Gallery • 6 Photos

Annie

Laine May ‘22 displays a colorful High School Musical purse. The Disney Channel original film, which became an instant hit when it aired on TV in 2006, just celebrated its 15th anniversary.

For us students who are nearing the end of our careers at FSS, the time ahead will likely be filled with reflection as we transition from childhood to adulthood. Gen Z is coming of age, and in my photo series, I wanted to document a sampling of the items that defined the collective childhood of many of my classmates. High School Musical, Sillybandz, Rainbow Loom, and iPods aren’t simply expired trends; they’re cultural artifacts that stand as a testament to how kids grew up in the 2000s. The backdrops of these photos are also part of the nostalgia. The junior and senior students photographed, who were small enough to fit inside the lower school lockers not too long ago, now tower over them. As we near the end of our time in these spaces at FSS, I hope looking back at the forces that shaped our youth can bring us some of that same joy we felt as carefree lower schoolers filling our ears with iPod music and covering our arms with rubber bracelets.