Seniors’ Feelings on Graduation

With the end in sight, seniors prepare to walk across the stage at graduation on May 17 and look ahead to the future.

How do you feel about graduating?

“I’m excited for it to come but there’s also this ping of anxiety because I’ve known this for the next four years — what am I supposed to do afterwards?”— Jaden Jacks

“I’m excited, but kind of nerve-wracking because, you know, I’’ll be out on my own pretty soon so, and then I’m actually going to be free.”— Ryan Eklund

What are you looking forward to the most?

“More freedom. I can do what I want to do at my own time.”— Jacob Moore

“I’m looking forward to experiencing something different because I’ve experienced this for the past four years. I’m ready for something new.”— Jacks

What are you looking forward to the least?

“Sitting through two-hour long ceremony just to get a diploma.”— Eklund

“Leaving my friends.”— Alyssa LaRosa

Q&A with graduation speakers Ethan Foster and Taylor Nickel

Senior Ethan Foster

Why did you want to give the speech?

“Because I felt like I could represent the class pretty well, and it’d be my pleasure to. I feel like coming from a Wichita school, representing Derby allows me to see the nuances and other things that some of the Derby kids wouldn’t notice initially. I feel like I’ve taken quite a few classes and done a lot of extracurriculars, so I’ve got a pretty broad experience of Derby and what it has to offer, so I could appropriately interpret how I feel about the school.”

How do you feel about giving your speech in front of the entire class?

“I’ll probably be nervous five minutes before, but other than that, I’m just not going to worry about it.”

What message do you hope students take away from the speech the most?

“That the Class of 2018 has worked hard and even though high school’s over, that’s not an excuse to give up and stop working. We can achieve quite a bit if we just stay busy.”

Senior Taylor Nickel

Why did you want to give the speech?

“I wanted to give the graduation speech because I felt like I had a story to tell about my time at Derby, and I felt like my time at Derby was incredibly phenomenal.”

How do you feel about giving your speech in front of the entire class?

“A little bit nervous, I’m going to be nervous. Hopefully they receive it well, but I’m excited, too.”

What message do you hope students take away from the speech the most?

“The idea that our class — and not just our class, but all the staff and students at this high school — were a family to us, and that they will always be our family and that we will always have these connections and these loved ones with us. And just to remember that Derby High School was our home for four years and will always be our home, and just take that idea of love with us.”