Looking Back and Ahead: WHS Senior Tanner Skenderian

Tanner Skenderian is one of two students slated to speak at Friday's 5:15 p.m. Weston High School graduation. A lifelong Weston resident, Skenderian accrued a long list of achievements during her four years at Weston High School, was this year's class president, and will attend Harvard University in the fall. As well, she has kept the Weston community apprised of school and community happenings this year as a blogger on Weston Patch.

Q. You’re involved in many activities. What motivates you to participate so much?

When I was in the first grade, I saw my oldest brother, TK, graduate as senior class president. I was so incredibly proud of him and who he was, I decided then that I wanted to be just like him. Not just senior class president, but as a well-rounded student and member of the Weston community. “Class President” was just a symbol of who I wanted to always be, so I worked throughout the years to be just like him, someone who cares and someone remembered as engaged in the community.

Q. What was your favorite subject in school and why?

I loved history classes! A good friend of mine once put it perfectly, “it’s the best story ever told.” I loved hearing a new story every day and jumping into the perspectives of the past to fully understand what made the world what it is today. I especially loved US history because it fits right into my immediate surroundings and I see a lot of what I want to do my future in the curriculum.

Q. Who were your favorite teachers, and why? What did they teach?

I started answering this question, and to be honest, I had to stop because there were too many to list! I loved the teachers that were animated about what they were teaching, those who had a passion for what they did. I loved the teachers who loved me back! Those who I can see again in a few years and it’ll be like no time was passed. I love the teachers that make me laugh and make those 79-minute classes fly by.

Q. How did you see the world around you change during the time you were at WHS (from 2008 to 2012)?

The greatest change I saw was more immediate than in the entire world. When the anti-bullying phase swept across America, I saw a huge effort on all levels of administration to purge our town of any remnants of hazing. As the movement took hold, I saw the students themselves congeal more in an effort to prevent bullying and promote unity. I saw more inter-grade friendships in my later years than ever before and I think that was and is a change that I love. I hope it continues! There is a lot to gain from a friendship that you wouldn’t necessarily make beforehand.

Q. How you feel you’ve changed in that time?

I think I have become more confident in my years at Weston. Now, that’s pretty standard for seniors to stand a little taller as their time to leave creeps closer and closer. I think the greatest lesson I have learned has changed me the greatest: to not be afraid of failure. I learned to take more chances and seek more opportunities.

Q. You’re a tri-varsity athlete at WHS. Are you planning to continue your athletics at college?

I love sports. I love competing and fighting for a team. I definitely want to be part of some sort of sport team but I’m not sure what sport (field hockey, softball … water polo, maybe) but even more, I don’t know at what level I want to play. I’m sure I’ll get it all figured out by August!

Q. What message do you hope to send on Friday through your speech?

I hope to convey a few messages. Most importantly, I want to express the importance of taking chances and seizing every opportunity. Just do it! Just go out and do it; fear no adventure.