Dear Archbishop John Carroll,

I never would’ve imagined myself writing a goodbye letter so soon. It doesn’t feel like three years ago I walked into this school for the first time as a freshman. The years I’ve spent here flew by so much quicker than I could have ever imagined.

I remember the beginning of freshman year like it was yesterday. Although I was super nervous, everyone in our class was so excited and welcoming. It was so fun meeting everyone and making friends for the first couple of months. The teachers were helpful as we started to adjust to new, big changes entering high school. 

Sophomore year was when I felt like the fun was really getting started. By this time, I had a great group of friends who I loved spending time with. My friends and I had so much fun up until March when Covid hit. The time we spent away from each other was hard, as we never saw it coming. Everyone felt alone at times, not being able to come to school or see each other. March 2020 escalated into junior year, which wasn’t the best time for anyone. Only being able to see half the school, every other day, was upsetting and hard to get through. I felt like I didn’t recognize anyone due to the masks being worn. Looking back, I feel like junior year was just a blur. Although, coming back senior year with everyone again made me really happy and started to feel like Carroll again. The beginning of the year was so exciting and we all knew that senior year was going to be the best. In October, I attended Kairos 104 which was the best experience I had in all my time at Carroll. I learned so much about my faith, myself, and some of my peers who I never would have talked to if I didn’t go. I loved every moment spent on Kairos, which is why I wanted to go again in March as a leader. I’m so grateful that I had the opportunity to lead others in my class and inspire them to get closer with God. Father Cavara made both experiences great for me and everyone involved. 

Looking back at all my memories here, I’m so thankful I had the opportunity to come to this school. Although not every moment was amazing, the good memories cancel out all the bad. This school has taught me so much, not only in the classrooms, but about myself. The school and the people here helped me realize who I am, and has made me so excited to see what will come next in my future. I thank all the teachers and administrators in this school for making my experience amazing, and I will always think about the happiness this school has brought me. 

Sincerely, Katie Cappello