If you asked a teenager who has grown up in Avon Lake to describe it, mostly likely somewhere in their description they would throw in the word “boring.” Growing up, I thought the same thing too. There just never seemed to be anything to do in Avon Lake that was worth our precious, non-refundable time. Maybe it was the fact that we were incapable of driving anywhere without our parents as chaperones, or because we thought the best place in the area to hangout was in front of the movie theater in Crocker Park, but Avon Lake has a reputation as a boring bubble that shelters its adolescents from the real world. Now that those of us who have spent practically all of our lives in A.L. can look back on our teenage days here, we can now realize that a lot of us just simply did not appreciate what a wonderful place we lived in.

I feel that I can speak for most when I say that the environment that you grow up in is one of the biggest influences of how we all “turn out.” Although Avon Lake is typically described as sheltering, and in some ways it is, I think we should all be grateful that we grew up in such a place. We could have had horrible schools, felt endangered while walking down the street, and have witnessed crime on a daily basis. Instead, we were able to ride our bikes safely to elementary school, fundraise for various school functions by walking door-to-door without feeling worried, and enjoy amazing sports programs that so many kids took advantage of.

Without the strong sense of community that one feels while living in Avon Lake, we would not have been able to grow up the way that we did. And seeing the way in which we were raised in such a community, one can see that we are reflecting the values that we have been taught in Avon Lake in the real world. Practically every day when I get on Facebook, I see at least one update about a new internship, a new career opportunity, or a successful relationship from someone who has grown up in Avon Lake. It is so awesome to see how growing up in Avon Lake has truly shaped the way we have become adults. There are so many children in this country who cannot experience the simple joys of childhood that are available to us in Avon Lake. What I am really trying to say is that we should feel so grateful to have grown up in such a safe, familial community. Sheltered? Maybe. Beneficial? Definitely.

Now that I have had the amazing opportunity to go away to college, I have come to truly understand how blessed I am to have been brought up in such an amazing little suburb. There is something about being away at school that makes anyone miss home, but I think that all of us who come home after a month or two away from good ol’ A.L. can say that despite the struggles of adjusting back to home life, we are all excited to come back to our beloved suburb. Between the excellent school district, the beautiful view of Lake Erie, and the overall familial atmosphere, I think once we all reflect on our time in Avon Lake, we can all be grateful to have grown up here. So here's to you, our little city of Avon Lake! We will always be thankful for you!