2023_YSHS_Senior_Special_Edition

YELLOW SPR I NGS H I GH SCHOOL C L A S S O F 2 0 2 3 A SPECIAL SECTION OF THE YE L LOW SPR I NGS NEWS | MAY 19 , 2023 11 Yellow Springs Library Association Yellow Springs Police Department Yellow Springs Toy Company there have been many struggles I have had to overcome. However, my experience here has taught me the most about myself and I have found my worth through my time here. I have learned what I deserve in relationships and friendships. I came into Yellow Springs with high expectations for the community and the students; however, being a new student here has not been easy. This taught me the importance of knowing where I am putting my time and energy. On the plus side, I met my soulmate in best friend form. Autumn Sorenson came back into my life my junior year and now we are inseparable. I have also met a few other people who care about me and have helped me through my time at this school. Outside of my classes, my time playing sports here has built my character and confidence. I went from not playing soccer in three years to joining the varsity soccer team my sophomore year. I was the #1 pitcher on the softball team in my junior year as well. I met my second family playing on these teams. Now I have four families: soccer, softball, Autumn’s family, and my own. I am so grateful for my time here at Yellow Springs and the people who will follow with me after I leave here. I have committed to Miami University of Ohio to research and pursue a career in medicine. I want to shout out Mrs. Morrison, Mrs. Morano, Jonina Kelly, Sara Wallace, Ken, Autumn, Daphne, Tallis, and my whole family for being influential people in my life and knowing my heart. CHEYAN SUNDELL-TURNER PARENTS/GUARDIANS: Nancy Sundell-Turner and Tj Turner I have lived in Yellow Springs for 18 years now and over the thousands of miles I have covered running around town, walk- ing to get ice cream at Corner Cone, and biking to Young’s in the summers, I have always called this place my home. This was where I discovered my love of running, during the Street Fair 5K on the bike path through town. Now you’ll find me running laps around the track and through town, cruising down that very same stretch of bike path. I am proud to have represented Yellow Springs in countless races and meets. I have always loved the community feel of Yellow Springs; how everyone knows each other and how I know the entirety of town. I like how I got to have the same teachers for multiple years and that I know pretty much all of my classmates. Teachers here are always willing to help, whether that be with schoolwork, a proj- ect, or simply life advice. Thank you to Ms. Wein, especially, for your career and college advice, and for teaching me how to get gum out of pants — a very important life skill. Next year I will be attending Colorado College to continue my education and run on the cross country and track teams. THANK YOU to all of my teachers, coaches (Hey Gudge, did you hear about the race between the lettuce and the tomato? — the lettuce was a head and the tomato tried to ketchup), friends, and family for supporting my growth and expe- rience here in Yellow Springs. Hopefully the legacy of amazing stu- dents graduating from this school will inspire all of you to support what our schools need and show our students the respect that they deserve (if you know, you know; get out and vote in November!). ANGELINA TATMAN PARENTS/GUARDIANS: Allison Moody My time in Yellow Springs was interest- ing in many ways. I can remember good times and bad from growing up in this village. Moving from a big city to a small village was a big change for me as a first grader to adapt to and I was extremely nervous about being in a new area with a bunch of new people I had to interact with that I didn’t know. As a child I was nervous, shy, extremely introverted, and it was really hard for me to talk to people because of me being afraid to talk to others; so moving to a new area where I didn’t know anyone was hard. As I started to make new friends, it became a little easier to adapt to the new area that I would call home. Growing up in the schools in the vil- lage had its ups and downs. There were times where I felt extremely supported by the community, with many more times where the village I thought failed me and my other classmates in many ways. I’m very thankful for all my teachers and my mom, who helped me grow in my educa- tion in learning with having an IEP. Other classmates who had an IEP and teachers were very supportive and kind in helping me feel comfortable in the classroom. At times when I didn’t feel smart enough to learn something or do something, they were always there to help me and back me up whenever I needed them. I think the high school could have put in more ef fort in actually changing the problems that are still currently happen- ing, like bullying, drug issues, attempted sexual assaults and actually fixing the school building. I think that they could have also been more supportive in all the female sports that go on with having more support in the band, orchestra and guitar concerts. Barely anyone shows up to those matches or concerts; it’s extremely sad and hard to face as a student to not feel supported by their community. I don’t think the Yellow Springs community is as supportive or accepting as we say we are as a community; it’s especially shown in our middle school and high school. I’ve seen many of my friends leave because of the bullying and drama that the school or the community put in effort to not help them get out of. I think the only thing that I found mean- ingful from growing up in this community is the friendships that I created and have. I went through many dark times in my high school career — especially during COVID-19 — and I don’t know where I’d be without my friends. I would like the school building to be renovated where it’s safe and comfortable for students and teachers to go to. I would also like to see the community be more supportive for the female sports, band, orchestra and guitar classes at concerts; we’re a music village and we should be more supportive of those concerts. The people that I would like to thank are my mother, my little sister, all my teachers, my bowling coach and all of my friends because I would not have been able to get to this point without any of them. After graduation, I hope to complete community college and hopefully finally figure out my career choice/path. A writer? Maybe even a lawyer? Not sure. Once I figure it out, I want to study abroad to get my other degrees. I hope that I can stay in contact with all my friends and teachers that I care for. They’ve all made a very positive impact in my life. I would like to keep that as long as I can. DAPHNE TRILLANA PARENTS/GUARDIANS: Audra and Emmanuel Trillana The first time I read the senior supple- ments in the newspaper was when my brother graduated in 2016. I read it front to back in awe of how cool the seniors were. It’s strange to be writing this now because I thought they were so much older and knew so much more about the world than I did, but to be honest I still feel like a baby. Mills Lawn Elementary School — this is where my learning journey began. It wasn’t perfect at first, crying for my mother at the same time every day like clockwork. But thankfully that faded, and I became best friends with many students, many of whom I still consider friends today. It’s strange to think that I’ve known the majority of the students I’m graduating with since kindergarten, the same kids with whom I fought over markers and traded silly bands during nap time. Mills Lawn was filled with wonderful teachers and each and every one of them has truly changed me for the better. The community of Yellow Springs was the best place to be a child. I’d like to thank John Fleming, who made my child- hood shine thanks to the Yellow Springs Kids Playhouse. YSKP taught me the most impor tant lessons in life and provided me with my most memorable roles. We constantly hear “it takes a village to raise a child,” but growing up in this town, I genu- inely believe that. Feeling that someone always has my back and supports me. Attending Yellow Springs High School has been peculiar, or not traditional, to say the least. Thanks to my experience, I’ve never seen a group of students so unfazed by bats. Despite that, YSHS has meant a lot to me. I’d especially like to thank Mr. Day, Ms. Morrison, Mr. Hurwitz, and Ms. Eguaroje for being truly amazing teach- ers; Mr. Comstock for being the most kindhearted person in the entire building; and, of course, Lorrie Sparrow-Knapp, who has kept me on my toes since seventh grade, but I wouldn’t have anyone else as my director. I’d like to truly thank all my friends, who I maybe wouldn’t be as close to today if I hadn’t cried in a rocking chair next to them in preschool or agreed to listen to them count to a hundred on the first day of kindergarten. Yellow Springs may be small, but I have created strong relation- O U R S P O N S O R S