As graduation approaches, I can’t help but wonder what my high school experience would’ve been like if I hadn’t attended Miami High. It seems crazy to think 4 amazing years have flown by in the blink of an eye.

Baby Sting

I remember being a freshman and seeing Miami High as this huge school where I was bound to get lost. I was excited to be involved in the clubs because I saw the spirit that they brought to the school, and I knew I wanted to be a part of that. This was the year I joined all the clubs that interested me: Women of Tomorrow (WOT), Interact, FEA, and FBLA. I’m thankful for having joined early on as a freshman and being involved from the very start.

Sophomore Year

This was the year that I became a journalist for The Miami High Times. Although journalism wasn’t a class I intended taking, I’m grateful for being a part of it now for 3 years and seeing just how much I enjoyed it.

This was also the first year I participated in the homecoming parade, and I danced with Interact. It was a wonderful experience where I met great people and made many friends that I’m still close to this day.

10^th grade was probably the year I was most involved with all my clubs. I attended all the meetings, services, and events. It was an exciting year because I attended the state competition for FBLA after placing in Accounting at the district level, I became an officer for Women of Tomorrow, received the Presidential Volunteer Service Award through Interact, and tons of other cool awards. But what really made this year awesome, was all the people I met and friends I became close to.

Finally an Upperclassmen

Although junior year was probably my hardest year academically, it was a memorable one. The highlight of this year was definitely the ring ceremony. A magical moment was walking through the giant ring and finally calling myself an upperclassman.

It was also the time of SATs, ACTs, AP tests, and dual enrollment classes, but I pushed through and succeeded.  Another memorable event was the college trip where I got to stay overnight at a hotel with my friends and visit different colleges around the state.

Kings and Queens of the School

No other year can beat the last: senior year. It has been the experience of a lifetime. From our last Homecoming parade and spirit week as high schoolers, to the football games, senior week, the dances, grad bash, and prom, there are no words that can fully describe how fun this year has been. For me, it’s also included attending 2 state competitions, being President of a club, scholarship ceremonies, and being named a Summa Cum Laude graduate. It’s the year I realized just how much my hard work throughout all of high school paid off.

The downside of senior year? All year long we’ve been saying, “I can’t wait to graduate,” but we all know that it’s a scary experience going out into the real world as adults. For 12 years, we have heard school bells that tell us when to leave, teachers that tell us what to do, parents that make decisions for us, but now it’s our turn. It’s exciting, but scary.

As fun as high school has been, it was no walk in the park. I experienced my fair share of sleepless nights, breakdowns, heartbreaks, lost friends, and failures. I’m thankful for every single minute of it — the good, the bad, and the ugly — because with each experience, I learned a lesson that has shaped me into who I am today. 

Thank You and Farewell

To all the teachers I had, thank you for being the heroes that you are and the constant support and encouragement. I’d like to give a special thanks to journalism teacher Dr. DeNight, AP English Literature teacher Ms. Puentes, FBLA advisor Ms. Benavides, WOT advisor Ms. Turner, former Interact advisor Mr. Emerson Perez, and FEA advisor Ms. Berrios—the leaders I look up to. You are not just great teachers and advisors, but you have been my mentors.

To my close friends, you guys know who you are. Thank you for being there for me in the hard times and being my number one supporters. I love you guys!

To any underclassmen, here are my words of advice: study hard and get good grades because it definitely pays off in the end! Participate and be as involved as you can to make the best of your high school experience and always have Sting pride.

To the Class of 2018, congratulations to every single one of you for this milestone! The world is yours, and you are the future of it. Wherever you go, be proud to call Miami Senior High your alma mater. A chapter in your life is closing, but a new one is beginning; make the best of it.

To Miami High, thank you for giving me boundless opportunities that helped me grow as a person and leader. For all the memories I’ll cherish forever, the teachers that taught me lessons beyond the classroom, and friends that have turned into family, thank you. I will forever bleed blue and gold!