High school is four years jam packed with education, growth, milestones and everything in between. It is very difficult to condense that to one senior article, so here are just the top five things I have taken from my years at Xavier.

5. Education. Xavier’s education has been both challenging and rewarding. The teachers are very knowledgeable and they work so hard to build a curriculum to not only teach the material, but engage students. I feel like Xavier has prepared me well for what I will experience in college going forward.

4. Xcel. I was fortunate enough to have great classmates in my Xcel and an awesome teacher to lead it. I knew I could always look forward to Xcel to relax, work, study or even just talk football with my friends. No matter what I needed, Xcel offered the opportunity to do it.

3. Spring Break School trips. The band trip to Canada as a sophomore and service trip to Ecuador as a junior were truly once in a lifetime experiences. I had the opportunity to see other parts of the world. I also grew closer to my classmates who were with me. Those two trips were two of the best weeks of my life. 

2.Teachers. Xavier teachers are so much more than just teachers. They are models of faith, service, kindness, leadership and more. They have taught me more life lessons than academic lessons over the course of high school, and for that, I am thankful.

1. Friendships. Over the last four years, I have met so many people as just classmates who turned into friends. My friends make me a better person and I am grateful for all of them no matter how close we are. I hope to stay connected with a lot of them long after high school. 

My experience with the Xavier community and my education have no doubt helped transform me into who I am today. With what I have taken from Xavier, I am excited to see what the future holds for me.