The world around me that I once knew is about to be completely different; the faces I surrounded myself with will change.
The last 12 years of my life have been dedicated to learning new environments, whether educationally or socially. I have had teachers who taught me things much more than what was on the curriculum, and for that, I am so thankful.
Mr. George:
Although I have only known you this school year, there is no doubt in my mind that you changed me. You taught me how to put everything in my heart and mind onto paper, which ended up being a great form of expression for me. Even outside of TCT, I have used the writing techniques you have taught me to write so much more than just stories. I won’t go into the exact details of such, but it helped me dramatically. I never knew before how to form the words for the things that I was going through, especially not through alternative meanings. With your help, I was able to lyrically express the things I was going through without anyone knowing the true meanings behind my words. Thank you so much for showing me the power of words.
Mr. Ivory:
You have shown me how to build myself up with the help of others. No matter what the situation, you always have something to say, even if you probably shouldn’t say it. You are one of the most genuine people I have ever met. I wouldn’t love music nearly as much as I do now if it weren’t for your classes. I’ve spent the last four years with you, and I’m so glad that I did. Although I wasn’t nearly as confident in myself as I am now, you still believed in me and my abilities. I will never forget the time at my Central Singers audition when I completely messed up the key. You told me, “If you didn’t realize that you messed up, you would’ve had no chance of getting in.” and I truly thought that I butchered the entire thing. Lo and behold, I got in with the horrible audition because you believed that I could do much more. I thank you for taking a chance on me. Thank you so much for teaching me to love the art of singing.
Mrs. Anderson:
I do not know where to start this. When I was in my first year of ASL, everyone was scared of you, I wasn’t. I always knew that I would grow to love where I was in your classroom, and I was right. Being with you for the last four years has changed me so much more than just linguistically. Anytime I started to break down at school, you were there to listen, give me a hug, and tell me that everything would be okay. I went through so much at the end of sophomore year, and you were there to listen whenever I needed to just talk. Even when I didn’t want to verbally speak, I was able to communicate with you through the things you taught me. Before you, I wasn’t as expressive as I am now. I hated showing any emotion because I thought people were gonna think I was weird; you broke me out of that. You showed me how important not only your internal emotions are but also your external ones. Mrs. A, you paved the way for everything I ever hoped I would be and much more than that. Without you, I wouldn’t have a way not only to express myself but also to communicate with those around me who might need it. I have used ASL so much since starting to learn it, much more than I ever thought I would. Thank you so much for building me into the person I have dreamed of.
Even if not mentioned, there have been so many other people who I could say goodbye to, but I don’t have the time and words to do so. Saying goodbye to the people who have shaped me into the person I am today has got to be one of the hardest things I have ever done.
I don’t want to leave, but I know I have to. I have built a life around this environment, comfortable enough that it feels like home. I never would’ve thought that leaving high school would be this hard for me, but I now know that it’s because of those who have made it this comfortable.
So, with my final words, this is goodbye to the world around me.
