Dear High School Experience,

I could say that you are one of the best things that has happened to me in my life. In many ways, you changed my life. The person who entered this school three years ago in sophomore year is one person, and the one who will walk across the stage on graduation day is another. 

Maybe I didn’t have the opportunity to study my freshman year in this country and didn’t have the full four-year high school experience, but even so, these last three years, from the day I arrived, I have enjoyed every moment and learned so many things that it’s hard to believe it’s about to end.

I have many things to be thankful for, but above all, I must thank the incredible Coral Glades High School for all the memories I take with me. There were many good things: I enjoyed every class I took immensely, I learned a lot, and also the school events like spirit weeks, pep rallies, homecoming, the competitions I attended, field trips, and more. Specifically, it is a school with an incredible team of teachers who help you build your future, its structure that I know by heart after walking through all its hallways, and above all, all the classmates it gave me who are now my great friends.

One of the best things high school gave me was my Newspaper class, which I had the honor of being in for two years. In this class, I made many friends, and I had many moments of laughter, but best of all, I had my best high school experience here, which was traveling to another state with friends. We went to Boston, and that trip is forever marked in my heart. I can’t express how grateful I am to Mrs. Hodge and the class for allowing me to take this trip that I loved so much. Those were days when everything was incredible, every moment was fun, and just thinking about the trip makes me nostalgic because I miss it a lot. Besides helping me improve my English writing, since it is my second language, teaching me to write articles, interview people, etc. Newspaper also taught me to enjoy the class, and to talk to new people who became my friends. Undoubtedly, thanks to this class, my high school experience was unforgettable.

What I would like most is to give a lot of advice to those who are about to experience this stage. To freshmen, I advise dedicating themselves 100% to their studies, not letting their GPA drop, taking honors and AP classes, and trying to earn the AICE Diploma. Join as many clubs and extracurricular activities, sports, etc., as possible. On the other hand, also enjoy this stage, go out with friends, and don’t say no to plans because before you know it, this stage will be over, and you will wish you had enjoyed it more. 

To juniors who are about to experience their last year of high school, I advise living every minute as if it were the last. In the blink of an eye, you will be walking across the stage. Never stop laughing and enjoying, as those are the moments you will carry in your heart and mind forever.

To conclude, it’s important to know that there are many good things in high school, but also bad. On the one hand, during this stage, I was very happy. I met people who made me smile, I learned a lot in every class, and every teacher gave me a life lesson. Many doors opened for future opportunities. But on the other hand, it’s no secret that it’s a difficult stage. Sometimes we are filled with fear because the time to become an adult is getting closer, and we keep thinking about our future. There is a lot of pressure to do everything perfectly and get accepted into a good university. Sometimes we might fail a test and feel sad, but the important thing is to learn from mistakes and move forward. Not everyone we meet is kind and has good intentions. Some people find it more difficult to make friends but believe me, everything comes at the right time. With a good attitude, being kind and good people, you will see that you can be happy during this stage. 

Thanks again, High School Experience, you will be in my heart forever…

Sincerely, Maria Vega, 12th grade student.