Our Outstanding Senior of the Year has been announced for Cypress Creek’s second graduating class; Joe Vreeland! Joe is a dedicated student-athlete who has worked hard to receive this honor. In order to even be chosen for this award, a list of eligible candidates were sent out, and a preliminary voting to narrow it down to a few students took place. From there, the students on the list had to fill out a resume detailing their personality and accomplishments in high school. Teachers and Students were then asked to vote on who they felt fit the role of Outstanding Senior. Joe was chosen, and the school found out along with Joe on Friday afternoon.

This accomplishment is not something to be easily disregarded, as one person is chosen out of the entire senior class, with the students in the running involved in both academics and extra curricular activities.

I sat down to speak with Joe a few moments after he was chosen, in order to get to know not only him better, but his accomplishments in high school that led up to his success.

Q: “What was your reaction when you found out you had been chosen as Senior of the Year?”
A: “I was really excited. It’s a fun thing to win and I’m just happy that I’ve been able to”
Q: “Where were you and who were you with?”
A: “I was in Environmental Science with Mr. U, and I was with my friends who were pretty happy for me.”
Q: “In high school, what do you feel like your biggest accomplishment has been?”
A: ”Probably this, this is the biggest accomplishment. And then something that was most important to me was when I got the Outstanding Pack-Leader award, just because it showed that I was actually able to help some of the younger kids, and I know that I would have really liked something like that when I was in 6th grade.“
Q: ”What do you think has been the key to your success in high school? Any words of wisdom?”
A: “I don’t know, it’s important to work hard, but it’s just as important to make sure you have fun and just enjoy high school. Do what you have to do, and make it fun.”
Q: ”Do you have a tip for someone who is hoping to have the same level of high school success?”
A: ”Just working hard, and making sure you’re paying attention in class”
Q: “What does it mean to you to be the senior of the year? How does it make you feel and why is it important to you?”
Joe was a little bit lost for words still getting over the shock of just finding out. “Honestly” he said, “it’s just awesome. It’s cool that the adults have that respect for me, it makes me feel good.”
Q: “What’s something cool about yourself you’d like people to know?”
A: “Something cool about me is that I’m really excited to play lacrosse, a new sport for me, my last year of high school. Normally I would be preparing for the next basketball season, but since I won’t be playing high school basketball next year, I am getting to play something new.”
Q: “What different activities and clubs have you been in, and what’s your favorite activity/class?”
A: “The National English Honor Society and the National Honor Society are two that are important to me, and then basketball of course, that’s the most fun thing I’ve done. Basketball is really important to me because I’ve been doing it for a while, so that’s my favorite activity. And then my favorite subject in school is definitely English, I loved AP LANG with Mrs. Adley last year.”
Q: “What are your future plans after high school?”
A: “I am not sure what I want to do, but something I am considering is sports writing, hopefully at the University of North Carolina or University of Florida.“

It was great to talk to Joe, and it is clear to see why he was chosen for this honor; and he definitely will live up to this award that has been given to him. We wish Joe the best of luck and a huge congratulations!