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With local high schools holding their commencement ceremonies this week, the Voice wanted to hear from graduating seniors about what their high school experience has been like.
Below is a Q&A interview with Alta Vista High senior Connor Studdard, who reflected on his experience at the school. Answers have been edited for style and clarity.
What is your favorite memory from high school?
My favorite memory from high school is definitely transferring to Alta Vista. That first visit, it felt like I finally found a place that I could call my home. I just felt like I fit in better there. When I met staff and other students, I felt so welcomed and invited. That was one of my core memories of high school, right there.
At first, I was super nervous and kind of afraid of what was going to happen. Then, the more I applied myself and the more I tried new things, I ended up actually finding that I liked it a lot more than I anticipated.
What’s a word that describes your senior year?
Perseverance. I faced a lot of adversity through my four years of high school, especially the first two. After coming to Alta Vista, and especially in my senior year, I was able to persevere and fight through all of that – and end up graduating with not the worst grades.
What song defines your senior year?
“Work” by Rihanna, featuring Drake. This year, I had to put in a lot of work and make up for a lot of things. It was just a very busy year, full of work.
Which class do you think prepared you most for life after high school?
It’s probably a popular choice, but I would say economics because it teaches you financial responsibility and gives you a good understanding of how to control your finances. You learn things like how to work a bank account, which I feel like are truly going to apply to the real world.
Finish this sentence: “In 10 years I’m going to be…”
…traveling the world, hopefully working in public relations or something that I genuinely enjoy, and I want to be surrounded by the people that I love most.
What’s the top piece of advice that you would give to incoming high schoolers?
Don’t get discouraged so easily. It can be pretty hard, especially coming to a new school and not really knowing as many people, but I promise that if you just keep pushing and you keep going, it does get easier.
When you don’t keep pushing and you don’t keep going, you end up falling behind, and it just makes it a whole lot worse.
What are you most proud of accomplishing or overcoming in high school?
I am most proud of graduating because if you asked me at the start of sophomore or junior year, I would have probably not expected to graduate. I was honestly debating whether I was even going to finish high school.
Throughout freshman and sophomore year, I was constantly skipping my classes or not doing my work. Most of my grades were D’s, a couple C’s and F’s.
Coming to Alta Vista, I was able to turn that around. I turned my grades around, I got a job, I started applying myself and participating in more of the programs and events offered at school. I just became more involved overall, which helped me succeed.
Alta Vista’s commencement ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, June 4. Check back on Friday for coverage of the ceremony, along with a list of the graduates.
The Voice will also be covering graduation at Mountain View and Los Altos high schools, which are both scheduled to take place Friday evening.
