As the sun gets hotter and the grass grows greener, it is becoming obvious that the last days of school are rapidly approaching. While for most of us this means eagerly counting down the days left until summer break, for seniors, it means having to say goodbye to the home they have shared for the past four years.

On May 23, Schreiber hosted its annual Senior Department Awards Ceremony to commemorate the end of the seniors’ high school career. The ceremony took place in the Schreiber auditorium, the place where the exact same group of students were first inaugurated into high school. Seniors who attended the service were acknowledged for all of the accomplishments they have achieved throughout their high school careers. The ceremony gave students the opportunity to look back at their hard work, and remember both the positive and difficult experiences that they have had throughout the years.

“I’m sad about leaving, but I am also a little relieved because it was all pretty stressful. I’m just excited to enter my next phase in life, and see what my future has in store,” said senior Una Stopford, who received four awards at the event: the High Academic Achievement Award, Excellence in Band, Excellence in English and Theatre, and Outstanding Effort in Drama Club.

During the ceremony, over one hundred awards from every department in the school were distributed. Students were awarded for excellence in math, English, science, social studies, foreign language, business, musical theatre and dance, technology, musical arts, general art, ESL, health, and physical education. 

When selecting the award recipients, teachers of each department would gather and confer with one another about who they believed was the most deserving of certain awards. Within each department, there was at least one prestigious award that was given to only one student who showed exemplary effort, leadership, dedication, and eager participation. 

In addition to department awards, there were also awards and scholarships which were sponsored by national organizations, such as the National Merit Scholarship Award, whose recipient was senior Julia Ruskin, or the National English Honor Society Award, whose recipients were Ashlynn Gallagher, Saige Gitlin, Celia Christake, and Jamie Littman. 

“It was a great experience. I was able to see all of the accomplishments my fellow classmates have achieved these past four years,” said senior Savanna Hathiramani. 

Hathiramani was the only student who received the FACS Choice Award. 

Superintendent Dr. Kathleen Mooney, Schreiber Principal Dr. Ira Pernick, and several other teachers from each department were there to present the awards. They were also given the chance to witness the progress the seniors have made. 

“It’s really nice to have that culminating moment, because it gives us a chance to recognize all the hard work, and all the achievements that have built up since elementary school,” said Mr. Shane Helfner, who is the Concert and Freshman Band director.

Mr. Helfner was also the presenter for many of the band awards

As the month of May rolls by and we enter June, the school year is winding down to a close. In the next week, the seniors will have many final moments: their last lunch in the cafeteria, their last time using their lockers, and their last classes of high school. However, they are moving onto bigger and better places, and taking the next steps in their lives as adults. So, when the seniors hear their final bell-chime on June 7, they should remember the wisdom of novelist Anne Tyler, “Sometimes, when you get to what you thought was the end, you find that it’s really just a whole new beginning.”