Congratulations Class of 2009, and good luck

When we were freshmen, graduation seemed like such a faraway thing. Getting our driving permits was still an important topic of conversation back then, and we could barely navigate our way to all our classes without getting lost. All the seniors seemed so old, and we didn’t know the meaning of the word “senioritis.”

But, we learned fast, and by the beginning of our sophomore year we were already complaining about how annoying the new freshmen were. We found out that attending Wasilla High School isn’t always a picnic. I mean, you walk into school in the morning and your ears are assaulted with the song Rawhide (thank you Mr. Probasco). Then, after rushing to escape the song, you could be stuck in your first hour classroom for six or so hours because of a bomb threat (not that we got sick of your class or anything, Mr. Jensen). Then when you finally can leave the building, you could be bombarded with volcanic ash from the sky.

We’ve been through some crazy things here at WHS. Really, though, I know that we’ve all grown as people in the past four years, and some of the most important things we learned weren’t found on the High School Qualifying Exam.

For instance, I learned to step out of my comfort zone and try new things. Trying a new sport, activity, or challenging class was intimidating, but it helped me find out new things about myself. I discovered that I can organize an event and lead a group of people. I discovered I can run eight miles without dying (thanks Howell). I discovered I can speak in front of all of you without fainting (so far anyway). I just hope that wherever life takes all of you, you’re not afraid to take a chance, because it may be the best thing you ever do.

As cliché as it sounds, I’ve also learned that “where there’s a will there’s a way.” We’ve all heard it before, but it’s true. There will always be an excuse as to why you can’t achieve something. “I don’t have enough time,” “I don’t have enough money,” or “I’m not good enough” are all common reasons we give to avoid pursuing a challenging goal. I don’t buy this though. I believe that If you want something bad enough, there is always a way to achieve it. Armed with the knowledge we’ve gained over the past 4 years, we are capable of doing anything we set our minds to.

Finally, I’m still learning that things change in life, for better or for worse, and we have to adapt. We all have changed, and none of us are the same people that walked through the front doors of Wasilla High for the first time four years ago. Just look at our town: In the past year, Wasilla has gone from being a dot on a map to a nationally prominent location because of WHS’s most famous graduate. And as if this exposure wasn’t enough, our school has been the focus of a German reality TV show this year, as a camera crew documented the life of one of our exchange students. So it really is no surprise that we have changed along with our surroundings. Inevitably, the people, priorities, perspectives, and plans in our lives are going to change. We are going to different universities and starting different careers. Some of us are staying close to home, while others are moving across the country. We have to be ready to accept these changes and any others that come our way. The changes we’ve experienced here have prepared us for such a task.

Even though our class is going its separate ways, we’ll always remember the things we learned here that no textbook can teach. We’ll always have our memories from these years: the mullets, the rap battles, the classy male Powder-puff cheerleaders. To our families: thank you for your support. To our teachers: thanks for everything you’ve taught us. To the faculty: thanks for keeping everybody in line. To the School District: Thanks for deciding to paint our school a color other than pink. And to my classmates: thanks for the good times. Good luck and congratulations Class of 2009!