The new and the old came together as the 2021-2022 school year kicked off. Seniors welcomed younger freshman siblings to the halls of Nixa High School.
Senior Macy Kopp and her freshman sister Aubrey Kopp are both going to school with each other this year.
“It’s crazy, honestly,” Macy Kopp said. “In my mind, she’s still in third grade, which was the last time we were in school together. We were at a K-6 school and I was in sixth grade and she was in third grade.”
The sisters participate in many of the same activities and clubs.
“Since Macy is in cross country, track and FCA, I’ve kind of followed in the same footsteps,” Aubrey Kopp said. “But not just because of her. I’ve kind of enjoyed those things too. We’re very similar, in a lot of ways.”
Though they share many interests, the schedules for seniors and freshmen are very different.
“I actually thought we’d see each other more,” Macy Kopp said. “I saw her once on the first day, like in the hallway, but we don’t have any classes together and we don’t really pass by each other a lot.”
Being together at the same high school can have its downsides, as well.
“Now that we’re driving everywhere together, sometimes we can get on each other’s nerves,” Macy Kopp said. “We never have giant fights, but they’ll just be little things that if we’re ever having a bad day or whatever.”
The siblings have experienced a merging of friendships.
“I think having a sibling that’s a freshman, especially a sister, kind of helps me to connect with a lot of other younger girls who I maybe wouldn’t have an opportunity to reach out to, because she knows them,” Macy Kopp said.
The freshman have the years of their siblings experience to learn from.
“I have her history teacher, Mr. Walker, her math teacher, Ms. Burger and her science teacher, Ms. Shepard,” Aubrey Kopp said. “I guess it’s nice because the teachers already know what Macy was like, and have an idea what I’m like.”
Opinions on being compared to their sibling could vary for each pair. Emily and Payton Harris are starting out this year together as well.
“Obviously we’re two very different people,” Emily Harris said. “I don’t want teachers to be like, ‘Oh why aren’t you like Payton?’ or the other way around.”
This is the last time for all of them to share the high school experience together.
“If anybody else is in the same situation, and they have a sibling in high school that they know they may not normally be close to, take advantage of the opportunity,” Emily Harris said. “Try to grow closer to them because, for me, it’s the last year that possibly we’ll ever live together again. Taking advantage of this opportunity is important to me.”