Tonight, the Somerset Berkley seniors will be waiting eagerly for their names to be called and to receive their diploma. But to many, high school has meant much more than a piece of paper and a graduation cap and gown. To many, it has contained some of their most life-changing moments. And while many will be cheering after they graduate, many will also feel nostalgic about the place they have called home for the past four years.

Senior Grace Goodwin says that her favorite part of high school cannot be defined by a specific person or event. “In any situation in life, there are good people and bad people,” says Goodwin, “but I’ve been fortunate enough to encounter so many amazing people, teachers, and peers, especially my Unified Track teammates.”

Senior Kathrine Esten’s favorite classes to take while in high school include the AP Histories and Englishes as well as Math, Physics, and French. Grace Goodwin’s favorite class was the elective International Relations. “I learned crucial information about the current world we live in,” says Goodwin. “I feel like a well-informed citizen after taking that class.”

Staff members at SBRHS have taught their students much more than what the Common Core Curriculum states. Staff members have served as role models, pushed students to achieve their full potential, and inspired students to chase their dreams.

Senior Haley Langton says the teacher that impacted her the most was Mrs. Nassiff, the school’s Adjustment Counselor, because she showed her “how far kindness and respect can get you in life” and helped her through some tough moments in high school. “Without her, I would not be where I am today.”

Grace Goodwin praises Ms. Burgmyer, an English teacher at SBRHS, as an incredibly kind, selfless, and compassionate person. “Ms. Burgmyer is the teacher and person I aspire to be,” says Goodwin.

Kathrine Esten states that every teacher she has had taught her something: “I should probably just submit the entire SBRHS Staff Directory.”

However, high school was not always straightforward for these seniors. With the lifelong friendships and memories they have gained, they also have some regrets. For example, Kathrine Esten wishes she could have learned to love school sooner and learned to love herself more.

On the other hand, Haley Langton states that she would not change a thing about her high school experience: “although high school wasn’t a walk in the park, I am who I am because of it.”

These seniors also offer advice to all underclassmen: put your all into everything you do (if you enjoy it, do not be afraid to dedicate yourself to it), be kind (it is crucial to society), and get involved (even if you are not sure, do it).

Kathrine Esten states that teachers do not assign homework and tests for no reason; they do so because they know it can help you move forward.

Haley Langton encourages underclassmen to make the most out of their time in high school: “high school may feel like it’s dragging slowly, but I promise it will be over before you know it.”

Grace Goodwin states that the most important lessons she learned throughout her 4 years at SBRHS were that hard work, kindness, and compassion are of the utmost importance and can take you far in life.

These seniors also offer advice to the administration and to the high school itself as they depart: Kathrine Esten wishes to ensure the options for electives and extracurricular activities at SBRHS, even with the strain on the budget, because these things have “brought me new interests and passions that will follow me throughout life,” says Esten. They have “given me a fighting chance in the real world”

Haley Langton wishes that the appearance of the classrooms and hallways would be changed to make the building seem more personalized. Langton says she misses the quotes and paintings on the walls that were present in the old building.

Regardless of who, how, and what, high school has a lasting affect on each individual that walks through the front doors of Somerset Berkley as a freshman and throws their graduation cap in the air as a senior.

Kathrine Esten says that high school has made her “more confident, dedicated, hard-working, and curious” than she ever thought possible. “I’m able to think better, speak better, and just generally, do everything better.”

Haley Langton believes that her involvement in clubs and activities throughout the high school has transformed her the most: “I have matured a lot, I have gained so much knowledge…and I have gained a new confidence that I can take into college and into the real world.”

Because Somerset Berkley impacts everyone that walks through its doors, the seniors in the Class of 2017 will carry a part of high school with them for the rest of their lives — whether that be a memory, a friend, a skill they learned, a staff member who inspired them, or a class or activity they participated in that made them realize what they wanted to dedicate the rest of their lives to.

Grace Goodwin says that she will carry her experience on the Unified Track team for the rest of her life both because of the amazing people she has met and because it made her realize that she wants to be a teacher or work with special needs children as a speech language pathologist. “This team puts in every ounce of blood, sweat, and tears into what they do,” says Goodwin. “We support each other, and we have a great time.”

Kathrine Esten says that she will carry the analytical skills, passion, and work ethic she developed at Somerset Berkley for the rest of her life.

SBRHS has helped many of its students realize their full potential and become the person they are today.

Grace Goodwin says that her experiences at SBRHS have pointed her in the direction she wants to go in life.

Kathrine Esten states that “I can’t imagine my life without this amazing institution — with staff that is always there to catch me when I fall, classes to push me to discover what my passions are, and extracurriculars that allow me to develop my personal goals.”

Next year, Grace Goodwin will attend Bridgewater State University and major in elementary education, Kathrine Esten will attend University of Massachusetts at Amherst and major in political science, and Haley Langton will attend the University of New Hampshire and major in occupational therapy.