Prom provides perspective for senior

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Apr 24, 2003 by Capital-Journal

Recently, I attended one of the last major events in an individual's high school career --- prom. April 12 marked the third and last prom of my high school career and the first for my freshman brother.

It proved to be interesting for my parents having both of their children attending prom on the same day. Flowers had to be picked up and photos had to be taken.

As the rush began in the afternoon, I thought about how my brother and I are in such different places in our lives. As my brother is concerned with getting his driver's license, I worry about the miscalculation of my grade point average affecting my opportunity to wear gold cords at graduation --- a symbol of overall academic achievement.

I began to think back on when I was attending my first prom as a sophomore, and the same situations concerned me. It was weird to think that, just two years ago, things I view as trivial now were really important to me.

As I stood smiling under the same tree we take photos under every year, I thought about how much I have grown up during the past few years. Under that tree, when I was a sophomore, my parents photographed me in my pink dress and my boyfriend in his first tux. The same time the next year, my parents photographed us again, myself in a lavender dress and Cole in a tux. This year, there I stood again, this time in a black dress and Cole wearing a suit. I thought of the other events where I will be photographed under the same tree. In a few weeks, I will be standing under the tree in our front yard, decked out in my royal blue cap and gown, ready to graduate from Washburn Rural High School.

While attending WRHS, there have been situations, teachers and friends that have all had an impact on my life. Jackie Dowell made me love math, John Mohn expanded my knowledge of journalism, and Keith Wetzel provided excellent academic advising. Of course, every teacher had an impact on my life, but these few were some that had the most profound impact.

I look at my brother, a young freshman beginning his journey through WRHS. He is lucky to have Keith Wetzel to guide him academically, and I can only hope that my brother has the same type of learning experience that I had. I hope he stays involved with sports, because it opens up doors to meet new people while being involved in something that you love.

I will miss my brother next year when I am away at The University of Kansas. Although I hardly ever saw him in the halls of WRHS, I always saw him at home, and it made me happy to be his big sister. I was excited to help him in biology by sharing the notes I took as a freshman, or help him in choosing classes by offering my opinion on ones I had taken.

As the tree in our front yard grows, so will I. My brother will have the opportunity to have many more "photo shoots" under that tree --- future proms and the day he graduates. As for me, I am about to move out of my parents' house and only return for a few more photo sessions. Hopefully at this time, four years from now, I will stand under the same tree --- this time decked out in a black cap and gown preparing to graduate from The University of Kansas. Maybe I'll stand under that tree in my wedding gown, and later with my first baby. Who knows for sure? All I know is that it started under that tree on the afternoon of prom.

Nicole Madril is a senior at Washburn Rural High School. She is a freelance reporter. Madril will attend The University of Kansas in the fall.

Nicole Madril

See PROM, page 8

Prom: Many important memories captured on film under tree