Dear Verrado High School, 

My middle school teachers always told me that high school would be on a whole new level. To be frank, it wasn’t. The only difference was that kids were older, and you didn’t have to walk in a straight, single-file line when walking through the hallways. I swear my teachers lied to us about that. But one thing that was consistent with what they told me was that “high school will open new doors for you.” And they were right! I had many new opportunities to make friends, learn new subjects, and broaden my (at the time) poor artistic skills.

Looking back at my old drawings, I can see that taking art classes in high school truly helped with my skills. The improvement is astronomical, and it gives me hope that I might be able to pursue an art career in the future. That is, when I’m ready, of course. While my high school experience did give me better art and social skills, I’m afraid it still didn’t give me a set path for afterward. So that brings me to another question. “What happens next?”… Yeah. Don’t ask me that. 

On another note, I look forward to graduation on the 21st! Though I know it will most likely be a tear-jerking experience, I still look forward to seeing my friends and fellow seniors succeed. I don’t know what plans my friends have for after graduation, but all I can hope for is the best. They deserve it! So if any of my friends end up reading this, I want you to know that you guys are great! You guys helped me get through high school, and I’m forever grateful for each and every one of you!

Enough of the cheesy talk. This assignment is dreadful. But it’s worth it because now I get to thank Mrs. Studts for significantly making my senior year fun! I originally joined journalism because I thought it would be similar to creative writing. When I found out it was for the school newspaper, I almost dropped the class. Now I’m glad that I didn’t. Writing for the paper has provided opportunities to meet new people and get myself out there! That, and the satisfaction you get from seeing my articles on Viper Times made it even more worthwhile. So thank you again, Mrs. Studts, for being a great teacher! And thank you for allowing me to draw in the class as well. The creative freedom you gave me and the feedback from you made me feel more confident in my art skills!

Hopefully, with that newfound confidence, I can bring myself to apply to Huntington University in Peoria. I hope that my experience here at Verrado High School is enough to prepare me for later! I’m wishing myself and others the best of luck in the future! I hope you’re more prepared than I am! Thank you, Verrado for teaching us along the way! Now for my fellow Seniors… Go and get ’em, Vipers!