I never expected that my last year of high school would end without any of the pomp and circumstance that other classes received. It seemed so certain to me that the last few months of senior year would be filled with celebrations of our achievements over the years. Senior year was supposed to be the pinnacle of my high school experience. I never expected to be robbed of a triumphant senior academic season, or that I would never get one last chance to earn a 1 at State Solo and Ensemble.

Yet there was a time when I didn’t expect any of these things to happen in the first place.

Before I moved to Devine as a freshman, I lived in San Antonio for two years. During that time, I expected to go to a 6A high school in the area with all my friends. The school was huge! It offered all kinds of new extracurriculars and clubs. On a tour of the campus, I would’ve gotten lost if it weren’t for the guides we had. I most looked forward to their mammoth marching band, one of the largest in San Antonio!

If I had gone there, I never would have felt as close to my community as I have for the past four years. I was readily welcomed by both the student body and the community at large, which boosted my confidence like never before. I truly came out of my shell here. In San Antonio, schools are so large that I would have felt lost in one and I would’ve received little community support. I wouldn’t have had as much leadership experience, either. In a large school, there is a good chance that I would’ve been passed up for someone better, had I applied for a leadership position. Finally, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to compete in UIL events at the level that I did here. When I looked at academic scores from other districts one day, I noticed that hardly anyone from that school competed. Devine, on the other hand, heavily encouraged me to compete in many contests, from writing events to science team and even One-Act Play.

I was sad when I first left my friends in San Antonio behind, but now I see that moving to Devine was a blessing in disguise. The move here brought me one step closer to self-actualization in both my skills and my ability to connect with others. I am eternally grateful for everything Devine has done for me. And while, yes, the quarantine has stripped senior year of its fun, the community has done so much for everyone — and still is with the Adopt-a-Senior program — that it almost doesn’t seem right to be sad about it.

My high school experience has been the best time of my life. To everyone who made it possible, thank you from the bottom of my heart.