Sometimes, the end of one thing is the beginning of another, and for the fifth graders at Vidalia Upper Elementary, the end of school means leaving childhood behind and starting another phase of life — junior high.

While they ate the last cafeteria lunch of their upper elementary career — a chicken sandwich — a few of the finishing fifth-grade students shared their thoughts.

For Monica Charrie, 10, the best thing about her time at the upper elementary was her teachers.

But it’s that very issue that makes her wonder what school at Vidalia Junior High will be like.

“I’m kind of nervous about having new teachers,” she said.

While she is looking forward to spending part of her summer at art camp, for Brady Raley, 11, looking to her future in junior high means a lot of change.

“It’s a new school with new teachers,” Raley said. “I’ll just miss everybody (at Vidalia Upper).”

Rio Caldwell, 11, agreed.

“A lot of stuff (at the junior high) is going to be new to me,” Caldwell said.

For Dustin Johnson, though, leaving the upper elementary is a good thing.

“I’m a little happy, because I’ve been here for, like, three years,” Johnson said. “I liked it here, though, because it’s the biggest school I’ve ever been to.”

It’s the issue of size that makes Johnson wonder what junior high will be like.

“Everything is bigger up there, I guess,” he said. “It’s a bigger school with more people.”

Fifth-grader-to-be Isrell Cage, 12, said he’s glad to see the end of school come, not only for summer, but because it means a change in the status quo for next year.

“I feel like I’ll be king of the school,” Cage said.

But for finishing fourth-grader Nicholas Brown, 12, said being higher up on the elementary school food chain isn’t why he’s glad to see the school year end.

“I’m just ready to go to the fifth grade,” Brown said.