High School takes up four years of our lives, it’s a scary and horrendous place coming in, but coming out they feel like family. But, if you go to McCracken County High School in Paducah, Kentucky, this is not the case.

The school has over 2,000+ students, so it’s impossible to feel like family.

Going into my senior year, I’ve started to think back on the past three years - soon to be four - at McCracken County. I have over 400 in my class, a hearty number to say the least. There is some advantages but some disadvantages to the large number.

For starters, there are tons of opportunities.

We have so many programs here that all you really need to do is put forth the effort of joining the class. There are students here who are already certified CNA’s and even certified welders for the state of Kentucky. The school literally had every class you can think of, including creative writing for writers (my favorite class).

McCracken also is a very friendly place.

It brims with fun activities too. Our principals and our five other house principals try to make it fun for students. Like Mrs. Kay in House one, for St. Patrick’s Day, she will hide a shamrock around house one, and if you find it, you get a prize. Plus, our pep rallies are really cool. We do blackout themes, have dance battles, and our dance team usually performs a great number.

The athletics here are pretty top notch as well.

I soon figured out in my freshman year that we were untouchable in many sports. We are even state champions! But, our Co-Ed cheer team, has won nationals for almost every year the school had been operating (five years). McCracken is pretty much the hub for excellent athleticism.

Finally, the teachers actually care at McCracken.

Now, there are a few who are the cliché evil ones that you are pretty sure came from the depths of hell, but all you have to do is participate and actually listen, then they are pretty cool. Our counselors will do anything they can to help you even if it’s a home situation, they will help pay. They literally want you to do the best you can.

Recently, a neighboring school, Marshall County, had a school shooting, and one quote that our principal gave, stuck out to me “From one MCHS to the other MCHS, we’re here for you. Be strong.” Our school, we are loyal and caring to the bone. We may have some rotten apples, we may have the highest number of fights in our area, but when it comes to loss, we are there for everyone.

The day after the shooting, the school held a prayer circle where we opened the doors to anybody.

I’m not a religious person, but I am a compassionate person when I walked into that room, it hit me like a ton of bricks that room was filled with Marshall, Tilghman, McCracken, and some adults, too. I remember grabbing hands with the person next to me, and we cried we cried and wished for every single person at Marshall to heal, and I know I vowed to help them as I can.

But, that’s who we are at McCracken. We are caring, kind, and it doesn’t matter who you are. We will be there.

Now, I hate to do this, but there are minor disadvantages I realized as well. Like, you have complete anonymity because the school is so large. You literally have to make yourself known in order to get noticed. You also can’t escape the cliques that come with high school. There will always be cliques.

Plus, Honors Day for seniors lasts four hours, and every student present that day has to go. It’s agonizing, but it also allows us to see the accomplishment that seniors have achieved. Just this year, sixteen million dollars in scholarships were awarded. Sixteen million!

The parking lot is so hard to get out of. Nobody lets you out and there is at least one minor fender bender a month. The only way I can describe it is a jungle.

Going into my senior year, I realize that McCracken really is the best school I could of went to. With all these opportunities and the buzzing student body, it’s a friendly and safe environment I know will always be there for me. Coming into high school, I was so scared of the size of it and what the next four years would entail, but they have flown by, and now, I will always be a Mustang forever.

As Mr. Ceglinski would say, “ Work hard, be nice.”