Everyone’s experiences with senior year can vary, but for senior Kyle Friar, although he is enthusiastic for what college will have to offer, he will definitely miss all the memories that he has made in high school. 

“I’m excited but also bummed that our whole class won’t ever be together like this [again],” Kyle said.“But I’m looking forward to what’s next.”

Luckily, for Kyle, he has always had a close connection with his senior class, but this year he decided that he would try something out of his comfort zone and be class treasurer. Being a part of this group not only made him feel closer to his senior class but also gave him a chance to see school events from a different point of view; one of them being the dances. 

“I’m [on] Student Council [as the] senior class treasurer, so that’s been fun this year,” Kyle said. “I’ve never been on Student Council before, so it’s been different, [and it’s] got me more involved in the school dances [because] I haven’t really seen the backstage stuff in order to make Homecoming [and] Winterfest week [happen].”

Even though Kyle will miss the memories he’s made in high school, he is excited to see what college has in store for him. This year he has filled his schedule with an array of business classes and plans on attending Davenport University with a major in marketing. 

But as far as knowing when he discovered what he wanted to major in, he has always known and even had a large factor that helped steer his decision. 

“I know I’ve always wanted to go into business [because] my dad’s always been in [it] so I’ve always enjoyed that,” Kyle said. “I’ve [also] taken Mrs. O’Brien’s marketing classes [and] I’m now [in] an advanced marketing this year and I’ve really enjoyed [it].”

But aside from the academic aspect of his senior year, for the past five years, Kyle has also played a role in a sport that most people are unaware of: power soccer. Because Kyle spends most of his time sitting, this sport is an activity that he has fairly enjoyed playing. 

“I [play] power soccer,” Kyle said. “It’s like soccer but in your wheelchair, so it’s a little different, but it’s fun [and] I travel all around the country for [it].” 

Being able to play the sport has not only set Kyle apart from his friends but also gives him the chance to be a part of fun experiences. One being able to be a part of a team that gets to travel for tournaments through the affiliation of a hospital.

“Mary Free Bed, the rehabilitation hospital downtown, had all sorts of other sports,” Kyle said, “[But] this one just kind of called my name.”

Aside from playing sports, outside of high school, Kyle also hopes to go into a career path designated towards marketing. He has known that he has wanted to go down this route ever since he realized that all of the electronic devices he utilizes all come from the same company; Apple. A particular memory that comes to mind that truly confirmed his passion for this field was an encounter he had with an employee that ironically worked for Apple. 

“One time, I was [at Apple], and one of the workers said [that he] used to work for Apple in California [on] the product teams,” Kyle said. “He worked for the Apple watch divisions, and he got to try out all the bands. Over the years, he’s had over a hundred Apple watch bands, [and] he got to keep them [which] sounds kind of fun but also overwhelming.” 

Because Kyle has had a positive experience with the interactions he has had with Apple, this has only led to him having more aspirations within the realm of marketing. One of his dreams even entails being able to visit stores outside of the state and one day even attaining his dream job. 

“I’ve always wanted to go to the Apple headquarters in California [because] it just [looks] cool,” Kyle said. “My dream job would be [in the] marketing team at Apple.” 

Although Kyle is curious to see what college will have in store for him there are many parts of high school that he will deeply cherish. If he had to choose one aspect of it though, it would be the high school dances. The enthusiasm that comes with them will be an experience that he won’t get to relive in college once he graduates. 

“[I’ll miss] coming into the halls of FHC every day and seeing everyone at school [along with] the school dances and [all] the stuff we’ve done together,” Kyle said. 

But from entering senior year to applying for colleges to becoming class treasurer and all the chaos that comes between those experiences, if Kyle had one phrase to describe his life in the present moment, it would be this. 

“Enjoyable,” Kyle said. “I’ve had a lot of fun lately with school.”