I didn’t grow up here, so I started my sophomore year in Texas after moving from Jamaica and the culture shock hit me hard. Transferring over to a whole new environment in the way I did was hard. I never looked forward to anything in particular when thinking of high school. In my mind, I was just going through the high school motions, then I met all these new people and suddenly the changes didn’t seem so scary. After actually letting people in, starting to live in the motion, and opening up I finally got to enjoy my junior and senior years.

My introduction to journalism might just be the most life-changing and important choice I’ve made past moving from Jamaica. I learned a new method of expressing my love for writing, became at least a passable photographer, wrote stories about the many interesting kids and events happening at school and won competitions that made me infinitely more confident in my abilities. I’ve grown as a person looking forward to coming to classes messing with my friends, joking with my teachers and hunting down those stories. Everything has been building to this moment where I eventually leave and I’m happy to know that I’ve left a mark somewhere. 

To Newspaper: From walking into class and joking with AJ about me being her girlfriend, to making bets to see if Evan would make it to class on time, to my playful jeering of Agustina or just waiting to see what new outfit Senora would wear to class next. Everything was so enjoyable and I’m even sadder every time I’m reminded it’s coming to an end. The memories made will always remain with me and I’m sure the future of the newspaper is in safe hands with you guys left to watch over it. Never stop being the quirky, fun people I met.

To AJ: It’s quite funny that we ended up spending all that time together because of the stories we did. I loved watching movies on the grass with you, taking pictures and walking around in the halls searching for a “big scoop.” Your laugh is always such a sound to behold, especially when I’m the one causing it. I hope you keep laughing in the days I’m gone. To be honest, I know the President title isn’t useful and all, but still I’m glad it’s (hopefully) going to be passed to you.

To Pinkham: These past few years would have been not nearly as enjoyable without you there and I’d like to thank you again for taking me on as a teacher’s aide for my senior year (even though I did nothing). Even with you not being here for the last few months, your influence still lingered and it made me ever so much happier to see you the few times you visited. I wish you all the well when you’re finished looking after the small child, and hope whatever you’re going to do later on is fulfilling. 

To the teachers I’ve met along the way: I’m sorry, I’m sure there is at least a handful of you out there that I bothered, and nagged, and followed around just to make a passing grade. Especially if it was a math class, I’m sure it was painful for the both of us to watch me crawl to the finish line. But seriously, you all were terrific. The time and effort you put into helping me be the best I could be were not in vain and I’ll carry the lessons you taught me proudly to adulthood. 

To my dearest friends: Even though you wonder sometimes if I actually like you or if I’m playing some elaborate game in which I bully you and laugh about it later, I swear I’m not. I care about each and every one of you guys and it’s actually just hard for me to show that in any other way. I’ll miss dearly the inside jokes, the bickering, the hugs, the laughs, and everything in-between. As I move forward in life I hope we can all step into adulthood the same and embrace the future, whatever it may be, together. 

The past is something I can’t change. Looking back there are a lot of things I would put more time into, people I’d have talked to more, and things I’d be less timid about doing, but in the end I can’t say the results are too bad. I can feel the wave of finality washing over me right now and standing here at the end I’m not too regretful of anything. I’ll keep moving forward and just hope whatever becomes of me is representative of all the love I received in this part of my life.