Senior Spotlight: A Piece of Gratitude

As a freshman coming into Lab, I could’ve never imagined that any upperclassmen would even take the time to learn my name, let alone become my guiding light to a successful first year. As this year comes to a close and the seniors begin to head off to college, I’d like to show my gratitude to some of the people who made my transition into high school a memorable experience. If it weren’t for these fun and welcoming students, I would’ve never felt so comfortable in my school environment. From club leaders to mentors to teammates, I want to thank them all for the lessons they’ve taught me and the laughs they’ve gotten out of me.

The first group of seniors I’d like to acknowledge are Sahara Leidner, Chrissy Elezovic, Norah Nakatani, and Gracyn Stein. Sahara was my TA in health for the first semester of this year, and from the first day she was extremely nice and fun to be around. She introduced me to some of her friends, and it’s crazy to think about how having four people that say hi to you in the hallway can make you feel so happy. Gracyn, Chrissy, Norah, and Sahara have been so nice to me and are always smiling. Their energy is so contagious and is something I’ll deeply miss next year. From Design Club with Norah and Gracyn to Mr. Reyes’s room with Sahara and Chrissy, a conversation with any of them is something everyone should be able to experience. I wish them all the best of luck in college, and although they may forget about me, I will really miss them.

Sahara and Chrissy (Chrissy Elezovic)      

Gracyn and Norah (Gracyn Stein)

The next group of seniors I'd like to thank are Jack Van Clief and Brij Garg. The two of them have both been impressive mentors for me in Model UN. Jack and I worked together for the Lab Model UN conference, where we started a little rough but quickly caught on and turned things around. Brij, as the secretary general of Model UN, has taught me a lot and inspired me to continue with Model UN in the future. As we’ve begun the process of running for board positions, I know that the team won’t be the same without Jack and Brij’s bright energy and positive attitude, but I will use what they’ve taught me to bring to Model UN what they no longer will. Overall, they have been very supportive of my abilities and have helped me build my confidence to be a resilient and kind leader in the Lab community. I know they’ll both have amazing college experiences and bring the same energy to college that they brought to Lab.

Jack and Brij (Jack Van Clief) 

The last two people I want to include have been incredibly supportive and helpful throughout my time at Lab. Thank you to Ellie Berman and Zohara Weiner. The two of them lead just about every other club at Lab that I take part in and I applaud their commitment and work ethic when it comes to being leaders at Lab. If it weren’t for the work and effort they put in, I would’ve never had the opportunity to meet many people who I can now call my friends and truly feel part of our school community. Besides their amazing leadership skills, Ellie and Zo bring so much positivity to anyone who they may come across. Their encouraging personalities have allowed me to grow so much. I owe my enlarging passion for writing all to them and the guidance they’ve given me over the past year.

Zo and Ellie (Ellie Berman)

As senioritis begins to kick in and suddenly the seniors are in the halls just a little bit less, I struggle to imagine what my next three years will bring. It seems unimaginable for anyone to fill the void that you will all leave. I trust that every one of you will go on to do amazing things. Ultimately, you are people I’d like to thank for my amazing first year filled with excitement and life lessons I’ll take with me. Hope to see you guys come back and visit next Thanksgiving, but until then, good luck, good health, and don’t miss me too much.