Seniors are counting down the days till May 6 when Principal Patrice Aitch will say her famous quote, “Good luck Seniors, you are released.”

Times have come and gone and we look back on the good, the bad, and the ugly of Parkway South’s seniors and what they have brought to the South High community.

Maria Signaigo, explains her first day of high school perfectly. Signaigo transferred from Rosati Kain High School and started her junior year at Parkway South.

“I can’t say I really remember my first day of high school, but the  moment before I walked in, I had this sudden feeling before being dropped off like, this was it the big moment that everyone was talking about. Three of my friends that I have grown up with were in the backseat of my car. I remember all of us sitting at the red light staring at this big building in front of us. My mom pulled the car forward and I just started telling everyone in the car that this was it, our first day of high school,” Signaigo said.

Signaigo gave advice for the underclassmen as to what they can do to improve the school. “I think one of the most important things you can do to help improve South’s community is just to be kind to others.  I have a strong belief that if you are surrounded by people who are treating you the way that you want to be treated there is no way a community couldn’t improve while also bettering those around you,” Signaigo said.  

One thing that South students are very fortunate to have is the faculty and staff that works at the high school.

“My favorite teacher would probably be Mr. Saladino.  His English class has to be one of my favorites because I had that class with my best friend Anna and he always put up with us throughout  the semester, which probably wasn’t easy due to the constant giggling throughout class,” Signaigo said.

“Parkway South has changed me so much as a person, transferring my junior year from an all girls high school you could easily say I was terrified as to what the heck I had gotten myself up for.  I was lucky enough to meet a girl my age, through Souths tennis program, who had just transferred as well.  She is now my best friend and I can’t picture a life where I didn’t know her.  South has given me the opportunity to meet some of the most important people in my life, really have me discover the things I care about most and change into the person that I want to be,” Signaigo said.

Another senior,Allison James, also shared her high school experience.

“My favorite high school memory would have to be during my freshman year when I got the chance to go to Disneyworld to be part of the Christmas Parade in Orlando with the freshman cheerleading squad,” James said.

For some kids their first day of high school may be intimidating or nerve-wracking but for James it was an easy day.

“My first day of high school was pretty easy because thankfully my brother was a senior when I was a freshman and he showed me around the school so I wouldn’t get lost,” James said.

Like Signaigo stated about how she can improve the South community, James has a plan as well.

“I feel like South could do more service projects as a school and I also think that this will bring more people together.  Also, if we had more fundraisers like Special Olympics,” James said.

“I moved into the Parkway School District when i was in second grade,” James said.  

My favorite teacher in elementary school was my fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Ott. She made learning fun by making her lessons fun.  To teach English we performed Shakespeare plays, to teach history we reenacted parts of the revolutionary war, for science we watched NASA launch a space shuttle and called into and spoke to NASA,” James said.

Kara Alexander, a South High senior, attended Oak Brook Elementary School.

“My favorite elementary school teacher was by far Mrs. Manier because she was young and she always made the boring subjects exciting and engaging,” Alexander said.  “She also taught me how to spelling “spaghetti’ which was a really challenging word for me.”

Alexander attended Parkway Southwest Middle School.

“My favorite teacher of all time is Mr. Jacoby.  He really opened my eyes to what high school would be like and prepared me for all the changes.  He is also one of the few teachers that I make sure I go back and see every once in awhile because he’s so awesome,” Alexander said.

“I was in Con Brio, a selective choir group, went to 6th grade camp, participated in intramural sports, and was a student mentor,” Alexander said.

Alexander has been attending South for 4 years and has had countless memories.

“I walked into my first class freshman year scared to death but wound up meeting one of my best friends. The next thing I know I have a whole new group of friends senior year that I know I will keep forever,” Alexander said

Alexander attends many South High sports including football games and hockey games.

“My favorite hockey game memory was watching the team beat Parkway West on their senior night.  The game got pretty rowdy, but that’s what I love about the Patriot Posse,” Alexander concluded.  

As the 2016 school year for the seniors starts to come to a close, students are rushing to turn in applications, apply for scholarships, and make their last memories before graduation in May.