![Gap years are an uncommon alternative for high school graduates, in which graduates take a year or more off from schooling and pursue something separate from college until they are ready to return to their education or something else. Wayland High School psychology teacher David Schmirer believes that college is a good route for many high school graduates, however, he also says that its best to keep an open mind when thinking about gap years. “I think the vast majority of our students are going to be fine with [going to college] and [are] ready to go, but for those students who are having [gap years] be a more visible choice I think [it] is a good thing both for physical and mental health,” Schmirer said.](https://waylandstudentpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/xZ9lq7i7NbhVXpa2kT21s3Wz8PHl5Df0bATRSq6x-1200x800.png)
![After the Raider's first goal of the game, scored by senior captain Luke Galizio, the players pile onto the glass by the student section to celebrate, igniting the crowd into a roar. "The atmosphere was incredible, having two towns that both come to support us is amazing," Galizio said. "When [the crowd] started chanting 'Raider nation' it made [the game] feel like it wasn't just one team against another, we had a whole building of fans supporting us."](https://waylandstudentpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/06FBB04E-4C03-408A-B554-FE6C06CE8C08_1_105_c.jpeg)
On Wednesday, March 5, Wayland High School and middle school students saw a swastika symbol spray painted outside the pool building en route to school in the morning. The swastika has now been covered.
This is not the first time the Wayland Community Pool has been vandalized with hateful speech. A racial slur was painted on the pool wall in December of 2022 as a racially motivated attack on the former Superintendent of Wayland Public Schools Omar Easy.
The swastika was adopted as the symbol of the Nazi party of Adolf Hitler, who used the symbol to represent Nazi values and belief in a superior Aryan race and has been since used to target Jewish people.
The recent graffiti came as a shock to students and staff on campus. Students describe this incident as disturbing and hurtful, and hope to see a swift response from the Wayland community.
“Whether it’s antisemitism, racism, homophobia or any other form of hate there should be a strong response from both the administration and the community,” Jewish Student Union (JSU) senior leader Bella Schreiber said.
Schreiber, along with senior Rachel Goldstone and Rebecca Grossman founded JSU at WHS last year amid the rising levels of antisemitism across the nation. They encourage students to seek support from those they trust while navigating this act of hate.
“I urge anyone who feels hurt or afraid or any other emotions from this incident to reach out to someone they trust, and keep in mind that Rebecca, Rachel and I are also here to talk,” Schreiber said.
When the WHS administration gets a report involving a hateful message, such as this graffiti, an investigation is launched along with the police department. Administration contacts the police immediately to ensure the vandalism is taken down. Administration also builds a communication thread with other staff members to keep them updated.
“We do our best to give comfort and support to students who need it,” Assistant Principal Sean Gass said.
This article is a developing story that is subject to updates.
