Dear Archbishop John Carroll,
Thank you for giving me my best friends. Throughout my four years of high school, I have met some of the greatest people. In my senior year of high school, I became close with a group of girls that I can call my family. Although our time together was short, I will always remember the countless memories that were made at Carroll with them.
Senior year will always hold a special place in my heart. From volleyball season to homecoming, to Kairos, senior prom, and most importantly, the last couple of days I’m spending with my friends in the school now, I am so grateful for it all. Some would call volleyball a sport or an after-school activity but I’m happy to say that Carroll volleyball is a sisterhood. I’m fortunate enough to have a Catholic education and with that comes many religious retreats but the one that sticks out the most is Kairos. Those four days that I’ve spent in the Malvern retreat house will always hold a place in my heart. Kairos was truly such an eye-opening experience and I cannot even put it into words how much this retreat meant to me and everyone that was able to go. Lastly comes my final days at Carroll. These days have been filled with love and happiness. As we all realize our days are coming to an end, we have all came together and made the best of it.
The thought of walking across the stage in less than ten days is definitely an scary thought. Knowing I will no longer be spending most of my days at Carroll anymore is a sad feeling. When you first start your freshman year everyone tells you ”These 4 years go by so fast” or “These 4 years will be the best years of your life” and I agree with both of these statements. All though at the time it felt like it was going by so slow and there was a lot of lows in my days in high school, I can agree that the time there is priceless and it does go by fast. I can gladly say that my days spent at Carroll with my friends were days that I will never forget. In these four years, I’ve learned what I think is the most important thing in life and that is what a true friend is. I cannot thank Carroll enough for bringing me the group of friends I have now. Thank you to everyone who made my high school experience one of the best four years of my life. Goodbye 211 Matsonford Road, I love you.
Love,
Sammi Gioquindo
