As graduation approaches, I reflect on the little time I spent at Prosper High School after moving here at the beginning of junior year. When I first arrived after transferring schools for the third time, I had no idea what to expect. Honestly, each school felt intimidating at first, but I pushed myself outside of my comfort zone each time. It somehow always ended up being worth it.
One of these jumps included joining Speech and Debate in my junior year. I remember my first Lincoln-Douglas tournament at Lindale High School. As I walked into my very first round, my opponent casually discussed his endless practice sessions with his peers, which further contributed to my anxiety. Public speaking already made me nervous, and his discussion did not help. Standing outside that room, everything inside me wanted to turn around and quit, but I knew that this was something that I needed to push through. The topic was “Should the U.S. government provide subsidized housing?” Though I lost, after walking out, I felt this massive sense of relief and pride. It was proof that I could push myself beyond what I believed to be possible for myself. Speech and Debate quickly became more than just an after-school activity. It was where I formed some of my closest friends. My team and I spent many weekends at tournaments, rehearsing cases, brainstorming and laughing about our shared stresses. Those long but not forgotten weekends have shown me that staying in your comfort zone only means losing out on these valuable memories.
I joined the staff of Eagle Nation Online, the school newspaper, the same year. However, this journey was not linear. I first began in the Digital Media class, where I would soon switch out due to schedule complications, which would eventually lead me to the Newspaper class due to an accidental placement by my counselor, as this class was reserved for individuals who had received experience in previous years. When I first sat down, the newspaper adviser, Lisa Roskens, questioned if I had arrived at the wrong class, since she recalled seeing me the previous day in another Digital Media class. I explained the situation, and the questioning soon became interesting. She asked me if I wanted to join the staff, which I agreed to, and it became one of the best decisions I made during my time at PHS. Initially, I had no idea how to write or interview, and I didn’t know where I was going. ENO soon turned into a second home, complete with snacks, jokes and moral support. Mrs. Roskens and everyone at ENO instilled in me the need to find everybody’s story and how even the tiniest detail can have a lasting effect. As a journalist, I fell in love with interviewing new individuals and telling their stories to our community. Most of all, I’m grateful to everyone on staff who made the experience one that I’ll look back on and cherish.
I’m also so grateful to those teachers who made my two years at PHS remarkable. Ms. Chan, my calculus teacher, would always answer my Google Chats late whenever I had a question about an assignment for her class. Not only that, but she would always take the time to congratulate students on their accomplishments. Like the time she wrote personalized letters for every single one of her students for completing the class. She didn’t just teach me calculus, but also fostered a supportive environment where I could thrive. I would also like to thank Ms. Rodriguez, my debate coach, for always pushing me to improve. She never sugar-coated any of her critiques and was always straight to the point. While some may not enjoy that, it allowed me to truly pin down my mistakes and strive to do better in these areas.
High school was so much more than class or grades. It was about the little things that turn into lifelong memories. Like laughing late at night after debate tournaments, the excitement of having my stories go live on ENO, or just hanging out in the newsroom. As I prepare to go to college to study computer science, I am eager and grateful for everything Prosper High School has given me – the challenges, the relationships formed and the many experiences that have shaped me into the person I am today.
