As my time as the editor of this paper and as a student here at OA comes to a close, I have started to reflect on the experiences I’ve had over the last four years. I am truly grateful for all of memories, good and bad, that I have made here. And while the pep rallies, extracurricular activities and class bonding days were fun, some of my favorite memories were made just by showing up to class and seeing my friends every day. And in a few days, those memories will be just that…memories. They will just be moments from the past that I will recall when I need a smile instead of something that I live every day. And, although I am looking back while trying not to cry now, I know that in a few years I will look back with fondness.
I am truly thankful that I had the opportunity to write for this paper. I loved being able to express my creativity and ideas in this outlet. And, I am grateful that I actually had people who cared about and read what I had to say. Sometimes it can be hard to picture that the numbers on the analytics are actual people. I forget that people are reading the words that I am writing until I get stopped in the hall or my name gets recognized by a teacher and I am told that someone read my articles. So, to Mr. Schussler and Mr. Flaherty I want to say thank you for your help, support and Guidance. And, to the readers I want to say thank you for time and viewership.
I also want to give a big thank you to my classmates and friends, and to the classmates that became friends. I truly would not be here without you and you are what’s making it so hard to say goodbye. I wish all of you luck on your next chapter and I can’t wait to see all that this class accomplishes!
I spent a lot of my time making memories, but I also spent a lot of my time learning from my teachers, both about the subjects that they were teaching (thankfully) and from their wisdom of life. I have a few teachers who I would like to specifically thank for all that they did for me, whether they know it or not.
Mr. Abarr, thank you for helping me grow my love of history freshman year as well as always making me laugh. I always looked forward to your class. Your enthusiasm about what you were teaching was obvious and it made me enthusiastic as well. I truly admire your passion for your job and your lively spirit!
Ms. Hunt, our time in class was sadly cut short due to Covid. Throughout the rest of the year you stayed positive and were always there for us. I tuned in for every instagram live yoga session and it really helped me get through the boring days of quarantine. You were always there to listen to my problems or my long stories and even my clothing hauls. Your constant happiness always put a smile on my face and taught me to always look on the bright side.
Mr. Riley, even though I hated physics, I loved our physics class. Physics tutors also helped enhance my understanding and appreciation for the subject. You created such a welcoming environment in your classroom and made it feel like a somewhere I could always go to if I needed to. Your big smile lit up the room and made everyone smile with you. It was my favorite place to hang out before school with friends and I will never forget those early mornings. I hope you and the turtles are enjoying retirement!
Ms. Cleary, you also have such an apparent love for psychology which always engaged me in class. Thank you for challenging me and pushing me to always work my hardest. I am a quiet person until you get to know me, and I am not a student who raises their hand who speaks out often, but you always encouraged participation and it helped me to come out of my shell. I learned so much from you this year and you sparked an interest in psychology for me. I always loved your ability to stay upbeat, even when we had to learn about dark topics. And, of course, your jokes were always appreciated.
Mrs. Tantillo, I am sad that I only got to know you in my last few months here at OA. Even though our paths didn’t cross until this last semester, you still had an impact on me. You always made an effort to chat with us and get to know us on individual levels. I truly felt like you actually cared about your students and wanted to make an effort for us. Your knowledge on the true crime world is impressive and I am thankful for how much of it you passed on to us.
Mr. Sunderland, I felt so comfortable in your class and you created an environment that helped to foster many relationships with my classmates. We had a lot of history to cover in AP World, but you always seemed excited about and knowledgable of each topic. History is always one of my favorite subjects, and this year was one of my favorites thanks to you.
Ms. Coffman, we got to work together not just in class but in the Peer Leaders as well. You are so dedicated to social justice as well as to your students. I look up to you in many ways and thank you for support and advice during my college applications. I will miss seeing you in the halls and saying hello!
To my advisory teacher Mr. Schussler, we worked closely here on the paper and got to know each other well over my four years here. You were always interested in what was going on in the lives of your advisory students and it made us all feel like we had someone who cared about us. I appreciated your effort in forming a bond between all of us through outside activities and group conversations. Thank you for all that you did for us!
And finally, to Mrs. Smock, I genuinely can not thank you enough for all of your love and support. While you were never technically my teacher, you passed on so much wisdom. You were always my hype-woman and never failed to put a smile on your face. I could feel your genuine support for all that I did and the way you expressed how proud of me you were was so authentic and meaningful. I will miss my A block guidance time with you endlessly. This is one of my hardest goodbyes and you can be sure I will come back to visit!
No one has a perfect high school experience, but thanks to everyone here at OA I got as close as possible. Thank you OA!