As the Alden High School Class of 2024 prepares to graduate, several students took a moment to reflect on their high school experiences. Despite a challenging start due to personal issues and the COVID-19 pandemic, many expressed satisfaction with how they grew and matured over the years.
Senior Fallon Showalter reflected on her experience during COVID and afterward. “I feel like I’ve really only enjoyed it the last two years,” Showalter said. “But I felt very robbed the first two years due to personal stuff as well as COVID. But I am very satisfied with the last two years. This school year and this school year I’ve really grown as a person.”
“I’ve grown confidence in presenting,” senior Kaitlyn Panek said. “I feel so much more confident in presenting projects and talking to other people. Especially with the shows, they helped me a lot. Gaining a lot of friends made the experience better.”
Reflecting on the overall experience, another student said, “I am happy. If I went back and did it again, would I do things differently? Maybe a few, but I don’t have any regrets. I love the people, I loved everything, all the opportunities. It’s bittersweet, but it’s ending, you know? I’d say I’m pretty happy.”
The impact of COVID-19 was a recurring theme, with students recalling the difficulties of virtual learning and missing out on typical high school experiences. “We had a rough start, you know, coming in and being COVID and not having the full idea of what high school is,” said senior class president Ava Dimao. “But my class and the school did everything they possibly could to make it the most enjoyable.”
Despite the early setbacks, students found their senior year to be particularly rewarding. “Senior year, it was probably the best year,” said WACS Weekly host Anthony Kudla. “It was a lot of fun. Got to be a lot more closer with the class as a whole. I’m glad that I’m going out the way that I’m going out.”
Senior Aaron Barrett summed up the experience by saying, “These four years of high school have been truly incredible for me. What an immense blessing it was for me to go to school and take a bunch of classes like wood shop and study hall and early release, baby.”
As the Class of 2024 prepares to step into the future, they leave behind a legacy of resilience, growth, and camaraderie. Their reflections highlight the strength and spirit that define Alden High School.
