Rachel Boes will attend Villanova University
Major: Economics & Marketing

As we reflect on our time being a part of the New Albany community, there are numerous people to thank.  

We at New Albany High School are very lucky to have the incredibly talented and influential staff that we do.  I can say with confidence that the staff here has been catalyzing our development as students and mature human beings since the beginning.

Every year following first through eighth grade I came home from the last day of school crying like you wouldn't believe, which my parents can attest to.  While I'll admit I was relieved when summer arrived, I was always so attached to my teachers that I was distraught at the idea of leaving them; yet every year I formed the same connections with my new teachers as those before.  As I got older my emotions were easier to conceal, however I still feel the same sadness each year as our time together comes to a close.  

I tell you this not only because it is a cute story, but because reflecting back on this now, I am grateful to have had teachers so wonderful that the thought of leaving them brought tears to my eyes.  

We as students are so lucky to have had the teachers, administrators, bus drivers, lunch aides, custodians, and all other staff members that we did.  For 13 years our staff has spent every minute of every school day caring for us and doing whatever they could to help us through anything we needed them to.  I guarantee that every student and parent in this auditorium could easily recall a time our staff members went above and beyond for us.  They have put our needs before theirs and displayed the true nature of selflessness and for that we can never repay them.  All we can do is aim to make them proud as we head off to whatever endeavors we have planned for our future.

Our teachers have taught us an immense amount of lessons beyond just what fit into our curriculum.  They taught us to work hard for what we wanted and for what we thought we deserved.  We learned cooperative skills and how to value the opinions of others, as well as have productive discussions with people who think differently than us.  

These are lessons that become increasingly important as we become adults and enter into the next phase of our lives.  Teachers have an incredibly important job in our society and our staff has truly transcended what is expected of them.

I think today we can all admit we are going to be feeling emotional about the thought of leaving all the staff members that have formed us.  Maybe we won't all be crying for an hour like I did years ago, but it's one of the main reasons graduation is so bittersweet. On behalf of the Class of 2017 I would like to thank all New Albany staff from the bottom of my heart.  We couldn't have made it to this moment without you and we will never forget your contributions to our academic futures.