My name is Tyler Santolla. I am a 17-year-old senior at Giles High School. I grew up in Pembroke, VA, and lived with my grandparent for the better part of my life. This is me.

Senior year, what a show it’s been. As a child, senior year was the one thing I looked forward to. As the years have gone on I couldn’t wait. I was so excited and Lord how things have changed. I am still very excited to graduate and start life as an adult and start a family.

When COVID hit a year ago, I was ready for that two weeks to be up so I could get back to doing what I love, which is welding. A year later, we've been able to get back into the classroom, but we're missing out on all the “normal“ social senior activities. The seniors of 2020 got to be a little more involved with their senior year in the spring of 2021. We still got the short end of the stick, in my opinion. Although things are figuring themselves out, it is too bad that our senior year couldn’t be that we all wanted since we were kids. It is getting a little better.

As for life after senior year, I can’t wait for the real world. The whole world is right in front of us. We can do this. Seniors let’s do the dang thing!