My time at Freedom High School is coming to an end. I’ve had the privilege of attaining a great high school education, and I have to believe that is largely due to many of the teachers I’ve had during my last four years. That being said, I’d like to thank some certain people:

Ms. Steele,

You don’t teach here anymore, but when you did, there was no student that disliked you. You always took the time to really know the kids you taught, and you constantly showed what a compassionate person you are. Thank you for helping me through some tough times, for being understanding of the reasons why my essays might have been late, and always checking in to see how was I doing. You are truly are one of the most caring people I’ve met, and I’m lucky to have had you two years in a row.

Ms. Speirs,

The first time I walked into your class, fourth block, 2016, I thought you looked like Luna Lovegood. As I got to know you, I realized you’re definitely more of a Ron Weasley. There was never a boring moment in your class and you somehow managed to make Macbeth entertaining. When I was tired and overstressed from other classes, you’d talk with me about makeup and TV shows and anything that might make me feel a little less like it was the end of the world. As someone who dyes their hair constantly, I was always jealous of how nice yours looked, and I always feel compelled to compliment it in the hallways. I’m sorry I didn’t keep in better contact; there are lots of things I’d like to have discussed with you.

Ms. Caulfield,

You managed to make an English person adore Chemistry, which I view as quite the feat. I’ll admit, in the beginning, I was really struggling. Things just weren’t clicking, and I probably wasn’t putting in as much effort as I should have been. Thankfully, you took the time to talk with me, and figure out what was going on. Because you cared so much, not just about my grades, but actually learning the material, I was able to get the help I needed. I was also able to motivate myself to put in the effort I truly needed to, and soon, I was making As on most of the assignments. Thank you for having some faith in me, thank you for teaching in a way that didn’t make me feel dumb, and thank you for being one of the best teachers I’ve ever had.

Mr. Mulhern,

The first thing I remember talking to you about was heavy metal music, so I feel like we started off on a pretty good foot. History can easily be a boring subject, especially when most of it is simply relaying facts, but I have to say, I always enjoyed listening to your retellings. You asked how I was doing every time you saw me, and have continued to do so through my junior and senior year. You even check up on my older brother, despite the fact that he often fell asleep during class. I’ll always remember your kindness, and appreciate the fact that because of you, I actually know some things about history.

Ms. H-Y,

You probably already know this, but you’ve definitely been my favorite teacher this year. I knew you would be my favorite the first class I had you, when we talked about Marvel and Harry Potter and a bunch of other nerdy things we both freak out about. You helped me with all sorts of issues I had while applying to colleges, and you were always so understanding when I missed work or school due to personal problems. You calmed me down when I was nervous about not getting into my dream school, and when I finally received my admission letter to Syracuse, you were one of the first people I wanted to tell. Thank you for always brightening my day, and always making me feel like I’m cared for. I’ll definitely miss you.

Mr. Gibson,

A lot of teachers want to deny that most students are ungrateful for the education we’ve received, for the area we live in, and for the opportunities we’ve been given. Thankfully, you’ve never done such, and because you’ve refused to spare our feelings, I’ve been humbled over this past year. I’ve also realized that it’s both lazy and stupid to pretend that I, and most of my fellow classmates, can’t make a substantial change just because we’re young. Because of you, I hate government just a little less, and believe me, that was not an easy thing to do.

At the end of the day, I might be a pretty unremarkable student, but you’ve all had pretty remarkable impacts on my lives. Thank you for making these past four years more than worth it, and doing all you could to prepare me for the next chapter in my life.