• ParkBulletinCover - The Park School

Julian Sahyoun
I will take lifelong friendships and unforgettable
experiences.
I will leave teachers who have taught me
more than just curriculum.
Carter Smith
I will take with me eleven years of
memories and complete confidence in
myself.
I will be leaving the comfortable Park
environment that I have become so
accustomed to and venture out into
something new.
Lexie Sparrow
I will take the confidence that Park has
given me to act as an individual.
I will leave behind the laughs on and off
stage.
Class
Graduation
Speaker:
Carter Smith
W
hen I sat down to write
this speech, the first
thing that came to mind was how
much I have changed since entering
in Nursery [now Pre-Kindergarten],
eleven years ago. If you
didn’t know me as a six-year-old,
you just have to ask any teacher in
this school. They all seem to have
an infamous “Carter story” about
my, let’s say, demanding personality
that they love to tell. I can’t count
how many times I have heard, “Oh,
I remember....” Many love to reminisce
about the smocked dresses
and signature Smith family bow,
which I wore everyday to school.
Mind you, these bows were probably
the same size as my head. I
think the reason people found my
outfits so amusing is because they
created a sweet, innocent facade
that I must say was very deceiving.
For example, when I was in Kindergarten,
we were asked to jump rope
in P.E. and I didn’t want to, so I
went up to Ms. Knight and said, “ I
don’t want to jump rope and you
can’t make me!” and then I proceeded
to stomp out of the gym.
Another one of my favorites is when
I was in music class with Mrs. Allen
and I started to cry. When Mrs.
Allen asked me what was wrong, I
said, “I just want my way Mrs.
Allen. Why can’t I just get my way”
These were trying times for my
teachers, as well as for me. The reason
I am sharing these stories with
you is because over my years at
Park, they have dwindled and have
gradually transformed into more
positive ones, and I can tell you
that it never would have happened
if it weren’t for the faculty who
believed in me and worked so hard
to help me reach my full potential. I
credit so much of who I am today to
these men and women who shaped
me and became my role models and
friends.
It was seven years ago, but I
still remember every detail of my
oldest sister, Pearson’s, graduation.
I was in the second grade at the
time, and I remember her wet face
and red eyes as she sobbed on the
same risers up behind me. I remember
so clearly someone next to me
handing me a tissue and telling me
to go give it to Pearson in the middle
of the ceremony. As a second
grader, I didn’t really understand
that I was interrupting anything.
Then something happened that I
have never forgotten. As I turned
to go back to my seat after the
laughter had died down, Mr. Katz
went to the podium and said, “I
can’t wait ’til you graduate, Carter.”
Me, graduate This was something
my second grade mind couldn’t
really comprehend, but now here it
is today, and to tell you the truth, I
am still not quite sure if I fully
comprehend it. It is so crazy to
think that after this day, I will no
longer be a Park student. Park has
always been my little stage and I
have always felt comfortable being
exactly who I am on it. I am looking
forward to the adventures ahead
of me at my next school, but this
day is very bittersweet. I am
excited but nervous to have to go
on without my little support system,
my home away from home,
which has always been there, backing
me up every step of the way.
It is impossible to choose what
I will miss the most, because I will
miss it all. Walking down the hall
dying of laughter due to one of
Lexie’s ridiculous inside jokes, acting
like a total fool on T.O.T.A.L.
Day, even our random conversations
in English class prompted by an
“out of the blue” Mary comment.
Over this past year, our grade has
bonded more than I ever thought
possible. Our class has been
through a lot this year, but we have
always come out stronger, proving
our compassion for each other and
tight knit grade. So, as our time of
being Park students winds down and
our paths begin to split and lead us
in different directions, I am realizing
how much I am going to miss
every single one of you. Many of
you I have been with since Nursery
or Kindergarten, and we have spent
basically our whole lives together.
So much of our past is this school,
and there are memories in every
single nook and cranny of every single
room. During our trip to Stump
Sprouts in the fall, the most enthusiastic
event was definitely figuring
out what we were going to put on
the memories page in the yearbook.
We all sat together in the living
room and talked about all the
things we remembered throughout
the years. This event was very
adrenalized and very loud, and it
took a very long time since our
escalating volume made it very hard
for anybody to explain or hear anything
clearly over our excited
shouts. Even though we will all be
moving on, I will always look back
and picture those fond memories
and all of my amazing classmates
who I shared them with.
And to the faculty, who have
helped mold me and the rest of my
class into the people we are today,
all I can say is no matter how many
years go by, you will always be an
important part of why I am who
I am, and you will never ever be
forgotten. Now, I will end with a
quote from the wise philosopher,
Hannah Montana, who once said,
“Life is a climb, but the view
is great.”
16 The Park Bulletin | Fall 2009