Barbara Lawlor, Nederland. Eighth grade students don’t have far to go when they leave middle school. In fact, their journey is just as long as one hallway. At Nederland Middle Senior High School, middle school students have been in close contact with the upperclass students and their new teachers.

The building is the same building, the cafeteria the same, the playing fields and the gymnasium. The big difference will be the mindset—knowing they had been the leaders of the middle school and were now about to be led by sophomores, juniors, and seniors.

At last week’s eighth grade continuation ceremony, the incoming freshmen appeared more than ready to make the leap. They took their seats at the front of the auditorium while the rest of the seats were filled with parents and other family members who took the time to  attend this next step in their child’s life.

Teacher/football coach Aaron Jones told the eighth graders “High school can be a sprint or a marathon, fast or slow, and could be filled with many hurdles. Do it one step at a time and you can make it to the finish.”

NMSHS principal Adam Fels looked out over the crowd and thanked the audience for showing up in the middle of the day and packing the house.

The middle-level orchestra set the mood with their rendition of “Flaming Red Hair,” from The Hobbit. Then students danced down the aisles to their seats. The Seventh and Eighth Grade Choir sang “Don’t Stop Believin.’”

Principal Fels  presented the Presidential Excellence and Achievement Awards to those students who have a minimum 3.5 grade point average: Kevin Abbotlane, Cody Barton, Garrett Ceurvorst, Mylee Chilcote, Sasha Godsil, Avy Henrikson, Eileen Lanthier, Bregan McClish, Wesley Nation, Riley Oxnard, Hailey Perryman, Grace vonMettenheim and Barbara Wein.

This year NMSHS adopted the Respect, Empathy, Achievement, Community and Honor theme known as REACH. Banners  are abundant in the halls of the school, reminding students of their goals. Counselor Aly Shambo presented Sasha Godsil and Adler Mueller with special REACH awards for being part of its creation and success. Students were given a REACH bracelet and asked to keep it with them.

Members of the National Junior Honor Society were also acknowledged: Mattie Blickensderfer, Lucy Buchanan, Megan Feeley, Sasha Godsil, Socia Morrish, Adler Mueller, Wesley Nation, Riley Oxnard, Hailey Perryman, Petra Schmidtmann and Grace vonMettenheim.

Class speakers Sasha Godsil, Anna Hastings, and Riley Oxnard shared some of their feelings about leaving middle school and venturing into high school.

There are 49 members of the class of 2019.