As my time at Lewis Cass High School comes to an end there are many things that I can be thankful for.  Throughout elementary and junior high I always looked forward to being a senior and walking across the stage at graduation.  However, as that time approaches and my time as a King comes to an end, I look back on all the memories and think about how me and all my friends benefited from a community like this.  This is noticed especially more in sports, which I will talk about later.  Nevertheless, almost anything going on here at the school was supported by our small community and I am forever grateful for that.  I remember being a kid who adored and looked up to older athletes and seniors throughout my days in elementary and junior high.  Now as a senior the roles have been reversed.  People look up to me as their role model or the person they want to be just how I did as a kid.  This was evident this year during my basketball team’s journey during the state playoffs.  

Ever since I was a little kid, my life revolved around sports.  It didn’t matter what season it was or how hot or cold it was outside, I would be playing basketball, baseball, football, or even kickball with my friends in the summer.  This would carry over into my high school years as my best and favorite memories came from sports.  Whether it was us getting yelled at and having to run for messing around in practice or the memories from the locker room, I will always cherish my time as an athlete.  Most importantly the memories made during my team’s basketball journey this year.  As we won more and more games in the state playoffs then more and more people started to show up.  After we won sectionals more people wanted to support and the community was able to fill up our side of the bleachers for the regional game.  After that I didn’t think there was any way more people could show up because of how many people were already there cheering us on.  However I was wrong, because semi-state was the most people I’ve ever seen from our community come out and support our team.  I will always cherish and remember hearing the roar of running onto the court at Logansport with our whole school and community behind us.  I am forever thankful for all the fans and memories that came along with that special tournament run.  I am also thankful for the life lessons that sports gave me.  It showed me that adversity prepares you for what is coming next and to never take anything for granted.  The time flew by during my athletic career and I am glad to have played with all the teammates I had the chance to play with but especially the teammates from my senior year.  

Nonetheless, there are many other things that one can do in high school.  Your life does not have to revolve around sports because of what all is offered at Lewis Cass.  There are many clubs and extracurricular activities that one can participate in to fill their time and make memories.  Some of the clubs that I have been fortunate enough to be in are Sadd Club, National Honor Society, Key Club, Spanish Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), FFA, and also Champions Together.  Not only did all these clubs help me grow as a person, but they also taught me how to be dedicated and committed to sticking with it.  Many times there were meetings and activities where I had to sacrifice social time with my friends to attend these meetings.  However, everyone’s attendance at these meetings showed how they were willing to help and contribute to the main goal of the club.  The clubs that I got the most out of and always looked forward to attending were Champions Together and FCA.  Champions Together was so important to me because it showed how sports and gatherings can be so influential to people who aren’t as fortunate as everyone else.  The happiness and joy from those kids will always be something that I cherish and think of when I hear Champions Together.  FCA was special to me because one is able to see other athletes who hold the same faith and want to start their Friday off right.  This consists of a warm breakfast prepared by adults and a speaker who encourages us.  

Finally, the club that I was able to participate in and enjoy for just one short year, Newspaper and Journalism.  I was able to strengthen my writing skills and feel as if I was a real journalist this year.  I had the opportunity to cover and write about all sorts of different topics, which helped me gain an overall understanding of each one.  Some of my favortie topics I wrote about this year were society’s impact on adolescents, the controversy between private schools and public schools in the same state playoffs, and the memories my AAU basketball team made through our time together.  However, writing was not the only thing that we did in this class.  We were able to record and feel like we were a part of a news crew, which brought hardships but was fun in the long run.  We had the chance to interview people, take on new trendy challenges, and grow closer with my classmates.  I always look forward to laughing and enjoying each second during this class and would recommend taking it.  Doing so you might realize that you are gifted on camera and could pursue a future career in television.  Overall, I am thankful for this club, from the life lessons it taught me to the memories I made, I will always cherish my time.  I am also beyond thankful for this special community and for high school sports.   Thank you Lewis Cass High School for all you have given me and all the opportunities provided that have helped me become a better person and prepared me to take my next step.