In a generation where people yearn to be understood, love feels like a language we no longer know how to speak. Where connection is often confused with convenience, and attention is tangled with genuine affection, searching for something real can feel impossible to some.
Young love can be something extraordinary, a glimpse of what might be someone’s ‘happily ever after’. At Pembroke Pines Charter High School (PPCHS), that feeling of love roams the halls, where so many have already found their happy ending.
For PPCHS, love is not about popularity or perfectionism; it’s about understanding one another, genuine connection, and finding comfort in your person. The couples at PPCHS are the perfect example that young love can last.
One of the most admired couples at PPCHS is none other than seniors Madisen Palmer and Dean Jaworski. The two have been such an eye-catching couple for so many, not only for their genuine connection but for the way they set the standard of what young love looks like.
“We have been together for 2 years,” Palmer says. She reflects on how simple love can truly be when both people are for one another. “I would definitely say that everyone likes to overcomplicate relationships when love shouldn’t be difficult or hurt you,” she continues.
Her boyfriend agrees but admits that maintaining a strong relationship in high school can also come with its own challenges.
Jaworski comments, “The hardest part about being in a long-term relationship in high school is balance and schedule. Having time for each other, since we’re both student athletes. It’s not really a habit we have, but it’s just being able to be comfortable with each other. We just go through our lives together, and we’re always in the know with each other.”
Since Palmer and Jaworski are both seniors, they have spent years building their story together.
Despite the busy schedules and overall responsibilities, both find genuine joy in what they’ve built together.
Palmer explains, “It feels great to have found someone to love so much.” Jaworski adds, “Being in love with someone really makes you appreciate what you have right in front of you. People you love make you love everything else more, and life just gets better when you’re in love with someone.”
However, love is not limited to just them; juniors Felix Castro and Karla Frontado have their own journey as well.
“We’ve been together for almost three years, and we’ve noticed that the hardest part about being in a relationship as teenagers is maintaining trust with your partner and communicating to fix the main issue,” Castro says.
By reflecting on what she had learned from being in love during high school, Frontado shares her personal advice for others.
“Being in a relationship in high school feels very normal. Having a partner should feel like a plus in your life, not something that takes away from it. If someone is not making you feel happy, supported, or like the best version of yourself, then it is not the right relationship,” says Frontado.
A younger, more recognized couple is sophomores Eva Diaz and Stefan Lastape, who truly set a wonderful example that love can work between those who are just starting to figure out their own lives.
“We have been together for almost two years now. And I would definitely say being best friends rather than just boyfriend and girlfriend helped our relationship, we learned to communicate and be open in our relationship,” say Diaz and Lastape. “Being in love feels absolutely amazing, just knowing that they have your back no matter what means a lot.”
While having a relationship in this generation may seem unattainable and impossible, PPCHS students have proved that with commitment, communication, and love, they can make things possible without unrealistic expectations. Their relationships have evolved, as have they, through trust and communication. Longevity in a relationship doesn’t necessarily mean being lucky to have endured life with someone else, but rather to grow together despite hardship.
