As graduation approaches, it’s starting to sink in. “We’re really about to leave high school behind,” says Kimoralyn Jackson. Some of us are counting down the days, while others are trying to soak in every last moment. Everyone’s headed somewhere different. College, the workforce, the military, or even just a well-deserved break. DeAndra? She’s heading to Bethune-Cookman University this fall, and even though she is excited for what’s next, she states that it’s a mix of emotions.
High school was not always easy. According to DeAndra, “I’d be lying if I said it was all sunshine and perfect grades. There were days I struggled to even show up.” It’s easy for people to talk about school shaping them into who they are, but for her, it was more about learning how to push through when everything felt too heavy. She learned that she has to stay on track because once you fall behind, it’s hard to catch up. DeAndra also learned not to give up on herself so quickly because “you really never know how close you are to the finish line.”
School didn’t magically turn her into someone new, but it did teach her about resilience. It showed her how strong she is, even when she didn’t feel it. And maybe that’s enough of a transformation for now.
What Ms. Gray will miss the most isn’t something you can put on a transcript. It’s the connections, the people who made those long days bearable. The friends she laughed with in the halls, the teachers who actually cared about her as a person, the silly inside jokes, and the moments that felt small back then but matter so much now. That’s the stuff DeAndra will carry with her.
I’ll also carry the version of me who made it through. The girl who cried, pushed through late nights, and still showed up, she deserves credit too. We don’t always give ourselves enough recognition for surviving what nobody else sees. That quiet kind of strength? That’s real.
Looking ahead, DeAndra knows college will come with its own challenges. But she’ll also know she’s walking in stronger, wiser, and more grounded than she ever was before. Although Ms. Gray may not have everything figured out, she will soon be ready to grow, to learn, and to finally start writing the next chapter of her life with her own pen.
As the seniors all go their separate ways, DeAndra hopes they remember the lessons they’ve all learned, even the hard ones. “We’re taking more than just backpacks and diplomas, we’re carrying growth, memories, and the strength we didn’t know we had,” says Jahaira Flores. “High school may not have been perfect, but it was ours. And now, it’s time to take what we’ve learned and go build something new with hope, heart, and a little bit of courage,” says Kimoralyn Jackson.
