Senior year is bound to be an exciting time for any high school student, but here at Lakeland Regional High School, the 2023 senior class had several memorable events. The senior prom was on Thursday, June 1 and their Field Day was on Friday, June 2. Not only did they have these fun events to anticipate, but they also will soon experience perhaps one of their most defining moments— graduation.

As tribute to the hard work and determination of the 2023 Senior Class, the Lancer Ledger has decided to reach out to many senior students and get their input on how these events impacted them and what exactly they are feeling in anticipation for their graduation ceremony. Not every student will find each event as impactful, so we here in the Ledger hope to detail some of their incredible memories and allow others, perhaps less hopeful, to see how exciting finishing off high school truly is. Because you are only a high schooler once, and there truly is nothing like the high school experience.

2023 Prom – A Night to Remember

This year’s senior prom was held on June 1, 2023, at the Liberty House, in Jersey City. It was a great experience for sSeniors and an opportunity to see everyone dressed to the nines one last time before graduation.

Senior Courtney Molloy told the Lancer Ledger, “Prom was quite an extraordinary experience! The venue was incredibly breathtaking and magical and the weather was extremely nice, especially at night. The food was really delicious, the music that the DJ played had some hits and misses in my opinion (but overall decent). … Later in the evening, we moved to the second floor where the main tables, dance floor, and open balcony were. The venue also had a small area in the main room that was reserved for taking photos (almost like an open space photo booth) and it printed out the participants’ photos (photo booth style, but on the bottom it had the Lakeland logo).”

Other seniors such as Morgan Ulhorn told the Ledger, “I had a blast at prom! I thought it was truly one of the best nights and I am so glad I got to enjoy it with my best friends. The view we had of NYC was breathtaking, and considering it’s going to be my future home soon, it really left me in awe.”

Prom was definitely a night to remember for many seniors, and a great way to celebrate senior year one more time before graduation.

Field Day – High School isn’t Just Sitting in a Classroom
Field Day is a great way for senior students to not only get outside and have fun, but also rejoice on some of those favorite childhood memories. The 2023 Field Day included a wide range of activities and foods for the students to enjoy throughout their day. The Lancer Ledger took the opportunity to interview some senior students to get a grasp of just how exciting the day was.

Courtney Molloy responded, saying that she enjoyed it. She elaborated, explaining that part of the reason for what made it enjoyable, was “the snow cones (cherry, blue raspberry, mango), cotton candy (pink), [and] pizza.” She continued, mentioning that there were inflatables and water games set up about. In addition, “Ms. Hess even made an appearance and joined in on the fun with the water guns (which ended in her completely getting soaked!”
Morgan Uhlhorn also agreed that “Field Day was a blast.” The highlight of her day was when they had “a massive water gun fight, not only [since] it was so much fun, it was much needed to cool down on the 90 degree day!”

Timothy Cook answered, quite honestly, saying, “I liked the inflatables because I still have the mentality of a 3rd grader even though I’m graduating soon.”

Graduation – The Big Moment Has Finally Come

Graduation for the senior class of 2023 is bound to be an event of anticipation, both in excitement and potentially of nervousness. Students replying to the Ledger had a variety of takes and emotions regarding the soon-to-be big moment, some looking forward to it than others.

Courtney Molloy started off by saying, “Graduation has left me feeling bittersweet. On one hand, I’m excited for what college has in store for me. On the other hand, I’m going to terribly miss my friends, classes, and all of my teachers. It’s definitely leaving me with a sense of dread but I hope to keep in contact with a lot of friends and teachers outside of school.” She continued, explaining that “with graduation, there comes the perks of no longer having to wake up early in the morning for school, doing homework, or procrastination. I am immensely excited to start college in the fall and hope to make friends as well as build good relationships with my professors!”

In addition, although a bit unrelated, she is looking forward to “receiving the letter I wrote to myself in 8th grade pre-middle school graduation! It’ll be fun to see how much I matured and how I stayed the same throughout the years!”

Morgan Uhlhorn was also feeling bittersweet. She is “definitely ready for graduation and to start the next chapter of [her] life”, but she is going to miss those who have become her closest friends and second family the most. “From my coaches to my teammates, I have created such everlasting bonds with these people and I am going to miss not seeing them everyday.”

Timothy Cook, staying true to not holding back, told the Ledger, “I am very excited because I want to get out of [here] as soon as possible.”

Wishing All 2023 Seniors a Hopeful Farewell
Getting through senior year is no doubt a commendable feat, bound to have left the graduating students with several memories, some good and others perhaps not-so-good. We at the Lancer Ledger not only hope we have honored the senior class by recording their experiences, but also hope they move into adulthood in stride, whether that means college/university, a trade school, finding a job, or something different.

Congratulations Class of 2023— You’ve made it!