Senior Callum Blackburn was standing on stage at The Fine Arts Center in a wetsuit in front of boys wearing towels wrapped around their waists and swim caps over their hair. He raised his hands similar to the way a conductor would. He flicked his wrists, and the boys dropped their towels.

“I think the best part of the whole act was when I ordered all my friends to drop their towels,” Callum said. “I heard all the gasps from the audience when their Speedos were revealed.”

Callum fondly remembers this moment during the Random Acts of Talent show as he ponders the end of his high school career. Like many seniors, Callum is realizing how quickly his time at FHC is ending, and he is both excited and a little apprehensive.

Throughout his years at FHC, Callum has learned many lessons about himself and life. When he started high school, he was hesitant about it, not really enjoying the experience at all. But over time, he began to enjoy it more. In this, he learned a very important lesson.

“I’ve learned that you can never see the beauty the world has to offer if you’re always looking down,” Callum said. “At the beginning of high school, I never looked forward to school—there was always something I didn’t want to do every day. As I grew up through high school, I realized that I can’t keep going every day like that and kept my head up and always looked for at least one thing each day I was happy to do. Ever since then, I have looked forward to and enjoyed every day of high school.”

Similar to Callum, senior Katherine Hartman is looking forward to moving on from high school, even if the idea is daunting. The new experiences are something to look forward to, and Katherine can’t wait to experience them.

“I’m really excited to meet new people and friends in college,” Katherine said. “I’m excited to be on my own and be more independent. I can’t wait to see what my friends do in their futures and meet up with them when we can.” 

Katherine looks forward to going to college and trying new things, but after reminiscing about the time she has spent at FHC, she remembers the moments she is fond of—one of those being her senior year Homecoming week.

Homecoming week is a fun time for everyone, and since it is the seniors’ last one, they tend to have lots of involvement. Katherine decided to take part in Homecoming this year, and it did not disappoint.

“Senior year Homecoming [has been my favorite memory],” Katherine said. “I was more involved in the lip sync and making the float, and since it was our first dance after COVID-19 cancelled everything, it was super fun. Even the dance outside was so fun. I loved the whole week.” 

Another senior—Claire Richardson—has had a lot of things impact her over the years at FHC. She has interacted with so many people and so many things, and they each make a difference to who she is. She has met so many new people during high school, and she remembers how they have all changed her.

“I have been impacted the most by the people that have come into my life during high school,” Claire said. “They have really helped change and shape my values and how I see things.”

Claire knows that she is going to miss the people she has met during high school, but she also knows that there is more out there; even if she is leaving what she has always known, she will get to know so much more when she moves on to college.

“I am feeling excited about ending my high school career,” Claire said. “Although I will miss this part of my life, I am also excited about what the future holds and the experiences that I will get to have.”

Since Claire is so excited to experience college, she has been thinking about what the best part might be. Claire has so many interests, and she wants to dive deeper into them.

During high school, you do have the choice of what classes you can take to a certain extent, but Claire knows that going to college will give her more opportunity and options.

“I am most looking forward to having more independence,” Claire said, “and being able to study subjects that I am interested in and passionate about.”