YS Class of 2023 prepares for their final moment as high school students
By Crystal Huynh
This Wednesday, May 31st, seniors will be graduating and celebrating their last moments as York Suburban students.
The commencement ceremony will begin at 7 p.m. on the high school football field. Around 240 students will cross the stage. With an anticipated crowd of 2,000, friends and family who want to attend this event should arrive at least an hour early for ideal seating.
What are the upcoming graduates feeling leading up to this moment? Faith Stewart, who will be graduating with honors, is looking forward to it.
“I’m feeling great, I’m really excited to get it over with.”
Like Faith, many students are eager to leave as the past 4 years have been especially challenging. Senior Sienna Gaskin explains how the pandemic made the Class of 2023’s high school career unlike any other.
“What makes us unique is the moment that we went into lockdown ’cause we were all in our freshman year.”
The first year of high school for this graduating class ended with virtual learning, and the second year was hybrid. Students who wanted to remain at home their sophomore year also had the option to enroll in a York Suburban cyber program. Even by the end of their last year of high school, many students were still out of the building and taking online classes.
As stressful as these circumstances have been for many students, they still enjoyed their time at YS. Karen Mansour, who will also graduate with honors, reveals that her teachers played a crucial role in her success.
“I did stress out a lot here. My mental health wasn’t the best, but shout out to the teachers who made those moments okay to handle.”
While she is eager to leave, Karen will miss the bonds she has built at YS throughout the years.
“I really do think it’s a bittersweet feeling, I’ve made so many memories here. But I’ve definitely worked enough to be able to say goodbye and I’m ready for the new moments to come.”
Now that these 4 years of high school are over, graduates have some words of wisdom to share with incoming freshmen. Senior Olivia Sarsfield has worked with freshmen as a Link Crew leader for the past two years. She has one tip that she wants to pass on.
“Don’t be stupid. That just goes for everything, in the hallway, in the classroom. Just be respectful. Don’t do things that will get you in trouble.”
It’s important for students to start their high school career off right. Freshmen should build good habits now and set a good first impression. They will be crossing the stage themselves soon enough.
I’m Crystal Huynh, Trojan News.