By Jackie Ruiz, Editor
As this school year comes to an end, I am left thinking about all of the good memories I’ve made and how I’ve stepped out of my comfort zone.
This year was full of laughs, smiles, and tears that made it one of the most memorable years I’ve ever had.
The teachers I’ve learned from and the friends I’ve made make me not want to leave, but the summer ahead looks promising and exciting.
I honestly didn’t expect to face as many obstacles as I have in the beginning of this year.
My schedule was a whirl when we came back to school and I was taking a CNA nursing class that really pushed me to work hard and not give up.
It was hard to not give in and quit, but I’m glad I didn’t because I met people that I will never forget. I learned how to take care of people who couldn’t do it for themselves.
The nursing class taught me that everyone deserves to be respected, treated with honesty, and cared for.
All of my teachers have taught me that no matter what career we go into, we all have the perseverance to do well and achieve our goals. It’s whether we decide to use our skills and talents that help decide if we will be successful.
I’ve made accomplishments that I’m proud of and I’ve made mistakes that I’ve learned from, but most importantly I enjoyed having the opportunity to stand by friends that mean the world to me.
I’ve never been the person to hang out with a lot of people outside of school, but this year I stepped out of my comfort zone.
Bianca Nieves, Olivia Shultz, Dena Fishell, and Jade Thompson are the people I want to thank the most for teaching me that it’s okay to let loose once in a while.
We’ve been to countless ice cream places, gone to homecoming together and danced until we couldn’t feel our feet, watched movies in our basements, and have gone to football games.
I remember one football game in particular where my friends and I met at Olivia’s house, made posters, put on makeup, and tried to dress by theme so that we could cheer the Islanders on. Most of the time, we were more focused on talking to each other than the game, but it was still a ton of fun.
We’ve gone through heartbreaks, good times, and bad times together that have made us closer.
They taught me that you can’t always please everyone and that there are people who you can count on when you need help.
Without them, I don’t think I would have enjoyed this year as much as I have.
Being in newspaper was the class I was most familiar with and one that I hope I will continue to love for a long time.
Instructor Roger Holsinger taught me that everyone has a story to tell and I’m grateful that I had the opportunity to write for the newspaper with his help.
Writing has always been a part of my life and being able to share that with others has been an amazing experience so far.
I started writing for The Independent this year and have gotten the opportunity to continue to write columns for them. It has taught me a lot about the writing process and how to manage my time better. I can’t wait to see how much I improve next year.
I’m also looking forward to summer because I will finally be able to take a much needed break from school and testing.
It’ll give me some time to relax, look for a job, and spend more time with friends and family.
I plan to spend my days at the pool, eating cold ice cream, and enjoying the hot sun. I also hope to have some time to read and write.
My parents were thinking about going on vacation this summer for two weeks. We haven’t settled on a place to go yet, but our options are California or Florida.
My sister really wants to go to Florida, but I would be happy with either choice as long as there is good food to eat and an ocean to look at.
I want to let upcoming juniors know that getting good grades for scholarships and colleges are a good idea, but don’t forget to enjoy high school as well. Grades are important, but so is having fun and joining clubs and activities that you will really enjoy.
I hope that when I look at this year down the road, I can say that I learned the importance of not giving up and I hope I can say that I enjoyed my high school experience.
I learned that I won’t be perfect at everything that I do, but I don’t have to be and that’s okay. High school is all about experimenting, trying new things, getting out of your comfort zone, and meeting new people.
I learned a lot this year and hope to continue learning new things about myself and the people around me as I become a senior next year.
The Islander 