Deciding what message I want to leave the students of Junction City High School with was not an easy task, there are so many things I would like to say, and so many thank yous that need to be voiced before I leave.

I guess what I would like to start with is this: enjoy your time here, students and teachers alike.

I know that as an underclassman, you hear this a lot. People always tell you that high school will fly by, but when you’re a freshman or a sophomore looking ahead toward senior year, it never feels like it will. The experiences you gain throughout high school are irreplaceable, you can never get these years back, so enjoy them while you have the opportunity to.

When you reach senior year, it finally hits you how many things you will never be able to do again, and how many people you may never see again. The people you’ve been with since middle school or longer will spread across the country, the teachers you have to thank for your education will find new jobs, start families, and move on.

Cherish the lack of responsibility, cherish the relationships you have made, and above all, cherish your opportunities. Not everyone has the chance to attend a school with so many teachers who care so deeply about their students’ success.

Throughout my four years at JCHS, I have had some of the best teachers imaginable, each of which taught me a valuable lesson, and thus deserves to be thanked.

To begin with, thank you to Mr. Charlie Lynn, my sophomore year English teacher, for showing me that what you think is your best is nowhere near what you’re actually capable of.

Thank you to Mr. Joseph Rix, my junior year APUSH teacher and one of my NHS advisers, for showing me that the world is large, and history is being made each and every day.

Thank you to Mr. Subin Chun, my junior year chemistry teacher, for teaching me that you can find joy in everything (and also for not hating me when I kicked Lexe in the head in his classroom).

Merci Mme Andrea Platt, mon professeur de Français, pour enseignement moi Français (just kidding, had to throw a couple of jokes in here). You taught me more than any teacher I have ever had that it’s okay to be yourself, no matter how weird yourself happens to be.

Thank you to Ms. Cruz, my AP Government teacher, for showing me that kindness goes a long way. Without your constant support and generosity, I’m quite positive I would have had a 2008 Brittany Spears level breakdown this year.

And finally, thank you to my newspaper and yearbook adviser, Mr. John Walter, for absolutely everything. You have instilled a curiosity within me that is irreplaceable. This wonder, this desire to know more about the world and the people around me, is what will guide me through the rest of my life. Without your guidance, I’m not sure I would know what I want to do with my life, who I want to be, or what I want to accomplish. Your faith in me is endless, and I cannot thank you enough for that.

As I move on to this next step of my life, I will carry these people and these lessons with me, so I guess my final lesson for you is this: Celebrate the little things. Never stop learning. Never stop asking questions. There will come a point in your life when you are incapable of walking, incapable of talking or thinking. Before you reach that point, make sure you do, learn, and experience everything you can. Life is short—relish it.