Change.  It can be beautiful and it can be painful to let go of the comfortable and embrace the unknown.  Upperclassmen Devildogs face this very challenge entering this school year like freshmen adjusting to their new environment, transfer students trying to make new friends, or seniors coping to no senior quotes or parking.

These latter issues have many members of the senior class confused and frustrated, perhaps because the story behind them has not been brought to light.  When questioned about the replacement of senior quotes, Ms. Carolyn Sutton, the yearbook advisor, responded, “Many students last year submitted inappropriate quotes that could not be used in a school publication.”  Sutton added, “Spending so much time on senior quotes last year detracted from making the book the best that it could be. In addition, the yearbook is meant to tell the story of the whole school, not just the senior class.”

Most seniors have been planning their senior quote since Dog Training freshman year, so naturally this change comes as a shock to the system.  Seniors have not been left out to dry though, Ms. Sutton clarified that  the TRHS award winning yearbook staff is working on ideas to incorporate special spreads for seniors. This will hopefully provide the 12th grade a creative way to summarize its high school experience, inspire others, or give a good laugh ten years from now .

As far as assigned parking goes, you either love it or hate it.  Ideally the system works to benefit all, but particularly to the seniors who would have the opportunity to buy their parking pass first and  grab the closest spots to the school.  But this new policy is still in its infant years and has a few kinks that need to be worked out, which has been vocalized by many upperclassmen.  One senior, John Ferrigno, was out of town during the selection process and frustratingly mentioned that when everything was going on, he was in New York City. “I would love to have senior parking back, [but] juniors and sophomores are parking closer to the school than me,” Ferrigno said.

Their voice has not fallen on deaf ears, as assistant principal Mr. Josh Kay is already making plans to fix these bugs.  “I am aware that some seniors who were out of town or who did not attend registration were not able to reserve a spot, which is an issue I plan to address,” Kay says.  “Similarly, I am entertaining a system which features more student choice for seniors.”   While the current senior class seems to be caught in the growing pains of this transitional phase in Travelers Rest history, the underclassmen have the opportunity to see the growth in new TRaditions.