With summer vacation around the corner it's hard to believe that I'm almost a senior.
High school has gone by faster than I ever would have imagined.
One moment I was a freshman lost, dazed and confused and now my high school career is nearing the end.
My freshman year was my hardest year in high school, yet it marked my transition from childhood to manhood.
Reflecting back upon my high school experience, it was because of my teachers and my friends that guided me into finding my true identity.
On my very first day of school I met my homeroom teacher Mr.Wolfman.
I didn't know it then but he later would become a major part of my life.
Once a few weeks had passed I began to feel more comfortable in the new environment.
I had this idea about writing an article about my views of social media when I told Mr.Wolfman about my idea he loved it and told me that we could work on it together.
The next day, I came in with a rough draft and he sat down with me and we worked on it together.
Through the whole process he helped me realize what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, writing.
I don't think I could ever thank him enough for all that he has done for me.
It goes to show that sometimes even a simple gesture, might lead someone into realizing something about themselves.
In my freshman year, I also met Martwuan who had a major impact on my life.
Martwuan and I where like brothers we always had each others backs no matter what.
He taught me how to be more confident around other people.
I've always had a propensity to be a shy person and most of the time I have I spend alone.
However Martwuan made me more confident about myself.
One time in particular there was this random girl who was sitting all alone, he wanted me to go talk to her.
I told him there would be no way I'd go and talk to her.
Within a few minutes he had convinced me into going over and talking to her.
As I walked over he cheered me on I felt so embarrassed.
He said "Let's go Matt" then he clapped his hands.
When I got over to her she said to me "Looks like you got a fan club over there."
"That's just my friend being a pain."
Then of course as we continued to talk he kept cheering me on.
The bell rang thankfully and I went over to him.
"Dude you made me feel completely embarrassed over there."
"I was just trying to keep you motivated."
Thinking back now I understand what he was trying to do but back then I felt that he was just being a pain.
I realize now that he was trying to have me meet new people, which by myself I wouldn't normally do.
To this day I still have some trouble meeting new people, however now I am more willing to give it a shot.
If I ever have any doubts, I just think back to that day when he was cheering me on and that's what motivates me to move forward in my life.
Sophomore year, arguably my best year of high school , I met Mr. Garretson.
He made learning history fun.
In prior year I had just taken notes in class and memorized the material.
Mr.Garretson however had a different approach.
He would have us do skits, write journals and protests on the time period we were studying.
We where always moving in his class which I thoroughly enjoyed.
At of all of my high school teachers he has had one of the influential impacts on my life.
He showed me what history can be rather than what it is.; he showed me history in a new perceptive that made my views change on history completely.
I believe that the most important thing he taught me was to embrace my inner creativity no matter what.
Even if it is as simple as writing a poem or drawing a picture we all need some way to express ourselves.
Midway through the year I met Josh.
Josh taught me the value of friendship and what it means.
On my eagle scout project he helped me with every single map.
In school he would always give me advice about life and much of what he told me I use to this day.
Also in my sophomore year I joined our schools TV production.
Through TV production I learned the importance of being apart of something no matter how small.
Down in TV production I found a place were I could fit in.
It's a place were everyone is like a family to me.
Mr.Devlen our teacher definitely plays into the chemistry of our family.
Without him none of this would have been possible.
I am grateful for the opportunity he has given us.
I am also grateful for him helping me realize that I have a passion for broadcast journalism and some day I hope to get a degree in it.
Junior year went by the fastest.
It seems like yesterday when I first started.
Although I can't choose one teacher in particular that had a major impact on my life in junior year there was one class that I matured in.
In English, I struggled initially because I wasn't understanding all of the concepts but after sitting down with Mr.Tarlin everything began to make sense.
In his class my analytical skills vastly improved.
When I first started my analysis were to long and too wordy, however I became a stronger analyzer through lots of practice.
In the beginning of my junior year I met Dante.
He taught me the importance of setting goals.
No matter how farfetched they might be.
You can always aspire to be the very best you can be.
I think what Dante taught me is the central meaning of high school.
It's true that through high school you obtain an education but I think it goes beyond that.
High school is the time were you get to explore your interests.
It's a time were setting goals, building relationships and embracing ones creativity become essential in what lies in the future ahead.
