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In exit interviews at Lake Roosevelt High School, seniors said they had been their own worst enemies during their prep careers, but most stated they were satisfied with their high school experience.

School counselor Sue Hayes spent a month interviewing 41 of the 58 seniors, asking a variety of questions.

Interviews generally took about 30 minutes, with one lasting four hours, Hayes stated.

She was impressed with their answers. The students regularly put their academic goals at the forefront.

“Seniors didn’t try to lay the blame on anyone else but themselves for any shortcomings,” Hayes told the Grand Coulee Dam School District board of directors recently.

“About 85 percent of the students stated that they are either satisfied or very satisfied with their high school experience,” Hayes said, noting that is a large proportion.

Hayes said 20 seniors, about half of those interviewed, said their main goal in high school was to graduate on time. Seventeen said it was to get good grades.

Asked what goals they had achieved so far, 25 said they were on track to graduate, 17 said they were getting good grades and 10 said they were going to college.

The overwhelming majority of respondents reported that they were satisfied with their high school achievements. Eleven said they were very satisfied, 24 said they were satisfied, five stated they were somewhat satisfied and one said “not satisfied at all.”

Mothers were most mentioned when students were asked who had helped them the most during their high school experience. Parents and family members were mentioned 35 times, close friends 22 times and various school officials from 14-2 different people.

Students listed themselves when asked who got in their way and kept them from achieving their goals, Hayes said. Students named themselves 11 times. Others included “nothing” and problems with family life and partying, four each.

College was the number-one future goal for 18 seniors. Vocational-career training was the top goal of 15 more.

“Don’t procrastinate” was a top response when asked what they would have done differently had they known as a ninth-grader what they know now. Fifteen said don’t procrastinate, 15 more said get more done and take school more seriously. Eight said they wouldn’t have done anything differently.

Hayes said students indicated that they had learned both from their mistakes and successes.