As a senior at Greeley West High School, I have been given the best high school experience, better than anything I could have imagined. The people I have met, the memories I have made, and the knowledge I have gained-both about myself and about the world will be with me forever.

Going into my freshman year, I transitioned from a school where I knew most of the people, and was very comfortable with my surroundings. I was terrified leaving that chapter because that comfort and familiarity went away as I became a Greeley West Spartan. 

Right off the bat, my worries were proven wrong as the spectrum of people I met expanded and I had the opportunities to meet some of the best friends I’ve ever known. From this, I have experienced so much joy and they encouraged me to get involved in different things that I ended up loving.

Being in the classroom, with teachers who love what they do and truly care for each individual student, was another thing that made my high school experience what it was. Each day, I learned something new and was inspired to be a better student than I was the day before. I am so grateful for the teachers that I’ve had for putting their hearts into what they do.

In covering the highlights of my high school experiences, I am not meaning that every second was the most enjoyable or the smoothest road. Although the positive events are engraved in my memory, I owe the greatness of my own experience to the things that helped me improve my skills and to become a better person overall.

Struggling in any way is a part of life; there is no way to avoid it. My biggest blessing is the growth that came from the times I did struggle. My word of advice for Greeley West Spartans and for anyone reading this is to always give your best effort, but not to fear failure. Your best today may be worse than your best was yesterday. Don’t beat yourself up for it, but instead, embrace every difficulty as a learning opportunity. It will bless you with reaching your full potential.

I feel that Spartans exemplify what it’s like to learn, grow, and become. Although it took failure, I am an entirely different person from the freshman that first walked through the doors of Greeley West High School, and that overall is my greatest success. 

Sometimes the grind feels never-ending, but looking back on it, it goes by so quickly. Once you reach the end of your high school career, you will find yourself looking back wishing you didn’t have to say goodbye. Embrace every moment, the good and the bad. You become who you are because of them and it would truly be devastating to forget the experiences that shaped you. Strive for greatness, and remember who and what got you there along the way.