FEATURE STORY

Leaving What We Love
By: Erik Kelly

I’ve always looked at life like a book, a book that starts out blank when you are born, and is filled with riveting details by the time you pass on. The amazing part about this book is you’re the author, and you get to decide what fills its pages. High school is definitely one of the more exciting sections in this auto-biography. It’s filled with some incredible highs and a few intense lows. As we fill out the last bit of blank space in this chapter, I find myself skimming through the pages to look back on what has made these four life-changing years.
From the day I stepped into this building, I knew I was in for a ride. Everything was fresh and new, and even though many of us were filled with anxiety, I also had a sense of wonder about me. We aimlessly wondered the halls feeling like we had just arrived at a whole other planet and we were the lowest life forms. Some of us learned that the hard way, like the kid who literally got carried back on his chair to the freshmen section of the lunch room. I think that kid quickly learned his place. As we began to write out our own stories, doors opened to us. Some of us decided to try out for football, dance or maybe a play or two. That was not the case for me.
Throughout these four years, I have haven’t been involved in an after school activity. Never involved but always enjoying is how I see myself. Though I have never stepped onto the field for a sport, I feel intense pride every time I watch one of our teams do so. Even though I can’t belt out beautiful notes during a Bravo performance, I love watching those who can. I may never have received an academic award, but I have the utmost respect for those that have. It’s this closeness that we feel with our teams, our classes and especially our friends that’s makes this school so special. We all may be filling out our own blank pages, but we couldn’t do it without others to help guide the pen.
As the years went on, many leaders appeared. These role models came from an array of clubs and teams. Whether it be Kelsey Martin as a strong captain of the dance team, Lindsey White with her incredible speaking abilities, Paul Thompson with determination during track season or Taylor Misak with her amazing acting, the leaders of class 2010 have left us with a good legacy and earned their ranks among Eastview’s finest.
With senior year coming to a close, a lot of emotions are up in the air. Most of us are excited for upcoming events such as prom, bravo, the senior party and the lacrosse season. But these moments are bitter sweet. For many of us, this is the last time we get to enjoy such events together and that can put a damper on our spirits. After all these events, graduation will be just around the corner. This is where our life stories will differ dramatically. Most of us will look forward to going off to college while others are eager to start working. Some of us will have to leave a state in which we have lived all our lives, while others go off to proudly join the military.
David Prahl is currently a senior at Eastview high school. He transferred here from Apple Valley sophomore year. He is an outstanding man and has played lacrosse and football. He has been feeling many of these mix emotions about leaving the place he has come to know and love. When asked how he has changed in the last four years this was his response: “I have become more mature over the last years. I have learned some amazing life lessons and met a ton of great people.” Next I asked him what kinds of emotions come up when he thinks about leaving this place and the people in it. “I get sad but at the same time happy. It’s nice to see friend’s everyday, but when it comes down to it, you’ll see your real friends long after high school is over. I’m pretty sure I’m ready to leave, I need some change in my life,” he said. I have the same mind set as David, its sad but at the same time a change in scenery. Before I was done conducting my interview with David, he asked if I could put a piece of advice in for next year’s senior class, the class of 2011. Here it is, “Try your best in school. I know that phase is shot at you every other day but really live by it. It’s crazy how many doors that can open, high end schools, big scholarships and so much more. Also really appreciate the time you have left with your friends. This could possibly the last time you are all together in the same place. It’s hard to think about but it’s the truth. Appreciate the time because it flies by and once its gone, there is no getting it back.”
I am honored to have been apart of this school and I know this wide spread feeling among the class of 2010. Even with a few rotten eggs in the bunch, we have grown closer then any of us could have ever dreamed in a school that seems to literally become a part of who we are. And so as we finish filling out the last few lines in this chapter of our lives, we look back on the preparation, determination and the frustration that got us to this point today. With an endless amount of blank pages still left in our lives, it’s up to you how you start your next chapter.