Senior Memories: A Look Back at Four Years

Marcus Leary, Editor-in-Chief|June 16, 2023

Freshmen Year 2019-2020

Our freshman year started out great, sitting in the student section at football games and studying for SOLs, but just seven days after Lil Uzi Vert released Eternal Atake the governor called a state of emergency over an up and coming global pandemic. After weeks of no school the county canceled the in-person school year and transitioned to virtual school. We didn’t have spring sports, SOLs were canceled, and there wasn’t any toilet paper.

 

Sophomore Year 2020-2021

Our sophomore year was online until about the time of Joe Biden’s presidential inauguration, when a hybrid model for school was released and some people returned in person, while others chose to continue learning virtually. We only had class four days a week and Monday was an asynchronous work day. The sports seasons were out of order. Fall sports were in the winter and winter sports were in the fall. Vaccines were released and people started to live normal lives again, while the US survived an attack on the Capitol.

 

Junior Year 2021-2022

By the time junior year rolled around everything was about back to normal except for the fact that everyone was required to wear masks. Football games were back in full swing and there was a return to the theater as the Theatre Arts department produced Clue. Prom returned after two years and Humble Tip came in-person after a virtual assembly the year before. But, kids got sent home daily for COVID-like symptoms and the Homecoming dance was held in a poorly lit courtyard.

 

Senior Year 2022-2023

Senior year started off with a bang with a senior sunrise out on the football field and classes out in the trailer park. Also, students around FCPS staged walkouts over Governor Youngkin’s proposed model policies defining how schools should handle trans and gender non-conforming students. The homecoming pep rally had to be streamed to classrooms due to safety concerns. Homecoming was inside again, the football team won the bell back, school spirit flowed through the hallways, and we finally took masks off. It felt like a return to life before COVID just in time for graduation.

Robbie Potter (12) does the worm as classmates cheer him on at the 2021-2022 fall pep rally during Junior year. (Courtesy of Jacob Ivey)
Track and Field athletes pose on their Senior Night (Courtesy of Jim Ferro)
Class of 2023 in the stands at their final high school pep rally. (Courtesy of Jennifer Beach)

Marching Band members during Senior Night. (Courtesy of Marching Band)
The Class of 2023 prepares to run out before they compete in the class vs. class dance competition during their Junior year pep rally. (Courtesy of Jacob Ivey)

 

Class of 2023 Freshman year Homecoming float (Courtesy of Harper Tran)
Members of the Class of 2023 dance at their Freshman year fall pep rally. (Courtesy of Jacob Ivey)
Football managers Carolyn Auld (12) and Samantha Schaeffer (12) suit up for pre-game practice on Senior Night. (Courtesy of Jacob Ivey)
Emily Nguyen (12) and Tina Pham (12) watch the sun rise at Senior Sunrise. (Courtesy of Emily Nguyen)
Seniors running during the traditional spring into the stands at the Spring Pep Rally. (Courtesy of Jennifer Beach)