Senior Year

This guy has been busy sharing talents all year!

First day of Senior year, August 2018

Joel and Aysha

This is a photo of Joel and his smart, nerdy friends, Brandon and Cade, 

at the fall opening assembly at PHS:

Homecoming 2018

Joel and his Homecoming date, Taylor Osterhaut

Mr. PHS

Mr. PHS is a competition of senior guys to fundraise for the high school dance team, the Indianettes.

Joel competed by singing, "Come Alive," from The Greatest Showman.

Joel received the Mr. Smartie Pants Award and Mr. Theatrical from the judges.

The sash he is wearing is an award voted on by the other contestants.

They all voted for Joel as "Mr. Nice Guy."

Gate City Choir

Joel was a Tenor in the elite choir at PHS - the Gate City Choir.

They performed throughout the community many nights in December,

as well as touring the elementary schools with their Christmas program.

All singers in the Gate City Choir also participate in Senior Choir.

Here is Joel with Dylan, one of his many choir friends.

Joel's many choir and drama friends were closer to him than family this year,

as he spent almost every waking hour with one or the other group:

Gate City started at 7:00 every morning.

(Thank you, Becca and Collin, for giving Joel a ride every day!)

Drama ended around 9:00 on the nights that Joel worked on the set after practice.

They also saw each other 3rd hour every school day for Senior Choir class,

and ate lunch together in the classroom of "Miss T," the drama teacher.

"You Can't Take It With You"

Joel played "Mr. Depinna" in the fall show,

"You Can't Take it With You."

One of the best fall shows ever!

It was so funny,

and every member of the cast created

a clever, engaging, and unique character.

Mr. Depinna

Amongst all of the Gate City Choir practices and performances in December, and all school and other Christmas activities, we squeezed in a small birthday celebration:

Here is Joel with his characteristic thumbs-up-and-half-grin.

Alexander, Joel, and Isaac

As soon as the drama students returned from Christmas break,

they began practicing for the musical, Cinderella.

Joel was the footman, as well as one of the noblemen at the dance.

Our friend, Nikki Lambson, was the choreographer, and did an amazing job!

Joel built the set and the coach that he was the footman on.

Here is the opening scene.

Joel is in the center, the left of the three men behind the cart, "selling cheese." 

Joel, the gentleman at the ball

Joel and Aysha after the performance.

Aysha was assistant director and controlled one of the spotlights for the musical.

At the beginning of March, the youth in Pocatello

had a brush-clearing activity at the grounds of our new temple.

Just before we picked Joel up from drama to bring him with us,

he got a wood sliver in his eye while taking down set from the musical.

But here he is, smiling anyway, standing next to Aysha.

Dallin was very excited for the photo:

Joel's eye recovered quickly.

That weekend he served Italian sodas for the "Boogie Ball"

choir fundraiser dance:

The senior prom was in April.

Here is Joel's promposal:

Joel and his friends from choir and drama started planning well ahead of time to make sure that all of the senior girls they knew had the opportunity to attend prom.

Here is Joel with his date, Bella.  (She said yes!):

Good buds!

April was also when we held Joel's Eagle Scout Court of Honor

(covered in previous post)

And then time only sped up as May approached.

Joel performed as Mr. Bleakley in the melodrama the first weekend of May.

His friend, Ryker, performed as Mr. Grimley.  (or I might have gotten them backwards)

Joel's friend, Kedric "Ketchup" Haskett played the villain:

And here is Joel with Aysha, who played a barmaid

(I didn't recognize Aysha the first time I saw her in costume!):

Joel was tech director for the last time for this play,

helping create the stage with sliding panels for each scene change.

Joel didn't apply for any scholarships, other than a few by default.

He received some scholarships from ISU for his good grades and test scores.

Here he is receiving his ISU scholarships at the senior awards assembly:

Here is Joel with his table display at Seminary Graduation:

Joel's class voted to go to Lagoon together instead of have an overnight sober party graduation night.

They went to Lagoon on the last Friday of May.

Did Joel ever get tired with this hectic schedule?

Yes, he often fell asleep during our family devotionals at night:

 But he never missed a performance, practice, or activity.

Here he is with Dallin and Aysha under the quilt that Aysha made.

Graduation itself was the night of June 3.

Joel

 Joel, Scott, and Tiffany

 Isaac and Joel

I am so proud of this boy!

He is so dependable, thoughtful,

funny, fun to hang out with, and considerate of others.

Everyone loves Joel!

Go into the world and do great things!

Bless and serve many people!