Four years ago, the class of 2022 stepped into the blue and orange halls of NC, bright-eyed and eager to undergo the high school experience seen in children’s movies. Now, the sizable class will walk the crowded halls for the last time in less than a month, but the experiences they made over the past four years will stick with them for a lifetime. 

“One of my favorite things about NC is the diversity of people. I was able to make so many friends who helped me grow into who I am today. They have helped me come out of my shell and introduced me to other people that I now call my family,” senior Harmony Harvey-Morris said.

While the class of ‘22 spent the entirety of their freshman year in NC’s 60-year-old building, COVID-19 took away much of their high school experience. Just over halfway through their sophomore year, they encountered an obstacle that they eventually overcame. While doing school entirely online proved challenging, NC’s amazing staff did everything in their power to make the process stress free.

In their junior year, half the class attended school in person while the others stayed online. This split friends apart and isolated numerous students, yet seniors stayed resilient and pushed through. They missed out on jam-packed football games and dancing the night away at prom. COVID-19 protocols dictated much of what students did at school and stripped them of the more exciting aspects of school.

“I didn’t hate online school, but I didn’t get to see anyone and I wanted the full high school experience. I’m so glad everyone is back in person for senior year because we can finish our high school career together,” senior Nyema Head said. 

Previously half-asleep behind the computer screen, students finally came back to school in the fall of 2021. The formerly empty hallways became occupied with students and malfunction junction returned to its chaotic ways. Seniors impatiently began the school year, keeping in mind that it would remain their last. 

At the beginning of their final year, seniors began the complicated process of applying for college and figuring out what they plan on doing after high school. NC’s kindhearted counselors put all their effort into making sure their students could reach their goals, and teachers wrote endless recommendation letters without complaints. The intelligent class gained acceptance into schools such as John Hopkins University, University of Georgia, Kennesaw State University, Auburn University, Columbus State University and numerous more. 

NC’s most talented athletes all signed to their dream colleges to continue their athletic careers, backed up by athletic director Matthew Williams and dedicated principal, Matthew Moody. Athletes Joshua Josephs, Maddie Diaz, Alex Acosta, Derek Brooks, Kenna Armitage and numerous more will now happily continue their sports in college and perfect their skills. 

“The NC football program made me into who I am today. Both the coaches and my teammates urged me to perform my best and due to their dedication I was able to get into a great school, Point University, and continue my football career,” senior Joshua Bagley said.

NC provided students with memories that will last them a lifetime. Most reminisce about the chilly football games, where they stood in the front row and screamed their team on till their throats ran dry. Several smile when thinking about the life lessons they learned in Dr. Reagan’s criminal investigations class, hoping to utilize those skills in their future endeavors. Ms. Angie will send qualified employees into the medical field and Mrs. Zavala will send accomplished writers into journalism, ready to accurately inform the public and express their opinions. Seniors will remember spending weeks picking out a dress and heels, just to take the uncomfortable shoes off an hour into homecoming. From Shop With a Warrior to the multiple senior skip days, the smiles and laughter will remain in their hearts. 

“Some of my most favorite memories are the Friday night football games. Me and my friends would paint our chests according to the theme, and even though I’d freeze to death I still had the time of my life. NC’s magnet program also provided me with endless friends and skills that will help me in college,” magnet senior Kishan Patel said. 

On Tuesday, May 24th, seniors will officially graduate and say goodbye to the teachers and staff members that shaped them over the past four years. Adorned in blue robes and a graduation cap, they will walk across the stage and receive a diploma from principal Matthew Moody, who put his all into these students. The class of ‘22 will recall the teachers who helped them through online school and pushed them to perform their best when they felt like giving up. Hundreds of high school graduates will head into this world capable of accomplishing whatever they desire due to NC’s commitment to its students.

“NC has offered me a diverse and cultural view of the world that no other Cobb County school could. I met lifelong friends through the marching band and my classes. The environment allowed me to thrive and be challenged, and I know I’ll miss it. Teachers like Coach Butler made me feel like I mattered and that I was capable of doing my absolute best,” senior Vice President Kiana Hawley said.