ROGERS — Every student in the Class of 2010 at Rogers Heritage High School is a leader, whether they are in charge of an organization or not.

They are leaders because they are the first group of seniors to ever attend class at the school, which opened with grades 9 through 11 last year. The hundreds of seniors are in a unique role, and that role is something that is taken quite seriously by all four of the seniors chosen to be followed for the "Last of the Firsts" series. Meet Sandy Moran, Virgil Palma, Colton Pace and Rickie Kimball. These students are involved in a wide variety of activities from athletics, Future Farmers of America and the Student Council, of which Pace is president.

The students agree being the first senior class is an important responsibility, but they also agree their leadership didn't start this year. As juniors last year, they were already the oldest students in the school.

"It's pretty exciting," Palma said. "We get to set an example now."

Moran agreed.

"It's a big responsibility," she said. "We have to set an example for future generations."

Not only is the class responsible for setting an example as the oldest, but as the first they have to set traditions for upcoming senior classes, Kimball said.

"We are making our own traditions," she said. "We had to realize we were the leaders (since we were juniors)."

As president of Student Council, helping plan many of those traditional events is a big part of Pace's senior year. He said he looks forward to helping plan events such as prom and homecoming.

Moran said that while they understood last year that they were the oldest and the first senior class, this year it seems to be really hitting home for her.

"It's our last chance to do things right," she said. "It's hitting harder that we have to be at the top of (our) game."

School has been in session for only a few weeks and the class already has had several of those "last firsts." They've already had an assembly about graduation, a moment all are looking forward to with anticipation.

"It's insane how everything is going so fast," both Palma and Moran said.

The two students both showed emotion as they talked about the special impact graduation will have on their lives. For Moran, the oldest of five children, it will be a chance to set an example for her siblings. It will also be a triumph for both her and her mother, who did not graduate from high school herself, and has therefore encouraged her children to get their own education.

"She has always made sure we're doing well in school," Moran said of her mother. "(Graduation) is going to be a really big moment for both of us."

For Palma, the moment he walks across the stage to accept his diploma will be bittersweet. Both his parents died in October 2001, months after they got to see Palma's older brother graduate from high school. They will be in his thoughts on that day, though. His aunt and uncle, who took him in after his parents' death, will be there cheering him on.

"I'm proud of myself and I want to make them even more proud when I go out in the world," Palma said.

As this group of seniors goes through its senior year, they all agreed they will be not only cherishing their memories, but preparing for their future. A future that is filled with more education, hope and adventure.

Scholars, Pages 8 on 09/16/2009

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