As recent graduates of high school and college around the corner, a question looms overhead — what next? Two graduates, Diamond Razor-Barrett and Joshua Smith, have chosen to look at this in a different way. What comes before the “next step?”

Smith intends to spend his last summer before college working at a local Food Lion, adventuring with his friends and attempting to narrow in on a degree.  Starting this fall as a freshman at East Carolina University, Smith said he is excited about moving on to new places, but will miss the camaraderie and experiences he gained at Washington High School. Smith would like it to be known that “Washington High is a great place for kids that are looking for experiences that will change their future. [I] was shaped by it, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

Barrett, like Smith, plans to spend her summer working at a Petco in Winterville. Other than working, Barrett plans to get most of her schoolwork done before attending Winston-Salem State University. Going in as a freshman this fall, Barrett has a decided major of mass communication with intentions of working as a radio broadcaster once graduated. When asked why the choice of major, Barrett said she intended on taking the offered journalism class at Washington High School, but felt best in presenting factual information to the public rather than social.

“Washington is a very close-knit school, and a friend for everyone can always be found there,” she said. “I’ll miss it more than I ever expected to.”

Barrett also sends a thank-you to theater director Travis Carter for his work in the arts and encouragement through the years.

Both Smith and Barrett are members of the Washington High School 2016 graduating class.

Abby Harris is a Washington High School student working as an intern at Washington Daily News.