Minakshi Shivananda and Olivia Waletzke
Beaming Seniors. Letta Young and Griffin Bramer pose for the camera, their superlative was “Best Hair.” Bramer holds an older picture of himself with long hair, since he recently cut his hair short and dyed it red, resulting in scattered laughs throughout the studio.
South’s Spectacular Senior Superlatives
Indeed, South Forsyth will be sending another group of seniors off to college. As a way to remember the memories and personalities of the class of 2019, South’s yearbook staff continued the tradition by conducting the annual Senior Superlatives’ photo shoot on November 1st. Nearly 36 seniors went on the trip, all receiving different, unique recognitions. Some of the new and fresh superlatives included Best Bromance, GRL PWR (Girl Power), Class Mom and Dad, and Best Hair. It was a special time to honor all of the unique qualities that the 2019 graduating class brought to South.
The photo shoot took place at Cady Studios in Johns Creek, GA. The students that were awarded the superlatives were Cameron Smith, Mitchell Stanziale, Laura Woomer, Lorenzo Betti, Leah Meister, Josh Reid, Siddharth Nambiar, Srikar Karra, Brigid Buttrum, Fiona Buttrum, Samantha Gamble, Ethan Page, Remington Semple, Cooper Free, Meaghan Curtain, Harsha Tambareni, Mary Goecckel, Aki Talkad, Lauren Kelly, Jack Pehrson, Corin Christiansen, Abhay Chilakamarri, Emily Danielsson, Landon Sims, Carly Smith, Case Incorvaia, Daisy Fahrm, Ryan Foster, Letta Young, Griffin Bramer, Aditi Bhatia, Will Wyckoff, Maddie Ford, Pushkar Saha, Paloma Henderson, and Kyle Gamble. The group left South at 9:00 a.m., as well as The Bird Feed’s adviser, Mrs. Rose, and the yearbook adviser, Mrs. Nickell. The entire event was planned by yearbook editors and seniors, Camille Blazek and Emily Danielsson.
Immediately after arriving at Cady Studios, the senior superlative committee quickly assembled the effective plan for the shoot. There was a limited amount of the day for the photographers, so there was no time to waste. Seniors were asked to get themselves ready for their pictures, as some superlatives allowed the kids to dress up, such as the “Life of the Party” and “Most Likely to Become President.” Kids became an overwhelming presence in the studio, occupying the couches, primping in the mirrors and bathrooms, and eagerly waiting for their turn for the photo-shoot.
As we walked through the venue, we conversed with many seniors about their superlatives and their plans for the future.
Mitchell Stanziale, recipient for Mr. South Forsyth, stated, ”I was very honored to get this superlative, but it was kind of obvious that I would get the award. I’m probably going to go to Alabama for college, but just college for now.”
Many others shared a similar sentiment with Paloma Henderson, recipient of “Life of the Party.” “When I received the award, I felt kind of shocked because I would’ve never thought I would win this award” Henderson said.
The 2019 grads had noteworthy plans in forthcoming years. When asking the seniors about their future, many replied with going to college. Senior Laura Woomer, recipient of “Most Likely to Travel the World” responded, “I hopefully want to go to college in New York and live in the Netherlands.” Woomer has traveled to multiple countries and recently went on a trip to Switzerland last spring. In an amusing way, this title doesn’t make sense for this adventurous girl because she already has traveled the world!
We also had the chance to interview the “Class Mom,” Lauren Kelly. This exceptional young lady accomplished immense excellence at South, while still being the mother-figure to her classmates. “I think it’s just because I’m there for anyone who needs me, a caring person perhaps. I was kind of confused at first because it’s a weird title, but after some time I got over it, I thought it would be fun,” she explained. Kelly will be attending Kennesaw State University this fall and will be playing in KSU’s elite women’s soccer team. Through her extensive work in both the SFHS soccer team and academics, she will be remembered here at South.
Along the way, we happened to stumble across Kyle Gamble, the winner of the “Life of the Party” superlative. It was crystal-clear that he was the man for the job; his funny and hysterical personality revealed how his classmates would’ve, without a doubt, voted for him. As we chatted, Gamble mentioned, “ It was pretty cool to receive the award, everyone told me that that it was suiting for me. I’m usually the funny guy, people like hang out with me because I do stupid stuff sometimes.” After high school, Kyle plans to travel and attend colleges distant from Georgia, for example, Auburn or Colorado Boulder University. We can’t wait to hear about what he accomplishes in upcoming years!
While observing the photoshoot, the seniors gathered around their friends, now their family, and expressed their happiness and jubilee towards the subject in the spotlight. The group showed true bonds; their glistening eyes, ravishing smiles, and uplifting commentary to those who were getting their picture taken. This moment revealed to us the loving and unforgettable personalities that South would have to part from next May.
To wrap up the event, everyone headed outside to take the iconic Yearbook group picture that is featured right after the senior superlatives, which follow all senior photos in the yearbook. As we watched the group gather together, we couldn’t help but think about what an exceptional group these seniors are. One couldn’t say that they were “like the rest”; they were one-of-a-kind, a class with friendship and love that can only get stronger over time.
Before heading back to classes, we made a quick pit-stop at The Collection to grab a bite.
Now, as seniors are applying to and committing to universities, our message to them is that we hope for the best in wherever life will take them and good luck in college. This year’s class should understand the massive amount of positive change they brought to our school, from organizing events like “Dream on 3” to making history in South’s sports statewide. Undeniably, SFHS future graduating classes will keep on, for a lack of a better word, “trumping” the previous one. It’s only going to go uphill from here!