TCT’s The Countless Thanks 2021: Liza McCarthy
Lauren Batterbee and Rachel Marco—for close to 12 years of friendship
We are Mike, Sully, and Boo. They always say good things come in threes, and that phrase definitely applies to us. It’s so crazy to think we’ve been friends—best friends—since kindergarten, and our friendship hasn’t ever wavered. Though it’s next to impossible for the three of
us to find time to hang out thanks to our ever-conflicting schedules, that makes the times that we do get even more special. The time this past summer when we went mini golfing at AJ’s Family Fun Center and created our own methods of gameplay and followed it up by eating a full birthday cake just because we felt like it was so random but so fun. The fireside chats are also something that brings us close and allows us to catch up and memories that won’t fade—especially when Rachel dropped her phone in the smoldering ashes of the fire pit.
My family—the 11
I certainly wouldn’t be where I am today without my family. I’m so thankful for all the time we spend together doing anything and everything. I love how we take every opportunity we can to get together, eat good food, have a super good time and no doubt share some laughs. I’m so grateful we’ve had the opportunity to go on multiple vacations together; spending 24/7 together really m
akes me grateful for the family I have and how close we are. Thank you for all that you guys do to support me, encourage me, and unconditionally love me. I wouldn’t trade my family for the world!
Maddy Bachert—for being my built-in sister
Oh, my Maddyland; we’ve done life together forever and I wouldn’t rather have anyone else by my side. The amount of inside jokes stored in our minds is insane, and some go unmentioned for years just to turn up randomly one day, leaving us in tears from laughter. Thank you for being you; you’re so silly, always laughing about everything, and just such a fun person to be around. Thank you for keeping my secrets, going along with the random thoughts I share with you, and always being up for having a good time.
Katie Wilson—for putting up with me 5 hours a day
Katie, I’m so glad we have so many classes together this year. 5 hours a day plus lunch is a lot of time to spend together a day but I really wouldn’t have it any other way because, despite all the craziness of Stats quizzes and hectic Bio whiteboard review days, I’m thankful we can get through it together. Your laugh and smile are so contagious that anyone near you can’t help but laugh along with you. It’s literally been such a rollercoaster but I’m so thankful we’ve stuck by each other’s side through all the chaos and spontaneous realizations. Thank you for everything, Katie!
My TCT’ers—for the best ending to my day
Emma, Avery, and Nat, thank you for being the most amazing editors. I know your job is never easy, and I’m just really thankful for all that you guys do to keep the class under control and thriving. Jadelin, thank you for being my go-to person who is always here to sympathize with me. I’m not always in the most amazing mood after coming from AP Bio, but thank you for just going along with it. And Kiera, Addy, and Eva, thank you for always being willing to edit my stories—and for replying so fast in the group chat. You are my favorite sophomores, and it’s genuinely so fun to be around you guys. Kiera, thank you for always being so down-to-earth and for your contagious smile. Addy, thank you for your sweet, bubbly personality. Eva, I desire to be as good of a writer as you one of these days and thank you for your incredible compassion. I love that you guys always have a story to tell, and thanks for including me in your little Stop, Drop, and Roll group.
My friends—for making my days interesting
Morgan Young, thank you for walking with me to sixth hour every day because even though it’s pretty much for a split second, I’ll take any chance we get to be able to talk. Avery Verlinde, thank you for laughing at anything, everything, and never failing to make my day completely enjoyable; you are such a fun person to be around, and I’m so thankful we reconnected this year. Gabby Miller and Claire Richardson, I’m so thankful for our friendship even though we don’t talk as much as we may like to. Thank you for being so easy to talk to and for a fun time at Homecoming. Brinley Struyk, I’m so thankful we’ve remained so close, and I’m thankful for our humor that leaves us laughing for hours that no one else will ever understand. Rylie Radde, thank you for being such a light in my life, and for having such a huge heart for others. Lani Quach, even though we won’t be tennis partners this year, I’m thankful you are one of the first people I get to see every morning in first hour. Vinod Rajakrishna, thank you for the most random conversations and for simply getting me. Caroline Bell, thank you for the walks to our online classes and for being able to navigate the online class experience with me. Kate Sherman, thank you for making me laugh every single day; I can always count on you to make something frustrating a lot more enjoyable. Joy Song, your name speaks for itself; thank you for radiating happiness to everyone around you. Julianna Hahn, thank you for simply being fun to be around and for always having a story to tell. Samantha Franklin, thank you for sharing your thoughts on everything in Lit, and in Bio thank you for helping me understand what I am missing. Hannah Duprey, thank you for being able to relate to everything going on in our crazy second hour and helping me with stats when I get completely lost.
My tireless teachers—for being patient with high schoolers
Mrs. Penninga, thank you for making AP Lit be the perfect first hour to start off my day in a way that is calm. Mrs. Will, thank you for giving AP Statistics so much energy every single day and for truly giving your students the benefit of the doubt. Mr. Scholten, thank you for making Human Anatomy my favorite class last year, and thank you for being such an understanding and genuinely nice teacher. Mr. Belsito, for greeting me every time I walk into the online room with a “good morning” and a “welcome.” Mrs. Richardson, thank you for pushing us to do our best and for teaching us that our grades don’t define us as long as we are learning. And also thank you for letting us go for walks sometimes to clear our minds. Mr. George, thank you for helping me with not only every aspect of my writing, including my college essay, but also for genuinely caring about every student that walks into your room.