Favorite piece of advice
Payton
High school can be a hard time for so many people, and while I got lucky and was able to have a great high school experience I know a lot of people do not get to experience that. My biggest piece of advice for those in high school is just to be confident in who you are and don’t change yourself for other people. So many times you see people changing themselves to make friends, and I definitely did this too, but you soon realize that if you can’t be yourself around your friends, then they are not friends worth having. True friends will love you for exactly who you are and not ask you to change that. It’s better to be comfortable in your own skin and be exactly who you are, even if that means you’re alone for a little while, because at the end of the day, the right people will find you.
Sara
High school can be rough, and things change constantly. I was lucky enough to have found a few friends who stuck with me through the entire thing, and it made high school just that much better. But that only happened because I put myself out there. My biggest piece of advice to everyone is to get out there and try new things. I honestly wish I had done that more over my high school experience. You can make new friends, discover new talents, find a community, and just have fun. The worst thing that can happen is that you don’t like it, and honestly, you might surprise yourself. There are so many opportunities at your fingertips in high school, just try a few of them. It will make the next four years that much easier.
What we will miss most
Payton
The Dakota Ridge community is the thing I will miss the most. In my last year of high school, I started to realize just how strong this community is and the benefits of being a part of this community. Just walking around the halls you can feel it. Not everybody is friends with one another, but this string is just tying us all together, and I will never forget the feeling of being a part of this. These students in my classes that I have gone to school with since middle school, or even before that — it has been amazing seeing each of them grow into the people they are now, and I am so excited to see who everybody becomes.
Sara
I’ll miss the connections I’ve made here at Dakota Ridge. The community itself is strong, and the people here are some of the best in the area. Now that I’m about to leave, I see the value these relationships have. Whether they’re fellow students or staff members, every person impacted me and changed my life. Although relationships can come and go, they’ll always leave a lasting effect on me, and I can’t wait to take what I’ve learned from every person into the rest of my life.
Best event of the year
Payton
There have been so many fun events throughout the year, and I feel like everything has been more fun as a senior for some reason. The best event of the year for me has to be Homecoming. Being at the front of the student section during the football game is always so exciting. Then the dance was a lot of fun — there were a lot of moshpits while everyone screamed the music together. My friends and I had the best time, and I will never forget those moments.
Sara
This year has been filled with fun events, especially as a senior experiencing them for the last time. But my favorite one had to be senior prank week, specifically Tuesday. We started the morning bright and early at Ms. Kim Keller’s house, where we paraded her back to the school. Then, we brought back a classic and blocked off the main parking lot for the whole day. We played games and ate food together as a class. And to finish off the day, we set up for the next day’s prank by filling the school with rubber ducks, googly eyes, and balloons. Being with my classmates and doing something we’ve all wanted to do for years was truly amazing. I honestly don’t think that day could’ve gone any better.
