![[left to right] Arissa Lam (12), Sarah Powert (12), Magdalena Kenyon (12), Sophia Frogue (12), and Stevie Feld (12) pose with their college decision shirts on May 1.](https://shgrowl.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_0059-1200x800.jpg)
Seniors attended Decision Day in the gym on May 1, where they celebrated their post-high school plans, including university, community college, trade school, and military pathways. With guest speakers and booths tailored for graduating seniors, the day carried a bittersweet feeling of farewell and excitement for what lies ahead. But what does the experience truly mean to the seniors at the center of it all? Arissa Lam, Natacia Gallardo, and Kyle Nguyen shared their perspectives.
According to Gallardo, who plans to attend Cal State Fullerton for International Business, the Decision Day Celebration is a day that unites seniors to acknowledge their dedication and fruition of their work. Following Decision Day, seniors now turn their attention toward graduation, and Gallardo opened up about the emotions that come with it.
“We’re able to come together, share our decisions, and make sure that we have everything in check and appreciate our teachers as we move on,” Gallardo said. “I feel like everyone’s so excited for graduation, which I am too, but if I really think about it and look back, everything goes by so quickly. [It] feels weird, but [I also] feel very accomplished.”
Lam plans on attending a four year university after high school and wants to create as many cherishable memories she can in college. Through Decision Day, Lam felt prepared for her future outside of South Hills.
“Commitment Day helped me plan my next steps I would like to take after high school. It made me realize that there are many steps ahead of me that I will need to take to help me prepare myself for college,” Lam said.
Seniors moved freely between a variety of booths set up throughout the event, including a picture booth with university flags, a wellness center station, a decision booth where seniors wrote their college decisions on post-its, college representative booths, and a teacher appreciation booth. To Nguyen, who plans to attend Cal Poly Pomona for accounting, he found the appreciation booth to be the most meaningful.
“I think the most interesting booth was the [one for teachers], where you can write thank you [letters] to teachers. I feel like sometimes nobody really appreciates them, and they’re really teaching you all this stuff. Without them, you wouldn’t really be here, knowing what you know,” Nguyen said.
As Decision Day came to a close, Lam found herself reflecting on what she cherished the most at South Hills and what she’d miss the most from her four years.
“I will miss my friends and teachers the most, knowing that I will be seeing them less after I graduate. They have all been very supportive and taught me a lot over the years, so I will miss them. Because of them, I was able to make many fun memories. I am so grateful to have met all of them at school and [to] have been in their classes,” Lam said.
