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2012 graduates ready to take on the world

It's time for the class of 2012 to take the stage, and graduating seniors from Foothill, Amador Valley and Village high schools have provided a look back and a look ahead.

Freshmen Again

By Mary Carnes, Foothill High

The clammy hands, the racing heart, the beads of sweat rolling down your forehead. The first day of high school could be described by most as being a little intimidating. But as the days pass swiftly, the nervousness is replaced with a newfound excitement.

As we near the end of this journey, the excitement remains. But instead of being afraid, I see my classmates with their heads held high. As we recollect our memories and reminisce on our four years at Foothill, I am confident with my experience here and the new beginnings that are to come.

My time here at Foothill has quickly spun into a flurry of memories as I call to mind all of its experiences. Being a part of leadership, cramming for AP tests, feeding the homeless in SF and leading the school as ASB Secretary -- every component has added up to make for an unforgettable experience.

Most of my fondest memories were forged during games, cheering loudly in the stands for basketball, freezing my hands off as I sat and supported each football and lacrosse game. I'll carry that deep-seeded passion for spirit to my new home at San Diego State University.

I'm confident that the legacy my class leaves behind will be everlasting. It's surreal to hear of all these amazing plans every one of my classmates has for the future, each just as compelling and inspiring as the next. I take pride being a part of a class so determined to make a difference in this world.

So, class of 2012, we embark on our journey to become "freshmen again." I hope you take the knowledge and experience accumulated over the last four years, as well as that sense of wonder and excitement in starting over new. We all have the power to make the next four years into anything we want it to be.

Roller coaster

By Shreya Gupta, Amador Valley

High school has been a roller coaster ride. It had its ups and its downs. We cried tears of sadness and happiness. But just like a roller coaster, when you get off, all you can say is "I want to do it again!" and it becomes an unforgettable experience.

From not being able to wait to go to college, I am now nostalgic and unwilling to leave behind these memories. I'm thankful for my amazing teachers and administration, with whom I've formed ever lasting relationships -- although at times it may have seemed like they gave us the biggest workload, they helped me discover I am capable of accomplishing anything I set my mind to.

These past four years, Amador has provided me with a plethora of activities to be involved in such as AP classes, leadership, Mock Trial, Dance, PUSD Student Board Member, and even helped me start a new club to address important student issues, Amador Student Ambassadors. Through all of this, I have met the most inspirational peers with whom, although we are all off on different paths, I will never forget chanting at football games, studying late nights, and forming everlasting friendships.

But the best part of high school is that you never leave. Although it's time to get off this roller coaster ride, when I walk down that aisle and receive my diploma, I know that I am taking these memories, bonds and experiences with me into this new world. Thanks to how prepared AVHS has left me, I will be attending UC Berkeley in the fall as a Legal Studies major and will hopefully fulfill my dreams of one day becoming a Supreme Court Justice.

A long road

By Danielle Torrey, Village High

After a long, long road and for most of us frustration, anger and disappointment, we have arrived! Some people doubted us, some people made fun of us, and others thought that they were smarter than us, but the truth is that even though we have received tremendous support from our parents and staff, we are here because of ourselves.

Many of us have stories and complicated lives, which would be easy to use as an excuse to slack off, but we powered through the adversity. Many students have no other choice but to hold jobs and in spite of the long hours, they have managed to wake up every morning and drag themselves to school.

Some of us have spent our free Saturdays doing community service, or after school going to San Francisco to help out with Glide Memorial Church. Some have done independent study on top of their regular workload to ensure that they are going to be handed their diploma.

Faced with the new chapter ahead of us and the many opportunities that I'm sure will come with it, we can take this sense of fulfillment and use it to ascertain our dreams. The diploma is more than a piece of paper; it represents the hard work this class has invested in itself. Sharing this evening with our incredible staff, our peers and fellow Village students solidifies the fact that we are a family.

Congratulations to my class of 2012! We did it and we are all amazing people who are probably going to end up doing some interesting, weird and great things.