Honoring our “Super Seniors” of IHS Class 2022

Indiana Area Senior High School

Honoring our “Super Seniors” of IHS Class 2022

By MADELINE SHIRLEY

As the end of the 2021-2022 school year comes slowly but surely to an end, our seniors are starting to get prepared for life after they graduate from high school. Even though senioritis is upon more or even every senior, a handful of seniors have really stood out during their high school career. These seniors have put in their all for not just themselves but for all the other students. These seniors go above and beyond without being told to and for that they deserve and have earned the recognition by many as “Super Seniors”.

Senior Margaret Lowery is a member of IHS Leadership Seminar, FBLA (Future Business Leader of America) Key Club, Key Club Executive Board, National Honor Society, SGA (Student Government Association), and Girls Soccer. Margaret is also very active with her Digital Media Production class at IHS with taking photos for school publications and shooting and editing videos for the IHS Webcast. Many students and staff say Margaret works hard and always has a positive attitude.

Senior Nyle Bajwa is a member of IHS Leadership Seminar, Key Club, Tech-Ed Club, and WE for AP Club. In addition, Nyle has helped plan IHS MINI-Thon and the IHS Breast Cancer Awareness Fundraiser. As Senior Class President, he coordinated the Senior Class Picnic last fall, worked to reopen the IHS Senior Cafe upon changes to social distancing protocols, and has done so much more with the school. In short, as a “Super Senior”, Nyle has made a big impact on IHS and continues to do so everyday.

Nyle believes his hardest moment in high school was his sophomore year. “High School has been a rollercoaster for me. There have been highs and lows, but overall I would say it has been a great journey and I feel well prepared to take the next step in my life. The hardest part of high school was definitely my sophomore year, where I took APUSH (AP U.S. History) and Honors Chemistry. Although we didn’t finish that year due to COVID, there was a lot of work being assigned.”

Senior Anna Margita is a member of IHS Leadership Seminar, has been involved in Key Club for all four years of high school and this year is part of Key Club Executive Board. Anna has been a part of IHS Ambassadors since her sophomore year of high school and was named their Vice President her Junior year. Anna runs the social media accounts for IHS leadership and IHS Key Club and is a member of the National Honor Society for both her junior and senior year. Anna has been part of the Digital Media Production classes since her sophomore year and serves as the program’s President this year as well as a director of the IHS Webcast. Lastly, she has helped to establish FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) at IHS. All in all, as a “Super Senior”, Anna is a kind soul who will help anyone when needed and as such she is a great leader and student at IHS.

Some advice Anna would give to the freshman is to live in the moment, “ I suggest that the freshman get involved and plugged in to as many things as possible. These experiences teach you so much about the real world and give you opportunities to stand out. This also goes for other grades/individuals within the highschool. Also to never wish away your time at the high school, the time really does fly by so fast. Cherish every moment here with your friends and teachers. Good luck to you all next year!”

Senior Jenny Todd is a member of IHS Leadership Seminar, a member of Key Club for all four years of high school, Key Club Executive Board (Junior and Senior year), serves as a Senior Class Representative, a member of SGA (Junior and Senior year), FBLA (four years), and is a staff member of the Newspaper Journalism class and HIGH ARROW. Jenny has been a member of the IHS Varsity Girls Golf team (four years) and Varsity Swim team (Freshman and Sophomore year). With all these experiences at IHS, Jenny is a well rounded student constantly involved with IHS and as a result has certainly qualified her as a “Super Senior”.

Senior Isaac Myers is a member of IHS Leadership Seminar, serves as an IHS Ambassador, is a member of FBLA and IHS Key Club, and serves as Senior Class Representative. In addition, Isaac is a member of the Table Tennis Club and the Varsity Boys Soccer team. All in all, what makes Isaac a “Super Senior” is that he is a friendly, well known student who in turn works hard trying to make new students comfortable at IHS.

Isaac recommends the freshman (and other grades) to get to know your teachers, “Some advice I would give to the Freshman that are coming next year is to get to know your teachers. Many of them have helped me tremendously through my high school career. They all are very sociable and because of this makes learning in their class easier and entertaining.”

Senior Hunter Fanella is a member of IHS Leadership Seminar, IHS Key Club (all four years and serves as Key Club President this year), and has been an IHS Ambassador for the past three years. She was in FBLA her freshman year, is a member of National Honor Society, serves as a Senior Class Representative. Hunter’s extracurricular activities have involved Track and Field (freshman year) and Varsity Cross Country (all four years and captain her senior year). Hunter is a great student and athlete who has shown what makes her a “Super Senior” is that she works for what she wants to achieve for herself and others.

Senior Kennedi Kunkle is a member of IHS Leadership Seminar, Key Club (Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior), FBLA (Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior year), helped with the IHS Webcast, is a member of National Honor Society as well as IHS Ambassadors. She is currently President of SGA (Student Government Association) and serves as the IASD school district student representative on the school board. Kennedi has been a member of the Varsity Girls Tennis team (freshman and sophomore year) and IHS Varsity Girls Lacrosse (all four years of high school). Kennedi is very involved with IHS and as a “Super Senior” her hard work has definitely been seen by and benefitted many.

With all that these “Super Seniors” have been through they still manage to have a positive attitude. Mr. Matthew Neil, IHS Ambassadors sponsor, has seen how well Anna Margita and Isaac Myers have impacted students and staff. “Anna radiates kindness. I admire the way she treats others. She has deeply impacted the lives of new students in our school. She’s mentored younger students as well. She is an excellent role model who is more interested in doing the right thing, than getting credit for it. I’m proud of her.”

Additionally, Mr. Neil feels that Senior Isaac Myers helps students to feel comfortable at Indiana Senior High. “Isaac has helped countless new students in our school. His good cheer and concern for others has helped put many students at ease. He’s served honorably as president of Ambassadors and has always been the first person willing to volunteer to put himself out there in front of a large group. Something you may not have known about him is that behind the scenes, he has volunteered to help students who are in particular need, going out of his way to support them. I’m proud of him. If you want to be more like Isaac, you’ll decide to “go for it” when you see an opportunity or even more importantly, do the unseen good work of helping others.”

With these “Super Seniors” going above and beyond you may wonder how they manage all they do? Well, here are some words from “Super Senior” Jenny Todd. “My high school experience has been interesting. I had some good moments and some bad, but I can’t say I didn’t at least have good seasons each year. The hardest experience I had in high school was staying focused and keeping my grades up even though going into high school I experienced the death of a parent. I would say some days were harder than others but the end goal has always been on my mind. Everyone seems to give similar advice but it is so true that time goes way faster than you think and a lot of the moments that seemed like a big deal at the time you truly won’t even remember.”.

All of the “Super Seniors” can agree that time does fly in high school so enjoy every moment. If you see any of these “Super Seniors” (Anna Margita, Issac Myers, Nyle Bajwa, Jenny Todd, Kenndi Kunkle, Hunter Fanella, Margret Lowery) certainly give them a smile and a wave, or better yet stop and tell them your appreciation how hard they have worked and how much it has shown IHS what makes them “super”.

These “Super Seniors” have definitely gone above and beyond and are starting to think about their future for themselves beyond the halls, classrooms, and sports venues of our school. Despite their leaving IHS in less than two months, these “Super Seniors” have definitely left their mark on the school community that will remain for years to come.

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