In spite of exemption status, all seniors were required to write an end of semester essay Monday, December 5 in their English IV period.

To allow time for essay outlining and preparation, the essay’s prompt was provided a week in advance of the scheduled writing date.

“I’m glad they gave the essay to us—it gave me more time to get ready and plan the essay out if I wanted to,” senior Jared Endley said. “I personally didn’t do anything beforehand for the essay, so I came in to write on Monday with a clean slate. I’m pretty sure that some students worked hard on their essay prior to [Monday] though.”

The timed in-class essay counted as 25 percent of the end of semester exam grade.

“I didn’t really mind writing the essay even though I’m exempt,” senior Laurel Newton said. “I understand that the teachers need another test grade in the book, but it still wasn’t a big deal. And plus, they gave me time to work on the essay outside of class so I didn’t mind it at all.”

To be exempt from exams, seniors had to meet certain grade and attendance criteria.

“It wasn’t that hard to be exempt,” Laurel said. “All I had to do is show up and get, like, an 85. Plus, I already have senior release so it didn’t matter to me.”

This is the final year that the school will incorporate an end of semester exemption policy.

“I think it’s unfair that it’s the last year of senior exemptions—we’ve worked just as hard as any other class,” junior Vana Bahram said. “We should be allowed to be exempt. They’re taking away more and more senior privileges.”

by Quinn Murray