This year, the Talisman is doing special features on 26 unique seniors throughout the school year to celebrate these past four years they’ve spent here. These students represent the different facets of the class of 2026 at Delaware Hayes.

Meet Eleanor:

Q: What activities are you involved in at Hayes?

A: Concert Orchestra.

Q: Do you have any commitments outside of school?

A: I’m in charge of taking care of my house while my parents are at work. They pay me to clean, organize, and help babysit.

Q: How did you balance your schoolwork with your other commitments?

A: By dropping a lot of my commitments. I used to be in basketball and some other sports but it was too much. I did sports on my own time and stayed in the orchestra and it helped my mental health and grades.

Q: What has been your favorite class at Hayes and why?

A: My favorite class I took was AP United States Government and Politics taught by Mr. Haynes. It was my first AP class, and would be the last year Mr. Haynes would teach [it]. It radicalized me and gave me an outlet to vent my anger about the government. I use information from that class daily and I’m very thankful I had a good teacher.

Q: What is one thing you will miss when you’re gone?

A: I’m going to miss the small town community vibe. It was special to have an authentic tight-knit community that would try to look out for each other. College towns are going to be so much bigger and busier.

Q: What are your plans for after high school and why?

A: I’m going to Ohio University for a bachelor’s in Field Ecology. The outdoors are my passion, and field ecologists conduct a lot of research while in natural habitats before bringing it back to the lab for study. When I was about 16, I went on a series of hikes (PCT, Mt. Rose) that changed my perspective on life, and since then I’ve been passionate about studying the environment.

Good luck Eleanor! We are looking forward to seeing what you will achieve in these next steps.