The Bell, Issue 39
Ila Rosengarten, Mullen High Schools College Counseling Assistant, joined the Mullen community as a parent in 2011 when her daughter Maya, '15 was a freshman. She returned as a member of the College Counseling team in 2016 along side her daughter, Anika who is now a graduate from the Class of 2020. In writing for Mullen Today's Unordinary Times, Ila speaks about her enthusiasm in seeing students celebrate their college acceptances and encourages Mustangs to continue to celebrate during the time of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
It began as an incredibly simple way to celebrate the seniors. It evolved into a beautiful way to share in their joy and accomplishments. Being invited into those precious moments by our students is something I will always cherish.
I began my role within the College Counseling Department four years ago, when our now seniors were themselves just beginning their Mullen journeys. I immediately fed off the energy of the senior class. There is something special about being rewarded as the school’s leaders in that final year after three years as underclassmen. Although I had not worked with that class for very long, anyone who knows Mullen and its community knows that you very quickly become like family. As seniors they hit the ground running at the start of the school year. Our department has them working on their college essays, completing the common application, and meeting with their college counselors. It’s a busy time from mid-August to that early application deadline of November 1st. Three years of hard work and closely held dreams bring them to this ten-week whirlwind. Once the applications have been submitted the silence of the waiting process settles in. And then it happens, the first senior shares an acceptance.
Truth be told, I was often just as excited as the student sharing the news. I appreciated all that went into receiving that “Congratulations, on behalf of the Admissions Office…” letter. And our office wanted to celebrate that moment with our students. That’s where the bell came in, a simple bell you might find on the counter of a dry cleaner. It became a celebratory rite of passage. When a student came into the College Counseling Office to share good news, they were asked to ring the bell. Many were reluctant, even embarrassed, at first. But that soon faded into, “Mrs. Rosengarten, I’m here to ring the bell!” And they brought their friends with them. We celebrated college acceptances, enlistments in the armed forces, the pursuit of passions that resulted in jobs and gap years that would give our students time for pause and reflection before the next big step in their lives. They rang the bell for all that lie ahead. They rang it with laughter and pride and an optimism that is infectious.
So, Class of 2020, let’s ring the bell! We may not have been on campus, but there were certainly many bell-worthy moments. We are so proud of you and all that you have accomplished during your time at Mullen High School. We can’t wait to see what the future holds. We look forward to watching you change the world. And remember, Mullen will always be your home and you can come back and ring the bell anytime you’d like.
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