By Emma Porter
From winter jackets to water bottles, the lost and found has it all.
The lost and found, a memorable part of many students’ school experience, serves as a second chance for many lost items.
While the lost and found is a place where teachers and students alike can find their missing items, it also unintentionally acts as McNicholas High School’s own museum. Countless items end up in the lost and found every school year, and many students are curious about where they go and how they end up there.
Located in the main office, the lost and found helps students and staff find the things they’ve misplaced, but some of the items in the box raise many questions. The lost and found is usually filled with hoodies, water bottles, and lunch boxes, but every so often, something truly surprising shows up. Receptionist and Attendance Coordinator Mrs. Jill Cheek said, “I always find it crazy when someone leaves only one shoe after a dance, like Cinderella. Not to mention the foam sword, single rollerblade, and bamboo stick.” Other common belongings that find their way to the lost and found include glasses, single earrings, rings, and lunchboxes, complete with food that has gone weeks without refrigeration.
Sophomore Anne Steinmetz said, “The lost and found is like a good kind of chaotic. It shows how crazy a highschooler’s life can get.”
The lost and found has a way of reflecting student life at McNicholas High School with all the interesting items left there. Most items do make their way back to their owners, but some of the things left behind bring a sense of mystery and humor to everyday student life.
Freshman Addison Kellerman said, “Reading the emails about the things left behind after a big school event really makes me laugh. How do you forget a shark costume at homecoming?”
Freshman Jacob Losekamp said, “People are always rushing to get to class, but at least there’s always a way to get your things back when you leave them places. It’s sort of comforting knowing that your things aren’t lost for good.”
“I like to send out catchy emails to the students whenever things get lost. When you put some humor and fun into the email, it helps make sure that they actually read them,” Cheek said.
Some things in the lost and found are left in the box after big events like homecoming or football games, but others are just from regular school days. “It would make everything easier if more common items like lunchboxes and jackets had names written on them. Many of the things left here at the end of the year end up being donated to St. Vincent de Paul, so at least something good comes out of the things left here,” Cheek said.
The lost and found doesn’t only serve as a box of missing things—it also brings a sense of community to McNicholas High School. Students and staff of McNicholas High School all share a laugh over the unusual discoveries, and Cheek’s humorous emails help turn the forgetfulness of students and staff into shared memories. The lost and found, in a way, reminds everyone that even in the chaos of high school life, there’s always room for fun, laughter, and a chance to reclaim what has been lost.
From misplaced water bottles to shark costumes, the lost and found continues to collect pieces of McNicholas High School’s everyday life no matter how weird the things inside seem.
The McNicholas Milestone 