A Final Letter From the Editor

One thousand, three hundred and eighty days. That’s how much time will have passed between  the first time I stepped into Gresham as a highschool freshmen to the time I will walk out of the gym as an alum. Now, only a handful of those days remain, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t take a minute to reflect on my time in high school at Galloway.

I don’t remember every detail about my first day of highschool. In fact, what stands out most isn’t school-related at all; it’s the cringeworthy pink pastel shorts I somehow thought were okay to wear on my first day. I was shy, nervous, and naive. Half the person I am now, both size and personality wise.

A lot has changed since then. I’m outgoing, well spoken, hardworking, and thankfully, I’ve ditched all bright pink shorts in favor of khakis. These changes didn’t occur overnight, they happened slowly. They happened in these hallways, these classrooms, with these teachers, and so many of these students I have come to know as friends. As the final days of my time as a Galloway student pass by, I’m overcome with emotions. I’m excited for what my future holds, but sad to leave the last four years in the rearview. I’m proud of my achievements, but nervous for the challenges that lie ahead. Through the joy, the sadness, the pride, and the nerves, one feeling stands out most. I feel ready.

I feel ready because of every teacher I’ve had in the last four years. Their doors have always been open to answer questions. Their support gave me the confidence to challenge myself. I was never afraid to struggle because when things didn’t come easy, I always had people there to help me untangle them. Even though I’m nervous to take my studies to the next level, I know I have gained the tools here that will help me continue to succeed, and that is thanks to my teachers. Teachers here  will last in my memory as much more than names on a schedule, but rather as peers with a genuine interest in my success in highschool and long beyond it.

I feel ready because of my friends. Being in such a small community, everyone gets to know each other extremely well. The friends I have made here I hope are friends long into the future. We’ve had great times and made great memories, and even though we might spread to almost every corner of the country next year, I have no doubt we’ll be right back at it when everyone returns to Atlanta again.

Lastly, and probably most importantly, I feel ready because of my family. It goes without saying. My family has been there every morning when I woke up and everynight when I went to sleep. They were there for everything. Whether it was to watch me on the baseball field or make breakfast when I was up late studying. They are what I’ll miss most when I leave home, but they are not letting me leave helpless. They have taught me to be resilient, responsible, and thoughtful. The things they have passed on to me over the years are a large part of who I am, and give me confidence that I will be able to handle the challenges to come.

I wish I could better pack all the events and emotions of four years into a one-page article, but it’s impossible. I’ve had some of the best times of my life thanks to this place and the people inside it. Galloway is like home, and like any kid, I’m scared to leave. Getting my first little taste of the real world has already proven to be stressful, and I know my future is not completely certain. But there is one thing I am sure of: I am ready and the Galloway community is to thank.

By Nick Bogartz