TURNERS FALLS — As the sun rose to welcome Turners Falls High School’s Class of 2024 to their final year, some grilled breakfast for their classmates while others cluttered around a rainbow-colored parachute to play “popcorn” and other kids’ games.

In this way, the “Senior Sunrise” celebration on Thursday shone light on what it means to be at such an intermediate point as 12th grade, standing at the crossroads of youth and adulthood.

“I’m so excited to see this group start to complete their first goals in high school, but they are starting the harder part,” said Jimena de Pareja, a parent and educator within the Gill-Montague Regional School District. “They are realizing the grown-up life where they make more decisions for their lives.”

Pareja’s son, Ricky Pareja, expressed that he is “kind of sad” to be entering his final year alongside those in the district he has spent more than half his life with. He is confident, however, that he and his classmates are on track to accomplish “bigger and better things” after high school.

“From a class standpoint, [senior year] is about being able to create memories that we’ll remember for years to come and hopefully build a relationship that will be able to keep a bond strong enough that will keep us all together, even far into college,” said Pareja, who has served as class president all four years of high school.

“My goal for this year as their class advisor is to make sure they’ve created memories and ties to each other and the community, and built that rapport so that as alumni they keep wanting to come back,” added Class Advisor Donna Fowler.

For others, a new chapter is just beginning.

“I’m really excited, but also really nervous,” Makaila Pagan-Lively said at the start of her first day at the adjacent Great Falls Middle School.

Incoming freshmen made it clear that you don’t necessarily outgrow this duality during your middle school years.

“I’m excited, but I’m also confused and nervous,” echoed ninth grader Markie Vachula-Curtis. “I’m not sure how it’s going to play out, but I’m excited for a fresh start.”

“Honestly, I’m so nervous but I gotta remind myself that it’s one day at a time,” added her classmate, Lia Little. “It’s the first day and I’ve got to keep moving with the flow.”

Little did, however, take comfort in the camaraderie an adjoined middle and high school provides, expressing that she now feels like a contemporary to high school students who once seemed much older.

“It’s kind of crazy how people I’d see in band class, for example, were much older, but now, I’m kind of in the same school as them,” she said. “They were like adults to me, but now, they’re not in the same grade as me, but they’re in the same classes as me.”

Fowler voiced optimism that students will have particularly sound support this year.

“We have enthusiastic, strong leadership in the administration,” she said. “I think that this year, we’re coming out really strong on all ends.”

Reach Julian Mendoza at 413-930-4231 or jmendoza@recorder.com.