Middle school is like the winter sport of Luge: it goes fast, it can be very fun, but it has bumps and walls that can hurt. Also, a good strong start is essential so that if you mess up later it won’t matter as much. I am leaving Jordan this year to go to high school. I would like to sum up the most notable matters which include, the people I would like to thank, my accomplishments in eighth grade, some memories, good advice for incoming 6th graders and a farewell to all of my teachers and the school.
I want to thank everyone at Jordan, but mostly my teachers. All of my teachers have been so great at helping me stay on track during my very often travels to Utah and New York. An example is when I just came back from a two-week trip and I did not understand the math homework. I emailed Mrs. Limburg my Math teacher and she called me back and helped me through my homework. Some teachers like her have gone out of their way to help me succeed, and I really want to thank those who did. I would also like to thank my parents who have also gone out of their way to help me succeed in Luge and school. My parents got me to every Luge practice and race this year, and helped me catch up on work when I returned.
Jordan has helped me grow as a student and as a person. As a student I learned a lot of algebra in Math, how to write poems, essays, short stories and summaries in English class. In History, I learned from the time humans first existed to the time of the civil war. In science I have learned a lot more about the world we live in. In my electives I learned how to make pottery, paint, draw and cook delicious foods from all over the world. As a person I have made great friends that I can hopefully keep for the rest of my life. And finally, this year I was selected to join an Olympic development team for Team USA for Luge.
One of the most pieces of knowledge I acquired this year in US History was learning about the struggles of african americans in the past. Learning about the hardships that people of color faced and the cruelty that they sustained really made me respect colored people more and empathize with their difficult journey in this country. I realized that this country has a very bad history of discrimination. Unfortunately, segregation and discrimination still affect colored people as well as immigrants. What I learned this year in US history is important for every person to know because eradicating racism will create a better future.
Jordan’s academic experience can be easy or hard, depending on how you approach the work. If you get work done and pay attention most of the time, Jordan will be easy. If you do the opposite of that for even one day, then it is very hard to recover from it. Also don’t miss 4-6 weeks of school, its very hard to recover from that.
At Jordan I have learned so much. I feel like high school is going to be much easier because of how effectively most of the teachers taught. Jordan has been a big step in my life and I am ready to start my next step into high school.
I am thankful for all of my friends, family and teachers for helping me through these three years. Thank you, friends, for being kind, funny and helping me with homework occasionally. Thank you, family, for driving me to school when it rains and helping me with homework and getting me the supplies I need. Thank you, teachers, for teaching me so much and helping me succeed.
I will really miss Jordan and I will try to come and visit often next year.