Meet the class of 2022

As the Wrangell High School class of 2022 prepares to graduate on Friday, the Sentinel asked them to reflect on the past four years and how they would advise the class of 2023.

Jimmy Baggen

What are your plans after graduation?

My plans after high school are to go to (the University of Alaska Southeast) and enroll in the diesel power tech program. I will be there for two years, and after that I may go into the diesel mechanics field.

What will you miss about high school?

I won't miss much about high school. I will miss field days and sports trips. I liked most of my teachers, so I will miss them.

What won't you miss about high school?

I won't miss book reports or homework. I won't miss any of the presentations.

What's your advice for next year's seniors?

My advice to next year's seniors is that it gets easier every year. Don't listen to any big people or teachers trying to dog you down.

Liana Carney

What are your plans after graduation?

I will be attending the University of Jamestown in Jamestown, North Dakota. There I will pursue a degree in nursing and wrestle for the Jimmies.

What will you miss about high school?

I will miss welding and all the sports.

What won't you miss about high school?

I won't miss all the COVID rules and regulations.

What's your advice for next year's seniors?

Do all the scholarships.

Jamie Early

What are your plans after graduation?

After high school, I plan to go to Idaho State University in Pocatello, Idaho, to study to be a physical therapist assistant.

What will you miss about high school?

The thing I will miss about high school is athletics and traveling around the state with my best friends for sports.

What won't you miss about high school?

The school Wi-Fi and the sound of the bell when you're in the hallway.

What's your advice for next year's seniors?

Make the most of your time left in high school; time will fly faster than you expect.

Jake Eastaugh

What are your plans after graduation?

I'll probably just go right into working.

What will you miss about high school?

Seeing all of my friends every day.

What won't you miss about high school?

Dumb rules.

What's your advice for next year's seniors?

Have fun while you still can!

Jason Gustafson Gadd

What are your plans after graduation?

Keely, Carter and Jason are going on a plane.

What will you miss about high school?

My friends and the sun.

What won't you miss about high school?

Uhmmm ... haha, nope.

What's your advice for next year's seniors?

Like firefighters because they wear boots.

Sophia Hagelman

What are your plans after graduation?

My plan is to be a CNA (certified nursing assistant) so I can take care of people in need.

What will you miss about high school?

All the amazing students in my grade/classes and teachers.

What won't you miss about high school?

I won't miss homework at all.

What's your advice for next year's seniors?

Take your time, make mistakes you can learn from, and don't spend your time trying to be cool for others because, after high school, in the real world, being cool won't matter.

Emma Martinsen

What are your plans after graduation?

Attending cosmetology school in Florida.

What will you miss about high school?

Being able to hang out with my friends whenever I want.

What won't you miss about high school?

The homework.

What's your advice for next year's seniors?

Start your senior project as soon as you can.

Kendra Meissner

What are your plans after graduation?

Attend Boise State University and pursue a degree in radiologic sciences and travel around the United States as much as possible.

What will you miss about high school?

Sports and the sports trips.

What won't you miss about high school?

The tests and schoolwork, of course, but mostly the bad parking.

What's your advice for next year's seniors?

Do not go for the advanced diploma, it does nothing for you.

Tyson Messmer

What are your plans after graduation?

I plan to go to University of Miami to pursue a bachelor's degree in biology. This degree is a baseline to meet the requirements for medical school to become an anesthesiologist.

What will you miss about high school?

I think I am definitely going to miss the easygoing environment and homework. It is going to be much more challenging in college, but I am up for a challenge. Sports have always been a big part of me and going into a Division I school is going to be a lot harder than Southeast Alaska.

What won't you miss about high school?

I am not going to miss how small our school is because I like to meet new people and make new friends. Whereas here, it's the same people every day, but don't get me wrong, I like these people.

What's your advice for next year's seniors?

I would say that time is on your side and to use it wisely. Falling down a rabbit hole is not going to get you anywhere. Being able to realize something before it is almost or too late to fix is huge.

Adriana Nelson

What are your plans after graduation?

I will be attending the National Aviation Academy in Clearwater, Florida, in October, taking a 14-month long course to become a certified AMT (aviator maintenance technician). Hopefully, continuing on in the aviation field.

What will you miss about high school?

Spending time with everyone.

What won't you miss about high school?

Probably the schoolwork.

What's your advice for next year's seniors?

Don't let yourself stress, it doesn't help and always remember to enjoy the time you have left.

Caleb Garcia-Rangel

What are your plans after graduation?

I'm going to the military for four years, the Air Force. After that, I'm going to college.

What will you miss about high school?

I'll miss making fun presentations.

What won't you miss about high school?

I won't miss all of the homework and big projects.

What's your advice for next year's seniors?

You really don't have to work that hard, just don't indulge in distractions.

Ryan Rooney

What are your plans after graduation?

Going into the Army to become a Ranger.

What will you miss about high school?

Not having to worry about much of anything.

What won't you miss about high school?

Grades.

What's your advice for next year's seniors?

Learn what you can get away with not doing.

James Shilts

What are your plans after graduation?

Own a business and become rich.

What will you miss about high school?

Free exercise equipment.

What won't you miss about high school?

Homework.

What's your advice for next year's seniors?

Don't slack off.

Darryl Smith

What are your plans after graduation?

My plan after graduation is to attend the program of RAHI before attending the University of Alaska Anchorage for an associate of applied science to become a radiology technician. If the (health) field interests me enough, I will further my career, whether it's taking on a bachelor's degree in radiologic technology or to go back into college to be a veterinarian. After that I would like to live in a small community on the West Coast or Southwest region of the United States.

What will you miss about high school?

The thing most missed about the final four years of high school would be the missed opportunities I didn't take earlier as a freshman to really indulge in what I wanted to do career-wise or better set myself in my education. I will not miss anything that I haven't already missed.

What won't you miss about high school?

I would not miss the lack of variety of preferable classes or courses on a subject I am interested in, or wanting to study further.

What's your advice for next year's seniors?

My key advice would be to start taking what you have, education, more seriously at an earlier stage. All the given opportunities for my education and being sociable were missed and in return having damaged potential down the road. Starting early in an act of self-fulfillment is a part to success with no end. To start too late in the disregard for future potential is a whole other unfamiliar world lost for what was to be than not.

Rowen Wiederspohn

What are your plans after graduation?

I plan on attending Fort Lewis College in Colorado and pursuing a career in computer engineering.

What will you miss about high school?

I will miss the community and the positive atmosphere Wrangell provides as a whole.

What won't you miss about high school?

Nothing. Every little struggle along the way has pushed me to be the man I am today. If I could go back and do it again, I wouldn't change anything.

What's your advice for next year's seniors?

Keep your head up and keep trucking because this is just the beginning.