Adam Jones, 18

Family: parents, Kevin and Suzi Jones; sister, Maddie Jones

What’s next: Berklee College of Music in Boston

How long have you been a musician?

I’ve been a musician for 10 years. Recently, I’ve been getting opportunities to be more creative…and it’s really helped me become not only more of a collaborative person, but also I started to fundamentally listen to music very differently.

Where do you see yourself in 20 years?

Ultimately, down the line I would love to run my own studio and have produced albums for lots of different types of people. I would love to still be in bands playing shows but also having the engineering and producing side as my professional aim. And then…I would like to start a record label and to sign bands.

You play the drums, right?

I play drums, but I also play guitar, bass, and…piano and synthesizer stuff.

Who is someone that has inspired your love of music?

Kevin Parker, who’s the lead singer of the band Tame Impala. He, too, has the engineering and the mixing and producing skills to be able to flush out an album all himself. Also, Mark Ronson is a huge influence on me as a producer. He just knows what he’s doing in that sense and can be kind of a Swiss Army producer, as I like to say.

What’s something that people wouldn’t know about you?

I am a second-degree black belt in taekwondo. I…have been out of practice for so long. As I started to dive headfirst into the music scene, I kind of realized that I wasn’t going to taekwondo that much, and it’s probably better that I devote myself to music.

Where could someone go to find your music?

I was in a band last year…called Argo. We’re on Soundcloud. And then the band I’ve been in the longest is Dad Rock, which is on Bandcamp…We have two albums out. I also have Rules of Motion, which is the more jazz fusion project. We’re on Bandcamp. We are going into the studio pretty soon, so…we’ll hope to have a new album out by the end of the summer.

– Interview by Finn Hawley-Blue

Mikaal Geenen, 18

Family: mother, Cassandra Tucker; siblings, Bobby, Latarra and Walter Woods, Isaiah Tucker and Tia Wilder

What’s next: Portland State University

Football is a passion of yours. Do you see it playing a part in your future?

I mean it’s been a dream since I was young to play football at a professional level, but the reality of it is that’s not gonna last. And if that doesn’t work, then I still have my college degree. That’s why I am so excited about playing a sport that I love and yet still get(ting) an education. You can’t just put all your eggs in one basket and hope it goes well.

You moved to Portland from Wisconsin at the semester. Why?

I wanted to get in-state tuition, so I could go to Portland State. I was eligible for a grant because my aunt works here. I’m the only one out here. I had the realization, “How am I gonna get into college?” I had to make it work because I didn’t really have the funds for it. The dots kind of just lined up.

How has the transition been?

Everybody’s integrated here, less judgmental I guess. I feel like everybody is just down to earth. In Wisconsin, it’s still like that hierarchy, like “You’re in sports; you’re the popular one.” It’s humbling to a sense, going from being one of the most popular, looked-up-to people at your school to having people say; “Who is this guy? He’s really quiet.” It’s just really nice to have a change in a role to see how others feel.

What’s something that makes you happy?

Just having family and friends around me, honestly. It’s really about the relations and connections you have with others that are loyal, and you can trust. And if you have that, then what else do you need?

– Interview by Finn Hawley-Blue

Geri Spillers, 18

Family: parents, Alison and Frank Spillers

What’s next: Whittier College in Los Angeles

I’ve heard that you moved around schools a lot during high school. What was that like?

I went here freshman year, and I hated it. It was like the worst experience for me. I was really opinionated, and I would just say stuff that (my classmates) did not appreciate. I wanted to go somewhere like where I wouldn’t be shut down by my male classmates, so I transferred to St. Mary’s for sophomore year. And that was great until I got sick. I got mono my sophomore year. I transferred back out of St. Mary’s because I was so sick.

Is it better being back at Grant now?

Yeah, I like it a lot better here. It’s so much nicer, like now that I’m older and less of a brat. I like the diversity here of how many people there are. Like I meet new people literally every day.

How would you describe yourself?

I like to think that I’m pretty funny. I don’t know. I get a lot out of making people laugh. It makes me feel good. So maybe that makes me egotistical.

How would you say you’ve changed since freshman year?

I was like really bossy and really opinionated and trying so hard to prove myself and nobody appreciated it. I guess now I have more of a respect for the community here. I understand now that we’re all in this together, to quote the infamous “High School Musical.”

What advice would you give your freshman self?

Chill out. Slow down, dude. But also, the cliché of like, “Cherish this time because it goes away really quickly.”  And even though it feels like yesterday, it’s still so far in the past.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Preferably, in 10 years I would be like a journalist or a White House correspondent for something that’s more left-wing than the general news. That would be a good place to be. And hopefully to not be in debt. That would be a nice goal for 10 years.

– Interview by Jessica Griepenburg

Kobie Salmeri, 18

Family: parents, Shawn Salmeri and Tyice Williams; sisters, LaSandrea Salmeri and Timaya Hepburn; brother, Pierre Salmeri

What’s next: I’m gonna find a part time job, anywhere really. I’m gonna try to go to a community college in Oregon because of the free thing. I’m broke. I don’t have money to go to college. So I was gonna try to stake out a community college for about two years.

What are your goals after high school?

To find out, really, what I want to do. To have sort of an idea really because right now I feel like I’m in a lost world.

How would you describe yourself?

Goofy. Entertaining.

How have you changed since freshman year?

I used to think that people wouldn’t really accept me for who I was. Like, the weird, crazy Kobie that I am. But then I realized that more people have things in common than I realized.

What are some things you’re into?

Comedy. I like comedy a lot. I feel like I’m like a sub-par comedian. I try to make people laugh at school, and if someone has a bad day, I try to cheer them up.

What’s the deal with the sunglasses?

Waterbugs? So, what really happened was there’s this Viner… He made a Vine called “waterbugs” with glasses on. So I was like, “You know what? I’m gonna collect all the sunglasses and call them waterbugs and make it a movement at Grant.” I feel like it’s just a lifestyle. I have a private Instagram specifically for waterbugs.

How do you want to be remembered?

Really, I’d want not to be forgotten. I want (my classmates) to think, “Oh yeah, I remember that guy. He was really goofy. I remember Kobie with the waterbugs.”

– Interview by Sarah Hamilton

Rachel Peri, 18

Family: parents, Kristin and Mario Peri

What’s next: Clark Honors College at the University of Oregon

How would you describe yourself?

I’d say that I’m interested in being sort of an activist and just being a kind person. I find that I’m most happy when I’m able to be the kindest person I can be, so that’s sort of what I want to continue doing.

What kind of activism do you participate in?

I’m definitely mostly involved in the LGBT community because I am a part of it. There are a lot of issues that I definitely care about. 90 percent of my friends are in the community as well.

What does activism mean to you?

Activism for me is like giving time to the community, volunteering at different events that will benefit LGBT youth. My activism – it always feels weird to call like making art activism, but I feel like it sort of is – has been slam poetry. Every year since sophomore year, I’ve done sort of politically-charged poems at the poetry slam that have messages about LGBT inclusion.

What is something that most people don’t know about you?

I watch “The Bachelor,” which I’m not proud of, but I’m not like ashamed of it, either. I feel like a lot of people are gonna be surprised by that. Especially being like a huge supporter of women’s rights.

What’s something you would like to tell your freshman self now?

I think I’d want to tell her just not to be so sensitive. Me figuring out who I was and where I was coming from like had to do with me being not fully comfortable with myself and also taking certain things really personally. Obviously it’s like, you can be defensive about that, but I feel like I was defensive to a fault.

– Interview by Jessica Griepenburg

Leslie Meneses, 18

Family: mother, Elsa Meneses

What’s next: A job at Legacy Emanuel Hospital

What are you looking forward to?

I really want to travel with my mom. We want to go to Mexico and Cuba because we have family there. My goal is to get money and build my empire. I’ll do what I have to do.

What will you miss the most about Grant?

I’m gonna miss some of my friends. I’ve been here since freshman year, so many ups and downs. It’s like a test trial for real life. I’ll miss seeing everyone down in the cafeteria, asking how I am doing.

So you work in the cafeteria?

Yes, I’ve been working there since about 2013.

How did that start?

My mom wanted me to start working, and I saw a sign to hire for help. I told my mom, and she liked it. All I did was turn in the application. Then I started to get trained for about a week. It was really scary because my supervisor was standing right by me.

What is the best part about working in the cafeteria?

People tell me how their day is. Everyone is very polite. I get to meet a lot of new people. One time, I was really upset, and people were asking me if I was OK and trying to make me feel better. I get to see new faces everyday, and I enjoy seeing them.

Who is your favorite person at Grant?

Ms. Yarne. I like her style. She’s so mellow and so chill. I’m her TA. I also really like Ms. Peoples. She’s got attitude, and people do as she says.

What advice would you give your freshman self?

Spread the peace. But also spread your hand across people’s faces when they try you.

– Interview by Bailey Hayes

Emma Baer-Simon, 18

Family: parents, Jeremy Simon and Jody Baer-Simon; sisters, Britta and Flora Baer-Simon

What’s next: Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland

Why did you decide to go to college abroad?

I used to live in the U.K., I spent my first 2 years of high school there, and when I left, I always kind of wanted to go back. When I was applying to college, I kind of threw it in there as a wild card and then ended up getting into Trinity, and I realized that I wanted to go back to Europe.

How are you feeling about starting a new life in another country?

I’m kind of scared just because it’s gonna be like 2,000 miles away from my family. But I’m really excited to go, and I think it’s gonna be really new and cool. It’ll be a lot to get used to and I think, because I’ve done it before, it’s going to be all right.

You mentioned you lived in England for three years, including two of high school. What was that transition like coming to Grant as a junior?

Academically, the schools there are very differently structured. Also, the school that I came from was really small, and I had a lot of one-on-one relationships with my teachers and my peers. Then I come to Grant, and I was really freaked out. It was so big, and I actually had a really hard time making friends at first.

How has that experience shaped you?

I think I’ve had to learn to be good at adapting.

What are some of the other ways you’ve changed since freshman year?

I’m definitely more confident than I was when I was a freshman. I’m always worried about what other people think but less so now than I was back when I was a freshman. I think I’m more willing to be my own person rather than waiting for people to tell me what to do.

You play the violin. Has music been a big part of your life in high school?

Yeah, definitely. When I moved to Portland, I immediately decided I wanted to be in the youth orchestra, so I got that. And I’ve been in the Grant High School string orchestra, which is basically my life. It’s like my favorite class, and I’m in a chamber group right now at Community Music Center. Music stuff is pretty important.

– Interview by Callie Quinn-Ward

Connor Onitsuka, 18

Family: parents, Cathy Kato and Sean Onitsuka; sister, Sara Onitsuka

What’s next: Hendrix College

Who is your favorite teacher at Grant?

Mr. Mandell has been really fun this year. I never thought government could be interesting, but he managed to make it interesting.

How would you define yourself?

I’m a little bit indecisive.

Did that make choosing a college hard?

I visited around eight schools, and I was able to narrow those down easily. But I actually just flipped a coin for the last one. It was between two: Wooster College in Ohio, which is where my sister went and Hendrix College in Arkansas, so neither of them were close.

Are you happy with the result of the coin toss?

I didn’t really care either way; I couldn’t really make a decision, so I was like, “You know what? A coin can do it.” And I was fine with that.

What has been the best part of your high school experience?

I found a lot more friends outside of my Japanese group of friends, so I think that was really great, and I was able to get closer to a bunch of people.

What is your biggest high school regret?

I wish I had played more video games. That sounds strange, but I stressed too much about school, and video games are relaxing and fun.

– Interview by Jackie Rath

Jenny Van Mechelen, 18

Family: mother, Nan Van Mechelen; brother, Jacob Van Mechelen

What’s next: California Polytechnic State University

What are you most looking forward to at Cal Poly?

They have a really nice rec center. It’s the biggest on the West Coast. They have an Olympic-sized pool, a regular pool, a wave pool and like a vortex swirl pool, so I think that’s what I’m most excited for.

What are you planning to study there?

I’ll be majoring in biology. I really want to go to med school, but I don’t want to do pre-med just because if I don’t get into med school, this way I can find another job with an actual degree.

Did you participate in anything during high school to prepare yourself for being a doctor?

I took anatomy last year, and then my teacher actually got me into this program this past summer called the National Youth Leadership Forum: Medicine, which was a nine-day trip down to California all about medicine. I met with med students, residents and doctors, and I got to go to a cadaver lab. It was awesome.

What is it about practicing medicine that excites you?

Helping people and their families but also when I got to do hands-on stuff, I really enjoyed it, and I just thought: “Wow, this is so cool.”

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I should be out of med school by then. I would like to be a surgical oncologist, but that’s a long ways away.

What are your plans for your first day of summer?

Binge-watching a ton of shows on Netflix and waiting for June 17th when “Orange is the New Black” season four comes out.

– Interview by Jackie Rath

Madelaine Piazza, 17

Family: parents, Leila and Peter Piazza; brother, Joey Piazza

What’s next: Portland Community College

Do you know what you’re going to study?

I really want to be involved in the music industry. My dad’s a musician, and it’s always been an influence in my life. I recently realized that I was really passionate about it, and so I want to maybe produce music or be a manager.

What’s your senior year been like?

When I think about my whole time in high school, every year just goes by faster and faster. But it was pretty good, like I went to the dances, and I went to some games. I tried to have that senior experience.

You’re finishing high school in three years. What made you decide to do that?

My brother kind of talked me into it last year, and at first I was just wanting to have a really easy senior year, but I’m definitely happy I’m graduating this year. I’m just kind of ready to move onto that next step.

Has it been difficult?

It’s been really stressful the whole year because there’s no guarantee that I’m actually going to graduate early. I do have to pass my classes, and I’m taking a night school class that I’ve been in the whole year, and I’m also working this year. It’s kind of hard to find a balance.

How are you feeling about the end of high school?

I’m just so happy and so relieved. As soon as I walk the stage, all of this weight will be lifted off my shoulders.

What are your plans for this summer?

Go swimming and get as tan as possible.

What was the highlight of your high school experience?

High school was definitely not my thing. I would have graduated in two years if I could. I don’t think I connect with people really well my age. There’s just always kind of been this barrier, I guess. So I think it’s the unexpected things like when I actually connect with a person really well or a teacher or a class when I wasn’t expecting to. There were some people I didn’t think I would have anything in common with, and then we ended up clicking. I learned my snap judgments aren’t always right, and it’s important to get to know someone before you assume what their deal is.

– Interview by Callie Quinn-Ward