By Shira Stahl, Reporter
Recent VHS graduate Mariah DeForest completed high school earlier than most students her age. As a member of this year’s senior class, DeForest’s Feb. 1, 2018 graduation set her on the path to the rest of her life a few months earlier than her peers.
Having grown up on Vashon, DeForest moved from the island to Hughesville, Missouri, in Dec. 2014 to live with her father for a period of time. When she got to her new school, Northwest High School (NWHS), it became apparent to her that she was significantly ahead of everyone else her age.
“I was ‘too educated’ [be]cause Vashon has a way [more advanced] curriculum than anywhere in Missouri does,” DeForest said.
She only had one class, world geography, that didn’t transfer the credits from VHS to her new school, and her Vashon-acquired credit placed her in more advanced credits than her Missouri counterparts.
While attending NWHS she began taking advanced math and history classes in order to avoid redoing courses she had already taken at VHS.
By the time DeForest came back to Vashon in August 2017, she already had most of the credits needed to graduate. First semester of her senior year, DeForest took sci-fi, memoir, world history, and ceramics, which fulfilled her remaining requirements and set her on her path to graduation.
“I would recommend [graduating early] if you have a set plan,” DeForest said. “But if you aren’t exactly sure, I wouldn’t recommend it because it can be kind of hectic if you don’t have a plan for your life.”
Even with planning, high school seemed to whiz by for DeForest.
“I’m honestly not even sure how I graduated early,” DeForest said. “I just know that I walked into [VHS guidance counselor] Peretti’s office one day, and he was like, ‘Well, I don’t have any classes for you.’”
DeForest officially graduated Feb. 1, 2018, and is happy about completing high school early — beside some social drawbacks.
“It kinda sucks because all my friends are still in high school,” DeForest said.
Even with slight feelings of missing out, DeForest thinks that it wouldn’t be much fun going to high school events as a graduate.
Even while she was in school, Deforest found it difficult to find the time to socialize while trying to fulfill all her credits. She felt that she had little time to give to things that distracted from her education.
“It would’ve been cool to experience more of [the social aspects of high school],” DeForest said.
Despite some minor regrets, her hard work has paid off and DeForest is happy about having some free time on her hands now that she’s graduated.
While DeForest has already officially graduated, she plans on walking and celebrating with the rest of her class this June.
She is now working full time at Vashon Thriftway until fall, when she plans to attend Mills College in Oakland, California. There she plans to major in psychology and minor in forensic science.