What do area high school seniors think about their time in school as they prepare for graduation? Read their opinions, plans and dreams in our senior spotlights. Seniors featured this year include:
Granville seniors: Laura Arnhold, Nicole Arnhold, Emmalena Breault, Alexis Dunbar, Quinlan Fitzpatrick, Ross Holland, Bailey Phillips, Matthew Pietryrka, Emily Powers, Dezi Sumner, Joshua Taylor, Alexa Weaver and Kayla Welner.
Hartford seniors: Emmaline Barker, Samantha Cooper, Madelyn Durkee, Isabella French, Cole Gauthier, James Lavin, Gabrielle McFarren, Hannah Mitchell, Karlee Nims and Ethan Parker.
Whitehall seniors: Kamryn Baldwin, Tristan Briggs-Little, Ethan Eggleston, Ethan Farley, Dory Gosselin, Alexis MacLeod, Brooke Martel, Chloe Sprague, Leaha VanGuilder and Olivia Whiting.
Granville Central School
Ross Holland
What did you enjoy most about the Myers Center? They didn’t give us homework.
What will you miss most? The people in the school were always nice, and it made school enjoyable.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? My counselor, Mrs. Lora Johnson, because she always cared.
What was your most memorable moment? Meeting my friends for the first time.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? I love to play video games and help my family fix race cars.
What are your career plans after graduation? I want to go to college for welding or nursing, but first I want to work and save money.
Who is your role model? Why? No one. How else do you find yourself?
What is the biggest problem facing your generation? The things people do in our world; it normally creates problems.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Being in college or just getting ready to start new chapter.
What do you leave to the underclassmen? All my fun memories I created there. Do the same, make memories. It makes school go by faster.
Ross Holland’s school activities: Football 9th, 10th; BOCES Auto Body 11th, 12th; Wrestling 9th
Laura Arnhold
What did you enjoy about GCS? I enjoyed walking into school and getting a breakfast that had apple juice. It really made my day.
What will you miss most? I will miss the seasoned pasta more than anything. It’s my favorite lunch.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? Mrs. Monroe would have to be my favorite. Her room is always open and welcome to everyone. She always makes my day brighter and has the best advice to give.
What was your most memorable moment? Hands down prom in my junior year, 2021. It was so much fun!
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? During my spare time I enjoy participating in way too many sports and clubs.
What are your career plans after graduation? After graduation I plan on going to college but I’m not sure for what yet.
Who is your role model? Why? My role model will forever be my mom. My mom has always been my biggest supporter, she guided me through everything and is my rock. I don’t know what I’d do without her. I strive to be the strong woman she’s always been.
What is the biggest problem facing your generation? The biggest problem for this generation has to be phones. They’re a distraction for so many students, including myself.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? In 10 years I see myself thriving with a great job and a beautiful family somewhere far, far away from snow.
What do you leave to the underclassmen? Underclassmen, I leave you the ability to do everything. You only live once. Inspire yourself and others.
Nicole Arnhold
What did you enjoy about GCS? As a student who has been at GCS since the beginning, the one thing I always enjoyed is how all my teachers remember me. No matter how old I get or how much I change they never fail to recognize me.
What will you miss most? I’m really going to miss Mrs. Monroe’s art room and not being there for multiple periods a day.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? I can’t say I have a favorite teacher; almost all of the teachers I have had stand out for different reasons.
What was your most memorable moment? My most memorable moment would have to be having to get my appendix removed and then going to school the next day just to have everyone call me crazy . . . it happens.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? I enjoy relaxing in the small amount of free time I have. But if I’m not relaxing I’m hanging out with my friends.
What are your career plans after graduation? After graduation I will be attending Ripon College in Wisconsin. At Ripon, I will be running track and studying a form of business management.
Who is your role model? Why? My mom is my biggest role model. She has cheered me on every step of the way, and picked me up when I’m down. Without her my life wouldn’t be as good as it is.
What is the biggest problem facing your generation? There are many problems our generation faces, but I’m not going to go into detail.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? I see myself somewhere far, far away from Granville, living close to Laura with my own little family.
What do you leave to the underclassmen? I leave the mindset to continue working hard with everything you do. No matter how tough school or sports get, push through and finish strong.
Emmalena Breault
What did you enjoy about GCS? The relationships that I can easily make with certain teachers.
What will you miss most? Sports.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? Mrs. Hackett, she actually tries to understand students as their own person.
What was your most memorable moment? Pep rallies.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? Listening to music and drawing.
What are your career plans after graduation? Going to college to be a counselor for little kids.
Who is your role model? Why? My grandma; she never took her priorities lightly.
What is the biggest problem facing your generation? Everyone is too focused on how others view them rather than how they view themselves.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? With a job, family, and house.
What do you leave to the underclassmen? Driving teachers crazy by asking to use the bathroom!
Alexis Dunbar
What did you enjoy about GCS? I really enjoyed the relationships I was able to build with my peers and teachers.
What will you miss most? The grilled cheese and tomato soup from the cafeteria.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? Mr. Finn, he always made me laugh.
What was your most memorable moment? Probably my first Spirit Night, playing tug of war and hearing each grade screaming and rooting for their classmates.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? Shopping and hanging out with my family.
What are your career plans after graduation? I would like to go to a four-year college and then go to medical school and become a doctor.
Who is your role model? Why? My sister Erin, because she has taught me everything in life from being strong and independent to being confident and loving who I am. She has made me see that with hard work and dedication I can make my dreams come true.
What is the biggest problem facing your generation? Climate change and the fact that a lot of people in my generation don’t care about the effect we have on our planet.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? In residency and on the path to becoming a doctor.
What do you leave to the underclassmen? The confidence and strength to succeed.
Quinlan Fitzpatrick
What did you enjoy about GCS? I enjoyed the school spirit that every student had, regardless if they played sports or not.
What will you miss most? I will miss how nice the teachers were and how helpful everyone was.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? My favorite teacher was Mr. Duers. He taught me how to write the way I do now along with teaching me the necessary work ethic to succeed in my future career.
What was your most memorable moment? My most memorable moment was when I achieved the gold weightlifting level for the weight room.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? I love to play music with my guitar. I enjoy listening and playing music of my choice.
What are your career plans after graduation? I want to start rental properties by buying a duplex and renting one side.
Who is your role model? Why? My role model is Aaron Lewis. His music has inspired me to love playing the guitar.
What is the biggest problem facing your generation? The biggest problem facing my generation is the lack of work ethic. People simply do not want to work.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? I see myself with a steady job where I make good money, along with having a fun life.
What do you leave to the underclassmen? I leave high standards for sports, especially track and field. I raised the bar for what people should accomplish.
Bailey Phillips
What did you enjoy about GCS? I have enjoyed the bonds I built with many of my teachers over the years I attended Granville. I also enjoyed the challenge the district provided for me by offering many college-level courses.
What will you miss most? I will miss all the time I spent in Mr. Hardin’s room. All the funny conversations, early mornings and late nights were the highlight of my time at Granville.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? I have made close connections with almost all of my teachers, it is very hard to choose just one. Some of the best conversations I have had would most definitely be with Mr. Finn or Mrs. Monroe, but Mr. Cosey and Mrs. Bromley were my go-tos for knowledgeable and reasonable advice. Most importantly, cracking fun jokes with Mr. Hardin will never be forgotten. I also would like to say thank you to Mrs. Bishop for making elementary school memorable.
What was your most memorable moment? My most memorable moment would most likely be when I moved to Granville halfway through my fourth-grade year. Everyone was very nice to me, I was able to make friends and have this new place feel like home.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? I enjoy spending my time with my friends, family and pets in my spare time.
What are your career plans after graduation? I currently do not have a career plan, I am planning to attend college and build from there.
Who is your role model? Why? I have many role models, but throughout high school I continued to always look to the class ahead of me. It has been hard this year, being the oldest in the school.
What is the biggest problem facing your generation? A problem I find most evident is the lack of energy in my generation. I find it frustrating watching my peers refuse to do the bare minimum in school when I know their true potential.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? I see myself moving into my new home pursuing a career I love.
What do you leave to the underclassmen? I leave my organization and determination to any students who may need it to get through their high school careers.
Matthew Pietryka
What did you enjoy about GCS? I had no idea what was going to happen with every school day.
What will you miss most? The science teachers. Experimenting was probably one of my favorite school activities, as well as band.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? Mrs. Stout. Sometimes teachers struggle with transitioning from being friendly to strict, so they usually act too friendly, too strict or worst of all it feels like I’m flipping a coin and guessing which side I’m going to see. Mrs. Stout is the nicest teacher I’ve probably ever met, but when she notices that someone is slacking in a section, she can go straight to being firm with them without it feeling sporadic.
What was your most memorable moment? Always when I exceed expectations of others, whether it was exceeding my peers’ or my teachers’ expectations.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? Skiing, running, playing video games, board games and hanging out with my friends.
What are your career plans after graduation? Either being a good financier or world domination.
Who is your role model? Why? Severus Snape, it doesn’t matter how evil you may appear, or whether you act like a villain. As long as you have a good heart, in the end of it all, you can become everyone’s hero.
What is the biggest problem facing your generation? Got none, it’s my generation that has to watch out for me.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Well-off and probably a normal life with a few hiccups here and there.
What do you leave to the underclassmen? Always respect your teacher.
Emily Powers
What did you enjoy about GCS? I have always enjoyed the sense of school spirit and the amazing staff at the high school. Spirit nights are something that will stick with me. The teachers and staff here are also some of the kindest people I have met.
What will you miss most? I will miss spending every day with my friends. I am so thankful for the time I have spent with my close friends, and I know that not being around them will be very difficult. I will also miss the amazing staff that has been so supportive of me and other students throughout my years here.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? My favorite teachers are Mrs. Ward and Mrs. Chiverton. They both have helped me to realize what I wanted to do after high school. Both women took time to support me during hard times, and I am very thankful for that. They helped to shape me into the strong woman I am today.
What was your most memorable moment? My most memorable moments are definitely the times I spent in the Drama Club with Mr. Marsfelder and my cast members. Another memorable moment was when I tripped and rolled all the way down the bleachers and landed face up on the floor.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? In my spare time I like to do arts and crafts as well as participate in musical theater.
What are your career plans after graduation? I plan to study for my masters in English education at SUNY Plattsburgh and then find work as an English teacher.
Who is your role model? Why? My mom. She is a very independent lady.
What is the biggest problem facing your generation? I think the biggest challenge facing my generation is a lack of empathy and an unwillingness to change. Granville is in an area that is very resistant to progress. I hope that we can develop a more open mind and make some progress for the world as a whole.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? I see myself working as a teacher, helping to shape the next generation into strong and kind individuals. I hope to be enjoying my job and life with my family and dogs.
Dezi Sumner
What did you enjoy about GCS? I enjoyed playing volleyball for Granville.
What will you miss most? I will miss a lot of teachers in this school.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? My favorite teacher is Mrs. Cahan. She is a very easygoing teacher who cares about the students’ work, as well as their mental, emotional and physical wellbeing. She is the kind of teacher to be a good friend after graduating and still be in touch with you to make sure you’re still doing good in life.
What was your most memorable moment? My most memorable moment would have to be the seniors coming together as one group to clean up our community and entertaining the Holbrook residents while making it fun for everyone.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? In my spare time, I play volleyball, work, attend other sporting events and prepare for my college career.
What are your career plans after graduation? I plan on going to college for physical education and coaching, to hopefully come back to Granville High School to coach volleyball.
Who is your role model? Why? My role model is Mr. Poucher. Everyone looks up to him with a lot of respect. He’s been our vice principal since we got to this school and has practically raised us to be the people we are today. He knows us the most and has had all of our grade’s problems on his shoulders and has also dealt with them. He stuck around with us and has every bit of respect from me for sticking with us.
What is the biggest problem facing your generation? My biggest problem facing my generation is determination and motivation. Most of the people in our generation lack motivation. We get it done but we don’t have the same drive and ultimatum as some older generations may have had.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? I see myself being an occupational therapist or even a sport physical therapist as well as coaching volleyball teams.
What do you leave to the underclassmen? I leave the underclassmen the possible experiences of being a senior that we seniors for the past few years missed out on due to Covid.
Josh Taylor
What did you enjoy about GCS? Granville is a small school that has plenty of character, and the teachers here exceed the ordinary standards. The amount of work that occurs within the school to make it better for the students’ education and overall satisfaction.
What will you miss most? The staff and the teachers. The amount of character these people have and just their life experiences make them enjoyable to be around.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? My favorite teacher is a difficult question to answer. There are many who compete for my favorite. The honesty of Mr. Lambert, the joyful Mrs. Becker, the clever Mr. Burton or even the entertaining Mr. Finn. Then some of the newer teachers like Tewksbury who also compete. There are far too many to give one answer.
What was your most memorable moment? My most memorable moment would have to be the debate on the best president. It was fun to research and then argue for the best president. It was interesting and a challenge to speak in front of others to make a compelling argument while also playing for the defense.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? I enjoy a variety of hobbies such as gaming, audio mixing, drawing and reading. I also enjoy spending time with others whether it’s an activity or just talking.
What are your career plans after graduation? I will attend college and hope to pursue a career in toxicology while also working in my local church as needed.
Who is your role model? Why? My role model is Joshua from the Bible. His willingness to serve no matter the outlook and he served with honor. I want to be remembered as a person who did as God had instructed them.
What is the biggest problem facing your generation? The largest problem facing this generation is technology, while it may be a gift it provides a myriad of distractions from doing work.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? I see myself working in school pursuing a PhD or working in a laboratory to achieve my goal. Then working in a church setting either doing sound equipment or something else.
What do you leave to the underclassmen? I leave my dedication and my ethics to someone who may understand like myself that dedication to school and everything that you do is important.
Alexa Weaver
What did you enjoy about GCS? The close relationships between teachers and students and how comfortable I felt with the teachers.
What will you miss most? All of my underclassmen friends and the teachers who have seen me through every single phase (which is rough for them . . . if you’re reading this, sorry you had to see that).
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? Mr. Moore because he was such a fun, memorable teacher and even in the heart of quarantine, he made sure chemistry was still fun to learn from home. I truly missed having him around these past two years.
What was your most memorable moment? The Lake Placid band trip with Mrs. Stout.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? Living in the band room and chatting with Mrs. Stout (and maybe playing clarinet a bit if I feel like actually being productive).
What are your career plans after graduation? Go to college to study music education and hopefully end up somewhere big and different than Granville.
Who is your role model? Why? For my career, definitely Mrs. Stout because I aspire to be a band teacher as amazing as she is. In life as a whole, I look up to both my grandmother and my mom. They are both some of the most wonderful, hard-working women and I have always wanted to be like them.
What is the biggest problem facing your generation? Our generation struggles with having no motivation and a lack of respect. It hurts to watch and admit, but it is true. I hope that gets better moving forward.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Happily teaching a high school band class far away from Granville.
What do you leave to the underclassmen? I leave behind my poorly timed jokes that only Mr. Finn finds funny, and my ability to be fashionably late to every event ever (Sorry, Mr. Hardin). I also left some other things, but those are a surprise for later . . .
Kayla Welner
What did you enjoy about GCS? Sports.
What will you miss most? Bothering my favorite teachers.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? Mr. Finn because he has a good personality.
What was your most memorable moment? Participating in spirit weeks.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? Working.
What are your career plans after graduation? College.
Who is your role model? Why? My Nana because she is very strong and caring.
What is the biggest problem facing your generation? Everyone is too focused on others’ opinions rather than themselves.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Working or college.
What do you leave to the underclassmen? Homework.
Hartford Central School
Emmaline Barker
What did you enjoy about HCS? The friends I made along the way.
What will you miss most? The tight-knit community within my school.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? Mr. Farley because he helped ease the transition from in-school to online learning during the first part of the pandemic and made us feel good about ourselves and our abilities.
What are your career plans after graduation? I plan to go to SUNY Adirondack for a degree in nursing.
Who is your role model? Why? My dad is my role model because he showed me how to help better my community.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? As an officer in the Army.
Samantha Cooper
What did you enjoy about HCS? The laid back-ness of most of its teachers and the sense of community that comes with such a small school.
What will you miss most? The students in the younger grades and getting to talk to them, teach them and listen to their separate experiences.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? My top two have to be Mrs. Cawrse/Bean and Ms. Hall. Cawrse is always awesome and fun to talk to, she also has helped me a lot with my art progression and college journey so far. Hall is also very awesome, laid-back, easy to chat with and nice to work with. She really helps her students understand math, and I’m not sure if I could’ve figured out the class without her!
What was your most memorable moment? Probably the games and acting exercises we used to do in Tanager Voices/Drama Club. They were always fun and reinforced my love of acting.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? I enjoy drawing as my major hobby, but I also have a passion for reading and writing.
What are your career plans after graduation? A graphic designer – be it for advertising, movies, animated shows or wherever else my skills could be applied after I’ve graduated college.
Who is your role model? Why? Rebecca Sugar. She worked as an animator at Cartoon Network working on “Adventure Time” and went on to create her own very popular show with two series and a movie. She showed me that any normal person can work their way up and get their ideas on the big screen. Rebecca Sugar is just a normal person who managed to make a story she wrote a reality, and I really admire that.
What is the biggest problem facing your generation? The inability for one average job to sustain a single person. Many people nowadays can’t survive on minimum wage, and it’s not changing. This could cause a spiral in 5-10 years when people can’t support themselves or children so the next generation is cut short and this generation isn’t able to live a life they’re happy with. This problem is already occurring and doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Hopefully living in a nice apartment with a cat or two and a good work/life balance.
What do you leave to the underclassmen? I leave a good luck message written on a postcard.
Madelyn Durkee
What did you enjoy about HCS? When I got pushed into the bleachers in gym during broom ball and got a concussion in 6th grade, Logan cutting my heel open on the door in 5th grade, Cody broke my hand in 5th grade during soccer season not even at my game, and that was the moment I realized I shouldn’t play sports.
What will you miss most? I will miss annoying Mr. Flower and all of Ms. Stewart’s classes and can’t forget about Mrs. Cawrse’s art classes.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? Mr. Flower and Ms. Stewart. They are always willing to help students and take extra time to do anything they are stuck on.
What was your most memorable moment? Leaving school half the day and meeting my friend group at Stewart’s for lunch.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? I enjoy working, hanging out with friends and tanning, of course.
What are your career plans after graduation? Continue working at Merrell as a keyholder and then in the near future pursue being a flight attendant.
Who is your role model? Why? My parents because they always wanted me to be the best I can and always succeed in everything I try. They always work hard to support me and my brother.
What is the biggest problem facing your generation? Half of them don’t want to work and they are lazy and don’t have a drive for it.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Being a flight attendant traveling the world and hopefully living on the beach somewhere.
What do you leave to the underclassmen? I leave the underclassmen.
Isabella French
What did you enjoy about HCS? I enjoy the atmosphere and being able to know everyone.
What will you miss most? I will miss playing high school sports.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? I have many favorite teachers, but I would say Mr. Flower. He is always happy and bright. I can always go to him to talk about anything and he doesn’t judge.
What was your most memorable moment? My most memorable moment was when my basketball team went to states for the first time in Hartford history.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? I enjoy hanging outside with my family and pets.
What are your career plans after graduation? I plan on going to college for criminal justice after graduation.
Who is your role model? Why? My role model is my dad because he’s helped me through so many obstacles in life. He’s helped me to always push for my dreams.
What is the biggest problem facing your generation? The biggest problem in my generation is work ethic.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? I see myself being successful in my career and having a family of my own.
What do you leave to the underclassmen? I leave them the willingness and ability to chase their dreams.
Cole Gauthier
What did you enjoy about HCS? Hanging out with my friends.
What will you miss most? Teachers and some of the younger kids.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? Stewart and Flower: They’re chill.
What was your most memorable moment? Senior night basketball my senior year ballin’ with the boys.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? Hanging out with friends and working.
What are your career plans after graduation? Go to college hopefully learn something make some money and do my dream job.
Who is your role model? Why? Mike Mahaney living my dream.
What is the biggest problem facing your generation? Being sensitive.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Working hard to make a lot of money and do my dream job.
What do you leave to the underclassmen? Work hard but enjoy and chill at the same time.
James Lavin
What did you enjoy about HCS? I enjoyed spending time with friends and enjoying sports.
What will you miss most? Sports.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? Mrs. Capone because I would go up to her classroom almost every day and talk.
What was your most memorable moment? My sophomore year when we played Argyle in basketball and it was the senior game. We whooped them that game.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? Watching sports and hanging out with friends.
What are your career plans after graduation? Find a decent job and go to college.
Who is your role model? Why? My parents because they never stop working to provide for me and my sister and they never fail to show appreciation for the ones they care about.
What is the biggest problem facing your generation? Technology. It’s a blessing and a curse because my generation is always on their phones or playing video games rather than spending family time or enjoying the free things in life.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Hopefully living comfortably.
Gabrielle McFarren
What did you enjoy about HCS? Sports.
What will you miss most? Basketball.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? Ms. Stewart and Mrs. Cawrse. They are very motivating and they help when you need it.
What was your most memorable moment? Going to the final four in basketball.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? Working on the farm and off-season workouts.
What are your career plans after graduation? Going to college to become a vet tech.
Who is your role model? Why? My dad he is my hero. He always taught me to be myself and stick up for myself. He’s not here but he reminds me every day I’m loved.
What is the biggest problem facing your generation? Political views the society sides and drugs and alcohol that they think is amazing when it’s not.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Successful with a family.
What do you leave to the underclassmen? Motivation.
Hannah Mitchell
What did you enjoy about HCS? I enjoyed the many friendships and memories I’ve made throughout the years.
What will you miss most? I will miss not seeing most of my friends every day.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? My favorite teacher is Mrs. Dougher. She is my favorite because she has been like a second mother to me. She is someone I can always go to when I need to talk about things, and she is someone who always pushes me to be my best.
What was your most memorable moment? Prom 2021.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? I enjoy dancing and hanging out with my friends.
What are your career plans after graduation? I plan to go to SUNY Oneonta for education to become a surgical PA.
Who is your role model? Why? My mom Cynthia Mitchell is my role model because she always has taught me how to be successful while still being selfless and caring for others.
What is the biggest problem facing your generation? I think the biggest problem our generation is facing is the hate and judgment in the world.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? I see myself working in a hospital as a PA and starting a family.
What do you leave to the underclassmen? I leave the fun memories that are soon to come throughout your school years.
Karlee Nims
What did you enjoy about HCS? I enjoyed the sports teams and the energy that they gave me, also the atmosphere of the whole school and being able to talk to anyone and knowing everyone.
What will you miss most? My sports teams and coaches. They helped me have the motivation to get through school and the sports, and the coaching made me into who I am today.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? I have many different teachers who have made an impact on me, but one teacher who has helped me a lot throughout my high school years was Ms. Hall or now Mrs. Parker. She would not only help me through things with school but in all parts of my life.
What was your most memorable moment? My senior year when my basketball team and I went to the final 4. It was one the best and most exciting experiences of my life. Seeing all the people from school and the community come out and support us was an amazing and life-changing feeling.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? Most of my time is taken up by sports; they are my love in life. Sports have always been my escape from life, and I think they always will be.
What are your career plans after graduation? I plan to go to Utica University to study construction management.
Who is your role model? Why? My role model is Wendy Harrington. She has been a huge part of my life since I was in eighth grade. I would not be the person or player I am today without her in my life. She has helped me through things from just having a bad day at school and needing someone all the way up to some of the hardest times of my life. But not only has she been there for the hard times she is there for all of the good. Whenever I would need a shoulder or inspirational quotes or a good laugh I could always look to her, and she was always right there.
What is the biggest problem facing your generation? Covid was definitely a really hard thing for my generation. Not only in school but in our everyday lives as well. In a school setting we had to do online classes and try to learn all the things we needed to know during our sophomore and junior years, which wasn’t very easy. But even in our outside lives. We didn’t get to see or talk to people face-to-face; everything was electronic. It takes a toll on a person not having face-to-face human interaction.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? I see myself being successful in the construction management field, making my own money. Then settling down and getting a house in the country with lots of animals. Having a couple of kids but still going to work every day because I could not be a stay-at-home mom.
What do you leave to the underclassmen? I am leaving all of the memories from just day-to-day school, but also from all the sports practices from over the years.
Ethan Parker
What did you enjoy about HCS? I enjoyed the opportunity to join the joint golf team with Fort Ann. I met several new friends there.
What will you miss most? I will miss my friends I have made in school along the way.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? For me it is a tie between Mr. Cournoyer and Mr. Flower. I enjoy Mr. Cournoyer’s sense of humor, but I also enjoy Mr. Flower’s taste in music and fun bonus questions on the tests and quizzes we had in class. I also enjoyed Mr. Farley’s teaching style, even though he has retired from teaching now.
What was your most memorable moment? My most memorable moment was all of the class trips we would go on, and how much fun and educational they were!
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? I enjoy exploring the outdoors, whether it be metal detecting or scuba diving.
What are your career plans after graduation? I plan to pursue an education in archaeology and obtain a job as an underwater archaeologist.
Who is your role model? Why? My role model would have to be Theodore Roosevelt. In addition to being a strong leader, he also established the national park system, including the Adirondack Park.
What is the biggest problem facing your generation? I believe the economic decline is a large problem that may have lasting impacts on our generation.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? I see myself in a job in archaeology, with a stable income and an apartment or small house.
What do you leave to the underclassmen? I leave them the knowledge that school is definitely worth it. As hard as it may seem, you will benefit from your hard work in the long run.
Whitehall Central School
Kamryn Baldwin
What will you remember about your time at WCS? I will remember all of the great memories and friendships I’ve made.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? My favorite teacher is Mrs. Lyng because she’s always willing to listen, and we can talk about anything.
What are your career plans after graduation? After graduation I’m going to University at Albany to become a physician assistant.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? I enjoy hanging out with my friends, reading and staying active.
Who is your role model? Why? My mom is my role model. She is the strongest, kindest and the most hard-working woman I know.
Do you have a favorite quote/motto? My favorite motto is YOLO!
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? In 10 years I see myself in the beginning of my career.
What does Whitehall need? Whitehall needs a Chick-fil-A!
Tristan Briggs-Little
What will you remember about your time at WCS? I will remember fun memories with my classmates and participating in sports.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? I had so many great teachers it would be too hard to pick just one.
What are your career plans after graduation? I will be attending Castleton College for sports management and would eventually like to work for a professional sports team.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? Fishing, video games, hockey and spending time with my friends.
Who is your role model? Why? My mom, because she inspires me to be determined and to be giving toward others and for being the best hockey mom.
Do you have a favorite quote/motto? “You miss 100% of the shots you do not take.” – Wayne Gretzky
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Having a successful job and a family.
What does Whitehall need? Whitehall needs a hockey team and a Dunks!
What is the biggest problem your generation faces as you graduate from high school? Our generation needs real-world education for when we graduate such as taxes, housing, budgeting and being more prepared for life after school.
Ethan Eggleston
What will you remember about your time at WCS? I will remember all the amazing memories with my friends and teachers.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? I would have to say Mr. Etu because the best and funniest memories were in his class, and he let me get away with a lot of stupid stuff.
What are your career plans after graduation? I plan on going to Castleton University and studying sports management.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? I enjoy playing baseball and basketball, hunting, fishing, four-wheeling and just being outdoors having fun.
Who is your role model? Why? My parents are my role models because of how much they have done for me in my life.
Do you have a favorite quote/motto? “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? I hope to see myself with a stable job and a consistent day-to-day life.
What does Whitehall need? More commitment and dedication to sports.
What is the biggest problem your generation faces as you graduate from high school? Not knowing what to expect in the real world, and not knowing how to financially handle money, do taxes, etc.
Ethan Farley
What will you remember about your time at WCS? My friends and the memories we made.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? Mr. Gould. He was very funny and made math enjoyable.
What are your career plans after graduation? Go to college.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? Being with friends and family.
Who is your role model? Why? My parents because of all they have done for me.
What does Whitehall need? More dedication to school.
What is the biggest problem your generation faces as you graduate from high school? Money management.
Dory Gosselin
What will you remember about your time at WCS? I will remember spending all of my time in Mrs. Lyng’s room to get my homework done right before class started. I will never forget my best friends who have been here for me my entire life such as Amelia Lyng, Olivia Whiting, Kamryn Baldwin and Alexis MacLeod.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? Mrs. Wilson is my favorite teacher. She is always there when you are in need of someone to talk to. She is one person who has helped me get into so many clubs such as SADD, Senior Honor Society and Student Council. She gives me the motivation to be a better person and help out the community.
What are your career plans after graduation? My career plans after high school are to attend SUNY Cobleskill to major in therapeutic horsemanship and double major in canine management.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? I enjoy spending time with my family and friends during my free time. I also enjoy riding horses, playing with my dog Daisy, hunting, fishing, kayaking and just relaxing by the pool.
Who is your role model? Why? My father is my role model. The past couple of years have been very hard for my family, but my father never gave up and he helped me with everything I needed. He never backs down from a challenge and makes sure that he provides for his family no matter what he has to do.
Do you have a favorite quote/motto? Yes, I do have a favorite motto: “Don’t let others live your life.” There are many people out there who tell you what to do in your own life.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? I see myself running my own therapeutic horsemanship business that helps everybody get over their worst fears. I think the best thing for people to do is find something they like to do and relieve stress. You don’t want to live a stressful life, and horses are one of the most stress-relieving animals, even if you don’t ride them.
What does Whitehall need? Whitehall needs to have more stores and fast-food restaurants. When we had McDonald’s by MacLeod’s, Whitehall was the busiest it has ever been. I think with more food chain restaurants we could evolve into something much bigger.
What is the biggest problem your generation faces as you graduate from high school? The biggest problem that my generation faces as I graduate from high school is alcohol and vaping. There are too many students in school who go out and party with their friends and don’t even remember what they are doing.
Alexis MacLeod
What will you remember about your time at WCS? I will remember many things about my time at Whitehall Central School including my drama performances, games and practices with my teams, our school dances, our senior activities and so much more.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? My favorite teachers are my music teachers Mr. Chandler and Mrs. Clark and my P.E. conditioning teacher Mr. Hunt. These are my favorite teachers because I have had them all four years and formed great relationships with each of them.
What are your career plans after graduation? My career plan for after graduation is to attend Castleton University with a major in psychology and a minor in criminal justice.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? In my spare time I enjoy playing sports, being outdoors and spending time with my friends and family.
Who is your role model? Why? My main role model is my father. He has always pushed me to be the best version of myself I can possibly be and has always supported me in everything I do.
Do you have a favorite quote/motto? My favorite quote is “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.”
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? In 10 years I see myself working in my future career as either a behavioral analyst or a criminal psychologist.
What does Whitehall need? Whitehall needs a new grocery store.
What is the biggest problem your generation faces as you graduate from high school? I think that the biggest problem that our generation has faced are cell phones. As a generation we’ve grown up with this technology and have never had the opportunity to live without it.
Brooke Martel
What will you remember about your time at WCS? Graduating and getting out of there.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? Mrs. Wilson, Beayon and Ernenwein for their support.
What are your career plans after graduation? Work hard, play hard!
Who is your role model? Why? My mom because she works harder than anyone I know.
Do you have a favorite quote/motto? “Live every day like it’s your last.”
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Married with children.
What does Whitehall need? What doesn’t it need?
What is the biggest problem your generation faces as you graduate from high school? Our generation lacks inspiration.
Chloe Sprague
What will you remember about your time at WCS? I will remember the prom this year and all of the great memories I made with all of my friends and teachers. My time at Whitehall has been very special to me because I have always looked forward and not backward. There are many great memories that I have made, and I look forward to making it whether in school or work. I will remember all of the amazing people who have helped me get through all of my high school years.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? My favorite teacher is Mrs. Schmelzer because Mrs. S has known me for years and she has helped me with a lot of things from ELA to math. Mrs. Schmelzer has made such a positive impact on my life. She is one of the main reasons that I am where I am today. I can’t thank her enough for how much she has helped me through school. Mrs. Schmelzer had helped me through the past four years.
What are your career plans after graduation? My career plans after graduation are going into the workforce and getting a job. I would like to just enjoy my job and the type of job that I would want would be with animals because I like animals. I don’t like to see hurt animals. I would most likely work in an animal shelter to help care for the animals. I would also like to work in retail of some sort even if it is part time. It would work to help me support myself.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? I enjoy spending time with friends and family, and I also like to read books and educate myself to see what else I could learn by reading. I like to listen to music and go outside to play with my pets.
Who is your role model? Why? My role models are my Mom and Dad, Aunt Heather and Uncle Jason. Mom and Dad have helped me through a lot, and I am not sure where I would be without them. They have helped me so much. Mom and Dad have been with me for such a long time and I can’t thank them enough for everything. They love and support me no matter what. Mom and Dad are such amazing parents because Aunt Heather and Uncle Jason are always willing to help me with anything. Aunt Heather and Uncle Jason have been there for me since Jason, Alec and I were little. Uncle Jason is one of my many heroes because Uncle Jason has served in the military when Alec was little.
Do you have a favorite quote/motto? “You are enough just as you are.” (Meghan Markle)
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? In 10 years, I see myself with a job, and I am going to be living on my own, and I want to be able to support myself. I also see a bright future ahead of me, and I am looking forward to seeing what my future holds for me.
What does Whitehall need? Whitehall needs more caring people who are more than willing to bring more stores and opportunities such as jobs for young people. There are many opportunities to be made and I feel that Whitehall should bring more stores and everything to Whitehall.
What is the biggest problem your generation faces as you graduate from high school? There are a lot of problems that face this generation, but there are many job opportunities that young people can get. The problem with teens and young adults today is they have no work ethic or they don’t want to work.
Leaha VanGuilder
What will you remember about your time at WCS? I think one big thing I’ll remember about this school is definitely the people I’ve met here, teachers included. Even the people I’ve never talked to much in my grade.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? I have more than just one but one of the big ones would have to be Mr. Mead. He always made class fun one way or another and was willing to listen to any random stuff we’d have to say. Other than him it’d be Mr. Stutes and Mr. Gould. But I’ll definitely miss all the teachers I met.
What are your career plans after graduation? I don’t really know. My past plans have proven to not work out so I have no real plans. All I know is that I want to move away from here and travel the world with my friends.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? I usually sit and play video games, watch YouTube or scroll through TikTok, but if I have nothing to do I’ll go on walks or just listen to some music.
Who is your role model? Why? I’ve never really thought much about a role model, but I have a few people who were my motivation to do better; they would be my dad and my friends. To be friend-specific Jacob, Brandt, Nora and Sebastian, but everyone I talk to makes me feel better.
Do you have a favorite quote/motto? I have a few actually but these are my top: “Whether you win or lose, looking back and learning from your experience is part of life” (All Might from MHA), “No matter how many people you lose, you have no choice but go on living, no matter how devastating the blows may be” (Tanjiro from Demon Slayer) and “Life’s a bore if you don’t challenge yourself” (Nishinoya from Haikyū!!)
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Hopefully out of my parents’ house with a decent job. I’m not sure where I’ll be living but wherever it is I’m hoping it isn’t in a crowded area but at least near a city so I have places to go near me.
What does Whitehall need? I think one of the main things Whitehall needs as a whole is something more to do, like a movie theater or public pool or something. There really isn’t much you can do here.
What is the biggest problem your generation faces as you graduate from high school? This is probably an obvious issue but the rise in prices, because unlike past graduates things are more expensive now meaning it will be a bit harder for us to start off our adult lives. Not to mention society as a whole is chaotic nowadays.
Olivia Whiting
What will you remember about your time at WCS? I will remember the drama club, playing and watching sports, pep rallies, prom, hanging out in the art room and auditorium.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why? My favorite teacher would have to be a tie between Mr. Chandler and Mrs. Clark. They have been not only great teachers who help me discover my love for music but people I could go and talk to for any reason.
What are your career plans after graduation? After graduation I plan to attend Castleton University to get a degree in the field of music.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? In my spare time I enjoy singing and listening to music and hanging out with friends and family.
Who is your role model? Why? My role models are my parents. My parents have taught me to have an opinion, to be independent, to be hard working and, most importantly, kind.
Do you have a favorite quote/motto? My favorite quote motto is “That’s a future Olivia problem.” I don’t really like/try to procrastinate, but sometimes this saying helps me deal with an overload of stress.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? In 10 years I see myself performing in a city, living in an apartment and enjoying my life and experience as much as possible.
What does Whitehall need? Whitehall needs a Dunkin’. I could have definitely used caffeine in the morning before school but didn’t want to wake up early enough to drive to another town.
What is the biggest problem your generation faces as you graduate from high school? The biggest problem our generation faces is cell phones. Our lives revolve around cell phones; we are basically addicted to them. I think our generation needs to enjoy life outside cell phones more.
