Important Dates

Belvidere High School's commencement ceremony will take place on Friday, June 18 at 6:30 PM.

        As I sit here writing this article, I’m left with a feeling I haven’t felt in a long time. It’s a question I haven’t asked myself since I left White Township Consolidated School all those years ago. Unfortunately, like most things in this world, it’s a question only time can answer for me.

        How do I say goodbye?

        How do I leave behind all that I’ve come to do at Belvidere High School? How do I take my final bow on a stage that I’ve learned so much from, whether it be during a musical or a concert? How can I put down my pen and leave the Scarlet Scoop, and become nothing more than a mere part of its legacy? How does one say farewell to the teachers they’ve come to know, and most importantly, the friends they have made? Suddenly I realize that all of my experiences, either good or bad, amalgamate into a single entity that takes the form of somebody. It’s a person who has formed over the last four years, who upon first walking into the halls of this building, was very different than he is now. That person is I.

        Four years ago I would walk into this building and very few, outside of my fellow White Township brethren, knew who I was. So many new faces surrounded me, but little did I know that some of them would become extremely close friends. Many of them I would share experiences with that I never could have imagined at the time.

        I vowed to continue my interests in music and writing. I auditioned for Madrigals and made it in. I went out for the school musical and received the lead role. I walked into Mrs. Gautier’s room and joined the Scarlet Scoop.

        Today I walk through those doors and down the exact same hallways, but the world I live in is quite different. I know where every door is, where every hallway leads, and what every teacher teaches. Many people know me, and I them. Some ask me questions, while others look upon me for advice. I know exactly where I need to go, what I need to do, and where I go to relax and do something I enjoy (the music room). It’s a world where everybody knows your name.

        I’ve sung the national anthem at football games, and taken pictures of them for the Scarlet Scoop as well. I took part in the homecoming skits, and laughed later with friends about them. I’ve traveled to Cleveland, Annapolis, and Boston to compete musically, and have also had some of my most memorable moments there.

        Sometimes you wish you could turn back the clock and do it all over again. What if I had done it this way? Why did I wait so long? What if I had taken that golden opportunity when I had the chance?

I’ve always been a firm believer in experiences. Every one of them, good or bad, teaches you something in life. Making a mistake can be unfortunate, but sometimes we need to get it wrong a million times before we ever get it right. I guess you can say a mistake can be a good thing; some people might never have had that opportunity to begin with. If everything went right, life would be too easy. Life is, by itself, uncertain, and if we had our way all the time, wouldn’t we already know the outcome?

        But one thing I am certain of is next year’s editing staff for the Scarlet Scoop. Allow me to introduce them (in no particular order): David Yannarella as editor-in-chief, Coleen Carney and Alison Bancroft as associate editors, and Natasha Kowaleuski as webmaster. These four students have shown themselves to be extremely dedicated to our paper, and I know they will do an outstanding job running it in a few short months. Congratulations to all of you!

        I would also like to take this opportunity to thank some people involved with the paper. Firstly, and most importantly, I would like to thank our writing staff! All of you guys (and girls) were always eager to write something and give your opinion. I’ve learned a great deal from you, and I hope you continue to write next year as well! My hat also goes off to Adam Haye, Erik Lee, and Mr. Halloran, all of whom were responsible in getting the new, online edition of the Scarlet Scoop on the internet. Of course, I also need to thank Mrs. Gautier for her wonderful advice on just about everything. She had an answer for just about every question (and in the rare case that she didn’t, she found one). Without you, none of this would have been possible!

        I walk now into a future where the past is but a memory. When our voices are but an echo in these busy hallways, our presence a myth, and our accomplishments the things of legend, we will still remember. All of us will remember that we had done the impossible these last four years, and succeeded in doing more than just attending school every day. Together, we made a difference.

Godspeed!

-Justin Kiefer

Editor, Scarlet Scoop 2009-2010 School Year