![MORE THAN A GAME. With two diving catches in the outfield, the Lions showed up defensively, aiding in their victory over the Pacers. One catch was made by Atwood, and the other by McGraw. Throughout the game, the Lions knew that it wasn’t just about their victory today. “I think [playing for cancer] makes it bigger than just a game,” McGraw said. “Knowing that you have a bigger impact in this world than just who you are as one person.”](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/I70A1454-1-1200x800.jpg)
![Students in the National Art Honor Society work on the Mount Hood mural on the window of SouthLake Church. The students brought a variety of paints and mixed their own custom colors. “Instead of brushstrokes, we’re doing more dabbing, because it gives [a] better impression of tree foliage, rather than looking like actual brush strokes, because if we’re painting trees, we need it to look like trees,” Crawford said.](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/IMG_2397-1200x900.jpg)
The beginning of the end
Seniors look forward to their final year of high school
With their final year beginning, seniors are starting to be excited for the next chapter in their life including the college application process. Students have begun to try and figure out where they want to go to college and what they want to study.
As seniors prepare for their last year before they leave and begin the next phase of their life, there are a lot of things that they are looking forward to. Whether it’s graduation or prom or having a parking spot, there are many things coming up.
“I am super excited about the whole college process,” Olivia Olmsted, senior, said. “I’m not excited about applications, but I’m ready to find out and decide where I’m going to go.”
Many seniors are excited for all of the fun activities specific for seniors.
“I can’t wait to see the things like ‘The Amazing Race,’” Mikayla Ellsworth, senior, said. “It’s going to be fun seeing all the people in our grade doing all that kind of stuff. Things like the senior sunrise are also really cool because the whole class comes together and it’s a lot of fun.”
Senior year signifies many things such as the end of childhood and the beginning of adult life. For some this is a daunting idea, but others could not be more excited about getting started on the next chapter of their life.
“I’m thrilled to be a senior and getting ready to start the next part of my life,” Julie Rucker, senior, said. “I’m sad when I think about leaving home and leaving the high school. But then I think about going to college and doing something I’ve never done before and I get so excited about it all.”
Many seniors have started looking into what college they would like to attend, but very few have any idea where they want to go or what they would like to study.
“I know what I am planning on majoring in,” Olmsted said. “I want to major in kinesiology and that is helping me decide where to go to college.”
“Right now I have no idea what I’m looking for,” Rucker said. “I have some idea of the kind of college I want to attend but there are no definite choices for me yet. I probably should start looking more into that but I’ve got time.”
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Rather than waking up an hour or two before the school day, Grace Nickas, senior, starts her day four hours earlier. On a typical say, Nickas wakes up...
![MORE THAN A GAME. With two diving catches in the outfield, the Lions showed up defensively, aiding in their victory over the Pacers. One catch was made by Atwood, and the other by McGraw. Throughout the game, the Lions knew that it wasn’t just about their victory today. “I think [playing for cancer] makes it bigger than just a game,” McGraw said. “Knowing that you have a bigger impact in this world than just who you are as one person.”](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/I70A1454-1-600x400.jpg)