Seniors Recall Favorite High School Memories

As the New Year begins, Swampscotts Senior Students reflect on the past 4 years as the begin planning the rest of their lives. Members of the Class of 2014, voted on their top 7 favorite moments in their high school careers.

Coming in seventh with four percent of the vote was the schools visit from Calvin Terrell. Terrell came to the school and moved many of our students with his motivational speeches. Currently, 147 students continue to follow Calvin on his Facebook page. Vanni Kordha, a senior, recalls “I'd say Calvin was something very new for SHS in terms of having a guest speaker that really got in touch with something really  powerful with the students and how he got such an emotional response with everybody on his very first appearance.”

At number six with six percent of the vote, students recall Vice Principal, Frank Kowalski’s “Big Guy” speech. Kowalski, during an assembly about hazing, recalled his own experiences with the matter, frequently mentioning that he was...well is, a “Big Guy”. Kordha also fondly recalled this memorable moment,  "I don't know if he knew he was in the making of something great when he was up there. He definitely ingrained a new image of himself too all SHS students."

Starting the top five is last years Hockey Playoffs with twelve percent of the vote. Senior, Noah Conti, recalls its affect on our school and our community, “ It was really exciting when the hockey team got to play at the garden. I thought that in many ways it brought us together as a school.”

At number four with 14% of the vote, the seniors recall the antics of 2012 Graduate, Jon Perlstein. Seniors recall his rapping, the paddle incident, and of course him choking. Many students shied away from the comment, one senior, who wished to remain anonymous said, “The effort was there...”.

Moving on to the final three, the seniors voted the freshman year bomb scare. At precisely 10:36 on October 25th, 2010 students were evacuated from the school after a suspicious package was spotted in one of the school’s hallways. The students remained stranded at the field of Upper Jackson for over two hours. Ari Mulgay remembers the event, “ I remember standing around the track for a few hours thinking the whole thing was pretty stupid. I understand that it was necessary, but the whole thing was kind if surreal for a freshman.” 

The runner up of this poll was Spirit Week with 18% of the votes. Spirit Week, or the week leading up to Powderpuff, is full of hallway decorating, memory making, and hilarious daily themes, but Captain Imani Wilson says it was much more than that, “Spirit week was more than just hall ways decorated and a challenge it was grade bonding and taking pride in our school. I’m proud to be apart of a school that has so much spirit.I think we should have more weeks like that because a lot of us look forward to it. Go Big Blue!”

And the top moment voted by the senior class as the most memorable is this years Powderpuff victory, with a whopping 30% of the votes. The Big Blue Babes beat Marblehead in overtime after the game resulted in a 14-14 tie. Big Blue Babe Haley McDevitt remembers the momentous event, “Powderpuff was the biggest opportunity for everyone in the grade to bond over a common goal and nothing in the world felt better than the moment we won after Marblehead prematurely stormed the field. After all the trash talk that they said about our grade and the empty threats they made, we showed them how to play fair and still come on top. Also the best part of powderpuff was definitely the half time play with Marblehead's girl who couldn't play because it was too dangerous for her making a touchdown. That's what really warmed my heart.”

There are the top moments of the Class of 2014’s High School Career. These are the memories they will take with them as they embark on their futures and make even more memories. They may travel far and wide but with these memories they will never forget the little seaside town they call home.