HSPVA Seniors Reflect on High School Memories

For HSPVA seniors, second semester is filled not only with milestones like college decisions and graduation, but also with the second All School Musical of the year, the remaining Diversity Series, and senior shows (whether it be recitals, art galleries, plays, etc). With all these events, it can be hard to find time to reflect on the myriad of experiences that make up high school. I interviewed Amelia DiClaudio, Israel Fox, Meredith Shoemaker, and Sofia Fontenot, all seniors in different departments, to do just this, and allow them to share some memories and advice.

Going all the way back to the beginning, I asked what they remembered most of their audition process to be accepted into HSPVA.

“I remember being so nervous,” Meredith says. “And just wanting to get in.” A student in the theater department, she talked about the various requirements that made up her audition: a portfolio, a monologue, a song, and some dancing. (“I do not dance,” she said, laughing).

Amelia, a senior in the dance department, says she remembers the anticipation most. “The not knowing, y’know? It’s just such a beautiful building… whenever I went to an audition or would walk through the halls, I’d be like, am I going to end up in place?” She enjoyed the “little connections I made with people along the way, even with people who didn’t get in.”

Israel had a slightly different experience, since their grandfather had passed away the week before the audition for the vocal department was set. “That Saturday of my audition was also his funeral, so I got my audition pushed up to Friday,” she shares. “I had someone take me up the elevator and I went into a practice room, which I’d never seen before. And then the audition went really well. I mean obviously, I’m here now,” she laughs.

Israel Fox, Vocal class of ’24, sings at Koffee House, HSPVA’s Diversity Series that celebrates Black History. 

“Some things I definitely blocked out of my memory,” Sofia, a senior in creative writing, admits. “I was so nervous.” She adds, “I remember, during our six-word memoirs, I did snoop at the person next to me. He didn’t get in.”

Reflecting on more recent memories, I asked what they’d been most excited about coming into senior year.

Amelia says, “Being a senior gave me another sense of confidence that I didn’t have any of the other years. You know, I have my days,” they joke. “But yeah, I think overall it gave me a bit of [a feeling] like, I’ve been here. I’ve been here for a while.” Amelia’s been the student choreographer for many of PVA’s All School Musical’s in recent years, and a frequent participant in Diversity Series.

“I was excited about Senior Recitals,” Israel says. “It was something I always wanted to do, and it was kind of an opportunity to talk about or showcase the things you're more interested in, the things you came here to do.” Israel acted in the Black History Month production this past month and has performed in many Diversity Series.

Sofia answered similarly, saying, “[Senior shows] are such an emotional experience, to be bonding with three or four people for months. You’re creating something BIG and everyone you know and love are going to come see it.” Most recently, Sofia was a finalist in Writing for the 2024 YoungArts awards, one of the most prestigious fine art competitions in the country.

Amelia DiClaudio, Dance class of’24, in last year’s spring All School Musical, The Wiz. 

Speaking about their journeys as artists while attending HSPVA, the seniors offered insight into the growth that occurs during these four years.

“How would I describe my journey as an artist? Buckets, oceans, full of tears,” Israel jokes. “But good tears, a lot of good tears.” She mentions that in freshmen year, she “felt like I was comparing myself to people. All the time. Especially… because I had never had, like, a formal choir class before. It was like, oh my god, I can’t read sheet music. What am I doing here? But I think I failed to recognize that everyone was kind of doing that. So it was a healing journey.”

Sofia says, “I’ve learned more about myself through writing. What I like to create. At the point that I’m at now, I’m realizing what parts of writing I can bring into anything that I’m making, and how to enjoy anything I’m creating- even if it is outside of my comfort zone.”

Meredith reflects on how her approach to acting has changed. “I think, especially these past two years, I’ve realized that a lot of my work as an artist stems from realizing who I am. Especially for acting, it’s so much about the stories that you’ve experienced that you can put into theater. It’s definitely made me a better artist.”

Amelia says, “You know, we’re all wearing the same thing [in dance]. We’re all looking at the same mirror, and we all have different strengths. And I think being able to… cultivate my own strengths has been the biggest challenge. And giving myself the opportunity to allow everyone else to have their own strengths too. But I think finding my own way of interpreting movement and art is something that I’m still working on? I don’t think I’ll ever be like, ‘I found it.’”

Finally, I asked about the things they’ll miss most about HSPVA.

Israel says, “My friends. I think I’ll miss being in an environment that’s so representative of the world. It’s such a community here, for everyone.”

Amelia says she’ll miss her friends as well. “I’m very nervous not to be in the same place as them every day. I’m going to miss the opportunities, like Happenings and Diversity Series and musicals, that I might not get to do in college.”

“The community,” Sofia answers quickly. “I don’t know who I would be if I didn’t go to this school.” Referring specifically to the creative writing senior class, she says, “These people are my family. Like you can’t stop people from clapping [at performances], people are just so excited… because there’s just so much love for everyone and support.”

“Definitely the people,” Meredith says too. “I’m hoping I can keep those friendships and keep those people that I’ve met.”