By: Lauren Ehlis, DHS Senior Student
It has been a crazy ride, these past four years. I still remember those first few days of my freshman year at DHS, learning how to find my way around the pods, being terrified I would get lost and be late for class, and just getting used to all of the kids! Somehow, I survived it all, even online distance learning. Now, I am standing at the end of a long journey, looking forward to college, my next big adventure.
I have never been good at math. Since kindergarten, I have struggled to understand math topics. When I started high school, I was terrified about flunking math. Luck was with me. I would have many great mentors to guide me through my high school career. LeeAnn Smutzler was my freshman Algebra I teacher. She took the time to help me figure out how to tackle math. Another wonderful contributor to my academic journey through high school was the introduction of DHS’s Academic Learning Center (ALC). I was able to receive individual tutoring at the ALC, not only in math, but in any subject where I needed help. Mrs. Sadowsky, one of the teachers at the ALC, became a huge part of how I passed my math classes in high school. She also showed me that asking for tutoring assistance is so invaluable. I plan to find my “Mrs. Sadowsky” when I go to college and take my first math course (unless she is willing to come with me, please!) My teachers have been wonderful resources as well as wonderful mentors. I cannot name all of my outstanding teachers because there have been so many for me. They have challenged me to stretch my mind and views. Without the support of my teachers over the years, my high school experience may have looked quite different from the start. I am forever grateful to my teachers and the support they have given me.
If there is one skill that I have learned to be very beneficial in my life, it is being able to speak publicly. I have been with the DHS Speech team since the seventh grade. I was told by my parents, who made me sign up for speech, that learning how to speak publicly could only benefit me in the future. As much as I hate to say it, they were right! Competing in speech gave me confidence, helped me learn to react quickly, and introduced me to an entire world of topics each time I attended a meet. One of the most important goals the DHS Speech team strives for is supporting each other like family. Like the saying, “Teamwork makes the dream work.” Throughout my years of speech, it was wonderful to watch everyone support each other, no matter how new or old one might have been to the team. Having this mentality has shown me what it means to be a leader and mentor. I hope I have left a legacy of warmth, by supporting new speech members and always trying to instill the speech motto of being tight-knit like a family. I will miss speech very much, but I know that I will always have the memories and the ideas that I have learned to help support my journey through life.
Just like speech, I learned the importance of having to be a leader through my years in the National Honor Society. It was gratifying to be able to help various charities and organizations by volunteering in my community. It showed me the importance of helping others. I hope to continue this tradition and volunteer during my college years.
I am ready to leave DHS, but I will carry with me the knowledge, the life lessons, and the memories of my high school adventures with me throughout my life. I will be sad to leave my friends and teachers, but I know they want me to step into this next great adventure called college. I do not know what my future holds, but thanks to my time at DHS, I am prepared and ready to meet the challenges that await me. Thank you, DHS!