Welcome! We are The Shield’s senior editors, committed to making all aspects of our newspaper exceptional. This year, we are thrilled to finally return to campus! Though students will physically be roaming the halls once again, The Shield will continue providing phenomenal content via the internet. We hope you enjoy perusing Issue 1, and we are beyond excited for what lies ahead in the 2021-2022 school year!
Kendyl Brower
Senior
High School Musical IRL
After a year of falling asleep in class, struggling to work in unresponsive breakout rooms, and possibly getting scoliosis from Zooming in bed, I think I am more than ready to mask up and physically go to school. As much as I love sleeping till 1 pm on Wednesdays, I will wholeheartedly sacrifice those extra hours of sleep for a more traditional senior year. I was never really one to go all out for spirit days or rallies before, but the isolation of junior year inspired me to take a much more enthusiastic approach to school. I have entered full High School Musical mode, what I have envisioned for my senior year since 2008. As a hardcore HSM fan, I will proudly be living out my Disney fantasy… do not be surprised if you catch me breaking out into song and dance in the middle of the quad.
Kayla Kim
Senior
Main Character Development
Finishing both my sophomore and junior years online made high school feel incomplete. This coming senior year has blindsided me and I still feel like a small freshman walking through the doors of Room 58. While I cannot ask for those years back, I can still go full out and enjoy every single moment senior year has to offer. From screaming at rallies to staying up late with college applications, I am ready for every minute of my last year in high school. I have entered a mindset that has been ingrained into my daily routine which inspires me to be a more optimistic person. With the pandemic, I have appreciated school more which makes me more than ready to jump into my senior year and fulfill my ‘main character’ dream.
Alessandra Kelly
Senior
Fun like Spongebob
Leaving my junior year behind, I can’t help feeling a little disappointed with how my high school experience has fabricated itself. Unfortunately, I don’t feel fully prepared for all the challenges life will bring as I welcome my senior year, however, I know that over quarantine I have definitely developed the right mindset to handle such difficulties. I look forward to creating my final experiences in highschool with my new outlook and confidence on life, and allow myself to spend true quality time with others outside of my school and dance. Additionally, I want to fully embrace my senior year to create one of the most memorable years in my lifetime, and avoid participating in any activities which don’t serve my purpose. I will also continue to push toward the goals I have set for myself, not only in school, but ballet as well. Luckily, I feel I am in the best possible place to truly grow in the next coming school year. Like Spongebob said, “If you believe in yourself and with a tiny pinch of magic, all your dreams can come true.”