Senior Speeches 2022-23

People like my parents are the light in my tunnel. Because of their unconditional love and the many lessons they have laid before me, I can genuinely say I am truly growing into the man I know they are both proud of. I know I still have a long way to go, but they have laid the foundation. Thank you Mum and Dad

To all my teachers and staff, I truly appreciate all the tendonous support and encouragement you have shown me throughout my time here. I would not have become a better student and person without you all so thank you.

I left any minuscule inadequacy I saw, forcing a confrontation of myself with my work. I took on an open mind to see that not all work was entirely perfect, or wholly bad. That my paint strokes on a canvas didn’t have to be perfect or beautiful, they could just be my own. I pushed myself to try new mediums, switching from charcoal to acrylic paint, as I had struggled the most with it. I took a break from portraits and expanded my knowledge of landscapes or still lifes. I no longer saw art as a way to show off or prove myself. It is now an outlet for my emotions, and how I process feelings or events. It has become my connection to friends, of collaborating to create our own comics and escapes. It is how I show my appreciation and gratitude to the people closest to me, constructing murals of their faces, left eyes included. I now accept the flaws in my work, as well as in myself. Because just as my art will continue to grow, so too will I.

If I learned anything from covid and could give you one piece of advice, it would be to not take anything or anyone for granted and to enjoy the rest of high school while it is still here. Life is always changing and you just have to make the most out of every single day.

Thank you to all of my teachers who have helped throughout my time here at Renaissance.

The next chapter of my life in college will involve a lot of personal growth and evolution. A part of me is scared of stepping outside of this comfort zone at Rolling Hills Prep, and attending a large scale university. Some questions that are always jumping around in my head are, How big will my class sizes be, will I be able to make any friends, Am I going to have to cook on a regular basis, what if my roommate is a complete psychopath who really enjoys setting my things on fire. All of these questions would be overwhelming and intimidating had I not developed the ability to adapt to the challenges I have experienced in my life. As a person with a disability, I have many strengths, with the greatest of being able to work through extremely difficult situations. So no matter the loss, the mental struggles, and the jump from high school to college, I know I will adapt to my ever-changing environment on top. Thank you.

I am now capable of making better decisions when it comes to my academics. I have improved my study habits, have learned to use a planner to organize and prioritize assignments, and I can self-advocate when I need support. Overall, my time at Rolling Hills Prep and Renaissance schools brought back the joy in learning. I am forever grateful for my time here and will always remember the learning environment and community that has helped me achieve my goals and be the best version of myself.

Almost a year later, I finally made it to senior year. Looking back at my old art and my younger self, I am very proud of my development. Seventh-grade me would have never thought I would have made it to senior year. Moreover, I have been accepted to a very prominent art school, pushing myself to be the best artist and person I can be. I am very proud of myself and the artist I have become, I believe that seventh-grade Amelie would be, too.

Now that I am getting ready to go off to college, I feel “old”. As I reflect back on my time spent here at [RHP], it feels like it all went by too fast. When I think about the future, having to make my own decisions, going off and living on my own, and being away from my family, it makes me feel like I should be cherishing the remaining time I have left here.

As much as we might try to simplify our lives into categories to better understand ourselves and the world around us I will never be able to understand every part of myself. I can't interpret the impact of every choice, every decision. However, introspection can be a powerful tool that allows us to look within ourselves and piece together a rudimentary idea of what makes us who we are. Knowing how your decisions impact your life gives you the ability to better understand how the decisions you will make are going to impact you

By placing more value on the bonds I had with friends, the late night dinners I had with my family, waking up early to go to the beach and watch the sunrise, I began to enjoy the smaller moments of life. I realized the walls I had built that blocked feelings of joy and compassion, protected the pain I endured, and believed benefited my well being, was my downfall. Even though everything is not perfect now, and may never be, breaking down my walls helped me evolve.

It’s been a while since I looked back at my old self. The version of me that was closed off to others, nonchalant and expressionless. Who I was on July 10, a version of me I hope to leave in the past.

To the person I was 3 years ago: thank you for not giving up

Just like other forms of art, though, I started to lose interest. I couldn’t figure out why I kept getting bored with the things I used to love. Was I not a fan of art? Did I not have the drive? Maybe I just didn’t find the right style or medium.

I realized that it wasn’t because I didn’t like art or didn’t have the drive to focus. I was just growing and changing into a different person than I was before. At different points in my life, I might have lost interest in certain types of art, but I have always loved the concept of it. I learned that I will always love art, even if the art style or subject matter changes.