MOBILE, Alabama — Classes began this month at Williamson High School, part of the Mobile County school system, and the incoming senior class wasted no time settling into the traditions that come with being the oldest students in the building, from claiming the gold class shirt to counting down toward graduation.
A milestone year, and a mix of excitement and dread
Several seniors said the year ahead means senior trips, prom and, eventually, scholarship offers, though almost all of them named the ACT as the part of the year they were dreading most. One student active in choir and softball said her focus this year is locking in scholarship money and finishing strong in her AP coursework, while planning to study sociology at the University of West Alabama after graduation. Another, who is involved in JROTC and several honor societies, said she is most looking forward to spring college visits and hopes to study nursing at the University of South Alabama.
Culinary arts, football and a familiar refrain: don’t slack off
One senior with a passion for culinary classes and reading said she plans to study culinary arts and business at a university in Colorado, and her advice to freshmen was blunt: the workload eventually catches up with everyone, so it pays to stay ahead of it early. A senior who plays defensive end on the football team said he is looking forward to homecoming and Honors Day this year, and is hoping to continue playing football in college while eventually training as a massage therapist. He warned incoming freshmen against sleeping through class, saying it only takes a short lapse to fall a week behind.
Band, volleyball and getting ready for what’s next
Another senior, involved in band and volleyball and a regular volunteer at concession stands during University of South Alabama football games, said wearing the senior class’s gold shirt this year feels like a reward for years of work, even though she admits standardized testing is not her strong suit. She plans to enroll at Bishop State Community College after graduation. Her advice to underclassmen was to learn to prioritize schoolwork early, because high school only gets more demanding as the years go on.
Common threads among a diverse senior class
Despite pursuing different paths after graduation, from four-year universities to community college to a culinary program out of state, the Williamson seniors largely agreed on one thing: this final year moves fast, and getting serious about coursework, testing and college applications early makes the year far more manageable. School officials in the district have emphasized similar messaging as the new academic year gets underway across Mobile County’s public high schools.
The start of classes at Williamson mirrors the broader return to school across Mobile County this month, as families and students throughout the district settle back into routines after the summer break.