Well, it’s almost over. My years here at Chapman are coming to an end. Four years ago, and even last year, it never hit me that I will eventually be graduating, but this senior year has come and gone quickly.

My freshman year was one of the best years of my life. I was entering high school for the first time, and I was initially welcomed by the upperclassmen. The classes didn’t kill me (well, other than Ms. Gragg and physical science). I had to play JV football, but the experience was fun and inviting.

As a sophomore, I was simply tired of school. I saw no point in the classes that were being taken. I was tired of the people around me and was not having fun in the school overall anymore.

Geometry challenged and frustrated me that year, making school more difficult. But that frustration was to be short lived.

During my junior year I was a football starter for the varsity team. I enjoyed all the people around me, and it was a light hearted vibe throughout.

I still struggled in classes, though. I wasn’t failing or anything, but spanish two was not fun, neither was algebra three. Other classes were more difficult all around, but I still passed with A’s.

This senior year has been the easiest and most fun I could have ever had in school. The football team went on to win the championship, my classes have been easy going along with great teachers, and I’ve earned nothing but As and two Bs for a whole year.

Just walking through the school and have being here for four years, I felt a special love and comfortability in this school.

In between all these years some things have happened. The worst was when my beloved Coach Marion Gramling moving to Georgia to take a banking job before my senior year. It felt terrible that he couldn’t be a part of it all, but he will always mean everything to Chapman, and he is ultimately among us in being champions.

In addition to football, I also had success in track and field.

I placed fifth in the upper state for shot put, throwing a 42’11 and third in the state for weightlifting. Both of these happened in the second semester of my senior year.

I also finally got a car iand can say that I have parked in the parking lots.

Leaving this school is going to be hard for me. I know it’s not perfect, but there’s so much heart behind it. All of the staff and faculty express a passion and care for all of us. The coaches follow my Christian beliefs and base the teams on being a follower of God.

As for the people I’m leaving, I’m honestly going to miss them. I wasn’t best friends with everyone, but there are people that you grow up with, that will always be remembered because you just do. I made friendships with a diverse group of people, and it’s difficult to see us all separate. That goes for underclassmen as well. I’m truly going to miss all of these people I grew up with and may have recently met.

Chapman means the world to me, and although I’m ready to go, but I also don’t want to. Going off to college and becoming an adult is scary, but it’s something that had to happen eventually and I’m excited to do so. This school holds a special place in my heart and I’ll never forget my four years here at Chapman High School.

Four years, one championship and eight spirit sticks.