The Hendersonian interviewed three recent Henderson County High School graduates
(These articles first appeared in the June print edition of the Hendersonian.)
Visiting a classroom with young students, Arroyo found out what her career would be
Jackie Arroyo says she learned what her career would be when she visited Cassidy Carroll’s EL classroom at Bend Gate Elementary School where many of the young students’ first language is Spanish.
“I said something in Spanish and their eyes lit up,” Jackie said. “At that moment, I knew what I needed to do.”
Jackie said her next steps after graduation is to enroll at Henderson Community College and sign up for its 2+2 Program that allows students to take general education classes at HCC and then seamlessly transfer to Murray State University. Students can stay on the HCC campus for their final two years for the MSU degree. They can also transfer to MSU’s main campus.
Either way, Jackie says she will spend her career in Henderson.
“Henderson County Schools truly cares about its students,” she said.
Jackie says her first two years of high school she didn’t get involved as much as she had at Holy Name School, from where she’d graduated. But towards the end of her sophomore year, she decided to become a Student Ambasssador, a position in which students give tours of the high school to community members as well as assist incoming freshman and attend community events.
From there, Arroyo later became one of the city of Henderson’s Junior Ambassadors, and she’s also the student representative of a community group that is involved in the creation of the Parks and Recreation’s Master Plan. Arroyo is the president of the National Tech Honor Society and a member of the National Honor Society.
Her senior year was crammed with dual credit classes because she wanted to get ahead in regard to her college classes, but she says that often left her feeling overwhelmed. Jackie says she’s had the “best high school experience” but “I wish I would have enjoyed my senior year more than I did.”
In an interview a week before school let, Jackie said she’s excited for graduation because it’s the moment she’s been waiting for 12 years, but now that it’s here, she said she needs it to slow down just a little bit.
“I’m not ready to let go just yet,” she said. “I’m sad to leave behind my teachers, my friends… but I’m excited for the new chapter that’s to come. I wish everyone in my class success.”
She just wanted a fun class. It turned out to be her passion.
Gabriella Major didn’t exactly have a dream to go into broadcasting or sports production when she joined Henderson County High School teacher Nate Fish’s Colonels Media and its associated class.
She was just taking the class because her older sister Mollianne had taken it and always talked about how much fun it had been.
“As soon as I got into the class last year, I knew this is where I’m supposed to be,” she said.
After just starting last year, she progressed quickly and by her senior year, she had moved into the senior producer role, she said.
She added—with a chuckle—that she didn’t “want to say I run the show, but I run the show.”
Gabriella has also taken on a lead role with the city of Henderson’s podcast, “Municipal Matters,” and works on that production as the executive producer.
She was also named the Career and Technical Education unit’s student of the year for media arts.
She plans to continue her pathway at Auburn University, where she hopes to study sports production and broadcasting. Before she heads south to Auburn, though, Gabriella will take her general education classes at Owensboro Community and Technical College.
Her high school activities also include HCHS Student Ambassadors, Student Council and National Honor Society. She also made announcements for the school’s morning news, “The Daily Gab.”
About her four years at HCHS? “I absolutely loved it,” she said.
She encouraged students coming to HCHS to get involved early on in their high school careers.
“You never know what you’re going to like,” she said.
His freshman self would be shocked at how far he’s come
A younger version of Henderson County High School senior class President Alton Berger wouldn’t recognize himself now.
“If my freshman self saw me, I think he would be shocked at what he saw,” said Alton, who was also honored as the Class of 2025’s salutatorian.
Alton said that coming to HCHS from Holy Name School, where he graduated eighth grade with just dozens of others, and then stepping into the sea of students at HCHS was nerve-wracking.
On the first day “I came (to HCHS) I was so nervous,” he said.
Now, not so much. His biggest change: confidence. “More confident,” he said. “Confidence is the biggest one.”
“I’ve kind of found my place,” he said.
His place—it seems—is not one place. In the interview with the Hendersonian, he pulled up a resume on his phone and the list of activities and programs he was involved in was long. But some of the activities he’s been involved in include the tennis team for three years, Y Club, National Honor Society, Colonel Media and the Colonel Crew, he said.
Now that his high school career has come to a close, Alton says, “It’s kind of surreal that it’s over. (High school) felt so long and so short at the same time.”
Just yesterday, he said, was his first day of high school. “It’s kind of surreal to look at it and see it’s four years ago.”
He said senior year started off with a bang, then bogged down about mid-year when he had some wishes that it would get over with quickly. Then so quickly came prom and after that, he had thoughts that “I can’t believe it’s over.”
Alton will follow in the footsteps of his brother, Thomas, and go to the University of Kentucky next year. But it’s not like he had to think too hard about his college choice. His mother and father, Sandy and Michael, as well as three of his aunts all attended UK.
“I’ve been indoctrinated,” Alton said.
Part of what built Alton’s confidence was a mindset he took that he’d take every chance—and join as many clubs and organizations—as he could, even though he may not have wanted to.
But now, a graduate: “I wish I had taken more.”
