“Step out of your comfort zone”: Madison Dutcher, Student Life Editor

I’ve sat here the past couple of days not knowing where to begin. How do I thank the people who shaped me into the person I am today? To start off with, I grew up in the small town of Hainesport graduating with the total class size of 67. I then went to RV graduating with the total class size of 476. Over the years, I’ve made lifelong friendships that I will never forget. 

As a freshman I came into RV absolutely terrified. Would I find the right classes? Would I make friends? I can proudly say that I survived RV and became a better person. I think what really helped me make my mark at RV was getting involved in everything possible. Join clubs, go to events, talk to people not in your grade and don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. 

I always knew I was the type of student that would never sit in the back of the class and not voice my opinion. When I heard the Holly Spirit Newspaper was returning, my eyes lit up. The past couple of months being on this newspaper has given me the opportunity to have a voice and for people to listen. I was able to interview students I never even knew before and feel like I was a part of something really special. 

In my sophomore year of high school, my guidance counselor, Mr. Corcoran, pushed me towards taking two foreign languages. Little did I know that shortly after I would fall in love with French and Italian. Going off to Penn State next year, I definitely want to study abroad and possibly minor in French. 

Just a quick couple of shout outs to the people I will miss the most: to Kelsey Heron, my soul sister, thank you for being my best friend for the past seven years. Can’t wait for Penn State vs. Rutgers football games. To Alainna Curran, thank you for always being there for me and being the person I can always count on. To Blake Little, thank you for being my first friend. You’re stuck with me for another four years:)))

To Madame Pope, thank you for opening up my eyes and making me see that there’s more in this world than New Jersey. To Mr.Corcoran, thank you for guiding me on this crazy journey.

And to the class of 2021, even though this was not the year we had intended, we made it. Good luck to everyone going off to college next year. This is the time to make mistakes, so when the time comes and someone asks us what we want to be, we’ll know. 

At lastly, thank you RV for making me the person I am today. I am a small part of something that has been so wonderful to me for the past four years. I have found my true passion in life and left RV with lifelong memories. Next stop: Penn State!