“Your high school years are the best years of your life.” I’m sure you have heard this before. But is this cliche as true as people think?
Let’s take it back a bit and interview East High Schools’ very own Lowell Long, or more well known as Mr. Long. Mr. Long is extremely well known as the “building guy.” Long attended East from the fall of ‘72 through ’75.
Did you go to your high school’s events?
“Always, as many as possible,” Lowell Long said.
Were you apart of sports? Did being a part of this activity make your high school experience better?
“I played ninth and tenth grade basketball and ninth grade football, I ran track in ninth grade, this was at Goodrell, but we still came to East for football and track,” Long said.
Overall, how was your high school experience? If you could go back, would you change anything?
“I had a blast in high school. If I could go back, I might, yes. I might change some of the friends I hung out with. I have good friends and we’re still friends to this day, but they weren’t the best influences. But I will stress this, and I tell kids this all the time, get involved in something. Even if it’s only chess club, you’ll make friends that will be with you the rest of your life,” Long said.
For the next Alumni, meet former East cheerleader, Nancy Pike Elliott. Elliott is a little less known to most of East, but to the cheerleaders she is an inspiration. Elliott went to East from the fall of ‘66 to the spring of ‘68. Elliott is a highly active cheer alumni who is always at events and always willing to lend a helping hand.
Did you go to your high school’s events?
“In my three years at East High School from ’66- ’68, I did just about everything I could manage to fit into my schedule. I attended and/or cheered for as many as possible. I attended all the school plays and even danced in one of them. If there was event, I was likely there,” Pike Elliot said.
Were you apart of sports?
“When I attended East, it was a three-year high school. Tennis and golf were the only competitive sports for girls at that time. I played and lettered in Varsity Tennis for all three years and made and lettered in Varsity Cheer leading my junior and senior years. Five Varsity letters was the maximum a girl was able to earn at that point. Title IX was passed in 1972, and things began to change dramatically for girls’ sports and for cheer leading,” Pike Elliott said.
Did being a part of this activity make your high school experience better?
“Being involved at East helped me feel accomplished, like I belonged, like I wanted to be there, like I had something to contribute and like I was a true East High Scarlet,” Pike Elliot said.
Overall, how was your high school experience? If you could go back, would you change anything?
“I would definitely say that East gave me the solid foundation that I needed to go on to higher levels of academic success in addition to providing so many other wonderful opportunities to be involved in activities at a school like East High School,” Pike Elliot said.
Now let’s hear more from the current seniors of East High School. Times have changed since the alumni have been here so, let’s find out from the seniors just how different things are. Introducing senior cheerleader Mia Morrow.
So far, how would you describe your high school experience?
“My high school experience has been bittersweet, ups and downs for sure but I wouldn’t change it,” Morrow said.
Do you go to your schools’ events? If yes, does this make the overall experience more fun?
“I try and make it to lots of my school events, I am a cheerleader so I’m always at football games. I also try and make it to after school events like culture night it’s made my experience better just getting to know people,” Morrow said.
What would you recommend incoming freshmen do to make the most out of high school?
I would recommend getting involved to make the most out of high school. When I was a freshman, I was only a cheerleader through the years I’ve joined yearbook, scarlet squad, student government, and ambassadors and I’ve gotten to go so many different things you couldn’t do if you were involved,” Morrow said.
Finally, we have junior Kiara Juarez. Juarez is incredibly involved at East doing various activities and clubs including Latinos in Action, yearbook, science bound, upward bound, girls’ cross country and soccer.
So far, how would you describe your high school experience?
“I’d describe it as eventful, and it’s given me experiences that I’ll look back on in the future,” Juarez said.
Do you go to your schools’ events? If yes, does this make the overall experience more fun?
“Yes, I do, I feel like it does make the experiences better because I want to look back on high school and know that I was involved and had fun,” Juarez said.
What would you recommend incoming freshmen do to make the most out of high school?
“Join clubs and activities and stay involved in school. Once you get around the right group of people any experience big or small can be fun. Get involved, stay involved and make the most of it,” Juarez said.
In the end, everyone will have their own experiences and opinions of high school because everyone is unique. Although, what I hope people take from this page is not that high school is going to be the best years of your life but, like all thing’s, its what you make of it. High School isn’t some magical place that’s always fun, it’s full of ups and downs and it’s not always easy. What high school is though is a place where you can experiment and step out of your boundaries. It’s full of opportunities for anyone to take.