With exams rapidly approaching, and summer vacation soon around the bend, it’s time to look back on the year. We’ll start at the first day of school and remember the headlines that changed Wayland, and the world. Without further delay, here’s our year in review:

The year was off to a slightly bumpy start with the installation of traffic lights at the entrance to school. Fall sports and gym classes were displaced by the field house renovations, and politics on campus heated up with Presidential Election 2008. Seniors were adjusting to being the oldest students on campus, and were faced with the question of “to run or not to run?” when the administration made it clear that hill day was still off the table. Also adjusting to life on campus was the class of 2012; we caught up with a number of them at the club fair in October.

The Twilight movie sent droves of Waylanders to the movies to see characters like Edward Cullen brought to life from the popular book series.

Self-proclaimed maverick Sarah Palin caught heat from the press for a number of interviews, but made a comeback after an appearance on Saturday Night Live. The class of 2009 donned makeup and wardrobe for Halloween, with some truly spectacular costumes. On November 4th, Barack Obama was elected the next President of the United States, and MA voters chose to decriminalize marijuana. Voters in California passed Proposition 8, becoming the first state to ban gay marriage after issuing marriage licenses to gay couples.

Wayland High’s Amnesty International Chapter organized their annual fall coffeehouse, with a number of talented acts performing to raise money for Amnesty. Wayland swimming set high goals for their winter season. WHSTE put on Seussical: The Musical, a musical following the story lines of popular Dr. Seuss books. Class of 2011 attended the Sophomore Semi-Formal, and student council organized the first school-wide field day. Financial woes are first noted with the Natick Collection nearly filing for bankruptcy, and the popular Wayland Dunkin’ Donuts in jeopardy of closing due to a pending buyout by CVS.

At the beginning of 2009, the Futures Team was created to help plan the new building design for WHS. Wayland swimming shattered a long standing Weston record, and Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States. Wayland author and mother Juliette Fay published her first book, and the infamous Status Quo Winter Week controversy brought different perspectives. WHS graduate Adam Ezra returned once again for a performance during winter week, and the A-Cappella groups wowed audiences with their performances.

Slumdog Millionaire captivated audiences, and received high marks from the Academy and the Hollywood Foreign Press.

Study hall L1 was transformed into a theater space, and Wayland art students received top marks at state-level competition.WHSTE wrote the original piece: Ballad of High School, and students walked the red carpet for the Junior Prom.

Photo Credit: Catey Oakley

The new Star Trek movie came out, and was received well by a broad audience.

Swine Flu scares swept through the country, with a few confirmed cases reported at WHS. Finally, WHS bid farewell to the class of 2009, but not before they shared a number of their favorite memories from their time at Wayland High.