Step outside to the back of the school by the cafeteria and take a look around.   You will see a collection of student vehicles parked like they got to school a few minutes too late.  This parking lot has a lot of love, though.  Each senior treasures his or her own “baby” because it signifies the freedom and independence awarded to seniors in high school.

A few seniors share their relationship with their cars.  Names, bumper stickers, cosmetic enhancements are all personal touches that create a stronger bond between driver and automobile.

Senior Robby Rocchio drives a 2002 Volvo S60.  He parks in the junior lot, but that doesn’t bother him.  He feels his car suits his personality because it, “is dignified on the outside and it accelerates almost as fast as my speech, not my running.”

Rocchio’s love for his car is apparent and he is satisfied with his car because, “it’s a nicer car than my friends’.”

Senior Emma Vogel trucked her ancient, rusty red Jeep Wrangler across the country over this past summer.  Her car was in Nevada and she went cross country and drove it back to the east coast.  Vogel feels her car is simultaneous with her personality.  “I drive a cool car to express myself because I am awesome,” said Vogel.

“I am still looking for a name for my car,” said Vogel.  Attention all who want to help Vogel, you have been summoned.

Senior Sarah Carrington whips her way into parking lot number __ in her 2001 white Hyundai Senata.  Carrington appreciates her car because, “he’s sassy!”  It’s a boy and his name is Murphy, even though Carrington never calls him that.

“I think I need to put more love into it because it will stop working almost every other week,” said Carrington.  Maybe if she called him by his real name sometimes and didn’t refer to her car as ‘it’ she would have better luck with Murphy functioning.

Senior Jack Hiebner rolls into the senior lot in his tan pickup truck with the windows down and Jack Johnson tunes flooding out into the brisk autumn air.  Hiebner feels the need to uphold the first name Jack by driving a pickup truck after his role model Jack Johnson.  “Jack Johnson drives a pickup truck and I want to be like him so I drive this truck, too.  We have a lot in common,” said Hiebner.

Even though some seniors don’t have fancy paint jobs or humorous bumper stickers, the seniors at NKHS still have an appreciation for their very own mode of transportation.  Jack Johnson says a car is a symbol in his driveway, for these seniors it’s a symbol everywhere they go.