Senior-Edition-2013.Pdf

2 To the Graduating Class of 2013: As a senior class, you have made outstanding contributions to building a vibrant learning environment at El Diamante by initiating a diversity of connections within the school and in our community. As a class, you have been high academic achievers from the start of your high school careers. You have consistently led all high schools in Visalia Unifi ed School District in academic performance. Seniors, your commitment to planning and celebration of activities and events ensured success and demonstrated methods of leadership and teamwork. You consistently demonstrated kindness, generosity, and fairness to other students. You deserve appreciation for all that they have done during your four years at El Diamante, thank you. You have gained a place in my heart, my thoughts, and my being. I have learned much from you and I will miss you greatly. Mike Waters Principal To the graduating class of 2013 (my fi rst at El D): As you head out into the world, I wish you a life full of excitement, pain, love, struggle, joy, tears, and, ultimately, success. Know that there has never been anyone in the universe like you before, so be worthy of your uniqueness. In the immortal words of Malcolm Muggeridge, “never forget that only dead fi sh swim with the stream.” Mr. Jarocki Dear Class of 2013, I see you with one hand about to push the door wide open, the other one waving back at me, but hold up! Before you leave El D onward to your bright futures, I have a few words to say to each of you. You are the captain of your own universe. Sure, there’s circumstances and luck involved, but mainly it’s the choices you make that will impact the way your life will turn out. Get as much education as you need to do what you want, even if it means sacrifi ces, such as making your own lunches instead of eating out, dumping the iPhone plan, or buying pants that don’t come with prefab holes in them. Know yourself. This may take some soul searching because you may be lost in the mix of who you think you wish you were and whom you think others perceive you to be. Have a plan, knowing things never turn out exactly as planned. Do what you really want, and if that isn’t possible, then want what you do, but if you can’t, move on to the next port. Don’t start a family until you are ready, fi nancially and emotionally, not even “by accident,” which is really a euphemism for irresponsibility. Make certain your Baby Daddy/Mommy is your soulmate, the person you want to spend the rest of your life with, because your kid(s) deserve the stability only you and your partner can give. Get dirty, sweaty, achy, itchy, freezing because the most comfortable life is not the most fulfi lling one. Treat your body as the sacred vessel of your being that it is. You get only one. If you trash it early on, you’ll be groaning and aching your whole life and a nuisance to everybody. Read. The best drug you’ll ever be on is endorphins, produced by your own brain through exercise, music, laughter, and chocolate. Get off your phone long enough to talk to people eyeball-to-eyeball. It builds relationships, and besides, eyes are beautiful things to look into. Forgive. It’s the only way you can forget and move on. Be kind, and others will be kind to you. Read. Make a loud noise in the world because your voice matters, which also means your need to vote every chance you can get. Read. Nice guys fi nish last and so do late bloomers. I’m with you if you’re in this pack. Don’t worry, you’ll fi gure out what you’re supposed to be doing eventually, and late blooming makes later life more interesting. “We’ve only just begun” is a song Karen Carpenter once sang, but then she died of heart failure related to anorexia. All your decisions make a difference. Choose wisely. Read. Here’s a high-fi ve, a knuckle bump, and a big hug from me. Come back and visit. I’m eager to know how it all turns out for you. Love, Mrs. Lynch Dear Class of 2013, It is not often that I encounter people of great humanity, determination and an indomitable spirit. But if I was to describe each and every one of the seniors I have had the privilege to teach, those are the words I would use. Often you will hear that the kids today just don’t have what it takes or that they are somehow lacking in the mannerisms the older generation expects. I am here to dispel that myth. You, the Class of 2013, posses those vaunted qualities and more. Though there were struggles and confl icts, each of you was able to rise above the distractions and prove to me, a member of that older generation, that you are truly worthy of praise. Whether it is off to college, trade school or the workplace, there is no greater gift than to go out into the world and share that gift with those you will meet. Be that person I know you are. Do the things others never thought possible. Create. Imagine. Learn as much as you can…then pass it on to those who will follow after you. You know, whenever a student asks me which is my favorite class, my standard answer is: “I hate all my students equally.” Well, that is a lie. And to my wonderful daughter who graduates with you this sums up my feelings for our graduates: You are more precious than gold. And I will miss you all…very much. Godspeed. Tim S. McGlasson To the Graduating Class of 2013, Congratulations! I want to start off by fi rst thanking you for the opportunity to write this letter and apologize to any of you that may have had me as a teacher. My personality may scar some of you for life but I have enjoyed the time I have been able to spend with all of you. I feel that I share a special connection with many of you in this class. When you fi rst started attending here I was a relatively new teacher. I was young, I thought I was cool and my parents kept bossing me around…even at work. Most of you just completed middle school and may have shared those same feelings. A lot has changed over the years. Many of you have grown up, become less awkward and are starting a path that will shape the remainder of your life. I, however, have not changed in the past 4 years. I still think I’m kind of cool (if I know what a Snooki is and what a 2 Chainz is, that makes me cool right? Those are people right?), I still think I’m young because I only breathe heavily a little bit when I go up the stairs and I’m still being bossed around by my parents…even at work. Over the past four years we have been able to share many memories together. We have laughed together, we have cried together; but, I’ve mostly cried. I will truly cherish the memories I have been able to make with so many of you and will miss seeing your smiling faces on a daily basis. Thank you for all of your contributions to the school and to our community. Thank you for the fun, the laughter, and the wonderful memories. When you leave El Diamante and you refl ect back on your high school days I hope you will remember El Diamante as a place that prepared you for your future, that you felt respected and were positively impacted by administrators, teachers and students. While writing this letter I came upon a quote from Steve Jobs’ commencement speech that he gave to Stanford graduates in 2005 that applies to all graduates. He stated, “Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith. I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You’ve got to fi nd what you love. Your work is going to fi ll a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfi ed is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you fi nd it.” As you move on to college or prepare for the workforce remember to do what you love. Enjoy what you do in life. It has served me well in my life and I feel honored and blessed to have had many of you in class and I know that you will continue to make El Diamante and this community proud. Thank you again for all the great memories and I wish all of you luck in your future endeavors. Sincerely, Ryan Waters Science Teacher Dear Class of 2013, The number thirteen has historically been seen as an unlucky number (bummer). I see this as an opportunity to prove our world wrong about this silly notion of thirteen being an unlucky and negative sign. As your life unfolds do not dwell on the negative.

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