The first semester of the 2023-2024 school year will be over in less than two months. This may not seem like a big deal for most students, but for seniors, it means the end of their high school careers is getting nearer. 

This is especially true for those in the school’s theater and football programs. Whether seniors are taking off a jersey for the last time or taking their final bows, they have still been hit with the reality that this will soon be just a memory.

The Bengals last game marked the end of the football season. For seniors on the team, it’s the last time they’ll ever get to play football for FVHS.

Senior Gates Hinton said, “It’s a little bittersweet…. Taking the jersey off for the last time was like, you’re never going to get to do this again. I’ve been very thankful for it but at the same time, kind of sad.”

Senior year has taught Hinton to “be patient and be thankful for the memories created with teammates and friends throughout the school year.”

Senior Ralph Philips said, “We were in it at every game. The biggest thing I can say is that we didn’t die and roll over like some other people… I’m very proud of what the team did. I was very happy and pleased to be a part of this team.”

Senior year can come with challenges and stress.

Philips said, “All this college stuff, it’s just a lot of weight on your mind. You want to be in the now, but there’s so much pressure to make sure you know what’s coming next.”

For some, their high school career is coming to a close even quicker. Senior Abi Daw is one of them. She will be graduating Jan. 16, along with the rest of the school’s early graduates.

“Graduating early hasn’t been extremely stressful for me because I kind of already know what I’m doing with my future. But it has been difficult to deal with. I’m so close to graduating, but it’s hard to sit through it until you’re done,” she said.

Daw is a part of the school’s theater program. She took her final bow on closing night for the production of Sherlock Holmes on Nov. 16. 

“It hit me then that there were a lot of parts that I was going to be missing in the next semester, but it also hit me that I’m done. I feel like theater was kind of the defining factor of high school for me. So when I finished it, it was like, alright, well now that’s done,” said Daw.

Senior year has taught Daw many things.

“It’s taught me to appreciate the little things about high school. For me, it was theater and not to take it for granted because time goes by quicker than you think,” said Daw.

Though the end of this chapter can be sad, there’s a lot to look forward to in the future. 

Hinton said, “I’m definitely looking forward to just seeing what college is all about. I’m interested to see just how much more I can learn about the sport that I love so much.”