As soon as seniors are handed their diplomas, their next chapters open.

Deciding the next step for the future can be intimidating yet exciting. Some students are taking a huge leap by attending college across the country. Senior Corina Brazelton will be attending Harvey Mudd in Claremont, California.

“I have three majors. I am studying mathematics, computer science, and dance. At Harvey Mudd, you can take math and computer science together. I will take dance at Pomona, which is another college in the Claremont College consortium. I am excited to go to Harvey Mudd in the fall not only for the rigorous curriculum but also for the warm Californian weather and the distinctly different opportunities than those offered in Indiana,” Brazelton said.

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For senior Olivia Bullock, meteorology has always been in the cards. Bullock is also taking on another major in dance.

“I am going to Ball State to major in meteorology and double major in dance and theater. I always read a bunch of weather books as a kid and would watch the Weather Channel all the time. I took Earth and Space my sophomore year, and we did a week-long meteorology unit which solidified my wanting to pursue meteorology. I want to double major in dance because I want to dance for the rest of my life and possibly become a dance teacher or choreographer, too,” Bullock said.

Sometimes, the classes taken in high school lead students to their careers.

“After high school, I am going to Ball State to major in either film or production. Mr. Williams’s film literature class I took last semester is the reason I wanted to take this direction in my career. I have always liked watching movies and comparing the different endings and beginnings to films. I have also always been interested in writing and directing,” senior Rebecca Kirov said.

Taking a gap year gives students the opportunity to save money and figure out the direction for their futures.

“I am planning on going into the study of business and marketing, but I am taking a gap year first. I reproduce LEGO cars and sell them to other people; so doing that has taught me a lot about business. I am currently trying to work at Ray Skillman for my gap year to learn about the car salesman side of the business,” senior Jalen Manson said.

Athletics can lead to playing sports at the D1 level. Senior Mya Ayro will be attending the University of Connecticut to play volleyball, major in psychology, and minor in business.

“The coaches and the people at UConn just really felt like family from the beginning. It is an environment that I want to grow in. It is not just extremely competitive, but it is also very supportive and connected. They have the whole family culture and will support you on whatever decisions you make,” Ayro said.

The military offers opportunities to seniors seeking direction. Senior Gabrielle Kiethley is enlisting in the Army.

“My dad and grandpa were both enlisted and I didn’t really know what I wanted to do after high school, so the military was a great option for me. I am going in for mechanics. I have to train in three different exercises I will get timed for: a 5 mile run, 1 minute of push-ups, and sit-ups. I have gotten started on doing daily runs and doing 10 push ups before bed. I will do more intense workouts during the summer,” Kiethley said.

Teaching can combine student interests and the rewards of working with youth.

“I am planning on attending IUPUI this fall to study art education. I have always loved art and the creative freedom it holds. I also really love kids and have wanted to pursue a career that involves them. I want to finish college strong and become an art teacher,” senior Daphne Corliss said.

Senior Tanner McKinney is also considering teaching.

“I plan on going to the University of Indianapolis to study education. I wanted to go to the UIndy because my mom went there. I am currently considering being a teacher. I might start out with being an elementary school teacher,” McKinney said.

Many students found their interests in the medical field through their Senior Capstone projects.

“My plan after high school is to attend IU Bloomington, and I am currently in the Pre-Bachelor of Science in Nursing. I always wanted to go into the medical field but after shadowing a pediatrician, I saw how much I loved the role nurses played in patient treatment,” senior Sahejpreet Kaur said.

Senior Andrah Nicely is looking towards a career in the medical field, too.

“I am going to Indiana State University for pre-med. I was interested in ISU because my cousin went there and she really liked it. I have been interested in the medical field for as long as I can remember. In the future, I would like to be an orthopedic surgeon,” Nicely said.

Staying close to home is a popular option.

“I will be attending Franklin College in the fall. I got a good scholarship there, and since it is close to home and in a safe area, I wanted to go there. I will be studying biology because I have a passion for animals,” senior Amelia Bailey said.

Senior Kevin Davis is looking towards a career in law.

“I plan to go into law school at Indiana University and for my undergrad. I want to go into more law-focused business, such as litigation. I am going to go to Kelley School of Business for my undergrad before I go to law school afterwards. I always found that public speaking is a strength of mine and law has always interested me, especially for when I did my job shadow for the senior project,” Davis said.

Several seniors are pursuing careers in firefighting.

“I have always wanted to do firefighting after hearing my family’s stories. I was able to work construction with firefighters when I was younger, so a lot of my encouragement came from them. The preparation that I go through is long, hard, and demanding hands-on training. Training in this job is very intense because you can never relate to the real situation, until you are in it,” senior Scott Raker said.

Senior Ty Williamson is looking towards being a firefighter despite his age.

“I want to become a firefighter, but since I am so young, I have to wait to be hired on. I won’t turn 18 until four months after we graduate. But I am already completely certified through C9 in my Hazmat 1 and 2 and my Fire 1 and 2. The next certification I am looking for is EMT. EMT is a huge role in the fire service so I will take a course over the summer possibly at a hospital,” Williamson said.

Senior Devjon Pearson is going to work in the fire service, too.

“I was interested in firefighting because of the hard work and being able to save people. I will have to eat well and be in the right state of mind to prepare. I am most looking forward to driving a fire truck or running into a fire. I hope one day to become a firefighter chief,” Pearson said.

A degree in business offers a variety of career opportunities.

“I want to go to Indiana University to study administrative business. I realized I wanted to get into business a few years ago when I started making money mowing grass. My goals are to eventually hold a high management job and start a business,” senior Drew Dhondt said.

Senior Jabar Elemikan is going into business, too, but he will be living at home to save money.

“I am going to Ivy Tech to study business and administration. I wanted to pursue that because there are many ways to go with that major. My senior project was on graphic designing, which influenced my decision to pursue things on the business side of things. I am going to be living from home to save money,” Elemikan said.

Going out of state for college offers the opportunity for new experiences.

“I was not planning on going out of state until my parents made me tour Miami University. After that, I was just in love with the school. I t was not necessarily that I wanted to go out of state; I just fell in love with Miami. I am pursuing finance because I have always loved math, but I knew I wanted to study some sort of business, and finance combines those two things. I am most excited for the community at Miami since it is a very close-knit campus,” senior Molly Morris said.