To our students yet to come,

       I still remember the morning of freshman orientation all the way back in 2018. At that time, we were strangers who would soon become friends. Only now, at the end of our time at Carroll, can I truly call my fellow seniors family. The senior class of 2019 was introducing us to our new school, our teachers and to each other. There was no one who could have honestly said they were not at least a little anxious or nervous, but it was clear the upperclassmen knew this, being that they were in our shoes just a short time ago. “Take your time and make some memories, these four years will go by like lightning,” one of the student ambassadors said to us. Four years seemed like a century to me back then.

        Four years, 1,461 days, 35,064 hours, or however you want to cut it, you can’t make the time go by any faster or slower. Time waits for no one, and from the moment I walked into my first period class on my first day of school at Carroll, the countdown to graduation began. Even as I am writing this, I can still hear the clock ticking. This was pretty intimidating for me as an incoming freshman, but now, it’s the best form of motivation I could ask for.

         If there was one thing that this school did to prepare me for college, it would be recognizing that the only person responsible for my own success is me. No matter what the task ahead of me or anyone else, I know I can rely on God, and the gifts He blessed me with. In a similar way, Carroll has blessed me with determination and knowledge, yet I believe that the greatest gift I received within the last four years came from time, and a safe environment to mature into an adult. Vision and purpose are two crucial values I cultivated in myself these last four years, and there is truly no price we could put on these things, except for our good old friend, time. 

        I am very confident that this school will continue to turn our students’ potential into success, and that the students yet to come will make such a massive impact on the world once Archbishop Carroll has made its impact on them. I have seen this happen first hand. Still, something that wonderful does not just happen overnight. First you need your vision of where you think your blessings can take you. Then, recognizing your purpose for why you find yourself working so hard towards your vision will keep you safe on the path God has planned for you. This may have sounded simple to us on our freshman orientation day, but to be honest, I would have probably disregarded that advice like I did on our first day. Still, it’s a struggle to remain on top of school work and other obligations in my life. People who we can all look up to are all around us, especially here at Archbishop Carroll. Still, we are all challenged by the ever ticking clock, to find our own purpose, and reason to succeed even when it seems impossible. 

          There is good within just about everyone in this world, but it is only until you leave someone behind until you can step back, and finally understand just how much of a positive impact you made on them. I know I won’t be here next year to see how good of a role model this senior class has been to the rest of the students, but I have nothing but confidence that they will continue to follow in our footsteps, as we did for those before us. 

Jerome C. Blaisse 

ACHS Class of 2022