It's over, high school, your classes are over, the lockers are empty, the halls are silent and your cap and gown sit on your bedroom dresser neat and folded. It feels unreal. The last 12 years of life have suddenly gone by in a flash. Elementary memories, middle school crushes, high school drama it's all over once and for all. The first chapter of our lives has closed.

Now it's time for our grad parties. Time to enjoy our final summer with friends and family, the final moments with loved ones before we step up to college or into big and better things. Let's not close the book so fast. Take some time to stop and reminisce about life. What have these past 12 years in school taught you? See how far have you come? All the people you've met and grown with and that have transformed your life from then until now and on into the future.

To all my teachers who have been in my life during these years, thank you! Thank you for making me do my homework, thanks for making me stop and think instead of hastily deciding. A special thank to my middle school teachers. I was the new kid who had no friends and didn't seem to fit in but you guys helped me feel at home you brought me into the school family. Thanks for the teachers who stayed after school to help me do projects or talk about life. Thanks to those of you who made it a goal to see me smile and happy as can be! I would never have thought school would be so fun and crazy as it has been! I am so happy to have experienced so much and to have such awesome teachers!

To my friends whether current or past you guys have gotten me through some of the toughest times of my life. When I felt like I was alone you each were there for me. When I was sad you guys kept me in your prayers. So thank you for being here for me, it's been a privilege to see how much I've grown closer to all of you and how we all have been on our own personal journeys and still on one big journey together. You guys are all the best and I am so excited to see where your lives take you in this next chapter as well! Good luck to all of you!!

To my family, it's been rough and not always pretty. We fight, we laugh, we cry and we smile. My final year here. My final days at home with each one of you. The final time I'll be here to say happy birthday to each of and the final time I'll have you guys around to wish me a happy birthday too. But you guys have been the foundation for me. My faith has grown and flowered into a beautiful thing because you each put time in effort into loving me and protecting me and putting me first when I was struggling. I love each one of you!

This short article can't say enough or speak to everyone who is a part of my life but I can at least say thank you for being a part of my life. Whether it was from one memory or from lots of times. Maybe it was the hikes we've been on or the drive-in movies, maybe it was late night food runs or staying up until 3 a.m. on the phone when I needed somebody. I'm me because of all of you! Thank you all for being part of the story in this chapter of my life!

To the future, may everyone find what they love and make the best of every opportunity. You are all incredible and talented people and there is so much ahead for each and every single one of you!