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 9 Tom’s Market Unfinished Creations Village Automotive grateful for the lessons Mr. Day taught me in second period psychology class. If there’s one thing I’d wish for the future students of YSHS, I’d want them to be less divided. Though YSHS prides itself on diversity and on celebrating differences, it’s sometimes hard to find common ground, to band together and act as one. With that being said, I am so happy to leave Yellow Springs and start my own life elsewhere. I’d always dreamt of living in a for- esty, mountain-filled state with wildlife, and with people who share my values: music, sus- tainability and activism. I plan on attending WarrenWilson College in Swannanoa, North Carolina, where I’ll pursue an education in biology with a pre-veterinary track. After that, I hope to go to graduate school and get my Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine. I’d also like to give one last shout out to my family at Docton Animal Clinic for allowing me into their community and teaching me what I needed to know to begin my veterinary career with a slight leg up. JULIA NIELSEN PARENTS/GUARDIANS: Christy and Mark Nielsen It was fine. HENRY O’BRIEN PARENTS/GUARDIANS: Carrie Berkey and Mark O’Brien I came to Yellow Springs in the begin- ning of my junior year only expecting to be here for two weeks. Two weeks slowly turned into two years, which is crazy because I would have never thought that Yellow Springs — this small high school in this small town, in the middle of Ohio — is where I would be graduating from. YSHS is one of a kind, to say the least. It was not quite the experience I was expect- ing, but I am happy with the memories and the people I have met along the way. I never would have thought that Yellow Springs is the kind of place that I would grow a connection with, but I know now that when I leave, I will miss it. TALLIS ONFROY-CURLEY PARENTS/GUARDIANS: Violette-Anne and Robert Onfroy-Curley In the fall I will be attending The Ohio State University and majoring in astro- physics/astronomy. During my time at YSHS, my favorite memories have been centered around soccer. It was truly an amazing experience that made my time at YSHS very special. For that reason, I would like to give thanks to all my team- mates and coaches. Also, Grandview Heights got lucky with a missed offsides call. We looked back at the video. Another part of YS that has been excep- tional is the friends I have made and the memories made with them. Camp Granada. IO PALASSIS PARENTS/GUARDIANS: Chelle and Christopher Palassis My time at Yellow Springs High School was ver y interesting. I think that the Yellow Springs community is very valuable to the experiences of Yellow Springs High School students. Something that I think could be changed is the conditions inside the school. Overall, my time spent here was pretty good and I’ve had a lot of fun. ETHAN REYNOLDS-COE KATRIN RUF OK, so I’ve been here for a year now. It had its ups and downs, naturally, but overall it’s been a pretty good year and I wouldn’t trade this experience for any- thing. I’m glad I chose to do this and come here; it helped me grow a lot, and when I look back to the beginning of the school year, hell, I changed a lot. I will miss this place. As much as I wanna go home, I also will miss Yellow Springs and the amazing people I got to get to know here. It’s really funny how you can miss one place, wanting to leave and go back there, but at the same time not wanting to leave cuz you know you will miss this place as well, as soon as you get back to the one you originally missed. Speaking of moving on, after graduation — second time haha!, but this time it’s not the real deal, but just for fun — I’ll be back in Germany in early June, and honestly I can’t wait to be back, though I’m also nervous, but glad, too. Damn, it’s gonna be weird to be back. It will be sad to leave. Anyways, then after summer, I’ll be attending a small language school in Ingol- stadt to learn the job of a foreign language correspondent. So I will still be around English, though it won’t be the same as speaking English every day the whole time and I will freakin’ really miss that. I’ll also live in my own apartment, for the first time. I’m gonna be living on my own, wow. I will never forget this year; Yellow Springs will always be a part of me — it’s where I got all Americanized and all — and it truly has been one of the best years of my life. F—k that’s crazy. Only about one month left, I can’t believe it. LUKA SAGE-FRABOTTA PARENTS/GUARDIANS: Heather Sage and Anthony Frabotta Being someone who has spent their entire life growing up in Yellow Springs and attending the local schools, it is hard to put into words the amount of gratitude and nos- talgia I feel as I reflect on my time here. It’s hard to believe that high school is almost over. I remember when I was in elementary and middle school, senior year seemed like a distant milestone that would take forever to reach. But now that I am here, it feels like time has flown by in the blink of an eye. It’s funny how our perception of time can change so drastically as we grow older, and how we often don’t realize the significance of the moment until it has passed. From a young age, I was for tunate enough to be part of a tight-knit community where everyone knew each other. From the first day of kindergarten to the last day of senior year, I have been surrounded by the same group of people, building lifelong relationships with my peers and teachers. One of the unique things about growing up in a small town is the sense of community and the feeling of belonging. The support and encouragement I have received from the community have been an essential part of my success, and it is something that I will always cherish. Attending a small school has allowed me to receive a personalized education. This also meant that I had the opportunity to form strong relationships with my class- mates and teachers. I’ll always remember the warmth and kindness of my teachers who went above and beyond to ensure that every student felt seen and heard. The small class sizes also meant that I had the opportunity to participate in a variety of extracurricular activities, from sports, to clubs and organizations — things that I may not have had the chance to do at a larger school. Growing up in this town has given me a unique perspective on life, as I have been exposed to a variety of experiences and perspectives that have shaped my world- view. From an early age, I learned the importance of community and the value of human connection, which have instilled in me the importance of empathy and com- passion. The support and love that I have received from my town and school will stay with me forever, and I am grateful for every moment. O U R S P O N S O R S