The Wessex Wire Senior Edition 2020
The Student Newspaper of West Essex Regional High School www.thewessexwire.com
June 2020
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In the end, the good memories win out By Josie Berger As elementary school students, we looked up to the seniors who volunteered for Senior Service, thinking they were so old, and we believed senior year was a lifetime away. As graduation is approaching, I now realize how fast all these years flew by. It seems like just yesterday we were entering our first day of high school, hoping the seniors wouldn’t direct us to the pool or the second floor. Looking back at high school, I learned more lessons than just how to do school work. These four years were definitely filled with hard work, but that work led us all to where we needed to be.
Of course I learned the obvious such as time management skills, organization and study habits, but it was about more than that. Some of the most valuable things I learned came from outside of the classroom. I learned more about friendship than I could have ever imagined. Moving past all the freshman drama allows you to clearly see and appreciate your closest friends. I wouldn’t trade all the car rides, sleepovers and dinners for anything else. On top of friendship, I also learned not to take anything for granted. Although I might have learned this lesson a little late, missing the last few months of senior year allowed me to see the
importance of always jumping after opportunities and saying yes. It’s difficult to understand the importance and sentiment of the end of your senior year until it is taken away. And finally, I learned the little things don’t matter. Getting a bad grade on a test or having an argument with your friend aren’t what you’re going to remember from high school. It’s going to be the good: the excitement of getting your new schedule on moveup day, dressing up for color day and getting accepted into college. These lessons led us to where we are today, and these memories will always hold a special place in my life.
June 2020
The Wessex Wire: Senior Edition
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Congratulations to the Rammie Abdulaziz Yasmin Abreu Cardoso Monteiro Cunha Julia Adamowicz Matthew Adams Margaret Agajanov Eliana Albert Ahren Alberto Jason Albrecht Jackson Altemus Reem Aly William Amil Bria Anderson Francesca Apito Mary Arata Jacquelyn Artale Gianna Babboni Kevin Baker Lea Ballon Joseph Barbarito Amanda Barra Aidan Barrett Nicholas Barricella John Baskinger Joseph Baskinger Hannah Beattie Richard Behar Gabriella Benevenga Vito Benevenga Josie Berger Lindsay Bernstein Krushi Bhatnagar Jakub Blazon Kayla Blum Austin Blume Hannah Bonaguide Alexis Bramucci Samuel Brendel
Kiana Bronder Leah Buccino Samuel Burk Natalie Caine Gabriella Calise Giuliana Calix Lucia Campiglia Michael Cancemi Alexander Caramelli David Cardella Natalie Carnovale Christian Caronia Samuel Carsillo Xavier Castellano Salvatore Castelli Cristian Cataldo Victoria Catanzarite Samantha Cattano Jenna Chan Nicholas Ciaglia Michael Ciccone Jessica Coia Michael Colitti Natalia Colon Aidan Connolly Stefano Convertino Louis Coronato Ryan Coyle Matthew Crummy Delilah Cruz John Cunningham Lauren Czachor Nicolette D’Albo Frank D’Angelo Isabella D’Apuzzo Mateusz Dabek Michael Dasaro Isabella Data Joseph David
Devyn DeBellis Joseph DeCeglie Fernando DeGuzman Lara Del Vecchio James DeMichele Ryan Deuer Zachary DeVivo Alexa Devlin Joseph Di Bartolomeo Bianca Di Grezia Matthew Dominguez Michael Dontas Chloe Doolen Ryan Downey Thomas Drago Michael EastwoodCardoza Julia Echo Seth Eisenberger John Faloni Isabella Fasciani Carly Feldman Matthew Filippini Hailey Foti Michael Franchino Nicholas Frangione Samuel Friedman Lindsay Fusco Joseph Gagliano Walter Galarowicz Michael Garaffa Noah Garcia Bardhyl Gashi Grace Gates Michael Gemma Amelia Gendel Julia Gesell Maria Giangrande
Zachary Gilbert Tyler Goldberg Liam Golden Aaron Gonzalez Jordana Grey Amy Grunther Lauren Guerra Ryan Hamburger Nuala Hanley Juliana Hanna Marisa Hayek Konnor Helmstetter Rebeca Hernandez Christian Hiel Aiden Hobson Emily Holleuffer Robin Hu Dylan Huff Sophia Hug Melissa Hulley Jaclyn Hyams Laurel Israel Lorenzo Jandoli Sean Jenison Alexander Jones Darren Jones Caitlin Katz Gabrielle Kesh Cameron Kinsella Jacob Klaff Evie Klein Rebecca Klein Laura Knodel Julia Kurdusiewicz Joseph Lachenauer Ava Laglia Russell Lanzl Ryan LaPare Christopher LaSusa
Amy Lee Alexandra Leitao Christopher Lembo Jacob Levine Alexa Liggieri Armand Liloia Aldina Ljesnjanin Tyler Logan Dominic Lombardi Sebastian Lombardo Mia Lonergan Daniel Lucero Michael Macrino Christopher Maestoso Nicolas Maffucci Vincent Maffucci Victoria Maisto Matthew Malloy Carsen Mansfield Gabriella Marotta Xavier Marrero Korinne Marsh Joseph Masini Anna Matarazzo Joseph Matarazzo Marissa Matus Alexander Maxwell Vito Mielnicki Rainbow Mignone Matthew Miller Joshua Mirabella Julianna Mirabile Andrew Mongiello Justin Morera Chase Morrone Caroline Murnane Dylan Murphy Catherine Namyotov
The Wessex Wire: Senior Edition
June 2020
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Class of 2020! Vincent Negri Tanner Newby Sidan Ngo Zoe Offir Serhat Okdemir Sofia Pastena Liliana Patracuolla Zachary Pawlowski Anthony Penna James Perrone Marianna Picillo Abbey Pierce Nyla Pina Karabashev Benfer Pineda Julianna Pravata Julia Proven Rachel Quinn Marco Reali Hannah Rhodes Michael Rodriguez Daniel Rojas Dominick Romano Julia Rubenstein Vincent Rubino Mark Ruffer Douglas Russo Julianna Russo Christopher Ryan Keiley Ryan Michael Sabato Riese Salan Josephine Salluce Stephanie Salvanto Melinna Sanchez Stephanie Sangillo Henry Sanok Christopher Santana Angelina Scalici
Brooke Schatz Keith Schuchard Danielle Schwartz Anna Schwarz Grayson Secoy Hafsa Seddiki Dominic Sedicino Hayley Sek Mia Servidio Jorgie Shimokawa Amanda Sierra Gianna Silletti Brian Silva Nea Simmons Jason Sisco Eyup Sivrikaya Hannah Skelton Anthony Slekis Tara Smith Isabel Soloninkin Nicholas Stampone Jack Steer Andie Steinberg Dana Stelter Gemma Stille Christian Styskal Samuel Suckow Emily Suhey Jenifer Szuba Matthew Tabatneck Ashley Thomas Liam Thornbury Hennessy Torres Dominick Torrioni William Travisano Julia Trombino Steven Truong Olivia Vallee Dominique Venditti
Thomas Viola Ryan Vitiello Mengyi Wang Mengzhou Wang Michael Weisberg Grace Weiss Jordyn White Danielle Williams Simone Winkler Jack Wohlgemuth Gillian Wolf Kyle Wolfberg Christopher Writt Helen Zhao Noah Zinn Ashley Zisa Samantha Zisa Nicholas Zoppi Edin Zuberi
Shoutouts to senior Wessex Wire staff! Josie Berger Giuliana Calix Cristian Cataldo Jessica Coia Lara Del Vecchio Michael Franchino Gabrielle Kesh Chase Morrone Angelina Scalici Danielle Schwartz ...stay rad. /H
Looking back at four years of life and growing up By Gabrielle Kesh As a timid freshman, I was placed in a studio art class packed with rowdy seniors. I remember my first day walking in, immediately feeling completely out of place and so little as all the seniors towered over me. Too afraid to ever speak to them, I listened everyday as they discussed their upcoming activities and envied their year of fun. At the time my senior year seemed a lifetime away, but four years later, as I am weeks away from graduating (or receiving a virtual diploma) I truly can not believe how quickly time has passed. Not only did I mature physically—developing a slightly better fashion sense and growing a whole foot taller—but I developed a sense of confidence in myself and set goals that I was able to achieve. I spent four years on the tennis team, challenging myself every season to move up the ladder and become a stronger player. I joined the newspaper freshman year thinking it would be a fun activity and ended up becoming the paper’s managing editor and “Does it Bother You” columnist. I worked very diligently in my classes, earning high honor roll at the end of every year and earning a spot in four national honor societies. I got into college (Lehigh University, my No. 1 choice!) where I am incredibly excited to take the next steps in my life. While I am proud of these accomplishments, my high school experience has been much more than what I put on my college resume. I made new friends, underclassmen and upperclassmen, who helped me get through some of my worst school days. I bonded with teachers who taught me more than just the curriculum I needed to know, but about life and decision making. I took classes that I hated, classes that I loved and classes that challenged my preexisting beliefs. I quickly realized that people don’t like you when you’re a tryhard and are the first one to finish an assignment but that they really like you when it’s 11 p.m. and you help them with the homework they didn’t even start. Most important, I learned to always be yourself, despite what anyone tells you to be. Due to the unfortunate circumstances that have stolen our last three months, not just from school but from each other, I have had a lot of time to reflect on what I could have done differently. I could have gone to that football game on Friday night when I said it was too cold and I wasn’t feeling well. I could have attended the club meeting I skipped because I didn’t feel like going. I could have hung out with my friends instead of choosing a night with my family (who knew I’d have so many). I can remember the “could haves” all I want, but what is more important is the memories I have been lucky enough to have experienced over the past 3 and a half years. Every drive to school, conversation at lunch, time I spoke in class, test grade I was proud of, walk in the hallway with my friend, while seemingly trivial, all helped form my great high school experience. No one’s high school experience is perfect, and mine certainly wasn’t an exception, but I can definitely say it was a time I won’t forget. I am sad to leave such a huge part of my life behind, but I am even more excited for what’s to come. It’s time to be a freshman again, and hopefully the seniors at college will be less intimidating.
June 2020
The Wessex Wire: Senior Edition
Let friends know you care, be kind to yourself, and love your chromie By Danielle Schwartz Dear freshman self,
Where did the last four years go? It feels like just yesterday you were a freshman overwhelmed by the 800 wing traffic, frantically trying to find your math classroom (hint: not in the 800s.) Now you are a senior graduating from West Essex. High school was full of fun adventures with friends, long nights studying, school spirit, occasionally wishing time would fly by faster and eventually realizing the importance of living in the moment and cherishing each day because, as the Class of 2020 can attest, you don’t know which will be your last together. So to help, here are 10 pieces of advice to help you navigate your West Essex journey in the coming years: 10. There’s no pool on the second floor. If you believe this, consider going back to middle school. 9. Love your chromie. You are breaking up soon. 8. Return your textbooks! You don’t want to find yourself four years later with a ninth grade Adventures in Reading textbook on your hands. 7. Don’t stress the small stuff. There’s no use crying over one failed test or one bad tennis match. Learn from your mistakes and most importantly, don’t be discouraged by small failures. The bumps in the road make you stronger. 6. Go to more football games! Even if it’s a Thursday night and you have a huge test Friday morning, go enjoy the West Essex spirit. Trust me, when it’s all over and you look back, you won’t remember that test, but you will remember painting your face red and cheering on the team with your friends. . 5. Don’t take for granted Damion Macioci’s dance moves. It’s not every day you will get to see him lip syncing to The Black Eyed Peas. 4. Be kind to yourself. Every once in a while take a step back and appreciate how hard you are working and how much you are balancing. Take the time to acknowledge your small successes.
3. Everything will work out. Especially when it comes to college applications and decisions, it seems impossible to sit still and let things fall into place. Everything happens for a reason and despite how stressful it may seem, you will end up where you are meant to be. 2. Let your friends know how much you love them. The Camaraderie and bonds made with friends who experienced high school with you are intangible. Even when you part ways for college, these will be the people who molded you into the person you are. 1. Live in the moment. As a freshman, it may feel like you have an infinite amount of high school days ahead of you and you may find yourself at times wishing those days away. By the time you are a senior, you will come to realize those days are limited. There are only so many cafeteria lunches left, only so many hallway meetups with friends left, only so many sprints to the senior parking lot left. Enjoy the time you have, and make the most of every opportunity. Sincerely, Senior self
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