Well, At least I know my future kids will love to hear about this one. My high school experience was just one big fever dream. A really good one too. Buried in the blur of memories are lessons, experiences, moments of laughter, the kind where you can’t breathe and your stomach hurts, wins and losses and most importantly: the moment the people I care about the most came into my life. As a freshman, I remember thinking to myself on the first day of being a high schooler “Well, this is it. You’ve entered the worst years of your life.” My god, I was completely wrong. 

I never thought I would join the marching band, or meet my best friends, or even crazier: come out as a transgender male to my teachers and peers and live life as my authentic self. Usually high school is supposed to be the absolute worst when you know you won’t fit in. Again, I was wrong.  

The thing about Brentwood is that it’s so incredibly diverse, being anything in the world meant you were welcomed with open arms by students and staff. I am so grateful to have had a safe and real high school experience. I’m going to miss my marching band family, the Brentwood Green Machine Marching band was my second home throughout all of my years in this building. I would do anything to go back and time and enjoy one last band camp in Pennsylvania with the drumline.  

Secondly, since I was in stage crew for this school’s musicals for four years, many of my musically talented friends were with me through it all. I’ll miss bickering with the cast about what should be done about props and queues and all those silly little things we argued about. The energy during opening night is unmatched.  

If I could do it all over again I would tell myself to breathe. Often when I’m in the moment of having fun, laughing with my people, I would stop and look around and think to myself “Soak it in. You’ll miss it in a couple of years.” and I didn’t listen. “Graduation is like a billion years away, this school year is taking forever.” I have been wrong so many times throughout these past couple of years.  

I remember the summer before becoming a junior, I would be talking to one of my friends and I’d say ‘Can you believe that we’re going to be juniors? Then seniors? And then that’s it? That’s all we have left?” I have run out of time to wonder about the future because that future I stressed about is now my present. Some might describe this as feeling empty, but I actually feel content and fulfilled with my high school career.  

I will never forget about the teachers that made a difference in my life. I would like to start off by thanking Mr. Dobranski. Middle school was one of the roughest times of my life but your optimism and kindness made me want to continue waking up every morning for your class. As I continue my education to become a teacher, I will take the love and compassion that you showed me and pass it forward to the students that I will teach in the future. You made that impact on me and I’m forever grateful.  

To Mrs. Carpenter and Mrs. Ottinger, being in your 7th grade English classroom as a little 12 year old still searching for a place was one of the first few experiences where I didn’t feel so little in this great, big, scary world. You both made me feel capable and “enough” during a time where I felt like such a failure for even existing. Thank you for providing a safe space for me during my crazy middle school years.  

Mrs. Kohl’s 10th grade English honors class was an experience, honestly. I cannot describe how amazing you did at teaching us about the fun of reading and writing. I am a better writer because of you. Your passion for teaching us, your fun and loving energy, and entertaining lessons made me realize that I wanted to become a teacher. I sat in your class and often thought to myself “I can’t wait to do this activity with my students when I become a teacher.” Thank you for rekindling my love for education. 

To Ms. Franco, Unfortunately our year together was cut short due to the pandemic, however your kindness and passion for making sure your students are treated like actual human beings rather than numbers on a screen is something that I will always remember. We need more Ms. Francos in the world. Although looking back on my junior year can be sad to me, I’ll always crack a smile when I remember my 2nd period history class. Thank you. 

Finally, to the lovely Mrs. Buonaspina, I appreciate everything you have done for the seniors in your class and for our newspaper. I hope I made your unusual school year a little better because you certainly made mine better than expected. I never thought I would make a connection with my teachers this year because of this isolating time but you came around and proved me wrong. When my future kids ask about my senior year, just know that you will get brought up as the teacher that gave me a reason to smile during the pandemic.  

There are so many people I have to that I want to thank but then it would be about 500 pages long. To anyone who has ever supported me, encouraged me to continue, or even greeted me in the halls and made me smile, thank you so much. I am incredibly lucky to say that high school was great. Commonly, everyone says “high school sucks.” I am lucky to say that it did not disappoint me one bit (senior year doesn’t count for…obvious reasons).  

One last thing I’d like to say to the people reading this: Just do it. Like Nike tells everyone to do. Do your assignments, go to that afterschool club/ activity, talk to that kid that you think is cool, tell your teachers about how you’re feeling, run for homecoming king/queen, do it. Because before you know it, it’s going to be over and you’d wish you had done something.  

High school is about self-discovery, lessons, and building relationships with your peers and teachers. There are room for mistakes when you’re this young, do not live in fear. Learn from it, soak in what you learned, and use that experience to do better. Before you know it, you’ll be throwing your cap in the air and that’s the end of your story here at Brentwood high school. Onto bigger things. And then when your future kids ask you about what high school was like for you, I hope you tell them about all the things you weren’t afraid to do.