Dear EHS,

What a wild ride it has been for us these past four years. Who knew that our freshman year would be our most normal year? Who knew that we would have our sophomore year cut short and have to adapt to online learning for a year? Who knew that we would have the chance to set up the younger classes with what the “normal” is for high school? Going into this year, we were the only class left with a full high school year under our belts. We were the only ones who knew how it was, and we had the chance to change it for the better. Homecoming week, we had advisory competitions instead of morning assemblies, allowing more kids to participate in the activities. The first-ever Oscars Night was put on by the National Honor Society. We put on a giant obstacle course for our Friday homecoming assembly. We even had a homecoming redemption water balloon fight. All these things that were not a thing our freshman year got to become a thing this year, and hopefully, the younger classes will continue with most of them, if not all of them. 

Some say high school is supposed to be the best years of your life. Although that may not be quite true, they are definitely some of the most unique years of your life. It is a time in your life when there are so many new things for you to try. A time where you are meant to make mistakes, and then be able to learn and grow from them, rather than be beat down by them. It has allowed us to step out of our comfort zone and do new things. We’ve been able to step up into leadership positions in things like ASB or National Honor Society, going out for sports or trying out for plays, things most of us wouldn’t have the opportunity to do outside of school. We had a wide variety of classes, and it has allowed us to try out things offered and get credit for them. We’ve learned the in and outs of broadcasting, we know how to weld and build, and Spanish has become something we all know, at least, a little bit. 

It’s funny, we all came to this school in 2018 with the idea that we knew everything and that we were on top of the world. Now we have come to our graduation in 2022, and we learned that we don’t know a single thing. How can a person know everything in 2018 but nothing in 2022? Well, that is a great question. Maybe by learning and growing, you learn that you knew hardly anything before. You can never know everything because there is always something new to learn. It has also taught us, that you only live once, so go out and try it all. Soak it up, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Knowledge doesn’t just come in the form of textbooks, notes, and quizzes, but also experiences and mistakes. 

So, thank you EHS. Thank you to the teachers, staff, coaches, and all those involved in helping us to learn and grow. Thank you for dealing with us on the days when we were unbearable. For doing your best to give us the best learning experience possible, even when we were online. Thank you for almost always having an extra granola bar or two when we really needed it. Thank you for letting us rant to you and giving us hugs when we needed them. The coaches we’ve had for always pushing us and never letting us give up, even when we wanted to. For helping us to find ourselves, and our future careers, and giving us a little bit of a push whenever we needed it.

To the younger classes, take it all in, because as cheesy as it sounds, it really does fly by. High school may not be the best years of your life, but it is definitely some of the most memorable. Take a look around, and soak up everything that high school has to offer you. The good, the bad, all of it. Remember the good times so you have happy memories to turn around and look back on. Remember the bad times because they more than likely came with a lesson to learn with it. And remember every little moment in between, because these are some of the most unique years of your life, with people you have known for the majority of your life that you’ll, more than likely, part ways with after graduation. Soak up every little thing, because you’ll never know when you will be doing something for the last time.

It has been a real EHS. You gave us an amazing four years, but now we are on to the next big thing. Don’t forget us, because we certainly will not forget you. We may be moving on to bigger and better things, but deep down, our school colors will always be orange and black, and we will always be Tigers at heart. 

Sincerely, 

The EHS Class of 2022