The people who really helped me grow deserve an ode to them after my four-year trek through high school. Here is to all the teachers who made me who I am today.

Way back in freshman year when I hated math, you taught me how shapes could be hardcore too, rock on! And from that point on, although my relationship with math was shaky, you cared about me as a student and told me not to give up on myself, despite the hard time I was having.

To all my English teachers, thank you for helping me grow, tearing apart my essays and forcing me to analyze the details in a book that become thematically important in the end. P.S. I also actually read every page of every book (nerd alert), so your discussions were killer and eye opening.

Thank you science teachers for allowing me to understand my biology in terms of cells and also for teaching me the forces that go into everything everyday. I never realized all the little things that make up the world around us. I now have a much more vivid, real idea of the wonders that go into every small thing.

Also, shout out to my history teachers for allowing me to recognize historical patterns of human behavior and get a better understanding of history as a human on Earth right now. The past is one of the best things to study; the importance of our past is something that I value greatly. Taking history classes allowed me to see that even my own past can be used as a reference to help me make a better future.

A special thank you to all my language teachers (both German and Spanish) for keeping my passion for language alive. Without your dedication to help me achieve my goal, I would not be as far as I am now. Thank you for teaching me the beauty of truly knowing a language, as it has given me perspective on traditions here in America and shown me how beautifully different and alike the human race is.

Finally, thank you to my electives teachers who allowed me to explore my passions in an environment that was tailored for growth. Although some may take these classes to fill up credits, I was able to explore different hobbies and find myself through your teachings, and for that I am grateful.

There is not a course in this school that does not teach you something wonderful about the world. Sure, at the time, it might seem arbitrary; however, each block makes you a better person and makes you, you. Appreciate your teachers for all that they have taught you and the way they have shaped your life.

To end this sappy, sort of cliche public thank you card, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for allowing me to learn, grow and develop. You all have made your mark on me, and I am for ever indebted to you because the knowledge and skills you gave me, can never, ever be taken away.