For me one of the most defining aspects of high school entails my teachers and the influence they have on me. I wanted to use my senior god bye to recognize and thank the teachers and friends that connected with me and took the time to help me grow as a student and person.

By far my favorite class at Bowie was my 7th period rhetoric class. There I learned what it takes to be a successful college student, how to set high boundaries for myself, and how to cross those boundaries. Mr. Flick was a large part of that in that he never treated us like children. We were always his equals and capable of more than what society labels us as. Thank you for letting us be ourselves and appreciating each and everyone of your students.

I met Ms. Stiles for the first time this year but she has been one of the most influential teachers. She cares unconditionally for her students and makes it a point to help us succeed with her “growth mindset” lessons. I am so thankful to have been in your statistics class and to have gotten to know you. You truly deserve the “Teacher of the Year” title.

Newspaper has been a big source of my happiness in high school. I made friends with people that I probably wouldn’t be friends with if I wasn’t in the class because our other extracurriculars are different. Reeves created an environment where we’re free to express our opinions and creativity. Thank you for encouraging us to make a difference in the world.

My “third off buds,” I’m grateful for our Juiceland runs and car ride jams. Thank you for being unapologetically embarrassing. To “Violet’s Flowers,” thank you for being such good people and helping me to always see the silver lining. And lastly, to anyone I was friends with or met throughout the four years of high school, thank you for making my days brighter.

To my parents, thank you for loving me no matter what and for constantly pushing me in to do my best in all that I pursue.

High school has given me the opportunity to explore different career avenues and hobbies and discover where my passions lie. As my childhood comes to an effective end I’m nostalgic of all the memories I’ve made and the new people I’ve gotten to know. Growing apart from my friends will be the hardest part of this new journey, but I’m super excited to start this new chapter.