Dear Class of 2020 (and sponsors),
We made it to the end of the year. It happened in a whirlwind of excitement, confusion, and heartbreak, but we made it.
First of all, I want to thank everyone who helped and supported our class through the years. Your job was not easy. You've had to put up with all of our crazy ideas and suggestions. You spent 4 years of your time and effort investing in the class of 2020. We are forever grateful to you for that.
Secondly, congrats to us! We've successfully completed 4 years of high school. We had a little help along the way, but we did it.
We made so many memories along the way. From small things to bigger things, we've done it all.
We successfully navigated our freshman year without any major embarrassments, thank to our awesome Class Officers. They helped us through not one, but two, successful Valentine Grams Day deliveries.
We triumphantly handled our sophomore year.
We struggled through our junior year, thinking it was never going to end...
And we breezed through our senior year which leads me to my point.
We walked through every step of the way TOGETHER.
Just because we didn't get the end that we imagined doesn't mean that we aren't together anymore. Even though some of us are no longer on the same continent, we are still connected and experiencing the thrills of a job well done - together.
I want to thank each and every one of you (so so much). I could not have made it without you. You helped shape the best years of my life.
I loved laughing and crying with you. I loved working alongside you in all of the events our class sponsored. I loved dreaming of our future reunions with you. I loved all of the field trips and random outings we took together.
From the Outreaches to the Youth Group Spiritual Retreats to the Mary Market runs... it's been real y'all!
Here we are at the end of the year and I wouldn't change a thing. I love us. We are crazy, wild, inventive, God-fearing and loving, caring, compassionate, bold, daring young souls.
As we go out into the real world for college, I encourage us as a class to never forget who we are and who we belong to.
We are Dakar Academy graduates, and we've led extraordinary lives filled with crazy-awesome experiences.
But we are also children of Jesus Christ. We are covered in His blood and we have been redeemed.
I pray that as we move forward, we never forget what shaped us. We have built memories together that will last a lifetime. I pray that as we move forward, we will only draw closer together.
We began our journey together as young freshman who had no idea what on earth they were doing, and now we have the opportunity to continue it as freshman who will be attending college... let's take that opportunity.
We began our journey at Dakar Academy together, so let's finish it that way - together.
Class of 2020, you will always have my heart. Thank you for what a wild ride it's been!