Personal Narrative-Home

The Salutatorian Addresses, given by Emily Nortnik, Shelbi Ledesma, and Hannah Branson, took the class of 2017 back through the last 13 years of their lives. There were good times and there were challenges, but together they faced life’s ups and downs while unknowingly making cherishable memories. Valedictorians, Lily Lockhart and Elizabeth Ward, graduated with GPAs above 4.3.

High school and college graduations, best known for their length, and infamous cap, tend to give a “farewell in good luck speech” to the graduates. These speeches can be mundane for the spectators, yet captivating for the participants. Rita Dove’s speech to the UVA graduating class of 2006 is different. She captures the attention of all her listeners. She delivers a unique speech that shares her hopes for the students’ futures.

High school and college graduations, best known for their length, and infamous cap, tend to give a “farewell in good luck speech” to the graduates. These speeches can be mundane for the spectators, yet captivating for the participants. Rita Dove’s speech to the UVA graduating class of 2006 is different. She captures the attention of all her listeners. She delivers a unique speech that shares her hopes for the students’ futures.

During the end of my 1st semester of sophomore year, I felt as if everything was falling apart. It was my low point throughout my high school career, and I just received my grades for the current quarter of classes. I will be honest; it was a whopping grade point average of about 2.6. Once, I saw this. I did not lose it as much as others would have. Instead, I looked at this and said to myself, “what can I do differently moving forward.” The second semester started, and I know I had to do better whatever the challenges that I face this time around: and so I did. I was able to

After 13 years, it’s all come to an end. No more assignments, no more tests, no more uniform, no more school. To the majority of you, this fact probably still hasn’t really hit home yet, and to be honest, I don’t think that I’ve fully grasped this fact either. That soon, we will be stepping out of the relative safety of TSS and entering into a harsh, and unforgiving new world. But as we -the graduating class of 2016- step out into this new world, it is not as though TSS has not prepared us for this day.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank my peers once again. Those of you who know me know I’m an entertainer. Well, you have all served as my audience throughout these four years, and you have motivated me in doing so. Your reactions to my personality and my creativity have been indicative and invaluable. I’ve learned more from all of you than from any teacher I’ve ever had. You taught me how to socialize. You’ve enlightened me on the facets of the human condition, the roots of happiness, and the dynamics of friendship. You have given me the life, the strength to keep me moving higher,

As non-traditional students, we talk about gratitude and opportunity. We talk about how it’s never too late, all the while feeling our years around our ankles like lead weights.

This year, June, I will become the first person in my family to graduate with an academic honors diploma. In June I will attend one of the best schools nationwide, Seton Hall University. Despite these accomplishments, I’m proud of the time I’ve dedicated to my community and extracurricular events. I’m proud of the placements and the letter I've received for Speech and Debate, the influential positions I’ve gained in Student Council, and my presidency of BPA. Ultimately, I’m proud that I destroyed the barriers of statistics and the perception that an apple doesn’t fall too far from a tree.

“Dad!” Was the only word that had rushed out of Russell’s mouth the instant he saw his father enter the room. And, once he finished hugging Cary he then added, “Have you found him? What did those people you arrested say?”

“I’m going to break you.” She said. “Every single bone in your body and once you recover, I’ll do it again if I have to.”

Inside the ambulance, Roy was relieved to find John’s vitals were unchanged when he rechecked them. Although he had hoped they would improve with the IV, at least they weren't getting much worse.

Out the window and down the fire escape, twenty floors was nothing at this point, and considering police would have to get here and go all the way up to the top, I was in the clear. As I slide down the ladder to the ground, I heard the sirens pulling up in the front, perfect timing, I walked out the alley, taking off my hoodie and slowly joining the crowd forming behind the cop cars. “The best place to hide is in plain sight,” something grandpa told me that I'll never forget, though considering I was a college student with a backpack in New York, blending in was a given. Making my way to the side of the crowd, trying to catch a word of what the officers were saying. “Suspect, average height, weight, witness says all they saw was a shadow going out the window.

“He is doing the laundry, so we will have clean towels. I don’t think he knows how to turn the washing machine on let alone wash a load of clothes. He kept telling me to stay up here and let him do his thing, so I did. You might want to check on him.”

I stood there for a min almost wanting to go back inside because she made me so frustrated trying to explain things when she doesn't listen. Tiffany walked past giving me a look as I sighed shaking my head as Mark patted my back as we both head toward the limo. Jane was fuming mad the trip to the airport making it very awkward and when anybody would say and think dramatically rolling her eyes. Once there Jane was the first person to jump out of the car followed my Tiffany they practically ran to the airport

Our journey has brought us many friendships, which will hopefully carry over into our adult lives. As we begin to transition from our high school life to our postsecondary life, I ask you all to remember these friendships, and don’t take them for granted. Because one day, these friendships might not be the same. Your friends will move away, find new jobs, and start families. So, let’s enjoy what we have left together.