Dear Division Avenue High School,

Thank you for these past four years. They have been some of the greatest years of my life so far and I’m sure they always will be. Thank you for all of the opportunities you have given me. I have been able to pursue my passions, such as music and theatre, as well as hold leadership positions that have helped me become a better person. I have learned so much as well as felt as though I have taught others. Thank you for introducing me to some of the most amazing people I have ever met. Basically, thank you for everything.

I am so thankful for the fact that I have grown up in Levittown, and this side of Levittown, because Division Avenue High School has really opened so many doors for me and has pushed me to be my greatest self. First of all, the music department here is absolutely amazing and has made me into the musician I am today. Teachers like Mr. Bastone and Mr. Martufi have pushed me to learn and do as much in music as I possibly can. As I go off to college and minor in music, I feel completely prepared knowing that I have learned from the absolute best. In addition, the school’s musical productions, directed by Mr. Nolin and assisted by Ms. LoGiudice, have really pushed me to my limits. I went from being a minor role my sophomore year without any lines to singing and dancing in some of the most well known numbers of West Side Story my senior year. I would have never been able to accomplish this without Mr. Nolin or Ms. LoGiudice pushing me to continue to do better. The entire cast worked until we were dripping in sweat, gasping for air after dance numbers or waking up with sore throats after learning a new song.

I absolutely love being involved in theatre. I have met the best people and have had some of the best experiences of my life while participating. The cast of a show truly is a big family. I have met and grown so close with so many people because of this one activity. Many of the cast members of West Side Story this year, especially the underclassmen, actually called me “Mom.”

Whether I was driving them around for lunch breaks and hang outs, comforting them while they were nervous or doubting themselves, or encouraging them to always try their hardest, I always wanted to be a good influence on them so they could continue to help others and do their best after I graduated. Spending countless hours a week can really form those bonds. Blood, sweat, and tears literally went into these shows. I would go home and fall into bed because I was so exhausted but go back the next day ready to put in 110 percent because I knew what it would turn into. I love seeing our hard work pay off. Seeing the final product for those three show nights after the grueling five months of rehearsals is so rewarding. I never thought that I would be able to say that I sang and danced in front of 600+ people a night but I worked extremely hard and had the best mentors pushing me to get there. I vividly remember sobbing on closing night because I don’t think I’ll ever be able to find something quite like what we did together to put on these productions.

I will never forget what I learned from being involved in theatre; that spending countless hours with a group of people with the same passion as you can form great bonds and friendships, putting all of your energy towards a single activity can be tiring but immensely rewarding, and to push yourself because you are capable of anything you put your mind to. Without Division, I would have never had these experiences with theatre and I would most definitely not be the person I am today without it. Thank you for your appreciation and encouragement of the arts.

Division has shown me that I can be a successful and helpful leader. I have been an officer in Tri M Music Honor Society, World Language Honor Society, and National Honor Society. I now know that I am capable of leading a group of people and staying organized and responsible enough to go to meetings, keep everyone up to date on what we have to do, and make sure I am doing what I have to do to make everything run as smoothly as possible. In honor society, we had the opportunity to go to Summit Lane Elementary School twice with Junior Achievement and teach a class for a day. I wanted to be a teacher before this but it made me realize that I was capable of being the head of a classroom. Thank you for helping to prove to myself that I can be a successful leader in the future.

The people I have met here have changed my life forever. This is including the faculty and staff. I have learned so much from the teachers I have had here. I have been inspired by stories and lessons. They have supported me through good times and bad times. They aren’t only teachers. They are mentors. They are friends. I haven’t only learned about math, english and science. I have learned about life. I have learned from English class that bottling up your feelings can never be good for you, that we adjust to our surroundings to survive from biology. I have learned about other cultures, the arts, and probably anything else you could name. Thank you for teaching me everything I need to know as I move on to the next chapter of my life.

Along with meeting great faculty and staff, I have met the friends I plan on keeping in my life forever. Although I already knew and was even friends with some of them from elementary and middle school, high school is really where we formed our strong bond. Whether it be from marching band, play rehearsal, or even just having the same classes, we spend time together as much as possible. They have taught me about myself. They appreciate my strong points and help me through my weak ones. I have laughed until I cried with them. I have cried on their shoulders. I will never forget our many adventures, both big and small. Without Division bringing us together, I wouldn’t have these wonderful people in my life that I consider family. Thank you for my crazy, fun, loving friends.

High school isn’t all about the grades. It’s about the experiences. I believe I have taken every opportunity Division has given me to make these four years the best they could have possibly been. Everyone has been telling me that college schedules get pretty hectic, that you have to manage your time well, but I have already been doing that thanks to Division. I have had to balance school work, rehearsals, clubs, concerts, award ceremonies, work and seeing friends and family for the past four years. My mom keeps telling everyone that college will be a breeze for me since I have done everything in high school already, and she’s right. Thank you for preparing me for college, and the rest of my life.

Thank you Division. Thank you for everything. Thank you for pushing me to my limits. Thank you for everything you taught me. Thank you for encouraging me to continue to do everything I possibly can. Thank you for experiences I couldn’t have gotten anywhere else. Thank you for introducing me to the most extraordinary people in the world. Thank you for the past four years. Thank you, Division, for giving me something so hard to say goodbye to.