For four years, they walked the halls of the high school, but in a few weeks, these Boardman seniors will take their last steps as high school students.
Senior Katie Smith says, "High school was a lot of fun, but I feel that I've done what I needed to do here and I'm ready to move on." And for many of the students moving on means heading to college.
An average graduating class from Boardman High School has about 400 students, and each year they manage to receive between two and three million dollars in scholarship money, but it's no easy task.
Hunter Gervelis says, "Junior year, I had absolutely no idea where I wanted to go. A few months ago, I had no idea where I wanted to go. I applied to 20 different schools across the country. That would sound insane to most people."
Liza Wood says, "The beginning of senior year, that's pretty much when all the pressure was on and everyone was getting all their applications, writing all their essays."
More than 300 of the seniors narrowed down their options, and among them, managed to choose 63 different universities and trade schools.
A fourth of the Class of 2009 was awarded a total of $3,823,000.
Ellyanna Kessler says, "I was definitely relieved. It was a load off your mind. After all those months of applying for everything you can possibly figure out, it's nice to just know you're gonna go somewhere. You're gonna have enough money to go there, and everything will be fine."
The acceptance letter and scholarship awards are also a relief to the teachers and guidance counselors, the ones who spent hundreds of hours preparing their students for this next big step.
Guidance Counselor MaryAnn Carlson says, "And it's been in the news about people that receive bonuses for all of their work. And of course, educators don't receive bonuses, but that's sort of a bonus for us, because you know all the effort put into helping that particular students has payed off."
It has payed off and invested into the kid's future.
