With four long years of high school coming to a close, Madison Mauro continues to build stepping stones towards the future she desires. Mauro was an active member of The Stinger all four years of high school. Staying loyal to the opinion section of the newspaper, Mauro became the Managing Opinion Editor. Not only was she involved with The Stinger, but she was also a Hornet Ambassador since her freshman year.

In the fall, Mauro plans on taking a semester off to do volunteer work, and in the spring of 2022, she plans on going to the University of Pittsburgh to major in secondary English education and minor in global studies.  

Stinger: How has your involvement in The Stinger impacted your high school experience?

Mauro: Well, my freshman year was pretty tough, like freshman year kinda goes … The Stinger kind of allowed me a space to be myself and meet new people, to make friends. Ms. Reaman was a wonderful mentor to have growing up and going through … the trials and tribulations of being a teenager … Just having her there really taught me a lot of valuable life lessons and she was always there for a good word of advice.

Stinger: What are some of your greatest accomplishments in your high school years?

Mauro: I’d have to say staying true to myself and maintaining good relationships with my friends.

Stinger: What was your favorite memory in high school?

Mauro: I would say my junior year, [the] first day of high school. I accidentally went to all the wrong classes, so that was pretty embarrassing, especially since I was a junior.

Stinger: If you could change one thing about how you spent your high school years, what would it be?

Mauro: I’d say, if I was wise, I wouldn’t change anything. But, maybe … being more open minded to other people … I feel like sometimes I hold people accountable, or … kind of believe I take people’s impressions that I had of them [in] my freshman year and kind of still hold it true to who they are now. Everyone grows throughout high school, so I guess keeping … more of an open mind towards how people could change.

Stinger: What was your biggest inspiration throughout high school?

Mauro: My mom has always been a good role model for me. Kind of “march to the beat of your own drum and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise,” kind of thing. So I’d say my mom would be my biggest role model or inspiration.

Stinger: What kept you motivated to learn throughout your senior year?

Mauro: I guess what kept me motivated is just knowing that the work I do now is helping [to] build stepping stones to a future that I want and have been working hard for the past four years …  I don’t want all my work to go to waste just because I’m feeling lazy– I don’t want to log in to school.

Stinger: What will you miss the most about high school and moving on with your life?

Mauro: I guess change is scary, and so the familiarity of being able to know what my days would be like when I go to like high school for the past four years. Knowing the teachers and the people has been nice, so going into college, you know, it’s something new. I’ve never been to college, so I’m going to miss the familiarity and the easiness … of high school in that sense.

Stinger: What are your plans for the future after graduation and college?

Mauro: I try to keep an open mind that I would go to college and … not like what I’m studying, so … hopefully [I] pursue a career that I’m happy in and passionate about. I’d love to be able to travel in my career, and I’d like to work with kids … and relations with people who are younger than me.

Stinger: What is your big takeaway from your four years at Emmaus High School?

Mauro:  I would say: treat others the way you want to be treated. That’s my biggest takeaway just because … everytime that I had someone treat me with kindness and be generous to me or … if I’m in a class and everyone’s paired up and I couldn’t have a partner, … that one person who decided to … say hello or sit with me when I was sitting alone at the lunch table. It really goes a long way… everyone needs a friend.