West staff and students bid farewell to the Class of 2014 ing to help but the community as a whole.” Beyond their accomplishments both acas Student Body President Chandler Dandemic and otherwise, the senior class has redeielson stepped up to the starting line of the fined West for the better, according to Perron. 2014 Hayley Hustle 5K, she looked around Perron said the Class of 2014 has shown promise at the friends and classmates who had gathered from the beginning, and they have lived up to it. early on a Saturday morning to raise money for “I’ve known the kids for such a long time, students with Muscular Dystrophy. since they were all in middle school. It’s been re Danielson was filled with pride as she ally fun to watch them grow up and turn into rethought back to her freshman year when, as class sponsible, productive adults,” Perron said. “They president, she had thought of the idea for the 5K, all have such great personalities, and they have an idea that only grew with the help and support such a willingness to make West a great place.” of her classmates. Now, with graduation only According to Rice, the senior class has been weeks away, she was about to run in the fourth able to make a difference through being inannual Hayley Hustle, an event that perfectly volved, and Perron agrees. represented the dedication and compassion of “As a freshman and a sophomore, I didn’t rethe senior class. ally get involved with anything, and I was pretty The Class of 2014 will graduate on June 13 at quiet, but as you start to find your place, as I 7:30 p.m., taking with them a found my place, within legacy of competition, determischool and everything, nation and love for their school. I’ve started to enjoy it I think that their In fact, Student Body Vice more, and I’ve been able to hard work, their President Matt Rice believes just dive in. It’s made the these attributes are what is best experience so much betperseverance, their about his class. ter,” Rice said. “I think the friendliness and “We go above and beyond best thing you can do is in the classroom. Everyone get involved.” their positivity is talks about how crazy competi Perron said that the what they’ll be tive we are, but we’re also dediseniors have been special cated to each other. Whenever from the time they were in remembered for. any of us has a problem, middle school, and their Suzanne Perron the class as a whole steps involvement has helped Spanish teacher up and helps out, especially make the high school a with the Hayley Hustle,” better place to learn. Rice said. “It has been so successful over these “West is a really positive place, and people four years, and it all started out with us backing genuinely enjoy being here. When people are each other up in the beginning and just continuhere, they have fun, and I think this group has ing with that support and compassion.” shown everybody that you can be smart, you The Class of 2014 has experienced great succan be respectful and you can be popular all at cesses in high school. From the large amount the same time,” Perron said. “Ever since these of scholarship money raised, to the number of kids were in middle school, people were saying students committed to collegiate athletics, to the they’re a special class, and they absolutely are.” diversity of the post-graduation plans, this senior Gap years, AmeriCorps, full-ride scholarships class has set a new standard for going above and and athletic signings are all post-graduation beyond, according to Spanish teacher Suzanne plans that set the Class of 2014 apart. However, Perron. Rice said his advice to underclassmen is to make Despite all these accomplishments, Rice, sure they leave their own mark. like many, believes that the Hayley Hustle is the “Make the school yours. Make it personal. class’s greatest achievement. The school is so much better when it is run by “We had a person in need. It grew from just students, and it’s more productive, too. Simply recognizing one person to helping our entire take over and make it yours,” Rice said. “Make community and spreading from Henderson sure the teachers still talk about you and make County to Transylvania and Buncombe counties, sure the other classes remember what you’ve too,” Rice said. “So it’s not just our class we’re try- done. Leave a legacy.”
by | Olivia Slagle
The little known truth about senioritis is that it begins in junior year. As senior friends pack their bags for the world, you are stuck in the daily grind of high school. With a full course load ahead of you, it seems like graduation can’t come quickly enough.
After three years of anticipation, senior year is here. Of course, you are looking at it with optimism. Hoping for a final GPA push, you decide to take five AP classes or maybe you are just looking forward to those seven teacher assistant periods. Who knows?
Kacie Bates Heidi Bishop Erik Elistratov Sami Fortain Kyle Gilliam Hannah Graham Bobby Hofland Nick Juhl Grace Levi Trent Roush Christopher Thomas Justin Woody Austin Morse Marianne Hoppe Sarah Littauer Tuesday Sinclair Madison Vaughn Cori Bain Grace Britnall Dustin Bryson Kaylee Campen Samantha Cantrell Shelby Dalton Makayla Haynes Patrick Martin Marty McCahon Brittany Price Jeffery Smith McKenzie Walsh
Shelby Barton Robert Decker Hunter Denney Stetson Erickson Denisse Hernandez
You realize how naive you were. You thought senior year was going to be crammed with exciting events and learning. However, really you are just stressed out and bored. As textbooks are issued and course requirements are passed out, the enormous workload hits you.
Urian Kyung Jacob Ray Maddie Tweed Stasia McMullen
Morgan Bouknight Peyton Elswick
Vicki Kuznetsov Hannah Shull
Sarah Freeman Jennie Battle Andrew Moore
Rachel Hyatt Savannah Bryan Tazmae Padilla Molly Evans Andrew Murray Connor Courtney
Gardner-Webb Austin Learo Kelly McNamara Cassidy Dale
12 | senior section | wingspan | june 2014
Mitchell McCrary Lara Bannister Storm Edwards Matthew Rice Evan Shook Michael Tang Anna Yarbrough Samantha Younger Alex Posey Natalie Ciaramitaro Joy Johnston Heather Levi Shelbi Pace Brianna Morris Suzanne English
Savanna Austin Reid Marsh J.P. Retamal Samantha Watkins Jesse Woodruff Jenna Sharrits Sierra Fender Shannon Miller Jonathan Perron C.J. Reguyal Melissa White Trevor Coe August Coggins Caroline Hauss Kevin Hayes Carter Holland Anne Ignizio Lauren Stepp Adam Witte Luke Earwood Emma Lyons Toni Ponsaing Natasha Popkin Chandler Danielson Jennifer Siske Jessie Williams
Patrick Brewer Nathan Conner
Emily Pruitt Hayley Morris
Payton Culler Austin Downing Joe Chapman Caroline Harrelson Josh VanWingerden Kaylee Allmond Katelyn Day Phillip Breland Jake Browning Graham Duncan Taylor Green Sammie Harris Danielle Hensley Blake Hill Daniel Hough Saige Kittel Morgan Martin Avery Morgan Taylor Neblett Josh Davis-Peterson Sydney Price Jordan Privette Maddy Reed Bryan Stott Sam Walker Tina Warren Chase Worley
College was seemingly exciting until you had to apply. At this point, you are choosing colleges based on whether or not they have a required essay. With over $200 in application fees and no light at the end of the tunnel, the hardships of senior year are definite.
Melany Perez Levi Drake Ian Tench Katie Welch Mileena Derden
Congrats! You are finally done with college applications. But do not worry, there are plenty of scholarships to apply for (and they are much worse). This is the moment where you wish you had spent more time at that animal shelter instead of eating Froyo last summer.
Chris Maggert Owen Power Dakota Stallings Jordan Davidson Chandler Hampton Jacob Harwood Jackie Antiveros Ben Finotti Katie Miller Heath Wines
With final GPA’s being dropped and class rank determined, this stage is the most chronic. At this point, sitting in The Ugly Mug sipping on a chai tea latte is much more appealing than taking a math test or staring at the walls of West. Good news is that graduation is in sight.
Wow, as much as you have wanted it to end for the past year of your life, you begin to sniffle over your experiences. You will miss the tobacco spit, the crackle of morning annoucements and, most of all, the friends and memories you have made during your time here.
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