As many unfamiliar students enter the building, they walk the halls of the seniors who have had role models to grow and look up too. 

Many people blame the underclassmen for fights, disrespect, and aggression, but are the upperclassmen doing the same things or encouraging change in the school? Some examples of leadership would include respecting staff and understanding there are consequences for their wrong doings. 

“As upperclassmen we are lacking in the leadership area. We need to show the underclassmen how to be more mature and respectful,” senior Tea Routhier said. 

I spoke to a couple of underclassmen to see how they feel about the seniors’ leadership and what us upperclassmen can do to help change the pattern of disrespect. 

“I think us as sophomores look up to the upperclassmen and if they are doing something such as being rude to staff or disrespecting the school we are going to think of it as a trend and do as the upperclassmen do,” sophomore Samantha Meziere said. 

As we all know we were home for a long time having little to no communication with the other student body in person. 

“You can’t use the excuse of being home for 1.5 years because of covid to justify the growth of disrespect and lack of leadership in the school. Also, you can’t forget the years you have grown and improved as a person,” campus supervisor Kathy Henn said.  

In order to make the school better, you have to reflect on what you are doing yourself and make that change.

As I asked some students about how they think  upperclassmen act and if they are feeding into the negativity and disrespect that the underclassmen are getting blamed for; we also wanted to know what everyone including the upperclassmen can do to make a difference and give the underclassmen better role models.

“We need to create some sort of group to help the underclassmen feel a part of high school. Yes, we have a link crew, but they only see the freshman a couple days a week. I think we need to have a club or group of seniors to get underclassmen involved in more activities,” senior Carly Stinger said.  

Just by the thoughts of both the underclassmen and upperclassmen, the seniors can definitely improve and be better role models for the underclassmen to help change the pattern of disrespect at our school.