As I stand on the runway to my future, I have this lasering focus that drives me forward with an impulsive desire to sculpt my life into the richness of happiness. There are many people, lessons, and achievements that have led me to where I am today and the person that I will become in the future.
Taking a couple steps back from this runway, I see my senior year filled with so many memories and the most dedicated teachers. I am so thankful for each and everyone of them who have helped shape me.
I am thankful for the four amazing women, Jamie, Janette, MaryAnn, and Alyssa, in the SDC class that I help tutor. Not only are they teaching the students with special needs on campus, but they are guiding figures of inspiration and resilience. The knowledge and friendships gained with the students in this class have brought me such joy and compassion. From the loud Spanish music the students play, the dancing, to the progress that I have witnessed first hand. I am also thankful for my conversations with Mr. Q, he was always the person I could unveil my frustration in soccer to and the person I could get skillful advice from. Everyone in this class and the neighboring SDC class has a special place in my heart and will be the place I learned to spread equity and advocate for others.
I will remember Mr. Machnik’s very enthusiastic tone every morning when I entered class. It always sounded somewhat like this, “Heyyy how’s it going” or “How’d the game go yesterdayyy?” I am sure those of you who have him can read this in his exact tone. I remember trying to get him to go to our soccer games and the first game he went to I scored! After switching from the girls basketball games to ours, he was able to capture my goal and guess what he said the next morning. “Masiii, I saw your goal last nighttt!” Mr. Machnik’s very spirited personality and relatability made me realize that we need more teachers like him who make students happy to go to class.
Mr. Filkins’ classroom will be the place of shared laughter and comfort. It’s the place my friends and I share our lunch and conversations with one another. Through all the chaos in that classroom, I am going to miss the sense of family-like gathering. We eat, talk, and laugh together. If you ever feel alone or want to conversate with others, head over there. The environment in that classroom is full of friendship, humor, and smiles. I’m going to miss spending lunch there with friends.
I am so very thankful for Mr. Terán that words can simply not suffice. His class has not only been one of the only, if not the only class that I have truly had difficulty with. However, because of that, it has brought out this work ethic in me and a sense of dedication in me to always try. I am always reminded of this in his class with the poster on his cabinet that says “Growth Mindset.” A growth mindset is what sets you up for success. Along with that poster, there are many others that fill the walls that I am going to miss. The genuine curiosity they bring me about immigration or GPA and the questions they pose will always spark my thoughts. I am going to miss the flipped classroom setting because it truly makes a difference in how a student learns. Mr. Terán’s class will always be the place I felt most at home. The culture we share and the eagerness of finding explanations as to why the world is the way it is will be cherished. I thank him for the time he let me have a cry because of how stressed I was with life and the encouragement he brings everyday to class. I’m always going to miss the blasting Beyoncé music from outside the door, always.
Now, Mr. Castle, the teacher who I have had for four years, which included English and Clarion. I will always remember him as the teacher with the little circle glasses, but most of all as the teacher who let me write stories apart from the AP rubric and who exposed me to a leadership role as Co-Editor in Chief. I remember walking timidly into class sophomore year into Clarion, seeing Christmas lights wrapped around the room and a blue sky with clouds on the wall. I was in a room with the best students in the school and the most creative ones too. Those who make words come off a page, seamlessly making a story come to life. To think that many friendships were gained because of this class is so heartening. However, now sitting in this class for the last time, it has brought me to tears. I’m going to see those Christmas lights for the last time one day and the blue sky with clouds for the final time. I’m going to miss it.
To those on this runway of life, I only wish you luck and happiness. High school can be difficult, but you have to surround yourself with people you love and teachers who have your back. Pick the ones who spread inspiration, the ones who make you happy to go to class, the ones who spark your mind, and the ones who you’ve given you years worth of knowledge.
As I stand on this runway, I see my journey of all those who have been a part of it. I will be continuing this journey at Cal State Fullerton’s School of Nursing. Out of four thousand applicants for the pre-licensure nursing program, two hundred were selected for an interview, and only forty were admitted. I was one of them. I will be getting my Bachelor of Science in Nursing and become a Registered Nurse.
Soon, I will reach the end of that runway and see how far I’ve gone to get there. I hope to continue my education in becoming a Nurse Practitioner where I can spread inspiration, equity, and compassion for all of my patients in the near future.
