As the school year came to an end, seniors reflected on childhood friends who helped them get through their years of school. 

  Seniors Rachel Henderson and Olivia Strange have been friends for 13 years now. Their friendship kicked off the first day of kindergarten, just getting to know each other on the playground at South Elementary. 

   “Reflecting back on this friendship, it has been very sentimental almost,” Strange said. 

   When having a close friendship throughout all the years, Henderson recognized the impact her friendship has had on her life.

   “Olivia has impacted my life in too many ways to explain. She’s been my best friend since day one, my shoulder to lean on, my rock, my everything! I truly believe you can have soulmates throughout life with different people, friends, boyfriends and girlfriends, family, and she is definitely one of my soulmates,” Henderson said.       

   While the last days of school approached for seniors, Strange looks forward to how their friendship will continue into their adulthood. 

   “Looking back on our friendship as a senior I haven’t been happier to have had her by my side throughout the years, and I can’t wait to see what the future brings our friendship,” Strange said. 

   Although some saw more tight bonded friendships kick off in younger years, some seniors fond friends later in life. Josephine Kelsey and Hunter Collins have been best friends since the end of their sophomore year in 2022. They both met when Josephine moved to Warsaw her sophomore year and they had their first conversation in Mr. Dunnaway’s Biology 1 class. 

   After that, they both never looked back and have been very close since. “Josephine is special to me because she gets along with my family and is important to me. She likes to do things that I do and she is always willing to try new things like ride my horse…and go on slingshot rides that I drag her onto,” Collins said. 

   While being best friends, people may experience making many memories, maybe even making each other laugh. 

   “I have a lot of favorite memories with Hunter but they are kind of embarrassing. But one of them was last summer when I was driving my jeep and I completely drove over the curb at Sonic. We jumped in the air and Hunter’s cookies she got from her grandma went flying. After I hit the curb I said, ‘did I hit it?’ and we started cracking up,” Kelsey said. 

   Josephine and Hunter expressed how deeply they would miss making memories with each other in the library at school. 

   “Hunter is just special to me because she helps me through a lot,” Kelsey said. 

   Seniors Joseph Vorce and Nate Banfield have claimed to be very close friends throughout all the years of school. They’ve been friends ever since they were in fourth grade. They both attended North Elementary. 

   “I think we’ve always just been close because we’re very similar and like the same things and just grew a connection right away,” Vorce said. 

   As senior year came to a close, seniors accepted the fact that their high school friendships might change or end after graduation.

     “After graduation, we probably won’t see anyone from high school again. So we just have to accept it and stay in contact as much as we can or want,” Banfield said. 

   Overall, part of the high school experience is forming close bonds with classmates and many seniors say their friendship helped make their childhoods special.
  “With the end of the year at our fingertips, every moment and memory we make is bittersweet! I can’t wait to see what the future holds for our friendship and can’t wait to see where this life takes us!” Henderson said.