendly member of the Walker family. Next year, Lammert will be attending the University of Georgia Honors College.

“Be a leader on your team even if you don’t have the title of “captain,” people respond well to anybody that works hard. Being a leader doesn’t mean being the loudest, lead by example by showing up to practice on time and being a coachable player. And if you think you may want to play collegiate sports, dedicate yourself to everything you do to the next level. Dedicate yourself to the weight room especially, you could be a collegiate volleyball player or golfer but by having a good foundation of strength training, you are already miles ahead of many other athletes. Last thing is, surround yourself with supportive people and coaches, and never hesitate to ask anybody about any questions you have.” Michael Berk is a proud member of the Walker Community. Berk has shown a lot of school spirit throughout his Walker career, especially for the athletics. During his high school football career, Berk worked very hard both on and off the field to achieve the honor of playing college football. Next year, Berk will be attending Blinn College in Texas to play collegiate football.

By Alex Brack

Senior Tribute: Travis King

S

oon, we will say goodbye to the Class of 2014. This will be no easy task, especially when someone that you care about is going away. Every senior has contributed to Walker in their own way whether it’s in athletics or on the academic team; and every senior is going to be greatly missed. But, there is one senior who always puts forth one hundred percent in everything that he does, and that person is Travis King.

Travis is not only intelligent, incredibly dependable, and hardworking, but he’s also devoted. Whenever Travis’s name comes up, all anyone thinks is, “What are we going to do without him next year?” Travis contributes a great deal at Walker. Travis helps out with The Wolverine, and also with the Development Office, Communications Office, and the Fine Arts Department. When the heads of these departments were asked about Travis, they all had kind words to say.

Travis is one of the Editors-in-Chief of The Wolverine. This job requires a great deal of work. The Editors-in-Chief are in charge of evaluating each article written; as well as handling the layout and design of each issue. According to Kaitlyn Ranney, Journalism Advisor, Travis has helped The Wolverine make great strides this past year, by singled-handedly launching the online version of the newspaper at twswolverine.com. “Travis, keep doing great work. You’ve got an excellent head on your shoulders; so keep listening to it, striving for the best, and being you! We will all miss you so much, but are excited for the awesome things you’re going to do in life,” said Ranney.

Travis’s presence will be greatly missed not only in Journalism, but also in the Development Office. In the Development Office, Travis’s main job is to help with special events for parents and alumni. For these events he did everything from setup to advertising with online software. Director of Development Cathy LaClaire said, “Travis came during the summer and asked if he could intern with us, and I’m so glad we said yes. He did everything that we asked and he did such an amazing job that we asked him to stay after the summer was over. He has an incredible work ethic. He did whatever we needed him to, without question. He’s the type of person who comes in early and stays late. We have come to rely on him and we depend on him. He is capable of a lot more than we have given to him. And we will miss him dearly,” said LaClaire.

In the Fine Arts Department, Travis is the House Manger, which means he is in charge of selling of tickets, ushering patrons in front-of-house areas, and the maintenance and management of the theatre building itself. Travis also came up with the idea of online ticketing. On his own, Travis found Ticketleap and created a whole system for Walker.

“Travis is a polite, hardworking, and devoted student,” said Arjona.

“When I said yes, he instantly started looking for ways to make my job easier.

Every time I needed something done I would turn around to ask Travis and he would already be doing it; he was always one step ahead,” said Arjona.

Arjona never had to worry about the job getting done because Travis is good at communicating. Arjona said, “Parents were surprised that it was a senior in high school helping them whenever they had a problem with tickets.

This is because Travis is really good at customer service; he never made anyone feel like a problem was unsolvable.” Ajona’s parting advice for Travis is, “Never stop looking at how you can make things better, whether it is in your job, personal life, or college.”

Travis will attend Georgia Tech in the fall and plans to major in business with a minor in engineering. He aims to work in the airline industry after college.

By Hannah Manning

T

he Walker School has a strong student body ranging from pre-kindergarten to twelfth grade, but only a select few have faced the adventure of spending all 14 years at Walker. These students are called Lifers. This year’s graduating class has nine lifer students.

Each of them possesses a unique experience from their time at Walker.

Nine Seniors have spent 14 years of their lives at Walker, and they have several words of wisdom for underclassmen.

by Nehal Sanghi

O

nly a few Walker students knew about the Walker campus fourteen years ago. However, senior Lifers can precisely talk about what changes have happened in the years since. Senior Amitha Muthiah said, “The buildings have changed a lot since I first got here. Also just the size of the school in general has gotten a lot bigger.” The growth of Walker in past decade can accurately be expressed by Lifers.

“There’s a more diverse group of people now at Walker,” said another Lifer, senior Madison Prince. Apart from the campus expansion, the Lifers have involved themselves in every little change here at Walker. For all of them, Walker was an entirely different place than it is today.

A

ll these Lifers are regarded as notable students, experiencing the best of the Wonders Of Walker. Senior Jenny Hawk feels the best thing about Walker is “all of the traditions we have here and getting to experience them all one by one.” As they walk through the campus, each place holds a special memory for them. When asked about their favorite phase at Walker, individually everyone said high school. These Lifers cherish all the days spent here on campus.

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ith these Lifers’ journey soon coming to an end, each gives advice to the juniors from their Walker experience. Senior Yeoryia Papadopoulos said, “Juniors: love high school while you are here.” Prince advises all Walker students that, “Grades are the most important aspect, they will come back to bite you.” “The best advice I have for juniors is to make sure you have fun, school isn’t everything and life will go on,” said Muthiah. The guidance from Senior Lifers to other students is valuable.

Their presence at Walker will be missed after their graduation. Their lifelong dedication towards the school cannot be forgotten, and the community wishes them all the luck for their upcoming college life.