Powell High School’s 2024 year is coming to an end, and PHS students and teachers of all grades review the year in hindsight.

“I feel like at the beginning, it was… pretty fast,” junior Deja Brown said. “But now it’s just kind of slow because it’s almost finals and everyone’s … not doing much.”

Some students stay focused in order to keep their motivation for finishing the school year. The pace or quality of the school year, however, has not stopped students from reaching for opportunities.

“I learned many new things, and I got to talk to people I couldn’t originally [talk to] before, ” sophomore Ashton McDaniel said. “It wasn’t a great year, but it wasn’t awful, y’know?”

New experiences and opportunities have been offered for students of all ages, making each students’ year unique and beneficial. Even if some experiences weren’t new, students were able to continue doing the things they love. 

“I got my Hathaway [scholarship], so that’s one thing,” senior Rhys Bray said. “I also got to do a lot of robotics and computer science things I enjoy.”

Seniors are granted plenty of scholarships and choices, especially as the end of the semester nears. Students’ futures past high school encourage them to prioritize their interests. This could help guide their decision-making to support their plans

“I’m going into the military,” Bray said. “As a college student, I’m just hoping that I can find a specialization before I’m out of the military.

Upperclassmen focus on choices that will benefit them later in their career, while underclassmen prioritize what may be more relevant to them, making memories.

“The most memorable thing to happen this year was the Color Run,” freshman Isabelle Taylor said. “I got my teeth stained blue.”

Though it isn’t just the students who are given opportunities and new experiences this year. Many teachers are given new opportunities that have made a huge impact on the 2024 school year, and how they taught their classes.

“I think my favorite thing was getting to teach some of the upperclassmen and like the seniors, that kind of thing,” physical education teacher Charli Fluty said. “Getting to have them again, because that was never anything that I was able to do in the past.”

Students and teachers are both looking forward to the upcoming school years, and the optimism they will bring to others. The upcoming year inspires new challenges and experiences for PHS.

“I’m excited to be able to get more experiences,“ McDaniel said. “I’ve been practicing being more social, and since I have more friends now, I will be able to make new memories. I hope I can be an appropriate role model for younger kids. Overall, making new fresh memories is what I’m excited for.”