By Katie Johnson ’11, Staff Writer

Seven years is the difference between anticipating becoming a teenager and getting ready to drive alone.  It is the difference between selling friendship bracelets at the beach and reading Crime and Punishment in the sun.

About thirty students in the graduating class this year have spent the past six years of their lives together, and have seen each other grow and mature.  Having been here so long, the group has really shaped the core of Newark Academy’s community.   The “lifers,” are now entering their seventh and final year at Newark Academy.

Although all of the seniors are mentally preparing to move on to college life in less than a year, the lifers reflect rather fondly on their years at Newark and the lessons they have learned in the process.  Our school president Rebecca Ellis, says, “I’m thrilled to say I’ve spent the full seven [years].  It’s a mix of excitement and disappointment that I have just one year left.”  Most of the interviewed lifers agree that they are ready for life beyond NA, but they cannot let go just yet.  Dan Richards puts it cleanly, “I’m ready for college, but sad to leave my friends.”

This not only says something for the preparedness that Newark Academy teaches us that readies us for independent life, but it also represents Newark’s undeniable aptitude for forming bonds between students, faculty, and staff.  Although Jason Diamond says he’s “ready to go,” he also “can’t believe that it’s been that long. But then when I think back to stuff that happened seven years ago, it seems like forever.”  Jason demonstrates an important lesson to our current 6^th graders: that you will be a senior before you know it, and also that the things you find important now may not even make your memory bank as a Senior.

Most seniors, regardless of whether they came as Juniors, Freshmen, or sixth graders agree that they feel that Newark Academy has wrapped their education up as a package, successfully preparing them for their bright futures ahead. Ashley Ulrich says that entering senior year is “pretty fitting.  It definitely feels like it’s Senior year…I feel like I’m in a good place to finish up and move on to college.”  Newark not only prepares its students academically for a rigorous college experience, but Jaxon Gruber believes that this year, “things really came full circle [socially]…in the best way possible.”  Finally Callie Marx sums it up saying that, “despite any whining, there is no place I would have rather spent the past seven years.”

Read: Frosh Findings