Zena Girhotra
“I wish that someone had told me that I can not excel in everything at once — it would have been best for me to understand that by choosing one activity and really honing in on succeeding would have brought me to my goals much quicker than trying to ‘win’ at three to four different things at once. For me, my top activity became robotics and I am extremely happy that it became one of the things I pursued throughout my high school career. My best decision was putting myself out there for whatever I wanted, which got me many officer positions, leadership opportunities and even scholarships and national recognition. You are your biggest supporter always and without confidence, it is hard to get anywhere in life,” Zena Girhotra said. “My biggest takeaway is to never forget who your people are; those who keep you humble and grounded are the best people to have around always and it is extremely important to have a good support system there for your rough and good times.”
Stephen Jung
“I wish I told my freshman year self to not wait so long to get involved in clubs and activities. Freshman year you are overwhelmed with a different schedule, but what I regret is not stepping more out of my comfort zone to take more opportunities that Walpole gave,” Stephen Jung said. “I think running for class president really shaped how I approach my everyday life. The opportunity to be my grades president these last four years has made me more motivated to become a better leader and to approach different situations with skills I would not have otherwise been able to achieve without being class president. My biggest takeaway from WHS is that a lot of being happy these past four years was because of the people. Whether it was from soccer, STUCO or just people in classes, I really enjoyed meeting a lot of new people. Walpole has such a diverse community and I will remember the people the most that made my time here special.”
Conor Larkin
“I wish someone told me that it is okay to be wrong and to start being comfortable with being wrong. I also wish I knew that it is important to try and be as involved as possible, whether that be sports, clubs or staying after school or during interventions to get help. I found that once I got involved high school was a lot more fun. The best decision I ever made in high school was being kind to everyone. I would say that I have made so many more friends just by being nice to everyone than I would have if I just stayed in my own friend group. You do not want to be that person that no one likes, so by being kind and showing respect to everyone really goes a long way,” Conor Larkin said. “My biggest takeaway from WHS is knowing that I need to be self-sufficient but if for any reason I would ever need help I know there are always people around me that are willing to help me out with whatever I might need.”
Nadia Mckenzie
“I wish someone told me that school is not everything and not stress out about it so much. Everyone usually talks about organization and how to prepare yourself, but I feel that no one talks about the pressure that incoming freshmen feel to do their best in their academic classes,” Nadia Mckenzie said. “I think that the best decision at Walpole High School was joining a ton of clubs and sports teams. Becoming a part of these groups really helped me to branch out and become friends with a bunch of different people which really helped me learn a bunch of skills, such as communication and leadership! But my biggest takeaway would be to have fun and try new things because you never know what could happen!”
Bridget Tienery
“I wish someone told me that it is okay to do things for you! You do not have to please everyone as long as you are happy,” Tienery said. “I believe the best decision I made in WHS was making the switch from soccer to cross-country. I was hesitant to leave because all of my best friends did soccer but I am so thankful I did. The sport allowed me to meet new people, gain confidence and so much more. And my biggest takeaway from WHS is just to be kind because you never know what someone else is going through. A smile in the hall can go a long way.”
Luke Zahurak
“I wish someone told me to get involved with more clubs. That is one thing I wish I did more of in high school. The best decision I made was leaving the soccer team for cross country. It allowed me to make lifelong friends and created a lot of success for me. Everything is determined by how hard you work. Your success in school, athletics and anything else will be determined by how much you put into it,” Zahurak said.
