Seniors reflect on their high school experience

As the Class of 2023 gears up for graduation, three seniors Derek Roberts, Emily Campos and Odelia Lu reflect on their high school experience. Listen to the audio clips below to hear the senior’s advice to their freshman self.

Throughout his high school sports career, senior Derek Roberts stuck mainly to baseball. He played soccer and baseball throughout elementary and middle school, but stoped playing soccer when he reached high school, so he could focus completely on baseball. He also was a member of the varsity field hockey team this past fall. He is committed to Endicott College to play division III baseball, where he’ll major in counterterrorism and criminal justice. When attending his college courses at Endicott, he’ll look back on his days at Wayland High School, remembering all the time he spent and laughs he shared with friends off and on the field. “I’m not going to remember specific games, but having conversations with my friends Jake Zocco and Ethan Brandaleone in the outfield will be what I remember,” Roberts said. In school, his favorite class was connect because it allowed him to be out of school often. “[Connect] allowed me to work outside of school, something that isn’t common in many of my other classes,” Roberts said.

Senior Emily Campos contributes largely to WHS. She will say goodbye to multiple teams and groups such as the field hockey and lacrosse teams, SADD, the yearbook club and her a cappella group, The Muses. Though Campos is separating from her WHS communities when she goes off to college, she isn’t going too far. In the fall of 2023, Campos will attend Tufts University, where she will be majoring in math on a pre-dental track. While in school, Campos’s favorite memory is a more recent one when she went to a prison with her psychology class. “It was very fun being able to go there, which is a little weird to say, but I had fun with my class and teacher,” Campos said.

Throughout her time at WHS, senior Odelia Lu has participated in many activities including Science Olympiad, Mock Trial, Honors Wind Ensemble and Full Orchestra Sectional. Although Lu will be leaving behind her many accomplishments and activities at WHS, her success is just beginning. In the fall, Lu will be attending New York University where she plans to major in Data Science and Mathematics. While some students only take the required amount of fine arts classes, Lu chose to have a fine arts elective every year. “I really liked having a fine arts class all four years,” Lu said. “It’s a really nice way to get a break from your academic classes.”