Madison West High School
Jaden Hicks
What will graduating high school mean to you?
Graduating high school means a lot to me. It’s a big accomplishment that shows how far I’ve come and how much I’ve grown. It’s not just about the diploma—it’s about all the hard work, late nights, and support from people around me. It feels like the start of something new, and I’m excited for what’s next.
What song will always remind you of this time in your life?
Good old days-Macklemore
Which teacher or person had the most impact on you, and what will you remember about them?
Ms. Mhels and I’ll remember how she was always there for me!
What advice would you give your younger self (or anyone else) entering high school for the first time?
You will get what you put into it, so put your all into it if you want the best outcome.
What was the most surprising thing you learned about yourself during high school?
It is okay to be yourself all the time even if people judge- you just have to do you.
What is one thing that you are looking forward to doing in the coming year?
I am looking forward to starting a new chapter in my life and meeting new people.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I see myself graduating college and actively working as a Nurse.
Aviel Mack
What will graduating high school mean to you?
It will be a very big achievement for me! I worked very hard throughout my many years in MMSD to get to this point and I have to say that I am both happy and sad that it has come so soon! I cannot wait to attend Howard University in the fall but graduating also means moving on and starting a new chapter of my life without all my old friends and family, which is very scary. I will miss high school and the friends I have met here but I know every experience I’ve had at West will prepare me for my future, and I cannot wait to see what that is!
What song will always remind you of this time in your life?
“Young Dumb and Broke” by Khalid
Which teacher or person had the most impact on you, and what will you remember about them?
I would have to say Mr. Zappia, Ms. Ajayi and Ms. Grobe had some of the largest impacts on me! Mr. Zappia was my freshman year history teacher and he is one of the best storytellers and teachers I know. I always think teachers are especially powerful when they incorporate life skills into everything they do. Mr. Zappia was always there when you needed him and he was always someone you could talk to. Ms. Grobe and Ms. Ajayi were both strong, intelligent, and incredible women I could relate to and learn from. Ms Ajayi taught my Literature of a People Rising Up course and that was one of the coolest classes I had ever taken and so was my Restorative Justice class, which is what Ms. Grobe taught. In the RJ class we examined ways to deal with conflict, the ideas of a black & white society and why that is wrong, how society was built, etc. Overall, all three of these individuals made West home, and I’m incredibly happy and proud that I could be their student
What advice would you give your younger self (or anyone else) entering high school for the first time?
To incoming freshman: Do not be afraid to try new things, meet new people and have new experiences, ask questions, have difficult conversations, BE UNCOMFORTABLE AND LEARN FROM IT, and take everything one step at a time.
What was the most surprising thing you learned about yourself during high school?
How much love I have for people and how in such little time you’re able to make really good friends!
What is one thing that you are looking forward
to doing in the coming year?
Exploring a new city with new friends and growing more as a person!
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I hope to be very happy with how I treat others, myself and how I conduct myself in the world!
Madison Memorial High School
Patrick Kahite
What will graduating high school mean to you?
A symbol of growth, resilience, and the start of something bigger.
What song will always remind you of this time in your life?
“Where did all the time go?” by Dr. Dog- it captures the bittersweet end of senior year.
Which teacher or person had the most impact on you, and what will you remember about them?
The librarians- they created a space where I could focus, grow, and feel at peace. I’ll always remember how they supported me quietly but powerfully.
What advice would you give your younger self (or anyone else) entering high school for the first time?
Be yourself, take every opportunity, and don’t be afraid to speak up – your voice matters.
What was the most surprising thing you learned about yourself during high school?
That I’m capable of leading and inspiring others, even when I don’t feel fully confident.
What is one thing that you are looking forward to doing in the coming year?
Starting college, meeting new people, and finally stepping into the next chapter of my life.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
In law school, advocating for change and building a future that reflects 1ny passions and values.
Bilio Fobate
What will graduating high school mean to you?
Graduating high school would mean the world to me. It’s more than just a diploma it’s proof of the struggles and hard times I’ve been through and the amount of time I have wanted to give up or fell behind. This milestone represents my resilience, my growth, and the strength I found within myself. Most of all, it means I’m making my mom proud even if she’s not here to see it. My parents love and sacrifice continue to motivate me every day, and crossing that stage will be a tribute to my mom and everything they taught me.
What song will always remind you of this time in your life?
I would probably saw Rise up by Andra Day or Heart on Ice by Rod Wave.
Which teacher or person had the most impact on you, and what will you remember about them?
There are so many teachers who saw me and my lowest in high school, but if I was to name two people it would be my AVID teacher Mrs.Golden and my BSU coordinator Mrs. Jones. This two wonderful women thought me how to ask for help and where to find that helped from, they made me feel safe and wanted and I’m so glad to have them in my life.
What advice would you give your younger self (or anyone else) entering high school for the first time?
I would advise my younger self and anyone entering high school not to be afraid to be new, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. And I would also tell my younger self that although life may be hard and difficult right now I shouldn’t give up and to keep my head up.
What was the most surprising thing you learned about yourself during high school?
The most surprising thing I learned about myself during high school is how resilient I really am. Coming into high school in a completely new place I was overwhelmed. I didn’t know anyone and I experienced a loss my second year I was uncertainty with me but I didn’t let that bring me all the way down. I kept showing up and kept learning. Even though I felt lost and alone but I discovered a strength in myself that I didn’t know I had, and that’s something no one can take away from me.
What is one thing that you are looking forward to doing in the coming year?
One thing I’m looking forward to doing this coming year is being in college and becoming more confident in myself both physically and emotionally.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
In five years I see myself relocating in Texas attending a medical school and working on becoming a pediatrician. Also I hope my relationship with God would be stronger, and hopefully built meaningful friendship that feels like family.
Madison Lafollette High School
Jaylen Eubanks
What will graduating high school mean to you?
Graduating high school will be a nice reminder that the job for my life is not yet finished, however it is a good check mark. It will mean that everything that I’ve gone through and everything I’ve changed and accomplished throughout my life up until now has been purposeful and meaningful, molding me into the man I am today. I see graduating high school as my first of many graduations and know that the only way from here is up to college, and even more opportunities there. Getting my high school degree will be like learning life isn’t a race and we will all finish or get where we want someday, seeing life as a marathon instead.
What song will always remind you of this time in your life?
A song that will always remind me of this time in your life would probably be “Everybody Loves The Sunshine”, the song itself has a very calming and relaxing rhythm in the background kind of reminding me of the calming high school experience I had. Being able to reminisce about my high school years is always easier when this song is playing and I feel like it is a good song to start and close out my journey in high school.
Which teacher or person had the most impact on you, and what will you remember about them?
The teacher that had the most impact on me was Ms. Silcock, helping me navigate the uneasiness of high school during freshman year and continuing to learn about my journey and experiences throughout high school. Whether that be through emotional support or being a lookout for my grades and assignments, she has also been a big role model and leader to me.
What advice would you give your younger self (or anyone else) entering high school for the first time?
I would tell them to never let other opinions stop you from doing anything. Embarrassment and failure are feelings only there for hours to days while regret can last a lifetime. Whatever you may think you have an eye for or what you’d like to try, give it a shot no matter what anyone else’s opinion of it may be. If you believe this will make you happy or this is something that you enjoy doing, push yourself to step outside of your comfort zone and do it. 10/10 times it’ll be worth it with you learning something new at the end of that new thing.
What was the most surprising thing you learned about yourself during high school?
One of the most surprising things I learned about myself during high school is that I am a talkative person, I always chucked up my personality as class clown because I was known as the funny kid but I don’t necessarily consider myself that anymore. Rather, knowing and knowing when to not talk or communicate with peers, learning how to balance this was probably the most important things I learned during high school to optimize work completion and stay focused when needed.
What is one thing that you are looking forward to doing in the coming year?
I am looking forward to the new freedom college will give me, being away from home without needing to worry about responsibilities there. I am also looking forward to making new connections with friends and learning new things that can steer me towards what I want to do in the future. I am looking forward to the space away from home because being the eldest child isn’t the easiest thing with all the norms and expectations placed on you or how you might have to step up as the parent in some cases. Through college I can focus on myself and dive deeper into what it truly means to become an adult with all the responsibilities that that may bring.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
In 5 years, I see myself pursuing the career of my dreams whether that be in the career itself or continuing to practice and learn at the higher academic level. I see myself getting closer to attaining my dreams as a psychologist and getting hands on practice volunteering in various places. In 5 years, I see myself slowing down and homing in on what exactly I want to do for the rest of my life through a degree in psychology.
Dominique McBride
What will graduating high school mean to you?
Graduating high school to me means that a chapter of my life has closed, and the accomplishment of graduating pushes me to do more. Ahead of me awaits many new chances to grow as a person as I navigate adulthood and college life.
What song will always remind you of this time in your life?
Till 3005, by Childish Gambino
Which teacher or person had the most impact on you, and what will you remember about them?
The teacher who impacted me the most would have to be Andrew Poquette, my avid teacher. Throughout my four years of high school, I have had the honor of being a student of Mr. Poquette. He has helped me a lot. Something I will always remember about him is probably his hair and all of the goodies he makes for our class.
What advice would you give your younger self (or anyone else) entering high school for the first time?
Advice to the younger ones who are fresh out of middle school, just be yourself, don’t try to fit in with the crowd, be your own person and find others who support you and will grow with you instead of getting into conflict with one another. Also enjoy being young and explore different things to find out who you are and what you like to do. Make the best of your time but remember that you have responsibilities to take care of. Work hard and play even harder!
What was the most surprising thing you learned about yourself during high school?
The most surprising thing that I learned about myself in high school was that I enjoyed meeting new people. When I was young, first entering high school after Covid I was very introverted, but I learned that we are all just trying to figure out life.
What is one thing that you are looking forward to doing in the coming year?
Going to college and making new friends as well as learning all sorts of new things.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
In five years, I see myself graduating from college with a degree in education and working in an elementary school!
Mikaela Perkins
What will graduating high school mean to you?
Graduating high school will mean success. Graduating high school will mean I made it. Graduating high school will mean I have now started my life. Graduating high school will mean I have finally grown up. Graduating high school will mean I can now change the world. Graduating high school will mean it is now my turn to live.
What song will always remind you of this time in your life?
The song that will always remind me of this time is “Cookie Crumble.” by Phony Ppl. At first, it was a sad song– high school isn’t always awesome. I’ve had very rough times throughout these four years. But that’s just how my story goes. I will continue to live and continue to have rough times. It’s up to what I do after those rough times that makes it worth living through those tough patches. God put me through this for a reason, and I will prove to him that I am one of his strongest soldiers. Because that’s just how my story goes and I won’t look back.
Which teacher or person had the most impact on you, and what will you remember about them?
Johnnie Milton. Mr. Milton. He has helped me through high school and academic challenges. Mr. Milton has helped me with my future (as in college), with scholarships, financial aid, with programs, with extracurricular activities– he has helped me shape my future. Mr. Milton doesn’t get as much credit as he should. He is a bright man with strong willpower and the gift of a helping hand. Mr. Milton has done great things for LaFollette High School and our Black Student Union. I owe him a lot. I cannot wait to hear him call my name at graduation. To Mr. Milton, thank you.
What advice would you give your younger self (or anyone else) entering high school for the first time?
To my younger self, I would tell her that it does not get easier. I would tell her that we get used to it, though, and have learned to live with our heavy shoulders. We learned to become someone and continue life even when we didn’t want to. We learned to laugh and smile like before, and that our heart pumps with a purpose now. To my younger self, you are beautiful, and I love you so much– we made it.
What was the most surprising thing you learned about yourself during high school?
The most surprising thing I learned about myself during high school was that I am very stubborn. Without a doubt, there was nothing I wouldn’t stop doing if I had already set my mind to it. Join a club? Done. Become a leader? Done. Speak at the pep rally? Done. Graduate honor roll? Done. Become varsity girls’ basketball captain? Done. There were so many things I’ve accomplished during my high school career all because I was stubborn enough to do it.
What is one thing that you are looking forward to doing in the coming year?
In all honesty, I am excited to decorate my own living space. I want to be able to express myself without holding back. I am excited to meet new people at my college and live with someone new and become their closest friend for the next 4 years. I am excited to start anew. I am excited to be a college student.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Simple. In 5 years, I will be in my first year of getting my Biomedical Engineering Master’s degree at Georgia Tech. Nothing more, nothing less. Georgia Tech, here I come.
Verona Area High School
Miles Dawkins
What will graduating high school mean to you?
That I am embarking on a new journey and finally getting to use all of the skills I have learned through parents, mentors and teachers. Also that I am ending a memorable highschool career on and off the field.
What song will always remind you of this time in your life?
The Thrill – Wiz Khalifa & Empire Of The Sun
Which teacher or person had the most impact on you, and what will you remember about them?
Andrew Riley, my head football coach. I will always remember how much he cares for others and goes above and beyond to bring the best out of the people around him.
What advice would you give your younger self (or anyone else) entering high school for the first time?
Enjoy every moment and always keep going.
Highschool is a fun time but it flies by. Don’t take little things for granted – laughs with friends, school events, and even challenges. Every experience shapes who you will become. Stay focused, spread kindness to others, and don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone.
What was the most surprising thing you learned about yourself during high school?
At the end of my 4 years at Verona Area High School I have learned how far spreading kindness goes and how much being nice to others can be worth in the end. Aside from recognition for being inclusive, a strong leader, and respectful to my peers, the most fulfilling thing about my time at VAHS is the relationships I have made with staff from principals to coaches to janitors and anyone in between. I have also made great relationships with my peers, some that will last lifetimes and it is all a product of spreading positivity and being kind to others.
What is one thing that you are looking forward to doing in the coming year?
I am looking forward to getting to campus at Minnesota State University-Mankato to begin my first season of college football.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
In 5 years I see myself with a degree in Biomedical and Cellular Biology, hopefully attending medical school at a prestigious university.
