Senior moments

By Bri' anna Moore

Photos by Bri' anna Moore

I attend Waukegan High School in the northern suburbs of Chicago. With a population just over 4,000 students, we don't do so well academically. My school has been on Academic Watch Status for two years after being placed on Academic Early Warning. When a school fails to make Academic Yearly Progress (AYP), which we've done for six years, it is placed on Academic Watch. Despite this, during the 2008-2009 school year, we celebrated having the most students from a school in Illinois accepted into Stanford University. We were also ranked fifth in Illinois in soccer, second in basketball and first in rifle. In pictures I want to share with you some moments of my last year at Waukegan. I can't wait for May 29, 2010, graduation day.

I attend Waukegan High School in the northern suburbs of Chicago. With a population just over 4,000 students, we don't do so well academically. My school has been on Academic Watch Status for two years after being placed on Academic Early Warning. When a school fails to make Academic Yearly Progress (AYP), which we've done for six years, it is placed on Academic Watch. Despite this, during the 2008-2009 school year, we celebrated having the most students from a school in Illinois accepted into Stanford University. We were also ranked fifth in Illinois in soccer, second in basketball and first in rifle. In pictures I want to share with you some moments of my last year at Waukegan. I can't wait for May 29, 2010, graduation day.

Orchestra:

Underappreciated

“Nobody wants to hear this class."– Neal Ellis, senior

Even though we have the 13th best music department in the state, students outside the music department don't really know about us. I've heard many students say, "We have an orchestra?" I think that's a shame. The music program for the district, not just the high school, is really good. Unlike a lot of schools in our area, we have a comprehensible music program that starts in kindergarten.

Hallway:

Not enough room

When you’re going from a class on one side of the school to a class on the other side of the school, it’s pretty much impossible to get there on time because of the crowded hallways. Luckily, the teachers understand.

Chemistry:

NaCl+KNO3----> Boring . . .

AP Chemistry is the hardest class offered at Waukegan High School. This is the first year that it's been offered, but there are many problems that still need to be worked out. In this photo, my friend Gaby is hard at work completing a lab.

Government:

Civic-minded

“I like how the class is discussion-based.”– Gaby Escovar, senior

Learning about the way our government works is really interesting.

Advisory:

Ho-hum. Next!

Advisory is a new class that they implemented at my school this year. It's a complete waste of time. It's a mandatory 15-minute class between third and fourth period. Most of the activities are focused around becoming accustomed to high school and making friends. Advisory is not exactly something a senior needs.

AP French:

Parlez-vous français?

“Our teacher rambles [on and on about random subjects] and that makes it fun.”– Rudy Lugunas, senior

I love this AP French class because it's my middle school class reunited again. Since it's our six year of French months of us can speak it really well but we're not fluent.

Contemporary Issues:

Water cooler topics made cool

“This class is awesome.”– Michelle Amaba, senior

Our instructor Mr. Robert Coy makes current events interesting because he lets us debate them.

Nosotros no aprendemos nada. (We learn nothing.)

“This class is funny." – Angela Clark, sophomore

Spanish 1 class is really rowdy and most students just goof around. I don't.

Students at a game:

Team spirit . . . Grrrr, Bulldogs!

Our school spirit is so great that it's pretty much impossible to capture it on film. Even though our school isn’t the greatest, we have great pride in being Bulldogs. Pretty much everyone at Waukegan bleeds purple, green and gold.