Seniors, congratulation.
After years of testing – standardized and not – plus four years of classwork, innumerable late study sessions, and the slow descent into hell that is the college application process, you are done. We can all embrace stress-free school and the revolutionary concept of free time – on weekdays!
However, seniors, keep one thing in mind. We are not the only ones.
Just as we celebrate the culmination of four years of dedication by parading through hallways, acting indifferent in as many differents situations as is reasonable, and relaxing shoulders tensed previously expecting the next pop quiz, juniors are embarking on the path to standardized testing glory, sophomores are grinding through their classes, and freshman are (probably) still a little confused. While it’s understandably difficult – perhaps even unreasonable – to maintain a detached, overhead perspective of high school at this point, it’s our duty as elders (compared to other students) in the LAHS hierarchy to maintain at the very least a facade of interest. Which leads to my last point.
Seniors, I call on you to attempt something which usually appears only as fleeting triumphs in teacher dreams – learning by choice.
If it’s not already apparent, the “senior project,” that amorphous assignment we all want to dread, is actually one of the best opportunities in high school. For the first time, true freedom – both in topic choice and project development – accompany our academic endeavors, and to waste such promise in the name of intellectual revolt is a grave mistake. We have the wisdom of four years of high school experience, but here, the advantages of detailed quote analysis or applications of mathematical formulas is nullified. This is fresh ground, new territory, and an exploration not to be regarded as typical monotony. Use second semester, seniors, to try that last activity or learn that last skill that never fit in amidst school commitments and incessant homework assignments. The golden chance to discover something incredible – manifests itself in the senior project, and for that reason I hope it becomes your semester highlight. Except dodgeball. Four years has taught us never to forget dodgeball.
