During these strange times, I have often thought back to one of my first lessons in my junior year Viewpoints class, where we asked the question, “What is a myth?” The unit was focused on the myth of the American Dream, essentially defining a myth as an idealized perception of something that may not be as it appears. In this sense, senior year is mythic. You learn about it from when you first start school in kindergarten. We were branded with the auspicious year 2020 before we really even understood what that was. The transition of our second semester senior year from mythology to reality stopped dead in its tracks before we ever got to understand what it feels like to end your education surrounded by the people you’ve been with since before you could ever even envision yourself in a white cap and gown. 

As we approach our graduation date nonetheless, it’s tradition for the Editor of the Radnorite to leave the role with a parting message. I put off even attempting to continue this tradition for a long while, not knowing where to really begin. I knew that my article wasn’t going to be even remotely similar to those of my predecessors. I could go on and on about how revered the end of year senior events truly are, but I’d be preaching to the choir. After virtual school finally came to an end with those final Big Blue Buttons, I spent some time reflecting on our collective experience these past few months. At some point while in quarantine I fell into a place of acceptance that we weren’t going to have a normal graduation. It was a stage I didn’t think I’d initially make it to. However, I’ve realized that I’m not sure if I’m even close to coming to terms with the loss of the small moments. 

Most of our memories from Radnor High School stand out as important events over the years: LM Week, championship games, or the spring Musical. But what really made up our time here were conversations at lunch tables, walks to our next class, and distracted science labs. It was muffin days, tater tot Tuesdays, unexpected free periods spent roaming the halls, days that just made us happy for no particular reason, mornings where we slept in, friendships that we didn’t expect to make, and class-wide conversations with teachers about our lives and the world we live in. Those things are harder to let go of, knowing we had all of our lasts completely unaware of them. We finished high school one day in March, and we didn’t know it. 

In some ways, it was a sort of beautiful, twisted Irish exit. We don’t normally draw great amounts of attention to things like pulling into your parking space for the last time, though I’m sure we all would’ve felt the weight of it had we known. But now all of the things that we will never do again fill my head. I think I can speak for most of the class when I say that we weren’t ready. We were not prepared to leave this chapter of our lives in the past, all at once. Many tears were shed over this, because as much as we knew that all that mattered was that people were safe and healthy, it all felt so wrong, and nothing got rid of the sense of loss we are still experiencing.

The first time I returned to the school after we closed I still thought we would go back in a couple of weeks. The second time I visited, when I knew this wasn’t the case, I cried on my way out. Going back has become increasingly easier, but the building feels sadder too. I remember during my freshman year health class Mrs. Roseland said that Radnor High School was just like an airport; people are constantly coming in and out, and there is always something going on at all times of day. As I walked through the cafeteria to drop off my textbooks, I thought about how every single classroom and corner of that building holds hundreds of memories. To all the underclassmen reading this, when you do get to go back, don’t take it for granted like we all did. Indeed, the small moments are what you’ll end up missing the most. 

I know that our class is stronger now than it ever has been before and that we will all start the next chapter of our lives with more motivation, energy, and pure joy to have reentered the world than we ever would have under normal circumstances. This is an opportunity for us to look towards not only our own futures, but the futures of those around us. Radnor High School shaped our lives, personalities, and work ethic, and the world is better for it. This school taught me that I never have to limit myself. A school paper can become a crucial and informative source of local news. A Model UN team that only meets up when we actually have conferences can beat teams who meet every week for Model UN classes and become national champions. 

In an overwhelming situation, my most prominent feeling was one of gratitude. No one in my family could really understand exactly why I was so sad, which led me to the realization that not everyone gets a high school experience so special that an early end to it all was as heartbreaking as ours felt. I just want to say thank you to all of the teachers, friends, administrators, and other wonderful people who have fostered a learning environment that prepares its students for success as they move on with their lives, but loves them so much that it makes the process of actually moving on so hard. 

Class of 2020, I’m so sorry. I’m sorry that the most anticipated three months of our whole 13 years of Radnor education was spent in isolation, and I’m sorry for lost memories that we won’t get back. While at first I was doubtful of the feasibility of continuing to make memories in quarantine, I am overjoyed to be able to look back and say that somehow, we still did. The pandemic was a learning experience that taught me never again to take for granted even the most reliable things in my life, because they too can be taken away. And it taught me that I was one of those incredibly lucky people who have so much to miss. 

While we may not have been able to enjoy the release of four years of hard work, late nights, and anxiety about our future, it all did pay off in the end. Whatever your plans for the next few years, may you all find all the success and happiness in the world as you continue to make Radnor proud at your next destination in life. I myself am so proud to be able to present to you this year’s Radnorite Senior Edition.

Abby Chapin: University of Delaware

Abby Cooper: Tulane University

Ahsan Saeed: Temple University

Aidan Baumann: College of Charleston

Aidan Giacomucci: Pennsylvania State University Musical Theater

Aidan Moore: New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts

Aimee Lin: University of Pittsburgh

Alex Samaha: University of Pennsylvania

Alex Townsend: University of Delaware

Alex Weiss: University of Michigan

Alexandra Belveal: Elon University Lacrosse

Allegra Colonna: Davidson College

Amia Korman: Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University Bloomington; Premier Young Artist and Hutton Honors Scholar

Anahita Darvish: Georgia Institute of Technology

Andrew Choi: Boston College

Andrew Dunkel: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University; NROTC

Andrew Moyer: Pennsylvania State University

Anna Maria Iaramboykov: University of Oxford

Annabel Zhao: Swarthmore College

Annie Burton: Dartmouth College

Antara Dabral: Ursinus College

Asa Hartman: Northeastern University

Ava Blumer: Bryn Mawr College

Ava Bohnenberger: University of Pittsburgh

Ava Neary: Savannah College of Art and Design

Baylee Huang: Harvey Mudd College

Bisher Nasir: Drexel University

Brian Chettle: Pennsylvania State University

Bridget Dougherty: United States Coast Guard Academy

Caitlin Higgins: Syracuse University

Cam Hricko: University of South Carolina

Caroline Kaplan: Washington University in St. Louis

Casey McCullough: Clark University Lacrosse

Caitie Groshans: New York University

Chapin Lenthall-Cleary: University of Pennsylvania

Charles Lihota: University of Miami

Chloe Aiello: Baylor University

Claudia Bay: Concordia University in Montréal

Colby Hoffman: Pennsylvania State University

Cole Schwartz: Dickinson College Lacrosse

Colin Lane: Neumann University

Courtney Gallagher: Pennsylvania State University

Daniel Holtz: Worcester Polytechnic Institute

David Clarke: Columbia University

Dylan Kasher: James Madison University

Edgar Ryan: Pennsylvania State University

Elizabeth Chupein: Clemson University

Ella Fulton: University of Delaware

Emily Rios: Santa Clara University

Emma Dalkin: University of Virginia

Erica Faigenbaum: Boston College

Erik Moscol: Pennsylvania State University

Estelle Atkinson: University of Oxford

Frank Brown: Pennsylvania State University

Gabriel Escobar: Temple University Musical Theatre

Gavin McCall: University of South Carolina

Gedd Constable: University of Richmond

Genevieve Mehra: Johns Hopkins University

Grace Ciambrone: Gap year and then Pennsylvania State University

Grace Frigerio: Franklin and Marshall College Track

Grace Remphrey: University of California Los Angeles

Grace Speranza: Vassar College

Haley Kemp: Auburn University

Harris Brotman: Gap year to play Hockey

Harrison Fritz: Miami University

Helen Hu: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Inayah Browne: West Chester University

Jack Coleman: Lehigh University

Jack d’Entremont: Washington and Lee University

Jack Lindgren: Vanderbilt University

Jackson Birtwistle: Syracuse University

James Barone: Pennsylvania State University Abington 

Jennifer Vu: West Chester University

Jill Getty: Pennsylvania State University

John Janson: University of Pittsburgh

Josh Savadove: Pennsylvania State University 

Joshua Reilly: Drexel University

Julia Rigolizzo: Fairfield University Lacrosse

Julianna DiGiovanni: Pennsylvania State University

Kanon Ciarrocchi: Northeastern University

Kataryna Castilleja: Bloomsburg University

Katherine Hartnett: United States Naval Academy

Kathryn Tague: Pennsylvania State University Schreyer Honors College

Katie Bell: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Katie Tewsbury: University of California San Diego

Keara Seasholtz: University of Virginia

Keely McKenna: Pennsylvania State University

Kevin Espinoza: Delaware County Community College

Kyle Ittner: University of Pennsylvania

Kylie Slupe: University of Pittsburgh

Leighton O’Sullivan: University of Delaware

Lindsay Eggert: Tulane University

Louis Minning: University of South Carolina Honors College

Lu MacKenzie: University of Virginia

Luc vonCzoernig: Merrimack College

Lucy Hederick: Northwestern University

Luke Choi: Georgia Institute of Technology

Luke Hondros: West Chester University

Madison Moore: University of Texas at Austin

Maria Paz Delgado: College in Pennsylvania

Mariana Floody: Vanderbilt University

Matthew Khalil: University of Dayton

Max Trachtenberg: Washington University in Saint Louis McKelvey School of Engineering

Megan Frei: Pennsylvania State University Nursing School

Mehek Thapar: Georgetown University

Melissa Massimino: Georgetown University

Melissa Tang: Syracuse University

Meredith Forman: Lafayette College, Marquis Fellow

Michael Haahr: Drexel University

Milena Kozlowska: Northeastern University

Molly May: Kennesaw State University Lacrosse

Morgan Roy: James Madison University

Nate Frankel: Pennsylvania State University

Nicholas Speranza: Boston University Kilachand Honors College

Nicole Crawford: Shippensburg University

Nicolle Lomazoff: Temple University Honors College

Owen Leonard: University of Miami

Pedro Gallino: University of Pennsylvania

Peter Dustin: Pennsylvania State University

Philip Gatti: Tulane University

Phillip Kaplan: Boston College

Phoebe Chauhan: University of Richmond

Rachel Hahn: Tulane University Honors College

Rachel Marciano: Boston College

Rea Athanasiu: Drexel University

Regal Noye: University of Tulsa

Reilly Jacobs: University of Maryland

Rimsha Maryam: Ursinus College

RJ Wheeler: Post Graduate Year at Cheshire Academy

Ryan Lee: Drexel University Honors College

Ryan Oliver: University of Pennsylvania

Sara Takenaka: University of Pennsylvania

Sheldon Ennis: Temple University Freshman year, then Cornell University

Sophia Hernandez: University of Pittsburgh

Sophia Muetterties: High Point University Soccer

Sophie Proctor: University of Notre Dame

Stephanie Huang: New York University

Sunny Kwon: Thomas Jefferson University

Sylvie August: Pennsylvania State University

Tara Osborne: Pennsylvania State University

Taylor Stearns: Pennsylvania State University

Temmi Kallick: West Chester University

Tim Holtman: University of Connecticut

Tobey Le: Georgia Institute of Technology

Tommy Tropeano: Washington University in St. Louis

Wells Larsen: Skidmore College

Wil Cosgrove: American University

Will Cameron: College of William and Mary

Will Dawson: Temple University

Yudai Kaneda: Waseda University in Japan

Yuma Matsuoka: Carnegie Mellon University