Written by: Lyle Weems, Staff Writer
Isabelle Termath is a wonderful addition to the Spotlight team this year. She starts her final year at Poly High School with a tough schedule, but positive feelings toward the case load she plans to dominate. Although the first day led to much exhaustion over the course of what “felt like a really long day”, she also acknowledges that many of her classes have not gone into full swing yet. Overall, she feels content with the beginning of her promising senior year.
With four AP classes, one being the notorious AP Physics, Isabelle reports being “locked in” and ready for this year’s classes. In fact, the challenge of AP Physics has only led her to have more interest in taking the class. In this first week of school she has promptly made up her mind to “keep on top of stuff” so this formidable schedule will not become overwhelming once the pace undoubtedly picks up further into her senior year.
As for clubs, Isabelle wastes no time, following her passions into extracurriculars as well. This year she begins her fourth year in the Poly Book Club, begins chasing stories with the Newspaper Club, Spotlight, and plans to join both the Photography Club and Women’s Equity Club. Brilliant options for a brilliant mind. The Women’s Equity Club, an exciting new edition to the array of extracurricular activities at Poly High School, promises many good conversations and movements on campus this year. Isabelle seems particularly fond of this club, both for friend involvement and its possible success in activism. “We love” she asserted when speaking of women’s rights and the need for more of them.
Beginning this year, Isabelle finds herself eager to reconnect with friends and reinstate the routine of school after a long summer. She hopes to have “structured time” after a calmer summer filled by a new baby sibling named Ellis. Organization seems key to this young woman, and school brings a reprieve from boredom. However, she has noticed some clear changes on campus early this year. Schedule wise, the change with enrichment from after fourth period to now after second seems to strike her as slightly exasperating, but inconsequential so far. More importantly, Isabelle has picked on a dynamic shift in the student body. She has noticed a significant decrease in “mingling” between students on campus during passing periods and dances. This she attributes to the graduating of last year’s seniors whom she perceived to be much more open to conversation and straying before class. Isabelle then mentions the back to school dance, and lack of dancers under the lights, becoming frustrated at the lack of outgoing students. “What’s going on?” she exclaims with slight irritation. That being said, this senior holds on to hope that this is just back to school blues, and reasserts that things will likely pick up soon. As a current senior, she is committed to picking up where the graduates left off, and work to reignite the Poly spirit on campus.
This inspiring senior with aspirations of being either a literature teacher or an engineer is keeping her future bright by taking advantage of all the wondrous opportunities our Poly High School campus offers. Her dedication to school and her passions truly make her stand out, and bring color to everyday mundane academia. After all life is only ever what you make it to be. The lemons don’t squeeze themselves.