Iola ISD Seniors remark bittersweet sentiment heading into final year: ‘ Feels like the last chapter’
IOLA, Texas (KBTX) – Wednesday was the first day back to school for Iola ISD when students were back in the classroom following their summer break.
Iola ISD Superintendent Jeff Dyer told KBTX more than 600 students walked through his schools’ doors Wednesday.
“The faces, they have changed a little bit. They have grown, the kids have changed over the summer, and we don’t get to see them for three months, and so they’ve changed but the exciting part is just getting them back up here and getting the educational process started,” Supt. Dyer shared.
Supt. Dyer told KBTX a change students could expect for the new school year was the junior high school’s car-line pickup process. This year, parents and guardians will pick up their students from Fort Worth Street instead of Highway 39.
For the seniors, it’s mostly a rinse-and-repeat process, except that they won’t get to come back next year.
Iola High School seniors began their last first day with breakfast on the football field; a commencement senior Senior Cotulla Shive described as having a bittersweet context.
“I am sad it’s going to be my last year, but I am excited it’s going to be really fun,” said Cotulla. “We got to have a senior sunrise, and we got to have breakfast with all of our friends, and that was really fun.”
Senior Landon Betancourt said he hopes to enjoy his last year with friends before everything changes.
“It’s definitely a different feeling than the last three years. It’s kind of more exciting, I would say,” Landon explained.
Meanwhile, assistant high school football coach Jason Jolly said this was an exciting time for seniors before they embark on a new journey in life.
“Being a senior is a special experience, but especially at a small school when most of these kids have known each other their whole lives,” added Coach Jolly. “For them, it feels like the last chapter but with an extra emphasis because they’ve been together their whole lives.”
