NCSSM-Morganton welcomes new class

To be honest, the summer leading up to my senior year was the busiest I've ever been.

The whirlwind tour began by going down to Louisiana and meeting young changemakers from across the country, coming back and participating in the NCSSM Mentorship program up in Highlands, going to Duke and participating in a Hackbio competition through the NCSSM Summer Leadership and Research program, and ended one week later by moving back on campus.

The somewhat dreaded time of college application season has now arrived. I was speaking with fellow columnist Henry Beall about the process — and while it is a lot of work — it has been something we have both been looking forward to. Even though this year is set to be a tumultuous one, I promise to continue with my writings in The Paper and to bring a fresh perspective to the pages of this newspaper.

On the 10th of August, the class of 2026 moved into the halls of NCSSM-Morganton’s campus. The group of 150 juniors were set to move in on the 9th, but due to tropical storm Debby, it was pushed until the 10th for the safety of all families. 

My day started bright and early at 8 a.m. and the first group of juniors arrived at 9 a.m. Along with dozens of Senior Leaders, I helped move in the new class. Student Body President Dane Humphrey carried boxes while Student Body Treasurer Nikita Mandalika directed traffic, and a wide range of other students were seen crisscrossing the campus. Despite waking up the next day with a sunburned face, I can say that it was a great experience.

I spoke with two juniors from across our state who are now officially part of the Class of 2026 and call Morganton home. I waited a couple of weeks to interview them so they could get a feel for the place where they would be going to school for the next two years. 

I first spoke with Noah Senzon, who is from Asheville. Noah first heard about NCSSM in fifth grade, and since then he has always been interested in the school. He participated in various Summer Accelerator courses that offer students academic growth through engaging STEM topics.

I asked him about the application process and how he felt throughout that time. He told me the application made him think about himself “on a deeper level and inspired [him] to focus on himself.” When I asked him what motivated him to apply, he said, “I want to contribute to the world in a positive way, and I feel like I am more capable of doing that here because there are more opportunities.”

Given that Asheville is close by, compared to being in NCSSM-Durham, he ranked NCSSM-Morganton as his first choice. At this point, he said, “I feel well adjusted, and I feel like I made the right choice in coming here and I feel like I'm meeting a lot of new people.”

He said he is enjoying Spanish class so far and has felt welcomed by the NCSSM community as well as the greater Burke County community. He looks forward to research at NCSSM because he wants to figure out what he wants to do in life. His advice for prospective applicants is to remain open to new ideas and never be afraid to try new things.

I then spoke with Claire Gamache, a student from Raleigh. Claire told me that she met a group of NCSSM students at a golf conference. She told me that the students she met from NCSSM were bright, intelligent, and “looking to the future.” That, in turn, was one of the reasons she decided to apply.

She told me that Durham had originally been her first choice because it was closer to home. When she found out that she was moving to NCSSM-Morganton it felt like picking her entire life up and leaving, but it has been worth it for her. She told me that so far, she would describe her experience as great, and her favorite memory was her first volleyball game, a sport she picked up here.

When I asked her why she picked up volleyball she said “I wanted to try something new. It’s a new school, a new opportunity, and new sports.” This year she plans on getting out of her comfort zone and trying new things. To that end, she has joined several clubs including Model UN, HOSA, and Speech and Debate. 

This year is set to be a very busy one, not only for the seniors like me applying to colleges but also for the new class of juniors as they explore new opportunities and adapt to the life of an NCSSM student.