As the year is coming to an end for the class of 2021, staff and students are doing everything in their power to keep the seniors’ spirits up. As a result, LCN has continued the Senior Mock Election tradition and there are a variety of categories this year.

   Imagine watching your favorite romantic comedy set in a high school, and you see a couple walking in the hallway and you think, “I want that”. This year, that couple is Riley Siwajek and Connor Zabrzenski.

   “Connor and I have been together since freshman year and we’ve stayed together all throughout high school,” says Siwajek.

    “It’s something cool to win,” says Zabrzenski. 

   These high school sweethearts are very grateful to have been chosen by their peers as the class couple. Siwajek explains, “I feel like our class recognizing us as the class couple, since we have been together for so long, is really nice!”

   Zabrzenski adds, “[My favorite memory of us is] probably going to Homecoming… It’s always fun to go with someone you care about.”

   As for future plans, Siwajek and Zabrzenski are already talking about how they will make everything work once high school is over. 

   “I’m going to college and [Connor] is staying here for trade school, but we’re very confident that we’re going to stay together through college and we also plan to move to Florida after,” says Siwajek. Given their confidence, hopefully many people from the class of ‘21 can expect to see this couple together at our class reunions.

   Next up on the list, the seniors have voted for Olivia Hayes and Emily McHaney as class best friends. You will rarely see Hayes and McHaney apart from each other in or out of school due to their inseparable bond.

   Hayes explains that being voted on with McHaney as class best friends is, “…really exciting because Emily and I are like sisters… We have been friends since eighth grade when we met in math class.”

   With best friendship also comes amazing memories. Given that Hayes and McHaney spend the majority of their time together, they have many things that they have done that they will remember forever. 

   “I don’t really have one specific [favorite memory] of us, but it’s just the little stuff like getting coffee all the time or just hanging out until 12 at night every day,” comments McHaney. Even just the simple things can sometimes be the most memorable in a friendship, and there is no doubt that these two girls will keep making amazing ones.

   The class of 2021 also has some students who are always the source of laughter,  the class clowns, Kelsey Duffey and Jemari Mack.

   Duffey explains, “I’m happy that people voted for me… I didn’t know people even knew who I was, so that was very surprising in a pleasant way.” Although some people don’t know how to feel about being voted class clown, Duffey thinks that it is amazing. “Sometimes when I try to be serious, people laugh at the things I say, but I don’t take any offense to that,” commented Duffey.

   Mack was also surprised on his placement as class clown. “I didn’t know I was funny so it feels good [to win].”

   Although he was unaware of his natural humor, Mack says, “I think I made a lot of people laugh at school.” 

   In addition, Mack is known by the senior class for his iconic backflip . “One time I tried it and everybody thought it was really funny, so I started doing it a lot,” comments Mack.

   Hunter Hill and Christina Trotta are the next pair of seniors who have made a very professional impact on their classmates; they have been elected as class future presidents.

   Hill states, “It feels great [to be elected]… It’s flattering for sure.” As for future plans to become the President of the United States, Hill says, “I don’t think I’m planning on [running for President in the future], but we’ll see what happens.”

   Trotta, another future president pick says, “It feels good that my work and effort put into helping the school be better has paid off and I’m glad that I was nominated.”

   Trotta is also thrilled to be a co-future president with Hill. She comments, “[Hill] is so kind to everyone he meets and he is such a hard worker… He’s always giving 110%.” It is safe to say that LCN has been lucky to have potential future presidents of America!

   Zack Moscarello and Alison Schlacht are the winners for the Best Dressed category. Many students at LCN admire the way that they dress, so this award is greatly deserved.

   Schlacht explains, “It makes me really happy that people appreciate my outfits because I try really hard… I try not to repeat my outfits.” 

   It is extremely difficult for many people not to wear the same outfits every week, but Schlacht has definitely been an inspiration. “I see a lot of things on Pinterest and I’ve always liked to dress nice… Also, my friend Allie [Thomas] and I always give each other ideas of what to wear.”

   Moscarello says that, “[Being voted as the best dressed male in the senior class] feels good because I try to dress nice.”

   The seniors have recognized two people who always know how to brighten someone’s day due to having the kindest hearts: Alyssa Benka and Tai Brass.

   Whenever you are walking in the hallway, you can always count on Benka and Brass to say “hi” to you or ask you how your day is going.

   Benka explains that being elected for having the kindest heart, “…feels like a big honor because I’m glad that people see me that way.”

   Brass says, “[After finding out that I won kindest heart,] it was really surprising because I wasn’t expecting it… It was flattering.”

   “I think that being kind is more important than anything because you never know what people are going through… Just being nice to someone can make a big difference in their day,” says Benka. Kindness really does go a long way, especially in high school, so LCN is very lucky to have such kind-hearted seniors.

   Another way to brighten someone’s day at school is just by smiling at them, and Darius Love and Abby Reeder are two of LCN’s finest with the best smiles. Even under the masks, their smiles are infectious and put someone in a better mood.

   “I’m very honored [to be elected],” says Love, “…It’s nice to know that people think I have a nice smile.” 

   Reeder is also very excited to have been given this award. “It feels really good! I feel like it’s a very cute award.”

   With having a great smile, though, comes with a lot of work. “I brush my teeth both in the morning and at night,” comments Love.

   Reeder also explains, “[Having a good smile] is actually a very tedious process: I had braces, I wear my retainer every night, and I do use whitening strips; that’s my secret.” All in all, if anyone needs tips on how to improve their smile, Love and Reeder are just the people to ask.

   LCN has also been extremely lucky to have students represent the school by having the most school spirit. Two of LCN’s most school spirited seniors are Vinny Longo and Kayley Ulbrik.

   Longo, the student section leader for LCN says, “It feels pretty cool [to be elected]. I’ve been spirited my whole high school career and I’m involved in a couple things so it was pretty nice to hear my name.”

   Ulbrik adds, “I was very excited to get this award because I love having school spirit when it comes to everything at LCN… I’m a part of many clubs, so I always try to put on events. Even just going to Friday night football games in the past was fun to support the team by dressing up for the specific theme.”

   Having school spirit is a core part of living as a high schooler and Longo explains, “It’s high school, you’re going to be here all four years regardless, so you might as well make the best of it and get involved in stuff while you still can.” 

   “I think that [having school spirit] is extremely important because just knowing that your friends and teachers recognize the effort that you put in to have school spirit and to help make LCN a better place really shows how much you care,” says Ulbrik.

   To continue, Armando Crespo and Sam Kesek have made an impact on LCN through their musical talent, making them the most musical in the senior class.

   Kesek says, “I’m in band and I’m also in choir, and I’ve been singing since I was four.” She has been pursuing her musical talent for a long time now which even consisted of her singing the national anthem at middle school sports games. 

   “Honestly, I wasn’t expecting to be elected for anything, but it was really nice… I’m honored,” says Crespo.

   Although music won’t be her top priority in college, it seems that she will try to find a way to continue singing. “I plan on going to Oakland for elementary education and hopefully I’ll be able to take a choir class there,” Kesek explains. 

   Crespo has been performing for almost all of his life, hence the most musical. “I’ve been singing almost my whole life… As soon as I could talk, I was making tunes. My first play was ‘The Wizard of Oz’ when I was like four.”

   This next pair is one that may or may not come true in the future. Marc DeJesus and Bianca Kajy have been elected as the couple that should’ve been.

   DeJesus and Kajy have known each other for almost all of high school from having many classes together to just having conversations in school.

   After finding out that they won this category, DeJesus says, “It was funny.”

   Kajy was also very surprised with the turnout of this award. “I was not expecting this, but I just think it’s kind of funny because him and I have a love-hate friendship, and I don’t know how my boyfriend feels about it!” 

   Kajy has also won another category along with Matteo Alfred: Worst driver. As we all know, once you turn 16, you are ready to get your license and hit the road for the first time by yourself. However, although some people enjoy driving a lot, they might not be the best person behind the wheel.

   Alfred comments, “Even though my car crashed a few times, it’s just all fun and games.”

   “I think [being voted as the worst driver] is actually perfect for me because I do think I’m the worst driver. I am very bad at directions and being cautious of my surroundings when I’m on the road,” Kajy says. 

   It is also known that if you don’t like to drive, you’re usually not the best driver, and Alfred can agree to that. “I actually hate driving… My worst moment was probably hitting a parked car.”

   Last but not least in the senior mock elections are Kelsey Duffey and David Gattine, who have been voted as the most athletic seniors. Both of them have been playing multiple sports for quite a long time, so this just goes to show that their hard work has not gone unnoticed.

   This is Duffey’s second win in the mock elections in addition to winning class clown, and she elaborates, “I didn’t know that people knew who I was, but it’s nice…. I’ve worked pretty hard in basketball all throughout high school, so it’s nice to be recognized for that.”

   After being voted as the most athletic male in the grade, Gattine says, “I appreciated it and it feels good… I’ve been playing sports all my life [including] football, baseball, and basketball. I will be playing football at Albion College.”

   Maybe someday, we will see Gattine or Duffey on our televisions playing the sport that they love!

   With a class of over 400, these 24 students are happy to represent the senior class as mock election winners.