by Noah Hurd

My time here at Mount View High School has been amazing. I’ve met some of my best friends for life here at this school. I remember like it was yesterday coming into the school for the first time, and I won’t lie, I was a little scared at first, but the amazing teachers here made it easy to fit in.  For all the upcoming freshmen to come through here, my biggest piece of advice is to not try to do too much to fit in and stay on top of your work.

For the sports side of High School here sports haven’t always been the best, but I think I can officially say I’ve left it all out here. For people who don’t know if they should try participating in sports, just go out and try it. You might not be the best at sports, but the sports teams here will make you feel like you’re part of a family and you bond together.

The best highlight from my 4 years here was during this basketball season when we brought this whole community together. To hear them cheer for us at the tournament meant a lot. I remember walking into the Augusta Civic Center before our game and all I could see was just green. The place went nuts for us. I would like to thank everyone who has helped me through my 4 years here, and hopefully, as I leave here in 6 days, I will be remembered as a good student thank you!

by Schuyler Hunt

I started Mount View High School during 2020 and the Pandemic. It was a hard adjustment to make from middle school to a messed up high school year. There were things, and people, that helped me through it and were always there for me that year, friends, family, and even teachers. All throughout high school there will be drama, and that was something I never really thought about until I was truly right in it. There was a very special teacher, Ms. Callahan, who I appreciate so much for helping me during my high school career. Ms. Callahan is one of those teachers who I will remember for the rest of my life.

Drama isn’t something that can always be avoided, but my advice is to stay out of it to your best degree. High school isn’t about the drama. It’s not about boys, and it’s not about your friends. High school is where you find yourself, and make a future for yourself. You shouldn’t be afraid to take risks and take opportunities because you could find something that will stick with you for the rest of your life, or it could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Don’t let the people around you influence you negatively or let them be toxic. After my four, very long, years of high school here, where it has shaped me to become the person I am, that is my advice to you.

by Mary Macary

A Final Goodbye to Mount View High School

Growing up, I never thought I’d be graduating from Mount View High School. When I moved to this school in eighth grade, I was scared. I had no clue what the future had in store for me, and I did not know anyone around me. Then Covid hit and all of my friendships from my old and new school diminished in the isolation of quarantine. Oddly enough, losing my friends ended up working out in my favor as I got to meet my best friends Jill and Erika. 

For the entirety of Freshman year, I believe I said a total of four words. Then that changed when at the beginning of Sophomore year, a girl named Erika invited me to sit with her at lunch. Though as she makes sure to remind me even two years later, I had no idea her name was Erika for way too long. By sitting with her and her friends, I made some of the most impactful friendships I have ever had, I finally found people who understood me. While I and most of those girls sadly grew apart, my friendship with Erika and Jill persisted, and now I will be moving in with them just after graduation. Something I expected even less than to graduate from Mount View High School.

These girls mean everything to me, and it is because of them that I made it through high school without losing my mind. Your friends can and will change your life, whether it be teaching you life lessons, impacting your choice in career or college, or even moving in with them as in my case, friendship is extremely impactful. 

What I have learned from my friends is that, other than a valuable and amazing education, the key part of high school is meeting people and having even just a few close friends. Sure, not all friendships will work out, but the fact that you had them at all makes all of the time and memories with them worth it. 

If you’re worried about high school and you’re not sure if you’ll be able to keep up, here’s my advice:

Don’t be afraid to join clubs, do sports, participate in school events, or even take a few oddball electives. These things are some of the most valuable things you can experience in high school. At these events, I guarantee you will bond with people you may have never envisioned yourself talking to. You may be able to find your niche and a hobby that could eventually become your career! Trying new things and meeting people helps make the time pass and, while classes can be absolutely horrible at times with the amount of work, having people or hobbies to support you gets you through the day. 

Unrelated advice: DO NOT procrastinate on every single assignment. As I have learned, that is a bad idea and makes random days extremely stressful for no reason. If you do chronically procrastinate, just as I do, I wish you the best of luck. 

To finish my advice, I want to stress the importance of finding a safe space. Whether it is a classroom, guidance, or even the library, having a place to go to when you are stressed or when you just need to get work done is an unexpected lifesaver in high school. 

Do not be afraid to reach out to your teachers if you are struggling with anything. It may be hard to believe, but they truly do want the best for you and will never hesitate to work with you to help you succeed in life.

I personally would like to thank Ms. Gray and Mx. Williams for unknowingly being the teachers to make high school feel like a safe place for me. These teachers were extremely understanding to me, and their classrooms always felt like a place where I could relax from the stress I often felt in other rooms. 

In addition, I would like to thank Mrs. Condon for pushing me out of my comfort zone with her questions of the day and her witty humor in class. I’d like to believe that it is thanks to her that I am able to speak my mind in class, something I struggled to do just a few years ago, and am able to talk to teachers without fear if I need help. 

All of the teachers at Mount View High School are excellent people who truly care about their students, without them and my friends I would not be the person I am. While graduating means I have to say goodbye to Mount View, I will never forget the impact this school and its people have had on me. 

by Jill Jewett

A Final Goodbye 

Graduation is upon us, coming up so quickly. I was a student at Mount View for seven years, from sixth grade until I soon walk the stage at graduation. The last story in my Intro to Journalism class is dedicated to advice for the underclassmen and incoming freshmen, advice I wished somebody had given me while I was young. 

• Take the Hard Classes Sooner 

As you have that sheet deciding which classes to take, please take the time to consider what you want your senior year to look like. I wanted to do nothing! I wanted it to be an easy ride and enjoy my last year of high school. I decided to take the harder classes earlier on, completing all honors classes freshman year, and staying on track with my math, social studies, and science classes so I didn’t have to take any of those classes this year. Please take the freshman classes when you’re a freshman, so you can be with your friends sitting in the senior classes. 

• Take a Deep Breath 

The summer before sixth grade, I cried every night because I was terrified of going to middle school. The summer before freshman year had fewer tears, but I was still terrified! If you’re in the shoes I was in then, I know you’ve heard this a million times. It’s going to be alright. Once you get into the groove of everything, and find friends and even more support than you could’ve ever imagined, life will feel peaceful once again. 

• You Will Find Your Thing 

As somebody who didn’t know what she wanted to do with her life until the August before senior year, I promise you will. When I was a freshman, I decided I wanted to do something with psychology, by sophomore year it had developed into running my own therapist office, and junior year I decided I wanted to be an addictions counselor and take the most amount of college courses I could so I could get there. Then I started senior year and realized the idea of taking another math test or sitting in another class for four (or more) years made me sick. I am very proud to say, I will be doing none of that! I got an apartment with three other friends and I will be joining the workforce as an education technician while I go for my realtor license online and in person. Something will catch your eye, and it will fall into place. You were put on earth for a reason, it’s your job to find it. 

• Hug Your Mom, Dad, Grandparents, Guardians, etc. 

I was as angsty as they come in my Freshman (and mostly sophomore) year. I believed I was immortal and that my parents were placed on this earth to irritate the hell out of me. They weren’t, and your mom will be right about the silly things you argue about. Please remember that growing up is hard on you but harder on them. I unfortunately unexpectedly lost my grandfather 34 days before my graduation. Although I will never feel not robbed of time, I knew I was there for him and my grandmother whenever I could be. Call them, go see them, bring them flowers, and always remember that your family loves you no matter what.

• Give Yourself a Break 

It’s so hard to remember to do this when you’re caught up in life. Caught up in school, drama, friends, boyfriends, and life itself. Please give yourself a moment to appreciate it. Senior year I decided to start living by the motto “It’s not that serious.” Now, that doesn’t mean danger, not doing school, or being mean isn’t that serious. However, it means that if it won’t matter in my life five years from now, then it shouldn’t bug me as much at this moment. Your fights with your significant other or your friends may feel more than heavy now, but I promise, it will not matter to you in five years. 

• Find Your Real Support 

I promise that the friends who make you feel little or less than, or the significant other who yells at you are not your real support in life. Take it from a girl who had to learn that the hard way. Even if you have to feel alone for a little bit, it’s worth it to find teachers, friends, partners, and people who can actually support you and cheer you on. You will need support in your life and during your high school career. It doesn’t matter if you don’t find them until senior year and all decide to move in together on a whim. You cannot do this alone, and you don’t have to.