January 8, 2026 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

Senior spotlight: Gage Atwood

Leading up to graduation, we asked five seniors five questions.
Next up is Gage Atwood!

What will you be doing next year?
Next year I will be studying Pre-Law at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, hoping to become a lawyer or a judge someday.

What is your favorite memory from SJO?
My favorite memory would probably have to be the Washington D.C. trip we took just recently. Such a cool experience to be able to compete in our nation’s capital. The city itself is beautiful and I got to cross quite a bit of stuff off my bucket list, all the while being with some of my favorite people.

What have you learned at SJO that you will take with you into adulthood?
I’ve learned that it takes more than just a good mind to succeed, rather it is what you’re willing to do everyday to strive and make yourself better. There’s always a challenge you can overcome to better yourself everyday.

What are you looking forward to the most with graduation?
I like how it’s one final goodbye to all the people you’ve grown up with and all the people you’ve grown so close to the past 4 years. It’s literally like going out with a bang.

What will you miss the most about SJO?
The community, whether that be the administration/staff, my class mates, or the people outside of the school building who were always willing to take the extra step for the students. I’ve been lucky enough to call St. Joseph my home for my entire life and I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. So I’d like to thank everyone in the town whose been apart of my journey, it’s been great and I will cherish all my high school memories. Thank You St. Joseph-Ogden.

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