To my dear alma mater and teachers,

I am writing this letter as an engineering student about to start her last semester of college, and I honestly want to say thank you. In college, I have met many people who hated their high schools, and were bitter about their teachers, their curriculum, and the whole atmosphere.

However, I will never feel the same. The prison-esque building that housed Murray High School was my second home for four years. You see, I was no ordinary Murray student; I was a refugee from a school that would have taken away my identity, where I would have become just a number in a sea of students who excelled academically, but not athletically. You welcomed me in with open arms, an awkward freshman who had never transferred schools before, and turned me into a confident woman who was ready to take on the world.

I found my niche in the extracurriculars you sponsored: Academic Team, French Club, Future Problem Solving (this has helped IMMENSELY in engineering school), and Beta Club. You sent me to United Space School, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, to step out of my comfort zone and learn about the space industry while making dozens of friends from around the world; now I am hoping to give back to this program.

You pushed me through curriculums I had previously hated: English, biology, history...and taught me a love and appreciation for each one (do you know how much I would love a good history class in college?). I came out of high school knowing how to accept new ideas, how to write papers, how to handle stress (LOL), and most importantly, how to fail. Yes, you read that right.

When I was only 8 years old, I wanted to go to Massachusetts Institute of Technology. When my senior year of high school rolled around, you were my biggest cheerleaders. You wrote my recommendation letters, gave me advice, and helped me decide on a career. In March of my senior year, I got the biggest soul-crushing news of my lifetime: my dream school had rejected me. Yet, somehow, you encouraged me and reminded me that it would be okay. You continued to write recommendations for scholarships and made sure I kept working hard, even though the disappointment, coupled with senioritis, was eating at my motivation.

Today, I am looking at the last semester of engineering school with delight. I've made it! I have a great internship, have traveled to Germany, and am planning a wedding. Life is looking pretty good right about now.

I made a lot of friends at Murray High (even met my fiancé there), but I know that I wouldn't be where I am today if it weren't for my wonderful high school teachers.

Thank you all for believing in me,

Alex C.

MURRHIH '13

Murray State '17

acarney@murraystate.edu