TCT’s The Countless Thanks 2021: Jadelin Hinkel
Ben Ruffer –
You’ve been by my side since freshman year when we finally became best friends after we
shared the bond of hating Chinese 1. Even though I was not exactly the kindest person in fifth grade, you showed kindness to me in middle school and what seemed to be begrudgingly agreed to take on a friend freshman year. I can’t thank you enough for being my built-in Uber whenever I need it, even if you have a car full of siblings (even though I pay you back in cookies and candy). I always enjoyed the time we spent in the parking lot last year, tossing a bag of jelly beans back and forth between our windows because you didn’t want to take them as payment for whatever I needed you to do that week. Thank you for always being someone I can turn to whenever I need to and letting me annoy the crap out of you from 7 a.m. till midnight.
Ellie, my best friend. I can’t thank you enough for all you do for me. You just being in my life is sometimes all I need; without you, I would’ve absolutely made some choices that wouldn’t have made my life the way it is now. I can’t express how much you mean to me with just words. Just the simplest of times we spend together are always fun—like the car ride jam sessions we had right before band camp or the endless amounts of paint we used for spirit days, and let’s not forget the painful calf slaps we gave each other in the parking lot, trying to get the perfect handprints for each and every spirit day we have together. You and your family mean the world to me, I will always be there for you and the rest of the McDowell family. Even if it’s as simple as getting you some chocolate milk and cookies from Meijer sent to you through Doordash.
Will Hoffmann –
My cartwheel buddy! Even though I initially thought you were a freshman, we have still had some good times together. From bonding over our insane parents’ phone rules to cartwheeling across the dance circle together, we have definitely had some fun times together. You might not know this, but I really do enjoy the friendship we have. It’s something that I will always remember. You became the sarcastic friend I never knew I needed. Thank you for letting me tease you whenever I want and for teasing me right back. You’re almost like a younger brother figure to me, which is something that I’ve always wanted, and now, I have a wonderfully annoying little brother. Thank you for filling my life with sarcasm and snarkiness and for not hitting me with your trombone almost all marching season. Lastly, thank you for doing the countdown till Christmas with me and sending me a new adjective every day. If you don’t give me my poem on Christmas Eve, I’ll be devastated.
Dominic DeStefano –
Where do I even start? We’ve been friends since middle school, from texting for hours while you drive down to South Carolina, to dressing up your dog, Tina, in a shark costume on Halloween. I can’t express how thankful I am for you; through thick and thin, you’ve stuck by my side. You’re one of the very few people I’ve always been able to talk to. Thank you for always taking time out of your day when I’m not feeling well to talk for hours and taking me out on fry dates. I’m so happy you’ve stuck by my side all these years, I can’t imagine my life without you.
Although you might not know this, I do truly appreciate you and how well we get along. Getting to read your stories all year is honestly so fantastic, I love reading everything you write. I aspire to give my stories as much of my voice as you do. You’re one of the very few people who can bring their voices out and make it seem like I’m in a direct conversation with you. Thank you for sitting next to me these last two months, giving me someone to listen and relate to all throughout sixth hour.
Mr. Manders –
Thank you so much for accepting me into FX this year, even though I wasn’t initially in the class prior to school starting. You believe in my desire to pursue communications in the future, and that reassures me and makes me believe that I can make it in the industry. Without taking film projects last year, I never would have found my passion for editing and filmmaking; I would’ve never found that passion within myself if it wasn’t for you pushing us throughout the year. Thank you for being one of the very few good parent-teacher conferences this year and for being someone who truly believes I can make it.
Mr. Reaume –
Thank you for being such a vibe at band camp. You offered us humor nearly every day when you marched in your Birkenstocks with the iconic iced coffee in your hands; thank you for the comic relief that we needed throughout those dreadful mornings, not to mention being the most chill section coach and student-teacher we could
ever ask for. You do not know how much it meant to us when you let us just sit down for a quick five-minute power nap after hours of marching in the sun all morning. You’re such a trooper when it comes to us yelling ‘Hey, Mr. Reaume… Hey, Mr. Reaume… TAKE OFF YOUR SHOE!’ And of course, taking off your shoe. You always make first hour something I look forward to, with the little remarks you make all throughout class. Thank you once again for helping us along the way with everything, including offering for me to redo my chair test after I butchered it.
The McDowell Family-
You’re all like my second family; you treat me as if I was one of your other daughters. Thank you for letting me come over almost whenever I ask, even if it’s just sitting in the driveway catching ants with Meg and Addie. You guys always make me feel like I’m special to all of you guys. Thank you for allowing me to borrow Ellie and letting me be a part of your amazing family.
The Clarinet Family –
Hey kids, you all are one of the main reasons I didn’t completely leave the band this last year. The friendships that we form just within a small group of clarinet-loving dorks is something that I’ve loved to be a part of every year since I was a freshman. Building friendships with all of you guys over the years has meant a lot to me. All of you are going to do great things. Thank you for being my section family this year and letting me get to know all of you.
Senior Clarinet Family Members –
Morgan Young and Jena Detweiler, we made it! We surpasse
d our last marching season of high school together, although our freshman class initially came in with six clarinet players and only three remain. I’m just grateful that I was able to spend these last years with you two. From starting out as meek little freshmen, to now dominating the band with an iron fist because of the power we hold, I couldn’t imagine my last marching season without my section wife, Jena, and our fun uncle, Morgan.
Band Seniors –
From yelling at Mr. DeStefano ‘Hey Mr. D… Ah!’ to us sobbing while listening to the final notes of “Piano Man” for the last time, to us all getting sick our freshman year due to the storm we stood in for an hour while watching the seniors practiced their senior walk. We have been together for al
most six years now, mind-blowing, I know. Now, here we are, three and a half years later, with great calves from marching our butts off every year. It’s going to be hard to separate once we’re officially done with high school, but we have all been together for so long that I won’t forget the time we’ve spent through the years. You guys have become my dysfunctional band family, and I wouldn’t trade that for the world. Thank you for not completely hating me after I dropped the class for a semester last year, you all mean a lot to me, and these last three and a half years have meant so much.
The Central Trend peeps
Liza, you will probably be editing this prior to posting. Thank you for being someone who I can talk to, you’re one of the very few people I don’t dislike—which is very rare. You have been one of the longest friends I
’ve had, since first grade. Man, it’s been a long time, and we’ve gotten so
old. How did we go from playing Dr. Mario in gym class to stressing over our AP Statistics homework so quickly? Thank you for being an amazing friend. Hey, Addy, Kiera, and Eva, thanks for allowing me into your little circle of friends this last year when I didn’t have many. You guys included me in your conversations, trying to make me feel like I was one of you, even though we all knew I wasn’t. Thank you for including me when I didn’t have many people to talk to. Joel, thank you for being the voice of reason Ellie and I need when we’re distracting you from your writing. It’s so much fun bugging you all night long while we rave about famous guys who we find attractive and have our own side conversations while you are asking us about how to properly write a feature. Thank you for just being there while Ellie and I do our thing.