Students walk through the doors to Warsaw High and see a wave of ordinary teens. But what they don’t see is what’s hidden beneath; the background of their lives. While some live in luxury, others may live in poverty. Students don’t know what it is like from the perspective of their fellow classmates and could be judged on actions they decided to make.

  Senior Nick Sowles made a decision that changed his life; emancipation.

 “Emancipation was yes and no on being my choice,” Sowles said. “I was given the ultimatum to drop the people I care about, or move out.”

  Some students have problems and situations they go through that are very hard. Sowles has some difficult challenges that have followed him throughout life.

 “I have sleep deprivation, I don’t eat the right meals and I lack financial security,” Sowles said.

  Sowels’ opinion about judgement from other students is that, ultimately, it is unavoidable.

 “It’s high school; everyone judges you for anything. From the clothes you wear to the stuff you do; that is all anyone does is judge,” Sowles said.

  Autumn Long has a hard time where people make fun of her for her size.

  “People judge me a lot because I am 4”11 , but when I tell them that it kinda hurts then they say they didn’t mean it like that.”

  Long has the same opinion as Sowles when it comes to the judgement from her classmates.

  “Everyone gets judged no matter who they are. Just the way that we react to it is the biggest thing,” Long said.

  Alexa Scrivener is a sophomore who is involved in various extracurriculars. However, due to a health condition, Scrivener is unable to participate in sports.

 “I have spina bifida and I can’t do sports. I don’t get to do what normal teenagers do, and I haven’t since I was fourteen” Scrivener said.  

  Scrivener is involved in band and sometimes struggles with tasks assigned to her due to this condition.

  Students are judged for all things, including their religion. Junior Ally Thomas’s religion is Church of Christ. Thomas goes to church every Sunday morning and night as well as Wednesday nights. Thomas has a history of being bullied.

  “People tell me I’m wrong, I look ugly and that I need to be more like them,” Thomas said.

  People may have been judged over the simple fact of how they live. Senior Kyra Kleihauer believes she was privileged in the way she grew up and how she lives but has a story of her own.

  “It’s easy for people to look at someone that seems to have everything together and be harsh towards them because they may not have it so easy,” Kleihauer said.

Kleihauer has struggles and obstacles similar to her classmates, despite what they may perceive based off of first glance.

  “The way I live doesn’t mean I haven’t been through hard times just like everyone else goes through,” Kleihauer said. “I think people don’t realize what could be underneath what they see on the outside of a person.