By Gabby Rodriguez – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law Class of 2025 graduate Alex Rodriguez is now a freshman attending Eastern Connecticut State University, where he is majoring in Finance and playing Division III soccer.

Rodriguez wasn’t sure about what he would study in college until his senior year internship, and he is still navigating what he will do for his future studies.

“I discovered my passion for finance during my senior internship at The Milford Bank,” Rodriguez said. “I am also considering changing it to business or possibly adding it as an additional major or minor.”

Rodriguez said his classes in college are much different than those he took at Law. 

“Most of my classes are long lectures and we are graded on homework, projects, quizzes, and tests,” Rodriguez said. “Classes also move a lot faster, and you are expected to learn concepts a lot quicker.”

As for the college itself, Rodriguez loves the feel of Eastern.

“Eastern is great, I like the small size of the school because it is easy to navigate and also allows you to meet and talk to everybody,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez enjoys living in a dorm despite it being one of the biggest changes from everyday life at home.

“Dorm life is great – living with your friends and always being able to hang out is the best,” Rodriguez said. 

The transition into college can be challenging, especially for student-athletes. However, there are benefits to being part of a team.

“A benefit of being a student-athlete is getting to be part of a team and instantly having a built-in group of friends,” Rodriguez said. “Especially when playing a fall sport, because I met my teammates during the summer, so by the time school started, we were already close and comfortable with each other. “

Although Rodriguez was once a three-sport athlete, he decided to play soccer at the next level, where his new team is thriving.

“We are doing very well this season and are currently third place in our conference,” Rodriguez said.  “We also have an upcoming trip to play in London in January, which I’m very excited for.”

Rodriguez pushed the idea of gaining time management skills because they are needed in order to be successful in college.

“You have to work even harder on time management because there are so many distractions in college,” Rodriguez said. “Being a student-athlete makes it more difficult because it is very time consuming, so you must use your free time to be more productive.”

By Henry Smith – Sports Editor

Jonathan Law Class of 2025 graduate Tim Firla is looking forward to his future in the United States Marine Corps. 

After graduating, Firla made the decision to join the Marine Corps after enjoying his summer with friends.

“My initial plans after high school were to enjoy my summer and leave in September,” said Firla. “But with complications of the government I have to just wait for my ship date.”

Firla planned on leaving for boot camp in September.

“As of right now my official date is in february but it can be moved up to within a month,” said Firla.

The process of enlisting was long for Firla. He had to take tests, attend meetings, and complete lots of paperwork.

“I had to do multiple meetings with a recruiter as well as take a couple of tests with lots of paperwork,” Firla said.

Firla’s family has a history in the Navy which led him to want to be a part of the military.

“My family has Navy history, and with the Marines being a part of the Navy, it’s always been something I’ve wanted to do before moving into my future job,” said Firla.

By Sebastian Beltran – Social Media Editor 

Jonathan Law Class of 2025 graduate Micheal Merchant is now a freshman at Rutgers University where he is majoring in Sports Management and playing Division I baseball. 

Merchant said he fell in love with Rutgers as soon as her stepped on campus. 

“I chose Rutgers because the campus was amazing, and from the first time I started talking to the coaches, they were really welcoming and genuine,” Merchant said. “They made me feel like I’d be part of the team. The atmosphere and energy at Rutgers just felt right, and I knew it was the place where I could grow both on and off the field.”

Playing Division I baseball has been an adjustment, but Merchant is happy with his progress.

“It’s definitely been an adjustment getting used to playing baseball at this level, but it feels amazing to be out there doing what I love every day,” Merchant said. “The competition is tougher, and the expectations are higher, but that just pushes me to work harder and keep improving.”

Overall, Merchant has enjoyed his college baseball experience so far.

“I am most excited to continue to grow my relationships with my teammates and gain more knowledge about the sport,” Merchant said.

Merchant said his time at Law taught him to manage his time between academics and baseball. 

“Jonathan Law helped me be able to manage both academics and baseball and how to get my training done and homework done,” Merchant said.

One of Merchant’s goals is to help the team make the NCAA Tournament and he is putting the work in to get better on and off the field.

“One of my goals for Rutgers is to make the NCAA Tournament with my team and maintain great grades throughout the year,” Merchant said. “I’m put in the work every day to get better on the field and build good relationships with my teammates.”

By Brady O’Neil – News Editor

Jonathan Law Class of 2025 graduate Ariella Valentine recently started her freshman year at Rutgers University where she is majoring in Genetics.

Valentine said in general she has enjoyed the transition from high school to college. She is excited for this school year to progress and is looking forward to making new friends. 

“The transition from high school to college at first was a little rough,” said Valentine. “It was hard being away from home, but meeting a good group of people has really helped me find my spot here. I’m looking forward to meeting more people and getting to work with my peers.”

Valentine said that the thing she misses the most about home is her friends and family.

“I definitely miss my friends a lot,” Valentine said. “Being away from them is really hard, and not being able to see my family every day is a weird thing for me to get used to. Other than that I miss the convenience of being able to go where I want whenever I want, instead of having to plan out simple trips like getting groceries.”

While being in college is a huge adjustment, Valentine says that she is excited to learn more about her major.

“I am definitely ready to start working in labs again,” Valentine said. “I love being able to work in a lab, and learning about genetics. It helps me to learn more about the human body, and the subject is peer-work-based, so I get to meet a lot of like-mined people, which definitely helps with socializing.” 

By Matthew Sanchez and Adrian Vitale – Social Media Editors

Jonathan Law Class of 2025 graduate Matthew Berendt recently started his freshman year at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts where he is majoring in Computer Science and Robotics. 

Berendt said he in enjoying his time in college thus far. 

“It’s been going great so far,” Berendt said. “The terms do go by very quickly, though. I have finals this week.”

Berendt is still involved in track and field just like his days at Jonathan Law. He likes to go on long runs and is still competing against other colleges.

“I’m a member of WPI’s Running Club where we go on daily runs, participate in road races, and compete against other colleges in the 5K or the 8K,” Berendt said. 

What Berendt misses most about Jonathan Law is the sense of community. He also misses all the organizations, clubs, and teams that he was a part of. 

“I think the thing I miss most about Jonathan Law is the people and sense of community,” Berendt said. “The memories I made as a part of organizations such as Band, cross country, and track were some of my favorite moments of high school.”

While Berendt does have some things that he misses about Law, he does have many things that he likes about college.

“My favorite thing about college so far has been making new friends and having a newfound sense of independence,” Berendt said. “You really have to take it upon yourself to get things done and I really like that change of pace.”

Berendt has some advice for the Law Class of 2026. 

“One piece of advice I’d give is that you don’t need to have everything figured out right away upon graduating,” Berendt said. “You still have time to make mistakes and try new things.” 

By Taylor Mola – Social Media Editor

Jonathan Law Class of 2025 graduate Joey Richardson recently started his freshman year at Eastern Connecticut State University, where he is majoring in Psychology with a Concentration in Developmental Psychology and minoring in Music.

Richardson said he has had a smooth transition so far in college. He is involved in many different activities as he is getting used to the changes in his new lifestyle.

“My experience for college has been great so far,” Richardson said. “I’ve been keeping myself very busy, and I love getting involved in different activities.”

While at Law, Richardson excelled at track and he has continued his track career in college.

“Track has been going well,” Richardson said. “Practices are a bit more difficult though and as do my major, I’m taking two classes relating to it and so far I absolutely love them,” Richardson said. “It’s really solidifying my ideas about sticking with this major.”

Overall, Richardson has been loving his new environment.

“The shift has honestly been great,” Richardson said. “It’s been fun and the people around here make it really easy to adjust.”

Richardson has had to learn how to manage his time and what is important to him.

“The most difficult thing for me has just been scheduling everything and managing my time,” Richardson said. “There’s so much that I want to do it’s just hard trying to make sure I don’t overlap events.”

One piece of advice Richardson would give to the Law Class of 2026 is not to worry.

“(College) is not as scary as it seems, and it’ll be much more easier if you just try to have fun,” Richardson said. “Make memories, meet new people, try new things.”

By Henry Smith and Sebastian Beltran – Advocate Editors

Jonathan Law Class of 2025 graduate Michael Smith is now a freshman at Bryant University in Rhode Island where he is majoring in Finance.

Smith found his passion for finance during his senior year of high school. That experience inspired him to pursue Finance as his major at Bryant.

“I wasn’t certain on a career until my senior year,” Smith said. “Then I came across live markets and data where I found my interest in finance.”

As college started, Smith found he had lots of free time giving him better opportunities to manage his work load throughout college.

“I now have a lot of free time and can manage my workload much more efficiently,” Smith said.

Smith has found a balance between college and life and learned how to manage and improve his scheduling.   

“I found balance in being consistent,” Smith said. “You just have to do what you’re supposed to at the intended time without procrastinating, you will have time to get everything done and won’t have to be overwhelmed.”

Smith gave some advice to this year’s senior class.

“Don’t lose motivation because if you start digging a deep hole for yourself it is much harder to pick yourself back up in college compared to high school,” Smith said.

By Fiorella Gargiulo – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law Class of 2025 graduate Taylor Coretti recently started her freshman year at Marist University.

Coretti entered college Undecided and has been enjoying the variety of subjects.

“I really enjoy my Self-Development/Focus class that takes place on Tuesdays and Fridays,” Coretti said. “Since I am Undecided, this class is helping me find majors I may be interested in and guiding me through the process of college.”

Although adjusting to living away from home, Coretti is satisfied with the distance of her new school.

“Living an hour and a half away from home is a good distance in my opinion,” Coretti said. “I am far enough away where I don’t want to come home every weekend, but it’s a good distance where my family or friends can come visit for the day.” 

While she is devoted to her schoolwork, Coretti makes sure to occupy her time outside of the classroom doing things she loves.

“I recently got a job as the manager for the women’s soccer team, so when I am not in class, I will help them out whether it is at training, in the office, or at a home game,” Coretti said. “If I’m not doing that, I’m hanging out with my friends, doing homework, or taking a nap.”

Coretti has begun making new friends and making memories that will last a lifetime.

“My roommate is my closest friend here and I love sharing a room with her,” Coretti said. “I am glad I did not go random because if I didn’t have my roommate, then I wouldn’t be exposed to the friends I have made.”

Coretti continues to shine at Marist and truly cherishes every moment in Poughkeepsie.

“One piece of advice I would give to someone entering the college process is it may be difficult in the beginning, but once you figure out what you want to do, it will all be worth it,” Coretti said. “I struggled with finding a college that I was interested in for a while, but once I found out about Marist and the opportunities that it provided, I knew it was where I wanted to go, and it made the process so much easier.”

By Courtney Russo – Social Media Editor-In-Chief

Jonathan Law Class of 2025 graduate Ella Franzman recently started her freshman year at Syracuse University.

Franzman is attending the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and is looking to pursue a career in broadcast journalism, with a focus on sports media. She has enjoyed a smooth transition into college socially and academically.

“So far, my college experience has been incredible,” Franzman said. “I’ve built a great group of friends who make life a lot less stressful and way more fun. I’ve also met so many supportive people, whether it’s through the ACC Network, a professor or advisor through Newhouse, or simply a classmate in geography.”

During her time at Law, Franzman was the Editor-In-Chief of The Advocate and gained social media experience by running the Jonathan Law Athletics account. Now, she has taken that experience to Syracuse.

“Currently, I work with ACC Network at Syracuse, where we are the only school in the nation to provide live pregame, halftime, and postgame shows that are 100% student-run,” Franzman said. “There, I have had the opportunity to shadow many different positions, one that I have gotten involved with a lot more is creating content for our social media, @newhousesportssu. On that account, we work to create content that promotes our live productions, highlights behind-the-scenes work from filming and directing to on-air coverage, shares exclusive interviews, and so much more. I also serve as one of three social media interns for the Club Men’s Basketball team.”

In addition, Franzman is a staff member at WAER, Syracuse’s public radio station (88.3 FM). It is one of the few college radio stations that sends student broadcasters on the road to cover every Syracuse football and men’s basketball game, both home and away.

Franzman has worked on bettering her downtime management and improving her scheduling.

“College has been a big shift from the structured routine I had in high school,” Franzman said. “In high school, my days were very predictable and structured. I would go to school, then a club meeting, followed by swim or basketball practice, which gave me a sense of comfort and organization.”

Now, Franzman has to adjust to a schedule with more breaks in it. 

“While the weather is still nice, I’ve started taking advantage of that time to sit outside in the quad or at a coffee shop to get some work done,” Franzman said. “This has helped me adjust to the more flexible schedule and made the transition a little easier and more enjoyable.”

One piece of advice Franzman wants the Class of 2026 to follow is to enjoy every moment.

“Time truly flies by during your senior year, so don’t wish for November to come faster or count down the days to graduation too quickly,” Franzman said. “Soak in the little things. For a lot of you, you’ve known your classmates since kindergarten or middle school, and there’s a real comfort in that familiarity, so appreciate it while it lasts.”

By Yeiden Nieves and Logan Mullarkey – Sports Editors

Jonathan Law Class of 2025 graduate Cesar Mendez is now a freshman at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven where he is majoring in Elementary Education.

Mendez had a busy schedule at Law as a member of the varsity football team and track and field team. Mendez has continued to stay focused on succeeding in his academics.

“Throughout college, my mindset has been to make sure that your school work and homework gets done first,” Mendez said. “All the other extracurricular activities come after because you need good grades to stay at school.”

A normal day for Mendez consists of waking up around 8 a.m. and heading to his first class at either 9 or 9:30 a.m. On Monday and Wednesday, he’ll have another class from 12-3 p.m. and then a class from 5-6 p.m. Every other day of the week, he finishes class at 11 a.m.

In between his classes, he makes sure to stay in touch with his family.

“Seeing my family is still very important to me,” Mendez said. “I see them very often and being able to be with them while being in college is very cool.”

Mendez emphasized the importance of getting involved in high school and in the community.

“One piece of advice I would give to high school students is to get involved,” Mendez said. “It’s very important to make connections with as many people as you can.”

By Aislyn McKernan and Madi Black – Social Media Editors-in-Chief

Jonathan Law Class of 2025 graduate Riley Lapham recently started her freshman year at Eastern Connecticut State University, where she is majoring in Pre-Early Elementary Education and Sociology. 

Lapham has had a great transition into her college life. She has adjusted well to her new social and academic lifestyle.

“I’ve adjusted better than I thought and it’s a lot less scary than it seems,” Lapham said. “I was worried about missing home, but I’m so busy it’s hard to have time to miss everything.”

Eastern has had a lot of opportunities for Lapham, and she has been enjoying college so far.

“My favorite part about college is meeting new people and having the opportunity to try new things without any judgment,” Lapham said. 

Lapham has been enjoying her new freedom and lifestyle at college.

“The biggest difference from high school is that the responsibility is on you,” Lapham said. “There’s no one making sure that you get all your work in, so you have to take accountability for your own achievements.”

While happy in her new environment, Lapham still misses home and Law.

“The most difficult change for me has been being away from my family and friends,” Lapham said. “I miss my Law family – the swim and dive team, band, and track team. I also miss the teachers who made school feel like home.”

By Madi Black – Social Media Editor

Jonathan Law Class of 2024 graduate Declan Wywoda is a freshman at George Washington University where he is majoring in Mechanical Engineering while pitching at the Division I level.  

Transitioning from high school to college can be very challenging, but Wywoda has found a routine that helps him stay on top of everything. 

“Adjusting to college was pretty easy, once I figured out a routine I was able to get everything done,” Wywoda said. “Time management was very important to avoid late nights and poor quality of work.”

So far, Wywoda has been enjoying college and is very happy with the experience.  

“My favorite part of college is being in Washington DC,” Wywoda said. “There is always something going on and I was never bored. I really enjoyed being in a city with monuments and great places to see.”

While he is enjoying college, Wywoda said it is very different from high school. 

“College is different because of independence,” Wywoda said. “There is no one telling you what you can and can’t do and it’s up to me to get everything done on time. Getting up early and fun activities were all under my control.” 

Wywoda still misses Law but is excited for what is ahead at George Washington. 

“At Law I miss my friends,” Wywoda said. “I was seeing them everyday doing pretty much everything with them. I will see them a lot this summer.” 

By Yeiden Nieves – Sports Editor

Jonathan Law Class of 2024 graduate Michael Neider recently completed his freshman year at Worcester University in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Neider had a busy schedule at Law, playing football, basketball, and baseball. Neider has continued to play football at Worcester while continuing to stay focused on his academics.

“It’s definitely a different experience than playing at Law,” said Neider. “My schedule isn’t as straight forward as it was at Law but I’ve adapted to the changes well.”

Neider has earned some playing time as a freshman for the Worcester football team. He wants to work on being a full time starter for next year and being the best overall player he can be.

“I want to work on my route running the most which will help me earn the full time starting spot,” Neider said. “One thing Law has taught me is to always work hard which I carried with me to college.”

Neider credits his time at Law for preparing him for the college level.

“All my teammates and coaches at Law helped me grow as an athlete,” said Neider. “They always pushed me to be my best.”

As Neider prepares for next season, he has clear goals in mind.

“I want to start on the football team and carry on with my education,” said Neider “I want to represent Law and Worcester the right way.”

With hard work and determination, Neider is determined to show everyone what he can do.

By Taylor Coretti and Abigail Merenda – Staff Reporters 

Jonathan Law Class of 2023 graduate Ashley Coretti changed her plans going into her sophomore year of college. 

Coretti went into Duquesne her freshman year as an Accounting major but felt it wasn’t the right fit for her. She decided to transfer to Southern Connecticut State University for her sophomore year to be closer with her family while also changing her major to Psychology. 

“It’s hard to know what you want to do when you are 17-18 years old,” Coretti said. “I finally made the choice to be a Psychology major, and I start next semester with that so hopefully it goes well.”

Coretti feels more joy in being closer to home and spending more time with her loved ones. 

“I transferred because I was eight hours from home and I would go months without seeing my family and that got to be very difficult for me,” Coretti said. “Now, because I commute, I get to see them all of the time so transferring was worth it for me.”

While she loves the switch to SCSU, the hardest part was leaving one of her best friends behind. 

“I think I miss my best friend from Duquesne the most because we were inseparable,” Coretti said. “She lived across the hall and we would do everything together, so not seeing her since May has been crazy but I’m definitely going to visit her soon.”

Coretti had some difficulties moving from Pittsburgh back to Milford.

“The most difficult thing about transferring is the ability to make new friends going into a new school as a sophomore when everyone is already in their own friend groups,” Coretti said. “Another difficult thing is waking up on time and giving myself enough time in the morning to get to classes on time.”

While transferring schools, there was one person that Coretti felt helped her most. 

“The person that had the biggest impact on me while transferring was definitely my dad,” Coretti said. “He has always supported my decisions and helps me whenever I need it.”

Since SCSU is located in New Haven, Coretti decided to commute instead of living on campus. 

“The adjustment to commuting to college is definitely different from what I’m used to,” Coretti said. “Going from leaving my dorm to go to classes, to driving to school from home has been exciting.”

By Kishal Shah – Staff Reporter  

Jonathan Law Class of 2024 Valedictorian and graduate Natalie Morrell is currently attending Brown University, majoring in Biochemistry with a focus in Molecular Biology. 

Morrell’s initial transition to the college lifestyle was a little difficult, but she has since adjusted to the academic and social environment.  

“It took a while for classes to get started so the first couple of weeks was really just adjusting to the new environment, dorms, and meeting new people,” Morrell said. “It’s definitely different living with roommates, especially in a triple, but everything’s been smooth and I love chatting with them about my day.”

Since the school year started, Morrell has had the opportunity to meet many people through welcome week and social events.

“It was also crazy meeting so many new people so fast, but it was fun to talk to new people and make friends throughout those first three weeks,” Morrell said. 

Adjusting to a more rigorous workload meant managing time and navigating through a schedule to meet deadlines for short term and larger assignments. 

Morrell’s daily schedule consists of attending classes along with studying outside of class.

“Right now most of my classes are lectures with weekly conferences in small groups, and as I get to higher level courses and not intro courses my classes will get smaller,” Morrell said.

Morrell prefers smaller classes because they allow for a more specific and personable learning style. 

“I have one smaller seminar class about molecular structures that’s been very interesting, and it’s nice to have at least one smaller class that’s a seminar style rather than lecture,” Morrell said.

Through attending lecture based classes, Morrell has realized she needs to schedule studying and completing assignments outside of class.

“Once classes got started, I definitely had to adjust my time management,” Morrell said. “Managing assignments, readings, studying, etc is definitely more on you than it was in high school.”

Additionally, Morrell has been working on becoming more accustomed to utilizing resources. 

“Currently, I’m trying to get better about utilizing outside resources, like going to office hours to go over questions or stopping by the career center to figure out different opportunities to look into,” Morrell said.

Participating in clubs has helped Morrell chat with friends and build connections.

“I’m part of a couple clubs, including club gymnastics, Brown Science Prep, and Brown Science Olympiad,” Morrell said.

Morrell likes that Brown’s environment offers the opportunity to go out to events if students feel like it, but no one is pressured to go out or integrate into a party scene all the time. 

“There’s a very supportive environment here which I’ve loved,” Morrell said.

By Carly Ranilla – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law Class of 2024 graduate Lily Greenwood decided a gap year would benefit her before submitting any applications to attend Cosmetology school.

Greenwood recognized her experience in high school didn’t leave her with much motivation to continue schooling right away, so she reconsidered her options and thought about what would be healthiest for her.

“I never wanted to go to school,” Greenwood said. “It was always very stressful for me and I felt like I lost interest in a lot of things I used to be super passionate about. I didn’t really have anything to help me through school, but compared to working I feel as if there’s a lot less pressure and worry on me.”

Greenwood credited her friends for helping her through high school.

“I had a rough time in high school, but when I was at my lowest I was able to meet one of my closest friends that still is so important to my life now,” Greenwood said. “Without school, who knows if or even when we’d ever meet.”

Greenwood said that her mental health has improved significantly since graduation, and she feels that a working environment is the place to be before further committing to Cosmetology school.

“I work around eight hours everyday, Monday through Friday,” Greenwood said. “Even though it’s a lot, I find it way a lot more peaceful compared to my schedule from high school.”

Her favorite part of being a high school graduate was her opportunity for increasing independence, personal growth, and the sense of accomplishment.

“Completing high school is a major accomplishment for anyone to experience, and leaves a really big sense of pride and confidence to feel good about,” Greenwood said.

Greenwood had some advice for students who might be experiencing a rough patch in their time at Jonathan Law, or any high school students in general.

“I know it can be hard, but staying positive and keeping an open mind about your future is important,” Greenwood said. “High school doesn’t last forever and remember that it’s okay to ask for help and take care of yourself.”

Greenwood said that the switch from high school to whatever is next is not as scary as some might think.

“At first I was nervous that I wouldn’t know what to do after graduation,” Greenwood said. “But there are plenty of opportunities and once you get going, you’ll feel a wave of relief and excitement for what’s next.”

By Connor Ryan – Staff Reporter 

Jonathan Law Class of 2023 graduate Aidan Ryan began his journey last year at the University Of Connecticut and is studying Finance.

During his time at Law, Ryan was very involved in activities such as basketball and baseball. In his senior year, he was a captain of the Jonathan Law basketball and baseball teams. 

“It was a blast – I played with my best friends for all four years at Law and it was one of the most enjoyable moments in my life,” Ryan said. “Being captain was a huge accomplishment for me, for me to be able to lead a team in ways on and off the court and field was a privilege and I couldn’t have been happier.”

Ryan was a strong leader in the classroom as well. He was proud to be in the Top 10% of his senior class.

“Aidan was quickly identified as a leader by many of his teachers, which is another reason why he was named captain,” Ryan’s former teacher and coach Mr. McPartland said. “He is a leader and a role model not only on the court/field, but in the classroom as well.”

Ryan even showed his leadership skills on the baseball team with any underclassmen.

“Aidan would always tell us what to do if we didn’t know what to do and I showed how appreciated I was for that,” Law senior Michael Merchant said.

Ryan was a very bright student and always dreamed of going to the University of Connecticut. He worked hard in and out of school to accomplish this dream.

“Freshman year I realized how important high school is and I knew I had to be a great student,” Ryan said. “At the moment, I really wanted to attend the University of Connecticut and now I am.”

Ryan is a very helpful person and would help his friends and roommates all the time with work if they needed to and would make sure they understood it.

“Aidan would always help out any of us if we needed, and that goes for everything,” Law alum Devin Calvin said

Ryan tries to come home every once in a while to see his family.

“I try to come home every once in a while to see my family to surprise them or just visit for a long weekend,” Ryan said.

His best friend, Law alum John Neider, sees Ryan a lot because he plays for the UConn football team. They grew up together in Milford fromkKindergarten through high school. 

“Aidan has been my best friend since kindergarten and maybe even before,” Neider said. “He is basically a brother to me, and he has always been there if I needed him.”

By Yeiden Nieves – Sports Editor

Jonathan Law Class of 2024 graduate Liam Valvo is now a freshman at Bryant University in Smithfield, Rhode Island, where he is majoring in Business.

Valvo had a busy schedule playing both football and basketball at Law. Valvo has continued to stay focused on succeeding in his academics.

“My mindset has stayed the same for the most part,” Valvo said. “I still have to keep trying hard in everything I do.”

A normal day for Valvo consists of waking up at 9 a.mm where he will go to the dining hall and follow that up with his first class of the day. He will then get a lift in, go back to the dining hall, and take time to study.

“Taking care of my body is important to me and helps with discipling myself into doing my homework and eating healthy afterwards,” Valvo said.

Valvo emphasized how important it is to value the time you have and to never take anything for granted.

“Don’t be stupid how I was my senior year and slack off,” said Valvo. “Soak everything in, seeing your best friends everyday and playing the sports you love everyday.”

By Chloe Edmonds – Staff Reporter

Michael Hurd, a 2024 Jonathan Law Graduate, is currently furthering his education at Gateway Community College, after which he plans to transfer to Quinnipiac University. 

Hurd is majoring in Political Science with a transfer degree and planning to go to law school. 

“I’m looking forward to having a successful career in government or law,” Hurd said. “But I’m especially excited to just experience life.”

Hurd experienced some rough patches throughout his life at Law, but he persevered through them all. 

“It’s exhausting and it gets really overwhelming at times, but you always have to make sure you make time for yourself,” Hurd said. “That’s the only way you’ll be able to make it work.” 

Hurd is enjoying his life after graduation and his mental health has been better than ever. 

“Life after Law is great,” Hurd said. “I feel like I really found myself in high school and I’ve just been living my best life since.” 

His favorite part about being a high school graduate is not having a forced schedule – he can really be independent and choose what he wants to do. 

“I like having my own schedule and being able to just do what I want,” Hurd said. 

Going to college resurfaced his love for school and overall made him a happier person. 

“I really love college,” Hurd said. “I feel so independent and lives never been better and I’m so grateful.”

By Logan Mullarkey – Sports Editor

JT Nelly, a 2024 Jonathan Law graduate, is excited about the journey he’s on as he works toward his future at the United States Coast Guard Academy. 

After only a short summer break, Nelly quickly began his preparation for the next steps in his career.

“It’s been very exciting,” Nelly said. “After I graduated, I only had about a month of summer before I reported to Coast Guard Academy for my swab summer. Now I am at Naval Academy Preparatory School in Newport for a year playing football with all of the Navy commits, and as long as I keep a 3.0 GPA, I will receive my full appointment to the Academy for next year.”

At Naval Academy Preparatory School, Nelly is part of the football team, competing against strong opponents.

“I am playing football for Naval Academy Preparatory School where Navy and Coast Guard commits that receive a conditional appointment attend for a year before reporting to their respective academies,” Nelly said. “The football team is currently 5-0, beating #2 JUCO nationally ranked Nassau, Navy’s own JV team, as well as other preparatory and JUCO teams.”

Nelly also shared some advice for students thinking about their future.

“My advice is to get good grades your freshman and sophomore year,” Nelly said. “You may not think it matters, but my cumulative GPA was a huge factor when being recruited by schools for football as well as just looking at schools as a student.”

Looking ahead, Nelly knows what he wants.

“My goals moving forward are to receive my full appointment to the Coast Guard Academy,” Nelly said.

With his focus on academics and football, Nelly is working hard toward making his dreams a reality.

By Ella Franzman – Editor-In-Chief & Editorial Editor

Talia Salanto, a Class of 2024 Jonathan Law graduate, is a freshman at Mercy University in Dobbs Ferry, New York, where she is majoring in Digital Media and Graphic Design. 

Salanto is playing Division II softball at Mercy, along with former 2021 graduate Maddie Lula. Salanto was a two-time All-SCC honoree and an All-State selection her sophomore year at Jonathan Law. She also played basketball at Law her freshman and sophomore year. 

Salanto said her softball schedule has kept her busy this fall.

“My average day starts with lift at 8:30 a.m. and then I go to the library for mandatory studying time,” Salanto said. “After that I go to breakfast, and then I either have a class until 2:30 p.m. with practice following from 3:15-5:30 p.m. On Mondays, we get the day off and don’t have practice so I have class from 1:15-5:45 p.m.”

Salanto said the schedule from high school to college is very similar as she felt she had some freedom in high school. 

“In terms of my mindset, nothing has really changed,” Salanto said. “I feel like I had my freedom and didn’t always feel locked down to one thing at a time.”

She emphasized how Law prepared her for college and to constantly be herself making the transition easier.  

“Playing softball has given me a group of my best friends and also given me structure and it’s definitely a ton of fun,” Salanto said. 

By Cesar Mendez – Sports Editor

Jonathan Law Class of 2024 graduate Gemard Guery is a freshman at Yale where he is currently deciding between the majors of Global Affairs, Political Science, or Ethic, Politics, and Economics.

Guery found the transition from high school to college very enjoyable. 

“Overall, the transition has been really good, it definitely took some time to adjust to campus and how my schedule looks because it’s so different from high school, but I’ve really adjusted well and met a lot of cool people.” Guery said “There’s a lot of support here that really made the transition smooth.”

Guery is involved in many clubs and has participated in several projects to help the community.

“Right now, I’m a part of the council for my residential college. I joined Yale Steppin’ Out (step team), the Daily News, and the Urban Improvement Corps which works with youth in New Haven,” Guery said. “I also just started at the Policy Institute where I’m doing a project on protections for immigrant children.”

Guery has found the whole experience of college amazing so far and has tried many new activities. 

“The experience has been amazing so far,” Guery said. “I really love the people I’ve met here so far and I’m doing a lot of really cool things that I’ve never gotten the chance to try before like paddle boarding and pottery.”

Guery advises seniors to breathe and try not to stress as much. 

“My biggest piece of advice to seniors is to take a moment to breathe, senior year can definitely be really stressful so taking time to take care of yourself and doing what you enjoy is so valuable,” Guery said.  It may be college application season, but it’s also the end of high school so make sure you’re taking advantage of the time you have with your friends. Go to that game and go see that movie because the year goes by faster than you think and you’ll be walking that stage in the blink of an eye.”

By Aislyn McKernan – Social Media Editor

Jonathan Law Class of 2024 graduate Gianna Gagliardi is now a freshman at Nova Southeastern University, majoring in Nursing with a minor in Public Health. 

Gagliardi is adapting very well to college and is being an active part of the school community. She is a part of the Delta Phi Epsilon sorority and swims for the NSU club swim team.

“I considered trying to swim for the NCAA Division II, team but I ended up doing their club team and it has been great so far,” Gagliardi said. “I am also so grateful that I’m in Delta Phi Epsilon and it’s so much fun.”

A typical day for Gagliardi starts with 9 a.m. classes. Her classes usually end around 12 p.m. and she hits the pool or goes to swim practice. Some days, she has sorority events after classes or she goes the beach with friends. Then she cooks dinner in her dorm and goes the library to study at night.

Gagliardi is a Nursing major with a minor in Public Health.

“I’ve wanted to be a nurse for as long as I can remember,” Gagliardi said. “I have a goal of being a nurse practitioner.”

Even though Gagliardi has had struggles like most students going to college, she has adapted to college life very well.

“I feel that I have adjusted very well,” Gagliardi said. “It was hard at first especially being so far from home, but I love everything I do here which made it easier to get past the homesickness. I’m very grateful for Law and I feel like part of my good adjustment was because of Law.”

By Madi Black – Social Media Editor

Jonathan Law 2024 graduate Bobby Black is now attending college at Western New England University in Springfield, Massachusetts, majoring in Sports Management and playing Division III baseball. 

While at Law, Black played for the baseball and basketball teams. He gives tons of credit to law on how law helps him during college. 

“College is different because you have more freedom,” Black said. “I feel as if high school was more structured, but in college you’re responsible for managing your own time and getting stuff done.”

Black is adjusting well to college, even though it is difficult at times for him. 

“I’m adjusting to college well,” Black said “I’m still trying to figure out how to balance everything but it’s not too bad so far.”

Black still misses Law but is excited for what is ahead at Western New England University. 

“I miss the teachers and I miss my friends that I used to see in class everyday,” Black said. “My favorite part of college is the independence that you have living by yourself.”

By Kayla Markowitz – Editor-in-Chief

Jonathan Law Class of 2024 graduate Maya Markowitz has begun her journey post-high school as a freshman at Lehigh University studying Population Health and Sciences. 

During her time at Law, Markowitz engaged in many different extracurricular activities, which showed her how important it is to become involved in your community. 

“Some of my favorite things about college have been the opportunities here. I am always able to try new things here with limited restrictions,” Markowitz said. “I love to do new things so the past few weeks have been fun in that aspect.”

Markowitz has been spending her first couple weeks getting used to all things college. In contrast to Jonathan Law’s start time of 7:20 a.m., her classes start much later, which has made her have to adjust to new routines. 

“I definitely would consider myself a morning person, I would much rather start and end earlier so this is a struggle for me because I get kind of burnt out at like 3 p.m.,” Markowitz said. “The positive is that I get a good eight hours of sleep most days and get to exercise and do some homework in the morning if I need to.”

Throughout her high school career, Maya started most of her mornings with an iced latte before school. One returning habit Maya is struggling with is her dependency on coffee to get her through long days and study sessions. 

“Some days, I make it to class with no coffee and I am really proud of myself, and then I get to my 12:10 and see half the students in the class holding coffee cups and it always breaks me,” Markowitz said. 

Markowitz has immersed herself in many new activities. Some of these activities are similar to those she enjoyed in high school, but some are new experiences that she is excited to explore. 

“I am currently a reporter for the Brown and White (Lehigh’s student newspaper), a member of the Outing Club, Epsilon Delta Pi (an environmental honor society here), a Women’s Strength & Empowerment Society, and a Peer Health Mentor,” Markowitz said. “I have also gotten to dabble in some research in the College of Health, and I hope to travel over the summer to do actual field work.”

Like all college students, Markowitz has faced some challenges throughout her first couple weeks at school. However, since Lehigh is located on a mountain, some extra challenges have been presented. 

“I felt the usual stuff- like homesickness and academic pressure. The hardest part for me so far has been the social adjustments because It is hard to be in a new place with people from all around the world and still find things to relate over,” Markowitz said. “Physically, my campus is on a mountain so it is challenging to walk all the way to class because there’s like a million stairs.”

While Law had some great programs and classes that helped adjust Markowitz to college life, there are some things she feels could’ve been incorporated into her high school curriculum to better prepare her for the work she would do in college. 

“I would say a lot of the self-studying habits that are necessary to be successful in this environment were learned in my dual-enrollment class year, and the Senior Internship program definitely gave me a taste of what the workload would look like in college,” Markowitz said. “One thing that I felt a little unprepared for was paper writing and exams. I have never written a research paper the same way that it was expected for me to know how to do on the first day of classes.”

By Harshitha Kothapalli – Editor-in-Chief 

Jonathan Law Class of 2024 graduate Sara Moshirzadeh is thriving in her new environment as a freshman at Northeastern University, where she is majoring in Data Science.

Moshirzadeh adjusted to her newfound freedom as she grew to love the city that never gets old – Boston. 

“Being in Boston is one of my favorite things about Northeastern,” Moshirzadeh said. “I’ve always loved visiting walkable cities when I was younger so I’m really happy the college I chose to go to was one.”

She understands that the key to balancing school and the new exhilaration of college is handling her responsibilities with a clear mindset. 

“At first I will admit I was pretty overwhelmed with all the work, but I’ve found ways to make the hard work easier,” Moshirzadeh said. “I like to study and do my work with friends and in different places to make these ‘responsibilities’ seem more like ‘things I have the privilege to do’.”

As college students adjust and settle into their new home away from home, they tend to set a certain routine to abide by. Moshirzadeh likes to take a different approach. She lives by the phrase “wherever the wind takes me.” Whether it’s roaming the streets of Boston, studying in a coffee shop, or just enjoying the campus, she makes sure whatever she’s doing fills her day with happiness. 

Although Moshirzadeh enjoys the highs and lows of Boston, a part of her heart will always be in Milford.

“I miss my friends and family the most…There are a lot of things I didn’t expect to miss though: coffee from Scratch Baking, my car, and being able to go to the mall without getting lost in it,” Moshirzadeh said. “If I had a dime for every time I got lost in the prudential center, my student loans would be paid off by now.”

Moshirzadeh’s biggest life lesson she took away from her experience at Jonathan Law was to always try to step out of her comfort zone. 

“The biggest advice I would give to any scared kid is that you’re only going to be in high school once,” Moshirzadeh said. “So, don’t be afraid to take those chances: start that club, take that class you don’t know anyone in, join the sport you would have never thought of joining.” 

Moshirzadeh believes this mindset is the key to being yourself. She recommends everyone to try it once because you never know what you are going to fall in love with. 

By Haley Stroffolino – Social Media Editor-In-Chief 

Jonathan Law Class of 2024 graduate Jaxson Smith is now a first-year student at Binghamton University.

While the shift from high school to college brings more responsibilities, Smith said he is adjusting well to the increased independence. 

“I’m adjusting pretty well,” Smith said. “In college, you’re more dependent on yourself. Professors give you all the due dates and work, and it’s up to you to finish them on time or early.”

One of Smith’s favorite aspects of college is the freedom to eat whenever he wants.

“Being able to eat whenever and having good restaurants is a big plus,” he said. 

While he is enjoying college, Smith said it is very different from high school. 

“The workload and the number of weekly tests are definitely different from high school,” Smith said. “It took some time to adjust, and I’m always studying to stay prepared.” 

Smith emphasized how his schedule has definitely shifted since high school and how having class at different times is not always simple.

“Some days, I have no classes, and other days I’m in class until 9:30 at night,” Smith said. “It’s not always easy.”

Smith said he still misses Law, especially the excitement of Friday night football games.

“Here at Binghamton, we don’t have a football team, and that’s something I definitely miss,” he said.

Smith is currently pursuing a degree in Environmental Engineering, a field he’s passionate about.

As Smith navigates his first year, he’s learning to balance the challenges of college with the independence it offers, all while staying focused on his future career in Engineering.

By Tim Firla – Entertainment Editor

Jonathan Law Class of 2024 graduate Zack Sulkis is now a month into his freshman year at Norwich University, majoring in Communications and wrestling as heavyweight for the school’s wrestling team.

After four years at Law, Sulkis has continued to pursue his love for the sport of wrestling and he couldn’t be more happy with the school he chose to attend.

“I toured Norwich early in junior year and fell in love with the campus before I even thought about playing a sport here,” Sulkis said. “I knew it was a place where when I graduated I’d be the best version of myself both as a student and an athlete.”

Wrestling in college has opened a series of new opportunities for Sulkis at Norwich.

“With Norwich being Division III, I thought I would see if I could get my foot in the door,” Sulkis said. “Before senior year, I had an offer to go and knew it was the place for me.” 

Although he is majoring in Communications, Sulkis is still exploring his academic options.

“I am also looking to possibly pick up a second major in political science and government while at school,” Sulkis said. 

A little over a month into his first year at Norwich, Sulkis is enjoying it more than ever.

“I love it,” Sulkis said. “I was a little skeptical of how I would feel being 250 miles away from home but I have made a lot of good friends and quickly found teammates that are just as dedicated as I am. I have found my home away from home in the middle of nowhere and I could not be more happy about it.”

By Ava Grippo – Entertainment Editor

Jonathan Law Class of 2024 graduate Molly Simler is now a freshman at Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania where she is majoring in Psychology. 

Although Simler dealt with some initial difficulties adjusting to college life, she has adapted quite well since then. 

“I am adapting better than I anticipated,” Simler said. “The beginning was definitely difficult and I still feel homesick sometimes, but I feel like I’ve adapted a lot more since the beginning.” 

Simler said she enjoys the freedom of living at college.

“I have liked the independence of being at college and meeting new people and making new friendships,” Simler said. “My favorite part of college is living on my own. Being in a different state and being independent is very rewarding.” 

While Simler has enjoyed college so far overall, she still misses her friends and family in Milford. 

“I struggle with being homesick,” Simler said. “Even though I enjoy college, I still miss home sometimes.”

By Ella Franzman – Editor-In-Chief & Editorial Editor

Jonathan Law graduate Helen Chizmazia is now a freshman at Saint Michael’s College in Colchester, Vermont, majoring in Digital Media and English while also playing for their Division II womens lacrosse team. 

Chizmazia was very active in her four years at Law, playing volleyball and lacrosse. Her mindset has mostly stayed the same as she was always used to going to class and then going straight to sports practices after.

“My mindset has mostly stayed the same since graduating,” Chizmazia said. “It is really easy to be positive here and I look forward to almost everything I do here.”

A typical day for Chizmazia starts at 6 a.m. with fall ball practice, then class starts at 9:45 a.m. Her classes usually last until 3:30 p.m. After class some days, they will have a team lift, and to finish off the day she will grab dinner and study for the rest of the night. 

“Law definitely instilled a lot of good habits in me that I use in college,” Chizmazia said. 

Chizmazia emphasized how important it is to soak in high school and the experience that comes with high school. 

“Specifically, Law sports (lacrosse and volleyball) have provided me with so many experiences with sportsmanship and just general excitement to be a teammate so that has definitely prepared me,” Chizmazia said. 

By Molly Lynch – News Editor

Jonathan Law Class of 2024 graduate Grace Hess is now attending Sacred Heart University and majoring in Nursing. 

Hess is adapting well to college, making new friends, and utilizing all of the resources available when help is needed. 

“I am adapting to college pretty well,” Hess said. “Definitely the work load has been a lot, but there are so many resources around that want to help people and I made some very good friends too.”

Hess also explained some struggles she faced during her first few months of college. 

“I have had some troubles on getting settled in a little studying,” Hess said. “I really didn’t know how to that much, but I kind of figured it out now and I was scared to ask for help in the beginning.”

Hess said meeting new people was one of her favorite parts of the college experience.

“My favorite things at college so far are probably my friends,” Hess said. “They take school as seriously as I do. I joined a sorority too and some of the girls I love and they’re just so nice.”

She credited Law for setting her up for success in college. 

“Law set me up for success by some of the classes I took,” Hess said. “I feel like CNA with the workload definitely helped, as well as AP Psychology. I had to re-take Psychology this year and it’s kind of a review. Also, Honors Humanities helped with writing a paper.”

By Emma Johnson – Staff Reporter

Nicolina Salanto, a 2023 graduate from Jonathan Law, has started her college journey at Western New England University studying Criminal Justice and playing Division III softball. 

Going from high school to college is a big switch and can sometimes be challenging, but Salanto is working hard to keep her academics, athletics, and social life under control.  

“Being a Criminal Justice major, the workload and work itself has been very manageable,” Salanto said. “Even while playing a sport I don’t find myself buried or overwhelmed and I have been able to balance it all.” 

So far Salanto has been enjoying the time she has spent at college and is very happy with the experience of being introduced to new people and doing what she likes. 

“College has been even better than I’ve expected, from playing softball to meeting new people, taking classes that interest me, and being overall independent has been so much fun,” Salanto said. “I am very lucky to have made some amazing friends here along the way.” 

Law had a big impact on Salanto and taught her how to work through the hard parts of school and be a good leader and teammate. 

“Coming from being a three-sport athlete at Law, I had to learn time management and organizational skills which definitely was a struggle for a while, but has ultimately helped me be able to deal with being a student athlete in college,” Salanto said. “And I truly miss high school often.” 

Even though there has not been much of a struggle at college for Salanto so far, there are some difficult parts about being away from home.

“The hardest part of school is being away from my family and not being able to watch my sister through her last year of high school,” Salanto said.

By Molly Lynch – Staff Reporter

Former Jonathan Law student Sophie Penkacick is now attending the University of South Carolina with a major in Psychology and a minor in Criminal Justice. 

Penkacick loves USC because of its school spirit and how many opportunities it has for every student. Penkacick also loves how she can balance her schedule and has felt that she’s gained independence since attending college. 

“I love my college’s school spirit and the endless opportunities that they have for students,” Penkacick said. “I have met so many amazing people and can balance my schedule how I want to which gives me a sense of independence.”

Penkacick credits Law for helping her prepare for college. 

“Law has prepared me for college by teaching me time management and to always achieve things for myself because in college nobody is there to push you and make sure you get things done,” Penkacick said. 

Her schedule at USC is much different than her schedule in high school.

“My schedule for a normal day in college differs depending on the day of the week, but some days I could have classes from 8:30 a.m. to 7:15 p.m., and other days I start at 10:50 a.m. and end at 5:10 p.m.,” Penkacick said. “It’s very different from high school but I have grown to love being able to build my schedule.”

Penkacick explained the challenge of adapting to college and what she has learned from the experience. 

“Adapting to college definitely took time, but it was helpful that I couldn’t really hide from the difficult parts,” Penkacick said. “Moving to South Carolina didn’t give me the option to come home on weekends or if I am sick, so I had to learn to be there for myself and get myself through the rough patches. Although it was hard, this definitely made me adapt to college faster and I learned what helped me, like my friends, keeping in touch with my parents, etc.”

Penkacick misses some of her former teachers at Law and the closer environment at times. 

“The thing that I miss most about Law is some of the teachers that I had grown to become really close to,” Penkacick said. “A lot of classes in college are large lecture halls that can consist of 300 students. I do miss the closer environment at times, and often wonder how those teachers are doing.”

By Bobby Black – Sports Editor

Former Jonathan Law graduate Nolan McKenna-Hansen is currently a freshman at the University of New England in Biddeford, Maine, where he majors in Sports Management. 

Outside of academics, McKenna-Hansen has a job reffing intramural sports and plays on the basketball team.

Since starting college a few months ago, McKenna-Hansen has made some adjustments to his new environment. 

“The first few months have gone very well,” McKenna-Hansen said. “It took me a little bit to get acclimated to college but now I have more of a routine and I got better with time management.”

McKenna-Hansen’s college experience has been great but he said there is something he misses from being at Jonathan Law. 

“I miss being close to home and seeing friends and family every day,” McKenna-Hansen said. 

Since going to college, McKenna-Hansen had to make some transitions. 

“The biggest change would probably be the mount of freedom and free time you have in college,” McKenna-Hansen said. 

McKenna-Hansen has transitioned off to college and one of the hardest things is being away from family and friends yet Nolan McKenna-Hansen was able to make new friends quickly. 

“The hardest thing about college would probably be just getting away from home and your friends and family,” McKennna-Hansen said. “The easiest thing about college would probably be meeting new people because everyone is in the same boat as you.”

McKenna-Hansen offered some advice to incoming high school freshman. 

“Enjoy high school because it will fly by,” McKenna-Hansen said. 

By Fiorella Gargiulo – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law graduate Ashley Coretti has taken on college life at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Coretti applied to multiple schools in Pittsburgh and is majoring in Accounting.

“Being an Accounting major, it’s definitely a lot to learn, but it’s interesting,” Coretti said. “Being a part of the business school is going to open up a lot of opportunities for me in the future, which is what I’m looking forward to.”

Coretti has had to completely change her routine and has found ways to make it easier.

“Being so far from home, it was definitely a big adjustment,” Coretti said. “Making new friends and being so close to the Penguins really made the adjustment easy, and I’m having too much fun out here.”

It has also been hard for Coretti’s family to adjust to her temporary departure.

“It’s a lot different around the house without Ashley,” sophomore Taylor Coretti said. “It’s very quiet now, and I can’t wait for her to come home.” 

Coretti has also found it easy to create a social life outside of her actual classes. 

“Making new friends was actually really easy,” Coretti said. “I hang out with the same group of people every day since I’ve gotten here.”

Coretti was also a part of the varsity girls soccer team during her four years at Law. Head coach Mrs. Francisco misses her look at life and bubbly personality.

“Even if she didn’t have the best game or the most minutes, or even if she was having a bad day, she always took everything with a grain of salt and always had that outward appearance of everything being OK and was very positive about things,” Francisco said. “I miss her, and I hope she is thriving at Duquesne.”

Coretti thinks that the hardest part of this new change is how far she is from home.

“For me, the hardest part of college is being so far from my family and friends back home,” Coretti said. “It’s crazy how one day I’m home with everyone I love, and then the next day I’m seven hours away.”

Coretti is happy with the choices she made and is excited to continue her journey at Duquesne.

“But I’ve really grown to love college and everything that goes with it,” Coretti said. “I have a good group of friends, and the school work itself isn’t bad, which is good.”

By Layla Alogna – Staff Reporter

Demi Carrapico, a former Jonathan Law student, is starting her journey at Saint Leo University in Florida where she is majoring in business management.

Carrapico kept active during her high school career, playing varsity soccer and being very active in the Law community. She is continuing her soccer career at Division II St. Leo’s as well.

Carrapico’s schedule is packed, but she finds a way to fit in all her daily activities.

“My schedule starts with a class in the morning,” Carrapico said. “This year, my first class starts at 9:30 and I usually have 2-3 classes a day. Afterward, I have soccer practice with my team for 2 hours, have dinner afterward, and then get study hall hours with my team.”

One of the most important parts of the transition into college is finding a balance. It’s easier for some than it is for others but everyone adjusts eventually.

“It was a hard adjustment at first but after I got into the rhythm of everything, I found that time management will be your best friend and you just have to apply yourself and you will see that things come to you much easier,” Carrapico said.

Carrapico has to take responsibility for her schoolwork now that she has so much independence. 

“My mindset has changed since coming to college because it was a big eye-opener and made me realize how much independence I have now, and that made me not procrastinate anymore and learn how to have time management when it comes to my assignments and things I need to do during the day in order to be successful,” Carrapico said.

Carrapico has been able to create new relationships. She’s become close with her teammates and made new friends around campus.

“I would say my favorite thing about college right now is all the new relationships and friendships that I’ve gotten into while being here, whether it’s from soccer or just people I’ve met on campus, it’s so nice to meet new people,” Carrapico said.

Carrapico credits some of her high school experiences to helping her in college. She can apply some things she’s learned and is also learning new things along the way.

“High school semi-prepared me for college,” Carrapico said. “Some material I have learned or heard about which helps me out in class, but the thing I wasn’t prepared for was the actual workload. People weren’t kidding when they said that college is a lot of work.”

Carrapico is loving college but she misses some of the things she left behind.

“The thing I miss most about Law is the atmosphere,” Carrapico said. “I loved my senior class and being so close with everyone. Having some of the teachers being close to you and understanding what you go through was a really big plus.”

By Avery Moulton – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law graduate Elly Van Waveren has started her college career at Nova Southeastern University in Davie, Florida.

Van Waveren is playing club soccer and is majoring in Business Management. 

“I wake up around 8:00 to get ready for my classes that start at 9:00,” Van Waveren said. “For the rest of the day I try to make time for a lot of studying and then working out and seeing my friends.”

Van Waveren has adjusted to the change very well. She makes herself a schedule and plans out her day so she isn’t stressed or overwhelmed.

“The transition from high school to college is smoother than I thought it would be,” Van Waveren said. “The main thing with transitioning is you need to find a routine that works for you and stick with it.”

Van Waveren tries to manage school and soccer but still has a social life.

“It is very hard to manage everything going on in college,” Van Waveren said. “I try to set goals for what work I want to get done each day and I am motivated to get it done so I have free time to do what I want.”

Head coach Mrs. Francisco helped Van Waveren with the preparation for college. During Van Waveren’s senior privilege, they would spend the whole time researching different schools to find the best fit for her.

“We would sit together and research different schools that had what she wanted to major in and also a D3 soccer program because she wanted to try and play in college,” Francisco said. “ helped her write emails to different coaches, and put together a highlight film.”

Francisco is very proud of Van Waveren and loves to hear about the things she accomplishes in college. 

When Van Waveren isn’t in class or at soccer, she spends her time at the beach, the pool, and enjoying the heat in Florida. 

“My favorite part about college is the warm weather and all the things you can do in South Florida,” Van Waveren said. “If my friends and I get our work done, we can just go to the pool on campus and relax.”

She has a clean start to college at Nova Southeastern, but being far from home isn’t easy.

“I miss my family and my friends the most being at college,” Van Waveren said. “It is hard to be away from them for this long but I make sure to always stay in touch and call them all the time.”

By Will Smith – Entertainment Editor

Jonathan Law graduate Liam Fedigan is now a student-athlete at Iona University in New York. 

Fedigan has a very busy schedule as a student-athlete. He is running for the school while studying Finance. 

“Usually my day starts off by having breakfast before our 6 a.m. practices,” Fedigan said. “Practice is usually about three hours then after that I have some classes. After classes we have team lift then the rest of the day is focused on school work and recovering from that day’s workouts. Our sports med group is very good here so if something is sore or hurting I am able to get it treated and worked on ASAP.” 

Fedigan has adjusted really well to college and has found his rhythm for getting into the swing of things.

“I have adjusted very well,” Fedigan said. “I am really happy here and wouldn’t change anything for the world. I have a really good support group at home and here which is a really good feeling. At first it’s a lot to get used to, but once you find the rhythm you’re good. Especially being a part of the runnings teams here, it was nice coming to campus and already having a group of friends who are there for me and who support me.”

Fedigan has been enjoying all the freedom that comes with college and the competition in the NCAA.

“I like the competition that the NCAA has to offer,” Fedigan said. “I also like all of the freedom that college gives you.”  

While Fedigan enjoys college life, he said he does miss Jonathan Law.

“One thing I miss about Law is being in my own community,” Fedigan said. “But I wouldn’t change my situation for the world. I worked extremely hard to get to this point and I will not be stopping.”

By Zack Sulkis – Social Media Editor-In-Chief

Former Jonathan Law student Truman Martin has been busy since he recently started college at The Savannah College of Art and Design. 

Martin, who is attending for Film & Television Production, said he enjoys his current schedule and routine he has made for himself. 

“During an average day, I get up and get ready to go to the gym,” Martin said. “After the gym I go to class for a couple of hours, and then depending on what day it is I’ll go to my job at a sports bar. Since I’ve graduated, I’ve found it freeing how much time I have in a day.”

Martin feels that Jonathan Law prepared him well for his college experience in terms of both his required academics and courses for his film major.

“I was a big fan of Broadcast Journalism at Law for getting some early experience in the film industry even if it was for a smaller market then what SCAD produces mostly because of the difference in student size,” Martin said.

While Martin has adjusted very well to living in Savannah, he still is looking forward to visiting Milford.

“I’m really looking forward to coming home soon,” Martin said. “I can’t wait to see the friends and family I’ve missed these past few months.”

By Gemard Guery – Editor-In-Chief and Editorial Editor

Jonathan Law graduate Katie Servas has just begun her college journey at the University of Connecticut-Stamford campus as a dual major student in both Journalism and Communications.

As a UConn-Stamford student for the semester, Servas has had to commute to campus four out of five times a week. She takes the train from New Haven to Stamford almost every day whilst handling a busy schedule that involves classes and writing for the University Place Magazine.

“On my busiest days of the week, (Tuesdays and Thursdays), I have English from 9 a.m. until 10:45,” Servas said. “Afterward, I join two of my friends at Winfield, a coffee shop two blocks away from the main campus building for brunch. I then walk to the main residence building for my Communications class at 12:30 p.m. in one of the lecture halls. To conclude my day, I walk back to the main campus building to attend my Political Science class at 2 p.m.,” said Servas.

With this transition to higher education, it has come with a lot of adjustments to Servas’ life. 

“Since graduation, I feel that I’ve grown into a more open-minded, self-starting, mature mindset,” Servas said. “I’ve had many eye-opening moments since starting college. What I’ve discovered is that you need to be a self-starter, professors aren’t going to constantly remind you of upcoming exams and assignment due dates.”

While college has been incredibly fun for Servas, she does miss some aspects of Law. She is appreciative for what she learned at Jonathan Law especially during her senior year.

“Those who know me would know that I was not planning on taking Humanities senior year,” Servas said. “Thankfully my friends pressured me into it and it was one of the best classes I ever took. The structure of that class is very similar to my current English class and the style of essays we’ve been tasked with writing are almost identical to the papers I wrote in Humanities; not to mention there are many people I’ve met at UConn who have no experience writing longer essays or research style papers.”

By Harry Fisher – Sports Editor 

Jack Aliberti packed his bags and headed south to the University of South Carolina this fall.

This 2023 Jonathan Law graduate is majoring in Business and taking advantage of the opportunities available to students on campus.  Specifically, he enjoys rooting on the South Carolina Gamecocks football team at William-Brice Stadium. 

Aliberti reports that life as a freshman on campus is fun but comes with some challenges. The course work is demanding and time management can be tough.     

“College has definitely made me work much harder,” Aliberti said. “I have become much better at managing my time. I do my best to stay on a schedule, and I try really hard not to let the work pile up to the point where I am overwhelmed.” 

Aliberti described what a normal day at college is like for him. 

“On a typical day I wake up, get breakfast, and go right to class,” Aliberti said. “Then after class I get some sort of lunch and do as much of my homework as I can before my next class. This helps me stay organized.  Then I make every attempt to get to the gym for an hour or so. At night, I like to hang out with some friends here on campus.” 

Aliberti advised Law students to make their school work a priority. He encourages Lawmen to put a lot of effort into the application process. 

“I would say that I prepared for college by mentally readying myself,” Aliberti said. “I had to say ‘no’ to some social events in order to prioritize my school work.”

By Helen Chizmazia – Staff Reporter

Former Jonathan Law student and Class of 2023 Salutatorian Angus Cheng is attending Princeton University in New Jersey where he is studying Computer Science. 

Cheng is managing several rigorous courses and adjusting to the college lifestyle. Rocketry Club and intramural soccer are just a couple of activities he likes to do with friends and roommates in his free time.

“My day mostly consists of attending class, working with peers on the homework, and participating in whatever extracurricular I have that day,” Cheng said. “Getting food with friends and hanging out with them is also an essential part of my day to day life.”

While still challenging, Cheng enjoys what the different courses have to offer. 

“Since graduating from Law, my mindset that everything needs to be perfect has changed because struggling and not obtaining a perfect score is a part of the process,” Cheng said. 

Cheng worked at the student help IT desk in high school which pairs with his intended major of Computer Science. 

“Taking APs definitely helped expose me to some material that is covered in some of my classes,” Cheng said. 

High school provided Cheng many opportunities to explore and expand upon his interests of academics, athletics, and clubs.

“College is a really supportive and welcoming environment,” Cheng said.”Everyone is willing and eager to help others.”

Cheng is adapting well to his new college lifestyle and has been loving being an Ivy Leaguer so far. 

“There are a lot of social events to hang out and meet new people. Upperclassmen are always ready to provide advice,” Cheng said. 

By Haley Stroffolino – Social Media Editor

Macie Rascoll, a former student at Jonathan Law, is on an exciting journey at Penn State University, where she continues to thrive in her academic and personal life.

Transitioning from high school to college can be a significant change, but Rascoll has embraced the new independence and responsibility that comes with it. 

As Rascoll continues to navigate her college journey, she remains committed to balancing her academic work with a wide range of extracurricular activities. 

“An average day for me looks very similar to high school,” Rascoll said. “Most days of the week I wake up and attend classes from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. I usually grab something to eat after class, study, work, club meetings or volunteering opportunities, at swim practice or intramural sports, or chilling with my friends!” 

Reflecting on her mindset since graduating from Law, Rascoll expresses a positive transition. 

“I have more of a growth mindset now,” Racoll said. “I have been focusing more on what is right in front of me, rather than things I cannot control.”  

Rascoll credits Law for helping prepare her for college life. She remembers the supportive community that believed in her abilities and encouraged her to pursue her dreams.

“Law helped to prepare me for college by giving me a family that constantly loved my abilities,” Rascoll said. “Law never let me give up on my dreams.”

By Tim Firla – Entertainment Editor

Former Jonathan Law student Cole Pleimann is now attending St. Olaf College in Minnesota.

Pleimann is majoring in Biology with a concentration in Pre-Medical Studies and is a member of the school’s baseball team.

“Being at a high academic liberal arts school has been a very big change for me,” Pleimann said “Considering that I have classes as well as baseball practice, I have had very little extra time.”

Although being at a new school far away from Jonathan Law, Pleimann has found a new place to call home and enjoy the college experience. 

“So far I am really enjoying my college experience,” Pleimann said. “Classes are very difficult, but I have a lot of resources here on campus to help me, as well as a lot of great new friends. I am having a lot of fun.”

While the college experience is enlightening for Pleimann, he still misses some things from high school. 

“I miss my friends and teachers back at Law,” Pleimann said. “It was really nice being a part of a community in which you were friends with all your peers.”

By Bobby Black – Sports Editor

Former Jonathan Law student John Neider is now attending college at UConn, majoring in Business Management and playing football for the Huskies. 

After his first few months at school, Neider said he has enjoyed UConn and has fit into his new environment. 

“The first few months of school have gone by pretty smooth,” Neider said. “The workload is not as much as in high school which is very nice because I also play football.”

Although Neider has found a new home at UConn, he still misses some things at Jonathan Law. He said he found it challenging to balance both his academics and athletics in college at first but he has persevered through these obstacles so far.

“The hardest thing about college is definitely the time management part,” Neider said. “With football and classes it is very hard to manage everything.”

Neider has provided some advice to current students at Law.

“Enjoy high school while it lasts because time flies by,” Neider said.

By Cesar Mendez – Sports Editor

Ben Rossi graduated from Jonathan Law last year and now attends Marist College. 

Rossi is majoring in Journalism and is minoring in Sports Communications.

“College has been fun,” Rossi said. “I’m really enjoying the independence along with the unlimited meal swipes.”

Rossi lives somewhat close to home, but he said being away from Law was hard.

“The transition from college was definitely an adjustment because I live with six guys in a suite which has changed my way of life,” Rossi said.

Rossi was a part of Law’s football and track teams and is now involved in several extracurricular activities at Marist.

“I’m part of a club flag football team and a dodgeball team and in the spring I plan on trying out for the club baseball team,” Rossi said. “I also miss guarding Cesar Mendez in football practice because I knew it was about to be an easy rep.”

Overall, Rossi has enjoyed his first semester. 

“What I enjoy the most about college is the ability to take classes that actually interest me and will help me in my field later,” Rossi said. “You also meet kids from all over the world which creates very interesting conversations.”

By Kayla Markowitz – News Editor

Former Jonathan Law student Jake Ackley has started his career in fiber optics technology, working for CLS Utility Construction.  

Ackley is excited to be working right out of high school and getting adjusted to adult life. He has become used to a workday environment and is learning how to balance daily responsibilities. 

“In the usual day, I wake up at 6:15 a.m. to get to work by 7 a.m. and once I’m there I grab any equipment I need for the day,” Ackley said. “After finishing my daily activities, I test the circuit to make sure it is running and if it’s working well we head home for the day.”

Although he is still determining exactly what he wants for the future, he is excited to continue to learn about himself and his goals. He plans on staying at CLS for the moment and seeing where he goes from there. 

“I am unsure of what my future or career holds, but for now, I’m going to continue here for the next few years and maybe then I’ll know,” Ackley said.

Ackley feels that Jonathan Law successfully prepared him for life after graduation by getting him used to a daily schedule and helping him become a leader in extracurricular activities. 

“Law prepared me by having a similar starting time to my current job,” Ackley said. “ And being a captain at law helped prepare me for the leadership role I have today.”

Although he is successfully beginning his future and is happy to be where he is, he still misses things about high school like seeing his friends and mentors that have shaped him over the years. 

“Some of the things I miss from Law are my teachers and coaches I had throughout the years, the free breakfasts and lunches;,and all the friends I used to see every day that I only see every couple of months now,” Ackley said.

By Ella Franzman – Editor-In-Chief

Former Jonathan Law graduate Paige Jolley is a freshman at Gateway Community College and is studying for a degree in Entrepreneurship. 

Jolley was very active in her four years at Jonathan Law, playing varsity volleyball, basketball and softball. She has had to transition her life and mindset from going to school and going straight to sports, to the new college life. 

“My mindset has really changed in many ways actually, I used to get like 3 hours of exercise a day because of sports but now it’s up to me to stay active,” Jolley said. 

Jolley’s average day isn’t too bad and is able to be flexible with her plans after class.

“My average day I wake up around 6 a.m. and I go to babysit which I’m usually done around 8:30 a.m.,” Jolley said. “Then I’ll try to go to the gym if I can, then to class around noon.”

She said she still tries to make it to volleyball games as a past alum. She also plans to do the same in the spring with softball.

“I think a piece of advice I’d give to anyone in high school is enjoy the sports while it lasts because I didn’t think I’d miss it as much as I do,” Jolley said. 

Jolley emphasized on how important it is to soak in high school sports and the entire high school experience before its gone. 

“Jonathan Law prepped me by giving me a foundation of knowledge, organization, time management, and critical thinking skills,” Jolley said.

Life after high school has forced Jolley to prioritize certain aspects of her life.

“I try to prioritize my health and I’m doing a lot of work and setting up plans to get into dog training so I can start a business with that,” Jolley said. 

By Maya Markowitz – Social Media Editor

Jonathan Law graduate Caroline Doyle recently started her freshman year at The George Washington University in Washington, DC, where she is studying Political Science. 

In order to get accustomed to living in the city as a college student, Doyle has had to make some adjustments. She manages her rigorous schedule being a student and involved in her school’s Circle K Club, continuing her involvement with community service. 

“Some transitions I had to make since coming to college was living in a city, and how different it is from Milford,” Doyle said. “Adjusting to living in a dorm is also weird, but the biggest adjustment I’ve had to make was definitely school work and my study techniques.” 

Living in the city has allowed Doyle to get involved many different activities outside of campus. 

“I have loved living in DC,” Doyle said. “There’s so much to do and see here, and I’m excited to take up the opportunities this city has to offer. My favorite part of college so far has been making new friends.” 

The college experience has been great for Doyle so far; however, there are some things that she misses about Law.

“I miss my friends, the staff, and football at Law as GW does not have a football team,” Doyle said. 

Despite the lack of football games, she is excited to live in DC for the next chapter of her life. She also offered some advice to next year’s incoming freshmen.

“Some advice that I would give to incoming freshmen is to pick the option that is best for you, even when it’s challenging and sometimes stressful,” Doyle said. “Trust the process and know that you will end up right where you need to be.”

By Quinn Willett – Social Media Editor

Former Jonathan Law student and Class of 2023 Valedictorian Aislinn Burns recently started college at Rice University in Houston, Texas, studying Biosciences with a concentration in Biochemistry on the Pre-Med track.

Burns has a very busy schedule in her new college life. Depending on the day, she has three or four classes spaced out between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. with some small breaks in between to have breakfast or lunch with friends or take some time for herself. 

The second half of her day includes finishing classes then meeting up with her friends at the common area and hanging out. She also starts homework and assignments for the day or goes to office hours.

“I always make sure to take time to stay active whether it be running, swimming, or playing Powderpuff as it helps me de-stress and interact with lots of new people,” Burns said. 

Going into college isn’t easy, especially trying to balance school, life, and friends. Burns tells us how it is okay to not know what you’re going to do exactly at the given time or know your exact plan. 

“Since I’ve graduated, I’ve realized that I don’t have it all figured out, and that’s okay,” Burns said. “It’s okay to be stressed, or change your mind, or feel a little out of place because everyone is also in the same situation. I realized how important it is to have a work-life balance, and for me now, I am doing that much better than I did in high school.”

Some students find it difficult to manage their time or can only focus on doing school work but Burns does it all.

“Right now, I’m mainly focussing on embracing the feeling of not having it all figured out and exploring lots of different majors, clubs, opportunities, and people to make the most of my college experience,” Burns said. 

Although Burns is in Texas, there are many things she has learned and misses about Law. 

“Law prepared me really well for college/post life,” Burns said. “Towards senior year I developed a lot of good time management skills and realized the importance of getting involved which I have already done in college.” 

She said she has worked hard to adjust to a new life and environment. 

“College classes were a huge adjustment for me and I definitely struggled at the start; however, I learned so many skills about perseverance and adaptation throughout my time at Law that allowed me to succeed,” Burns said.