Seniors gear up for graduation

This year has certainly come with its fair share of unexpected surprises, from the endless fire drills to the decaying aroma of cow manure wafting across campus to the awesome dance competitions at spirit day rallies, River Valley High School has had something for everyone.

With only a few weeks left until the end of school, summer vacation is looming on the minds of students and teachers alike. But for class of 2010, summer vacation is much more than an intermission away from school; it symbolizes a rite of passage into adulthood. With only final examinations left and the graduation ceremony, the seniors are finishing up their preparations for life after high school and saying their last good-byes.

All across campus, the seniors have been gearing up for graduation. Yearbook orders have been issued, class rings were delivered and the senior trip to Six Flags has already been bought and paid for. Amid the euphoria for self-independence, a few students are indifferent toward the entire state of affairs.

Jessica Tramell, a senior, is one of them. "I am both excited and sad at the same time. The worst part (about graduation) is being apart from my friends and seeing them less." Like her, other seniors are reluctant to put their high school years behind them.

What's more, the seniors have been passing around a questionnaire to select individuals who possess unique and memorable characteristics. If a person who is chosen receives a plurality of the votes, he or she will be given the title for that trait. The selections range from worst driver to biggest party animal to most changed since freshman year. Others are for laughs and giggles, such as most likely to do anything for $20 and most likely to drive a teacher to early retirement.

There also is a section where the seniors can vote for their favorite teachers in the following categories: most likely to bail you out of jail, most likely to be a secret agent and most likely to throw a pencil at you. There are a few others, too. However, I can honestly speak for the senior class when I say that these results are going to be priceless.

Although their futures are not yet set in stone, the majority of the senior class have a general idea about what they plan to do following graduation. Senior Brendan Mallory said, "I am not going to college for the time being, seeing as I joined the Air Force, but I will, eventually."

And whether their plans entail going to college, joining the military or traveling to a foreign country, the seniors have thought long and hard about their decisions and have committed themselves to them.

Aizell Kittles is a senior at River Valley High School. This is his final column for the Education section.