What is it like to grow up in a small school? It's something I take pride in and have always been proud of. It means taking pride in representing your school. It means we're always the underdog. It means no one expects anything out of us. It means living to defy the odds. It means always being there for anyone in need. Growing up in a small school is unlike any other experience and something I wouldn't trade for the world.

Growing up in a small school means knowing someone is always there for you. When people refer to small schools, they often think of the phrase “everyone knows everyone." That is very true but not only does everyone know everyone, but we also know a lot about each other.

Naturally, we develop lifelong friendships, some will fade after graduation but some will never die. No matter where life takes us, we always have a home to come back to. Whenever things get rough, we always have a family that will have our back. We have friends that will always be a text away. We support each other, we celebrate each other's success, and pick each other up during the toughest times. We are united as one and when one falls, we all feel it. We always know that we have each other when we need a shoulder to cry on and we stand hand in hand ready to take on anything.

Growing up in a small school means living to defy the odds. No matter what we do, it seems as if the bar is set low for us. Thanks to our coaches and teachers, we've learned that we can destroy that bar and overcome life's greatest obstacles.

I'm not exactly referring to academics and sports but to life in general. When you grow up in a small school, you become one with your class, teachers, teams, and coaches. Teachers and coaches treat their students and players as if they were their own kids. Your classmates and teammates become your second family, and honestly, your school becomes your second home. Sometimes we can't wait to get out but we know that one day we're all going to miss it.

Most importantly, growing up in a small school means you have pride. It's being proud of your roots even when no one has heard of us. A lot of us aren't afraid to go all out on spirit days, get crazy at games, let loose at school dances, or have all the fun you can at all student activities. We all know and love each other, so why be ashamed of it? We make the most out of everything because we know that our high school experience is not like any other school.

Never be ashamed of where you come from. Very few are able to experience what it's truly like to grow up in a small school. It's unlike any other high school experience, so make the most of it.